Sauce On The Side With GandhiIn this episode, Gandhi, Diamond, and Andrew talk to Crystal Kung Minkoff from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills about what happened to her friends, why she was living in fear, why her new podcast is upsetting people, and a whole lot more. We also find out about some strange things Diamond’s dad and Gandhi’s dad have been doing.
Sons on the side.
What's up.
It's gandhi and I'm here with my girl Diamond say hello, Hi, I hate your fake I Hi, good morning. That is not what she ever sounds like in real life. In real life, you walk by her.
She's like, what do you want? Oh my god, exactly yet.
To you, our lovely listener, she says, Hi, do you know what I found out?
What?
So you know? My mom's best friend passed away, very very sad. We went to the funeral services over the weekend, and there were so many people there who said that they listen, and they were quoting different things.
Oh there were kids, there.
Were adults, And it made me so uncomfortable because I was like, I didn't even think when I was talking all this shit on this podcast that y'all would be the ones listening. But now I have to really think about that the podcast. Yes, Oh no, well you thought the show. I was actually surprised though, because you know, we always say that radio is for like a certain demographic of people. There were so many young people. They're like very young, like high school, still in high school, going into college. Who and actually my little cousin who's seven, who.
Are like radio that's so cool. Oh my god.
Maybe they're confusing with podcasting. I don't know, but either way that makes me happy. It was kind of cool.
Yeah.
Yeah, Well now I have to think about what we're saying.
I'm not gonna do that.
Uh okay, No, I'm like I will. I mean, your parents listen all they my dad does? Why is it your mom? Why does she hate us?
No?
My mom Just it's so funny because during the show is like her back to sleep time. Like when I leave the house in the morning, she gets up to make sure that I lock the door because I guess I'm just irresponsible.
I'm not surprised by that.
And she says that, like she never could just go right back to sleep, So she's up, she does things around the house, and then around like six or seven is when she actually falls back asleep, so she just.
Misses the show. Interesting.
Yeah, I also told her to stop listening once years ago. It was like my second week on the show, and she I had a boyfriend at the time, and I talked about him and she was like that was so cute, and I was like, don't ever listen again.
How dare you?
Yeah, it's just weird. I'm like, don't listen. Yes, my dad just doesn't say anything unless it's funny. See, I appreciate that. Yeah, my mom had a lot of big ideas. When she first started.
Listening, she was really critiquing me about the things I would say. She told me not to make fun of myself because if I pointed out my weaknesses, other people would capitalize on them and maybe HR would realize that I was making mistakes.
I was like, are you kidding?
HR?
Yeah?
Do they exist here?
I don't?
Yeah, who is she? Yes?
She?
But also that's what we do, is we make fun of ourselves. And I was like, Mom, you are literally like the lead HR person for the United States Postal Service, which is a federal agency kind of at the moment, I don't think the same rules apply. Also, you literally didn't listen to me at all until I moved here, So now I don't want this feedback. Yes, sorry, I appreciate that you're listening. Now I would like you to stop. That's hilarious, Oh yeah, and meanwile my dad's like, I don't know what you're saying.
Half the time, he knows what you're saying. No, I don't think he does.
He can't hear anything, and he won't put his hearing aids on. Okay, I think I have told you is He asked me one time what butt hurt meant. I don't vaguely remember.
Maybe not.
He said, I need to explain to me what is butt hurt? And I was like, oh, it's you know, like when somebody really hurts your feelings. And he said, ah, so like emotional sodomy.
So you did not especially, that is a very good way to put it.
It's funny, he's insane. I love people think it's a joke. It is not a joke anyway. I digress. Oh, oh, do you know what I found out?
He did? What?
So?
Somehow, some way? And I know it's because he's doing some shady things on his phone, not anything pervy, but I know he's on like dark web political websites doing crazy stuff.
Okay.
Oh, he somehow got a FaceTime call from somebody he didn't know, so he answered it one strike one, why would you ever do that? But he said it was two people and they were speaking Spanish, and then they said something to him with his last name in it, so obviously they knew who he was.
What is this.
What is this? I said, Dad, just hang up the phone. He called me right after it happened. Should I call him back? I said, absolutely not, hang up the phone, block the number. Just don't don't respond to this kind of stuff. Asked me what he did? Oh god, he called T Mobile to report it. I said, who did you talk to? What what he called someone to? I said, you called people? He said, oh yeah, every time I get a spam call, I called T Mobiles And what are they gonna do about?
That's what I said. I said, Oh no, Dad, those people with T Mobile hate you. He said no they don't.
They said, thank you so much, sir, we appreciate it. I said, okay, you do your due, diligent citizen. You report every spam call. Oh my god, I want to block him. When he called me about that, I was like, oh what.
The man is crazy? Like, how do you tell on spammers? Nobody does? They called me.
I'm like, the best is one they call from an unknown number. I'm like, so you reported that someone called you from a unknown number?
Mobile steps.
I called my sister immediately. I said, do you know what your father's doing? He's reporting every spam call to T Mobile.
This is hilarious. What's her reaction?
She said, don't tell me this stuff. He calls you for a reason. He doesn't call me because he knows that I'm gonna be.
Like, are you kidding? Goodbye?
You entertained? She said, you entertained this shit, and that's why you get it. I'm like, I will always entertain this because that's funny.
I wonder if that's why my dad says things to me that he doesn't say to my sister because she doesn't entertain it. She's just like, wow, daddy, Wow, that's it.
She's the older one. Yeah, see, you're with the shits. The youngest ones are with the ships. The oldest ones are like enough, Yeah, I'm gonna handle this.
Are you insane? Please explain? Walk me through this?
Like he stole the he stole the Oh you go to Red Lobster, you get shrimp the uh things that they is that what it's called that they put Yes, they put the uh totter sauce in.
Yeah.
He took my grandfather out to eat this weekend and came home with three of them. And I'm like, how did you come home with three?
Where do you put them in?
To go?
Back.
Oh okay, but like three of them come on seriously.
