Jill Zarin & Lisa Wexler Charm Imus, Share Some Secrets, and Trash Some Former Housewives

Since their Jewish mother Gloria Kamen was on a plane this morning, two Jewish daughters—Jill Zarin and Lisa Wexler—visited Imus to dispense the pearls of wisdom contained in their new tome, Secrets of a Jewish Mother: Real Advice, Real Family, Real Love.
 
But first: presents.
 
“I brought you a handmade scarf from my mom,” Wexler said. “She knitted the scarf! Jewish mothers never travel without sweaters, and scarves, and gloves.”
 
Both girls are well-known media figures: Wexler is the host of The Lisa Wexler Show on Cox Radio in Connecticut, and Zarin is one of the stars of Bravo TV’s “The Real Housewives of New York City,” an opportunity that she described to Imus as “a fluke.”
 
“They called me at my apartment and left a message, saying they were looking for glamorous New York women and their families to be on a new show called ‘Manhattan Moms,’” said Zarin, whom the producers had spotted on a website for “society” events.  “I asked my husband, and he said, ‘Alright, if you want to try out, go ahead.’ And here we are.”
 
Deirdre Imus is a big fan of “The Real Housewives,” and had brought her husband up to speed on the latest drama with the women, namely Zarin’s spat with her former co-star Bethenny Frankel, whose new Bravo TV show” Bethenny Ever After” debuted last night.
 
“We were friends, but it was a fake friendship,” Zarin admitted. “It was a TV show friendship, and she went on to get her own show, so we’re not friends anymore.”
 
And though Zarin believes Frankel stabbed her in the back, Wexler took the high road. “Here’s a good thing that came out of it,” she said. “My mother was on that same season, and she gave some heartfelt advice to Bethenny on the show, and that’s what sparked the idea I had to write that book.”
 
Besides, Wexler added, “We don’t want to trash her. Let her live and be well.”
 
Not on this program.
 
As Wexler stated, the idea to write Secrets of a Jewish Mother was hers, and she wrote most of the book, which also contains first-person stories from Zarin and, naturally, from their mom Gloria.
 
“She says you have to always tell the truth, and she says that you have to interfere,” Wexler said. “You can’t be a bystander in life, or in your children’s life.”
 
The two women claim Zarin is more like their mother, and Wexler is more like their father. As such, Wexler said, “My mother would be more inclined to get along with Jill’s husband.”
 
That would be Bobby Zarin, owner of Zarin Fabrics in New York City. Zarin very sweetly gave Imus a 30 percent off discount card for her husband’s store, but was less generous when the subject turned back to Bethenny.
 
“I’m not going to lie to you and say everything’s beautiful,” Zarin told Imus, who suddenly found himself way more vested in this situation than he had planned.
 
“I know there are hard feelings,” he said, sternly. “And there should be.”
 
Team Zarin!
 
-Julie Kanfer