RHONY: Ramona Sings The Blues

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Speaker 1: You know, we're just really we're stunned and shocked by how things went down and they should not have gone down that way.

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Speaker 2: Stay tuned.

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Speaker 3: We'll get into my conversation with Romona Singer right after these quick ads.

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Speaker 2: Hey, rain drops.

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Speaker 3: Today we have an exclusive and exclusive with one of my top ten greatest housewives of all time, Yes, Ramona Singer.

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Speaker 2: This one was very.

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Speaker 3: Informative, juicy, I mean, Ramona answered at the single question that I asked. She left nothing off the table. She was very honest and she told her truth. We get into what happened this past season on the Real Housewives of New York City, what happened between her and Ebany K. Williams, an investigation that was launched due to accusations that Ramona was a racist, and we get into whether or not she would like to return to the Real Housewives of New York City Legacy edition. This interview is for the books. Without further ado, Here is my conversation with Ramona Singer. I am here with the legend, the pop icon, the woman. No matter what situation she's in, she makes it funny. She may not make it nice, Derinda, but she makes it funny. We're talking about Ramona.

00:01:52
Speaker 4: That's very sweet thing.

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Speaker 3: No, listen, I'm so happy you're on this podcast. You made it out of one hundred and forty eight housewives. You are in my top ten of the greatest housewives of all time?

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Speaker 2: Did you know that? I don't know.

00:02:07
Speaker 4: It's hard to believe. But now when I've been on for so.

00:02:10
Speaker 1: Many seasons and I see how people vote me and I was in your top ten, I'm like, Okay, I guess I am doing something maybe right along the lines.

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Speaker 2: No, I think you are. And listen, you are such a joy to watch.

00:02:22
Speaker 3: You are formidable when we get to see you just being yourself, like even episode one, season one, and we saw this competitive nature between you and Jill playing tennis, and I think for us it was the opportunity to see like we're embarking on something very special here because no shade to the OC. I wasn't too fond of the OC in the beginning. I was like, what am I watching?

00:02:47
Speaker 2: This is boring? So when New York came on board, it was.

00:02:50
Speaker 3: An opportunity to see some freshness, to see people who were unfiltered, and to see the high society of New York City.

00:02:59
Speaker 2: What made you want want to be a part of that show. In the beginning, it's a very good question.

00:03:04
Speaker 4: When I was first asked, I thought, okay, this could be good. Why not?

00:03:08
Speaker 1: And then I decided I started negotiating the contract, and then I decided, you know what, I don't have time for this. I'm already famous, so cold with my friends, and I don't need to be famous famous. I don't need that kind of attention and I don't have the time for it. So I said no. And then I went to Polo where the horses played the games so people know, and cause my ex husband and my daughter are away and I took my girlfriend there and I ran too. One of the producers and this is Vermont. Why wan't you do the show? We want you really to do the show. I go, well, I'm not going to do the show because number one, I don't have time. They go, come on, it won't be that much, like an hour or two a week. Of course, that was lie number one. Then I said, well, you don't understand. I'm like ten years older than most of these women. So I already done the charities.

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Speaker 4: And all that.

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Speaker 1: I don't do the parties and go to the charities for two hundred, three hundred hundred people. I do smell dinner parties for ten, twelve, fifteen, eighteen people.

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Speaker 4: They go, fine, we'll film that.

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Speaker 1: Go no, no, no, no, My friends will not want to be filmed at all. And they go, well, that's okay, we'll have plenty else to film.

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Speaker 4: I go, what do you mean, I'll be boring.

00:04:06
Speaker 1: Boring, that's my competitive nature. They go, Ramona, You're nothing but boring. And then like a little light bulb went off of my mind. So my ex and I were developing this website called True Faith Jewelry, and I said, I as long as you're willing to promote it on the show, I'll do it. And they said, we have to get back to you, and they did. And I still remember this day. Avery is eleven years old or twelve, so you're talking about like literally sixteen years ago where we would dine every night as a family, formal dinners every night with the wine glasses and the china and the candles. And I looked at Avery and I said, Avery, we have an opportunity to do a TV show. I know it's going to be big. I predicted we'd average one million viewers. I have a little bit of psychicist in me.

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Speaker 4: And we did. And we're not doing it to be famous.

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Speaker 1: You like your tennis lessons, you like going to private school, you like vacations, and you know, business changes, and this is a way for your father to expand his business. And we're doing it for his business, to promote the website. And I said, but you know you're going to be we have to be on all.

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Speaker 4: The same page.

00:05:02
Speaker 1: She would maybe be in the limelight, and we have to all be together on this because we're a family.

00:05:06
Speaker 4: And we all agreed and we did it.

00:05:07
Speaker 3: And I'm so happy you did it because without you, there wouldn't be a second season.

00:05:14
Speaker 2: And I want you to know that, as as a.

00:05:16
Speaker 3: Ronie fan, as a housewife historian myself, what made me fall in love with Ronie season one was you. Bethany was great, you know, but Bethany at that time because she was in a relationship, so she wasn't the and I mean this respectfully, she wasn't the loud mouth she is today expressive.

00:05:37
Speaker 1: She's being a little hindered because you had a very wonderful boyfriend, necessary important, you know, important job, and she had to watch her piece and cues.

00:05:45
Speaker 3: A little bit with you respect, and honey, you don't watch your p's or cues your l's yours.

00:05:50
Speaker 4: I'm getting a little better.

00:05:51
Speaker 2: I have gotten better.

