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Getting Feisty

Bethenny Frankel's not loving new Housewife Lynne, but sees both sides of the drama between Gretchen and Tamra.

By Bethenny Frankel

Sorry this blog was late. I was in Aruba with Jill Zarin watching her and all the Yentas this side of the Mason-Dixon line stake their claim on lounge chairs first thing every morning. No one is more entertaining than Jill.

How to Watch

Watch The Real Housewives of Orange County on Peacock and the Bravo App.

I'm a little feisty in this New Year, but I don't write these blogs to sugar coat things. My comments below are mild compared to my most extreme thoughts. Lynne's obsessed with being young. Well, she better get on it. Watching her daughters in preparation for the birthday event made me long for My Super Sweet Sixteen so I could watch some children with real morals. Can you say spoiled rotten? Those girls need an internship with Kara or Briana to see how to be level-headed, driven women despite privileged backgrounds. I wanted to reach through the screen and strangle them.

Briana is terrific. Her work ethic is admirable and can probably be attributed to Vicki. I like that she is her own woman and not into glitz and glamour. Golden child. Kara is the same and that comes from Jeana. It is no coincidence that Vicki and Jeana are strong, businesswomen/matriarchs and their daughters have their act together. After watching Kara turn a mundane retail job into a project, I would offer her a job to work for bethennybakes.com anytime. If Jeana lets her move to New York, she can have a job, make great money and will be able to buy clothes. Maybe we'll crossover casts next season.

Lynne is obsessed with vanity and her body and her daughters are all-consumed with material things, shopping and drinking. The one daughter (I forget their names) should have thought twice before letting her spoiled sister coerce her into wearing her MOTHER's half-finished stripper dress. That daughter is the better of the two.

Jo's video? Not much to say here, but the beat did sound catchy and Britney-ish. I really liked Jeff's kids, and if they're accepting of the blonde bombshell upgrade girlfriend, then she must not be that bad. Kids know all.

Regarding the Ryan disaster - poor Tamra. She is not a bad mom. He is a wreck, and may have made poor choices. She definitely did her best and tries to do so with him. Stop punishing yourself Tamra. The funniest line of '09: "Please tell me you weren't going to name the baby nugget."

There's age drama between Gretchen and Lynne, and of course Gretchen admits her age. She's 30 years old. Being 40-something is a different matter. I'm not one who is caught up in age. If I look like a hag, it's because I work nonstop. If I look good, I'm just lucky. Que sera sera.

I will say though, when you are a certain age and dress age inappropriately, you end up looking much older. Women like Katie Couric, Susan Sarandon, Diane Sawyer, and Martha Stewart dress age appropriately and always look elegant and timeless. Back to my nail obsession. Lynne and Gretchen's nails not only are French, not only are they the squarest of square, but they are fake!

Lynne was controlling the conversation at dinner with the girls. What is she, a referee? These women work all day and need to vent at night. Lynne has 40 hours a week on the treadmill to think about her kids.

As for the Gretchen/Tamra drama, I get both sides. Tamra can't help herself and speaks her mind, which of course I can appreciate. However, she doesn't walk in Gretchen's shoes and can't judge. I didn't expect Gretchen to bawl like that. I would have said my peace and moved on. I agree with Jeana's assessment of the whole situation. "Everyone deserves a day off." Good for TV drama. I also could live without the visual of Gretchen and a dying man having sex. I wouldn't mind having that moment back. Lynne, please never say "chillax" again.

Off to the races this week.

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