The New York Post has published an interesting interview with Lisa Rinna ahead of Tuesday night’s RHOBH premiere. They begin from the position that Lisa would somehow need to be coaxed to be on the show. In actuality, Lisa has been dropping more than just hints to Andy Cohen that she had aspirations to be a Real Housewife of Beverly Hills. I can’t think of a single time she was on WWHL that it was not brought up.
With the upcoming season rumored to be the most violent housewives season ever, it seems Andy picked a hell of a time to make her wish a reality (of sorts). I’m guessing with all the bitch slapping and catfights this season will be a ratings bonanza thus securing everyone another season, so it may be a great time to come on board.
Lisa had a plan going in to filming to not react to all the drama, but as you will see in the excerpts below, that turned out to be a plan she was unable to follow through with.
Here are excerpts from the The New York Post interview. You can read their full story here.
Really though, why would Rinna — arguably the franchise’s biggest get yet — want to join an (admittedly addicting and wildly popular) reality show that has seen everything from thrown prosthetic legs to weave yanks?
“That’s an interesting question,” Rinna tells The Post, laughing. “I was looking for an adventure in life. I’m not afraid to try different things in my career, and it had presented itself, and I thought, ‘Really, why not?’”
That’s been 51-year-old Rinna’s motivating maxim for a while now. She’s already competed on reality shows including “Dancing With the Stars,” “The Celebrity Apprentice” and “Sing Your Face Off.”
“I’m just never one to say no,” the soap star explains. “I probably should say no more, but I don’t because I just think so many things are so much fun. If you look back at all the different things I’ve been able to do, I think it’s been a blast.”
And sure, the money doesn’t hurt. “You know, I’m supporting a family,” she says. “I’ve got to work! We are raising two daughters, and being two actors, sometimes you work and other times you don’t work. So you basically have to make hay while the sun’s shining.”
In the season trailer for her new gig, Rinna puts it even more succinctly with a crack: “I’ll do anything to make a buck.”So is there any kind of reality show to which she would never subject herself? “Well, obviously not,” she says, laughing. “I take every situation when it comes.”
“My feeling was, I’m going to come in and I’m not going to react, and I’m going to stay very grounded,” she says. “Then that just flies right out the window. Because guess what? I’m a human being. There you go.”
I’m still curious of Lisa and Eileen will get along. The two soap stars were rumored to have some history from Days of Our Lives, but it seems to me the have gotten along well on what we’ve seen on the show so far.
Some? I recognise Lisa Rinna but I’m not sure what from so I wouldn’t say she is the biggest ‘get’ for me. I knew who Kyle was because of her niece and Halloween. So she was the biggest name for me. I have high hopes for this season as last season sucked for me. I think I may really enjoy both Lisa’s together.
Sadly the trailer looked pretty violent, Brandi pushed Kyle (I think) and a lot of glasses where thrown. I prefer witty snark over thugs in cocktail dresses.
To me, Kim was the biggest “get”. For those of us who grew up in the ’70’s with the Witch Mountain movies, Nanny and the Professor, James at 16, Hello, Larry!, and others, she was HUGE, and in my eyes still is. Even after these several seasons I still like her and am glad she’s on the show. (Although that is a rare opinion around here!)
I just know Lisa Rinna as “that big-lip woman” from Melrose Place. IIRC she played a villain on that show which probably colored my opinion of her, although she did manage to land (former) Hot-Hottie Harry Hamlin as a husband…so she must have something going on! I remember they had a reality show a few years ago in which they opened and ran a clothing boutique, but I couldn’t be bothered to watch more than about 90 seconds of it. I wonder how much her husband will be featured on the show, and I hope with all of her experience that she’ll know what to do to make for compelling reality television without going totally “ratchet TV”.
I’m with you in that I much prefer wit over thuggishness, but unfortunately, our culture here in the US demands pandering to the lowest common denominator. And I mean LOWEST! If people like Noël Coward and Dorothy Parker were around today, I doubt they’d even be able to get a job. It’s disgusting.