00:05:52
Speaker 4: I have gotten better.

00:05:53
Speaker 2: Well, I don't want I don't want you to get better.

00:05:55
Speaker 4: I watched a little bit, just a little better, and.

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Speaker 3: Watching season one, I was so happy to see this world that we were embarking on because at the time I was living in New York City and it was nice to see like this upper echelon world. And then let's fast forward to season two and the show became bigger. Do you really believe that the Royal Housewives of New York City is the franchise that put Housewives on the map?

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Speaker 1: Well, it's a boat of contention with Vicki. But I went to a very huge Bravo event in California and this gentleman's name something like Bond.

00:06:33
Speaker 4: And he came over to me, James Bond. He minded Jack I could tease him.

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Speaker 1: His last name was Bond and he was very big in the advertising revenue, and he said, I want you to know you and all your other counterparts. House of New York put Bravo on the map. So I didn't come up with that, he told me, and that, you know, all of a sudden, became an international show.

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Speaker 4: And you know, we were in every.

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Speaker 1: Paper, New York Times, the Post, Daily News and New Yorker. My goodness, All Housewives took a feature two pages and Harper's Bizarre a Fashion.

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Speaker 4: I mean, who else got that? Nobody?

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Speaker 1: Nobody, And we're written up constantly in the press, almost to an obsessive amount.

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Speaker 3: No, it's true, and it's funny because when that came out, I was working on Atlanta Housewives, and then Atlanta Housewives became a big show too, And there is this debate, at least on social media, whether it's the OC, New York City or Atlanta. So you're standing by that because the advertising executive said to you, honey, this show is creating momentum based on how we're able to sell advertisement during the commercials on this particular franchise.

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Speaker 1: And yeah, and all of a sudden, everye knew what Bravo was. Bravo was known, but not that well known, and OC was known. But yes, OC was the first show. Absolutely, I'm not taking that away. But because of our uniqueness of the original cast, we were so unique and so special and just saw authentic that people gravity. We were called, my words, a show that when you go in the morning, you hang out by.

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Speaker 4: The coffee or the water, people are talking about us.

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Speaker 2: I love that.

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Speaker 3: I love that nowadays the show seems to be up in the air. And I know that you're somebody who's proud of the show. You are the longest running housewife from New York City. When you look at where the show is now, do you think the show is now at a point to where the magic is gone?

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Speaker 1: Well, I just think sometimes in the world, people are afraid to do I don't want to say the right things. They want to do things that are politically correct. And just because something is politically correct doesn't mean it's right and doesn't mean it's good for viewers or for sales or for ad money. And sometimes people are just afraid to change things. And I thought, you know, I mean, I am very disappointed that they got rid of everybody starting fresh, because you know, I put my heart and soul in this show. So whether they renew me or not, that really isn't the issue for me. It's about how you could end it, you know, stop having sown near Lwin and I believe they did it because they were afraid Bravo, they were afraid of a backlash.

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Speaker 4: So that's my personal opinion.

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Speaker 3: Do you think the backlash they were afraid of had to do with people saying that Ramona's problematic, she's the issue, or your dispats with Ebony?

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Speaker 1: You know what, I don't really know. I mean, Ebanie and I are friendly. I admire Ebony. We still contact each other. Yes, we had some conflict, of course, the show is conflict. But I'll tell you something. Ebanie was one of the few newbies that came on the show that I befriended immediately. Usually I was sort of haze them, I give a bad time, but she and I bonded immediately.

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Speaker 2: Yeah. And it's funny because we had Ebony on the podcast.

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Speaker 3: And one of the things that I did share with Ebony was as a huge Ronie fan. When that season started with Ebony, I stopped watching in the middle of the season and she said what I did too, And I said to her, listen, I felt it was becoming a show where I was constantly being fed educational pieces and if I wanted to watch the show about politics, I would tune into.

00:09:53
Speaker 2: The view because I'm obsessed with the view.

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Speaker 3: And I said to her, based on me being a reality TV executive but also a housewife historian, for me, I felt like the show lost is magic because it was always just about the fun, wacky nature of these women who are true friends. And I said to her, I do feel like there is a responsibility in terms of ownership. And she and I had a great conversation where she said that she felt responsibility to bring up issues based on where we are in the world right and she felt like she was cast for that, and that's when I got a better understanding when she wasn't.

00:10:33
Speaker 1: But she wasn't casta if you see they tape us with other housewives, like I tape it to the test taste, I tape it for Shawn for like an hour and we just naturally clicked off. So Ebany originally test taped with Lewynn, and she was a totally different person and talked about totally different subjects. She did not show this other side of her, so no one knew this is what you wanted to talk about. And also maybe in her defense, at that point she was engaged as very wealthy Jewish man.

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Speaker 4: She was going to become Jewish.

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Speaker 1: And then the whole relationship fell apart, and maybe this is the only thing she had to fall back on, was to talk about, you know, the struggle of herself, her race. And because you listen, if you're gonna break up with the man that you think you're gonna get engaged you and get married and have a baby.

00:11:12
Speaker 4: That's pretty. That's tough. That's tough.

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Speaker 1: And again she doesn't really you know, reality show is, like you said, it's conflict and resolution. And it was her first year and I don't think she really knew how to be truly because of everything's going through. And I think, you know, we were all nervous because she was the first woman of color on the show, and you know, we had another woman, her name is Aary Ellis. I think it is that we were all friends with and I think it's because she wasn't truly friends with us that made a difference, but that we all did bond with her, We kind of liked her. But you're right, I think she felt she had to take a stand, and because of that, we lost viewership. I respect her for wanting to take a stand, but I don't respect it because I don't like viewership.

