Kelly Bensimon: It Was A ‘Really Tough Season’

“Real Housewives of New York” star Kelly Bensimon talks with Access about the emotional Season 3 reunion show. Also, does she feel wrongly portrayed on the show? Plus, Kelly tells us what really happened on the “Real Housewives” island vacation.

Credit: Access Hollywood

Ramona: Why I Married My Husband Again

On March 14, exactly 18 years to the day after they first walked down the aisle, Ramona and her husband renewed their vows in Manhattan's posh Pierre hotel. "It meant so much to me to do it there," Ramona tells Life & Style, opening up exclusively about the special day. "It's where I originally wanted to get married."

Also very touching to Ramona: Her co-stars, who had been warring with one another all season, put aside their differences to attend the ceremony. "Jill [Zarin] put up a little bit of a fuss, and so did Kelly [Bensimon], but in the end, everyone came and had a wonderful time."

"This past year I've been renewing myself," she says. "I've renewed my career, my look, my friendships. I've renewed myself in so many ways, so I said, 'You know what, I want to renew my vows with my husband!'"

Credit: Life & Style

VIDEO: Kelly Bensimon’s Anti-Bullying PSA

After suffering what she calls “systematic bullying” from her Real Housewives of New York City costars, Kelly Bensimon is speaking out and wants the public to know it’s “never okay” to be treated that way.

“I just want to clear the air,” Bensimon says at the beginning of a video posted on YouTube. “While filming the Real Housewives, there was a lot that happened but the most important thing that happened is one thing that I realized: Systematic bulling is never okay.”

The reality star, 42, who recently told PEOPLE that she didn’t have a nervous breakdown but rather a “nervous breakthrough” when she blew up at her costars, adds, “Four against one is never okay. Whether you’re a 4-year-old or a 10-year-old or a 40-year-old woman, being bullied or ganged up on is never okay.”

Her advice to those stuck in a similar situation: “Remove yourself,” she says. And if you happen to witness someone getting bullied, “Help them.”

Credit: People

Kelly Bensimon: Memorial Day Partier

Kelly Killoren Bensimon attends Haley & Jason Binn's Memorial Day party on May 30, 2010 in Southampton, New York.

Credit: Getty Images

Kelly Bensimon: Celebrities At The AXE Lounge

Kelly Bensimon attends Celebrities At The AXE Lounge In Southampton During Memorial Day Weekend at Dune on May 29, 2010 in Southampton, New York. 

Credit: Zimbio

Photos by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images North America

Kelly Bensimon: 10 Questions With OK! Mag

Real Housewives of New York City firecracker Kelly Bensimon takes OK!’s Last Word interview in the issue on newsstands now. The 42-year-old mom dishes on what it’s really like to live her life.

This is what you won’t find in the magazine.

Last time you laughed?

Last night with my friends at dinner at the Standard Grill. The waiters, my friends and I all laughed.

Last time you lied?

I don’t like to lie and I don’t like liars.

Last date night?

I went to the Sony Dash party with a great guy.

Last time you went home to Illinois?

I haven’t been home in five years. My parents, who still live there, came to East Hampton for Christmas. My children spend two weeks in Rockford every summer.

Last time you felt defensive?

Yesterday when someone said mean things about Real Housewives of New York.

Last time you saw your best friends?

I had lunch with my best friend last week. We ate sushi and caught up on gossip.

Last vacation you took?

I went to Palm Beach last spring with my girls. I work a lot and don’t have much time for vacation.

Last time you felt angry?

Yesterday when I got into an argument and someone hurt my feelings.

Last time you indulged?

Last night I had two shots of tequila.

Last time you left NYC?

This morning. I am on my way to the Bahamas for a celebrity golf tournament.

Credit: OK! Magazine

Kelly Bensimon's "Out-of-Body Experience"

On Thursday's The Real Housewives of New York City, Kelly Bensimon attempts to explain her infamous May 20 show meltdown -- but only leaves her pals even more confused.

Sitting with Jill Zarin, LuAnn de Lesseps and Jennifer Gilbert, Bensimon, 42, says she lashed out at costars Ramona Singer, Alex McCord, Sonja Morgan and foe Bethenny Frankel during a trip to the Virgin Islands because they were gossiping too much.

"From the minute we were together, it was everything that I hate – talking badly about people," she begins.

(Oddly, she then starts gossiping about Frankel, 39: "She’s, like, a cook and everything like that, and I’m thinking to myself, ‘I mean, not one person that I know has ever hired her as a cook.'")

Bensimon says she was "so over tired" and "feeling sick" when she snapped (among her quips: She called Frankel a "ho bag"). "I was drinking this wine – I never drink wine – and I was sitting in this room with these women. I just wanted to get out of there," she says. "... It was an out-of-body experience."

