New York Post
· collected 2026-09-16 · by Samantha Nungesser, Evan Real, Danny Murphy
Jessel Taank, a star from "The Real Housewives of New York City," defends her controversial comments about the late Carolyn Bessette during a recent episode. When asked if she was questioning Bessette's demeanor as being cold or bitchy, Taank claimed it stemmed from curiosity rather than malice, despite acknowledging that using the term might have been inappropriate. Carole Radziwill, who knew Bessette personally, felt uncomfortable with these questions, which also touched on alleged family curses and fashion trends named after Bessette.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On Tuesday night’s episode of "The Real Housewives of New York City," Jessel Taank, a fashion publicist and cast member, asked Carole Radziwill if the late Carolyn Bessette was a "bitch." This question shocked viewers as it referred to Bessette, who died in 1999 alongside her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., in a plane crash. Taank told Page Six Radio Wednesday morning that she only meant to express curiosity about Bessette’s demeanor since they were both fashion industry figures. She acknowledged that calling someone a "bitch" might not have been the best way to start the conversation but insisted it was part of her job on the show. Carole, who had a close relationship with Carolyn and her family due to her marriage to Anthony Radziwill, left the brunch upset by Taank’s comments.
Written for “Real Housewives New York Controversy” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 14523 · logged 2026-09-17
Jessel Taank is defending her callous questions about the late Carolyn Bessette.
asserted
Taank → defend → Bessette
During Tuesday night’s episode of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” Taank shockingly asked Carole Radziwill if Carolyn — who died in a plane crash alongside her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., in 1999 — was a “bitch.”
asserted
who → ask → 1999
“It’s only because, from fashion girl to fashion girl, we are a little bit bitchy and cold,” Taank, 46, exclusively told Page Six Radio Wednesday morning.
asserted
Taank → ’ → girl
Taank — who works as a fashion publicist — admitted she “maybe shouldn’t have led with the ‘B-word,'” but joked that offending people is what she does “best.”
asserted
she → work → what
“I don’t know Carolyn Bessette personally, so I was just curious, did she have a demeanor where she was sort of cold and maybe a little bit of a fashion diva?” Taank said.
asserted
Taank → know → diva
Carole, on the other hand, did know the Calvin Klein icon personally.
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Carole → know → icon
The former journalist was married to Anthony Radziwill — the cousin and best friend of Kennedy Jr. — from 1994 until he died of cancer just weeks after the plane crash that took the lives of Kennedy Jr., Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette.
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that → marry → Jr.
During the first “RHONY” brunch of Season 16, Carole — who returned to the show after an eight-year hiatus — appeared visibly uncomfortable with Taank’s line of questioning about her late family members.
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who → return → members
Not only did Taank ask if Carolyn was a “bitch,” but she also wondered if there was a “curse” on the Kennedy family, pointing to the untimely and tragic deaths of multiple members.
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she → ask → members
Taank also asked Carole for her thoughts on “Carolyn Bessette summer,” the minimalistic style trend inspired by the fashion guru’s signature clothing palette of whites, blacks and neutral tones.
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Taank → ask → whites
Carole, however, said she wasn’t a fan of the trend.
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she → say → trend
“I understand where Carole’s coming from,” Taank told us in retrospect.
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Taank → understand → retrospect
“Obviously, her best friend, who is no longer with us, in her eyes, was reduced to a trend.
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who → reduce → trend
But in my eyes, I was like, ‘No, we’re celebrating her.’
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we → celebrate → her
“She had incredible, impeccable style.”
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She → have → style
Although Taank was the most vocal with her questions for Carole, she said “everyone was a little bit curious” about the writer’s friendship with Carolyn — especially following the release of Ryan Murphy’s “Love Story,” which documented the latter’s relationship with Kennedy Jr.
“Carole really lived that experience with them; and for us, we’re just seeing what we’re seeing on the TV show,” she said, noting that their curiosity was “all in innocence” and they “didn’t know” they were going to “upset” Carole, who ultimately left the brunch.
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who → say → brunch
Taank said the group stopped asking so many questions as the season progressed.
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season → say → questions
“I think it did resurface a lot of emotion [for Carole], so we were cognizant of that after that,” she explained.
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she → think → that
“The Real Housewives of New York City” airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo, with new episodes available to stream the next day on Peacock.
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episodes → air → Peacock
Conversation
Your voice matters.
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voice → matter → Conversation
Discussions are moderated for civility.
asserted
Discussions → moderate → civility
The Aporia