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Speaker 4: I'm competitive.

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Speaker 2: You wanted to stay number one.

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Speaker 1: I want our show to be you know what our show is? Women tell me Ramona. I get home and I have my glass of wine ready. I'm ready for turtle time or a vodka and I just can't wait to laugh. And you know, we rough up a lot of great viewpoints, but it's meant more for like a show like the View or for the Fox where she came from. People are meant to be entertained on our show. They don't want to be preached to.

00:12:17
Speaker 4: We listen. We all like to learn.

00:12:18
Speaker 1: I'm learning every day and I like to learn about different things and different people and different habits and religions and customs.

00:12:25
Speaker 4: But no one wants to be preached.

00:12:26
Speaker 1: It almost felt like she was like a teacher to us, and it was just I was bored, to tell you the truth, it became boring. And if I'm bored and I'm filming and this is how I make my income, I can't imagine how the viewers felt when.

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Speaker 2: You were filming that particular season.

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Speaker 3: When did you feel like, oh shit, this show is going downhill?

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Speaker 1: When we went to Salem, Massachusetts, so we're in Salem and we're all bonding together, and then all of a sudden it turned to politics again. You know, I you know, I'm not a producer, but I could. I think at this point produced just like you worked your way up. And obviously the people that were on site weren't doing the right thing to change the subjects. So I went into the bathroom and I made a phone call to the head of shed, to Lisa, and I said, listen, Lisa, it's happening again. Viewers don't want to watch this. It's enough enough of politics, enough enough of it. Are you a Democrat? Are you Republican? Who are you going to vote for? The viewers don't want to know that that's what our show is about. And I go, can't you tell them to tell her to switch? No, we can't do that. You figure it out. You figure it out. I'm like, okay, gosh, it's on me again. So Mike walk out and I like, okay, let's just change the mood. All right, girls, come on, let's dance, let's have some truddle time. And they turned around, Oh, you can't talk about serious subjects. Yes I can, but I don't want our viewership to fall to go down the tubes, and that's when I knew our show was not going to be a great season.

00:13:48
Speaker 3: So let me ask you this prior to that particular scene, because I remember watching it, and I want to say two episodes after that when I started watching.

00:13:55
Speaker 2: Was politics constantly being.

00:13:58
Speaker 3: Brought up while you guys were filming prior to the trip in Salem?

00:14:02
Speaker 4: Well, not by us, but by yeah yah yeah yeah.

00:14:04
Speaker 3: And again when I did speak to Ebony, she was very clear that she did feel like it was her responsibility and I get that, But let me ask you this. Carol Radswell was also somebody who constantly talked about politics.

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Speaker 4: Absolutely.

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Speaker 2: Is that why you knew?

00:14:19
Speaker 3: Okay, guys, we're stepping into another territory where people are talking about politics, because you guys did get ridiculed that season where it was Trump versus Hillary and Carol and every scene talked about it and it was such a big topic of conversation that after reunion that season, Andy did say a lot of people were curious about, like, we don't watch the several politics. So is that why you knew going into that this last season? Oh shit, here it comes again, politics, And that's why you were so adamant aboubout not talking about it, Yes.

00:14:54
Speaker 1: Because I just know people just don't. They want to see us have fun. They want us to have us maybe little.

00:15:00
Speaker 4: Overserved a little.

00:15:01
Speaker 1: They want to see us left, they want to see us get crazy. I mean, I was very disappointed. Was the last episode. Eboni and all the girls were at my home in the Hampton's and we went loose and wild. We all bonded together. We were so great together. And by then the momentum was lost, you know, and it was a great, great episode. So you didn't even tune in because you're already tuned out. But I'm telling you that last episode, I mean, it was fabulous.

00:15:24
Speaker 2: I got to go back and watch that.

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Speaker 3: Then the last episode that a lot of people talked about was the Shaman dinner that Ebony had.

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Speaker 4: I believe the Shabbat, the Shabbat, the black Shabat.

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Speaker 2: Did the black Shabbat dinner? See, I didn't watch this. I'm like, wait was going on?

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Speaker 4: Right? And I said to her, you're having a black Schabbat dinner? What do you mean?

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Speaker 1: Who has a purple shabat, black chapat, red shapat. Shabbada is a Shabbat why do we call it a black Shabbat again? She's making race about everything, and listen, everyone should promote their race. I'm Ukrainian, you're Polish, your you're Afro American.

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Speaker 4: There's nothing wrong with that.

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Speaker 1: And being proud of it almost was like being pushed down everyone's throat and that was just it was overkilled?

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Speaker 4: Is overkilled?

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Speaker 2: Oh child? I hate to interrupt, but stay tuned.

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Speaker 3: We'll get back into my conversation with Ramona Singer right after.

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Speaker 5: He's quick ass.

00:16:23
Speaker 3: This is reality with the King and I'm Carlos King. Let's get back into my conversation.

00:16:29
Speaker 2: With Ramona Singer. Do you think Ebony is responsible.

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Speaker 6: For the show not being renewed in its origin and having to be this split in terms of legacy Ronie and a new diverse cast.

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Speaker 1: I don't think you can blame a person. I think you couldn't just blame Bravo. Bravo made that decision. I don't think it's I don't think it's a good decision, to tell you the truth. I mean, I don't read Instagram a lot. People are like, well, why are having two shows.