In the end, the ladies still had no clarity about what actually went down.

Says de Lesseps, 45: "By the end of Kelly’s story about the trip, I was so confused. I mean, I just didn’t get it. I had to hear the other side of the story."

Credit: Us Weekly

Alex McCord: Kelly "Much Crazier" in Real Life

You call that crazy?

According to Real Housewives of New York star Alex McCord, fellow castmate Kelly Bensimon's erratic behavior documented on Thursday's episode was nothing compared to unseen footage left on the cutting room floor.

"It was much more [crazy] in real life," McCord tells Usmagazine.com of Bensimon's freakouts during a group vacation on St. John's. "Much more crazy!" McCord claims that the editing actually made Bensimon look "better."

On the instantly-infamous episode, Bensimon called McCord a "vampire," accused Bethenny Frankel of trying to stab her to death in a dream, and randomly burst into tears.

"I remember the first time that Kelly mentioned that she thought I was channeling the devil. It was in the middle of the soup course!" McCord tells Us. "That wasn't the first time that had happened. Throughout the trip, it just came out of the blue."

Although McCord and pals Sonja Morgan, Frankel and Ramona Singer initially found Bensimon's outbursts amusing, they quickly realized her tantrums were no laughing matter.

"Sonja was the one who pegged it at one point, saying, 'Wow. We're dealing with someone who is not being rational. We have to stop,'" McCord explains. "There was definitely a moment when we all clicked into realizing we had to stop picking part all the insane things being said because there's a reason beyond anyone's control, beyond her control."

Bensimon, 42, sees the situation a bit differently. On Friday, she told New York magazine's Vulture: "Some people are like, 'You had a breakdown,' and I'm like, no, I had a breakthrough!"

And even though the trip took place back in November, McCord and her castmates remain mystified by Bensimon's disturbing behavior.

"We've all talked after we saw the episode," McCord recalls. "We just said, 'Are you seeing what I'm seeing? Are we on the same planet?' When things that happen that are that irrational, you think it's you. We thought maybe our memories had distorted. But when [my husband] Simon saw it he said, 'Okay. Now I understand what you were talking about!"

Credit: Us Weekly

Kelly Bensimon: I Was “Bullied” By Housewives

Kelly Bensimon is continuing the damage control after her disastrous blow-up on The Real Housewives of New York City led to speculation that she’s crazy. The former model told People that she’s “not proud” of the way she acted, but then ultimately placed the blame on the other housewives.

Claiming she was the victim of “systemic bullying” while vacationing in the Virgin Islands with the other housewives, Bensimon claims that the real problem was in being stuck on a boat with women who didn’t like her.

“It was four people against one. I go on this trip, I’m trying to be open. I have no expectations. I’m trying to be nice to these women who clearly don’t like me,” Bensimon told People. “But the minute I got on the trip, they went after me. It was constant.”Well, it’s hard to argue with her about the other women not liking her—they certainly don’t seem to. (Although Jill Zarin should be sending her flowers for taking the attention off her and her ill behavior surrounding Bethenny Frankel’s giving birth.)

She added that being away from her daughters, Sea, and Teddy, made a bad situation that much worse.

Who knows? But one thing’s for sure: The Real Housewives of New York City has gone from being that show you happen to catch because its on Bravo fifteen times a week to one you set the DVR for.

Credit: Babble

Kelly Bensimon: ‘I’m Not Proud’ Of How I Acted

Kelly Bensimon wants to be clear about one thing. She’s not crazy — and that wasn’t a nervous breakdown you saw on The Real Housewives of New York City Thursday, as she blew up at her costars during a trip to the Virgin Islands.

“It was a nervous breakthrough,” Bensimon tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview appearing in next week’s issue.

“I learned don’t do it. Don’t be around people who don’t like you. I will never engage them like that ever again. I learned my lesson, as should everyone.”

The lesson involved comes as a result of what Bensimon, 42, calls the group’s “systematic bullying” of her throughout the vacation, during which she and costars Ramona Singer, Alex McCord, Sonja Morgan and her former rival Bethenny Frankel were sequestered on a yacht.

“It was four people against one. I go on this trip, I’m trying to be open. I have no expectations. I’m trying to be nice to these women who clearly don’t like me,” Bensimon says. “But the minute I got on the trip, they went after me. It was constant.”

Being away from her children Sea, 12, and Teddy, 9, was an added stressor. The isolated maritime setting didn’t help much either. “It’s an awkward position. Normally you’d be like, ‘I’m not dealing with this… I’m leaving,’” she says. “But this is not a situation where you can leave. You have to stay and you have to police them otherwise then you’re not a part of what’s going on and then they go off.”

