When Bethany Frankel isn't performing the balancing act of a being a New York Times best-selling author, marketing her brand of Skinnygirl products, socializing with New York elite and promoting her show's second Season ( Bethenny Ever After ) , she's also a devoted mom and wife. Life has changed a lot since her appearance on Bravo's Housewives of New York. Somehow, though, she still manages all of this with the classic wit and snarky humor that fans have grown to love.
—On her growth as a person and couple with her husband, Jason Hoppy, after the first season of Bethenny Ever After: "Since the first season, well, you know, there was a lot in the first season about being—pregnancy and having a baby and planning a wedding which are big crescendos. Now we're into the thick of being married and the first year of marriage is hard because it's two people from two different worlds now aligning, living together."
—On what she has learned the second season of her show ( Bethenny Ever After ) compared to the first: "You know, I really didn't know how difficult it would be. You think, we're doing a show, and then when you actually sit down and think, it's an hour that is going to be filled with me and is that too much of me and, you know, are we filling that hour and who's on it and what is it and it can be daunting. But then there's just logistics of having a camera crew in your house all the time and wanting your own alone time and just—but wanting to be honest with the whole audience so you want to give them everything."
—On continuing being a reality star with a family and the future of reality television in her life: "I think it's a great message for women. I have developed a strong relationship with my fans and like I said, I feel a responsibility in certain ways to be open about my life. Will I be doing this forever? No. Is it exhausting because I've been doing it—this will be my, oh my goodness, my fifth season on TV in a row pretty much so I'm tired."
—On her connection to her fans and why she continues with the show: "It always boils back I think to honesty and owning it. It's kind of like Seinfeld, where there are just these different characters that appear and these ridiculous situations just happen to appear. And it's pretty much just my normal life. It's just what really goes on. It's not all that glamorous. It's only glamorous if I have to do something glamorous for work but I'm not running around at Fashion Week or doing anything. I'm hanging with my family. That's all we really do, but somehow it's interesting."
—On having more children: 'I mean look, I'm 40. It's not like I could have a brood or anything but Jason really wants to have more kids so that's why that's even been a conversation or a discussion. It just isn't something I would have thought about right so soon but I mean he's right that we don't have all the time in the world. We're both old so, yes, I mean it's too addictive. It's the most beautiful thing in the world.'
—On balancing her career and social life as a mom: "You know, I do give—I'm a perfectionist so I pretty much do give 100 percent to work. I definitely, definitely 100 percent to my husband, dog and baby. … Most of my social life—well, when I go out to dinner and have a drink it's usually for work."
—On what she keeps private from the reality cameras and show: "I just want it to be real and if we're going to do this at all and we're going to portray our relationship I want people to get the whole picture. So it's not that—you know, on my birthday, Jason and I just wanted to spend it together. I had a party the night before but we wanted to just do the day of going to get massages and going to dinner. We don't want that filmed because we just want to be able to enjoy it without filming."
—On keeping sparks in relationships: "You have to make an effort. I talk about it in my book. You do have to come from a place of 'yes' because when you have a brand-new baby, you're not coming home having had, a couple of Skinnygirl margaritas and sticking lingerie on every night."
Bethenny Ever After airs Monday, Feb. 28, at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
