The Real Housewives of New York City

"Real Housewives Of New York City" cast member Countess LuAnn de Lesseps has some kind parting words toward some recently released cast-mates. She also has a few that fell along the opposite end of the spectrum.

Bethenny Frankel, the wildly successful ex-"Real Housewives of New York City" cast member who got out while the getting was good claims her four former castmates' firings didn't catch her off-guard. Frankel wasn't among the four housewives that Bravo recently let go before the show starts filming its fifth season. She left voluntarily after the fourth season, and has gone on to have considerable success.

Another of the four fired "Real Housewives Of New York City" cast members has released an official "farewell" statement to the Bravo hit's fans. Cast member Jill Zarin claims she has a new show in the works, which she claims will "go in a different direction."

Reality success, a spin-off series and the big dollar sale of a profitable business are not enough for "The Real Housewives of New York City" star Bethenny Frankel. Even with a bank account padded by the $120 million she made selling her SkinnyGirl company, she's branching out with her own talk show, and Ellen DeGeneres apparently has her back.

File this one under "Really Bad Ideas." Bravo announced this week its latest grand plan for spreading the word about its reality TV lineup - a "Real Housewives Live" tour. According to The Wrap, "the tour will stop in three cities -- Atlantic City, New Jersey; Hammond, Indiana; and Atlanta -- and each show will feature four cast members from various 'Housewives' franchises talking about their reality-show experiences."

After filing for bankruptcy last month, "Real Housewives of New York" star Sonja Morgan may lose her $6 million Manhattan home. According to Morgan, her recovery includes toaster ovens and inspiration from Bethenny Frankel's success.

Let's play a little game I like to call "Who's The Reality-TV Racist, Anyway?" The lawsuit between "Real Housewives of NYC" star Cindy Barshop and former employee Altovise Collier is taking on an ugly new wrinkle: whereas it was Collier who first claimed that Barshop fired her from Barshop's Completely Bare spa because she's black, Barshop is now claiming that Collier's racism is killing her business.

Simon van Kempen of the “Real Housewives of New York” wants the world to know he is “real” and you should be “real” too. In his very rhyme-y debut single, “I Am Real” Van Kempen sings, “You should live your life for you, not how others tell you to.” As the red-leather-clad Van Kempen told PopEater, the lyrics suited him to a ‘T.

Just how real is the “Real Housewives of New York City” – or any city series for that matter? It’s a good question, and one that Joy Behar slammed on the women from the Big Apple after the spoke about conflicts that were “drama for the show.” “So you’re saying that things are faked?” Behar asked during their appearance on “The View.

It’s a fertile time for reality TV. From new “Top Chef: Masters” and “The Real Housewives of New York City” seasons to the recent kickoffs of “Shark Tank” and "Bethenny Ever After," reality is in full bloom, even after "Jersey Shore" called it a wrap last week. The ever-expanding genre even has its own Expo and Awards show called "Reality Rocks" coming up April 9-10 in L.

Bravo TV officially announced the new set of women from the Sunshine State who will star in “The Real Housewives of Miami,” which will premiere on February 22 at 10/9c. As we reported earlier, the network recently delayed the broadcast of the “The Real Housewives of New York City.” The show was originally scheduled to air on February 15th, but was pushed back til spring to bring the The Real Housewives of Miami” on the air.