Is 'High Society' the New 'Jersey Shore'? Tinsley Mortimer Weighs In

For people who don't know, can you talk a bit about the premise of 'High Society'?
You know, it's sort of inviting you into a world that's kind of difficult to get an invitation into and showing you that the stakes are higher. You live your life in a fishbowl... my divorce is written about a lot. If you have a crazy night, you might get written about. You've got access to all these amazing parties and fashion designers, and the world of New York is so exciting, but also really cutthroat. You have to have a really thick skin. It's a lot of drama. It's a crazy world. But it's a fun world at the same time, you know?

I guess living in a situation where you have cameras around you all the time in your everyday life made it easy for you to do a show like this?
A little bit. It definitely takes a little bit of getting used to. Having them there every day, you're exposing your life in this way on camera. But certainly I've been used to it a little bit. And I'm definitely used to being talked about in the press and being written about. And for me, I felt like it was a good opportunity to kind of show people who I really am, and not have people just have the image they think of me as. How they think that I am... based on a picture, a photograph of me on a red carpet. They sort of think that my life is perfect, and it's not. I kind of feel like I'm defending myself a little this time. I feel like I get negatively commented on for things like that, and I felt like this was a good way for me to show who I really am. And also... I love fashion and I design handbags and a clothing line for Dabney's [her sister] company, and I want to do that more. I want to build my brand, and I want people to know who I am so I can really create a business off of this. So that was another reason.

You've got some, um, interesting people surrounding you. The one that really stood out was Jules and some of the comments that she made in the first episode.
I know! They were shocking to me too, because I saw them just like everybody else did. Because a lot of times, I wasn't there filming with her. So for me -- I was pretty shocked by a lot of that. I mean, she's a friend that I know pretty much through my sister. And she, you know, as she says, does not have a censor button, and that's how she lives her life. That's not how I live my life and that's not how I am, but she also can be a fun girl, too. You know? But she just definitely is a bit of a different character than I am. (Laughs)

I've only seen the premiere episode, but you do seem to be the voice of reason here. Am I reading that right?
I mean, we all are definitely ourselves on this show. It is a reality show, and I think that it's depicted in a way. We really do live our lives that way. I just... I'm more of a person who is really focused and business-driven. I've worked really hard and I represent companies too. I'm trying to build my own fashion brand. That's how I carry myself and that's the kind of person that I am. And so, I don't know if I'm the voice of reason or not, but definitely I feel like I'm more focused and driven than maybe some of the other people.

You're going through a pretty intense time in your life. What's it like to go through a divorce on camera? And how is he dealing with it? I noticed that they didn't show his face.
You know, it's certainly... to be in a situation, to be going through a divorce, which is, for me, the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life at this point, and to have it happen to me, and to have cameras there, it is tough. But the thing is that, regardless, without the cameras being there or not, it was already being talked about. New York Magazine already wrote a whole thing about it, which was completely kind of skewed in a different direction so that it was not really accurate. And my life, I feel like I already live it in public anyway. I felt like this would actually show what's really going on. As opposed to having people make up their own opinions of me and think that they know who I am or know how I feel or know what's really going on. And Topper, my husband, he is supportive of me and he knows why I want to do this. He chooses not to. He doesn't want to be a part of it, and I understand that. But he's still supportive of me in that. We're close too. We do speak all the time. That wasn't necessarily always the case during this, but we've come to a place where we talk a lot now, so it's good.

And then there's your mom. I can't imagine going through something as difficult as a divorce and then having your mom trying to get you back together.
That was almost harder on me than the actual divorce part at some points, because my mom and I... she's my best friend. We're so close. And to then feel like she was not on my side was really very, very difficult for me. I mean, obviously she was there for my entire marriage, and then all of a sudden, she's almost siding with Topper. It was definitely very, very difficult. But you know, she's my mother and she cares about me, and I understand her fears. She's divorced and I understand, you know? I understand from her generation the worries she has about that. But it's unfortunately putting a lot of pressure on me and it's hurtful.

You've got this serious storyline going on, and then you've got these friends who, I guess it's fair to say, are pretty outrageous. It may be a very different segment of society, but it's reminding me of 'Jersey Shore.' I think people are going to compare it quite a bit.
I'm obsessed with 'Jersey Shore'! I love that show and I love those guys. I got a picture with The Situation and Pauly D. I've seen celebrities. I've seen Madonna. I've never rushed anybody for a picture ever, but I had to when I saw those guys. I love them. I can see that there would be a comparison, and we definite have a lot of crazy stuff happen on our show too, but I think it's fun to watch that stuff. It's fun to get a peek into people's lives that way. People really being themselves and just the craziness.

I believe we have that picture of you guys.
Yeah! I'm going to send it to you! It's not the best picture of me, but I'm so excited that I got it with them! (Laughs)

When did that happen?
I was actually doing a voiceover for the show, and it's right next to the place where they tape 'Rachel Ray,' and those guys were going on to 'Rachel Ray' that day. I just happened to be leaving the building when they were coming in, and I just was so excited. And I was with my friend Alex, who is also on the show, and she was sort of confused. She was like, 'What's going on?' She knew of them, but I was like, 'Oh my God, oh my God!' And I was nervous at first to get a picture, because I've never done that before. I felt stupid. (Laughs) But I thought, 'I'm going to regret it if I do not get a picture with them.' So I made Alex take the picture of me and the guys. I was excited. (Laughs) And then, literally, we went for Starbucks afterward, and I talked about it for two hours, how excited I was to see them. (Laughs)

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