Advertisement

Dorinda Medley on making it nice on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-Wives Club

The way Dorinda Medley talks about Blue Stone Manor, her lush estate in the Berkshires, you'd think it was the site of some of the most important moments in history. And she's kind of right. For a particular person, and for a particular history, Blue Stone Manor (BSM for short, as per Dorinda) is a cultural institution deserving of landmark status.

Among fans of The Real Housewives of New York, the western part of Massachusetts is known more accurately as "The Bezerkshires" due to the sheer number of insane shenanigans that have taken place at BSM. There's nothing quite like seeing a group of middle-aged white women chanting "Rosé! All day!" like a bunch of horned up frat boys, or RHONY MVP Sonja Tremont Morgan drunkenly screaming "YOU DON'T TOUCH THE MORGAN LETTERS!" or noted cabaret attempter LuAnn de Lesseps having a full-on diva fit over being put in the Manor's "Fish Room."

The Berkshires have provided us with many a gem, so it's perhaps not a total surprise Medley and Blue Stone Manor play host to the second season of The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip. It's no Turks or Caicos, but these aren't your ordinary Housewives, either. Like Medley, these women are no longer on any of their franchises. This is Ex-Wives territory. Dangerous, unknown, martini-soaked territory.

We've got Medley, RHONY OG Jill Zarin, Atlanta erstwhiles Phaedra Parks and Eva Marcille, Orange County's Vicki Gunvalson and Tamra Judge, and Beverly Hills nemeses Brandi Glanville and Taylor Armstrong.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB

Zack DeZon/Peacock

It's a motley crew, but these women are nothing if not professionals, and they know how to make some damn compelling television. Nothing's off the table and the only thing on it are empty wine glasses. Serving as host and ringleader, Medley had her hands full hosting the seven other women and their egos and their luggage and Phaedra's wigs.

EW caught up with the newly-christened Dornado to discuss The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-Wives Club, being back in front of the cameras, who she hit it off with big time (and who not so much), and, of course, Blue Stone Manor.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB -- "Day 1" Episode 201 -- Pictured: Dorinda Medley -- (Photo by: Zack DeZon/Peacock)
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB -- "Day 1" Episode 201 -- Pictured: Dorinda Medley -- (Photo by: Zack DeZon/Peacock)

Zack DeZon/Peacock Dorinda Medley

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So, Dorinda, I feel like we got a season here.

DORINDA MEDLEY: You know what it feels like, too? It feels very old school. Isn't this what you want in the Housewives? Antics, camaraderie, shenanigans, a little fighting, some crying. I mean, that's called a bachelorette weekend.

What was your experience filming with these ladies for eight days?

You know, listen, it was a lot at first. We were originally going to do it for four days and then go to another place, which I kinda thought, "Okay, I can do that." Right? And then it would kinda be like the first trip when they got to stay in a hotel. When they switched it over to eight days, which — listen, in the short run I was a bit like, "Wow." Because hosting eight people for eight days … we were just coming out of COVID and these are people that are coming from all different places that don't know the Berkshires, don't know Blue Stone Manor, and some of them don't know me. So it was like a responsibility that I took on with a lot of vigor.

And I really tried to create a very New England experience and pack in as much as possible in the eight days so they left feeling like they knew the place a little better. It was very interesting, some people really leaned into it, and really made the best of it. I don't think it was so great and easy for them, either. Phaedra met me once or twice before, she's coming from Atlanta, to Blue Stone Manor, in the Berkshires, on 18 acres, for eight days. Leaving her children. Eva's the same, Tamra said she's never been up in this area. Everybody kind of took a risk to come up here and do this. I think it's going to be iconic TV. I really do, and I think people miss Blue Stone Manor. It plays its own character in a weird way. I wasn't obviously thrilled that Vicky didn't give it the love that I think it deserved.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB -- "Day 1" Episode 201 -- Pictured: Dorinda Medley -- (Photo by: Zack DeZon/Peacock)
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB -- "Day 1" Episode 201 -- Pictured: Dorinda Medley -- (Photo by: Zack DeZon/Peacock)

Zack DeZon/Peacock

Yeah, it seemed like you and Vicki got off on a bit of a wrong foot —

I really didn't! If you look at the opening scene, I'm very enthusiastic about her coming, very welcoming. But I didn't realize in watching the show that [her] kind of attitude started before the gates even opened, up the driveway. I don't think she was happy to be arriving. I don't know. And that's always heartbreaking in anything you do. There's nothing worse than when you plan something and you kinda hype yourself up for it, and then someone rains on your parade.

Especially on a vacation, when you want everyone to have a good time. 

Like, we're all in it together. As my mother said, "If you're not enjoying the party, go home." It's very simple.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB

Zack DeZon/Peacock

So who did you hit if off with the most?

Of course, I already had a prior relationship with Brandi and Tamra and Jill, but the two people I really was so surprised I really hit it off with so much were Phaedra and Eva. We just had a bond. We just are like the same kind of badass women, we're warm, we say it like it is, we're interesting, we just look at the world in the same way. That's what it is.

I feel like in Phaedra — being sorta overwhelmed at times and trying to keep everyone moving and doing activities and staying enthusiastic — she really was sort of my soft place to land. I could really knock on her door and have her give me some love. When you're a strong person, and you're the organizer, and everybody's looking to you, you open yourself up not just to be admired, but hated. With that comes exhaustion. You don't always get it right.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB

Zack DeZon/Peacock

Conversely, who didn't you get along with? Or didn't get along with as well as you hoped you  would?

Who do you think?

I wanna say Vicki … am I right?

