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By H. Alan Scott
Senior Editor
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Dorinda Medley may have been murdered on The Traitors, but she's not off your screen for long. The former Real Housewives of New York City star returned for a second run on the Peacock hit, this time navigating the castle alongside fellow Housewives Lisa Rinna, Candiace Dillard Bassett and Porsha Williams, ultimately outlasting all three to become the last Housewife standing before the traitors got to her.
Now, Medley has a new reason to celebrate: she's been announced as a cast member on E!'s upcoming reality series The Golden Life, following Jill Zarin's departure from the show. "Timing's everything," Medley told Newsweek with a smile, clearly indicating she’s ready to keep making it nice, to quote her popular RHONY catchphrase.
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Editor's Note: This conversation has been edited and condensed for publication.
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Congratulations is in order, because the news dropped today that you'll be on the new E! Reality series The Golden Life alongside your former Real Housewives of New York co-stars.
I'm very excited about it too. Timing's everything.
It really is, and the timing could not be more perfect. When I saw that you were murdered on Traitors, I was excited you were on the show — but then I was very upset, because I like having you on my television. The juxtaposition of the week you got murdered and then being announced for a new show...
Listen, it was great. People could mourn it a little bit, and then this incredible fire horse came in with the new calendar year and she jumps right on it. I'm like a Jack in the Box — they push me in and I keep popping out. They can't keep the lid closed. That's why we're going to be great on this show. We girls are hustlers. We do not stop.
You were fantastic on Traitors. To come back for a second season — I was very excited. How did you feel about your overall experience this season?
I really learned so much, and I allowed myself to be fully present in it. I wasn't so worried about every single thing — I just tried to take it all in. As I keep telling people, my strategy was to get through five fabulous outfits without getting murdered or banished.
You did it.
I did it! My outfits were really on point this time, weren't they?
They were. I'm so glad we got a full view of everything you had going.
I didn't even use the ones from last year. When I came home, my suitcases weren't even unpacked — I called my daughter Hannah and said, "Come take all this stuff."
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It's cursed! Now, you and the Housewives, Lisa Rinna, Candiace Dillard Bassett, and Porsha Williams—when I saw that group, I was very excited. But you did something that rarely happens in Traitors history: you had to go against a fellow Housewife. What was it like working with them, and then ultimately going up against one?
Listen, I love those girls and I've always enjoyed them. When you're in such an intense situation and close quarters like that, you get really close. Any of these shows where you spend weeks and weeks together is such a great experience — you're bonded. And we were already bonded as Housewives, so it really solidified that. At first I genuinely thought I was on a girls' weekend. I was like, this is fun! But as the show progressed and you realize what you're actually doing, paranoia sets in. We're filming 12 to 14 hours a day. There is no interaction except what's on camera — we have minders with us at all times. It can get a little Lord of the Flies. You start to think, "Oh, she's a Housewife—but could she be a Traitor?" You start thinking almost Darwinistically, survival of the fittest. You tell yourself, I've gotta do what I've gotta do. Everything in every situation starts off so great, and then you realize, “Oh, no. I'm here to survive, or at least stay as long as possible.”
And you did. You really did it.
I can't believe I was the last Housewife standing. First Housewife to go last time, last Housewife standing this time. Can you imagine? I was very, very sad to see Porsha go this year, though.
Would you have wanted to be a Traitor?
No.
Why not?
A couple of reasons. One, I don't think I could stay up that late — I'd give myself away the next day from sleep deprivation. The days are already so long. But honestly, I think it was important for them to let some of the new players step into those roles. It was already a lot for the audience to see me come back. I think they chose perfectly in giving those Traitor spots to two of the Housewives who were new and fresh, and it was great to see them come together. It all worked out exactly as it should.
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There was a lot of talk during the season about the situation between you and Ron Funches and how that played out. Can you speak to that at all?
There really wasn't much there. Anything you saw — we have no downtime. We're mic'd first thing in the morning and de-mic'd as soon as we leave for the night. So there was never any real interaction. And honestly, I mostly hung around Lisa and Candiace. They separate you anyway — if you're transitioning from breakfast to a challenge, you're with the women and your minders, they take your mic, and then as soon as you're all back together, you're mic'd again. So there's really no space for conflict. I didn't have much interaction with him at all, let alone conflict.
Did you see some of what he said after leaving the show critical of you?
Yes.
What was your reaction?
I was just like, “What is he talking about?” We didn't have that kind of relationship. I don't know why he felt the way he did. Everyone handles getting banished in their own way, but I wasn't even really part of what led to that for him. We all kind of do ourselves in at some point in this game. The tide turns, and I don't think it's ever that personal. I don't take things that personally. I do my job, do my best, and then I go.
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But when you do go, it is great television. I was so upset that you were murdered instead of voted out, because all I wanted was for “Clip” Dorinda to come out at the roundtable. That's all I wanted.
You're not the first person to say that. But here's the funny thing, when I got murdered that day, I kind of had a gut feeling it was coming. I think because I was the last Housewife standing, I thought, they're going to have to take me out now. And by the time I opened that door, I was almost like, “I'm ready to go home to Bluestone Manor.”
I want to go to Bluestone Manor too. I think we all do.
And my exit outfit was so fancy.
It was perfect. Well, Dorinda, I'm so glad there's news that you will not be off our televisions for long. But my last question, would you go back for an All Stars Traitors? Because there's a lot of talk about that.
My God, do you think they'd even want me back for a third time? Isn't everyone going to be like, not her again? I mean, give the people a break!
I don't want a break!
I'll leave you with a great story. I've been to that castle many times before I was even on the show. When I lived in London, and my first husband was Scottish, we used to go to castles for lunch. Our very good friend Donald McTaggart's family owns that castle. It wasn't quite what it is now, but I visited it. Hannah was a little girl. Is that not the strangest thing? It was almost meant to be.
That is wild. And I do know your first husband was Scottish — trust me, I've been a Dorinda fan for a long time. I know the things.
It's like the castle keeps calling me back!
Maybe you'll come back for a third time then. You never know.
You never know.
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