Fashion Mogul Reveals Whether She Would Be on ‘Real Housewives’

Given her glamorous resume as a fashion icon, designer, model, and mother, many Bravo viewers can easily picture Kimora Lee Simmons as a natural fit among “Real Housewives” stars like Kyle Richards, Erika Jayne, Kathy Hilton, and Heather Dubrow.

Although she’s been asked several times to consider being a Housewife, it’s just not Simmons’ style. However, she recently returned to reality TV after 15 years to share her own story her way.

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Kimora Lee Simmons Shares Why She Will Never Join the ‘Real Housewives’

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While appearing on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast, Kimora Lee Simmons explained why she wouldn’t consider mingling with the women of “The Real Housewives,” even though fans can easily picture her fitting in with the glamorous Beverly Hills cast.

For Simmons, it all comes down to being authentic and real, and she has no interest in engaging in drama for the sake of television. Plus, she is just way too fabulous to fight with her girlfriends on camera, she said.

“I didn’t want to go do the Housewives … and I didn’t want to fight with these girls. And I didn’t want to have to manufacture drama with these girls,” she began.

“Not that it always is. I’m not trying to tell trade secrets. This is just my humble opinion—that it’s like manufactured crap: drama, fighting … or BS for no reason, and I don’t want that. I don’t want you to have to turn my friend against me for ratings.”

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Simmons Recalled Being Asked ‘All the Time’ to Join Housewives

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Speaking to Entertainment Tonight in 2022 (via People), Simmons revealed that Housewives producers had pretty much pestered her to consider joining the Bravo show.

“Different producers call me all the time, people call be to be a part of their show all the time,” she shared. At the time, Simmons said that she had considered being part of the show but had reservations. As she mentioned in her interview with the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast, Simmons isn’t the type to get into “fake, produced drama.”

“I like Kyle [Richards], I like Kathy [Hilton], I like Garcelle [Beauvais], I like these women,” she said. “But are they gonna invite you to a dinner party and then edit it to look a certain way? Because honey, I’m not the one. I don’t have the patience for that.”

She added, “I want to compel people, teach people, aspire people, uplift them, I want to show them how to be bad Bs, how to look great, feel great, manage everything, fall apart if you have to but get back up and keep going. That’s what I want to show on TV.”

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Simmons Returned to Reality TV With ‘Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane’

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Of course, Simmons is no stranger to starring in reality TV. From 2007 to 2011, she starred in “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane,” a four-season show that followed her life and career. The show focused on her working on her Baby Phat label and raising her two daughters, Aoki and Ming, with her former husband, record executive Russell Simmons.

After nearly 15 years, Simmons decided to get back into reality TV with her brand-new series, “Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane,” which premiered on the E! network on December 2.

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In the trailer for the new series, Simmons reintroduces herself. “It’s been almost 15 years since you last saw me and my family. A lot has changed. I have more businesses — Baby Phat was my first baby. Being a fashion icon is also my job.”

She continued, “I’m the mom, I’m the dad, I’m the president, the CFO.” Additionally, she shares how she juggles a career with her five children, comparing her family life to the “Brady Bunch — but with no husband.”