Shaking and crying, people. That was a description of me, mega-Real Housewives Of New York fan, when I found out that Bethenny Frankel was coming back to Bravo. After I practiced my deep breathing, I focused on the newest member of the Real Housewives Of New York cast and asked the question I ask of every newbie: Who is Dorinda Medley and who got her on RHONY ? Many a past and present housewife has had a friend or two put on the show, mostly with the hopes of getting their pal to get paid to appear on-air beside them. (Isn’t that the dream? Being on television with your besties? We saw this friendship trap most notably with Bethenny Frankel and Jill Zarin on Real Housewives of New York.) But I must know who dragged Dorinda into what will surely be a dramatic season and I pray this show doesn't tear them apart.
Dorinda Medley friends include RHONYs Heather Thomson, LuAnn DeLesseps, and Ramona Singer, so I can’t help but think that her existing chemistry with half of the cast helped to get her on the show. The only problem with appearing with your friends on television is that, a la Jill and Bethenny, someone’s feelings can get hurt, someone feels excluded, and it all goes to hell in a hand basket. Sure, it makes for great ratings, but it’s sad when a friendship ends, isn’t it?
Because Ramona brought Dorinda on the show, it’s fairly certain that they will not be friends for anyone but the cameras at the end of all of this. After all, to join a reality show, a person has to possess a certain amount of ego. And if the new reality star dwarfs the original reality star, well, the original star is certainly not going to be happy.
Take Jill and Bethenny, for instance: In Seasons 1 and 2 of RHONY, they were the best of friends. They had sleepovers and talked every five minutes; we saw hours and hours of footage of them just yukking it up. As soon as Bethenny began to get bigger than Jill, well, that was the end of it all. When Bethenny confirmed her spinoff, Bethenny Getting Married?, rumors abounded that Jill was calling all of the other housewives in an effort to get them not to film with Bethenny. (Sabotage much, Jill?) Editing or not, Season 3 of RHONY made Jill’s actions look petty as her friend’s star grew. Now, there is definitely no love lost between them.
This season, there are a slew of rumors including one from Radar (so, you know, take it with a grain of salt) that claim Ramona is already trying to get Dorinda ousted from RHONY. The story goes that Dorinda is getting more screen time than OG housewife Ramona, and boy, Ramona is not happy about it. In an interview with People, Dorinda said that being a housewife was like "being back in college. There was some conflict I didn't expect," she said. "Definitely some side things that came out of left field."
This could mean that she’s fighting with her BFF Ramona, but I really hope not. If they are: Ladies, bury the hatchet! Reality television really isn't something worth lose a friend over.
Image: Mathieu Young/Bravo; Giphy (3)
