"This is someone who called her cast members every horrific name under the sun for years and yet she can't comprehend that they are happy to have her off the show."
Frankel dissed the Bravo hit reality series after her exit was discussed in the Season 12 premiere episode. "The beginning of the show was the proverbial middle finger to me,' she told Extra. "The women have definitely had some unpleasant things to say about me… I wish them well."
But five different production sources told the publication that her comments are "a desperate and pathetic" attempt to remain in the spotlight.
"Every second of every day she thinks about the error she made in walking away from the only show that was ever a success for her," one insider claims.
"Her extreme narcissism has meant that she can't handle the spotlight being taken away from her," they said. "The women know it kills her that this season is going to be a success without her. You've got to feel sorry for her really. She lost on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, her talk show bombed, her Sirius radio show failed, and every time Bravo has attempted another show with her - they've tanked too."
The source continues, "Her toxic comments really are a slap in the face for Andy Cohen. I feel really sorry for him. He made her a star through the Real Housewives and backed her for years and this is how she thanks him, by trashing the show. She's simply not a loyal friend or a gracious colleague."
The sources also claim that Frankel can't stay away and constantly called the current housewives during filming to try to get the tea or appear relevant.
"As we filmed this season she blew up the phone of one of the cast members multiple times a day, always wanting to know what was going on during filming," a source said. "She'd want a breakdown of every scene, who said what, who is fighting with who. It was pathetic. The women would laugh and joke about how they knew it was killing Bethenny that she wasn't on the show."
They also claim Frankel thinks she's now "above" reality television. "Bethenny wants to talk about how she's above reality TV, but that's what made her a success. She is reality TV and it is her oxygen," they said.
While dissing the show, Frankel also slammed the new season's ratings. But sources are claiming otherwise.
"The show did really well. She hadn't even seen the ratings. Once all the numbers come in, episode one is on track to smash the first episode of the last season Bethenny starred in," sources close to production told DailyMailTV.
According to ratings data, Season 12's premiere ratings were similar to Season 11's average viewership, and so far streaming viewing for the latest premiere was up 13 percent versus Season 11, reports the publication.
But what sources say is the most "outrageous" of all of Frankel's allegations, is that she is the reason new cast member Leah McSweeney is on the show this season.
"The most outrageous leak was Bethenny taking credit for Leah McSweeney being cast. This mysteriously appeared in PEOPLE just before the season premiered, yet Leah has never even met Bethenny," the source revealed. "The two women share a beauty therapist and she recommended her name – a name that Bethenny sent to the network along with a list of other names. Something that all the women do every season."
The source added, "Bethenny even followed Leah on Instagram and when she heard that Leah was working out well and that the other women were enjoying filming with her, Bethenny suddenly unfollowed her."
Photo Credit: Bravo
