Bethenny Frankel
Encyclopedia
Bethenny Frankel is an American reality show personality, author, entrepreneur
and natural foods chef. She was a contestant in the 2005 series The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
and one of the original five housewives featured on the Bravo reality series The Real Housewives of New York City
. She was the subject of the shows; Bethenny Getting Married?
and Bethenny Ever After and founded the company, Skinnygirl Cocktails.
, working at her stepfather's stable.
Frankel is a graduate of the Pine Crest School
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
and the Natural Gourmet Culinary Institute in New York
. She also attended New York University
and Boston University
.
. Upon graduation from Natural Gourmet Culinary Institute she formed a natural foods bakery and delivery service called BethennyBakes.
Frankel was an original cast member on Bravo's series The Real Housewives of New York City
.
In 2005, Frankel was one of 16 candidates in The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
TV show and was one of two finalists.
In 2009 she launched her company Skinnygirl Cocktails and was a contributor to Bravo TV's coverage of the Kentucky Oaks
. In March, Frankel's first book, Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting, was published. In December 2009, her second book, The SkinnyGirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life was released. In March 2011, Bethenny released her fourth book A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life which spent several weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.
Frankel created an exercise DVD, Body by Bethenny, in spring 2010 and an audio book, The Skinnygirl Rules, which summarized the prior two books.In June 2010, Frankel starred in the Bravo reality TV show, Bethenny Getting Married? which documented Frankel's engagement, marriage and the birth of her daughter. The show's premiere was the highest rated of any series in Bravo's history.
In September 2010, Frankel announced, that for personal reasons, she would not be returning to the The Real Housewives of New York City
show. In February 2011, Frankel starred in a follow up series, Bethenny Ever After which documented Frankel's first year of marriage and motherhood. In November, Frankel appeared on the ABC reality series Skating With The Stars
and finished as runner-up to the champion.
In April 2011, Frankel sold her Skinnygirl cocktail line to Fortune Brands' Beam Global for an estimated $120 million, however SEC filings show Frankel received only about $8 million for the sale. It was subsequently pulled from Whole Foods Market
shelves in August 2011 after it was discovered not to meet Whole Food's quality standards due to preservatives in the product, contrary to its advertisement which stated "no preservatives."
Frankel married Jason Hoppy on March 28, 2010, at The Four Seasons Restaurant
in New York City. On May 8, 2010, Frankel gave birth to her first child, Bryn Casey Hoppy, named for Jason's older brother Bryan who died in a car accident when he was 19 years old. Just three weeks after giving birth to Bryn, Frankel posed in a swimsuit for Us Magazine.
Frankel has stated that she and her husband Jason would like to have another child.
Frankel posed nude for animal rights
group PETA
in September 2009. The photo was featured on a billboard in Times Square as part of PETA's campaign against the wearing of fur.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and natural foods chef. She was a contestant in the 2005 series The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart is a spin-off from the American reality television series The Apprentice that ran in the fall of 2005. Broadcast on NBC, the show featured business tycoon Martha Stewart. Tasks were centered around Stewart's areas of expertise: media, culinary arts, entertaining,...
and one of the original five housewives featured on the Bravo reality series The Real Housewives of New York City
The Real Housewives of New York City
The Real Housewives of New York City is an American reality television program on the Bravo cable TV network, a spin-off of the Bravo series The Real Housewives of Orange County. New York is the second city featured in The Real Housewives of... franchise...
. She was the subject of the shows; Bethenny Getting Married?
Bethenny Getting Married?
Bethenny Ever After..., titled Bethenny Getting Married? in the first season, is an American reality television program on the Bravo cable TV network. It is a spin-off of the Bravo series The Real Housewives of New York City from the The Real Housewives of... franchise...
and Bethenny Ever After and founded the company, Skinnygirl Cocktails.
Early life and education
Frankel is the daughter of Bernadette Parisella and award winning horse trainer, Robert Frankel. As a young woman she spent her summers in Saratoga Springs, New YorkSaratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
, working at her stepfather's stable.
Frankel is a graduate of the Pine Crest School
Pine Crest School
Pine Crest School is a private college preparatory school with campuses in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was founded in Fort Lauderdale in 1934 by Mae McMillan who began as a tutor to children of families spending the winter in South Florida, USA. In 1995, Dr. Lourdes Cowgill became...
