'Real Housewives' offer makeovers on 'Maury'

Over on “Maury,” the paternity tests are getting a break.

Taking a breather from the baby daddy drama, veteran TV host Maury Povich is enlisting the help of a few “Housewives” with another pastime of the longstanding talk show: makeovers.

In the episode, to air Thursday,  Danielle Staub ("Real Housewives of New Jersey"), Ramona Singer ("Real Housewives of New York City") and NeNe Leakes ("Real Housewives of Atlanta") will help transform a few disheveled “real” housewives into moms worthy of being followed around by cameras.

Hmm. Images of knee-high boots with broken heels, age-inappropriate skirts and revealing tops are dancing in our heads.  

Show Trackers,  do you think these were the right “Housewives” to help with the makeovers?

--Yvonne Villarreal
twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: Danielle Staub. Credit: Getty Images.

MTV Video Music Awards: What's next for Bethenny Frankel?

Bethenny Frankel made news recently when she announced that she wouldn't be returning for the fourth season of "The Real Housewives of New York." On the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards Sunday night, she made the reason why she came to that conclusion clear: Her family didn't think it was the right thing to do.

"I just feel like there's only so much I can do. ... My husband doesn't want to be on the show," she admitted. "When I was single, it was my decision. Now it's a family decision. It's not the best thing for all of us."

As for reports that she'll still be obligated to appear as an occasional guest, Frankel said she's unclear about what she's contractually supposed to do.

"I will go to 'Housewives,' but I won't be a member of the cast," she said. "I don't want to be a member of the cast. If I happen to be at an event where the other woman are -- I don't know. I honestly don't know. Thank God I don't have to think about that yet."

What she is thinking about is the next season of "Bethenny Getting Married?" -- which she believes will be happening.

"We'll change the name. We have some ideas," she said. "And I think it'll be great. It'll just be exactly what it was. Whatever's going on in my life."

-- Amy Kaufman

Twitter.com/AmyKinLA

Photo: Bethenny Frankel on the red carpet at the Video Music Awards. Credit: Chris Pizzello / Associated Press

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'Real Housewives' coming to KNBC

Desperate for more “Housewives”?

The manicured ladies of the “The Real Housewives” are bringing their rich and famously drama-filled lifestyles to syndication. As O.C. “Housewife” Vicki Gunvalson might say, “Wahoo!”

NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution sold "The Real Housewives" of Orange County, New York and Atlanta to stations from NBC Local Media, Hearst Television and other leading broadcast groups in the nation's top markets.

Starting Monday, Sept. 13, L.A.-based fans can re-live the antics five days a week, beginning with the first five seasons of O.C., on KNBC (Ch. 4) at 3 p.m.

--Yvonne Villarreal
twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo credit: Bravo

A Times investigation finds few legal safeguards for kids on reality TV shows

 

After a month-long public records investigation, Times staff writers Matea Gold and Richard Verrier found that dozens of children are appearing on reality television shows without legal safeguards because of widespread confusion among state regulators about how to classify the shows.

In its examination of some of the most visible series featuring children under 16, The Times found that a majority had not obtained work permits to employ minors — including TLC's "19 Kids and Counting," WE TV's "Raising Sextuplets" and the entire "Real Housewives" franchise on Bravo.

Because producers say that the kids on their programs are participants, not employees, child labor laws are rarely applied. As a result, for the vast majority of these shows, there are no state-mandated instructors or union representatives on set to limit the number of hours the children are on camera, to make sure they get meal breaks and go to school, or to prevent exposure to dangerous situations. Most reality show children are not guaranteed that they will be compensated or that any money they do earn will be set aside for them.

After inquires from The Times, state agencies in California, Florida, Georgia and Virginia are looking into whether production companies violated child labor laws while filming in their states.

