Jill Zarin Faces In-Law Tension as Bad Bunny Controversy Unfolds: Richard Johnson Reports

Jill Zarin, who was recently dropped from E!’s upcoming “Real Housewives of New York” reunion series titled “The Golden Life,” is facing criticism from her in-laws once again.

Zarin went on Instagram and said Bad Bunny’s performance at the Super Bowl “was the worst halftime show ever” and “looked like a political statement, because there were literally no white people in the entire thing.”

The following day, Micah Zarin, the 17-year-old grandson of her late husband Bobby, posted a photo of Jill with a huge X covering her face on the Zarin Fabrics Instagram page.

In a clear statement, Zarin Fabrics distanced itself from Jill, emphasizing their stance against any form of racism or discrimination. “Zarin Fabrics stands firmly against racism, discrimination, and rhetoric that seeks to exclude or diminish people based on identity, culture, or background,” the statement read. “We want to be absolutely clear that Jill Zarin has not had ownership of or been associated with Zarin Fabrics for several years.”

Reddit users were abuzz with excitement as Micah, Jill’s step-grandson, participated in a Q&A session on a “Real Housewives of New York” subreddit.

During the interaction, Micah revealed, “My parents hate her and have always hated her,” referring to his father, David, who is Bobby Zarin’s eldest son from a previous marriage.

Bobby Zarin, who passed away in 2018 following a prolonged battle with thyroid cancer, was a significant figure in the family business. Today, David Zarin serves as the president of Zarin Fabrics, a well-known shop on the Lower East Side established by Bobby’s father in 1936.

Micah shared that his family faced challenges due to Jill’s public persona during the show’s airing. “During the years the show was on, my dad lost customers,” he noted. “They’d receive emails on a daily basis about how horrible Jill is. We cut contact with her after Bobby died for many reasons.”

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Fellow “RHONY” alum Luann de Lesseps, who will star in “The Golden Life,” was spotted dining at the new Delos Greek Restaurant in Midtown with her beau Michael Riemerschmid before heading to the Sondheim Theatre to catch “& Juliet.”

She was there to cheer on her “Real Housewives of Atlanta” pal Kandi Burruss, who’s starring as Angélique in the musical through March 8.

De Lesseps was joined by “Real Housewives of New Jersey” stars Margaret Josephs and Dolores Catania, “Potomac” castmate Stacey Rusch and Bravo’s Andy Cohen.

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The man who kidnapped Savannah Guthrie’s mother will eventually be arrested, according to lawyer and radio host Arthur Aidala.

“They usually do get caught,” said Aidala, who will broadcast the 1,000th episode of “The Power Hour” on AM 970 on Feb. 24.

Luigi Mangione was caught at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania when an employee recognized him as the suspect sought in the killing of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.

Sam Berkowitz was nabbed as the Son of Sam serial killer because of a parking ticket he received near the scene of one shooting.

“Luck has a lot to do with it,” Aidala told me.

While Nancy Guthrie, 84, may not have been targeted if her daughter wasn’t a star of the “TODAY” show, the search for the matriarch wouldn’t be as intense without Savannah’s fame.

“Lots of missing people don’t get this kind of attention,” Aidala said. “The president of the United States is working in her corner.”

Sadly, the chances of locating Nancy alive are decreasing.

“Every day that goes by it’s less likely,” Aidala said.

The lawyer’s radio show is a a mix of timely news from the New York area and current events from a legal perspective. It bridges the political divide, featuring guests ranging from former Mayor Eric Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, to media personalities like Megyn Kelly, Bill O’Reilly and Geraldo Rivera.

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None of Jeffrey Epstein’s many friends mentioned in millions of pages of recently released files has to worry about going to jail, says Mariana van Zeller, an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist.

“The prosecutors are done looking. Nobody else will be held accountable. How is that possible?” van Zeller told me.

She also doesn’t believe that Epstein hanged himself in prison.

“There’s a very good chance he was killed,” she said. “People had every incentive to look the other way.”

Van Zeller recently wrapped the fifth and final season of National Geographic’s “Trafficked,” a documentary series that explores the dangerous inner workings of smuggling networks and black markets.

Now she’s producing “The Hidden Third,” a weekly podcast investigating the underground economies that quietly power nearly one-third of the global market.

“Human trafficking is a $200 billion a year industry,” van Zeller said. “Sex trafficking brings in a lot of money because — unlike drugs — you can resell a human being many times.”

Every episode, she sits down with people who know these worlds firsthand — the smugglers, scammers and kingpins, and those trying to take them down.

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Alix Earle, the 25-year-old internet influencer, seems to like professional football players.

Having bounced from Braxton Berrios to Tom Brady, she was seen on the field at the Super Bowl during Bad Bunny’s halftime show with stars like Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Karol G and Jessica Alba.

Her upcoming Netflix reality show is produced by nightlife impresario David Grutman, who was on the field as well. Grutman, who owns trendy restaurants and clubs in Miami, is partners with Bad Bunny in a Japanese-inspired steakhouse called Gekko.

Earle is a millionaire who rose to fame as a college student in Miami, where she built her now-global brand. The New Jersey native first gained popularly with her “Get Ready With Me” videos, and now boasts nearly 14 million followers on Instagram and TikTok.

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It’s official: Italy has invaded France.

New York Fashion Week brought iconic Italian brand Sergio Soldano to the packed French department store Printemps in the Financial District on Wednesday.

“It’s amazing here,” said Dario Di Bella, one of two of Sergio Soldano’s creative directors along with Giovanni Premoli.

Together, the designers are reviving the long-dormant fashion brand with a sharpened identity, bringing together its heritage with modern, refined design.

“We are happy to relaunch here because we have much connection with America,” Di Bella said. “The celebrities, the culture, so it’s important to restart that connection.”

Antonio Lemma, whose Desire Holding Group acquired the luxury label in 2024, said he likes the action of Fashion Week.

“To become famous in America is faster than anywhere else in the world. People love anything that is Italian,” he said.

Fashion Group International’s Maryanne Grisz co-hosted the launch party at Printemps, where the brand will be sold.

“This line is a beautiful piece of fashion history. Liz Taylor wore it, countesses wore it and now the new younger actresses will be wearing it,” she said.

Meanwhile, Venezuela was in the house at Calligaris Chelsea, where Nabys Vielman unveiled his new collection to benefit the Aid for Life organization. The nonprofit provides support for Venezuelans and other Latin American families seeking safety and opportunity in the Big Apple.

At the Ace Hotel after-party, Vielman said his collection is “a reflection of the ‘70s and the influence of Donna Summer and disco.”

Vielman has spent three decades in fashion and believes in giving back.

“Fashion Week is a global stage,” he said.

Then he was back to chatting up supermodels. Hey, it’s a living.

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Julia Koch, whose estimated net worth of over $80 billion makes her among the three richest women in the world, joined Tommy Hilfiger, Bret Baier, Hilary and Wilbur Ross, and Kimberly and Neil Bluhm at the Norton Museum of Art’s annual gala in Palm Beach.

The event celebrated the exhibition of “Art and Life in Rembrandt’s Time: Masterpieces from the Leiden Collection,” which features 75 works from one of the world’s foremost private collections of 17th-century Dutch art.

Almost getting more attention than the Rembrandts were Donald Trump Jr. and his fiancée, Bettina Anderson, seen talking to philanthropists Jean and Martin Shafiroff.

Other art lovers in the room included Jane Holzer, Andrea Stark and Beth Rudin DeWoody. The gala’s co-chairs were Audrey Gruss, Sue Hostetler and Josephine Kalisman.