Jill Zarin(JZ), star of Real Housewives of New York (RHONY), has become infamous for her tactics this past season with co-star Bethenny Frankel. Many of us, including me, have no idea the day to day life of this Misunderstood Housewife. With help from JZ herself and her right hand man, Darren Bettencourt(DB), we get the inside scoop on her passion for life, family and career.

JZ started to become a household name from the very beginning of RHONY. With her bubbly outspoken personality and high society lifestyle. I recall the scene of her in the car being driven down Broadway showing us all the invitations to events she had received in the mail that day. So how was JZ discovered? Bravo approached her in September of 2006, for a show that was then called “Manhattan Moms.” They found her photo in New York Social Diary, “they literally cold called me.” JZ then did some recruiting and “I introduced them to Bethenny and Countess LuAnn.” Three seasons later and being in the constant public eye her favorite part about being a part of RHONY is “helping people.” JZ explains, “I get asked everyday to help or connect someone. It is in my nature and that part of me I hope will never change. I made great relationships within the network and media community that I never would have made if not for being on TV. I try to use those relationships to help other people.”

The taping schedule can be brutal, “2 – 5 times a week for up to 12 hours a day over the course of 4 months.” That includes being surrounded by a crew of people! “In a scene that looks like an intimate conversation there are actually 4 cameramen and sound people surrounding you and another room filled with up to 12 crew members plus monitors, lighting and equipment.” All of this on top of her family life and career.

JZ, mother and grandmother, enjoys spending free time with her family. Sunday is family day when time out of her busy schedule allows. JZ also enjoys escaping to the Hamptons. Being a Long Islander myself the Hamptons offer great food, beaches, nightlife, shopping, and tranquility. It is a great retreat from the hectic city life.

I know we all have heard and seen her with her book signings, tv guest spots and fundraisers. “Luckily, Bobby gives me the freedom to work or not work. Unfortunately, I am a workaholic and it is hard for me to just do nothing. When I married Bobby I retired from working. Or so I thought. After a few months, I wanted to work again.  I have always been in the design arena so it was natural for me to work with fabrics in home design. I took some classes at The New York School of Interior Design and the rest is history. We expanded the store to double the space and have a new bedding line coming out this Fall. I wish Bobby’s father, Harry Zarin, were alive to see it.” Her new bedding line will be out at a National retailer, still not released, under her new logo.

I asked JZ to explain Jill Zarin Enterprises. “I have a brand, Jill Zarin Home, a tv career, public speaking career, book tour and charity work and all of those different aspects of my career form the enterprise I suppose. Ask Darren, he came up with the name.” Darren (DB) her right hand man.

A “normal” day in the life of Jill?

“I wake up at 7am and go through emails and make breakfast for Ally and spend some time with her. I read the papers then Darren comes in at 9am and we get to work. Darren and I go through our lists and emails and roll calls and go over our schedule for the day. I usually have meetings scheduled and have been spending a lot of time working on Jill Zarin Home. I also stop in to do some work at Zarin Fabrics as much as possible and if I don’t have an event to attend in the evening I spend time with my family. I have to admit that I work on emails throughout the evening but I am getting better with that.”

Now to the meat!

The biggest misconception if JZ:

“That I don’t work. I have a very busy schedule building the Jill Zarin Home brand with a bedding line that will be released on October as the first product line. I am traveling right now on a book tour as well that will take me to Vegas, Los Angeles and Florida. I will also be traveling on speaking engagements to Ohio and Michigan in the coming weeks. This in addition to my charity work which keeps me very busy.” I’d say!

Here is what you all don’t know!! After speaking with DB, her philanthropy is through the charts!!! I couldn’t even keep up with all she has done!

“I have always been very charitable and appreciate that my role on the show allows me to help make a difference.” JZ is an huge supporter of the Gay community and has campaigned with the best of them! Currently she is working on some projects with the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) and GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) on their upcoming Media Awards and Out Auction in November, and is on the honorary committee for the Marriage Equality March coming up in September. “I did the ‘I Talk Because’ Aids Awareness PSA and helped raise $40,000 for AIDS Walk NYC.” She has helped the NOH8 Campaign as well in our fight for equal rights! “It’s flattering knowing your boss has your back,” DB tells me.