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
and the Natural Gourmet Culinary Institute in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She also attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
.
Career
Frankel began her TV and film career with appearances in the 1994 movie Hollywood Hills 90028 and the 1995 movie Wish Me Luck. She also worked as a production assistant for Saved by the BellSaved by the Bell
Saved by the Bell is an American television sitcom that aired between 1989 and 1993. The series is a retooled version of the 1988 series Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was itself later folded into the history of Saved by the Bell...
. Upon graduation from Natural Gourmet Culinary Institute she formed a natural foods bakery and delivery service called BethennyBakes.
Frankel was an original cast member on Bravo's series The Real Housewives of New York City
The Real Housewives of New York City
The Real Housewives of New York City is an American reality television program on the Bravo cable TV network, a spin-off of the Bravo series The Real Housewives of Orange County. New York is the second city featured in The Real Housewives of... franchise...
.
In 2005, Frankel was one of 16 candidates in The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart is a spin-off from the American reality television series The Apprentice that ran in the fall of 2005. Broadcast on NBC, the show featured business tycoon Martha Stewart. Tasks were centered around Stewart's areas of expertise: media, culinary arts, entertaining,...
TV show and was one of two finalists.
In 2009 she launched her company Skinnygirl Cocktails and was a contributor to Bravo TV's coverage of the Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...
. In March, Frankel's first book, Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting, was published. In December 2009, her second book, The SkinnyGirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life was released. In March 2011, Bethenny released her fourth book A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life which spent several weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.
Frankel created an exercise DVD, Body by Bethenny, in spring 2010 and an audio book, The Skinnygirl Rules, which summarized the prior two books.In June 2010, Frankel starred in the Bravo reality TV show, Bethenny Getting Married? which documented Frankel's engagement, marriage and the birth of her daughter. The show's premiere was the highest rated of any series in Bravo's history.
In September 2010, Frankel announced, that for personal reasons, she would not be returning to the The Real Housewives of New York City
The Real Housewives of New York City
The Real Housewives of New York City is an American reality television program on the Bravo cable TV network, a spin-off of the Bravo series The Real Housewives of Orange County. New York is the second city featured in The Real Housewives of... franchise...
show. In February 2011, Frankel starred in a follow up series, Bethenny Ever After which documented Frankel's first year of marriage and motherhood. In November, Frankel appeared on the ABC reality series Skating With The Stars
Skating with the Stars
Skating with the Stars is an American reality TV show. The show features celebrities paired with professionals from the world of figure skating. The show is based on the British show, Dancing on Ice. The show has a schedule similar to the first season of Dancing with the Stars with performance...
and finished as runner-up to the champion.
In April 2011, Frankel sold her Skinnygirl cocktail line to Fortune Brands' Beam Global for an estimated $120 million, however SEC filings show Frankel received only about $8 million for the sale. It was subsequently pulled from Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
shelves in August 2011 after it was discovered not to meet Whole Food's quality standards due to preservatives in the product, contrary to its advertisement which stated "no preservatives."
Personal life
Frankel married Peter Sussman, in 1996.Frankel married Jason Hoppy on March 28, 2010, at The Four Seasons Restaurant
The Four Seasons Restaurant
The Four Seasons is a restaurant in New York City located at 99 East 52nd Street , in the Seagram Building.Opened in 1959, the Four Seasons is associated with a number of milestone firsts in the hospitality industry. The Four Seasons is credited with introducing the idea of seasonally-changing...
in New York City. On May 8, 2010, Frankel gave birth to her first child, Bryn Casey Hoppy, named for Jason's older brother Bryan who died in a car accident when he was 19 years old. Just three weeks after giving birth to Bryn, Frankel posed in a swimsuit for Us Magazine.
Frankel has stated that she and her husband Jason would like to have another child.
Frankel posed nude for animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
group PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
in September 2009. The photo was featured on a billboard in Times Square as part of PETA's campaign against the wearing of fur.
External links
- on YouTube
- Samantha Ettus interviews entrepreneur and TV star Bethenny Frankel
- Bethenny Frankel Interview
- Bethenny Getting Married official show site
- September 20, 2011 10:00 AM by Megan Thompson, Bethenny Frankel’s Scary Sailing Trip!, Reality TV Magazine