Bethenny Frankel says the rise of social media gave her the power to fight back against Joy Behar’s recent criticism of her body.
“The real tea that is important about what just happened with Joy Behar … is that when you sit on the media deus, traditional media, you get the last word because you’re in a power position over everybody — and even over celebrities … ” Frankel explains during an exclusive interview with Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea.”
Frankel goes on to say that public figures often feel indebted to institutions like “The View,” vessels for them to plug their projects. But with the advent of social media, the business mogul enthuses that such a dynamic has shifted.
“That is what modern social media has eliminated and that’s what makes that the dinosaur era … No, you don’t get to have the last word,” Frankel, who boasts 3.2 million followers on TikTok and 3.9 million on Instagram, explains while promoting her partnership with Heluva Good! Dip.
Frankel, 54, feels as though “most people won’t defend themselves and can’t” out of fear. “You couldn’t really say anything because you have people around you saying, ‘But you have to … you have to go there to promote your thing…’”
But social media has helped Frankel reclaim her power, she says. “The thing that social media has given so many ‘normal people,’ the people … it gave them the power that they get to have their own voice and they get to say it,” she asserts. “And no one gets to slap them without being held accountable.”
Earlier this month, Behar accused the reality star-turned-TikTok queen of having “fake boobs” following Frankel’s viral appearance at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show in May.
In response, Frankel clarified via TikTok that her breasts are real and blasted Behar, 82, for living a “miserable” life.
“This is actually a lift, Joy,” she said. “But the thing that that show really illustrated was that women my age and older, women of a certain age, can live their lives freely with happiness and with joy, and that we’re not washed-up, miserable older women.”
The “Real Housewives of New York City” alum explained that she had a breast lift 15 or 20 years ago because she used to have large breasts that were “saggy” and “floppy” in high school.
Body talk aside, Frankel noted that she felt sorry for Behar.
“She doesn’t seem to be living her life with any joy,” she said. “Sadly, Joy is painting the picture of the older, seemingly miserable, washed-up woman that all of us are trying to show that we aren’t.”
The Skinnygirl founder concluded her message with one final swipe at Behar.
“You keep being happy, you keep living your life, you keep being the example of a woman of a certain age that you would be proud of,” she continued, “and we have women like Joy Behar that remind us of who we don’t want to be.”
Behar’s remark came after “The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg brought up Frankel’s comments about the work that goes into preparing for a fashion show and how none of the participants — which also included Stassi Schroeder, Livvy Dunne and Alix Earle — looked how they did on the runway two hours prior.
“I admire her candor, but her boobs are still fake,” Behar scoffed.
Frankel — who remains unbothered by Behar’s assessment — tells “Virtual Reali-Tea” that she prioritized self-care while prepping for her skin-baring Sports Illustrated gig, for which she rocked a combination of barely-there swim attire.
“I actually gained a little weight because I think my body leveled out from eating healthy foods and doing good things for it, which was the strangest thing ever. I gained weight. But maybe I needed it,” she says.
“I just wanted to feel well and I wanted to feel rested and I wanted to feel like I was being intentional about it versus just, like, [rolling] in there. I was aware of the difference of 30 years in my age and many of the girls. The girls were all very, very young. So there’s a drastic age difference.”
With the show behind her, Frankel is thrilled to focus on her work with Helluva Good! Dip and the Host’s Hidden Helluva Good!, a faux potted plant that cleverly doubles as a secret dip stash. (Consumers can enter for a chance to win their own through June 27.)
“To partner with a brand, they have to understand who they’re partnering with. I’m going to say what’s on my mind and be honest in interviews and with them, and then I’m going to throw them a bunch of different ideas. The product has to be good and good quality, and it’s really good,” she raves.
Her favorite? “If I were home, I’m [would] take the bacon horseradish [dip] and I would put it over a baked potato with some crumbled bacon,” Frankel tells us, “because I feel like that would be a really sick combination.”
The post Bethenny Frankel divulges the ‘real tea’ that inspired her epic Joy Behar comeback: ‘You don’t get to have the last word’ appeared first on Page Six.
