Tri-state turf war between ‘Real Housewives’ ladies
Friday, June 5th 2009, 4:00 AM
‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey’ find themselves in a turf war.
The “Real Housewives of New Jersey” are hitting too close to home when it comes to their New York counterparts.
During Wednesday night’s Gracie Awards — a ceremony meant to honor and empower women — the Housewives of NYC had their claws out.
“I really haven’t watched, but I heard it’s pretty crazy. I heard it’s pretty New Jersey,” Countess LuAnn de Lesseps said disdainfully.
Added Alex McCord, “We actually met four or five of them. We were at the same party and they knew who we were, but we didn’t know who they were.”
“We do not hang out,” emphasized Jill Zarin.
The odd woman out was newcomer Kelly Bensimon. “I haven’t met them, but I’d love to!” she told us. “I wish they would do a crossover because I love these other women so much, and I’d much rather hang out with them.”
Said an insider, “The NYC women are totally different from the Jersey girls in terms of class. They hate being compared to women whose idea of a good night out is going to a cheesy club. It’s such a stereotype.”
However, the cast members did express their excitement at having a new wave of like-minded ladies when the D.C. version of the show makes its debut.
“I’m very excited to see who is cast,” said Zarin. “I hope it’s women who are intelligent, women who work, who are good role models, who are ambitious and driven. I don’t want to see a bunch of trashy women.”
De Lesseps had an idea for one very special guest star on the D.C. show. “I think Mrs. Obama should make an appearance,” she said. “She is the epitome of class, and I think even on a show like ‘The Housewives of Washington,’ she could pull it off.”
And while the countess agrees that Washington is preferable to the Jerz, don’t expect her to be moving to D.C. anytime soon. We hear de Lesseps is moving out of her townhouse but will remain in the Big Apple.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Jill…
I’ll be back home in NY in Sept (bringing an acoustic show to Joe’s Pub in the EVillage) and my roommate has never been to NY, so of course Zarin Fabrics is on the list of places to stop at. …
I started watching this series because it takes place in the City…but I really hope that BRAVO is paying a tidy sum for you, Bobby and Bethanny to continue to be on that thing. If nothing other than for the branding exposure.
It was sad to see grown women on the NJ series acting like street thugs. They were more concerned with getting their ‘buubbies’ and keeping up with eachother’s spending than they were about portraying life as a housewife. Where was the intelligence, the grace, the working mother, the entrepreneur? They might have just called it “The Manzos”. It was quite a disappointing display.
To add one thing about the NYC show that has plagued me for months before I go… LuAnn really needs to STOP talking about class. She needs to delete the word from her brain. It should not cross her lips ever again. To see her at the Boys and Girls Club in the young women’s empowerment episode telling a teenager “you could be a model, you still have time to lose the weight” is deplorable. Then to so much as suggest that the First Lady of the United States appear on a reality show is beyond description. Doesn’t anyone ever just tell her to zip it?
And..at what stage of this do you finally say to yourself, I just don’t want to continue to be associated with this trite mess?
At any rate…that’s my rant.
June 29th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Yes…very jealous
June 29th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Jill, I am so frightened of the NJ Cast portraying the Housewives on Bravo These women are a Jerry Springer episode with Prada shoes.. nothing more. Just Trash- Caroline may be an exception. To think I found Ramona and Alex unfavorable in the NY cast.. Kelly? She should hang out with them- she can drive her Ram p/u over to Jersey to talk trash with her new gals. You are the real deal Jill and portray yourself with class and dignity- none of us are perfect but you should be proud of yourself and beautiful family. I love Bethany! Your friendship with her seems geniune hold it close.. and Gloria is God. Keep us all laughing and nodding our heads in agreement as you continue to blog- Ally is so adorable it’s not an accident she turned out that way.. good parenting. Thank God for re-runs of NYC if NJ was on another minute I’d be poking my eyes with a hot fork.
LOVE the NYC Housewives… outstanding and above the rest.
Lisa
June 28th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Why did you have to be so bi***y about the Jersey girls?? Jealous of the ratings? I love ya Jill, but that showed no class at all. Jersey rocks!
June 26th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Im from New York and have family in New Jersey.
And yes NY and NJ women act like all of them.
except Danielle…. she I can do without. she is such a bs’r. Afraid of her x and on a realty show. Get out of here….
June 20th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I do not see why Bravo added Kelly she is a waste of good air time!! that could be used for the other housewives..I am sorry Kelly is so so fake and last year she needs to stop. Now and for the Housewives of New Jersey!! Please I thought I was watching a old episode of the Soprano’s with Caroline being Tony in Drag..But I am not going to waste talking about them on Jill’s Blog. Maybe Kelly can talk about them on her Blog that’s if she has one..Oh no since it’s Kelly it might be a “Klog” instead of a Blog since she is soooooo UP HERE and we are Down there..All I can say to Kelly is YEAH RIGHT!!..
My Girls in NY you Rock..GO JILL WOOHOOOO!!
June 19th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Please God (or Jill) tell me Kelly isn’t on the next season…please.
June 14th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
I don’t see why Kelli would be on season 3. She adds nothing to the show, just shows how pretentious and snobby she is.
June 14th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
The NY housewives are my favorite, NJ is second. The other housewive shows aren’t worth anything and are not as real as these two shows. I hope there is a season 3 of NY housewives. Always full of excitement.
June 12th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I have to disagree with the NYC housewives who counted themselves ABOVE the Jersey ladies.
I’m fifty yrs. young and from Northern Californina where most folks are relaxed and without pretense.
Our local rich folks don’t show off with jewelry or fancy cars.
I have worked for rich people in other parts of the world-both good and bad.
I have really fallen in love with the Jersey ladies (well,other than Danielle).
The Jersey ladies are funny,loud and extremely devoted to their familes.
I found not one iota of falsehood about them (again excepting Danielle).
You NYC ladies were my fav housewives until the Jersey girls came along.
This season you all seemed to be caught up in self-promotion-and I’m not talking about Bethenny.
Kelly has to go. You all had been percolating along at one pace in the previous season and then this… woman…I’m trying to be nice..who belongs under strict mental health watch….again ,trying to be nice…threw a big old “crazy” monkey wrench into the mix and ruined the show for me.
I have always watched the shows two to three times each,but I fast-forwarded through Kelly’s bits AND Ramona’s too.
I still like you Jill,but you are by no means “better” than the Jersey wives.
June 12th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
The NYC Housewives are the best! Atlanta were the worst–they were crude, had no class or style and were just “cheap”…wealth does not equal class. NJ Housewives are okay..they seem to be more about displaying their wealth in a gross manner…Therese’s new house with its accompanying furniture. She doesn’t seem to realize that we are in a recession!
June 11th, 2009 at 10:23 am
There the nitwit goes again…
I haven’t met them ….
I love these other women so much and I would much rather hang out with them..
Goes right up there with Bethenney and I are so much alike except I’m blonde and you aren’t.
Got news for you on that show you weren’t blonde either.
Oh Boy
Anyway enough about her, I am glad you dumped that idiot who was running that goofy website. It was a waste of time and why if he was such a fan did he dis you like that? If he really was a friend/fan, he would have behaved much better about this whole fiasco.
June 9th, 2009 at 8:55 am
First of all, you guys are much classier than the NJ women. I’ve watched almost every season of “Real Housewives” (OC, NY, Atlanta, and NJ) and the NY women are my favorites. News of a DC season is exciting, though!