A large reason that the most recent season of Bravo’s Real Housewives of New York was so painful is that the first several episodes centered around the 2016 presidential election, something that none of us—particularly those of us on the Left—is eager to relive.
But Bravo made us do it anyway, not just once, but again on part two of the Season 9 reunion that aired Wednesday night. Broaching the subject, a question sent in by a viewer and asked by host Andy Cohen read, “Some of you have made various side comments about knowing either Trump or Hillary. Who of you have some kind of relationship to either Trump or Hillary, or both? Bonus points if you say who you voted for. I’m most curious about Ramona.”
The cast answered as follows:
Bethenny: Voted for Hillary Clinton, met Donald Trump on the street once, also met Bill and Chelsea Clinton once
Carole: Voted for Hillary Clinton, was not asked about whether she knows either of Clinton or Trump personally
Dorinda: Voted for Hillary Clinton, knows her from her deceased husband’s involvement in the DNC
Luann: Declined to answer whom she voted for, has been introduced to both Trump and Clinton at various fundraising events
Sonja: Declined to answer whom she voted for, is friends with the Trump family
Ramona: Declined to answer whom she voted for, but has met Clinton at various fundraisers and knows Trump from Mar-a-Lago
Tinsley: Didn’t vote because she forgot to register in New York and voting is not her “thing,” is acquainted with Ivanka Trump
Following the casts’ responses, Carole asked host Andy Cohen if he felt that those who refused to answer (Ramona, Luann, and Sonja) were all Trump voters and, yes, Andy (and I) think it’s likely.
Ramona, Sonja, and Luann were all equally sheepish when refusing to answer whom they voted for, which is interesting considering that these women are typically eager to share their opinion on just about everything. Equally fascinating is the possibility that Trump supporters are afraid to admit they voted for him publicly, even though his is now acting President of the United States. (Of course, the other possibility is that some of them didn’t vote at all, but—unlike Tinsley—are smart enough to keep it to themselves.)
With the Housewives being one of few popular culture phenomenons that seems nonpartisan (in that its fan base includes both liberals and conservatives), the voting records of the cast members are more intriguing than ever. Orange County clearly skews Republican, as does New Jersey, while Beverly Hills and Atlanta lean Democrat. (These speculations are based almost entirely on what the ‘Wives say on social media and in interviews.) New York, if the reunion is any indication, can be split down the middle. (As for for Dallas and Potomac, I haven’t thought about it that hard, but I’ll guess that the Dallas cast is mostly Republican and the Potomac cast—considering how often they brag about tenuous friendships with the Obamas—is mostly Democrat.)
Point being, reality TV occasionally does intersect with actual reality—and like reality, it’s uncertain and terrible.