Bethenny Frankel Snaps At People Trying to Take Her Down Over Viral Bad Bunny Video

Bethenny Frankel is lashing out at anyone who is trying to tear her down because of a viral video that she posted and then deleted.

via: Daily Mail

In the now-removed clip, the Real Housewives of New York City alum, 55, opened with a warning that she might 'get cancelled for this,' before launching into a broader question about whether major entertainment platforms should be used to express personal or political views.

'Should these entertainment vehicles - the Grammys, the Emmys, the Oscars, the Super Bowl - should this be the place for personal, cultural, political views to be expressed?' Frankel asked.

She acknowledged there are moments when discussion of world events is unavoidable, citing 'COVID or tragedies, 9/11,' but pressed repeatedly: 'Where is the line?'

Frankel went on to compare Bad Bunny's performance to past controversies involving comedians and actors, including Dave Chappelle expressing transphobic views onstage in 2021 and Billie Eilish recently blasting ICE during her 2026 Grammys acceptance speech.

'Where is the line?' Frankel asked again, arguing that daytime television hosts like Live With Kelly and Mark stars Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are 'not allowed to express any opinions about anything going on.'

'That show … they can barely discuss anything going on,' she said. 'It's an entertainment vehicle, and they keep it that way.'

Shortly after posting the video, Frankel removed it, and followed up with a second Instagram Reel, in which she offered a far more supportive take on Bad Bunny's halftime appearance.

'So my take on Bad Bunny and his performance at the Super Bowl is that he is an artist expressing himself, his music and his experience as a Puerto Rican man in America,' the Skinnygirl founder said.

She added that musicians across genres use their work to reflect culture and identity.

'Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican man in America on the largest stage in the world - which is very inspirational to people because that is him expressing his experience in his first language.'

Frankel concluded by invoking pop royalty: 'Madonna said it best: Express yourself.'

Some fans speculated the quick deletion may have been influenced by the intense backlash faced by her former RHONY co-star Jill Zarin, who was widely criticized over her own now-deleted rant about Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance.

On Sunday, the 62-year-old reality star shared a video blasting the halftime show, calling it 'the worst halftime show ever' and claiming it was inappropriate for children watching at home.

'It was the worst halftime show ever. I just don't think it was appropriate to have it in Spanish and, quite frankly … grabbing his G [groin] area,' Zarin said in the clip. 'I think it was totally inappropriate.'

She continued: 'You've got all these young kids watching the Super Bowl and he doesn't have to be grabbing himself every five seconds because he's so insecure. Seriously.'

Zarin also criticized the language of the performance and suggested it carried a political message.

'I don't speak Spanish, I would've liked to have known the words he was saying,' she said. 'To me, it looked like a political statement because there were literally no white people in the entire thing. I'm not taking a side, one way or the other…I think it was an ICE thing. I think that the NFL sold out and it's very sad.'

On Reddit, one user speculated Frankel may have taken down her post after seeing the 'reaction to Jill's.'

Others rushed to defend Frankel, arguing her commentary was fundamentally different from Zarin's.

'Why y'all acting so pitchforky & hysterical to any opinion? Like calm the f**k down. The intolerance is outta control. She is asking a perfectly valid question,' one person wrote.

Another added: 'This is a reach. She's simply prompting a question for the culture, which is vastly different from Jill's take on Benito's performance.'

'She said nothing wrong. She's asking a question,' another commenter said. 'And also, see what happened with Billie Eilish. People from all ages and backgrounds heavily criticized her. In Bad Bunny's case, he mostly kept it cultural and inclusive, which is why it worked (even if I hate his music).'

Meanwhile, another commenter insisted the distinction mattered: 'Jill's team is working hard to get the focus off her. Bethenny giving an initial take, then clarifying it, is not the same as Jill Zarin being angry "no whites" were shown and ppl singing in Spanish. VERY DIFFERENT.'

'There's absolutely nothing wrong with this video,' another concluded. 'It's very different than Jill's.'

Others pleaded for former RHONY cast members to 'stop' weighing in, altogether.

Since the online backlash, The “Real Housewives of New York City” alum took to Instagram Thursday guns blazing to scold her followers after her original video critiquing Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl halftime show went viral.

With sopping wet hair fresh from the shower, Frankel began her Reel, “I can’t even wait to get my robe on to say this to you. Let’s say I say something wrong, let’s say I get a word wrong … let’s say for a brief second — even though I’ve been to Puerto Rico, like, six times — realize that it’s a territory but that it is not on the mainland so it feels culturally different … let’s say I get it wrong, let’s say I f–king say it wrong: You have two choices.”

The 55-year-old explained that her fans can either “educate” her by saying things like, “I want you to understand this,” or they can say, “F–k you, you whore, you ‘Tales from the Crypt,’ you Skeletor, you racist, you c–t.”

“In the United States of America, we have never been more f–king divided, so why not try to talk to someone who says something wrong, who has a different opinion than you, who thinks like the uncle at your Thanksgiving dinner table that you can’t believe thinks that way?” she wondered.

“Instead of telling him he’s a piece of s–t and putting him the ground, have a conversation, have a dialogue.”

The entrepreneur went on to slam the idea that everyone has to fit into one political box.

“You’re either woke or MAGA. Is there nothing in between? ‘Cause I’m neither woke nor MAGA. You can f–king trust and believe,” she said, arguing that both Democratic and Republican politicians have done “moronic” things.

“What the f–k happened to us? Life is not a zero-sum game,” she continued. “We’re human beings! So if I say something that f–king bothers you, let me know in a constructive way so I can change. If you just wanna put me in the goddamn ground, wait for it, baby, ’cause I’m not f–king going anywhere.”

Frankel insisted she’s “one of the only ones who will actually speak their mind,” claiming internet users just want “mommies that will just say what [they] program them to say.”

She further claimed that those unnamed celebrities don’t really believe in what they share publicly and are “bulls–ting” their fans because “they’re all texting [her] on the side” saying the opposite.

The Skinnygirl founder stressed that she keeps it real, explaining, “When I talk to you, I’m talking live and direct. And if I feel something, think something, say something that’s wrong, correct me, educate me, discuss with me.”

According to Frankel, “This country needs a f–king dialogue. This country is not red or blue. This country is red, white and blue. This country is Puerto Rico, it’s Texas, it’s South Carolina, it’s New York, it’s Jewish, it’s Catholic, it’s Muslim, it’s f–king everything.”

She concluded her message by ordering her followers to “stop” bullying her, stating, “I’m not tolerating this anymore. You wanna go? Let’s f–king go. You’re not gonna take me down, but I would prefer to have a conversation. You’re welcome.”

Frankel wrote atop the footage, “This is who I am. Unfollow me or cancel me.”

*****

I personally don't think what Bethenny said was as bad as what Jill Zarin said about Bad Bunny. I do agree that we have forgotten how to have a genuine open dialogue with people who may need to be educated on our contries' history and atricities, especially when it comes to Puerto Rico. At least Bethenny is open to having a conversation. I personally don't have time for bigots (like Jill) who bask heavily in their privilege and ignorance that there's no talking to them.

And regarding the faux KKKlaren outrage against Bad Bunny's performance, I'll just leave you with what Real Housewives of Potomac and The Traitors season 4 Candaice Dillard-Bassett tweeted.