‘The Real Housewives Of New York City’ Star Bethenny Frankel Made A Living Crying On Bravo

The Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel may be known for her Skinnygirl success, but before she made it big as a liquor mogul, the single mother was a reality star, appearing on the first three seasons of the Bravo series.

“I made my entire living on Bravo crying for eight years,” Frankel revealed, via a November 14 report by People Magazine, at a Fidelity and PureWow event and panel discussion in N.Y.C. on Wednesday.

And soon, Frankel will be returning to the show for a seventh season after taking a few years off.

“After many years of hesitation, I have decided to return to my roots on ‘The Real Housewives of New York City.’ I have been through a long and arduous road since my departure, and I’m finally coming out on the other side. It finally feels right to go home again,” Frankel wrote on her website, according to an Inquisitr report.

“After my talk show ended, I really had doubts about ever going back to television. I’ve been through a lot personally, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to expose myself to any more public scrutiny. That said, I’ve been so fortunate to be able to connect with the audience and inspire them to fulfill their wildest dreams. I learned a lot about myself through that experience. I really need to be able to express myself freely and creatively; I like when no two days are the same, and I don’t thrive when being filtered or edited.”

Also at Wednesday’s event, Frankel recalled what she was like as a college student years ago.

“I had a big Jew ‘fro, bright red lipstick, and I was as tan as could be. All I do is drink alcohol! I studied psychology – you see how far that got me.”

While Frankel may not have become a psychologist, she did become successful — starting with a career in cookies.

“I started with my cookie business. I gave cookies to anyone and everyone: When I left someone’s house, when I was meeting up with people to get my name out there. No one knew if I was successful or not, but they knew… she’s not lazy, this b***h is going.”

Despite her success, Frankel is a cautious spender, and admits she doesn’t realize how well off she is.

“Relationships with money could be a lot like your relationships with food, family… a lot of noise around it. I still can’t believe I can buy some things sometimes. I call my financial adviser all the time to ask if I can buy certain things. I’m like, ‘I can buy a purse?'” she said.

After her Real Housewives of New York City return was announced, Frankel appeared on Extra TV, where she revealed her comeback felt “fresh.”

“When I left the show and then the talk show was done, I was kind of really burnt out,” Frankel explained, according to the Inquisitr. “I didn’t know if I really wanted to be on television anymore, at least for a while… and I really would like it to be my decision if I stop the train of being in the public eye and being on television. And I think if I didn’t do something else soon, that I really thought was good for me, then it wouldn’t have been my choice any more. It just feels fresh and new, which is kind of representative of where I am in my personal life, which feels fresh and new.”

The Real Housewives of New York City returns to Bravo next year.

[Photo via Twitter]