“Millionaire Matchmaker” Patti Stanger had a lot to say about the love lives and marriages of some of our favorite Real Housewives when she stopped by TooFab last week.
And while discussing whether Teresa and Joe should stay together, if threesomes are healthy for a relationship and whether Ken overstepped in Lisa’s fight with Kyle, Patti revealed she is no longer friends with “Real Housewives of Orange County” star Kelly Dodd.
When we brought up the topic of Kelly, Patti said, “My ex-friend. I would love to be in a reunion with her and take her down.” After being pressed for more details, Stanger simply replied, “Let’s just say she’s not very friendly. Yeah. She likes you at the beginning and then she kind of throws shade. Don’t tell her your secrets. That’s all I can tell ya.”
She later commented on Dodd’s past relationship with her plastic surgeon-turned boyfriend, Dr. Brian Reagan, saying, “She was using him probably for plastic surgery.”
“She’s kinda needy, and she likes a lot of attention,” Stanger added, before saying of Dodd’s current relationship with Fox News correspondent Rick Leventhal: “Good luck to her new boyfriend! We’ll see how long that lasts.”
We used relatable reality TV relationships from the various Housewives franchises as a launching platform for Patti to talk about bigger issues regarding sex, romance, and finding your person. Here’s everything the Millionaire’s Club founder had to say.
Should Couples Invite a Third Person Into the Bedroom?
Braunwyn Windham-Burke told her “RHOC” co-stars and all of America that she and her husband, Sean, engage in the occasional threesome for Sean’s “monumental birthdays.” We asked Patti: can couples successfully invite other people into the bedroom?
Patti’s Take: “I don’t believe in that. I think it’s a little dangerous. I have a really good friend who did that for her husband’s 40th birthday, and he ended up having an affair and a child with the person, so it was a cautionary tale to me. I believe, if you’re gonna do it, you go to Vegas and buy it. Cock on the clock! This way, she’s on a timer, she’s not falling in love with your husband, there’s no texting shmexting.”
Can Cheaters Reform?
Gina Kirschenheiter claimed her husband, Matt, had an affair and began dating the mistress, then begged for her back. Although the Kirschenheiters are on the road to getting a divorce, is it possible for cheaters to reform?
Patti’s Take: “This is a really tough question. It has to be why did they cheat. When I work with a client and they’ve cheated, I bring the cheatee, the cheater and the person they cheated on — all three together to find out why — and then I do a healing with all three of them. Because, why would you put yourself in a cheating situation, why would you cheat on your significant other and how is this gonna affect the person that’s been cheated on? The secret sauce is to find out the why to let yourself free. And then they decide who they end up with at the end, or if they don’t end up with anybody.”
Different Types of Intimacy
Emily Simpson and her husband, Shane — as depicted on the show — do not appear to share a lot of intimacy, and the couple seems to fight constantly, but the kids are happy and loved. Can this type of marriage be successful?
Patti’s Take: “There’s probably love, but it’s probably friendship love, and there’s probably not a sexual excitement. Some people like to coast, where comfort, physical touch and spooning at night without penetration is acceptable. Others need more. So if this is acceptable to both parties and they feel pleased and satisfied, that’s enough. But if they’re complaining, they need to rev up that sex life. First point of attraction is exercise. Gotta hit that gym, honey, and get that body in shape. Let the endorphins flow. Let the dopamine and the serotonin come out. And then, you want sex! And if you’re still not attracted to each other then it’s time to move on.”
Women Buying Their Own Engagement Rings?
Kelly’s made claims that Vicki Gunvalson bought her own engagement ring, which Vicki’s denied. In cases where women make significantly more than their partners, should they foot the bill for their own ring?
Patti’s Take: “There are a lot of people in Hollywood that buy their own engagement rings. Lots of them. Pretty much 75 percent of them, if the woman makes more money than the man, which, this could have been that case. But it’s none of her f–king business. Take that, Kelly Dodd.”
How Much Communication Is Necessary?
Kelly Dodd and Dr. Brian got into a big argument because he said he would text her after work, but he ended up having a terrible day and went out for food and drinks. She said it was a total of five hours that she didn’t hear from him, which prompted her to express her disappointment via text. Was it fair for her to be upset?
Patti’s Take: “Plastic surgeons are on call all the time. There are emergencies that are not just cosmetic — they work in hospitals and fix accidents and things like that — so I don’t know what was going on with him [in that instance]. But if it was a consistent thing, where he kept saying ‘I’m gonna call’ and he didn’t call, yes, she has a reason to be upset.”
At What Point Do You Stop Fighting for Love?
