New York Housewives Want To Make You Sweat

The stars of Real Housewives of New York City get plenty of exercise shopping, pointing fingers, flipping their hair and catfighting. But sometimes, they've got to do a little bit more to really feel the burn.

Out promoting NBCUniversal's Healthy Step-a-Thon in Times Square, Kelly Bensimon, Jill Zarin, Ramona Singer, Alex McCord, Cindy Barshop and Countess LuAnn de Lesseps opened up about the workout and diet routines they follow to maintain their—love 'em or hate 'em—toned and slim selves.

"I do work out a lot compared to some people," LuAnn says, describing her Pilates-tennis-crosstraining routine.

And whether it's Ramona's attempt to work out in heels, Jill promoting her new line of shapewear or Cindy showing off her Jimmy Choo sneakers and emphasizing the importance of spray tans (instead of real ones) and drinking lots of water, all of the regimens sound about right for the Housewife in question.

"If I walk home, that'll be the best exercise ever, but I'll probably take a car service," laughed Jill.

"It's definitely bikini time, so it's not just about being fit, it's about looking hot," Kelly admitted.

Credit: E! Online (Natalie Finn)

Photos by Wire Image

Ramona & Avery Singer Attend Paws For Style

Ramona Singer and Avery Singer attend the 11th annual Paws for Style fashion show benefiting the Humane Society of New York at Ink 48 Hotel on May 23, 2011 in New York City.

Credit: Wire Image

Jill & Ramona Locked in Twitter/Facebook War

Jill Zarin and Ramona Singer are at war, this time on Facebook and Twitter!

After Thursday night's episode of Real Housewives of New York, the two took their beef to their social media platforms and began battling it out virtually.

Although Zarin, 47, and Singer, 54, have had a tumultuous relationship as of late, the real drama ensued when Singer showed up at Zarin's charity lunch toting a crate of her own pinot grigio, under what she claimed was a request from Zarin's assistant. The two went head-to-head at the door.

"When Jill saw the wine in my arms, she asked why did I brought it," Singer penned in her BravoTV blog Friday. "I said 'your assistant asked me to.' She replied, 'No, he did not,' and I was flabbergasted. 'Do I need to show you the email he sent me?' I replied and she just stormed away. Once again, Jill gets caught in a lie. I have finally realized that she is a pathological liar. She will just outright lie to make herself look good and make someone else look bad."

In true "ramotional" fashion, Singer tweeted on Thursday night: "If you want to see proof of Jill's lies check out my Facebook page tomorrow morning!"

Then, on Friday, she posted an email from the former assistant -- Darren Bettencourt --on her Facebook page with the caption: "On last night's episode, Jill denied that I was ever asked to bring wine to serve to the ladies at the charity lunch. Please see the emails between our assistants confirming just that! Another Jill lie..."

Before Singer's blog went up, Zarin tweeted, "I am sure Ramona's big surprise is something to do with my assistant. She doesn't know what I asked him to do and what he TOLD me."

Zarin followed up: "I will respond to Ramona's PROOF in my next newsletter. Sign up at jillzarin.com."

Bettencourt, who is now Zarin's manager, told Us Weekly: “The wine was always meant for the silent auction. The emails that [Ramona] posted are taken completely out of context. I can tell you that I spoke with Ramona’s assistant and she knew fully that the wine was not being brought there to serve for the guests. Her assistant left me a crazy email that I couldn’t understand, that’s why I sent the initial email. When Ramona showed up with the wine she had every intention of drinking it, while we were under the impression that it was for the auction, to raise money for charity. We didn’t even have the right glasses to serve wine in.”

Credit: Us Magazine

The NY Housewives Cast Could Be Replaced

Look out Jill, Ramona, LuAnn, and Alex -- according to a new report, you're all on the chopping block.

Bravo executives were so overwhelmed with the success of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills -- their season finale was the highest-rated episodes in Housewives history -- they're looking at revamping the NYC franchise with all super-wealthy women with over-the-top lifestyles.

