Bethenny Frankel Defends Her Criticism of Jules Wainstein's Judaism Portrayal
The Skinnygirl mogul stands by her controversial comments about the #RHONY newbie.
The Real Housewives of New York City newcomer Jules Wainstein has held her own during her inaugural reunion this season. However, she broke down and shed some tears when Bethenny Frankel criticized her presentation of the Jewish faith on the show. During Part 2 of the reunion Wednesday, Bethenny said she doesn't think Jules "represented a positive side of being Jewish at all" when she said things like she would go to Hell for touching shellfish and bragged about hiring someone to potty train her children.
Jules fired back at Bethenny on Twitter during the episode saying, "The only one stereotyping Jews is @Bethenny - plenty of non-Jews hire a potty trainer.... How dare you."
Bethenny responded to Jules' tweet and defended her comments about her castmate's religion when she appeared on Watch What Happens Live Wednesday. "I think that saying that your kids don't have to go to school, they just want your money anyway is a very sort of negative thing, and that's something that I think doesn't represent being a Jewish woman in New York at a private school very well. I think that making fun of Shabbat on Friday and drinking, I think she said they drink Kool-Aid and take a cracker and that she said she's going to Hell because of eating shellfish and stuck her hand in the ice. I mean, you're not going to Hell. People have told me the Jewish culture's very forgiving about things like that. I thought it was a joke," Bethenny told Andy Cohen (clip above). "I think her saying she lives in a 20,000-square foot house, and I live in a tiny house. And she talked a lot about money, and she doesn't have any. I just think that it was just really in poor taste."
That explanation didn't sit well with Jules. "@Bethenny you have no moral authority!" she tweeted during WWHL. "No matter where or whether I have a penny to my name I celebrate Shabbat! @Andy @BravoWWHL #shameonu."
Of course, Bethenny and Jules haven't been on the best of terms this season. The two have been at odds over Bethenny's comments about Jules' eating disorder, her house in the Hamptons, and her divorce from husband Michael Wainstein on and off the show.
Despite the backlash she has encountered from her fellow Housewives and fans, Bethenny said on WWHL that she doesn't regret any of the comments she has made this season. "I stand by what I've said the whole entire season," Bethenny said. "And I get beat up, and I can take it. That's why I'm standing by it, because beat me up."
Bethenny also defended her controversial behavior while dishing on this season's reunion on WWHL. Find out what inspired that buzzy phone call moment, below.