“Real Housewives of New Jersey” stars Teresa and Joe Giudice are going through it. He’s in Italy, awaiting the fate of his ongoing deportation case, while Teresa and their four daughters are back in New Jersey. Does Teresa have a right to move on with her life? Does he?
Patti’s Take: “That’s a really sad story — and I know Teresa pretty well — I feel bad for her kids. How do they see their father? And does she have a right to move on with a younger man? She certainly does, if they’re not together. So I don’t feel bad in that way; I feel bad that the children had to go through this terrible, long process of hell. Because all it is is about money. Is it really worth all that? I don’t think so. Look, he cheated the shit on her! Come on, sister! He was cheating left and right! He deserves a little kick in the dick, you know what I mean? He deserves a little taste of his own medicine. All men do when they do that shit. Seriously. I think she’s moving on. She knows she’s the breadwinner, she knows she’s hot, she’s got the TV show, she’s gettin’ those kids to college. She deserves a really good man.”
(Editor’s Note: This was filmed before “Joe and Teresa: Unlocked” aired, during which Teresa said she didn’t think Joe had been faithful during their marriage but denied any wrongdoing on her part. Joe said he didn’t think Teresa had been faithful during their marriage but denied any wrongdoing on his part.)
Who of the ‘RHOBH’ Cast Has the Strongest Marriage?
As Patti noted, the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” all seem to have strong marriages. We asked her which of the six couples — Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umanksy, Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin, Erika Jayne and Tom Girardi, Teddi Mellencamp and Edwin Arroyave, Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers, Dorit Kemsley and Paul Kemsley (PK) — she felt had the strongest bond.
Patti’s Take: “Definitely not Dorit and PK. I will say Kyle and Mauricio, only because I know them and I know how much they love each other. They’re in it for the long haul. I’m not saying that Erika isn’t either, or Harry and Lisa have been there forever, and Lisa Vanderpump and Ken — my favorite couple. But I do believe all those guys really are strong. Teddi’s gonna have a kid. They’re all strong. This is a married show. That show doesn’t have drama in the ‘I’m single, who am I dating next?’ They got rid of Brandi [Glanville], so it’s strictly marriageville over there. But I love Brandi. I think Brandi would be fabulous on that show. Stir up a little drama, go after Lisa Rinna? I’d like to see that cat fight.”
How Far Should Your Partner Go to Protect You?
As we know, Lisa Vanderpump is no longer on “RHOBH.” Her exit was preceded by an argument with former BFF Kyle. Her husband, Ken Todd, found himself in the middle of it. We asked Patti if she felt he was defending his wife rightfully, or if he was crossing the line. How much should your significant other be involved in your other relationships?
Patti’s Take: “He protects his wife. Ken was at the tipping point. He’s pretty quiet and keeps it DL, but it got accelerated. It got really accelerated. When these little secrets of the past come out, the husbands will stay still until they can’t take it anymore. You have to realize they’re in such a confined environment with all their secrets.”
When we asked Patti if she believed LVP had, indeed, leaked those stories to the press, she wasn’t sure. “You know what? I don’t know. I’m not gonna guess there. That could go 50-50 on that department,” she said. “I do believe a lot of people plant their shit on purpose to take someone out. I think a lot of times, they don’t like a castmember, and they want them ex-communicated. We’ve seen that left and right.”
How Much Dirty Laundry Should You Air?
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” star NeNe Leakes was very candid online and on the show about her frustrations with being the caretaker of her husband, Gregg Leakes, who was battling cancer. Should reality stars keep those types of relationship issues behind closed doors?
Patti’s Take: “My mother died of cancer. When you’re going through a loved one going through cancer, you’re not thinking about the TV show. You’re not thinking about, ‘Should I?’ or ‘Shouldn’t I?’ or ‘How am I gonna act?’ or ‘How’s the audience gonna respond?’ You’re going through hell. Give her a break. Thank God he’s on the other side. I love Gregg. You don’t know what you’re gonna be like when that happens. You’re not thinking about those things. It’s scary to get a diagnosis like that and then have to watch your loved one deteriorate. And everyone gives their two cents! This wasn’t a Brooks situation; this was a real situation.”
Beef with Bethenny?
“We used to be [very good friends], but I’ll say something nice. Don’t worry, Bethenny. I gotcha,” Stanger said after we asked about recently exited “Real Housewives of New York” star Bethenny Frankel. She went on to explain that she and Bethenny “went different ways, but she’s powerful and exciting and interesting, so…”
“I haven’t met her boyfriend, but I love this couple,” she added. “Energetically, Beth, I think that he’s great for you. He grounds you. I hope you can get married to him and settle down and maybe if you want more kids or not. But I think he’s good. He’s awesome. I really like his energy for her. He’s a good one.”
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