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Last night, Bravo launched The Real Housewives of New York City, and the world was horrified to see five faux socialites bark at the help, send their kids to fat camp, and prance around St. Barts wearing thong bathing suits. Not us! We were delighted. So were the participants. At Bravo’s premiere party Monday night, Ramona Singer, the blonde jewelry designer whose daughter called her mother “unladylike” after she made out with her friend and threatened to throw her dog in the pool, said she was pleased with how things turned out. “I was surprised at how articulate and confident I came across,” she said. “I feel that inside, that confidence, but I didn’t know that I exuded it.” Bethenny Frankel, a chef to celebs like Denis Leary and Mariska Hargitay, was similarly confident about her appearance, since she had had a good experience on Martha Stewart: The Apprentice. “I’ve never had the experience of bad editing,” she said. “If you’re authentic, it comes across.” But decorator Jill Zarin, who sends her daughter Ally to a weight-loss camp in an early episode, was steeling herself for a bumpy season. “We’ve been getting some tough reviews,” she said, then shrugged. “It’s expected with reality. If we were all perfect statues, how boring would that be? Come on, bring it on.” But, she hastened to add, “Don’t be mean.” As the episode was projected on a big screen in the middle of the room, revelers whooped and clapped. Singer stood behind her blown-up image and pointed, clearly delighted. —Maridel Reyes