So when I used to work at Ruby's Tuesday back in the day, I don't even know if any are still open. That was like the number one most stolen item. People steal ramigans because if you think about it, where do you really buy a ramikin? You can order them now if you really want too, sure you can go order some. But it's just one of those things. We're like, I only need like one or two of these at home. I could just take it from here. He steeves no, and then I have a bunch of buy apartments.
Oh my god.
Then he goes all right, pass it to me, like he's like throwing his plate away, and.
I had it in my hand.
I was like, what the hell is this? He's like, pass it to me. I'm throwing them out anyway.
You stole them to throw them out, Henry, Yeah, he's a lunatic.
Oh but you can also ordered to go cups so that they're you know, disposable, which I don't know which is worse.
I think he just wanted to be like a criminal for a second and it made him feel good in whatever.
And now we're talking about you, Henry Ye, would you like to name the establishment from which he sold it?
Was it? Right?
Yeah?
Oh?
I thought you were just using that as an example. No oh no, see I wasn't smart enough to do that. Red Lobster. Keep your eye out for the Coopers, Oh god, Covin. Yeah, it's payback, pay back to them.
Okay, So today is the episode that we promised you last week with Crystal Kung Min Goff, who I really like m I shouldn't have said that before the interview, because you should make a decision for yourself. Diamond, as somebody who watches all of the shows, did you like her more before or after?
Or did it not make any difference?
It didn't make a difference. I'm kind of eh on her just as a human being. She seems really nice. The right on her because she didn't bring the drama that I wanted on the show, which you know, it's like, I think that should tell you about who she is as a person.
Like you're a good person.
You don't really live for the drama the way the other women do.
So cool.
Okay, well we'll get to the bottom of some of that. Here she is, Hello, Hi, how are you doing good?
Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here.
So there's a lot of stuff to talk to you about, okay, but specifically, we're going to start with the way you'r Wikipedia bio reads, which is best known for being a full time cast member of three seasons of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Is that how you would like to be remembered or memorialized on your Wikipedia page.
It's so funny. Before I started the show, I was like, oh God, that's my biggest nightmare to be remembered by that. But now that I'm, you know, on this side of it, I really think of it as an honor. It was really fun. It was a chapter of my life. I don't know if that's the like on my epitath or you know, my you know, but that's part of me. You know. I'm a mom, a wife, I a co founder of Real Cocoa, a coconut water company that I'm very proud of, and now co host of Humble Brag, which I actually wish is gonna be like my top tier one because I love it so much.
And Humble Bragg is the podcast that you're doing with Cynthia Bailey ye correct. Yeah, okay, so I want to get all the details on that. But before we actually started recording, you said something that was pretty cool, and that was that you grew up really watching the Housewives and never thought you were going to be one. How did this all come about?
Yeah, so I grew up. I grew up in LA but I went to college Orange County where it started, and I just remember just watching these women were so insane and like I didn't really relate to any of them. I mean, I'm like a Chinese kid, you know, pre med and they're like this wild white women, you know, going crazy and white women. I would watch that show. We can do it, we can produce together. And so it's like I remember getting the call. I got the call end of March twenty twenty, so I always remember because Lockdown started a week prior. So I was just like sitting in my couch in the dark. I didn't turn the lights on because I was like, oh, we have to save money, electricity. I don't know what the world is imploding and I'm getting this call and it was like, are you interested in interviewing? I was like no, like no way, because and I have Olwitch watched the shows and I just was like, I'm not that person. But through a lot of convincing and conversation I ended up saying yes six months later and yeah, it was a crazy experience, and yeah, you never think I mean, I guess there's someone out there who like always thought about it, probably lobbied for it. Probably, Yeah, I think that exists a lot. My world wasn't like that. I knew Teddy Mellencamp through like Mommy Me Group. So whenever you're on the season, they ask you to sort of like give a list of friends that you would think that or that people that you know in your world that might be interested. So she put my name down and she called me. It was like, I think you should really interview. I think that like they want you on the show, and like, well, I don't like you just when you don't think about it. It's not something you lean into right away. It takes a lot of convincing and yeah, you got you gotta get through it.
So I think it would be very intimidating and probably terrifying.
Well, I didn't really consider the editing. I just watched it like an audience member, you know. So now I know how the sausage is made. But like I didn't really watch it, Like I wasn't a diehard like that. I love them, but I didn't really think of it like that. I just thought that's how they acted, so like I don't act like that, you know, And then you realize, like when you're in it, they draw it out of you. And of course there's editing, but in alcohol sometimes and alcohol, but like, you know, I don't know that for I would say for Beverly Hills, that wasn't a massive part of it, like and it wasn't like negative. We would the girls don't drink like that, and it seemed really scary.
So Andrew has a question about the process before you go on the show.
Okay, is there psych testing before? Like do you have to get an evaluation? Make sure you're like.
Yeah, Pad, yeah, I think that's standard for any show that you join, whether it's reality or scripted.
You're telling me all these reality stars have past psych evaluations.
It's like a thirty minute phone call, so that's why. But yeah, they do that, but you don't really call them when you're stressed because you're always stressed out, so you call your friends. You don't really call this psych lady on the other end of the phone.
So there's like a doctor on staff that you're if like, oh, you're feeling stressed, called this person type of deal.
She just was like, I'm around if you need So, how did it change your life?
Because you didn't really think about doing something like this, then you get a call and now you're three seasons in.
Yeah, I totally changed my life. I'd be lying if I said it didn't it. Also, it's really intense when it's happening, when you're filming, when it's airing, so like now that I'm off of it, it's like I every day goes by, I'm like, oh, yeah, that happened.
You know.
It's like the chapter kits farther and farther. But it's a mix. There's highs and lows about it. You know. Obviously the highs are like you get a lot of fun, you know, do a lot of fun things, more things. I mean, I've been married to Rob for so long, so in the business I've gotten to go to a lot of amazing parties and whatever. But then when it's like now my invitation, that's kind of fun too, Like it's a totally different world. So Rob gets to join me and he's like, oh, this is so fun.
