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"No One Is the Villain": Jessel Taank Reveals Whether Her Opinions on RHONY Cast Has Changed
"We’re so extremely brave to do what we’re doing," Jessel Taank told The Daily Dish in a new interview.
Navigating friendships can be difficult, especially when there's drama that plays out on camera. Fortunately for The Real Housewives of New York City’s Jessel Taank, she's confident the RHONY women will "have each other's back."
The mother-of-two and fashion publicist recently spoke with Bravo’s The Daily Dish about being part of the all-new cast for RHONY Season 14 (becoming the franchise’s first-ever Indian Housewife) and the way her relationships with the other cast members over time.
Jessel Tank on RHONY Friendships
Jessel was asked if her feelings about the other New York Housewives have changed since watching the show.
“No, not at all, actually,” Jessel told The Daily Dish.
Jessel joins fellow Housewives Brynn Whitfield, Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, and Jenna Lyons as part of the new cast of RHONY Season 14.
“I think that this hasn’t been easy for anyone,” Jessel continued to The Daily Dish. “You have to be sensitive to the fact that we’re all being so vulnerable, and we’re opening our entire lives to an audience, to people that we don’t know.”
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She did add there are “growing pains” in navigating friendships and how each Housewife interacts with one another.
“It’s always gonna have its ups and downs, but I think that across the board, each and every one of us, we’re so extremely brave to do what we’re doing," she said.
She added, "No one is the villain."
Jessel also discussed being transparent about topics she said are viewed as “taboo” or “stigmatized” in Indian culture, including the infertility issues that arose before she and her husband, Pavit Randhawa, had their 2-year-old twin sons, on the show.
“I really do wanna share my story in the hopes that other women who are of Indian and Middle Eastern descent can be comfortable to talk about it,” Jessel said. “I just really want to touch other women, is what I’m trying to say, and give them the strength that I didn’t have.”
She praised her fellow Housewives when touching on what it was like joining the RHONY cast and emphasized the importance of women supporting each other.
“The biggest message is that we, as women, will always support one another through this process,” Jessel told The Daily Dish. “Many people have challenges, going through things that are different to someone else, but yeah. We’re all gonna have each other’s back, I feel.”
Jessel noted there has been a lot of “up and down” since the Season 14 premiere, something she called “very surreal.”
“I think nothing can prepare you for seeing yourself on the TV screen,” she admitted. “Even though we filmed and we did so much press, and I’ve been in front of the cameras for almost a year now, until the show airs, it doesn’t feel real.”
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She added it was “very interesting” to see how people responded to the show, including the Indian community, which she said has “completely banded together” to offer their support.
“Life continues, but then there’s this whole other world that people are seeing of you on TV,” Jessel continued. “It’s just very bizarre.”
Per Andy Cohen's advice, Jessel said she steers clear of looking too closely at what people say about the Housewives on the internet. However, she said the biggest takeaway is that audiences get to see “so many different backgrounds and cultures” in one group, something she called “incredibly reflective” of today’s New York City.
“I think it’s been really positive across the board,” Jessel stated.
Watch new episodes of The Real Housewives of New York City Sundays at 9/8c on Bravo and the next day on Peacock.
--------- Original reporting by Stephanie Gomulka
