Top 5 Most Influential ‘Real Housewives’
Reality television is both a blessing and a curse. As a blessing it allows the public to glance behind the curtain of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world. Their lives — drama, juicy betrayals, and emotional rollercoasters — are broadcasted to the world to entertain and inspire. As a result, it sometimes blinds us to the hard work and success of those we watch.
The Real Housewives franchise is just one of many reality television shows, but its set apart in many ways. With 9 separate series ranging from one-to-thirteen seasons, the Real Housewives franchise continues to give us a glimpse into the lives of some of the most powerful and successful women in the world. Returning with it’s 13th season, The Real Housewives of Orange County aired this week with nearly 1.5 million people tuning in for the season’s premiere. Ranking surprisingly well after thirteen consecutive years, and multiple spin-offs, it’s an unprecedented accomplishment for reality television and bodes well for the years (and seasons!) to come.
Given the housewives’ undeniable entertainment, sometimes we forget that many of the Real Housewives are driven entrepreneurs and savvy businesswomen. Here’s a reminder of the Top 5 Most Influential Real Housewives!
#1 Lisa Vanderpump, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Net Worth: $75 Million
One of the most successful restaurant-empire co-owners, Lisa Vanderpump has been an outspoken pioneer of women in business for years. She is the highest paid celebrity housewife of the Beverly Hills series, has starred in numerous television shows, and even has her own spin-off show called Vanderpump Rules. Vanderpump has shared what she believes are ten reasons that she has been successful on Money Inc. and, as most of her aforementioned rules will tell you, she’s become the woman she is today because of an indomitable attitude and readiness to be ruthless.
#2 Carole Radziwill, Real Housewives of New York
Net Worth: $50 Million
One of the few truly self-made celebrities of all the Housewives, Carole Radziwill started out as an intern at ABC and eventually became an internationally renowned journalist. She’s reported from war-torn countries such as Iraq and Kandahar, has touched on foreign policies in Cambodia, Haiti, and India. She’s a New York Times bestselling author — What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love — columnist, and novelist. For all of her incredible work, Carole has been awarded 3 Emmys and the highly coveted Peabody, making her a poster-woman for hard-won success!
#3 Kandi Burruss, Real Housewives of Atlanta
Net Worth: $35 Million
With one of the largest social media followings of any of the Housewives (per Instagram and Facebook), Kandi Burruss has had an incredibly successful career as an R&B singer, songwriter, and businesswoman. Her talents have received acclaim several times over and she has even won a Grammy. Over the years, Burruss has managed to executively produce several records and is responsible for creating the famous score to TLC’s “No Scrubs”. Outspoken and unabashed, Burruss also owns her own sex toy company and has recently started her own web series — Kandi Koated Nights — about all things relationships and sex. Her “take-no-prisoners” approach to business is often hailed as the hallmark of her success!
#4 Bethenny Frankel, Real Housewives of New York
Net Worth: $25 Million
Known all over the world as the genius mind behind the Skinnygirl brand, Frankel first rose to fame when she became a contestant on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Soon after she began publishing cookbooks and dieting self-help guides which earned her a spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. Her successful influencer marketing strategies led to her company selling for a whopping $100 million. Not only an incredible businesswoman, Frankel has championed many charitable causes. In addition to working with the animal rights company PETA, Frankel founded her own company B Strong to work with women in crisis. She’s a woman who truly knows how to balance business and working for those less fortunate!
#5 Teresa Giudice, Real Housewives of New Jersey
Net Worth: $11 Million
Teresa Giudice has undoubtedly had her fair share of legal and financial troubles and has even served some jail time as a result. Not a woman to be kept down, Guidice managed to channel her tragedy into her fourth New York Times bestseller, Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again. Her prior three publishing successes were cookbooks centered on creating healthy Italian food. Since then Giudice has gone on to publish two more books, as well as open a restaurant, and continues to star in The Real Housewives of New Jersey. She makes it clear that no matter what it’s impossible to keep a good housewife down!
Whether you’ve been with the show since its inception or you’re a newcomer, there’s still time to catch up on the 13th season of The Real Housewives of Orange Country, which premiered July 16th, 2018!
