tracy-meier
I won't pretend to be a fan of BF. I don't enjoy her psychosis nor do I feel her shameless self-promotion should continue unless she is paying Bravo product placement fees. With this new show, she would have Bravo viewers believe she is a savvy businesswoman, but I think she underestimates her audience. I think her embellished good fortune is nothing more than a lucky break and she should probably stop believing her own press because she has no credibility.According to BF, she sold a property above the suggested listing price in one day, therefore she knows more than the people who have been working in the field for decades. According to her, the anecdotal experience was not a one-time fluke, but rather, a result of her sound business acumen. I love Fredrick. He's a natural. However, I had a hard time watching each episode all the way through-BF is just too hard to take. I can see why she is EP of her own show. Anyway, I did the last episode to see the before and after shots and to see how they made out. According to Bravo (i) it was on the market 115 days, (ii) there was one price reduction, and (iii) it is under contract for a "substantial profit." WTF BRAVO! Here is the likely story:Bethenny bought in $3.4 million. They say they spent $410,000 (allegedly includes a designer who did not get the credit she deserves) to renovate the less than 1700sqft condo. As an aside, Bethenny also claims in one episode that she spent $400,000 to renovate the house she famously sold for $2 million above what she paid about 5 years later--Riiiiight. Anyway, the $410K doesn't include the mortgage payments, property taxes or condo fees - not to mention closing costs and other costs related to listing a house (staging?) that can add up. My back of the envelope estimate ($2.1K/mo condo fees, $10K/mo mortgage interest, and $40K ppty taxes) says she's likely in it for over $4,435,000. Here is the kicker, they have it listed for $4.5M and because still hasn't closed, we don't even know if that is the final selling price or if the sale will go through. How is that a substantial profit? Is that what she considers a savvy business decision or is Bravo paying her as a character and the show is just BS all around? Fredrick on the other hand is sitting pretty. He bought in at $2.975M and stands to make more than $400K. He clearly is the proven businessman with experience and knowledge.Flipping houses does not strike me as something anyone can do with the snap of a finger and when Bethenny tries to convince Bravo viewers that she is just naturally that good, it's not credible. All she did was make a bad investment in both the show and in the property. It's called throwing good money after bad. When Bravo engages in the absurd exaggerations, it's insulting to viewers and it makes people question the credibility of all the shows. I certainly did. When I watch a reality show, I don't want to see bad acting and self-promotion (first Heather and now Bethenny.) I want to see reality. Here's another observation: When Bethenny was axed at Sirius (for what seemed to be good reason.) She immediately went into damage control by announcing her charity project. It wasn't with grace and anonymity, of course. She was literally "advertising" that she was helping victims. She put out photos and press releases in addition to getting Andy to boast for her numerous times on WWHL. I am all for helping others but in Bethenny's case, the timing and the way she went about it was very suspect. It seemed that it was really just an sloppy publicists attempt to overcome the bad press from her allegedly embarrassing, entitled and erratic behavior at a company party (a concert), including throwing a drink at the three women standing in front of her. Why do Bravo and Andy placate Bethenny? I would love to see her eat a slice of humble pie. Talk about reality! I think it's high time Bethenny own up to the fact that she is not a pro and does NOT "know it all." Rather, her website is under construction, her SG granola and muffins are nowhere to be found. Where can I find the SG kitchen appliances? I've never seen her shapewear in a store and if they are all exclusively sold on her website, what is up with the website? I guess her business is shut down while she works on it. It seems the website has been under construction for a while but I visited it a long time ago and all I could find were stupid hats and t-shirts marketing the one liners she spews and thinks we all want emblazoned on our chests. I wonder how that worked out. A quick Google search and I see now she is launching jeans. Is there anything original about her business? Her fellow reality celebs were first with all or almost every one of these so-called businesses. Who's the cheater now? My point in all this is that Bravo should stop working for Bethenny and quit underestimating its viewers. We watch reality so we can see real---not fake. To me, people like Bethenny hurt the Bravo brand and reality TV.
atlasmb
I have no idea how this show originated. Was it organically-Beth called Fred and said "Hey, bud, let's combine our diverse talents and make some serious cheddar"-or was it just some producers brainstorming at a local pub about the most unlikely pairing of TV talent-"Ellen & Jerry Springer? Ru Paul & Jerry Seinfeld? Bethenny Frankel & Fredrik, you know, that Scandinavian real estate guy in New York with a smile like the Grinch"?However it came about, it is an interesting show, the combination of two type-A personalities. Bethenny has been successful at many ventures. She has a sailor's mouth, few inhibitions, and a mind like a manic adding machine. Frederik knows the NYC real estate market inside out, has a passion for the deal, and possesses a quirky combination of meanness and frivolity. Together, they're a quirkfest. This is not just another flip show. Yes, they buy and resell real estate, but the show is mostly about the dynamic conjunction of their two personalities. He is emotional. He gushes. She, despite her public displays of abandon, is a cool customer with an eye to the bottom line that's like a compass that never wavers from north.This show is obviously not for everyone. It's reality television. It's often over-the-top with emotional outbursts. Not everyone cares about flipping buildings, no pun intended. I find it appealing to watch two alphas try to learn from each other. In his moments with his husband and their mini-dogs, Fredrik is even more whimsical and cute than usual. Bethenny, despite her eye-on-the-prize mentality, can be disarmingly sweet when she refocuses on personal dynamics.Like going to a stock car race, this isn't just about the driving, it's about the collisions. And watching the drivers hug afterwards.
