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Picking Teams

Alex talks 'Housewives' teams, Jill's insincere apologies, and more.

By Alex McCord

 

How to Watch

Watch The Real Housewives of New York City on Peacock and catch up on the Bravo app

This is sort of a blind (deaf and dumb, though hopefully not stupid!) blog as I haven’t seen any of the reunion yet except for what’s online in the previews – that may or may not be in tonight’s episode. I did hear, however, that this reunion is going to be a three parter – WOW! Since we didn’t get an advance screener since the edit was SO fast, Simon and I decided to leave for our Philly/VA/Baltimore/DC book tour at 6am tomorrow so we can watch part one with all of you tonight! It’s a jam-packed weekend; check out our Facebook Event Calendar for all the details and to RSVP. If you’re nowhere near the east coast but want to pick up our book for Father’s Day, you can do that here.

We shot on May 26th for almost nine hours, and I think that even if the powers-that-be just ran the unaired tape, there would be very little that’s boring. Simon and some others stopped by throughout the day and were able to watch us in action from a separate room with monitors – is that so no one could pass any cast members notes about what to say??? Just kidding!

Much was made of my outspokenness this season and here’s what I have to say about that: there are those who have said that I’m only speaking up to make myself more relevant on the show. I ask you, if that were the case why didn’t I do that in seasons 1 or 2? If that were the reason I’d have started LONG ago. Nope, my string of second chances came to an end, my fuse blew badly enough that I exploded, I just got fed up, I realized it’s counterproductive to avoid offending people who offend you ... insert your favorite cliché here. L-O-bloody-L.

From the beginning of the season, LuAnn and Jill had a 'team" that they tried to recruit others to join – Jill on the phone Labor Day weekend and LuAnn asked me on camera at Ungaro in September which "team" I was on. Ramona, Bethenny and I didn’t form a team with Sonja joining later. We didn’t make jackets; it’s not like we’re in the Pink Ladies. We just understood each other.

 

When I took on Jill about her habit of feeding the gossip columns ... I was amazed that in the same breath she denied ever doing that, she offered up her next gossip installment. Her newest story apparently has something to do with her, a charity and me. If anyone knows what she’s talking about, could you please let me know? Feel free to post what you find on our FB page or here – I spoke last week about using a verbal two-by-four when necessary but maybe I need a clue-by-four here??

One enormous difference between Jill, Ramona and Bethenny and the issues I’ve had with all three of them is this: both Ramona and Bethenny were well aware they had been unkind, and they both came to me. We talked, hashed it through and as I said in the clip you saw online, it never happened again. With Jill, each and every time she has been unkind in person or in the press, I have had to go to her, call her out and she at first denies everything. Then, she tosses out an insincere apology which is “good enough” in her books, until the next thing happens. See a pattern here? In season two she called me to apologize for a gossip piece that was particularly horrific and that she’d signed her name to. That apology scene was filmed two weeks after the article came out, and only took place at my insistence. At the time, I said I would not continue to film the show if it didn’t happen. Prior to that there had been no apology whatsoever.

In a perfect world, people wouldn’t say horrible things about each other in the press. We don’t live in a perfect world. What IS possible is that people remember and take responsibility for what they do. Ramona and Bethenny always have with me. I try to always own my behavior. Jill doesn’t, and there you have it.

Kelly and Bethenny got into it because Kelly again insisted Bethenny trashes her children in the press. I googled. I did not find. What I did find, though, is the article I brought up to Kelly where she talked about Bethenny in Gawker. To give Kelly credit, she did try to say that she couldn’t speak about Bethenny. However, she agreed to the interview and the reporter clearly stated the focus of the article, so if she really didn’t want to take about Bethenny she didn’t need to take that interview. I don’t think Kelly said anything bad either, just wish she’d own it and not make such a huge deal about never discussing other castmates in the press, because she does, just like everyone else.

 

It’s so strange to write without knowing what’s going to be on. We died a little when Ramona made the comment about LuAnn’s dress which you see in the previews – she was giving an example about not talking behind people’s backs and inadvertently made LuAnn think she hated her dress. Next time don’t use the same color she’s wearing as an example!

Like most of you, I miss Simon’s blogs too. He’s been absolutely slammed with work and I promise you that I nag him daily about writing – we WILL see another blog out of him shortly!

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