Lunch: Hoda Kotb & Bravo's <I>Housewives</I> Hold Court

DIANE CLEHANE It was SRO at Michael's today, and although the place was filled to the brim with movers and shakers of every stripe, all eyes were on table one: Today's Hoda Kotb presided over a raucous lunch with a trio of Real Housewives from Bravo's compulsively watchable franchise. Tongues wagged aplenty as the crowd watched the reality TV stars saunter in. First to arrive was Tamra Barney (Orange County) with her husband Simon, followed by NeNe Leakes (Atlanta). Danielle Straub (New Jersey) was, of course, the last to arrive -- all the better to make a grand entrance. The gals have been guest-hosting Today's fourth hour this week, filling in for the vacationing Kathie Lee Gifford. I just had to make my way over to their table to chat with the headline-making Danielle, who just last night precipitated a catfight for the ages on the season finale of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. As faithful fans of the series know, Danielle's former life as a stripper who ran with a bad crowd was chronicled in Cop Without A Badge, written, she says, by an ex-husband more than two decades ago. Since then, Danielle reinvented herself and settled in suburbia hoping to keep the past buried. Lucky for Bravo, her frenemies on the show discovered her story, and the fur started flying. Last night, things came to a head when Danielle confronted the other Housewives about their role in bringing the long-forgotten tome to town. I asked Danielle if the Sopranos-style last supper where everyone gathered for a 'friendly' dinner had been staged. "Of course," she said. "Why else would I have been invited?" Things got really ugly when Teresa Giudice started letting the profanities fly in front of Danielle's two young daughters and the group ganged up on her. Despite putting up a strong front, Danielle told me the episode "ripped her apart" and afterward, she and her girls retreated to her home where they stayed curled up in her bed for a few days. "We were sick from it, and it was the one place we felt safe." But, like the tough survivor she is, the breakout star of the series is back with a vengeance with plans to write a book ("It will be something empowering to help women") and is being repped by Maura Teitelbaum at Abrams Artists Agency. According to Danielle, her daughters have adjusted to the limelight nicely. Her eldest, Christine, is fielding offers from modeling agencies, including Elite. And get this -- she says if Bravo wants a second season, she's there. "Oh my God, of course I'd do it!" I was glad I was lunching today with my new friend Dr. Phillip Romero, who specializes in family and couple's therapy. Phil is currently hard at work on two books, Phantom Stress and The Art of Impermanence. I asked him why we like to watch these reality shows that are such spectacles of dysfunction. "It's voyeurism that makes us feel better about ourselves," says Phil. These days when "our collective anxiety is higher than at any other time in human history" because of the "sweeping changes occurring at all levels of society" Phil says these shows offer a diversion, "a media quick fix" that takes our mind off the serious issues at hand. Makes sense to me. Here's the rundown on today's crowd: 1. Today's Hoda Kotb, producer Tammy Filler, Bravo's Real Housewives NeNe Leakes, Tamra Barney (with husband Simon), and Danielle Straub. 2. Andrew Stein with a distinguished dark-haired gent we didn't recognize 3. 'Mayor' Joe Armstrong and Glamour editrix Cindi Leive rocking a LBD and pearls. Joe tells me he's off to Cuba on a 'humanitarian mission' for a few weeks. Safe travels, and we'll see you when you return! 4. Esther Newberg and Jeffrey Toobin. We caught Jeff on CNN the other day deconstructing the effect of David Letterman's joke about Sarah Palin's daughter. While the other pundits debated whether the former vice presidential nominee's daughters were fair game, Jeff weighed in by saying he thought Letterman crossed the line by calling Governor Palin's look 'slutty.' Chivalry is not dead after all... 5. Terry Allen Kramer with a gentleman we don't know... 6. Social swans Somers Farkas, Jackie Rogers (loved the hat!), Debbie Bancroft and New York's first lady Michelle Paterson. 7. Hamilton South and Brendan Berger 8. New York Social Diary's David Patrick Columbia with a dark-haired beauty who exchanged air kisses with Somers and the gang... 9. ABC's Bianna Golodryga 10. Dr. Phillip Romero and yours truly 11. Bobby Friedman and friend 12. Melania Trump (looking gorgeous) and pals 44. Conde Nast's Lou Cona 14. Michael Clinton and Estee Lauder's Thia Breen 15. Act One: Peter Price with a very tall, courtly gentleman we met on our way in. Take Two: People's Larry Hackett and Cindi Berger 16. Boaty Boatwright and Stephen Frears. Stephen directed the soon-to-be-released Cheri (it comes out on Friday) starring Michelle Pfeiffer. The film reunites the duo, who last worked together on Dangerous Liaisons. Just thought you'd like to know... 17. The Early Show: Mickey Ateyeh. Second Seating: Mel Brooks 18. The always-dapper Randy Jones 19. Lloyd Groves 20. Lynn Goldberg 81. Lovely in lavender: Hearst's Deb Shriver 21. Quest's Chris Meigher and his daughter Elizabeth 22. Vanity Fair's Ed Menicheschi 23. Dan Wassong and my pal Suzanne Bracker 24. The New York Post's Keith Kelly and Samantha Trenk 25. Parade's Ira Yoffe 26. My good friend Lisa Linden and photographer Ronald L. Glassman 27. Herb Allen III 28. Linda Kloner 29. Kerry Kennedy and Susan Reed, editor of O: The Oprah Magazine 30. Cindy Lewis Faces in the Crowd: Everest Re's CEO Joseph Taranto and C.L. Frates Reinsurance Intermediary's senior vice president Albert P. Amato in the Garden Room, and my good pals 'the bar-ettes' Kira Semler and Vi Huse at the bar for their monthly champagne lunch. Cheers! Please send comments and corrections to DianeClehane AT mediabistro Dot com and lunch at mediabistro DOT com.

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Lunch: Hoda Kotb & Bravo's Housewives Hold Court

Blake Gernstetter

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