Dorinda Medley is the official new girl on the block for this season’s Real Housewives Of New York! However she has several friends on the cast as well as having something substantial in common with Carole Radziwill. Both women are young widows. But just because she got along with some people – doesn’t mean she got along with everyone. Dorinda readily admits to conflict and promises this season, “it’s not going to be boring. At. All.”
Dorinda’s husband, noted hedge fund manager Richard H. Medley passed away in 2011. Dorinda reveals she was approached by Ramona Singer to participate in RHONY previously, but turned it down because she “wasn’t ready.” In fact, she was always considered by Bravo – even way back in season one – because in addition to a friendship with Ramona, she also knows Jill Zarin and LuAnn de Lesseps!
“When she [Ramona] was on in the very beginning, my name was floated around, but my life really couldn’t handle it at the time. She’d still invite me to various parties and functions and you could see me every now and then in some episodes; but after Richard died, I laid low for a while,” Dorinda explains. “Ramona encouraged me to consider it and I think she even pitched me to Bravo, but I wasn’t ready. I always hung out with them anyway, but now instead of being a guest of theirs, I’m a cast member. Funny how that works, huh?”
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Because of their close affiliation for many years, Dorinda says she naturally got along the best with Ramona and LuAnn and denies reports of any feuding between herself and Pinot Singer whom she describes as a “great friend” for nearly 20-years.
Describing joining RHONY as “a very easy transition,” Dorinda explains, “I’ve known the lifestyle for years. I figured, at this point of my life, I had nothing to lose and it would be fun to throw my hat in the ring, and just have fun.” Dorinda also knows Heather Thomson from the Berkshires where Dorinda also owns a home.
Surprisingly Dorinda admits to being a fan of the show, who has watched “every single episode” (usually the new girls deny ever seeing the show and we know they’re lyyyying!) – and she’s prepared for the magic of editing.
“You’re exposing all parts of your life and opening yourself up to good and bad criticism. But, if you go in there worried and scared and frightened, you’re not going to portray your reality,” Dorinda emphasizes. “And that’s what the audience wants: they want real, not fake. If you’re fake, they’re gonna see it. I have no problem being myself and being true to myself.”
Getting into her life before Housewives, Dorinda isn’t comfortable discussing her husband’s death – he passed away in 2011 after a brief illness. She’s declined several times to reveal his cause of death, mysteriously. “I’ve sort of moved past it. It was a very sad time in my life and it’ll just make me too sad. Early on, I decided I wanted to start with my life from here, moving forward. I decided I didn’t want to overexpose my daughter or make my story anything related to Richard’s passing. Right now, I’m living one of the brighter chapters of my life and I’m excited to have another exciting one.”
Dorinda, who has a daughter Hannah, reveals she will also be on the show but only briefly because,”I don’t think she wants it to be the focus of her life either right now.” However, Dorinda assures us despite Hannah’s limited appearances she “makes an impression” and “complete my story.”
Now onto the things we really care about – the drama! Who has it, who doesn’t?! “I guess the better question might be which one I was surprised to get along with and I have to say that’s Bethenny [Frankel],” Dorinda confesses. “I think it’s fair to say that we’ve developed a friendship. Bethenny and I are more similar than I expected, and although our live’s paths have been different, there are some interesting similarities with her too. We gel together pretty well.”
“We all developed a relationship with her [Bethenny] – all different, but all very cool,” Dorinda explains. “It brought the show back to the ‘good ol’ times,’ and she’s a ‘real broad.’ And I like that. You know, Bethanny is really open, she’s a great business person, she’s funny, she’s a great mom, she can sometimes be a little bit strong or aggressive, but what you see is what you get. And girl, I love that.”
“Carole and I hit if off pretty well, too, surprisingly. I didn’t entirely expect that. I had some familiar touch points with her,” Dorinda continues, adding that Carole reminds her of her late husband. She also formed a friendship with Sonja Morgan. “I always knew of Sonja and always thought I’d like her, but I ended up liking her a lot more than I expected. We talk practically every day.”
Dorinda does admit to some disagreements with Heather however – it seems like Heather is having issues with nearly everyone this season!
“It was interesting to see how my relationship with Heather evolved, as a ‘city mouse’ instead of a ‘country mouse,’” Dorinda evaluates. “We only really saw each other in the Berkshires, where we both have homes. It was interesting to see how that relationship developed.”
As for what their issues were over, it seems to be Heather’s know-it-all attitude! “Let’s just say that at this point in my life, I’m not in a position to be… umm… overly advised,” Dorinda states. “I don’t really like to beat a dead horse and I’m a very black-and-white person, so whenever I’m in a situation with any of the girls, it tends to gets more and more heated when someone won’t drop it and move on.”
Dorinda has also hinted to brief issues with Kristen Taekman, but they have worked things out and moved on.
“I think this show makes you realize certain things and have certain conversations and confrontations that you normally wouldn’t have, so there were a few twists and turns with Heather,” Dorinda shares with All Things Real Housewives. “I guess that was a surprise, but in the end, that’s what friends do…I guess? But it’s definitely surprising that the conflicts you have with someone often ends up being with the ones you didn’t expect to have any conflict. Funny, huh?”
Dorinda is more invested in “resolution” than pettiness. “As much fun as a reality show is, there’s gonna be conflict, of course; but I feel we have to be supportive of each other at the end of the day. And we have to understand we’re all coming from different places. Not only is that fair, I think it’s also pretty smart.”
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[Photo Credit: Mathieu Young/Bravo]