“I have raised tens of thousands of dollars for Creeky Joints, an Arthritis charity, because Ally and my step son Jonathan have been affected by Arthritis. I was invited to speak in front of the United Nations commissioned Bone and Joint Decade in Washington DC because of my work for Arthritis. I am also a supporter of Lupus and hosted a luncheon for the Lupus Foundation a few months ago and am a big supporter of the Jeffrey Modell Foundation for Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases. Children are also a cause near and dear to my heart and I have done a lot of work for Help For Orphans International, just hosted a fundraiser for them last week. I helped the foundation raise enough money to build a school in Africa. I hope to go to Africa to see the children in the school. I recently hosted a fundraiser for the Mac Della Cooper Foundation as well to support orphaned and abandoned youth. I have also worked with Art For Life, Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families and SKIP of New York.” She made a point to say that proceeds from her book co authored by her sister (Lisa Wexler) and mother (Gloria) go to charity as well, “so far we have donated to the Go Red For Women Heart Foundation, Breast Cancer Emergency Foundation and Jordon River Camp in Israel, opened my Paul Newman. We will also be happy to send a signed book to any charity that asks for their silent auction.”

Her husband Bobby is also on the charity bandwagon partnering with the New York Community Trust to create an account for charitable donations. “Any charities interested in a donation from us can send a request to The New York Community trust for grant consideration” she informs me.  

This season of RHONY presented many challenges to the housewives, emotionally and financially. Bravo had made it clear to all cast mates that there was no guarantee any of them would be holding an apple at the end of the season. Jill going through a difficult time with Bobby’s health issues last summer had to have taken a serious amount of energy out of her. Thank goodness everything has turned out well. Her relationship with fellow cast mate and former bff Bethenny Frankel unfortunately has not survived. JZ received a lot of negative publicity this season for her tactics and behavior. I myself was surprised by what I was watching on tv. “It is only 1/100th of the true Jill,” DB assures us. I as a viewer and avid reality show watcher knew there had to be more to the story then what was cut, cropped, and edited to be the “storyline” we were watching. I must say during the season 3 reunion is where everyone had the chance to clear up any speculation. I have to hand it to JZ and Bethenny for speaking from their hearts. JZ was the first to admit her wrongdoing and less than perfect behavior. We are all human after all. We just don’t have over 1 million people tuning in criticizing our ever word or move. “People are very passionate about the housewives,” DB tells me in response to JZ’s viewer’s responses. She has received hate mail and having her own personal address sent out will malice of intentions. Authorities are involved and the case is pending.

I can only imagine the grief one must have felt at this time. So how does JZ do it? “In the beginning I didn’t know what to do, if anything. So I asked some very very famous friends how they handle it. ALL of them told me the same thing. Don’t read blogs or negative press. So I try to ignore it. Unfortunately negative press comes with the job but the people close to me know who I really am and I try and not let others judgements about who they think I am affect me. Am I perfect? No…is anyone?” Very true!!

In conclusion I asked JZ if she had anything currently she wanted to clear up and her response was with no surprise, “Not really. If something is inaccurate, I just ignore it. It goes away the next day and I don’t want to draw attention to anything negative and/or not true. The reason Bravo selected me to be on the show is that I am not afraid to speak my mind.”

I hope this clears up any speculation of The Most Misunderstood Housewife. I for one think that fact is better than fiction, but some don’t. What sells papers and people’s attention unfortunately tends to be negative press! I for one am not a fan of exploiting peoples lifes hence The Real Housewife of Twitter!

Thank you Jill so much for your time as I know you are very BUSY!!!

Xoxo
~M@
RHOT

Article most recently published in the EXAMINER
EXAMINER.COM

Links for Jill Zarin and her charities:

Official Jill Zarin on Twitter

Official Jill Zarin Facebook

Official Jill Zarin Website

Be sure to subscribe to her newsletter while you are there!!

Zarin Fabrics

Creaky Joints

Help for Orphans International

SKIP of New York

Jeffrey Modell Foundation

People Reaching Out

Human Rights Campaign

GLAAD

NOH8 Campaign

For more info on the Real Housewife of Twitter click here.

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