Kelly Bensimon Defends Playboy Body, Says Other 'Wives' Were 'Shocked'

By Rob Shuter Posted Jun 3rd 2011 04:00PM

'Real Housewives of New York City' star Kelly Bensimon isn't shy about her great body and has no regrets posing naked for Playboy last March. In fact, the 43-year-old author and jewelry designer thinks an upside of baring ~~all~~ some in the lad mag was that she showed people, including her daughters, that you don't have to be stick-thin to be happy and healthy.

"I showed like 80 percent. A little boobie, a little butt, ankles," she tells me on my HDNet show. "The pictures actually make me look thinner than I was at the time. I really ate a lot. I wanted to be my normal body shape. I wanted to look like myself. Everyone else was on a diet and I was like, 'No! I want to be myself' ... Before that I was in a horse show, I was riding and running a lot. And being on 'Housewives' was really stressful for me and I just wanted to show that healthy is hot."

She later adds, "I think some people were wondering ... I have two kids, isn't that bad? But I think no; I want my kids to be happy and healthy and later on in their lives, be sexy and have fun. I don't want them to think that having an eating disorder is cool, because it's not!"

And it wasn't just for her body image that Kelly decided to pose naked, it was also to exact sweet revenge on Bethenny Frankel and the other 'Housewives' she believed bullied her on the show.

"I think the ladies were shocked by it," she tells me. "I think they thought, 'We tried to take you down and now you are doing Playboy, what?! And now I have Playboy so they are like, 'Wait a minute. This is not working!'"

She explains what really motivates her to be in the reality game.

"My real friends and family, they like the real Kelly. They like nice Kelly. Being cool is hot but being mean is not. Mean girls are really last year. I want to see real people doing real things. The reason we do reality is to see it ... I don't want a fabricated version. If you're mad, I want to see you mad. And if you are happy, I want to see that."

Kelly knows that you either love her or hate her, but she doesn't care. "If they're not talking about you, you are not relevant," she tells me.

For my complete interview with Kelly, tune into 'Naughty But Nice' exclusively on HDNet at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Tags: Kelly Bensimon, Naughty But Nice With Rob, Playboy, real housewives of new york city

Comments

(41)

Friday 03 June

By YepIzMe

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Kelly may look good in photos (clothed) & she's a pretty girl. However, she has the WORST body I've ever seen in a bikini & NOT a brain in her head. She needs serious psychiatric help.

By me

Wow crazier than one can actually believe. Are there mirrors in NY,cause somethin not right with her abs.

By ptrcbonn3

Bethanny is a friggin multi millionaire, Kelly showing her cooch is not something to be proud of. we all got one and tits too. did they pay u a hundred million frigging dollars for it.. your an ingrade kelly ,,, im ashamed to have the same name.

By Vaga

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Wait a minute. I thought it was established that Kelly did those photos years ago with her ex the photog? This is the first I've heard (other than the show) that they were recent. Truth??

Saturday 04 June

By Jassyca

Krazy-Kelly continues to pretend those "Playboy" pictures weren't taken a decade ago by her then husband.. *before* her breast implants migrated so they are practically under her arm pits and *before* the horribly botched liposuction job to her midsection.

By teech

RoMOANa+= skank, nutz,bug eyed, self absorbed, egotistic, looney bird....I think I just threw up in my mouth.

By Jules

I still can't believe they even brought her back after last season. I love how Bravo just ignored what was clearly a total meltdown. I don't care what or who she poses for. She's crazy and built like a dude. I feel sorry for her kids.

By amy

Kelly who? Who is this woman and why should we care?

By puzzlenutty

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Great Body?! Please! She is built like a man, no waistline, huge sholders. She seems to be so fake as well as crazy.

By YellowRose3218

From being bored, I read about this show, never have seen it, never will. These house wives are shallow, selfish, and jealous of each other, and probably every other woman on the earth, that looks a little better than them.
Tv has gone down hill over the last few years, and this type of show is what people seem to like now. Its all about who looks better, who has this, and who is cheating with who, and how much did she make. Its like being in middle school again, with all the little girls getting jealous about the new girl.
These types of shows are a good example, or proof, of just how mean, and cruel some woman can be.
If ever anyone should do a self check, its these woman.
I would rather be little old poor me, than to be like either one of these woman.

By Not Hugh Hefner

I agree that our bodies should be celebrated, but should they be exploited? I don't see "Playboy" as pro-woman despite Kelly's rah-rah attitude here. If she wanted to portray the pride of being healthy and natural, she could have done so in many venues/ways without appearing as "entertainment for men." I hope Kelly's daughters grow up to know the difference between art and exploitation. As young women, the girls would've been able to hold their heads high and say, "Our mother TURNED DOWN Playboy."

I also think she's deluded that the other housewives were jealous. Bethenny posed for PETA, a very worthy cause, while Kelly's "not afraid of fur." The only other housewife who'd leap to show some skin is Sonja, and Kelly chastised her that at their ages they should be "covering up." Yeah, big contradiction.

Saturday 11 June

By Caryn

I'm really curious-why do you all watch this show, or any of the "real" housewives? I watched two of the Beverly Hills one, because we knew one of the husbands, and it was awful! I could barely make it through the whole show, and my husband made it about ten minutes and left the room. Seriously, what's the attraction? Are you envious of the lifestyle, nosy or just bored?

By saturday

"If they're not talking about you, you are not relevant". Kelly here's a clue, The only thing your relevant for is a good laugh. You look like a dude. Eat a couple of burgers, some fries and drink three milkshakes. Your arrow needs a bow.

By NAUGHTY BUT NICE ROB

WOULD YOU POSE FOR PLAYBOY IF YOU HAD YOUNG DAUGHTERS???? HUMMMMMMMMM

GREAT ROLE MODEL OR GREAT BIG MISTAKE?

By Trish

LOLOLO!! You are very astute-I watch them for EXACTLY those three reasons! BUT, do not stoop so low as to watch the Kardoucheans!

Sunday 05 June

By California Suzy

Is anyone else as troubled as I am about the proliferation of so-called "reality" TV? Giving these fame hungry people air time to act like angry and spiteful school girls is just astounding in its absurdity. Occasionally, I will watch because I cannot believe grown women really act like this! The jealousy and backbiting is outrageous. Get a grip, ladies, your children need a better example for human beings! God help us! (BTW, I just adore Andy Cohen! His Watch What Happens show is hysterical!)

By bloodsacrifice37

You are attractive, but obviously also too full of yourself. I will say some of the housewives are not necessarily bullies, but a bunch of self-absorbed gossipers. Ramona is off the wall, but at least she owns it. You still want everyone to believe your sane and far from it Kelly. At the reunion show you insisted Bravo made you go on the trip. Something that has been vehemently denied by Bravo. What has been confirmed with no doubt, you had such a bad breakdown with no provocation you were asked to leave the island by the producers for fear of your mental health. By the way. Bethenny has a WAY BETTER body/figure than you do.

Monday 06 June

By KT

You said it perfectly!!

What really gets my goat is these people acheive overnight stardom and record music (although they can't sing) without paying the same dues as the real stars and recording artists had to do in order to achieve the fame they have. The worst of the lot (for me) is Jersey Shore!

Saturday 25 June

By Binky

Hold the presses! Why didn't this "journalist" ask Kelly if she is so proud of her 43 yr old body why were the actual photos that appeared in the magazine taken a decade ago? She had photos taken on the tv show but they did not appear in the magazine.

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