Who is: Who is Bethenny Frankel?

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Who is Bethenny Frankel?

Who is Bethenny Frankel? The reality TV world knows her as Bethenny Frankel an American natural foods chef, television personality, and author. She was first introduced to television audiences in the 2005 series The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, where she placed second. From 2008 to 2010, she was one of the original five housewives featured on the Bravo reality series The Real Housewives of New York City. In 2010, she starred in her own companion series, Bethenny Getting Married?, and again in 2011 with Bethenny Ever After.

Early life

Bethenny was born November 4, 1970 in New York City, New York.Frankel is the daughter of the late thoroughbred trainer, Robert Frankel, a National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame inductee and five-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer, and Bernadette Parisella. She is the granddaughter of Gertrude and Merrill Frankel.^[1] She was once a "hot walker" in the stable owned by her stepfather, John Parisella, and she spent every summer at Saratoga Springs, New York, with her mother and stepfather. Frankel graduated from Pine Crest School and attended New York University.

Career

Frankel began her 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 Bell.

She attended the Natural Gourmet Culinary Institute in New York to become a chef. After she graduated, she formed BethennyBakes, a company that provided wheat-, egg-, and dairy-free baked goods, meals for private clients, and a custom-meal delivery service. The company ceased production upon the launch of Frankel's Skinnygirl brand in 2009.
In 2005, Frankel was one of 18 candidates in The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.^[2] She made it to the series finale before losing to Dawna Stone.^[3]^[4] She was a contributor to Bravo TV's coverage of the 2009 Kentucky Oaks.
Frankel was one of the seven women featured on Bravo's series The Real Housewives of New York City.^[5] On June 10, 2010, Bravo TV premiered a series spinoff, Bethenny Getting Married? which follows Frankel through the planning of her wedding to the birth of her daughter and life with her husband Jason Hoppy. The premiere had the highest ratings of any series debut in Bravo history with over 2 million viewers.^[6]^[7] In September 2010, Frankel confirmed after months of speculation that she would not be returning to the "Housewives," stating that last season was too painful after her public falling out with former close friend and cast member Jill Zarin.^[8] In February 2011, Bravo TV premiered a second series spinoff, Bethenny Ever After, which follows Bethenny as she balances her successful career with new endeavors as wife of Jason Hoppy and mother of Bryn Casey Hoppy.

In March 2009, Frankel's first book, Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting, was published by Fireside. In December 2009, her second book, The SkinnyGirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life was published, also by Fireside. She released an exercise DVD, Body by Bethenny, in spring 2010. The Skinnygirl Rules, an audiobook read by Frankel, was described as a summary of the first two books. She is currently working on two more books, A Place of Yes, and Naturally Fit Pregnancy, as well as a skincare line.
In November 2010, Frankel competed on the ABC reality series Skating With The Stars. Frankel finished as runner-up to champion Rebecca Budig.
In April 2011, Frankel sold her Skinnygirl cocktail line to Fortune Brands' Beam Global for an estimated $120 million.

Personal life


Peter Sussman

Frankel's first marriage was to her former best friend, Peter Sussman, in 1996. She says they "...were best friends for five years and he always wanted to be more. I loved him because of how much he loved me. I got married too young. I didn't wait for the great love of my life."^[9]

Jason Hoppy

Frankel married Jason Hoppy on March 28, 2010, at The Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City.^[10] On May 8, 2010, Frankel gave birth to their first child, Bryn Casey Hoppy, named for Jason's brother Bryan who died in a car accident when he was 19 years old. Just three weeks after giving birth Frankel posed in a size-4 swimsuit for Us Magazine.^[11]
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 furs.^[12]