Bethenny Frankel Still Thinks Luann de Lesseps Is a "Despicable Human Being"

Things went from bad to worse between Bethenny Frankel and Luann de Lesseps this season of The Real Housewives of New York City as the two battled in the Berkshires, had a feud at the fiesta featured in the finale, and got into a heated exchange about the Skinnygirl mogul's boyfriend during the reunion. 

During that last moment, Bethenny surprised everyone when she whipped out her cell phone to call her new beau's daughter in an effort to clear up for Luann when exactly their relationship had started. Bethenny said that was completely "in the moment" as she spilled some reunion tea during Wednesday night's Watch What Happens Live. "Inside, I'm thinking, 'Oh my God, this is gonna go through a whole question mark news cycle, and I have to shut this down. What am I going to do?'" she told RHONY superfan and fellow WWHL guest Michael Rapaport (clip above). "And it could have gone wrong. [My boyfriend's daughter] could have said, 'I don't feel like talking about this.' She could've said anything because I was not gonna let that despicable human being take me down, question my character. I do not lie."

Can I Make a Phone Call?

Bethenny went on to defend her behavior this season after being criticized for sometimes seeming too aggressive with her castmates. "Listen, I got muddy and bloody this season. Several people did come for my business. I'm very confident in my business, but by the same token, I started from the bottom and now I'm here, and if someone comes for me, I'm gonna go back at you," she explained. "So did I feel people were coming for me? No, I'm not a victim in any way. This is who I am, and if I'm in a car talking about someone's home to a friend, I do it honestly. That's what we do in life. We do things that people don't always love, and that's why I sometimes look like crap on the show, and that's real."

In fact, she admitted that her confrontation with Luann at the reunion could have escalated even further. "I said to Andy [Cohen], if I didn't have a business, I would have grabbed Luann by the throat. You thought I was going for her. I wouldn't have minded strangling her," she said. "Might've enjoyed it." 

As for Luann's controversial fiancé Thomas D'Agostino Jr., Bethenny said "it's crazy" how the ladies' attention seemed to turn to him after Dorinda Medley's boyfriend John Mahdessian got so much flack at the start of the season. "It just was interesting that Luann never mentioned that like, 'Oh God, my guy cheated.' It was all me. I'm terrible. I'm the terrible person. Shoot the messenger," she said. "What did I really do? I didn't know what to do, and I would do it again." 

Emotions will continue to run high among these Manhattanites during Part 3 of the RHONY reunion airing next Wednesday at 9/8c. Get a glimpse at the drama to come, below.

Next on RHONY: An Emotional Walkoff