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Speaker 4: That's like us?

00:17:00
Speaker 1: You know, I think it's ridiculous, But that's my opinion. You know, I mean, BRAVL isn't Brav has been very good to me. I got paid very well. It opened up a lot of doors for me. But I still don't think it was a good decision.

00:17:12
Speaker 3: Where were you when you found out that the show is being split into two?

00:17:16
Speaker 1: I was an Aspen skiing because ahead of time we had a producer and she was like shocked because wait, they were waiting for things to die down and before they were going to start filming, because just so you know, we were supposed to start filming in September twenty twenty right after. Yeah, we were all she was gonna be renewed in everything until she made some accusations that weren't true about me.

00:17:40
Speaker 4: We were all set to go.

00:17:41
Speaker 2: What did she say that wasn't true about you?

00:17:43
Speaker 1: She went to human resources, which was really hurtful to me. And plus it was not true. It was founded untrue that I was a racist. And I'm a lot of things. You can call me, unfiltered, not polite, Always in a rush, I forget people's names, you know, Yes, I'm all of those. But one thing I'm I'm not a racist. And the press picked that up and they had a field day. And that's one thing that's the only negative I don't like about the show is what the press writes, because they'll take a small narrative and just inflate it and make up things. I mean, I mean actually went to a lawyer to say, can I sue the post? You know, it's just very hurtful and everything was unfound of. But because of that, we didn't do a reunion, which I didn't know initially. And people are like, oh, well, they're not doing the reunion because Romona refuses to do it, and I'm like, no, this is my job, my position. I always fulfilled my position job. But I'm not afraid to do anything. And she's afraid to face ebony. No, that's not true at all. So that already started it and I didn't know that, and because of that, we did not film the reunion, and because of that, our show didn't film in September because Andy told me himself, because we have a good relationship. He said, you know, Ramona, we normally don't start doing the next season until after the reunion airs, but we're going to start after we tape the reunion, and then we're gonna start filming, so we all would have had positions, even Ebony, all of us, but because of it went down agent and everything she founded was untrue, unfounded, And I can't share some of the things I found, but they were like almost made up fabrications, which is even more hurtful.

00:19:09
Speaker 3: Is that the reason why? Because when she was on my podcast, I brought this name up. I want to be very clear that it was me. I asked her, was she blackballed from the cast because there were stuff in the posts and the press that detail the cast wasn't They were shunning themselves away from her, like distancing themselves away from her. And I did ask her, like, did you fly like you were a black ball from the cast? And she said, I'm not going to use the word black ball if you're asking me if the cast and I weren't together and I felt distant, then yes, was this ongoing investigation the reason why you and maybe the other cast members just weren't around her as much?

00:19:46
Speaker 1: Well, No, what happened was, if you see the last episode, we really came together as a team as a cast, and I really wished it happened earlier where Ebanie finally loosened up we felt more comfortable around her. We were on pins and needles and it was fabulous. We all left on a fabulous note. And then again, she likes to write things in the press and the PR department could't control her. She would say things and give interviews that she shouldn't have given, and she'd say things she shouldn't have said.

00:20:11
Speaker 4: That you know, really were hurtful, not really truthful.

00:20:14
Speaker 1: It was her viewpoint, but it was just it made us feel not good because you know, we're a team. Look, you know, you and I can fight on the show, but I'm not going to say something shitty about you to the press once the show's over, Like, why, what's the point of that? So I think what she said something about that we didn't this, and I called her on and I had dinner with her, that we dehumanized her. She felt less than human because we were more sympathetic to Leah losing her grandmother than her losing her grandmother. And I'm like, when I went out with her, we went to j Arago, but you didn't talk about her. Leah was constantly crying about our grandmother, telling us left and right, you're our new friend. We're not going to be in truth. So if we're trying to be polite, you didn't devolt how upset you were. Yet she turned it around and made this all look I think really bad and it really hurt my feelings terribly. And I said, promise to me, if you ever have a problem, come to me directly.

00:21:01
Speaker 4: Let's talk it out.

00:21:02
Speaker 1: Don't go to the press to say things that you haven't even talked through us. She's well, you know, i'd watch the show and I see things that get me upset. I said, don't pick up the phone so she would run to the press, and that was just upsetting to all of us.

00:21:14
Speaker 2: Where does your relationship stand now with Ebony Well?

00:21:17
Speaker 4: I called her again recently.

00:21:19
Speaker 1: She was avoiding my call for a month or two, and I said, I don't understand why you report me to human Resources as a racist.

00:21:25
Speaker 4: You know I'm not.

00:21:26
Speaker 1: I'm a lot of things, but I'm not that, And I don't understand why you would say that.

00:21:30
Speaker 4: And she's well, because you know.

00:21:32
Speaker 1: Day from people told me ABC and d Well, I know Dave never said that. Plus I know I knew for a fact other things that she said that came back to me from head people at Bravo, which they said, I don't know where she got this information.

00:21:43
Speaker 4: She's making it up. We never said that.

00:21:45
Speaker 1: So she was found wrong on a lot of accounts on her accusations that were complete, complete non truth that maybe she thought were true in her mind. And by I say she lied, maybe in her mind she thought they were true, or maybe somebody else told her it was hearsay. So and hearsay. It's like what they call that telephone game, you know. So I called her up and she said that's the only thing I said, and you know, and only this is the craziest thing.

