Mr. Feathersby (was that his name?) and his assistant met their demise on this week’s Real Housewives of New York alongside the friendship of Bethenny Frankel and Carole Radziwell. It’s been a slow death for this duo, played out mainly in talking head interviews and passive aggressive commentary. Usually Bethenny is the clear heavy hitter when she decides to tear down a cast mate, but Carole has the wit and vocabulary to give her a run for her Skinnygirl money!
I’m not going to lie (and I’m sure I’ll get a lot of heat for it), but I have been a tried and true Carole fan since she joined the show. However, this season she’s turned into, well, a Bravo “housewife” completely caught up in her own world, ready and willing to participate in all the petty drama. Perhaps she learned from Bethenny, who has been making petty drama her job since she burst (back) on the scene. Either way, their feud has been a long time in the making if only for the fact that Bethenny sabotages every relationship she has. If someone is as “strong” as she perceives herself to be, they become her competition, not her friend. It’s at that point she focuses on the Sonja Morgans of the world to remind herself that she is superior. It’s a whole emotional case study, and nobody has time for that!
This go-round Carole has found herself on the receiving end of Bethenny’s wrath, but she’d be a more sympathetic victim if she hadn’t spent the last few seasons watching from the sidelines as Bethenny decimated others. Taking to her blog, Carole writes, “Many of you think RHONY is scripted. It’s not. Some of you assume we’re aware of what’s going on with the other ladies at all times, but that’s not the case either. I don’t know what any of the other Housewives say when I’m not filming with them. And no one tells us. I sit on my sofa and watch the events unfold at the same time as all of you—and sometimes, like you, I’m shocked by what I see and hear,” adding, “In real life, you may never discover that a friend is being nice to your face only to make rude and hurtful comments behind your back. But lucky (or unlucky) for me, I get to hear it all—Bethenny’s drumbeat of insults, her spate of digs, and her self-serving narrative. Live on Bravo Wed 9e/8c!”
Carole explains her reactions now that she is seeing everything play out on television. She asserts, “Blogging is also a part of being on the show. It is here that I have a chance to respond to all the crap that has been said about me and about the people I love—on television!”
She continues, “When I hear a bunch of snide comments being hurled, part of me reacts with, I don’t really care what Bethenny thinks of me, she seems so angry and unhappy. Relationships change. They ebb and flow over time, and friends ultimately show you who they are. I’m a grown-up, yet I can’t help but feel sad that I let into my life a person who I thought supported me, respected me, and enjoyed me, and she has revealed herself to be the complete antithesis. That is my thoughtful Austrian side. But my fiery Italian side is more like, ‘What the f**k did she just say?!'”
Instead of individually addressing Bethenny’s snide remarks, Carole defends herself in the wake of Bethenny’s insults. She asserts, “I was taught to stand up for myself. To be heard. To defend my family and people I love. And to never let anyone question my character, intelligence, or integrity. And that is exactly what Bethenny has been slowly, insidiously trying to do all season with her hidden agenda. It’s pathetic, and I’m not about to take it. Up until this episode, I have not said a single unkind word about Bethenny in those confessional interviews or to any of our mutual friends—on or off camera. Not one single thing.” Not one single thing? Not even just one? Hmmm….I’m not so sure about that statement!
Using some big words that escape the lips of her RHONY counterparts, Carole finishes strong, getting in her final digs with a pretty spot-on assessment of her one-time bestie. Carole concludes, “But in Bethenny’s myopic world, she’s the judge, jury, and executioner. Her narcissistic point of view doesn’t permit any dissenters—only her truth matters. It’s astounding to watch. Then again, in the post-truth age of consuming fake news, Bethenny’s world of magical thinking will probably be rewarded with its own spin-off.”
Ouch. This isn’t going to end well, but it will make for an explosive reunion!
TELL US – WHO’S SIDE ARE YOU ON IN THE BETHENNY/CAROLE FEUD? ARE THEY BOTH EQUALLY RIDICULOUS?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
