'F*** your skinny brand': 'RHONJ' star and ED survivor Jackie Goldschneider slams Bethenny Frankel
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Jackie Goldschneider of 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey' has attacked Bethenny Frankel's famous lifestyle brand Skinnygirl. Jackie, who has previously spoken frankly about her struggles with eating disorders, expressed her dissatisfaction with the thin-focused product line on PageSix's 'Virtual Reali-Tea' podcast.
Jackie has spoken up about her ongoing fight with anorexia on Bravo's 'RHONJ'. During Season 12, the former lawyer spoke up to her fans about her eating problem rehabilitation. In April, she told Page Six that she was "out of the danger zone in terms of health problems" and was seeing a therapist twice a week, in addition to weekly check-ins with a medical nutritionist. Skinnygirl was created in 2008 with the introduction of a low-calorie, pre-made margarita mix. In 2011, she sold Skinnygirl Cocktails, which later expanded into wine, vodka, and ready-to-drink cocktails, for an estimated $120 million. However, Bethenny retained the right to license the brand name, allowing her to continue expanding the Skinnygirl line.
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Skinnygirl is now a "global lifestyle empire" beyond drinks, with items focused on women that "offer practical and stylish solutions to everyday problems," according to its website. During a FOX Business interview in early 2022, Bethenny defended the usage of the epithet 'Skinnygirl'. She was questioned if she had thought that naming things 'Skinnygirl' may be problematic in light of the body-positive movement and rising concerns around the obsession with being thin.
"The Skinnygirl brand was started with a low-calorie cocktail, and it allows people to indulge and not feel guilt," Bethenny said.
Now, Jackie, who has been upfront about her longstanding battle with an eating disorder, is criticizing Bethenny for creating a brand based on a slender female form. "Bethenny has Skinnygirl, and I've got a very strong opinion on this one because I say, 'F*** marketing skinny,'" she told podcast hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real.
Jackie specifically mentioned Bethenny's pre-made, low-calorie drinks, including the famed Skinnygirl Margarita, which established the business in 2008. "I'm sick of f***ing marketing skinny. I don't want to drink something because it's going to keep me skinny, so f*** you, Bethenny 'F*** your skinny brand. That's how I really feel," Jackie added.
Jill Fritz, Bethenny's spokesperson, sent a statement to Page Six shortly after. The statement continued, "Bethenny has personal experience with this topic and speaks about it in detail in her book "Naturally Thin" and "Business Is Personal."' She was referring to Bethenny's openness about her own food issues, which she previously said to Health were the result of growing up in a "very obsessive household about being thin and eating disorders."
Fritz went on, "Jackie has reached out to Bethenny and corresponded several times, so it's interesting that she didn't reach out there. She is very engaged and connected to her audience. Bethenny wishes Jackie well on her personal and business journey!"