00:22:08
Speaker 4: Okay. So when I was.

00:22:10
Speaker 1: Getting investigated, the lawyers are calling me up and I had no idea this was going on. And I'm an Aspen and I rented a place there for the month, and they're saying, well, you have these allegations. And I said, you know what, I'm not going to be threatened and I'm not going to be intimidated by this because you could be. I'm just going to be Ramona and just be totally calm and not answer yes or no and make it like a conversation. And I said, well, I'm really shocked that she made these accusations against me because I have a video of her on my phone saying, Ramona, I saw you much that happens.

00:22:37
Speaker 4: You're so girl and Sista, you and I have the same taste.

00:22:40
Speaker 1: See that outfit you got from Camilla with love, I got the same one. And my mama, she loves you. She thinks you're the best thing. And they go their mouth chop, they go, when did you get this? I go, August something was like after I guess she made even the accusations and I sent them the video.

00:22:52
Speaker 4: They were shocked.

00:22:53
Speaker 1: So she's acting like she's my best friend and she loves me, but yet she's accusing me of horrendous things that could ruin my career.

00:23:00
Speaker 4: You're actually you know, because that's a horrible thing.

00:23:03
Speaker 1: I mean, actually you know some things I was her career wise because of her accusations.

00:23:07
Speaker 3: You were, Yeah, financially like endorsements, yes, yes, yes.

00:23:12
Speaker 1: They go, we know she's not, but you know we can't go there right now. So yeah, I lost a lot of money because of Ebanie. Well listen, we lost the reunion six figures, we lost doing another show seven figures, So yeah, I lost a lot of money.

00:23:24
Speaker 2: Ebony, thank you Are you the only one who feels this way?

00:23:27
Speaker 3: Or do your other cast members feel the way but they're too afraid to talk about it publicly.

00:23:31
Speaker 1: You know, you're making me feel so comfortable that I would never talk about this publicly. So I hope I don't get an outcry from this. But they all feel this way, yes, and we all like Ebany. It's not like we don't like her.

00:23:41
Speaker 4: You know.

00:23:41
Speaker 1: Lewyenne finally met with her and she's fine with her. You know, it's just I don't know. Ebanie just has a stick up her. But sometimes I don't know. I don't know what it is. I'm not I don't know Ebony that well, you know, but you know she has a relationship with Sonya, she made up with Luyne.

00:23:55
Speaker 4: Leah always cared about her.

00:23:56
Speaker 1: I always liked her, and you know, we're just really we're stunned and shocked by how things went down, and they should not have gone down that way.

00:24:03
Speaker 2: Are you going to be a part of roney legacy?

00:24:06
Speaker 1: I really don't know. Number One, I don't know if I will be, And then I don't know if I want to do it again.

00:24:10
Speaker 2: Why.

00:24:11
Speaker 1: For a lot of reasons, I'm much calmer now that I haven't done the show, I don't like I know this is like an oxymoron, but I really don't like being recognized, like, oh my god, it's you, Ramona.

00:24:21
Speaker 4: I know you're in a date.

00:24:22
Speaker 1: I have a photo, you know. I just I don't like all the attention. And guess what. The men I date don't like all the attention.

00:24:27
Speaker 4: How about you?

00:24:28
Speaker 1: My girlfriends. My girlfriends, don't you know, they'll say, oh my gosh, Ramona, I used to go out to lunch with you and twenty people would come up to you. Now it's only one, you know, So I don't like all the attention. I really don't like the press. The press stressed me at with the whole all of that stuff that was really really very hurtful and made me really unhinged, I mean unhinged. And I realize now I'm so much more relaxed. All my friends say I'm fifty percent more calmer. I still have that high energy, but I'm not as heart ass. I'm just there's something more gentle, And you know, I'm actually able to date now in a better way. And I just think it's you know, I've been there for a long time. I mean never say no, never say never. But I also feel like the legacy the cow how can it be really good? The people who they are going to bring back are people they didn't want to renew anyway.

00:25:15
Speaker 4: So now, so what are you gonna call it? The loser show?

00:25:17
Speaker 2: A legacy Ramona?

00:25:20
Speaker 3: So allegedly legacy would be I mean, listen, and I want to say this to you, And I mean when I say, there's no Roney without Ramona Singer in our world, right the Housewives fans, the historians, we believe the legacy is Ramona Singer, lou Anne, Sonya, Dorinda, maybe Bethany, which I get to later, and allegedly Kelly, ben Simone and Jill Zarn Is that a cast you can get down with?

00:25:50
Speaker 1: I don't know, because you know, I like Kelly, we have a friendship. But I think she's beautiful and she's smart and she's successful. But there's a reason why she was let go after one and a half seasons or two seasons. You know, Sonya's been on for like, you know, ten seasons, Lawanne, you know a long time, me a long time.

00:26:05
Speaker 2: Jill.

00:26:05
Speaker 1: They got rid of her after three seasons. There was a reason for that, and I like chill. She lives in my building. We're friends. I had Russia shawna dinner with her. But I just, you know, from a producer point of view, yeah, yeah, for a selfishport of but yeah, this is good.

00:26:19
Speaker 4: I'll get paid money, it'll be good, I'll be fun. No, from a producer point of view, I don't think it's such a good idea.

00:26:24
Speaker 3: What would you like to see if Ramona had the right to cast women around her? Who would be around Ramona on a new Roney Legacy or whatever.

00:26:36
Speaker 2: Type of show.