You know when you say, Rob, we're talking about your husband. Husband brought Minkoff, you want to talk about the Lion King connection, because I was like, oh my god.
So yeah, as my husband is Rob Minkoff, he directed the original Lion King. No big deal, no big deal. And he's a giant child. He has like not age, she will not age. He just has just like stuck as like a twelve year old boy. We all are no offense gentlemen in the room. It's a good thing. And then both give thumbs up. Yeah exactly. It's amazing when you have kids because he's just like the ultimate dad. So it's so much fun. But yeah, so it's just it's a lot of fun. The negatives social media of course, and then people sort of you know, the audience and it's not their fault, like they only see what they see, so their judgment and reaction is solely based on that, and it's very intense. And I think when I started, it sounded like, you know, I have all the producers and the cast sort of like sharing like their experiences in the years past. I think because it was you know, during COVID and everyone was really watching a lot of TV and stuff and on social media, it just ramped.
Up't have anything to do, so that's plenty of time to talk.
That's right, It's right. So you know that part is tough because you know, you expose yourself in a way that and I also I am exposed to a whole new community out there, a very broad community. I am like a West Coast La Chinese girl. And then I'm like, now you know, race and all those things are being talked about. It was like I just wasn't used to that.
And then here come the Jerseys fans. Yeah, are a wild pack of people.
Yes, it's all different, but it was. It was amazing. It was an amazing experience.
How did it impact your relationship with your friends and your family?
Oh god, well that was up and down. You know my fourteen Friends saga, which never got ever kind of deal dealt with on the show.
You want to talk about the fourteen friend saga for the people who don't know what that is?
Yeah, okay, happy too. So when I started the show, I had a group of friends that were not supportive, and they essentially dropped me fourteen of them I made up. I sort of said the number fourteen to Lisa Renna, and it was like an arbitrary number because I was sort of explaining it that it felt so big, like I have like fourteen friends that won't talk to me now. So it was kind of a made up number, but it wasn't one, you know, And it never went farther than that on the show because it was about the show. Sure, so it's breaking the fourth wall. So it was kind of like touched on and mysterious, like why did Crystal lose friends? It was about the show, so we just sort of no one talked about it because they knew it was about the show. And then you the other side of it is like you have the most incredible like your best friends really show up and show out for you. They filmed with me. I'm doing Watch It Happens Live tonight. They're like they're in town to come with me. They did Taco Tuesday. You'll see that crew, and like, you know, and they really are super supportive every time, like I have to go in it's my turn. I feel like it's my turn tonight. I have to like you know, argue with someone. They like root me on, like you can do it. So, yeah, it's the whole gamut, the whole gamut, and my family super supportive. You have to have very important Yes, you have to in this experience. Like if they're not into it, they don't really like want to be on the show, but they're like, this is your choice, Like we're all in.
So the fourteen friends, Yeah, have you talked to any of them since some Do you want them back in your life? Or are you kind of like, you know what if you can't do this with me? Yeah, you're not shooting in the gym, you're out now.
It's like what do they say, like show me who you are? Like they show you or believe them? Yes, yeah, I'm done. That's wild. It's wild.
Was it the show itself that they didn't like or what was it about that experience that made them?
I actually think it's I think it's kind of a broader sort of idea of like when someone does well or successor or outside of the box that they've put you in, that it makes them uncomfortable and it's really about them, not me. But at the time, because I'm such a people pleaser, I really made it about me. And I really I talk about it. I'd have a whole episode about on the podcast, but I literally was I dumbed myself down on the show. I quieted myself because I was so uncomfortable about coming out on this, like like being big on the show to like appease them, and so yeah, it's very complicated, but it's life lessons and you know, I came out of it and much stronger, and I my boundaries are much clearer.
So you are Chinese, I am Chinese, I am Indian. Yes, I think correct me if I'm wrong. Was any of this related to cultural norms with you? Because with Indian people there is definitely this notion of don't stand out, don't try to get the spotlight, being the attention zone.
You don't want that.
You just want to blend in, do really well at what you're doing, and move on. You don't want to be in entertainment. Was any of that a part of the friend circle?
So I would say that is exactly how I felt, just personally, whether it was yes or no for me doing the show. I think that's why you don't see a lot of Asian people on TV, especially in reality. We're taught to put your head down, work hard, don't make waves, don't create attention. And so I remember at the time this okay, I got asked, you know, Midsummer twenty twenty, this was height of BLM anti Asian hate crimes are happening, and I remember asking the producers like how many Asian people are, like are you interviewing with me? And like you're it? And I said to my husband like, if I don't say yes, that is one less Asian person who's going to be on TV for representation. And I remember I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. I was so stressed out, but I also felt like it was vital. My mom like locked herself in her house for three weeks because they were just randomly attacking Asian people at that time, and I just felt this kind of the universe was pushing me at this time. I think I said yes, it was like the world brought it to me at the right time. In terms of the friends. I hope not. I hope not that that was the reason. I'm going to just lean into that that that's not what it was, because that would be too devastating. I mean, I just feel like it was based on them, just you know, putting being outside the box of what they wanted from me or expected from me. But yeah, their business. But you think that, you think that, But yeah, no, people they show their true colors when things like this happen, and you just have to respond to that.
You're very well put together for the wild ride, I would imagine it was over. I don't really want to do this. Holy crap, I'm on this ride now and everything's happening. How do you feel you represented yourself and the Asian culture?
