Jessel Taank Says RHONY Season 16 Backlash Isn’t About Race, Then Suggests It’s About Race

Jessel Taank is speaking out about the criticism she’s received during season 16 of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” and she’s questioning whether her appearance plays a role in how viewers treat her.

The Bravo star has faced backlash over several moments this season, including her uncomfortable conversation with Carole Radziwill about the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and her decision to kick Erin Lichy out of a party.

During a recent appearance on the “Feedback with Ira” podcast, Jessel addressed the negative reactions and suggested viewers aren’t getting the full story.

“I’ve been told that I’m not a good mother, that I’m not a good wife. I’m not gonna blame the edit, but you know, you’re not seeing the full picture,” she said.

Jessel also questioned whether she receives harsher criticism because of her appearance.

“I’m not playing the race card, but I’m just like, ‘Do I get it worse because of how I look?'” she asked.

RHONY’s Jessel Taank Addresses Carole Radziwill Drama and Controversial Carolyn Bessette Comments

Much of the criticism surrounding Jessel stems from a season 16 brunch where she questioned Carole about her late friend and family member, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.

Jessel brought up the renewed interest in Carolyn after the television series “Love Story” chronicled her relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr.

During the conversation, Jessel asked Carole whether Carolyn was a “(expletive)” and brought up what she described as the Kennedy family curse.

“Do you not think the family is, like, cursed?” Jessel asked. “The dad gets assassinated, then the mother has cancer. Then they both die.”

Carole, who was close to Carolyn and married to JFK Jr.’s cousin Anthony Radziwill, was visibly uncomfortable with the conversation.

During a later scene with newcomer Daisy Toye, Carole explained why Jessel’s comments upset her.

“That was so crazy. And I just didn’t even know what to say,” Carole said. “This is so excruciating. Like everyone’s American Love Story is my American Horror Story.”

She added, “She’s watching that show. She knows that’s my family.”

Daisy agreed that Jessel’s comments were “so awful and so tone deaf.”

Jessel has since acknowledged that the conversation didn’t go well.

“I felt really terrible,” she admitted during her podcast appearance.

However, when asked whether she had contacted Carole afterward, Jessel responded, “Look, it’s complicated.”

Carole Radziwill Says Jessel Taank’s Questions Felt ‘Intentional and Painful’

Carole also addressed the incident during a September appearance on SiriusXM’s “Jeff Lewis Live,” explaining why she found Jessel’s questions inappropriate.

“Jessel was not asking questions. She was just like, telling me that she had had this experience at some magazine, and she was discussing the Carolyn Bessette aesthetic and ‘What do you think about the Carolyn Bessette Summer?’ There were no questions except for ‘Was she a (expletive)?’ I was like, ‘What the (expletive)?’ Like seriously. So that was my initiation,” Carole said.

The former RHONY star also suggested the conversation felt deliberate.

“It felt at the time intentional that, I don’t know, there was no reason for her to be like, ‘Well, what do you mean? Why aren’t you having a Carolyn Bessette Summer?'”

Carole added that returning to reality television forced her to confront painful family memories in a way she hadn’t before.

“Listen, this is my first time in my entire adult life I’ve had to navigate questions, inappropriate questions, about my family.”

New episodes of “The Real Housewives of New York City” air Tuesday nights on Bravo.

Tell us! Do you think race has anything to do with the backlash from fans about Jessel, or is it just her terrible behavior? Let us know in the comments below.

About Perry Carpenter

Perry Carpenter has been covering entertainment news for more than 20 years — and yes, she absolutely has opinions about the latest Bravo casting shake-ups. Throughout her career, she has specialized in celebrity news and television, with a particular obsession for all things Bravo, "The Challenge," "Outlander," of course, Travis & Taylor, and the ever-expanding Taylor Sheridan universe. A member of the International Association of Professional Writers and Editors, Perry has built a storied freelance career covering pop culture's biggest moments and smallest Easter eggs. Her work has appeared in Showbiz Cheatsheet, Daily Express, Radar Online, and on her Muck Rack profile.

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