‘You’re going to get eaten alive’
The Real Housewives cast manages to remain professional, even when bickering over a glass of bubbles, writes Seanna Cronin
GINA Liano had some choice words of advice for her friend Venus Behbahani-Clark when she decided to join The Real Housewives of Melbourne cast.
Lawyer and mother-of-two Behbahani-Clark joins season four of the Foxtel reality show alongside Sally Bloomfield, and word is she is at the centre of some fiery clashes with the returning housewives.
“When it started I said ‘Are you ready? You’re going to get eaten alive’,” Liano tells The Guide. “I’ve coached her as much as I can. I feel some duty of care for her, knowing what she’s doing could be life changing.
“It doesn’t add any pressure (on me) really because she’s a big girl and it’s a matter for her and whether she does manage it (or not).”
The Melbourne series is the only successful export from Australia and New Zealand so far in the Housewives franchise after American broadcaster Bravo deemed the new Sydney series “too mean” for US viewers.
Former Queenslander Janet Roach puts their success down to their professionalism, even when they’re bickering over a glass of bubbles.
“There are things that got really nasty, like when Athena (X) donated the necklace (for a charity auction) and they were so derogatory about the ‘little thing’. We wouldn’t do that; we have more respect for one another,” she says.
“We’ve got to this stage where we have a bit of a value system. You may notice we don’t do children, or partners (when we argue). We know each other is not going to go there.”
Talking about their sympathy for their Sydney counterparts, the women also reflect on their first season.
“In season one I looked like I’d fallen into a vat of Crayola. I looked like a clown,” Liano laughs.
“When we first watched it we laughed because we sounded like men.”
Roach adds: “I think back to the first season and it’s like someone’s hit you over the back of the head with a baseball bat. You don’t know what that’s going to be like.”