The REAL Reason Bethenny Frankel Quit RHONY
We're gonna MENTION IT ALL!
Following Bethenny Frankel's shocking exit from The Real Housewives of New York City only days ago, we finally have a reason as to why the OG cast member left so abruptly and it has to do with one of her favorite things: money.
According to Page Six, the reality star turned mogul already had one foot out the door when it came time for her to negotiate her contract for the upcoming season due to her being in a happy relationship off camera and a production deal with Mark Burnett to produce her own reality shows about women.
Apparently, once she was in the room she gave Bravo a huge number for what she wanted to be paid and once they declined, she quit through the media moments later. Sources explained:
"[She] threw out a huge number to see if Bravo would agree. They didn’t. So she gave a statement about her departure to Variety so fast that even some of the show’s top producers heard it first on social media."
That is a power fucking play if I've ever seen one. Bethenny obviously walked in with the upper hand, she could either get paid a shit load of money for the new season or she could go off and work on all her other projects, which she ultimately decided on doing. While Bethenny's departure shocked fans and producers, it also shocked her fellow costars.
A recently released article in Hollywood Life claims Bethenny selectively told a few of her costars she was leaving which caused drama with the existing women as some were blindsided and some already knew she wouldn't be returning. Their sources stated:
"The cast of RHONY felt very disappointed of the way they were informed about Bethenny’s exit of the show. They felt blindsided and shocked with the exception of the couple she told. It’s caused a lot of tension and drama in the cast because the ones that didn’t know, like Ramona Singer and Luann de Lesseps, wish the ones that did know, like Dorinda Medley and Tinsley Mortimer, told them.”
The cast member who (allegedly) took it the hardest was Ramona, who definitely would've been pissed Dorinda and Tinsley knew before her. The outlet explained Ramona was hurt Bethenny didn't tell her the news she was leaving because they started the show together a decade ago but she apparently "respects" the Skinnygirl mogul's decision. However, the source also stated the women don't believe it was a last-minute decision like Bethenny is claiming:
"The ladies don’t believe it was a last-minute decision on her part and wished that she would’ve shared with all of them as they were all under the impression she was coming back since that’s what they were told."
Another source stated Bethenny didn't tell specific people because she wanted to leave on her own terms and communicate her exit in her own way, in other words, she didn't want anybody leaking it to the press before she had the chance to tell the public herself. The source concluded:
“She didn’t inform her castmates as she’s been contemplating her exit, and then acted immediately when she made her final decision. She wanted her departure to be communicated in her own words. This was a business decision and action, and Bethenny makes those choices on her own.”
Thoughts? Sound off in the comments!
