‘RHONY’ Vibe Check: Rebecca Minkoff Is Kinda Weird, No?

Between her birth control bargain with her parents and her "virgin bed" revelation, I don't need any more extraneous details on her life. Just talk about Scientology!

By Audra Heinrichs | October 16, 2024 | 3:09pm

Photo: Getty Images Celebrities TV

‘RHONY’ Vibe Check: Rebecca Minkoff Is Kinda Weird, No?

This season of the new Real Housewives of New York City—the second of a reboot that critics agree “isn’t working“—welcomed a new apple bearer to its ranks: none other than the mastermind of the most basic handbag ever stitched, Rebecca Minkoff.

So far, only three episodes have aired and Minkoff has been a largely silent, barely active participant. Though unsurprising, her lack of presence—literally and figuratively—is disappointing given she’s hardly an uninteresting person. For one, she’s a longtime Scientologist—as in, raised in Clearwater, Florida where Sea Org is based. However, save for a brief, brusque exchange in the second episode, Minkoff has had more to say on Scientology to the press than on a reality show that’s supposed to reflect, well, her reality.

Most Popular

“We’re at a time and place where we can be divided and lead with hate and bigotry or we can just be tolerant of people’s beliefs,” Minkoff recently told The Post. “[Scientology] has helped me personally. It’s helped me professionally. It’s helped me weather a lot of stress. That’s what I use it for. It’s a method I apply to help me with stress.” That’s what they all say, is it not?

Minkoff also instructed two of her cast mates to reply “no comment” should they be asked about her affiliation with the “church.” Given Minkoff is so publicly entwined with Scientology that she was—at one time—friends with Danny Masterson and her father was implicated in a wrongful death suit involving another Scientologist, “no comment” is just plain odd. Obviously, the institution is known for being secretive but to that point, why go on reality television show when you certainly don’t need the paycheck?

Weirder still are Minkoff’s comments on other things like keeping the bed she lost her virginity in and bargaining with her parents about birth control.

“I lost my virginity to Brad,” Rebecca volunteered during a conversation with her fellow housewives in the latest episode. “So we like Brad. I lost my virginity at 16, because my parents had a really great deal. They said, ‘If you don’t do drugs, we’ll get you birth control pills.’ And I was like, ‘Sign me up!'” Frankly, I was cool to settle for drugs and unprotected sex at that age but, OK!

Then, Minkoff made another brow-raising declaration and said she still owned the “bed” she had sex on for the first time.

“Not the mattress?” Jenna Lyons answered, clearly hoping for some clarification.

“No, not the mattress,” Minkoff replied. “The bed frame. It’s not sentimental, it’s right there and it’s easy. No, I wasn’t like this is my virgin bed.” No offense, but with her net worth, why would she still own a piece of furniture that’s over two decades old…unless it was somehow sentimental.

If these off-putting revelations are some attempt on Minkoff’s part to discuss anything but Scientology, it’s not working. Frankly, I don’t need any more extraneous details about her life, so here’s hoping she just cuts to the chase (her stress-relieving “method”) here soon.