00:26:37
Speaker 1: No, I would just you know, go with me Luan and Sonya bring on some new cast members. I think people you know, near like in their forties. We're sure women who are successful in their own right, whether they're married or not married. Diirinda, she Diirinda. I'm not sure if she should be a full cast member. If I make her a part time cast member, and then if she proved herself the next season, make her a full time cast member. Because something's happened that weren't which she knows, which was difficult during Ronie where they called me up like what's wrong with Derinda? We're watching the tapes and she's so mean, can you help her?

00:27:09
Speaker 4: Can you fix her? Because you know they would always call me, you know.

00:27:12
Speaker 1: This person's doing this, and I was always like the group leader, and I always would think, like a producer, you know, not.

00:27:17
Speaker 4: I'd watch out.

00:27:17
Speaker 1: You have the force multiplier, whatever you want to call it. But I want a successful show. So I think Derinda is great TV. She's fabulous TV when she's on. She's on, but she does sometimes have a side of her that can be very angry, which is not pleasant for viewers to watch and tell you the truth is not pleasant to be around.

00:27:34
Speaker 2: Did you see Deranda on Optimate Girl's Trip.

00:27:37
Speaker 4: I saw a little bit of it.

00:27:39
Speaker 2: What did you think?

00:27:40
Speaker 4: I don't know what did you think?

00:27:46
Speaker 3: God Marmart, you're such a producer, a force multiplier and my co host.

00:27:51
Speaker 2: Look, I like Deranda. I love no Derendze's a fun girl. Now.

00:27:55
Speaker 3: Look watching Aultimate Girls Trip, you know that had her moments whereb.

00:28:01
Speaker 2: Was like, ooh, girl, let's let's real it.

00:28:04
Speaker 3: Back in, you know, let's really back in because listen, I think the Randa and you tell me if I'm wrong.

00:28:10
Speaker 2: I think the Randa really wants to make a good TV show.

00:28:13
Speaker 3: Absolutely, and I think Miranda puts a lot of pressure on herself to make a good TV show, and sometimes that pressure can mean drinking things to believe yourselves to be calm.

00:28:22
Speaker 2: But unfortunately it just makes you more very.

00:28:25
Speaker 1: Well said, very politically correct and polite. I agree, So I agree. I could have said it better.

00:28:32
Speaker 2: That's what That's what I guess.

00:28:33
Speaker 4: That's why I said.

00:28:33
Speaker 1: If I was a producer, I would put her on full I put her on as a friend and then work her way up. Yeah now or and if she and I would tell her this sis a producer, but I make her a friend. And if she proved herself after you know, taping for three weeks or four weeks or for the whole season, if she just continued to gin, I would just make her a full person and she would never people would know she was a friend. You'd make her for a full fledged housewife. But just give her that little goal, that challenge, so maybe she can relax herself in a more natural way.

00:29:05
Speaker 3: You know, Yes, Milestones, I love that you're such a producer.

00:29:09
Speaker 2: I love it. What about Bethany? Do you think Bethany's needed for the show.

00:29:13
Speaker 1: Bethany is always great for TV. She really is Bethany'll never come back.

00:29:17
Speaker 4: I don't think. Oh, I can never say, never really said, so I don't know. I don't think.

00:29:20
Speaker 1: I think she's in a different place now. You know, she has a significant other in her life. Her daughter's getting older. She realized how precious time is with her child. It goes so fast. So she's able to do her podcast remotely from her home, which is fabulous. So she's still getting you know, everyone loves a little bit love and attention from the fans, so she's getting that, and she's making money. She has a mark made and doing extremely well. So you know, if I was her and her shoes, I wouldn't be doing the show, that's for sure.

00:29:46
Speaker 2: Do you think when Bethany was on the show the show was better?

00:29:50
Speaker 4: The show is different.

00:29:51
Speaker 1: I don't know if it was necessarily better, because when she left season three season four, our ratings improved, they didn't get less, So if it was going to be so, she left at the height of our popularity, and yet season four the ratings were even higher.

00:30:06
Speaker 3: How do you feel now that Bethany is being referred to as a TikTok influencer.

00:30:12
Speaker 1: I don't really pay that much attention to TikTok, But I know she's doing it, and if she is good for her.

00:30:16
Speaker 2: Are you surprised that?

00:30:18
Speaker 1: No, because you know Bethany's very bright. She's a really smart girl, and she goes. She knows the trends, so what's happening? She knows the trends and she gets behind it, you know she does. And she's very smart that way. And I know she's doing something that was kind of funn I think she did stuffing stuff with the makeup, so maybe she's a come up the makeup line and I thought it was really fun, like this is good, this is bad.

00:30:36
Speaker 4: I like this, I don't like this, and I think she's hysterical.

00:30:39
Speaker 3: Do you want to continue in reality TV? If roney Legacy is not a possibility, if that show wants you back or you don't want to go back, does that mean Ramona Singer is finished with reality television?

00:30:54
Speaker 4: I don't know. That's a very good question, and I can't really answer that. I don't know.

00:30:58
Speaker 1: I mean, I know enjoy it and I know I'm really good at it, but I don't know. I don't know if maybe I'm at a different stage in my life right now and I want to do something different, you know, I don't know.

00:31:07
Speaker 4: I can't answer that.

00:31:08
Speaker 3: Well, we love seeing you on television and we miss you. And the other person who missed you was Teresa at her wedding. Ramona, you did not show up to Teresa's wedding.

00:31:19
Speaker 2: Yes, I know what happened.

