Writing About Bethenny Frankel (At My Own Risk)

A case study on the power of being polarizing

I’ve been fortunate on TikTok. Despite having a growing platform where I create content designed to spark conversation, I’ve mostly avoided trolls in my comments. The only exception? When I post about Bethenny Frankel. That’s when the daggers come out — not just disdain for Bethenny but, surprisingly, for me, for daring to acknowledge her intelligence and business savvy. (Ironically, whenever I post something moderately critical of Bethenny, her 2.2 million fans come for me just as hard. It’s uncanny.)

How dare I say she’s smart? That she’s a shrewd businessperson. That she has chutzpah. Three truths that should transcend personal feelings about her personality or perceived “narcissism”.

I got mocked, trolled, and blocked by Bethenny-hater account Celeb Fail when I dared to fact-check one of their posts

But this reaction fascinates me, as does Bethenny herself. I feel a connection to her on many levels. We’re the same age, we’ve both endured unnecessarily prolonged divorces (a topic for another day), and she built a significant part of her fortune through licensing — something I deeply respect. Her Skinnygirl brand is a masterclass in the power of trademarks and strategic partnerships.

One of her most impressive moves? Negotiating her original contract with Bravo for The Real Housewives of New York. Bethenny reportedly earned around $7K for the season but refused to sign the clause that would have given Bravo a cut of any business she promoted on the show. After her runaway success with Skinnygirl, Bravo ensured future Housewives wouldn’t have the same freedom by creating what became known as “The Bethenny Clause.” A deal that cemented her reputation as a savvy operator.

The Birth of a New Kind of Influencer

While Bethenny’s Skinnygirl success is well-documented, her evolution into a bonafide social media influencer is equally compelling. As a long-time listener of her Just B podcast, I recall her interview with Melissa Ben-Ishay, the founder of Baked by Melissa. Melissa’s journey to TikTok fame—creating salad and recipe content adjacent to her cupcake brand—seemed to plant a seed for Bethenny. Shortly after, Bethenny dove into TikTok herself, and her now-iconic beauty reviews were born.

Enter Bethenny’s beauty reviews, where she unapologetically critiques products in her trademark style. Her content and expression—“expensive shit that’s worth it” or “garbooj”—is refreshingly raw, often filmed without the polished veneer typical of influencers. She positions herself as the ultimate “de-influencer,” determined to save followers from wasting money on underwhelming products.

This rogue approach has paid off. Last week alone, Bethenny showcased two instances of her immense influence. The first was her review of G’s Cleaning, an odor and stain remover. After using it to clean her brand-new white sectional following her dog’s unfortunate accident, G’s Cleaning was inundated with orders. The entrepreneur behind it even flew from Long Island to Miami to restore Bethenny’s sofa. G’s videos of the endless stream of Shopify orders following that cleaning confirmed the upside of Bethenny’s endorsement. (Full disclosure: I was one of those orders.)

G's Cleaning counting the orders in the Miami airport heading back from Bethenny

Contrast that with her hilarious review of Harry Hamlin’s pasta sauce. In a brutally honest taste test, Bethenny declared the product subpar. This “no sugar-coating” approach is part of her secret sauce (pun intended). Most influencers tread lightly with PR packages, but Bethenny doesn’t need brand deals or anyone’s approval—her authenticity drives her platform’s power.

Bathenny's IRL realization that Harry Hamlin's pasta sauce is "garbooj"

The Value of Polarization

Bethenny understands something many brands and influencers shy away from, the power of being polarizing. Engagement is the currency of social media, and her boldness drives both attention and conversation. People love to hate her because most lack the audacity to be so unfiltered themselves.

This lesson extends beyond influencers to brands themselves. Standing out in today’s crowded market requires more than good products; it requires a unique voice and presence that commands attention. As someone with a background in brand licensing, I’ve witnessed the shift. Major retailers only have so much shelf space for new brands like G’s Cleaning products. The DTC boom is built on the ability of influencers and everyday individuals to create their own “commercials” that generate buzz and drive sales from social media.

Bethenny’s approach isn’t for everyone, but it’s undeniably effective. Whether she’s building her own brand, or making (or breaking) someone else’s, her authenticity and polarizing persona are an asset in the modern marketing landscape. Perhaps that’s why she provokes such strong reactions: She’s a mirror, reflecting the boldness many of us wish we had while also (at times) being the trainwreck we cannot help but watch.

What do you think? Does being polarizing pay off, or is it a gamble that only a few can pull off? I’d love to hear your thoughts.