From the trailer and some interviews I think that Lisa fights with Kim as Kim says something about her husband (infers one of the cheated on the other?) So Rinna goes crazy in the trailer because of that. Kim sounds like she is ‘bringing it’ this season as a giant pot stirrer for the ratings (and so she wont be fired as last season she had ZERO storyline because she wouldn’t discuss her childs mental issues).
I just hope the snark is there as well as the fun times. Not just ladies yelling at each other over dinner tables all season.
Who said it will be the most violent season? I’m surprised to see that…during Andy’s AMA he said someting about this upcoming season of Beverly Hills being more “fun” and having more of the lighter elements that first attracted people to the shows.
Yes, he lied. There are at least two physical attacks.
On Sun, Nov 16, 2014 at 9:10 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I grew up in the 79s. Kim Richards was in no way huge.
70s dammit!
I really don’t see Lisa R as the “huge Hollywood actor who is stooping/letting us all down by going housewives” like a lot of people have insinuated
To me, a product of generations worth of soap op-ah-la (the way my grandma used to pronounce it) watchers, I think it was trash TV before reality shows came along, and now they just share the spot.
Lisa is simply going from one trailer lot to another, not leaving the park.
To me, Lisa Rinna is the lady that’s on infomercials. Not exactly a big “get” if you ask me.
I think the rumors of Eileen and Lisa not getting along were false (Radar Online). I just saw an article in US Weekly where they said they love each other and that Lisa Rinna introduced Eileen to the group…
I was so excited to hear a famous name like Lisa Rinna was joining the show and from the few TV appearances I have seen her on she seems like a good time, but something about her in the previews makes me think she will be very over-the-top and all about putting on a show for the cameras. I dunno, I hope she doesn’t disappoint me. I wish they would get rid of crazy Brandi and boring, holier-than-thou Yolanda so we can have a fun season!
At Andy’s Palm appearance in Atlanta on Saturday, someone in the audience brought up Lisa joining RHOBH.
Andy said that she “tried out for season #1” but it didn’t work out…
BTW, Andy was delightful and had nonstop chatter with the crowd.
That may explain why Rinna is all kinds of crazy in this seasons preview. She must know that being ‘normal’ won’t work. Bravo wants a crazy Rinna who throws multiple glasses at people. No judgment here, it worked for Ramona. 😀
Thanks for all your reports Lisa! They are greatly appreciated!
On Sun, Nov 16, 2014 at 8:42 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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My pleasure, Tamara. I was actually hoping you would be there….
Here are a few more things I remember from the event that I don’t think Queenie mentioned in the other thread:
1. Someone brought up Below Deck and said they thought the whole crew should come back next season. Andy kind of made a face and said something about how in real life the crew always changes. (I’m voting for Kelly, Logan and Jelissa (or whatever) being replaced.)
2. Someone also asked if Bravo was trying to go Downton Abbey with Below Deck and Andy laughed.
3. Andy said the Ladies of London would be back.
4. Some man in the back of the room asked where Wacha was. Andy said he was at his “dog walker’s in Brooklyn”. The same man asked “yeah, but where?” and that led Andy to say “hmmph” and scurry right back to the front of the room where he probably felt safer. (Thanks, Rude Fat Man.)
5. Andy asked the group if we were all happy that Bethenny would be returning to RHONY and the room erupted in cheers.
I really hoped someone would ask him about Sean Avery’s Broadway meltdown but no one did. Andy really was so sweet and enthusiastic that I think it would have been hard for anyone to really slam him. Someone brought up Andy’s appearance on Howard Stern last week—if you didn’t hear it, I think you can find it on You Tube. Andy was VERY open about his sex life and pot smoking and he and Howard had PLENTY to talk about (including Andy’s solo visit to John Mayer’s ranch).