Wow? Well, I try not to have regrets, but I do look back on wishing I was more outspoken and less scared. But I did have a lot of that fear influence on me. I think saying yes to begin with was already a lot as a Chinese person. But I remember telling the producers, I said, it's so important that I get to share my culture on the show. That's why I did making Dumpling Nights, I hosted Chinese New Year. They allowed all those moments for me, and I just like because they always, you know, they always wanted to really fancy so like, what about your chef, I'm like, well, I don't have a chef. I on the show cold Dumbling. That's why I'm actually a chef, so like that's what I do. And my first event was dumpling making in my kitchen, very casual, but I said, this is who I am as a real person, and it's really important. I'm going to do all the other stuff that you need me to do, but like if I can have these couple things like that would be really great. And then they let me have my first year the finale party, which was a big deal. They don't usually do finales for first time cast members, and I got to close it out with Chinese New Year and that was really special and all the girls there was a lot of inviting per usual, but they were so respectful. It was like my mom was there, Marshall her boyfriend was there, and I just said, like, this is really really special for me, and if you guys could just show up in a way that's you're not going to ruin it.
And yeah, I thought it was great.
So when you say you were sort of operating under some fear, what what were you scared of?
I think you know, being Asian, it's you want to represent not you know, it's not just about you, it's about your kids, your family, your parents, your grandparents, and then beyond that, it's the whole community, right being Chinese being yeah, yes, and like I wanted to be perfect for everybody. I wanted them to feel proud of what they're seeing. And what's scary is that it's a show that's not necessarily designed to make you look good. Oh I don't think so, right, so, you know, but it was It's not like I was an actress, had other opportunities. It just kind of came to me and it just felt like this was my moment to do this. But I really, really, you know, I really worked hard to try and represent properly. But it took such an emotional toll on me because my husband was like, you are not every Chinese person. You are. There are a billion of there's them, correct, And he's like he was my guide, you know, they're this whole thing. And he's like, there's just you. You're a singular person. You happen to be Chinese, you happen to be very much ingrained in your culture, and you have I'm a Jewish man. We have half Jewish kids and Chinese kids, and like this is who we are, and like you just can represent yourself, be yourself, and that's it. And I'm like, okay, of course that was like I don't know if I took you the advice, but I tried and that was really helpful. But yeah, I mean I really had the weight of the world on my shoulders and that's on me. I mean that was just my personal feeling. But no, I mean I'm overall happy. I just wish I was louder, okay, stronger.
You have a podcast and you have a chance to be as loud as you want to. Yeah, anytime you want to, that's right. What made you leave the show?
Well, it was just time for on both sides. But I you know, that's it. It was just time.
Okay, yeah, yeah, I don't I will. They're gonna have to drag me out of here, even if they tell me like it's time. So I'm always impressed when people make a decision for themselves.
Well, it wasn't me. It was a conversation. It was definitely like I was heading into the four my fourth season, and it was a few conversations with the network and the producers, and ultimately it just didn't work out. And that's where I am. That was the close of that chapter, but.
It has sent you on a path that you are interested in pursuing. Yes, which is your cocoa water, cocoa real.
Real coco, real, coca real coca. But I've had real coca for thirteen years. Oh so well before this, well before okay, yeah, did it get a little boost from so I will say, you know, I was actually very protective of the brand, so I didn't show it too much. I would you know, the girls wanted to drink it. They were very interested in the brand. They would drink it. Other than that, we did not chow it at all because it had been an established brand for ten years, and you know, you have to be careful, like there's like house brands and there's real brands, and I just wasn't quite sure where it was going to go. And I have a team investors. I mean, it's a company. So but yeah, I would say it's really fun to like I always wanted it to be a name brand, and so the show definitely people were like they started to make the connection, but no, I didn't bring it on the show.
What I think is interesting is you have this successful company for a decade and you're labeled a housewife.
What in the hell. It's very odd. Yeah, But I think what people don't really realize, and the girls don't get enough credit, is that it really is a career. Being a housewife is not just a housewife. And I really, despite whatever issues I had with some of the women and we were not aligned necessarily in our values or whatever, all of them work very hard. It is a full time job and they deserve every penny they make because it's really hard. It seems like it. Yeah, it's a job. Social media on its own, people should be paid to deal with the abuse. Yeah, I say from personal experience, it's wild. It is wild.
Are you just sitting there?
Like, are you kidding me? What is going on right now?
I say all the time, I will block the shit out of hell. Yeah, because my page is not a democracy.
It is a dictator, that's right.
And if you.
Are not one of my people, get.
Out of here. It's crazy. Like, don't they have jobs. No, I don't even do it. I want to do what they're doing. They have all the time to come at me like I want your.
Job, also, like you're coming at me. There's so much other stuff to be coming out at the moment.
Yes, and you.
Right, please, what is the rest of your life? Like yeah, andrew your other questions, do.
You feel like anxious before going to certain scenes? Like if you know, like O, yes, they're going to bring this.
Up, you answer yes that I'm tilling. My girlfriends have to like pep talk me like you walk in knowing what it's going to be about. It's not random because you know to show oh right, and so whatever topic it was yesterday, it's still the same topic. Right. It's because there's a through line, right, and no one's saying it's a through line. You just know that. Like if someone was finding yesterday, we have to ask, or if you weren't there, like you're asking what happened? You know, No, even if it's not about me, I'm like so stressed out, like oh my god, I have to ask them why did that is happening? Like it's not normal to do that, you know, But you got to move story along because then you would just be watching hours of people sitting there not talking right, or just talking about their kids like no one cares, you know, reasonable yeah, reasonable, yeah, like normal conversations. So yes, it was highly stressful. I actually loved hosting because then you kind of like get in there without like I'm sorry, I have to go get the chicken. And I remember my first year because I went to culinary school and so like food is my thing, and I became sort of the in house bartender. So I would just like, do you guys want to drink? I'm just make everyone drinks. And the producer came around to me, he goes, I know exactly what you're doing. This is your last drink of the season. You cannot make one more. Get back on the couch and get in there. I'm like, okay, So I was like the slowest drink I've ever made in my life. But yes, it's so stressful, it's so scary.
Uh like retrain your brain afterwards, So like, okay, I'm in like a safe spot. This is just a dinner. Like I trust you, we're good. We're not gonna argue tonight.
Okay, So that's adorable, and no, you can never not fight and so no, so now you can retrain your brain all you want, but you won't get to walk away not having it out. And it doesn't have to be a big blowout. It just something needs to be put on the table. And I just don't want to be the one to do that, except if it's a drink.
You know.
So post filming, though, how long does it take you to kind of decompress and get back to Hey, this is my real life and I'm not going into this dinner about to fight with someone or throw a drink whatever it is.
Well, I didn't do that off camera even when I was filming it. I seem like a drink thrower. I'm not.
I am.
I'm really I'm really cheap, So I would never like waste a drink. Yeah, I would not, you know, it isn't really we laugh out loud. It's okay, I'm very very cheap, she was pointing at her public. Yes, I'm very cheap and yeah, so yeah, no, you know what. That was my first year because it was COVID. I couldn't see my friends. You know, we were very much like a bubble on the show because they didn't want you getting you know, we had a film every day, so you can't like go and decompress with your friends. So that that first season felt very stressful for me because it's all I had. It was like filming and then I go home to nothing like my family but it was like lockdown. And then after I ended up going out so much more like we'd literally finish a dinner scene and I text my friends like meet me out, to meet me out right now, because I needed to see them to feel like, Okay, this is normal. Yeah that was not normal. So I think my problem was that I separated them so much. And I think the producers are like, we really need you, like this is all one real life moment for you. I'm like, well, no, I need to like I don't do that, I do this. But then towards the end, I was blending because it takes time to get to know the girls. So for me it was just more of like opening up to them and getting to know them. But for me when it was all over, when I didn't go back for my fourth season, I would say it was two weeks of like what is happening? And then that was it. I know for most girls it's a lot longer of a transition. I think it becomes their whole life.
Oh, we know some people that it is their whole life. Yeah, even when they're not doing whatever show they're doing, Yeah, and they're talking to you, you're kind.
Of like, eh, yeah, yeah, what is this? What are you sending me? It's happening right now. It's becomes your life in it. But I'm, like I said, I was able to separate that that this is something that I'm experiencing, and so I got to just kind of jump back into my normal life, which is really like being a mom and driving the kids to sports and stuff. And I didn't do that for a couple of years, and they weren't really used to that, Like they were very sad, like where are you? You know? And my kids would say, can you get a regular job? Like why I actually have a regular job. You just didn't know because you're at school, and like now my job is like going out to dinner. It's like they didn't really get it because they never seen the show. So yeah's just going back to like the hustle of my regular life, which is very busy, but I love.
I have to say, I've had a few housewives through here, and we encounter them all the time because we live in New York.
New Jersey.
It seems to me that you're just too hinged to be doing like of all of them. I genuinely I'm not just saying this because you're here right now. I would want to hang out with you the most.
You're so sie.
This seems like you seem like a very fun, well versed, cultured, well read person who can separate the two and have a good time. But still, you know, show up and do what you need to do and then get out of there.
I don't think that works for them, but maybe that's why they're great housewives. You know, Unhinged is fun to watch. And I always say, if you had eight of me, you would have like Shark Tank or something like it would be like not being out Lives, you know, it's my favorite show. Yeah, there we go. If anyone out there, you know, I would love to do Shark Tank. But do you have a business that you're trying to get out there? Well, you know real Coco's already there, So maybe I'll just create ones be on the show. But thank you for saying that, And I think that, yeah. I always say that, like that's I have to give flowers when it's due. And like those iconic housewives, I imagine like they're so big it's because they're probably just really hinged. Yeah, and they really you're not wasting it, that's right, that's boring, you know. So I think that the ones that go all in, I can see how it becomes their whole world. I'm also I've been with Rob for twenty two years. Like I've I've sort of been married to like watching the business. I've never been in it at all. I just was like on the arm of it. But I think that helped me gain more perspective heading in. I like, I think when you become a house like the sort of the average trajectory is like you just jump in and you're like, you don't know what's going to look like. I spent so much time researching and I watched the show, but I watched with different eyes. I talked to my husband's agent, I talked to it. I mean, like, I really did a lot of research and prep work, which why I think I was so timid and scared the hinged. Yeah, I'm just h tightly wound, my husband would say. But yeah, but that was just that's who I am. You know, I'm a super free spirit. I'm super open when I'm comfortable. Obviously, I'm very relaxed here. This is really like something I love to do. I love podcasts, I love chatting, but because you're not gonna like yell at me about something.
So well maybe yeah, maybe, well I don't know, but you're the one that gets all the yelling when we talk about hinged versus unhinged.
This man is unhinged. Well, maybe he'd be the next house site. He'd be great at that.
He'd just put up a little sign at his cubicle that says a bully free zone or no bully zone.
What is it?
It's bullyfree zone.
Immediately immediately by Diamond. By the way, would you do reality TV again?
Okay, so I do get this question, and my initial is like no, just say no. But if I said no from the start to do Housewives, I wouldn't be able to be sitting here and having my own platform now. And so you know what, I never say never. I just don't. That's not what I'm aiming for. But that's not what I'm looking for.
And there's all kinds of different reality TV. It could be, you know, like a physical challenge type thing.
It's survivor The Traders Love Traders? Do you love Traders? Because I'm really like in term my brain is like like I think I would be really gone on Traders yeah, yeah, let's put it into the universe right now.
Then if that's what you want to do, right I I think I would only do well on Traders if I immediately got chosen to be a trader.
Really I need to be a trader. I feel like being a trader would feel less stressful in the beginning. Yeah, but I think going into the season every day would get harder, every hour, get harder to keep that lie up. But I think initially it would feel like more grounding because you know what's going on. But then as you know, when you watch, you see like traders turn on each other and da da dah. It's like it's such a gameplay. But I love it. You know, the show is based on villagers and wolves, which is just a fun game at home, and it's like someone closes their eyes and there's always like a mafia. It's like mafia. Okay, yeah, so I play those my friends. So then when I saw the show, was like, oh, they stole my show, Like I love this show totally. But if we're putting things into the universe, yes, I don't. I never think is reality. But I did go to culinary school, and so a food show, a travel show like that is, I would say that I would be leaning towards intentionally. Do you want to host it? Or do you want to compete? Like could you do chopped?
Yeah?
I could?
You could?
Yeah, I think in my head I could do it all the time. And then they present like a flower, I'm I.
Going to cook that.
You could do it? You could do it. I don't even know what this one item is the protein? What is that? Is it like a clam? Is it a snail? I don't know. Well, So I went to culinary school when I was in my late twenties just for fun. I just did it because I just loved food, and what's a school for fun? I just did I would So I went to a French culinary school. And what I loved about it was it wasn't like you just learned French recipes. It's and I was a science major. I was a biology major. And it's really the science of food is culinary school. That's how I read it. So it's like, here is your protein, here's your heat source, here's your liquiord or dry, and this is what equates to it's literally a science project. All the flavors, all that stuff, is really just like that's your art. If you want to make it tie, you're going to use cafir lime and you're going to use basil and stuff like that. If you want to do Mexican, you're going to use those ingredients. But it's really a science of heat source and how to apply it to a protein or vegetable and then what comes out of it.
You make it sound so reasonable, I will in that kitchen.
Is that way too, Hitch?
It is The level of hingedness that comes out of you is wild. I want to touch on something that you said really quickly. You said you've been with Rob for twenty two years.
Yeah.
Crazy means you saw the Lion King as a little kid too.
I did, how long were you guys dating before you found out that he directed it?
Okay? So he hates so wat we talk about it because it just like ages him and like, you know, because I meant him when I was twenty okay, Yeah, because I just forty two. Okay, so it's I met him May tenth, So May tenth will be twenty two years wow? Okay? Yeah? And I knew immediately because I went to a birthday party at his studios and it was like flex, yeah. Yeah, he was saying a birthday party for friend, and my girlfriends knew the birthday boy. Okay, And so I was in college. We just went to this party thinking anything like meeting anybody. I was in college. I was like a student, you know. And he had this giant Chuck Jones poster of Bugs Bunny on his like huge, like wall size, and and I just kind of started talking about it. But it was an animation studio, so like I just and he was the director and owner, so I just knew that's him. I don't know if he said lyon King that night because he was Oh he was directing. Oh my god, this is ironic. He was directed Haunted Mansion. Oh wow, that was in production with Jennifer Tilley. Okay, so there's all that together. But I found out pretty immediately. But this is a funny tibit which he hates me sharing because again it's like in so embarrassing for him. So Jonathan Taylor Thomas was the voice of Simba yep, and he was at my school. He's a year older, but he was my biology partner in high school.
He was like every girl's drive in the mid nineties. I'm pretty sure he had the middle page of every magazine.
He was dating this girl, Nikki, who's a year older, like tall, blonde, gorgeous, like the whole thing, like supermodel. But it's so funny because I looked at him, like, oh my god, that's like Simba. He still went to school?
Was that?
Yeah?
He would go to s Yeah, I think he was. Was it Home Improvement? So yeah, a lot of kids would. It's la right, like kids are celebrity kids, so they would go whatever film or whatever and then come back to school. But I was not in that, so I just knew he left. So he was always like away during like lab work, what a shitty partner? Was he good at biology? Yeah? Aside from the fact that he might be lying about this, but I think he went to Harvard? Oh so he probably maybe was he went to Harvard or ye, he's something like that. Let's all ask Siri. See I did totally make it up, and like, Siri.
Where did Jonathan Taylor Thomas go to college?
Harvard? See?
Yes, Oh my god, how many schools does this man attend? He's super smart?
Harvard University, the University of State Andrews in Scotland, and Columbia.
Yeah, he's really smart. My god, guy, I know you're never Yeah, well he's simbas I gotta something. So okay, so you're he your husband doesn't love you to talk about that fact, but I find it faster.
I think it's also what an amazing flex again I directed.
It's just so many funny it is King, Oh the King.
Yeah, that's Did he have any thoughts on a live action version?
He did.
He hated as much as I did. No, no, no, And it was really you know, John Favreaux directed it, and he did a great job with the Jungle Book Lion King. He did great, and he brought Robin and they had you know, he asked Rob his advice and he was great about it, and he really wanted to, you know, keep the essence of Rob's original storytelling, and that you did.
Okay.
You know, Rob is also very much like that's no longer my project, you know, like amazing I built these characters, and you know, we were at the Mufassa premiere and he's watching. He goes, oh, so they're not actually brothers. That's not how I built them. Spoiler alert, I haven't seen it. You go figure this out. Okay, sorry, but you know he's also like, that's not how I envisioned. That's not who the characters were in my mind. But it's no longer my character, you know, Like he's very much like this is very very zen, very hinge together geez, because I'd be like, how dare you? This is my pet? He might internally, but with me, he's pretty hiny with me, So yeah, that would make sense. Why you've been together for a while.
Yeah, how old are your kids?
Zoe's ten, Max's twelve. Little, that's little to me. It's like they're little, you know, their babies. Yeah, yeah, so let's talk about your podcasts. Yeah, how excited are you? I love it. I've been working on it for two years, the idea of it, and I really felt like this space was right for me because I just always felt comfortable. And I thought about it because I was filming a show in a space that I felt uncomfortable. So I was like, I knew there was something out there for me that made more sense. But when you're filming, it's just it's so much work that it's hard to sort of navigate something like this and start it. Also, I was like I didn't. I knew I would have to like talk about the show in real time, and I was already like, so I didn't want to talk about even more to film it. So I was like, and once I went home, I wanted to wash it off. So I wasn't going to start a podcast and talk about it. And so that's why, you know, when when I started it, I asked Cynthia to be my partner. Who She's like blowing up my phone right, I'm like, leave me alone. I love you, Sonthia, this is my time. Yeah, exactly. It was fun. I was like, didn't think I would invite a friend who was a housewife, but Cynthia is just way beyond that for me. She is my friend, my confidant, and someone that I really like called and used to help me through my experience. And so I'm like, oh, we really have a lot of history together and the people don't know that. And you know, she's like very successful model, like huge model and actor, and she lives really kind of a fun la life and that was really the idea of it. You know, Beverly Hills Housewives is sort of the glossy version, but I like, I live it in real life. But in what I think is just but it's actually my life, you know, in an everyday way. And it's really fun because I think Cynthia does as well, and we've got to just share stories that we go through. They just happen to randomly have like a celebrity involved or something. But we're just moms at the end of the day, and we're just hustlers at the end of the day, and we're just trying to figure it out and it's just really fun. I love it. It's like therapy for me.