Producers believe that the hotel-sized mansions, stretch limos, diamonds, private jets, and record-setting divorce settlements that are part of the Bev Hills housewives' world, that made the show so appealing. They think the NYC show would perform better with that same feel.

So if you have Adrienne Maloof of Camille Grammer-size bank accounts, live in Manhattan, and have always wanted to be on reality TV, you may be in luck, reports The New York Post.

"We're always casting for new housewives in every city," a Bravo rep conceded to The Post. Would the cable net do a wholesale housecleaning and start the NYC show over with an entirely new cast? "We've never done that before," is all the rep would say.

Credit: Radar Online

Friends Applaud NeNe For Quitting 'Apprentice'

With celebrities, respected journalists and interest groups lobbing the racist label at Donald Trump, friends of Nene Leakes tell Rob Shuter of Pop Eater that quitting Celebrity Apprentice in a shocking -- and low-rated -- episode on Sunday was a smart, principled move.

"Everything will ultimately work out for NeNe," a friend of the Real Housewives of Atlanta star tells him. "In the long run she was much better off to quit and walk away than get a job with Donald Trump."

It should be noted that each celebrity is playing to raise money for their charity rather than get a job within Trump's organization. It should also be noted that the Celebrity Apprentice you're seeing on Sundays was taped months ago, before The Donald's now-floundering bid for the White House and string of attacks on President Obama that many believe reek of racism.

CBS news anchor Bob Schieffer hit Donald recently after he raised doubts about President Obama's school grades. "That's just code for saying he got into law school because he's black," he said. "This is an ugly strain of racism that's running through this whole thing."

Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Cosby, Robert De Niro, Rosie O'Donnell and David Letterman have also spoken out.

The political advocacy group Color of Change has called on all black cast members to boycott the show and one fired "applicant" told Shuter that they would shun the finale if their contract didn't stipulate they had to be there.

On Monday morning, Donald appeared on FOX News to try and dispel the charges he's racist.

"I am the least racist person there is," he said. "And I think most people who know me would tell you that. I am the least racist, I've had great relationships."

NeNe's fellow 'Housewife' (well, from NYC) Ramona Singer isn't buying it.

"Well, anyone who makes a racist remark is showing their opinion and where their mind is at," Ramona tells him.

Credit: Pop Eater (Rob Shuter)

Ramona Singer: Bethenny Didn't Make $120 Mill

Real Housewives of New York star Ramona Singer has just released her own wine, but isn't a fan of Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl Margarita and doesn't believe for a second that the ex-wife really snagged $120 million for her company.

"Oh no, she likes to exaggerate," Ramona tells Rob Shuter on his HDNet show. "It's rumored, remember? It didn't say fact. Rumored."

Rumored as in the Hollywood Reporter citing insiders that have placed her deal to sell the Skinnygirl coctail line to Beam Global for a cool $120 mil.

"I was thinking before that figure came out she got about $30 million total," Ramona said. "And divided that between her and her partners David, and usually they do a pay out, they don't give you the money up front, they pay you out over time."

Ramona who likes to tell it like it is, says Jill Zarin has changed the most since the show started filming its fourth season on Bravo. "She's become quite full of herself. I'm the same. I'm a little unedited, a little bit of an unfiltered mouth. I don't talk behind your back, I talk about you right to your face."

Credit: Pop Eater (Rob Shuter)

Ramona Singer: "Design On A Dime" Benefit

Mario Singer and Ramona Singer attended the 7th Annual Housing Works Design on a Dime charity shopping event at Metropolitan Pavilion on May 5, 2011 in New York City.

Credit: Wire Image

Ramona Singer: The Wine Guy Bottle Signing

Ramona Singer, star of the Real Housewives of New York City, stopped by The Wine Guy on Thursday evening to sign bottles of her new wine, a self-titled pinot grigio.

John Volpi, owner of The Wine Guy, said he was pleased with the turnout and Singer’s interaction with the customers.

“It was a great turnout, there were a lot of people here, the line was quick and everyone got up to see Ramona, she took care of them and made everyone feel at home,” he said.

Volpi admitted to being a fan of Singer’s wine after the event, saying, “it’s very smooth for a pinot grigio, it’s got a nice flavor to it.”