You know it's funny, it's kind of multilayered. Vicki ... I always knew we were different and were maybe going to have different attitudes about stuff. I knew that going into it. The one that I was surprised I had conflict with was Jill, but we worked it out. She had some feelings about me that I hadn't realized. And I hadn't taken in. And it really took us a minute to get back on track. That surprised me.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB

Zack DeZon/Peacock

What were her feelings about you?

You know, I think it was a little bit of resentment. I think she felt she got me on the show; I didn't feel that way because I was always part of the "girls," in general. And I didn't go on the show until three years after she wasn't on. And I think she felt I hadn't acknowledged or appreciated that fact. To tell you the truth, I hadn't even thought about it. I really went on because Ramona [Singer] said, "Finally, will you come on?" Remember, I knew all these girls for a hundred years. So we had to work through that. And also, I had never really filmed with her. People have different filming techniques. The filming person is different than the person in real life because you're breaking down the proscenium wall. Sometimes what you think in real life, you won't say, whereas in reality TV, you think it and say it at the same time.

One of my favorite parts of Ultimate Girls Trip is that breaking of the fourth wall. With the first season, you really got into how these women feel about filming and sharing their stories. Did that happen a lot in this season as well?

Yes, I haven't seen a lot of it, but we definitely talk about our experience. We talk about me being put on pause, and Brandi's like, "You got fired!" [Laughs] We all had this experience called reality TV that is a life-changer. It really is. Once you're on reality TV, you're part of a world and a family that the outside world doesn't really understand.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB -- "Day 2" Episode 202 -- Pictured: (l-r) Jill Zarin, Taylor Armstrong, Eva Marcille, Brandi Glanville, Phaedra Parks, Dorinda Medley, Tamra Judge, Vicki Gunvalson -- (Photo by: Zack DeZon/Peacock)
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB -- "Day 2" Episode 202 -- Pictured: (l-r) Jill Zarin, Taylor Armstrong, Eva Marcille, Brandi Glanville, Phaedra Parks, Dorinda Medley, Tamra Judge, Vicki Gunvalson -- (Photo by: Zack DeZon/Peacock)

Zack DeZon/Peacock

What were some of the experiences that the other women shared that you remember the most? Or that you identified with?

Brandi talked a lot about clearing up the Denise Richards thing, which I think is going to be interesting to people. Jill and I talked a lot about her coming in to film — after I was on, she would come on as a friend-of and her feelings about me not treating her like a cast member 'cause I didn't know her like that. All these things ... you're in filming world and you don't realize there are all these moving parts going on.

How did Phaedra feel about staying in the Fish Room?

Loved it. She totally got it. I said, "I put you in the iconic Fish Room because you're iconic," and she loved it. Like a fish to water, how about that? [Laughs]

Ah, there you go. Clip!

via GIPHY

Were there any iconic catchphrases to come out of these eight days?

Someone said that what I said in the trailer … "Face of an angel, mouth of a serpent."

Who'd you say that to?

Brandi. [Laughs]

Oh, yes … well … yes. With eight days, was there ever a dull moment?

No. We used every moment to our advantage. [Laughs] We went hard.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB

Zack DeZon/Peacock

Nice. Who went the hardest?

Probably me, Brandi … Phaedra's hysterically funny … I'm not just saying this, Taylor I expected to be very quiet because I only knew her from Beverly Hills when she left, when she was a little bit broken, and her husband had [died by] suicide. She was very strong. Very strong on this show.

That's good to hear. Her storyline was so depressing, and so tragic. 

You're not going to feel that way about her at all when you leave this. You're not going to feel that way about Taylor at all. And I didn't realize, for instance with Eva, I always thought she was that America's Next Top Model girl that was on a couple seasons of Atlanta. She's got her finger on like five, 50, 2,000 pots. Every morning she would film this syndicated show from like 5:30 to 7:30, so I put her in the room and set her up. And because I'm an early riser, I'd get up and go meet with her and have a coffee with her beforehand. And then she's got her kids, then she's got her jewelry line — I'm always so in awe of the juggling women are able to do. And do it beautifully. I hate to say this, and I'm not a man-hater, but what would exhaust one man is just a trinket on another woman's finger.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB

Zack DeZon/Peacock

Yeah, men aren't that great. Were there any big blow-ups on the trip?

[widens eyes several times]

I'm seeing some eyes!

Several. Yes, it was a pressure cooker. I will say I was engaged in some of them, how could I not be? You know me with a good blow-up. That's like a moth to a light.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB

Zack DeZon/Peacock

Who did you have blow-ups with? Vicki. But who else?

A little bit with Brandi. I think a little bit with each of them by the time I was done. The only ones I didn't have a blow-up with were Phaedra and Eva. Little bit with Tamra, but it was more superficial. And not really with Taylor. Taylor dubbed me as the Dornado. I actually took it as a compliment. It is like that with me. I start off very gentle, then it goes, and before you know it, I'm ripping up whole towns. And then I just disappear. [Laughs] The Dornado is on the horizon! Run to your houses! Batten down your martinis! She's coming! [Laughs]

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP EX-WIVES CLUB

Zack DeZon/Peacock

What was your favorite part of this whole thing?

The end part. Phaedra did a beautiful last night dinner, she brought these gospel singers and this incredible bishop. It was almost like everything melted away and we realized: [on a micro level] we had some real s--- we had to deal with, but [on a macro level] we're all walking away closer and like we did this — like it, don't like it, we're kind of bonded in a way. We all stay on a group text. It's an experience I'll never forget. And also, being able to see Blue Stone Manor expansively, I'm very proud of myself. Yes, it's going to be difficult sometimes, yes, I'm going to be cringing sometimes, but as the macro picture goes, it was an incredible experience. And I think the viewers are going to be happy.

Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip premieres on Peacock June 23.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content: