Entertainment

Bethenny Frankel Under Fire For Racist, Sexist Comments At Project Entrepreneur Summit: Organizers Issue Apology

Published on: April 15, 2016 at 11:45 AM
By Stacey Cole

Bethenny Frankel thinks black women should hire white men to represent their businesses, according to People . The 45-year-old reality TV personality also reportedly said women should have sex with men in exchange for capital.

Although there is no recording of Bethenny Frankel saying these as well as other rather offensive things at a women’s entrepreneurial summit last weekend, an entrepreneur who attended the summit addressed the news via Twitter and in a Huffington Post article.

The entrepreneur named Mary Pryor , who was among the audience at the Rent the Runway and UBS’s Project Entrepreneur summit held on Saturday in New York City, claims Bethenny Frankel made some rather offensive and controversial comments about female entrepreneurs.

Pryor wrote in her Huffington Post article that she was one of the women who tried to respond to Bethenny Frankel during her speech, but was “silenced.” In one of her remarks, according to Pryor, the Real Housewives of New York City star implied that women should have sex with men in exchange for capital.

“I was offended when she expressed some kind of kinship with black women because she’s ‘loud.’”

Bethenny Frankel also reportedly advised black female entrepreneurs to hire white men to represent their companies. Pryor added that many women of color sitting in the audience were shocked to hear Frankel’s comments about black businesswomen.

In nine tweets addressing the issue, Pryor provided more details as to what exactly happened when Bethenny Frankel was delivering her offensive comments. Pryor said she “along with another ally of color” stood up to say how offensive Frankel was to not just them but also the entire room of female entrepreneurs.

Pryor also said that Bethenny Frankel didn’t back down even when women attempted to speak out, adding that they were immediately silenced by moderators of the summit, which was hosted for female businesswomen.

“No apology. No acknowledgment of an ignorant reply. Just a comment from a moderator about ‘breaking up a fight’ and removing the mic from our hands.”

Pryor also criticized the summit for not apologizing to either the women of color sitting in the audience or female entrepreneurs, who made up the majority of the audience. She also added that she is tired of being invited to events for female entrepreneurs and have her voice “shut down.”

Here are the nine tweets.

But the organizer of the summit, Project Entrepreneur, later issued a statement in the form of a series of five tweets, in which it apologized for the offensive comments given by Bethenny Frankel. The statement said the organizers understand that the audience was “offended” by the remarks made by Frankel, adding that it wasn’t their intention and is “contrary to our goals.”

“We launched Project Entrepreneur to champion all women. We thank those of you who candidly spoke out and welcome this important dialogue.”

Here are the full set of tweets.

This is not the only incident that has caused Bethenny Frankel to make headlines this week. The Skinnygirl Vodka founder is battling the Real Housewives of New York City star Sonja Morgan over liquor, according to Fox News .

In November of last year, Morgan said she was planning to launch an alcohol line called “Tipsy Girl.” But Bethenny Frankel, who owns the Skinnygirl Vodka brand, thought the new liquor line has the name that is too close to her brand’s.

So Bethenny Frankel filed to trademark “Tipsy Girl,” but her action was dismissed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Frankel’s spokesperson told Fox News that Morgan’s attempt to launch a liquor line with that name is “laughable.”

“Bethenny owns 100 percent of the Skinnygirl brand, and this feeble attempt to trade on her brand reputation is laughable.”

[Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images]

TAGGED:
Share This Article