But fans shouldn’t judge Bensimon based on this one episode. “This is me being a Housewife on a television show,” she says. “This is not me in my real life.”

Credit: People

Bethenny Vs. Kelly: Which Team Are You?

Bethenny Frankel and Kelly Bensimon have had it out for each other ever since Kelly joined the cast of the Real Housewives of NYC. Or does Kelly just have it out for Bethenny and every other housewife?  Kelly's breakdown on this week's episode surely seemed to take the cake.

Kelly Bensimon claims that she had a "breakthrough"during this week's episode rather than a breakdown, but in my opinon that's coming from the mouth of someone who is C-R-A-Z-Y. Not sure how much merritt her statement has. Bethenny took dig after dig from Kelly and Kelly didn't leave out the other girls. Ramona, Sonja, and Alex all received their daily doses of criticism and banter. But all the ladies remained calm and wanted to help Kelly because as Sonja explained, Kelly has a problem and is not normal.

Bethenny is definitely Kelly's most-hated housewife and we really don't get a clear read as to why. Bethenny kept her cool for the most part-everyone has a breaking point. I have had my moments where I wasn't the biggest fan of Bethenny, but compared to Kelly she's like a breath of fresh air.

Which team are you on?
Team Bethenny
Team Kelly

View Results

Credit: Gather Entertainment

Kelly Bensimon Adopts A Shelter Puppy

Kelly Bensimon and her daughter Sea are the new adoptive family of an adorable black pup, RadarOnline.com can report.

The Real Housewives of New York City star found the formerly homeless pooch at the non-profit Animal Haven shelter in Manhattan.

Credit: Radar Online

Kelly: I Had A "Breakthrough, Not A "Breakdown"

Real Housewives of New York star Kelly Killoren Bensimon doesn't regret her bizarre behavior on Thursday's explosive episode of her hit Bravo show.

"Some people are like, 'You had a breakdown,' and I'm like, no, I had a breakthrough," Bensimon told New York magazine's Vulture of her histrionics on a yacht in St. John's.

Among other outbursts in the episode, Bensimon called fellow housewife Alex McCord a "vampire," threatened to "claw" the eyes out of those interrupting a phone call with her kids, and claimed a dream in which nemesis Bethenny Frankel tries to stab her to death.

The model and writer explains that she was "very anxious" about traveling to St. John's with the other housewives. "I was asked by women who don't like me at all. I always have positive expectations of people, and I always think the best, and you know, that’s my Achilles' heel, is that I'm positive and feel like people are going to be nice. But the nature of the show isn't that."

She claims that her rival housewives are "not happy I'm on the show, they're just not...I'm very sensitive, and if someone says something very rude to me over and over again, I'm human. Shoot me."

"I'm completely honest, I have a ton of integrity," Bensimon continued. "The minute I walk into the room, I create...this stagnant frenetic energy."

On last week's episode, she chided Frankel and housewife Sonja Morgan for crying, getting emotional and sharing their "feelings." She explained: "In some ways, I'm almost too real. I have two girls, and we talk about feelings 24 hours a day. But those are real-life feelings."

"Let's be honest," she added of her outbursts, "It makes for awesome TV...if they're not hating on you, you're not doing something right."

Credit: Us Weekly

Sarah Jessica Parker Sides With Bethenny

Sarah Jessica Parker was the guest-of-honor on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live last night, airing right after The Real Housewives of New York. And boy was it an explosive episode (it could have been subtitled: “Is Kelly Bensimon crazy?”). Host Andy Cohen put SJP on the spot, asking her tough, probing questions about the women of RHONY. Parker hemmed and hawed — she doesn’t like to publicly pick favorites — but in the end, she took sides. And she took them hard.  

A little recap of last night’s RHONY: Relations between Kelly Bensimon and Bethenny Frankel got especially heated, with Kelly claiming that she was worried Bethenny was going to kill her in her sleep (really? really?). It appeared that Kelly had some sort of mental break, teetering close to the edge of insanity. Is Kelly Bensimon crazy? So far, the evidence points to yes.

Sarah Jessica Parker’s take? She said she can’t be sure what actually went down, since we (and she) only get to see the editors’ version of events, but, from what she saw, she sided with Bethenny: “I strongly believe that Bethenny is not threatening in general, or specifically to Kelly.” Point: Bethenny.

Cohen also asked Parker to pick sides in the Bethenny/Jill feud. Again, she sided with Bethenny. Then she joked, with an embarassed laugh, “I’m so scared of Jill.” Aren’t we all? Point: Bethenny.

