Bethenny Frankel reacts to the news that her ex-boyfriend, Paul Bernon, began a relationship with Olivia Culpo's sister, Aurora.
Bethenny Frankel is discussing the ups and downs that followed after hearing news that her ex-fiancé, Paul Bernon, was dating Olivia Culpo's older sister, Aurora Culpo.
On Sunday's episode of her Just B With Bethenny Frankel podcast, Frankel shared the emotions she felt upon learning about her ex's apparent new relationship.
Last week, Aurora turned heads when she took Bernon to her sister, Olivia Culpo, and Christian McCaffery's wedding in Rhode Island. Us Weekly reported that the pair - who had reportedly been dating for a couple months -- attended a series of pre-wedding events together, though Bernon did not attend the ceremony.
However, Page Six is now reporting that Aurora and Bernon have broken up after two months of dating. In fact, a source tells ET that Bernon "currently has a profile on Raya," a dating app for high-profile people.
"Last week, I started to see my name in headlines being portrayed as the jilted ex who had been upgraded from, that my ex had moved on from me with a younger woman," Frankel said. "It regurgitated the continuous narrative that he is a very under-the-radar person who had now gotten serious with someone, had a girlfriend, met her family, met her kids. She had met his kids. He was in a serious relationship. He had bought her presents, and they were a new unit."
The 53-year-old former reality star explained that she wasn't bothered by the news itself, but more by the way she was portrayed as "some sort of spinster that's at home, crying and watching this new transition."
In fact, the Skinnygirl founder said she was "happy" and explained that she was feeling OK until she started learning all of the intimate details about 35-year-old Aurora and 45-year-old Bernon's relationship and how fast things were going. Frankel and Bernon ended their their six-year relationship in May.
"This woman is talking about this very publicly, so she's sharing all the details of their brand-new relationship that has been happening for six weeks, right after a six year relationship," the Real Housewives of New York City alum said. "It certainly was shocking and it's embarrassing."
She added, "Hearing about your ex-fiancé committing to another woman shortly thereafter on their first date, and then being inside their relationship, hearing about their sex and their gifts and meeting each other's kids, and the level of commitment was gutting. It was brutal."
And despite learning all the details about her ex's new relationship, Frankel is "OK."
"It was rough because I had to experience the same breakup twice, but way worse the second time because I had to hear about all these details," she said on her podcast, adding that she's still taking the steps to heal through therapy and being "independent and happy."
Frankel believes Aurora should have handled the situation differently.
"As women we have to think about the other woman," she said. "If you're the new woman, I think you have to tread lightly and be cautious about whoever the woman before you was. I think that by sharing the details of your new relationship, you're disrespecting the last relationship."
Still, Frankel believes that all parties involved have learned a lot through this experience.
"I didn't take the bait and I stayed quiet, I just let it play out and it was really, really rough and I'm proud of myself," she shared. "And I'm proud of the way that I handled it and I think this woman has learned a lot, too. I think that everybody got lost in this situation because their actions cost them their relationship which was brand new and who knows what would have happened."
Frankel didn't mention speaking with her ex or Aurora. However, she noted that she had a direct message conversation with Olivia.
"I have messaged with Olivia Culpo. I reached out to her before this media spectacle got out of hand and she responded to me," Frankel said. "And she was really nice and said that she's a fan and that she has all my books and she really looks up to me. That was really kind and it was a nice warm blanket during this whole crazy thing."
Before concluding her podcast, Frankel reassured her listeners that there's nothing to worry about.
"I'm good, I'm happy and I'm single," she said. "Maybe at some point I'll be ready to start dating again."
Frankel and Bernon started dating in 2018, and got engaged in 2021. They called it quits in May 2024 after six years together.
Following news of Aurora and Bernon's brief romance, Frankel shut down speculation that she was wearing the engagement ring from her real estate developer ex in a photo posted the same weekend.
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