The Big Apple franchise has given us viewers more than we bargained for, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. The Real Housewives of New York has been a staple since 2008, with viewers falling in love with the concrete jungle and the women who brazenly grabbed their golden apples. Here are your past and present RHONY ladies ranked.
23 – 18 The RHONY Girls
Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Dana Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, and Brynn Whitfield all had big shoes to fill, but they did it effortlessly, ushering in a new time for this franchise. The ladies became the apples of our eyes and they rank towards the bottom only because I want and need to see more from them and need to show the OGs the respect they deserve.
17- Eboni Williams
I loved what Eboni K. Williams stood for because when you stand for everything, you stand for nothing. However, the rest of the cast never picked up what she was putting down. Eboni was ahead of her time, and viewers didn’t want to feel like they were being schooled.
16- Jules Wainstein
Correct me if I am wrong, but Jules Wainstein was one of the first Real Housewives to openly speak about her eating disorder while on the show, and that takes some real guts. It was hard to get to know Jules, and it felt like I knew more about her marriage trouble with Napoleon, I mean her ex-husband, than I did about her. Bethenny Frankel hated Jules, which made for good TV, so I would have liked to see her get a sophomore season.
15- Cindy Barshop
The biggest thing I remember about Cindy Barshop was her teeth and inability to take a day off work. Cindy was in the process of raising her twin babies while her nannies pretty much ran her family life. The mother of two concentrated on her vajazzle empire. Cindy didn’t make an impact, as all I can remember is that she once shunned Sonja Morgan and then was cut out of group photos in retaliation. Good riddance to dead weight.
14- Leah McSweeney
I always felt like Leah McSweeney missed her call for Married to the Mob and landed on the Real Housewives of New York City instead. I loved her on her first season, which showed her running around naked and throwing Ramona Singer‘s tiki torches. But the first season was when Leah drank, and as she filmed for the second, she shared she was on a sober journey, which was great for the mother of one but bad for reality TV.
13- Kristen Taekman
I didn’t know I needed Kristen Taekman back on my small screen so badly until her recent stint on the Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Kristen was great at having conflict with both Ramona and Sonja and who could forget the wine glass-throwing incident? Kristen didn’t do much, though, except for a failed nail polish line, Pop of Color, so she wasn’t exactly missed when she left the series.
12- Jill Zarin
Jill Zarin was easy to relate to because every viewer knows Jill- she is annoying and caring all wrapped up in one. Her relationship with Bethenny kept her interesting, but once their bond fell apart, there wasn’t a lot left to watch.
11- Heather Thomson
Heather Thomson just embraced everything that wasn’t RHONY at the time, which included being the head of the family, outspoken, and yet somehow conservative. From Season 5 to 7, all we heard was “Hey Mama!” and “Holla!” Heather is a solid 11 for me and misses out on the top 10. Her most memorable moments included calling Luann de Lesseps out for her cougar etiquette, standing up for her friends, and telling Aviva Drescher, “Nobody likes you, nobody wants to be around you, don’t tell me anything mother fu*ker.”
10- Aviva Drescher
Aviva’s medical issues alone land her in the top ten as viewers had no idea how neurotic one person could be when it came to their health. The potential this woman had if she could only let go of her codependency on her husband. The fights for Aviva were out of the world nuts and included calling Sonja and Ramona white trash and accusing Carole Radziwill, the author, of having a ghostwriter.
9- Alex McCord
Alex McCord was an icon in her Herman Munster shoes. The best thing about Alex was that she lived in Brooklyn and horrified the cast. Let me tell you, though, Brooklyn to Manhattan is like an hour and a half on the subway, and it wasn’t easy. Alex never failed to turn bright red when arguing with the other women, whether it was over her husband, Simon McCord, or people talking about her kids.
8- Tinsley Mortimer
It was hard not to root for our girl, Tinsley Mortimer, who never seemed to get her happily ever after in the city that never sleeps. The blonde was famous for doing literally nothing, and we loved that about the socialite. Tinsley did it all: a mugshot, living like Eloise, hooked up in a bowling alley, and even called 911 when her beloved pup passed away. I am going to need to see Tinsley back on Bravo soon.
7- Kelly Killoren Bensimon
The Crazy Island icon that is Kelly Bensimon jogged down a NYC street and munched on gummy bears. Ironically, this was the most ordinary the model ever come across. Kelly struggled to bond with the ladies, especially with Bethenny nipping at her heels. The chaos was too much, but she did make for some crazy moments that won’t ever be forgotten.
6- Luann de Lesseps
The Countess Luann de Lesseps never let you forget that she came from privilege. She was insufferable to watch as she dolled out advice on manners, but Luann grew on viewers over the years. It helped that she got divorced, a mug shot, a new husband, another ex-husband, and a pirate. So next time you’re thinking of tattling on a girl’s night out, “Be cool, don’t be all uncool.”
5- Carole Radziwill
Princess trumps Countess every time, and viewers often forget that Carole was, in fact, a princess. Without a doubt, Carole lived a quintessential NYC life, which included working and dating in the concrete jungle. The friendship between Carole and Bethenny made the show, but their downfall broke my heart. But let’s be honest: The coolest thing about Carole is she got rid of her kitchen in favor of more space.
4- Sonja Morgan
This lady is a star, and if I learned anything at all, it was never to touch the Morgan letters. Sonja married money, but she never made anyone feel less than her, and that is commendable. Even though Sonja could be delusional at times, I get it. Life is hard sometimes, and it’s easier to dream up a toaster empire. Perhaps my favorite Sonja moment was when she chipped a tooth, ripping off the shirt of a waiter.
3- Ramona Singer
The Singer Stinger has been one of those housewives that you just couldn’t have dreamed up. Between her Karen-esque tantrums and Turtle Time, you didn’t know what you were going to get from Ramona. She has a sharp tongue and even shaper wit, making her one of the best RHONY housewives of all time.
2- Dorinda Medley
I wanted to make Dorinda Medley the number one RHONY housewife, but I had to settle with second for my favorite. I could go on for hours about how great Dorinda was for the series, but I’ll just leave my favorite quotes below:
“Liar liar, hoe on fire.”
“I decorated, I cooked, I made it nice!”
“Clip! Clip! Clip!”
“I love you for coming, and I love you for leaving.”
“Do you want to argue correctly?”
1- Bethenny Frankel
If wanting to see Bethenny back on the Real Housewives of New York City is wrong, why does it feel so right? Bethenny turned herself into a millionaire thanks to her time on the show, and I can’t hate her for it. The one-liners were unmatched, and I dare say Bethenny added a certain panache that hasn’t been matched since she left. I only wish she would remember her roots, but that’s a horse of a different color.
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH MY LIST? WHICH REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY HOUSEWIFE WOULD YOU CHOOSE AS NUMBER ONE?
