Brandi Glanville is pushing back on Kelly Bensimon’s claim that she walked away with “nothing” after her divorce from fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon, challenging Kelly’s account of having to support her daughters financially as a single mother.
The former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star addressed the subject on her podcast, Brandi Glanville Unfiltered, during a conversation with guest Kristen Taekman, 46, and she did not shy away from questioning Kelly’s version of events.
Kristen appeared alongside Kelly, 55, on Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy, where Kelly often spoke about throwing herself into her real estate career in order to provide for her two daughters.
But Brandi, 51, appeared skeptical of the suggestion that Kelly received no support from her high-profile ex-husband, whose net worth has been estimated at between $20 million and $30 million.
“She claims that she didn’t get anything from her ex-husband,” Brandi said on the podcast. “I’m sorry but that’s just not true…”
Brandi Glanville has accused Kelly Bensimon of being dishonest about being left with “nothing” after her split from fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon
Kelly married French photographer Gilles Bensimon in 1997, and the couple separated a decade later
“If someone gives you a $12 million house in the Hamptons, you’ve got something,” Brandi continued. “And I promise you, she didn’t get nothing. It’s just impossible.”
The reality star continued: ‘You saw her house in the promos. The way she lives, the kids. The whole I came from nothing and I built everything on my own, it’s just… there’s no way – he was so rich – that she got nothing.’
When Kristen asked whether Brandi believes French photographer Gilles, 79, is wealthy, Brandi continued: ‘Yes, I do. Gilles Bensimon? 100 per cent. He was a huge fashion photographer. He shot every cover of ELLE.
‘I’m sorry, she got stuff. Trust me, she didn’t get what I got which was s***.’
Kelly tied the knot with Gilles in 1997, but they divorced 10 years later. After the split, Kelly famously kept the couple’s five-bedroom mansion in East Hampton as part of the divorce settlement.
In 2012, the reality star sold the two-story home for less than half the asking price at $5.76m.
Meanwhile, she lived in a sprawling New York City apartment located in the NYPD’s former headquarters at 24 Centre Street in Little Italy, Manhattan for 30 years before she began renting out the stunning property for a whopping $28,500 per month.
The former couple share two daughters: 26-year-old Sea and 24-year-old Thaddeus ‘Teddy.’
Kelly has since moved on with her financier fiancé Scott Litner, with the pair announcing their engagement in July 2023.
After the split, Kelly famously kept the couple’s five-bedroom mansion in East Hampton as part of the divorce settlement
In 2012, the reality star sold the two-story home for less than half the asking price at $5.76m
Elsewhere in the podcast, Kristen opened up about her constant clashes with Kelly during the newly-aired RHONY Legacy series.
The mother-of-two expressed her confusion about the way Kelly seemed to be annoyed that Kristen chose to stay with her husband, Josh Taekman, after he was accused of cheating back in 2015.
The Eboost founder was forced to make a public apology after it was revealed that he signed up for an account on infidelity website, Ashley Madison, in 2011. However, he insisted that he had not been unfaithful to his wife during the years in which he held the account.
Kristen found herself being quizzed about the scandal by Kelly and fellow UGT stars Dorinda Medley, Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan.
Recalling the awkward conversations, Kristen stated: ‘When Kelly was talking about, “Well I had this happen, and I had to go and get all these jobs”, and I’m like “Okay, so I should go out and get a bunch of jobs and leave my family?” Like what? It was so bizarre.’
Brandi’s podcast guest Kristen Taekman, pictured left, starred on Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy alongside Kelly
Kristen opened up about her constant clashes with Kelly during the newly-aired Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy
She continued: ‘I was sitting at a table with a bunch of friends being attacked for something that happened ten years ago.’
The fourth season of the Ultimate Girls Trip spin-off saw the fan-favorite housewives from the show’s first thirteen seasons vacation together.
RHONY was completely recast for season 14 of as a result of the low-ratings and drama from the previous season.
Brandi Glanville Unfiltered can be seen on all podcast platforms with full episodes available on YouTube.
