Bethenny Frankel is an American television personality, entrepreneur, and author who has a net worth of $80 million. She is best known for being an original cast member of the Bravo reality show The Real Housewives of New York City and for creating the Skinnygirl brand of cocktails, food, and lifestyle products.
In this article, we will explore the biography, net worth, and social media presence of Bethenny Frankel. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about her life and career.
Bethenny Frankel Biography
| Name | Bethenny Frankel |
|---|---|
| Birth day | November 4, 1970 |
| Birth place | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Age | 51 years old |
| Birth sign | Scorpio |
| Nationality | American |
| Mother | Bernadette Birk |
| Father | Robert J. Frankel |
| Spouse | Jason Hoppy (m. 2010; div. 2021) Peter Sussman (m. 1996; div. 1997) |
| Siblings | None |
| College | Boston University New York University Natural Gourmet Institute |
Bethenny Frankel Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bethenny Frankel has a net worth of $80 million as of September 2023. Her main sources of income are her television appearances, her Skinnygirl brand, her books, and her podcasts.
Frankel reportedly earned $7,250 for her first season of The Real Housewives of New York City in 2008. She then negotiated a higher salary of $40,000 per episode for the second season. By the time she left the show in 2010, she was making $500,000 per season. She returned to the show in 2014 and earned $1 million per season until she quit again in 2019.
Frankel also made money from her spin-off shows on Bravo. She earned $175,000 per episode for Bethenny Getting Married? and Bethenny Ever After, which ran for three seasons from 2010 to 2012. She also earned $500,000 for the first season of Bethenny & Fredrik, which aired in 2018.
Frankel also ventured into daytime television with her own talk show, Bethenny, which was produced by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for one season from 2013 to 2014 and paid Frankel $1 million.
Frankel’s biggest payday came from the sale of her Skinnygirl cocktail line to Beam Global in 2011. Although the exact amount of the deal was never disclosed, it was widely reported that Frankel received $100 million for the transaction. However, Frankel later clarified that the figure was exaggerated and that she actually received $8.1 million upfront and another $25 million over time based on sales.
Frankel still owns the Skinnygirl brand and has expanded it to include other products such as popcorn, candy, coffee, tea, salad dressing, jeans, shapewear, and more. She also has licensing deals with other companies such as Walmart, Macy’s, and QVC.
Frankel is also a bestselling author who has sold over a million copies of her four books. She reportedly earned $1 million for her first book deal with Simon & Schuster in 2009.
Frankel is also a podcaster who hosts two shows: Just B with Bethenny Frankel and Rewives Podcast. She launched Just B in 2020 and has interviewed celebrities such as Mark Cuban, Paris Hilton, Andy Cohen, and Hillary Clinton. She launched Rewives Podcast in 2021 and has recapped episodes of The Real Housewives franchise with guest co-hosts such as Heather Dubrow and Dorinda Medley.
Frankel is also a philanthropist who has donated millions of dollars and supplies to help victims of natural disasters through her BStrong initiative. She has partnered with Global Empowerment Mission to provide aid to places such as Texas, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guatemala, Bahamas, Australia, Lebanon, India, and more.
Some interesting stories about Frankel’s net worth include:
- She once bought a $40,000 Rolex watch for her ex-husband Jason Hoppy as a gift but later regretted it after their divorce.
- She bought a $4.2 million loft in SoHo in 2017 but never moved in because she found out that it had a legal issue with the previous owner.
- She sold her Tribeca apartment for $6.95 million in 2016 after living there for four years. She had bought it for $4.95 million in 2011.
- She bought a $2.5 million farmhouse in Connecticut in 2020 as a weekend getaway for her and her daughter.
- She donated $500,000 to the Red Cross in 2017 to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
About Bethenny Frankel
Bethenny Frankel was born in Queens, New York City, to Robert J. Frankel, a horse trainer, and Bernadette Birk, an interior designer. She had a difficult childhood, as her parents divorced when she was four years old and her mother remarried to another horse trainer, John Parisella, who was abusive to her and her mother. She moved around a lot and attended several schools before graduating from the Pine Crest School in Florida.
Frankel moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to pursue an acting career, but she only landed some small roles and worked as a nanny and a personal assistant to celebrities. She also started her first business, a party-planning company called In Any Event, which was short-lived. She then moved back to New York City and launched a baking business called BethennyBakes, which focused on healthy cookies and meal delivery.
Frankel gained wider recognition after appearing on the NBC reality show The Apprentice: Martha Stewart in 2005, where she was the runner-up. She then joined the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City in 2008, which documented her personal and professional life. She also starred in her own spin-off shows, Bethenny Getting Married?, Bethenny Ever After, and Bethenny & Fredrik.
Frankel is also a successful entrepreneur who founded the Skinnygirl brand in 2009. She created a low-calorie margarita that became a hit and sold the cocktail line to Beam Global for an estimated $100 million in 2011. She retained the rights to use the Skinnygirl name for other products, such as food, clothing, books, and skincare.
Frankel is also a philanthropist who established her own disaster relief initiative called BStrong in 2017. She has donated millions of dollars and supplies to help victims of natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and pandemics.
Frankel is also an author who has written four self-help books: Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting (2009), The SkinnyGirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life (2009), A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life (2011), and Skinnydipping (2012).
Some of the achievements and awards that Frankel has received include:
- Being named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities by Forbes in 2011
- Winning two People’s Choice Awards for Favorite Reality Show Star in 2012 and Favorite Daytime TV Host in 2014
- Receiving the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Pioneer Award in 2016
- Being honored with the Visionary Award by Dress for Success in 2017
- Being nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality Program for Bethenny Ever After in 2012 and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program for The Big Shot with Bethenny in 2021
Bethenny Frankel Social Media
Bethenny Frankel is active on various social media platforms where she shares her personal and professional updates with her fans and followers. Here are some of her social media handles:
- Instagram: @bethennyfrankel (3.3 million followers)
- Twitter: @Bethenny (1.5 million followers)
- Facebook: @bethennyfrankel (1.1 million followers)
- TikTok: @bethennyfrankel (1 million followers)
- YouTube: Bethenny Frankel (250K subscribers)
- Podcasts: Just B with Bethenny Frankel and Rewives Podcast
FAQs about Bethenny Frankel
How did Bethenny Frankel make her money?
Bethenny Frankel made her money from her television appearances, her Skinnygirl brand, her books, and her podcasts.
How much does Bethenny Frankel make per year?
Bethenny Frankel’s annual income is not publicly known, but it is estimated that she makes around $10 million per year from her various ventures.
How much did Bethenny Frankel get from her divorce?
Bethenny Frankel’s divorce from Jason Hoppy was finalized in 2021 after eight years of legal battles. The details of their settlement are confidential, but it is believed that they split their assets evenly and share custody of their daughter.
Is Bethenny Frankel married now?
Bethenny Frankel is not married now, but she is engaged to Paul Bernon, a film producer and real estate developer. They started dating in 2018 and got engaged in March 2021.
Stay tuned with The iBulletin for more updates!