Credit: Smithtown Patch (Peter Verry)

Ramona Singer: OK! Magazine's Sexy Singles

Ramona Singer was spotted at OK Magazine's celebration of Hollywood's Sexiest Singles party in New York City, NY on April 20, 2011.

Credit: Zimbio

Photos by Photo Agency

New York Housewives Beautify Central Park

Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon, Jill Zarin, Chairman of NBC Universal Entertainment & Digital Networks Lauren Zalaznick, Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen pose for a photo during NBC Universal's Central Park Beautification project on April 20, 2011 in New York City.

Credit: Zimbio

Photos by Jemal Countess/Getty Images North America

The Singer Family: Jr. Smile Collection Event

Ramona Singer, her husband Mario Singer and daughter Avery Singer of the Real Housewives of New York attended the 6th annual Jr. Smile Collection event at Espace on April 15, 2011 in New York City.

Credit: Zimbio

Photos by Jason Kempin/Getty Images North America

Ramona Singer Pinot Girigio Bottle Signing

Ramona Singer of the Real Housewives of New York City signed bottles of Ramona's Pinot Grigio at Bottle King on Route 23. Dozens of people came to greet Singer.

The new wine is Singer's latest business venture. It is made in the Venoto region of Italy.

 

Credit: Wayne Patch (Amanda Stevens)

'RHONY' Stars React To Jill's 'Taut' New Look

While Real Housewives of New York star Jill Zarin told Rob Shuter of Pop Eater that her new look has nothing to do with plastic surgery, other members of the 'NYC' cast tell him they don't believe it.

Zarin, 47, denies getting any work done -- "If I did, I would be the first to admit it," she told him -- but her critics aren't so convinced.

"I really don't know what to think." Ramona Singer tells him. "If you see her in the photos, her face looks different. Personally I like her other look better."

Ramona said Sonja Morgan is certain that Jill has had numerous "injectables" put into her face. "It does make her face look too taut and not as natural," Ramona says.

Jill has admitted to going to famous cosmetic dermatologist Patricia Wexler. "Jill overdid it. It's not the best look. Too much injectables look as bad as a bad face-lift," a puzzled Ramona told him.

And it's not just the females on Bravo's hit show that are giving Jill a hard time.

Simon Van Kempen told him, "I certainly think it's better to age gracefully than pull yourself so tight that you can no longer show facial expressions."

Credit: Pop Eater (Rob Shuter)

Ramona Talks About The "WWHL" Poll Recount

Real Housewives of New York City star Ramona Singer can’t believe that her co-star Jill Zarin requested a recount on a poll when fans voted Ramona more likeable than Jill!

“When we were walking the carpet for TV Land [on April 10], people mentioned it to me saying, ‘Did you know she demanded a recount?’” Ramona tells Hollywood Life exclusively. “I said, ‘Are you kidding me? Why would she do that?’”

“And then I found out that she tweeted everybody to please vote for her,” Ramona says. “She’s tweeting all of her fan base to vote for her — and she still lost!”

Ramona says Jill brings trouble on herself. “Jill is her own worst enemy,” says Ramona. “She’s very competitive. She doesn’t know how to let things go.”

“Obviously she was the most disliked housewife last season because the way she treated Bethenny Frankel,” continues Ramona. “And she’s trying to redeem herself this year. But then her first episode, she’s nasty to Alex behind her back and to me. So why are people going to vote her?”

Ramona on the other hand doesn’t try to cover up her faults like Jill does. “I may not say the nicest things to you, but at least I’m not playing a game behind your back,” she says. “I admit, my mouth is sometimes unedited. I’m ramontional. I don’t think before I speak, but at least I tell you to your face.”

Jill “pretends she’s all nice, nice, but it’s all about Jillousy,” Ramona says. “She’s like a suicide bomber. She’ll self-destruct.”

“Andy Cohen said we were going to have a little vote on Team Ramona or Team Jill,” remembers Ramona. “I just thought OK, very cute. Whatever the result is, it is. I’m not so competitive and so anxious to win that I’m going to start tweeting while I’m on with Andy. But she did, which I had no clue about. I had no clue that she was so upset with the results that she demanded a recount.”