Read the full story here: Reality TV kids don't have a legal safety net

-- Matea Gold

twitter.com/mateagold

Photo: Jim Bob Duggar, who appears with his family on TLC's "19 Kids And Counting," told The Times that they do not consider the filming work. Credit: TLC

'Real Housewives of New York City': Reunion recap, Part 2 of three

Ever wondered what witnessing a public stoning would be like? Well, if you tuned in for Part 2 of "The Real Housewives of New York City" reunion, there was no need to wonder. The casualty wore a black dress and teal-colored suede pumps (which, if you happen to know where I can get a pair, please make use of the comments section). Her name? Jill Zarin. Her crime: a season's worth of catty behavior. Host Andy Cohen had a few of the stones -- courtesy of die-hard viewers (and Jill critics) everywhere -- lined up on his handy little flash cards. The ladies sitting nearby supplied the other stones.

And so it was. The miniseries-esque reunion laid out Jill’s many missteps and questionable behavior for all to poke and prod. Whether she contended that she's always her friends' "biggest cheerleader" in the face of accusations that she tried to sabotage Bethenny’s spinoff show or tried to justify -- and apologize for -- how she dealt with news of Bethenny's father's death, it provided minute upon minute of cringe-worthy and "who is she kidding?" moments. And a few attempts by Jill to walk off the set. If I could roll the tape as evidence, I would.  I don't know if, at this point, there's any way she can recover from the backlash. There's no skating around it -- even if she rents out the rink and twirls in a hot pink outfit. 

But it wasn't all sticks and stones.  

'Bethenny Getting Married': Baby mama's (no) drama

Bethenny Frankel opens her new spinoff reality series, “Bethenny Getting Married,” with this tidbit:  “There’s a lot more to my life than ‘Housewives.’” Maybe, but that doesn’t mean there needs to be a whole show devoted to it.

Frankel’s biting wit has been one of the main reasons (if not the sole reason) I’ve tuned in to “The Real Housewives of New York City” season after season. She’s the reason why "Holy Inappropriateness!” is forever stored in my memory, with hopes that I someday come across a situation so inappropriate it would warrant such an exclamation. So my expectations for her new show were pretty high. Maybe I’m no longer capable of enjoying drama-free TV — the “Housewives” franchise can have that effect — but this spinoff was hardly must-see TV. It wasn’t even barely-see TV. It might have made for a worthwhile one-time special. But a series?

'Real Housewives of New York City': Reunion recap, Part 1 of 3. No, really.

To the lady readers of this post: Cross your legs before proceeding.

A three-part reunion? Like, Bravo, are you serious? Should I be expecting a special appearance by jelly beans and lollipops, in which the camera will focus on the candied treats for minutes to kill time? There is no reason -- NONE -- for a three-part special. I can barely tolerate the two-part specials that have become the norm. At this point, I'm waiting for Bravo to start making these things into movies with random trips to Abu Dhabi. Wait. Has that been done? Don't get me wrong. I most certainly enjoyed Part One of the gathering. But I would have LOVED it had it been an hour of every amazingly awesome moment from the three parts crammed into one. I’m an addict, I know.

But there is no thinking. There is no breathing. I have a job to do.

So let's break down it all down into satchels of gold:

'Real Housewives of New York City': Latkes can't buy you class

 All good things must come to an end. All bad things must come to an end. And, so, it was finally time to say goodbye to the Pinot Grigio, lollipops, jelly beans, expensive clothes and everything in between as the finale of “The Real Housewives of New York City” aired Thursday night. We made it through a whole season of LuAnn’s air kisses and French gibberish.  How did we get this far? It seems like only yesterday we were searching for Kelly’s lost pants. But it’s not completely over. We still got the reunion show -- and judging from Jill’s volumed coif alone, we’re in for a treat.

But before we can get to the reunion bickering, lets reminisce about the season-ending episode.  It started with Ramona making final preparations for the ceremony to renew her wedding vows with Mario. And the venue she selected was like a shot of cocaine on my eyes. I couldn’t close them. So much gaudy gold objects and ornate randomness on the walls -- it was as if the lalaland in Kelly’s head had come to life, sans the lollipops and jelly beans.

