By Shinan Govani Star Columnist Fri., Feb. 15, 2019 What’s a nice girl in tech doing at a place like this? Our protagonist: a graduate from McGill in genetics and biology who eventually pivoted to a degree in nursing at the University of Toronto, then later switched gears and manages, these days, a startup hub/venture-capital fund, based in Atlanta. The place: a sushi joint, in Tokyo, where Tanya Sam found herself staring down the almighty Nene Leakes, a moment recently beamed out to regular watchers of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Tears were shed. Barbs, traded. The specifics of the tragicomic argument may have been difficult to track — something to do with some shade, or perceived shade, volleyed during an earlier visit to a temple!!! — but for a girl who grew up in Etobicoke, it was nothing less than a baptism by fire in the reality-TV arts. In the Housewives universe — the 100-plus women we’ve gotten to know over the many … [Read more...] about Tanya Sam talks Real Housewives: what’s a nice Toronto girl doing on a show like this?
Real housewives
The real swing voters of Orange County: Wealthy California districts that are key to the U.S. midterms
By Daniel Dale Washington Bureau Chief Fri., Oct. 19, 2018 ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF.—Cindy Hopkins grimaces a little when she talks about the president she voted for. Hopkins is a Republican-leaning fiscal conservative, a corporate vice-president of human resources in one of California’s wealthiest cities. She likes what Donald Trump has done on the economy. But his personality pains and worries her, and she doesn’t know if she’d vote for him again. More importantly, she doesn’t know which party she’ll choose in the congressional midterms in November. “Being a human resources person, I would just handle things really differently,” Hopkins, 51, said last week at a mall in Mission Viejo, about an hour southeast of Los Angeles. “He’s doing some good things. But personally, as a mom to a son, his knee-jerk reactions and ego scare me. From a standpoint of: I don’t want my boy in war next year. And … [Read more...] about The real swing voters of Orange County: Wealthy California districts that are key to the U.S. midterms
When Bethenny Frankel was cast on ‘Real Housewives of New York,’ she had $8,000 to her name
caption Bethenny Frankel sold Skinnygirl Cocktails for $100 million in 2011. source Jamie Cody Bethenny Frankel is the CEO of Skinnygirl, a brand empire she built through her role on the reality show “Real Housewives of New York City.” Frankel said she did not want to be on “Real Housewives” at first, but she ended up profiting off of it. Frankel said she only had $8,000 in the bank when she was cast on the reality show. When Bethenny Frankel signed on to do “The Real Housewives of New York,” she accepted a contract for less than what she had in the bank, she said on an episode of Business Insider’s podcast “This Is Success” (formerly “Success! How I Did It”). Frankel, now the CEO of Skinnygirl, wanted to be a natural-food chef, she said, and fought for a chance to be on Martha Stewart’s season of “The Apprentice” in 2005. “I wanted [that show] so badly and I took … [Read more...] about When Bethenny Frankel was cast on ‘Real Housewives of New York,’ she had $8,000 to her name
Skinnygirl CEO Bethenny Frankel explains how she used ‘Real Housewives’ to build a brand worth $100 million
caption Bethenny Frankel is the founder and CEO of Skinnygirl brands. She sold her liquor line in 2011 for $100 million. source Jamie Cody Bethenny Frankel is the CEO of Skinnygirl, a brand empire she built through her role on the reality show “Real Housewives of New York.” In 2011 Frankel sold her line of cocktails for a reported $100 million. Frankel explained how a difficult childhood and a lack of money for much of her career influenced the way she approached entrepreneurship and business opportunities. You may know Bethenny Frankel from her lead role on “The Real Housewives of New York City,” but don’t dismiss her as simply a reality-TV star. “I didn’t want to be on the show,” she told Business Insider for our podcast “Success! How I Did It.” “I thought it was going to be a bunch of drunk people acting crazy and a disaster. It was, and I ended up making money off of that, those drunk … [Read more...] about Skinnygirl CEO Bethenny Frankel explains how she used ‘Real Housewives’ to build a brand worth $100 million
Real Housewives reborn as ‘Goal Diggers’ in Jessica Knoll’s deliciously dark The Favorite Sister
By Shinan Govani Star Columnist Fri., May 25, 2018 “When I lie at night,” a character in the novel confesses, “I can’t help but wish this human suit came with a zipper, that I could hang in my closet with the Chanel spotlights and take a break for myself, even for an hour.” In the same passage, she bays: “They should list impaired hearing as a side effect on the bottle of fame. There are so many people clapping for you all the time ... for walking, for breathing, for wiping your own ass, that it drowns out what I like to call your not that inner voice, the one that says you’re not that smart, you’re not that talented, you’re not that funny. Some may confuse this gag for progress, as women come out of the womb hearing we are not enough. But having been on both sides of the fence I can tell you this: if you don’t hate yourself just a little bit, you are intolerable.” Welcome to The Favorite … [Read more...] about Real Housewives reborn as ‘Goal Diggers’ in Jessica Knoll’s deliciously dark The Favorite Sister