Credit: Hollywood Life (Lindsey DiMattina)

Jill Zarin Pulls An Al Gore At Andy's WWHL

An episode of Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live turned into a replay of the disputed 2000 presidential election for Bravo when "Real Housewives of New York star Jill Zarin challenged poll results.

Watch What Happens recaps recent Bravo shows and includes star interviews. The uproar began the other night when Cohen asked viewers to vote whether they were on "Team Jill," supporting Zarin, or "Team Ramona," in support of Zarin rival Ramona Singer.

When the results came back in favor of Ramona, Zarin flipped her lid, according to sources, and demanded a recount.

"They had a problem," Zarin told Page Six. "My initial reaction was surprise, based on my own fans and how they were telling me they supported me. That night, we said, 'We don't think these numbers are right.' "

Sources told us that Zarin went so far as to tell Bravo she was getting her lawyer to "audit" the polling numbers. But the "Real Housewife" told us she didn't go that far.

"I didn't call a lawyer at 2 in the morning," Zarin joked, apparently meaning the hour when she'd have had to jump into action -- although the show is over at 11:30 p.m. "To do that, I'd have to have the best attorney in the world, who'd take that call at 2 in the morning even if I wasn't in jail."

A Bravo rep admitted that the network did find voting irregularities but said the problem was not more widespread: "There was a calculation error. It has been corrected and won't happen again." The rep said votes were tabulated by a third party, not by Bravo.

Meantime, after all the drama, Zarin still lost. The recount moved her from getting support from 22 percent of fans to 41 percent.

Credit: Page Six

Ramona Singer Throws RHONY Premiere Party

New York Housewife Ramona Singer threw a premiere party to beat all premiere parties Tuesday, to celebrate the kick off of the fourth season of her hit reality show, and Radar Online has the exclusive photos.

Ramona was joined by her hunky hubby, Mario and her beautiful sixteen-year-old daughter Avery - and in the words of Ramona, it was “truly an electrifying night!”

“I was so excited to host the event,” Ramona told Radar Online in an exclusive interview. “I picked a very chic place in Covet. The space was beautiful and everything came out even better than I thought! It was truly an electrifying night.

“The best part for me was that I was the wine sponsor for my own event! Everyone was drinking Ramona Pinot Grigio and the response was fabulous! My guests could not stop coming up to me and telling me how great the wine was.

“Even those who normally drink only one glass were drinking multiple! I was really proud and happy I was able to share that with the people closest to me.

“I was so honored that the President of Bravo, Frances Berwick, attended. It was so sweet of her to come and show her support.”

But, despite the high profile names milling around, Ramona says her biggest and most celebrated VIPs were her own family.

“Not only did my husband Mario come but my daughter Avery, now being sixteen years old, was able to come along as well. I was so thrilled to have her there next to me and she looked stunning!”

Credit: Radar Online

The McCord van Kempens Host Rooftop Bash

The Big Apple celebrated another big premiere Thursday night as reality stars Alex McCord and her doting house husband Simon van Kempen hosted a rooftop viewing party to celebrate the fourth season of their wildly successful Real Housewives of New York City series.

The TV twosome, along with co-star Sonja Morgan and some lucky fans, took over the rooftop of Manhattan's Kimberly Hotel, where friends and family sipped on cocktail concoctions and cheered to the new season, and Radar Online can bring you all the exclusive details.

"Simon and I had a great time kicking the new season of Housewives at Upstairs : at the Kimberly's rooftop bar last night," Alex told Radar Online exclusively. "Sonja Morgan joined us -- and happened to be wearing the same dress by Rolando Santana, that I wore on The View earlier in the week!"

Alex said they knew in advance that Ramona Singer couldn't make it to the festivities, but she was there in spirit - literally!

"She kindly sent over some of her Ramona Pinot Grigio! Alex shared.

"There were so many designers in one room, you'd have thought it was fashion week - we love our clothes and the hard-working creative people who make them!"

