Re: War. What Is It Good For?
If you watch The Real Housewives of New York City, you know that Jill Zarin and Bethenney Frankel are fighting. They used to be close friends but somewhere between obscurity and reality TV fame, Bethenney ended their friendship in an angry phone message where she told Jill to “get a hobby.” Jill, apparently, needed to find a diversion because Bethenney felt that she was smothering her and wanted to take too much credit for her success. The phrase “we’re done” was added to the mix and now season three of the show is basically an extended fight night version of Jill v. Bethenney.
For fans of the show, the fight makes great dramatic television. Jill cries and screams. Bethenney cries and screams. “I’m done” has become the catchphrase of the season. Reduced to minor players in the battle, the other Housewives have to choose a side unless that housewife is Ramona Singer who brings her own unique drama to the series by either acting crazy or looking crazy or both. The result is a weekly hour of insults, snubs, arguments and melt downs. It is a dismal representation of female friendship but taken in the spirit of good fiction, it is excellent reality TV. There’s rising action between two opposing forces which will peak (dare we hope for a physical fight?!) before reaching a resolution. Well, the resolution part is shaky since Jill and Bethenney’s fight could provide good material for season four unless Kelly Killoren Bensimon says something intelligent, Countess LuAnn de Lesseps marries a king or newest cast member Sonja Morgan realizes that playing the cougar is limiting her dramatic potential.
If there’s anything real about the Real Housewives of New York City, it’s the publicity that the Jill/Bethenney war has generated for the show and for the women themselves. Enemies or frenemies, Jill and Bethenney are now the stars of the series and guaranteed a return gig. (Alex McCord may be taking a lesson here. Before she told off Jill in a recent episode, the most interesting thing about her was her husband’s strange love affair with being on-screen). Their conflict is their golden ticket to sponsorships, endorsements and even more publishing contracts: Could Secrets of a Jewish Friend be far behind Jill’s recent book: Secrets of a Jewish Mother?
To this end, J and B make sure they maintain their antagonism even when the cameras aren’t rolling. The latest shot fired was late last week when Jill took to her Twitter account to declare her congratulations to Bethenney on the birth of her son. Bethenney however, had a girl and was in labor when Jill tweeted her message. Team Frankel then blasted Zarin for announcing the birth before they did and yet another small battle in the Bethenney/Jill wars hit the headlines.
But don’t worry, Bethenney fans. Your hero was one step ahead. A camera crew was inside the delivery room.
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nice post. thanks.
What a great resource!