“Nothing Compares to My Divorce”: Bethany Frankel Gets Raw About 10 Years of Torture, Cutting Off Her Mother, and Why She’d Marry Again
Alex Cooper sat down with reality TV icon, entrepreneur, and Skinny Girl creator Bethany Frankel for a raw, wide-ranging conversation spanning her traumatic childhood, reality TV breakthroughs, business empire, and hard-won life lessons. Here are the major moments.
On Her Chaotic Childhood
Bethany opened up about growing up as a pawn between her divorced parents—both horse trainers locked in competition. Her mother struggled with bulimia, alcoholism, and vanity; her stepfather had mob ties and guns in the house.
My house was criminally insane. Like they were calling child services and there were cops there all the time.
After her mother’s death, Bethany went through a period of mourning that led to compassion and forgiveness—but also clarity about breaking generational trauma.
I had to forgive her or just let it go because I had compassion for her. She was 20 when she had me. Her father was very abusive. It was generational trauma.
On Cutting Off Her Mother
Bethany revealed she cut contact with her mother after her first wedding—a decision validated by therapists who understood the abuse.
It was so vicious. It was impossible not to cut her off. She was scathing. It was mean.
She described the toxic energy as contagious:
Bad energy seeps into your pores. It becomes part of you. You will not succeed as much. You will not thrive as much. You don’t even realize it’s happening.
On The Apprentice and Martha Stewart
Bethany recounted auditioning for Donald Trump’s Apprentice, not making it, then landing on Martha Stewart’s version. She came in second but felt slighted when Martha criticized her as “pushy” and a “show-off.”
She said I was pushy. I was a show-off. I feel the need to make a physical impression, which is not entirely necessary here at Martha Stewart Living Omnia.
Despite the tension, Bethany maintains respect:
She’s still going to be the queen. I always kissed the ring with her. It’s been a great All About Eve nemesis.
When asked which show she’d redo: Housewives, no contest.
On Real Housewives and the “Bethany Clause”
Bethany revealed she was paid just $7,250 for her entire first season—and filmed a month without a contract. She broke the “Favored Nations” clause (equal pay for all cast members), paving the way for future salary negotiations.
I broke Favored Nations on the Housewives. I never told that to anyone before.
Her contract move—retaining ownership of her own IP and products—later became industry standard:
After the Forbes cover, the industry implemented the Bethany Clause, which meant that anybody on any reality show had to kick up to the top.
On Building Skinny Girl
Bethany created the Skinny Girl margarita recipe for herself—to avoid sugary, high-calorie drinks. She couldn’t trademark “skinny,” so she added “girl.”
Every man that I’ve ever been with, like my exes, all said, ‘Do you know what it’s like? Every date I’ve ever been on, every woman orders a skinny margarita.’ It’s like I’m in your dreams. You can never get rid of me.
The brand exploded, changing how women drank tequila:
Women weren’t drinking tequila then before the Skinny Girl margarita. In college people would drink brown tequila, but women weren’t drinking tequila sodas.
On Social Media, Hate Follows, and “Girl’s Girl” Culture
Bethany embraced the hate follows:
I like hate follows. It’s a great time to clap back and give a little nice slap. The more the merrier. A win is a win.
On being a “girl’s girl”:
I’m not an every girl’s girl. I’m a certain girl’s girl. I’m very protective and insular. I don’t let that many people in.
She called out fake female support and acknowledged jealousy as human nature:
Anybody who pretends that at every moment of their life they’ve been a girl’s girl and that they’re not jealous is making the world go around.
On TikTok Exposures and Cheating
Bethany opposed using social media to expose cheaters—comparing it to reality TV without consent:
If someone has to sign a release to be on reality television but doesn’t on social media, why? When this is getting more views, way more eyeballs.
On whether to tell on a cheating best friend:
What are you talking about? Break up with your best friend. Your best friend has a body in a dumpster with duct tape on its mouth. You’re not calling the cops? Snitches get stitches.
On Her 10-Year Divorce Nightmare
Bethany described her divorce as the worst trauma of her life—worse than her childhood.
Nothing compares to what my divorce was for 10 years. It was fraud. It was stealing. It was hacking. It was harassment. It was abuse. It was torture.
She urged women to get strong prenups and trust their gut:
If you’re trying to decide, then the answer is no. If you don’t know yes, it’s no. If you don’t love it, you don’t like it.
Cracks become craters. You have to go with your gut.
On Parenting Through Trauma
Bethany never spoke badly about her ex in front of her daughter, Bryn—but acknowledged children feel everything.
Just because you’re not saying it in front of the child doesn’t mean they don’t feel it. You should never ever say a bad thing about the other parent ever. It is the worst thing you could do to a child.
On Dating and Her New “Core Community”
After nine months of celibacy post-divorce, Bethany launched an intentional dating membership community called Core Community—cash-flow positive, with tech billionaires trying to invest.
It’s completely debunked that men only want younger women, that there are no good women. We have so many couples already.
Her dating advice:
You can’t get full on a bunch of crap food that makes you feel sick. You got to wait and eat the good thing. If you break that, you could miss the right thing.
On Marriage and Hope
Despite everything, Bethany says she’d marry again:
Now I say yes, which is a very evolved thing. I believe in hope. I believe in love.
But she warned about dynamics when a woman is more successful:
There is a thing when a woman is more successful and has more money than a man and it can create dynamics that you think in the beginning are okay and they might not be okay later.
Her advice:
Have your eyes open. Go with your honest gut, not what society tells you. And don’t feel shamed for wanting to get out of something.
Final Thoughts
Bethany closed by saying she’s not focused on 2026—she’s focused on the present.
I’m a very in-the-moment, present person. I’m not thinking about 26. I’m thinking about today, here with you.
Key Takeaways:
- Protect your peace—cut off toxic energy, even family
- Own your IP—don’t sign your life away
- Trust your gut—if you’re unsure, it’s no
- Children feel everything—never badmouth the other parent
- Be intentional in dating—don’t settle for “crap food”
- Hope is possible—even after trauma
This recap is based on Bethany Frankel’s appearance on Call Her Daddy with Alex Cooper. For the full episode, click on the YouTube link at the top or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