The room erupted in applause several times throughout the evening, with a standing ovation for celebrity colorist Brad Johns' work on Alex's hair.

And when Andy Cohen's 100th episode of Watch What Happens Live began, the room collectively leapt for their Twitter feeds upon seeing castmate Jill Zarin's getup for the live show.

Credit: Radar Online

Ramona Singer: Jill’s The Instigator, Not Me!

In the first episode of the Real Housewives of New York, Jill, Alex and Ramona all attend a wedding in the Hamptons for a mutual friend named Jennifer. The drama between Alex and Jill falls into play when Jill is surprised to see Alex arriving at the wedding — she didn’t know Alex was going — along with Ramona. Jill wants to know why Ramona didn’t tell her Alex was coming. Ramona’s reasoning is to protect the bride — and maybe to cause a fight between Alex and Jill for her own pleasure.

“Jill already busted the bride’s ass for having the party at her home that she sold four years ago — screaming at her every night,” Ramona explains to HollywoodLife.com exclusively. “If I told her Alex was coming, she’d be making Jennifer cry.”

Plus, “she already made Jennifer cry at the wedding,” Ramona adds. “She berated her. Jill can be a maniac, please.”

Ramona also believes she’s not in the middle of the drama. “I’m not the instigator,” she says. “I’m just sick of being on the sidelines.”

“I’m just calling like I see it now,” Ramona continues. “Last season I had to be the peacemaker because there was so much craziness going on. This year I’m just calling people out on things. I’m just being emotional — Ramotional. If something is bothering me, I’m going to tell you.”

And regarding the preview for the whole season showing Ramona and Jill getting into a nasty fight, Ramona blames the scene on Jill.

“I get hysterical,” Ramona says. “I’m trying to confide in her and make this bridge and tell her what’s bothering me about her and can we get past it. [But] how can a friend be someone who talks behind your back all the time? She’s always saying negative things about me behind my back. So I finally called her and said, ‘Maybe I enabled you. Maybe it’s my fault.’ So guess what? I don’t like that sh*t anymore. Stop it.”

“We obviously see a totally different view of what happened,” Jill tells us.

Credit: Hollywood Life (Lindsey DiMattina)

Jill Zarin V. Alex McCord — Ramona In Middle?

With Bethenny Frankel gone, Jill Zarin has a new nemesis in Alex McCord. In the Season 4 premiere of the Real Housewives of New York City, Alex and Jill were at each other’s throats when they came face to face for the first time in months at Ramona Singer’s party!

“Jill did some horrible things,” Alex tells the cameras. “You can’t just pretend that didn’t happen.” The whole interaction is just awkward — you can see it on their faces that neither woman is pleased.

“I just hope we can resolve it,” Jill says to Alex.

But then the two women come face to face again when they attend a wedding in the Hamptons — and Ramona seems to be in the middle instigating their feud. “I could have told Jill that Alex was coming, but what fun would that be?” Ramona laughs.

At the reception, Alex confronts Jill and Ramona sits in the middle of the two as if she is enjoying the battle!

What did you think?
Ramona definitely was stirring up the drama! It was all her.
Alex and Jill have been angry for a while - they were bound for confrontation!

View Results

Credit: Hollywood Life (Lindsey DiMattina)

Hair Color Plays a Role in Housewives Drama

The Real Housewives of New York City are no strangers to drama, catfights and taking sides, but this season the ladies have taken their differences one step further – division by hair color.

"It's just the natural divide, it's like [the San] Andreas fault," LuAnn de Lesseps, referring to California's earthquake boundary, told PEOPLE recently at Bravo's upfront presentation. "You just can't guess when it's going to split."

The Countess is joined by Jill Zarin and new housewife Cindy Barshop to make up "Team Brunette," while Alex McCord, Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan are members of "Team Blond" – but Kelly Bensimon says her ombre highlights (dark at the roots, light at the tips) kept her firmly neutral.

"I don't really play sides," she said. "Ramona and Alex and Sonya are incredibly spirited and funny, LuAnn and Jill and Cindy and I just get along. I have a great time with all of them."

Credit: PEOPLE (Mussarat Bata)