Dorinda Medley is looking back on some of her most memorable Real Housewives taglines, but one story behind the scenes caught fans’ attention for a very different reason.
During a recent appearance on CBS Mornings, the former “Real Housewives of New York City” star was asked which of her taglines was her favorite.
Medley pointed to two that still stand out years later.
“I tell it like it is, but I always make it nice,” she said, referencing one of her most iconic introductions on the show.
She also singled out another fan favorite.
“Diamonds aren’t a girl’s best friend. Martinis are.”
For Medley, part of the fun of a memorable tagline is embracing the joke before anyone else can.
“And you know what’s fun about lines like that, that you’re leaning right into it,” she explained. “So no one can take the piss out of you anymore. Like, you drink too many martinis.”
Dorinda Says Housewives Often Created Their Own Taglines
The conversation eventually turned to how Housewives taglines come together each season.
According to Medley, cast members were often encouraged to submit their own ideas.
“And we came up with our own taglines. A lot of times we did,” she said. “They would ask for suggestions.”
Medley added that she always wanted to write her own whenever possible.
“I always wanted to make mine.”
That led to a surprising revelation about one tagline she says never ended up being used by her.
The Tagline That Ended Up With Another Housewife
GettyAccording to Medley, one of her ideas eventually found its way to another franchise.
“They had Tamra Judge steal my tagline for Orange County,” Medley claimed.
She then shared the line she says she originally pitched herself.
“They gave it to her. I said, ‘I may be on pause, but I’m ready to press play.'”
The comment immediately drew laughs from the CBS Mornings hosts, but Medley admitted she wasn’t exactly thrilled when she first found out.
“I called up Andy and I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?'”
The moment offered a rare glimpse into the creative process behind one of the most recognizable traditions across the Real Housewives universe.
While taglines have become a signature part of every franchise, Medley’s comments suggest cast members often play a bigger role in creating them than fans may realize.
And if Medley’s version of events is accurate, at least one of her ideas had a life beyond New York.
Years later, she can clearly laugh about it. But judging by her reaction, she still remembers exactly how she felt when one of her taglines ended up in someone else’s hands.
Medley is also set to return to television as part of E!’s upcoming reality series “The Golden Life,” alongside fellow “Real Housewives of New York City” alums Kelly Bensimon, Ramona Singer, Luann de Lesseps, and Sonja Morgan. The series was announced earlier this year and is expected to premiere this fall.