I see what it's called humble brag because you're like, you know, it's just everyday life. We have a fun story, maybe there's a celebrity. Do you want to tell me one of your most favorite encounters that happen to have a celebrity in it.
I'll think about the most recent.
Uh.
I went to that because it's Oscar season, so there's all those you know, there's a lot of screeners and a lot of panels. So this was last year and I went to the Color Purple to see it and Octavia Spencer, who was in Rob's movie, invited us. She was hosting the panel and I and Fantasia was there and I walk up and I'm like, I was like a little like high, and she's like looking at me. Her eyes get big, and then I knew she was looking at me because she knew who I was. I go, no, please don't tell me, you know wh I am. She's like, I watch all of them, and we just it was so funny because she got so excited, and Rob's looking at me like like his head, he doesn't get who watches the show, so he's like Fantasia watching it. I'm like, well, she has a reality start a lot of ways, you know. So that was really fun because then now I'm like, getting to talk to Fantasio, I think is so brilliant, especially in that movie talking about a very unhinged television show that I was on. So that was really fun.
So that's what we're gonna get from your podcast stories like this. Yes, do you ever have guests come on?
We do?
We do.
We just had Denise Richards on last week. I knew Denise before the show, but we talked about it'll be out I think next week. But we talk about sort of our experiences pre and post show and just life in Hollywood, and you know, our mutual friends, and that's really what it is, like, it's girlfriends chatting about our lives just kind of in Hollywood. In Hollywood. Yeah, but we're also normal. But it is normal.
I know it's normal for people in Hollywood. For us, that's not normal. So I would definitely listen to this, right right, Andrew, do you have more questions?
Do you think that people put on a certain lifestyle to show on television that's not necessarily their real life?
Do you think they do it on social media?
Absolutely?
Then yes, absolutely, yes.
So we say all the time, you get a little snippet of who people are and then you think you know everything. I'm guilty of it too. Yeah, there are celebrities that I'm like, I know everything about this word No, I don't.
Well that's well, that's the beauty of the podcast, right, like I don't. None of Housewives is fake, you know, it's just a snippet though, because there's only so much time you could show, and they don't have the time to show an entire personality and my whole life of what. They don't want to see me driving to baseball that's not that interesting. They want to see the glamour and all this stuff. Which exists too. So that's what's the beauty about this podcast. It's the whole thing. I get so many messages like how come we didn't see this side of you, and like, well, I don't control that, right, this is who I am and it's really fun. I feel like the response has been great, and like Cynthia is literally like everyboday like who are you? Like You're you just are always coming out out of nowhere and I'm like, I get to just be myself and it's really nice to just do that without we don't. Our whole thing is not to like go after someone. We're all positive. We talk about the show, we talk about you know, like our relationships with the people and Bravo. But we're not out to get anybody. That's that's not our vibe at all.
Has there been any accidental uh shit storring because of that? I didn't expect. Yes, I was actually expecting. You know what happened.
Well, here's the thing. I'm not. I'm not sure coding anything. I'm but I'm not making it salacious to be silacious, you know, So I just tell stories. And I did get a call from an ex cast member, and not a call very intense text, but we have since made up. We ran into each other and they're humble at Paris Fashion Week and it went very well. Okay. I was not expecting to see this person and it went very very well, and I'm very happy about it. So okay, good. Yeah, but that's what happens, you know, because I'm not there lying about a story. I'm just there to tell a story. Like why did you tell a story? Like, I don't know just because it happens my wife. I'm just telling stories.
Sorry, I actually said a fact about what was going on. So you're liking it, You're going to continue with.
Podcast for a while, I hope. So yeah, where can people find it if they want to listen? Where you can hear all podcasts? We're us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts. We were I Heard Radio app, iHeart Radio app, I Heart Radio app. We were Apple's top ten new podcasts when we came out, so that was super exciting. Thank you.
Yeah.
I think people just want to hear real stories. It feels very I think bts of a housewive show. That's really what I was like. It's the real real housewife to me.
Okay, so you might have just picked up two new listeners. I left it on my right Diamond and Andrew, because I think that's what they're really into.
Well, I would listen to the fourteen Friends one because if you're really interest in Beverly Hills. I think that was such an elusive sort of topic because we couldn't really talk. Well, I guess we could have, but I don't think they would have aired it. But I really dive deep into the details of that and super cathartic for me because I held it in. It's almost five years when that happened, when I Yeah, so.
I'm still surprised that some of them haven't circled back and reached out, like you know what, but.
It's probably all at better.
Yeah.
I think it's that, you know, relationships have, you know their time limits sometimes, and that was it for me, So the reason in the season. Yeah, yeah, that's right.
So Instagram, they can find you at Crystal Cone mink Off where Andrew really enjoyed your cucumber pickle recipes.
Call it it's the infamous cucumber, the infamous crystal cucumbers.
That I do love that you win. I love that you said pickles because it's so for good, buddy. But yes, I am very proud of that recipe. It's so funny because it's such a humble Chinese dish and it's literal cooking, it's lois assembly, and it really like took off went viral and I'm saying it's like if you typed in crystal. The next search was crystal cucumber, and which I again is very proud cucumbers. I don't know. And because I'm obsessed, you know, I'm obsessed with is Hilaria oh Baldwin? Yes, Okay, So I really used that video a lot to be like, oh yeah, how do you say, like so awesome? How you say in English cucumber cucumber? I was like, this bitch is crazy. Oh my god, it's incredible.
