This weekend, amidst a much needed break from watching or reading the news, I decided to sit in the backyard with a cup of coffee and the latest issue of Vanity Fair.
After reading Anna Peele's "A House Divided," alliteratively described on the glossy's December/January 2024 cover as "The Reckoning Rocking the Real Housewives" I started to wonder why.
Why this desperate need to be seen? Is it money? Fame? Notoriety? At what cost and to what end?
I applaud Bethany Frenkel* for owning her shit, acknowledging (now, with the catapulting success she has enjoyed since she and her brands became household names) that she was a cog in the alcahol lubricated wheel of reality tv.
(*Also, not a real housewife, as she wasn't married and hadn't had a child at the time the first season of RHONY premiered and for many seasons thereafter. )
But don't get me started on what a real housewife is...
Ok, you got me started... Except for the one housewife with a real prosthetic leg, at this point, I think we can agree everything else is fake: fake hair, fake teeth, fake jobs, fake parties, fake relationships, fake problems stirred up by production, and more criminally, fake bank statements.
Sure, by most accounts they too have marriage problems and eating disorders, but nothing a little glam squad, carefully curated counseling on the beach and $750,000 diamond earrings can’t fix.
But I digress, or do I?
When the Real World premiered on MTV in 1992, it felt like you were truly getting a view into the day-to-day of young, 20-somethings trying to figure out life. Then again, that series is the one that started it all: The reality TV genre. Isn't it? Producers later went on to create seasons more in almost every major city and spin-offs like The Challenge, which over time began to feel more and more scripted but with less output of household name appeal or "star" recognition than the behemoth Bravo's RH series’ has.
Maybe I was and still am naive, but something about Eric Nies (and even his subsequent 15 minutes of fame making workout videos) has always felt more authentic than an episode of Bachelor in Paradise or Theresa Guidice's cooking.
Speaking of meatballs... even their bobblehead husbands are now shamelessly capping their teeth, CoolSculpting their dad bods, and TikToking for a buck too. (I can't imagine my husband ever prancing around our kitchen with a ring light, he doesn't even have Instagram, lol!)
so, maybe I'm a sucker for nostalgia (or the law).
Or maybe, as a real wife, with a real house, and with real everyday routines, bills, and general life shit to deal with, this weekly marathon of Mindless Millionaire Morose is getting tired, old, and transparent, just like some of its cast members.
What may have started with a desire for Bravo to punch her ticket, Leah McSweeney’s ride on the RH franchise train clearly took its toll. But as with most NYC bridge crossings, there's always a hefty price to pay.
Gila Stern, an award-winning content and marketing executive, brings over two decades of experience in driving growth for hundreds of brands, ranging from global category leaders to startups.
Highly regarded for her leadership, strategic thinking, and execution capabilities, Gila has earned industry awards and recognitions, including multiple Aegis awards and more than 45 Telly awards for her productions. She has produced more than 1500 episodes of business television programming and secured significant sponsorships and funding with major global entities.
Gila has been interviewed for her authentic approach and millennial perspective on deep topics that create meaningful change in people's lives.
The underlying drive for her corporate successes lies in Gila's greatest motivator: her children and community.m