Bethenny Frankel talks about new show, her future on 'Real Housewives'

 It’s 1 p.m. in New York, and Bethenny Frankel is in her pajamas yapping on the phone about her marriage, being a mom at 39 and just where Kelly Bensimon stands on the crazy scale (Frankel’s diagnosis: “She’s certifiable.”).

Frankel shot to reality star fame with her acerbic wit on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York City.” Now she’s juggling diaper changing — she just gave birth to daughter Bryn a few weeks ago — and book editing with a conference call Thursday to promote her spinoff show “Bethenny Getting Married?”

The new docu-series chronicles the daily minutiae of Frankel’s life as she prepares —simultaneously — to become a mother and, well, a housewife when she weds fiancé Jason Hoppy. And she’s doing all that while managing a burgeoning career as a bestselling author and natural foods chef — though Kelly might disagree with that label.

“This [show] just gets more micro, gets really into the details of my life,” Frankel said. “It’s not big blowouts over cocktails or charity events … it’s more dedicated to the struggles I go through: being 39, getting engaged, getting pregnant, doing everything backwards.”

Frankel says viewers will watch as she shops for wedding dresses while six months pregnant, the chaos of having to write two books and the unexpected early arrival of her first baby. 

“I think the devil’s in the details,” she said. “I could have a C-section and not be on any pain medication, but you give me too small of a portion at the ice cream store and I may have a nervous breakdown.”

The first episode sees Frankel trying to organize a house-warming party while searching for another assistant to help keep her life in order. There’s even an appearance by Alex and Simon McCord. 

Frankel insists that when a “Housewife” does appear it’s not staged or contrived: They appear “only to the extent that that’s what is really going on in my life … I invited Alex to my bridal shower and she came. I invited Ramona [Singer], and she was out of town. ... It's nothing orchestrated.”

 So can we expect Jill Zarin to make the schlep over to Frankel’s show? 

'Real Housewives of New York City': Cold as ice

Forget “Sex and the City 2” and that lavish trip to Abu Dhabi. The gals of “The Real Housewives of New York City” don’t need all the bells and whistles -- or should I say camels and sand? -- to have a crazily entertaining (heavy on the crazy) trip.

We return to the scene of Kelly’s questionable outburst last week. The place where jellybeans and lollipops mingle with Pinot Grigio and undercooked meat: St. John.  Only Kelly is no longer there to talk Al Sharpton and all the wonder that came out of the year 1979. Why? She escaped the Poison Island, as she referred to it, to take care of her daughters. Somewhere there’s a pancake burning. 

'Real Housewives of New York City': The Shutter Island of the Virgin Islands

Someone call the doctor cause Kelly has lost her mind.

What was I thinking? All this time I thought I was being helpful to Kelly by trying to find her missing pants. Now I realize I was just ignoring the problem. The search and rescue effort should have gone to finding her sanity. It’s hard to say when it went missing. Maybe around the time she wore those pink rain boots last season? Unfortunately, at this point, I couldn’t even give a description of it so people could keep a lookout. Just know that it will probably say “hiiiieeee” once it’s found. 

Now, on to the show.

'Real Housewives of New York City': Pass the Pinot Grigio

With an episode like Thursday night's, it's best to let the content speak for itself. Note: It's hard to type and laugh at the same time, but I did my best to recapture the moments. 

Ramona plans a five-day girl trip (Vicki Gunvalson, take note) sans her "buzz kills" friends Jill and LuAnn. So it's just Ramona, Sonja, Alex, Bethenny and Kelly. And with this party of five on a yacht, there's bound to be trouble. Many of the night's head-scratching moments come from who else? Kelly.

--En route to their destination, Kelly enlightens us on her eating habits. She doesn't eat processed foods. And she loves gummy bears. Huh? It makes sense to her. “That's fun candy.” As opposed to ...? But wait. Lest you think she eats all this stuff while wearing a bikini, you're wrong -- "I don’t like to eat in a bikini."

--When there's no glass of Pinot Grigio in sight, Bethenny jokes that she would stomp on the grapes in the fridge to make Ramona some wine. Kelly, of course, thinks Bethenny is being literal and fears her unprocessed food will be tarnished. I mean, really?