But also, can we talk about your your company, Really Real Coco.
Yes, you can find us online at enjoy Realcoco dot com and on Instagram. We're a nationwide costco, nationwide, smart and final. You really can fine it everywhere you can find it online. We have a range of organic coconut water, coconut milks. I'm just really proud of it. Most our farms are all in Thailand and Vietnam. We bought the source, and I mean it's just a perfectly clean brand and that was really important to us, just having clean, pure coconut water, nothing added, nothing taken out. And yeah, well guess what.
Someone to my right, Andrew just got a Costco membership. He's headed over there to get this right now.
Okay, I love it. We're getting it, and it's really good, you know, put in the fridge, it's great, chilled, it's super high, and it's just people call it like coconut water, like nature's gatorade.
Yeah.
Absolutely, there's no sugar, you know, it's natural. And yeah, I hope you enjoy.
It, you know, talking about reality shows every time they're digging for water in these places on like, you dumb asses, there are coconuts around. You get the coconuts so much better than whatever is about to happen down there.
Don't do that.
But also you can find real coca. Is there an Instagram page for that?
Yeah, it's at enjoyrealcocoa dot com. Okay, thank you so much for joining. Thank you. Okay, I really liked her.
I thought she had a lot of interesting things to say. I would definitely want to be friends with her. She's beautiful. She got her own business, and she said it's a real business.
It is. It's not a housewife.
It's not a housewife business. I'm trying to think of any other housewife that has a real business.
Oh my, real business mean something that was started before they came into the Housewives, because the skinny girl stuff really took off for Bethany, right.
Yeah, that would be the only other legitment.
Because you want cookies, what are they a girl bar? Whatever? Whatever.
It's like, just like, I cannot say how sick I am of Joe and Melissa Gorga. I think I have to.
I'm sick of them. She's tired. I am tired, gonna take it anymore? Oh my god?
Please.
Yeah, she's blaming them for the demise of the Jersey franchise.
Yeah, Teresa deserves blame too, but I'm like, I'm exhausted by them.
Listen, speaking of the Housewives. This is a spoiler alert. If you have not finished Traders, stop listening right now.
Okay, I gave you enough time. Our girl Dolo she won the Traders. How hers housewife in history to win? She was the worst.
This was Okay, So this season of the Traders. I love that show.
It's great. Thank you for introducing me to it.
By the way, season three of the Traders US version, the people who made it to the end, it was just by sheer like. I think the only one of the four who actually deserved it was Dylan. Dylan saw through everybody's shit. He was just a little too nervous to really go after them and call it out, but he knew what was up. Dolorous, my girl voted wrong every single.
Time, every time, every time. I love her though.
She just voted for her heart. She was just mad at people, so she was carrying out grudges. It didn't matter if it made sense, it didn't matter if it took the balance of what was going on. She played with zero politics. She just went for like, but that's how I feel about.
It, yep.
And then she has Hiva. I don't know.
It's like, excuse me, Tom, I don't trust you. It's like, no, you're mad because he voted for you.
Just say that, Just say that.
But the people who made it to the congratulations to Dylan, Gabby, Dolores, and Ivar. Will never figure out how they did it, but they did it. Also, the Traders this year. They had one good point. I said, Danielle and Carolyn were the worst traders I've ever seen. Yes, they were god awful, absolutely terrible, horrible. To be fair, Danielle did make a point that she made it farther as a trader than anybody else ever had.
Either way, Danielle was a horrible player, horrible. Carolyn was a horrible player, a mess.
But if they did get farther than everybody else, or are they that horrible?
Yes, the cast could get dumber and dumber.
You know season one I didn't watch it. Did Traders want or did faithfuls one?
I didn't watch season one either. There were no So season two was when they started bringing in the people that I watched, like, you know, all the housewives and stuff like that. I think season one was full of like everyday people, oh oh, okay, mixed in with a few because I know Kate Chestein was on season one. I can't remember anyone else. Okay, but the show was very entertaining. Justice for Derinda, she would have made great TV.
Okay, Okay, but let me tell you in the reunion, she was really hung up on the fact that Bob the drag Queen didn't know who she was. She wouldn't let it go. It made her so unlikable. I have no idea who Derinda was either. I think I've met her a couple of times. But it's okay, you're in this little niche of celebrity, and definitely everybody who watches that show is going to know. I'm sure who you are, but all the people who have no idea, I couldn't name any housewives except for the ones that have been on the show, right, I think that podcast, I should say, She's always been a person of like principle, and I think she was probably more offended of like the way that he said it, like I don't know who she is, and it's like she probably felt like that was rude, but she didn't know who he was. Yeah, I'm mad that he didn't take back the insult toward Dylan Ephron about Zach Effromne bad after.
Was that was rude? Come on, Troy Bolton.
And I was a fan of Bob the Drag Queen even up until the end, up until the reunion. In the reunion, I was like, Oh, she lost me, yeah, or he lost me whatever, fucking Bob all right on that note. We'll be back next week, and I don't know what we're gonna do. Maybe we'll do a miniso. Maybe we'll talk to someone you know.
TVD TVD leave us a talkback though, hit.
The little microphone button if you're listening on your phone and say something to us. Maybe we'll do a whole episode of those, because that's kind of fun. Oh yes, also like follow, subscribe, leave us reviews. Somebody left us a very hilarious I'm trying to leave you guys a review, but I don't know if I can actually leave a review with my question. I was like, that'll actually be funny. Go for it if you want to. We're still holding study at four point nine. It's I don't know how, but I'll take it.
People like you for now.
As the year progresses, we'll see how that works out. Okay, people want to find you online, Diamond where they.
Find you at diamond since here on Instagram, at diamond sincere with an underscore on Twitter.
Absolutely, and I'm at baby hots us on Instagram and Twitter.
And we'll see you next time. Say bye bye.
Mm hmm