That’s a lot of Bethenny solidarity. SJP seems to get the warm fuzzies when discussing Frankel, and I wonder if it’s due to the two of them have something in common: Parker has new baby girls (hello, twins!), and Frankel just gave birth to her own baby girl, Bryn. Remember when your kids were infants? Remember how you gravitated to other new moms at parties, over lunch, in line at the bank? New motherhood is a form of magnetism.

Parker also admitted to admiring the newest Real Housewife of New York, Sonja Morgan, a.k.a. the sane one. Sonja has a daughter as well, but hers is 9 years old (there’s a lot of estrogen on the show: Kelly, Ramona, and Jill are moms of girls-only, too). “I really like Sonja, she’s like a little bit of helium…she’s been good for the show,” says Parker. Aye, we agree.  Final Tally: Two Points Bethenny, One Point Sonja

Credit: Babble

Kelly Bensimon: A Headdress Affair

The Real Housewives of New York City's Kelly Killoren Bensimon attended the 9th annual 'Tulips & Pansies: A Headdress Affair' at Gotham Hall on May 20, 2010 in New York City.

Credit: Getty Images

Kelly Bensimon: Trapeze Artist

When Kelly Bensimon isn’t working on her showbiz careers, she can be found flying high on the trapeze.

“I went to trapeze school, and that was pretty daring because I was afraid they were not going to be able to get me,” Real Housewives of NYC star Kelly tells me during the premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s Banana Shpeel held Wednesday at NYC’s Beacon Theatre. “But it was fun. It’s something everyone should do in New York. Not only see this, but also go on a trapeze.”

She adds, “You’re allowing yourself to be free — and you’re completely out of the box and out of your comfort level, and I think that’s sometimes exciting.”

Credit: OK! Magazine

Kelly Bensimon: Opening of "Banana Shpeel"

Kelly Killoren Bensimon attends the opening night of Cirque du Soleil's 'Banana Shpeel' at the Beacon Theatre on May 19, 2010 in New York City.

Credit: Film Magic / Getty Images

Kelly Bensimon Threatens to Quit Facebook

While some celebrities are deleting their Facebook accounts over privacy issues with the site itself, Real Housewives of New York City’s Kelly Killoren Bensimon threatened to scrap her profile for an entirely different reason — haters!

“I will be deleting this page by the end of the week,” Kelly wrote on her personal account last night, apparently in response to negative comments. “So for those who wish to stay a fan please go to my fanpage .And for those who choose not to…all the best. Please don’t follow me on Twitter and Facebook, it’s not good for you to waste time, with people you dislike…and end up getting blockedor deleted from my web team.”

But either her fans convinced her to stay, or Kelly just had a change of heart, announcing early this morning that she would keep the account.

She wrote: “We will NOT be deleting this account, but will be adding a new page in addition to the fan page. write what you want, and say what you feel. I am flattered by lovers and haters, but indifference makes me sad. enjoy the day.”

Whew! That was a close one!

Credit: OK! Magazine

Kelly Bensimon out in SoHo

"The Real Housewives of New York City" star Kelly Bensimon has a good laugh with a friend in SoHo yesterday afternoon, May 14, 2010.

Photos by Bauer Griffin

Bethenny Frankel's Blog: Baby Bryn

First of all, thank you so much for all of your incredible, heartfelt well wishes. Bryn is a tiny peanut of a girl weighing 4lbs 12 oz. When I feel a little better next week, I will write a newsletter and give you all of the details. Sign up at www.bethenny.com.

If you don't mind, this blog will be brief. I'm writing from a hospital bed in pain from stitches and waiting to be able to visit Bryn in the premature unit.

I think LuAnn's single is fun as a gimmick, catchy type of song. As long as she had fun recording it, that's all that matters. I give her credit for going for it.
‪
Evidently, turtle time is dancing at an island bar trying to avoid psychotic episodes on a luxury yacht.

Despite Sonja's comments, I don't believe she has a crush on Kelly. Sonja just likes to drink and have fun and have fun girl time. She seems to want everyone to just get along which is an admirable trait.

Wow, was I craving a skinnygirl margarita. Not drinking on that vacation was like being deprived of water after a marathon. I could hardly believe what was going on around me, and I was obviously stone cold sober.

Jill and LuAnn have just made an art out of whining and complaining and really judging everyone around them. It has become white noise that you really don't pay attention to. It is so inconsequential to me right now that it is very difficult to even comment on.‪

Jill and Kelly seem to have a good friendship because Kelly really needs someone to take her under their wing, and Jill needs someone to influence and navigate.

I'm not sure exactly what set Kelly off. I don't think you can ever really predict what Kelly will say or do. She certainly doesn't operate under any normal circumstances nor is she predictable whatsoever. It is a little bit scary. I've learned to really just stay away from her.

Credit: Bethenny Frankel on Bravo TV