00:31:21
Speaker 1: Well, she was filming it. It's all about the film crew, and I didn't want to be part of the film crew. I mean, I'm living a beautiful life right now with beautiful friends. I didn't want to be part of the circus. It was a circus. And I love Teresa, and I know she's very happy with her husband.

00:31:34
Speaker 4: Treats her beautifully and they're very in love.

00:31:36
Speaker 3: But yeah, so when you discover, Ramona Singer that in a spirit of happiness and celebration of love, you mistakenly posted Teresa's imitation with the website and past were included. When you found out you made that mistake, who was the first person to call you to tell you?

00:31:57
Speaker 4: Teresa in three minutes, Ramona, take it down, Take it down. Go what are you talking about the invitation? Ramona?

00:32:03
Speaker 1: I go, oh my gosh, because in my own mind, I don't consider us famous or celebrities.

00:32:09
Speaker 4: I mean, I know we are, but I'm just kind of my own little world and I didn't think about her that way too.

00:32:13
Speaker 1: I was just so excited to get the most gorgeous invitation I ever saw in my life, and I wanted to share it with every like, oh, this is good things. As you know, Tom's always saying, who helps me with my social media? He's like, can you send me something? And you go, oh, this is good. Tom's gonna like this, this is good.

00:32:28
Speaker 4: Oh no, it wasn't good. Well, it was good, got in the press, they got a lot of press.

00:32:32
Speaker 2: Well.

00:32:32
Speaker 3: She also says she had to pay a lot of money for security, and she feels like you owe her some money.

00:32:38
Speaker 1: Ramona, I don't think that's true, but okay, I think it makes a good story.

00:32:43
Speaker 4: I don't think that's the true.

00:32:46
Speaker 1: And guess what, it was filmed, so Bravo have to pay the money and they have deep pockets.

00:32:53
Speaker 2: Who's got a few wedding specials? Ramona, I think you're right.

00:32:58
Speaker 3: So no, no love lost between you and Teresa.

00:33:01
Speaker 2: No.

00:33:01
Speaker 4: I love Teresa. She's a great girl.

00:33:03
Speaker 1: I'm really happy for I mean, she did well on Dancing with the Stars, I mean, that had to be a lot of pressure for her, and she held her own and it takes a lot of guts and courage to do that. And I think she's in a spectacular place, and I'm really proud of her.

00:33:15
Speaker 3: I have to say, I'm really proud of you because you seem to be in a very good place in your life right now. And I know a lot of people are going to be like, oh please, Ramona, you love being famous. But as somebody who spent fifteen years working with reality stars who all of a sudden become more famous than actors and actresses, I understand that sometimes it's nice to have a little bit of anonymity when it comes to your life and not having the cameras constantly in your face. And I do get the sense from you that this was a much needed break that you may not have thought you needed, especially because of where we are in the world. You know, in terms of social media can be a lot. Like you said, the press can even be a lot. And one things that people love to talk about when it comes to you is is she a Republican, she a Democrat, she a Trump or she this? And one thing about you is you've always been very private when it came to your life in that arena. Do you feel like there's a place on reality television for politics? And do you think there's a place on reality TV for conservative women?

00:34:23
Speaker 1: I think there's places for everybod TV. But I don't think it has to be a conversation. You know, it's like, why do you have to talk about how much money you earn? I think that's a private conversation. Or do they talk about what religion? You don't think you'd make religion, money or politics part of a reality fun TV show?

00:34:38
Speaker 3: Yeah, we want that. We can watch the view exactly. So what's going on in your personal life?

00:34:44
Speaker 2: Are you dating? Is there a hot stud muffin that you know you?

00:34:48
Speaker 3: Oh, look at your eyes, Formona, I'm seeing some glistening in the eyes.

00:34:54
Speaker 2: Are you in love?

00:34:56
Speaker 4: How heavy?

00:34:58
Speaker 2: Like i'd be like, is he a Floridian?

00:35:03
Speaker 4: No?

00:35:04
Speaker 2: Okay? Is he a New Yorker?

00:35:06
Speaker 4: Yeah?

00:35:07
Speaker 2: Is he at the Regency?

00:35:13
Speaker 4: No?

00:35:15
Speaker 2: What can you tell me about this, Gela man? Because your eyes lit up, Romona, your eyes lit up. I know how long you guys been dating?

00:35:24
Speaker 1: I really don't want to talk about it, but it's it's really it's very it's really nice.

00:35:29
Speaker 4: I'm just tell you, it's really nice.

00:35:31
Speaker 3: Are you afraid that if you go back on reality TV? Do you think it will mess up this relationship?

00:35:40
Speaker 1: No, because anybody that's involved with me knows what I do, and I keep my personal relationships separate. Very I don't think anybody ever knew any gentleman I dated because I kept them out of the press and didn't talk about it because I like my private life to be private. I mean, yes, I know I'm doing reality show, but I like my private like private because then it just gets too it's too messy.

00:36:00
Speaker 3: You would do reality, but you would make sure that he would never appear because you would want you.

00:36:04
Speaker 2: You would like to keep that separate.

00:36:06
Speaker 4: If I did reality, Yes.

00:36:07
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah. And how's Avery?

00:36:10
Speaker 4: Oh she's great. Just spoke to her. She's in Croatia with her dad right now.

00:36:13
Speaker 1: Yeah, she'll be back in five days or I think that zip blinding today. She said, like eight hundred meters high, which is about sae eight times three twenty fundred feet, which is about half a mile high.