Andy’s chatter at the event went really fast, and there was never a moment when he had to beg for questions. The whole cellphone-camera situation is kind of sad, because whenever Andy made his way down the aisle to the back of the room at least half of the crowd held up their cameras to film him. I would hate to have all of those cameras pointed at me like that, but I guess Andy is used to it.
BTW the picture at the top of the other thread was the result of someone asking Andy to do his “best pose” for the crowd. (Maybe Queenie? Who knows.) Later, another lady asked Andy to give her a good butt shot for the camera and he cheerfully complied.
Oh yay for Ladies of London coming back! I really enjoyed that one!
Some? @Michael Lisa Rinna is famous for Days of our Lives and Melrose Place.
Am I the only one where TT’s post ends in a half sentence?
“..were rumored to have some…”
Or is it because I’m on my phone?
I’m on my phone too but mine does the same
I fixed it. WordPress apparently ate the ending. It also filled my Andy post with a ton of code that took out all of my line breaks. ANDY after moderating 50 comments, put them all right back in moderation. It’s been a banner day.
On Sun, Nov 16, 2014 at 8:59 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I am ridiculously excited to have TWO Days divas on a RH show much less RHOBH. But if they just immediately start brawling and having a bunch of stoopid fabricated bullshit drama (like worse than a soap) I’ll drop them like a hot potato!
It’s Billie and Kristen!!!!!! I am not sure I can see them as real people because their Days characters are so ingrained in me! But I am very excited.
On Sun, Nov 16, 2014 at 9:10 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I know! Especially with Eileen I’m going to keep expecting Kristen to pop out and do something ridiculous. Especially that wine throwing Brandi!
Not sure I’ll be able to stomach this season. I think I got 3 episodes in last time before it became unwatchable to me.
I remember Rinna from Melrose Place but I’m more interested to see Eileen!! I used to be a big Y&R fan & I loved her as the “whining all da damn time” Ashley….it will be interesting to see her in her “every day” life.
I didn’t watch last season…after like 2 episodes I just checked out but this season looks to be entertaining…hope it holds up to the hype!
Funny. I remember Lisa Rinna as being the untalented hack who was married to Harry Hamlin and overdid her plastic surgery and ended up with HUGE grossly obscene looking lips. I remember wondering how she ever went out in public like that as if nothing was wrong, like a man with an obvious toupee.
that’s how i recall rinna, besides being a reality show ho from way back. she seemed a little too desperate to me.
Lisa completely owns her “desperation” she is always coming from a place of yes…
On Mon, Nov 17, 2014 at 12:32 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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All I can think of when I see her is her stint as a spokesperson for “Depends” adult diapers. She wasn’t lying when she said she’d do anything for a buck.
Oooh. Good one. I’ll have to remember that one for Twitter bait.
If y’all think she is bothered by the Depends commercial, you’re insane. She brings it up all the time. She has a great sense of humor.
I’m not saying SHE is bothered. Just that I am.
Omg. She is going to be fabulous. I cannot wait. Two daytime soap actresses, on a reality show about egos? It’s going to be great.
I think this is going to be the season the franchise jumps the shark, but I’m hoping not. The RH shows are like a real life soap opera, and as each season goes by the cast starts getting more and more actressy, that’s why we dislike cast members like the NJ Twins, Carlton, anyone who tries too hard to create drama. Now we’re just going to outright hire two soap opera actresses who know how this all works? I love Rinna and Davidson, but I don’t want actresses on the RH shows. Not that the RH shows are “real”, I’m not that dumb, but a lot of the reactions and emotions are. But now I will never believe anything that Rinna or Davidson do, it will always feel like I’m watching DoOL.
Absofuckinglutely can’t wait for this season! I remember Eileen and Lisa when Lisa was Billie way back when Days of Our Lives was good and Merlena was possessed. Come on Tuesday! BH is my top along with OC.