00:36:24
Speaker 4: Like, we're just scared.

00:36:28
Speaker 2: I'm so happy for her. And you know what's so funny.

00:36:31
Speaker 3: About Avery, It's sort of like a child star that we watched grow up to be an adult.

00:36:37
Speaker 1: I actually called her the Voice of Reason. Oh, she was the first season, the voice of Reason. She'd have her little pearls on and the little pearls and you know, I don't understand how my mom acts like this with her friends, Like I just don't know.

00:36:49
Speaker 4: She's very cute.

00:36:50
Speaker 2: No, we love Abray, we love Avery.

00:36:52
Speaker 3: So Maramona, when it's all said and done, what would you like your legacy to be?

00:36:58
Speaker 1: Well, I think the most important thing. Then people and Bravo didn't really you know, they decide how they want to edit you. I mean, yes, I'm acting certain ways, and of course the camera doesn't lie, but they decide what they want to focus on, and they don't show the whole picture.

00:37:10
Speaker 4: So there's a big side of me. Well I am.

00:37:12
Speaker 1: I'm self made. I was the first housewife on Ronie that you know. I had my own career, my own money, I had my own homes that I paid for successful businesses, and they never really showcase that.

00:37:23
Speaker 4: And they do a little bit in the beginning.

00:37:25
Speaker 1: And my mother always told me to be independent, and that's why when I got divorced from my ex husband. My life style didn't change because I was a big earner in that marriage and I had a lot of money safe and I know how to make money, and I'm in stealing that in my daughter, and women tell me that they're instilling it in their children. And women tell me how proud they are of me, and how you know, things I did as a first woman on HSN Jewelry, I dealed at Penagrizio, you know, so I did all these business things and I just I just hope, you know, to empower women that way. But the show can't always be it's not always empowering women. Which that's the one thing I didn't like to tell you the truth about Bravo. They they didn't showcase me that way. You know, a lot of times are kind of condescending to women, I think a little bit in my opinion.

00:38:06
Speaker 4: But it's a fun show and it's escapism.

00:38:08
Speaker 1: But I think, you know, that's that's the thing that I feel most proud about that when I still get you know, even you know, women dming me I'm in a bad marriage. I need to leave it, and you know, I need to start my own business or you know, whatever you may.

00:38:21
Speaker 3: Need to do yeah, no, listen, and I think, look, I think you will go down in the realities I guised as one of the greatest reality stars, not just housewives. I think you are probably one of the greatest reality stars to exist because you've always operated in who you were and as somebody who makes a living working with people who become reality stars. I know that sometimes people like to play it to the cameras, or they censor themselves because they don't want to get canceled, and you know, or they they they don't want.

00:38:56
Speaker 2: To be held responsible for things that happen.

00:38:58
Speaker 3: And I will say that, unlike most ogs, and I want to give you this, unlike most ogs, you have always been graceful and graceful for the opportunity to the network and to the show, and you have never bad mouthed anything. You've always just been like, you know, it is what it is. I'm going to live my life. And that's the reason why Ramona, I really want to say thank you for coming on the podcast, because I know you don't do a lot of press, honey, and this means the world to me because it is the fact that you felt so comfortable knowing that this would be a conversation of someone who really wanted.

00:39:40
Speaker 2: To give you the opportunity to.

00:39:42
Speaker 3: Express yourself, but to also make sure that you knew that me and a lot of people who look like me and the world, we love you, and we want to see you back on television. And I'm going to say this, there's no fucking legacy without Ramota turtle Time singer.

00:40:00
Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, and that's the alternative dictionary turtle Time. How funny is that?

00:40:03
Speaker 2: Are you in the Webster dictionary?

00:40:05
Speaker 4: The alternative dictionary?

00:40:07
Speaker 1: Ah, that was an Emmy moment when I did turtle Time with that, they go, come on, girls, it's turtle Time because it's a turtle club or something. That's an iconic moment for sure. And my runway when it looked like a dear yes, oh my goodness.

00:40:20
Speaker 3: Yes, Now listen, you're a pop icon, you really are. And I just wanted you to know that we love you, we miss seeing you on television, and we're helping that one day we can get that back on television.

00:40:30
Speaker 1: Well, it's really easy being with you. I can't even believe how I opened up. I was more unfiltered than I even intended to be. But it's because of your genuine and warm spirit and energy that made me do it. So good for you, Thank you, mama, that's why you're such a good host.

00:40:44
Speaker 2: Well, thank you for that. I like to think so too, so I appreciate that. Now, where can people find you?

00:40:48
Speaker 3: Follow you on social media all those wonderful things they support you in your business.

00:40:52
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I'm on Instagram, Ramona Singer, there you go.

00:40:57
Speaker 3: And if you happen to become engage and would like to see them a wedding special, you know who to call. You're so funny, Oh rain drops, I cannot wait until I hear from you guys on what you thought about this interview. This one I told y'all it was juicy and very informative based on Ramona's point of view and experience. But I want to hear from you guys, so tweet me hashtagging Reality with the King and let me know your thoughts on this interview.

00:41:37
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00:41:40
Speaker 3: New episodes drop every Wednesday and Friday, Share, comment, follow, and subscribe to Reality with the King. Wherever you get your podcast, visit Reality withthe King dot com and be sure to follow me at the Carlos King Underscore on Instagram.

00:42:01
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00:42:04
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00:42:08
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00:42:11
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00:42:30
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