TODAY
"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" discuss their new show
KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, co-host: Yes, Bravo's "The Real Housewives" are opening doors this week in a new ZIP code, 2--"90210." That famous ZIP code, to be exact.
HODA KOTB, co-host: You know this is going to be something. That's Beverly Hills, in case it's been a while. And these ladies have the mansions, the cars and the diamonds that go with the territory.
(Clip from "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills")
GIFFORD: Cover your...
KOTB: Oh, my God.
GIFFORD: Cover your what?
KOTB: I don't know. All right, everybody, let's say hi to--let's raise your hands when I call your name so we know. Taylor Armstrong, Lisa VanderPump, Kyle Richards, Kim Richards--they're sisters--Camille Grammer, and Adrienne Maloof. Well, look at the new group of housewives.
GIFFORD: I know. We're going to have to get to know them. I mean, it's just going to be premiering, but just--tonight, tonight's the night, right? The premiere's...
Group: (In unison) Tomorrow night.
KOTB: Tomorrow night.
GIFFORD: OK. I know you, Lisa, from--she owns a fabulous restaurant in Beverly Hills called Villa Blanca and some other ones, too, right?
KOTB: Of course.
Ms. LISA VANDERPUMP: Yes, you know my--thank you. Yes, absolutely.
GIFFORD: And, Camille, of course, we've met before. Camille was married to the fabulous Kelsey Grammer.
KOTB: Kelsey Grammer.
GIFFORD: And the other ladies all...
KOTB: We're going to get to know all of you.
GIFFORD: Yes.
KOTB: Now you guys are sisters.
Ms. KYLE RICHARDS: Yes.
Ms. KIM RICHARDS: Yes.
GIFFORD: Kim and Kyle.
KOTB: All right, let me ask you the tone of the whole thing, because every housewives show seems to have its own tone.
GIFFORD: Mm-hmm.
KOTB: Some of them are a little bit, you know, rougher, like Jersey's a little rough. New York's got its own. How would you describe the tone of yours, Taylor?
Ms. TAYLOR ARMSTRONG: Well, we live in the most glamorous ZIP code in the United States...
KOTB: Yes.
Ms. ARMSTRONG: ...90210.
KOTB: Uh-huh.
Ms. ARMSTRONG: So you're going to see a lot of glamour, sophistication, style. I mean, look at these beautiful women, and a lot of drama. These are six women who are used to getting their way.
KOTB: Uh-huh.
GIFFORD: Did you know each other before? Are these legitimate, authentic relationships that you've all had all along?
Ms. ARMSTRONG: Oh, absolutely. Yeah.
Ms. VANDERPUMP: Yeah, well, Kyle was on first.
GIFFORD: Camille, are you sure because you look--she's thinking about it, I can see.
Ms. CAMILLE GRAMMER: I knew Adrienne. Adrienne and I were friends.
KOTB: Uh-huh.
Ms. GRAMMER: And Kyle's husband and I, we work together, he's our realtor.
KOTB: OK.
GIFFORD: And you bought a lot of houses while you were--you know.
Ms. GRAMMER: Yes. So we made some money for...
GIFFORD: Yes, you sure did.
KOTB: So sisters Kim and Kyle, one would think that you two would be like glue. Close, tight, together. Is that the case with the sisters?
Ms. KYLE RICHARDS: At times. But, you know, we are sisters and we're definitely different...
GIFFORD: Yeah.
Ms. KYLE RICHARDS: ...so we do clash at times. That was definitely straining.
KOTB: Kim, is that the case with the two?
Ms. KIM RICHARDS: I think in this situation it's probably the most fun I've had with my sister and yet the biggest conflict yet. The biggest drama.
GIFFORD: Wow. How many of you are married?
KOTB: Raise your hand if you're married.
GIFFORD: So, Camille...
Ms. KYLE RICHARDS: You're still married, Camille. Camille's still married.
GIFFORD: Camille, is the divorce final or no?
Ms. GRAMMER: No, it's not final.
KOTB: It's not final yet.
Ms. GRAMMER: It's not final.
GIFFORD: It's not final yet. So we're going to see a lot of that as well in the upcoming...
Ms. GRAMMER: Yes. You will see some of that.
GIFFORD: Yeah.
KOTB: Now what has it been like, because everyone has a different take when the cameras follow you around. So why don't you tell us, what has it been like for you to have your life sort of under the microscope?
Ms. VANDERPUMP: Well, at first--I mean, the first week it was pretty, kind of intimidating, and then you just got to let it go.
KOTB: Mm-hmm.
Ms. VANDERPUMP: And then they just follow your life. I found sometimes I said things that I wish I hadn't, but that's just, you know, nature of the beast.
GIFFORD: But that's life, right?
Ms. VANDERPUMP: Yeah. But once it's out there, you just can't take it back, unfortunately.
KOTB: Adrienne, when you watch the--you guys have obviously seen the episode. Was it true to what happened? Did it feel like you were depicted in the right way?
Ms. ADRIENNE MALOOF: Yes. It's very real, and I think all the girls come off as being themselves and very genuine, yes.
KOTB: Uh-huh. Do you think people, because you guys are glamorous and you have lots of money, everyone's kind of going through a tough economic time...
GIFFORD: Hm.
KOTB: ...do you think they're going to look at it and say, `Oh, God.'
GIFFORD: I don't want to hear these women moan about anything. I can't...
KOTB: `I don't want to hear it, they're complaining.'
Ms. KYLE RICHARDS: You know, we're all different.
Ms. ARMSTRONG: Right, right.
KOTB: Yeah?
Ms. KYLE RICHARDS: We're all--everyone's had to cut back no matter how much you have. It's affected us all.
KOTB: Right. But when you're wealthy and you have to cut back, it doesn't...
GIFFORD: To two houses instead of six.
KOTB: It doesn't hurt, right, you know.
Ms. KYLE RICHARDS: All I'm saying is it affects it differently maybe, but it still affects us.
Ms. VANDERPUMP: Absolutely.
Ms. ARMSTRONG: Absolutely.
Ms. VANDERPUMP: Starting new businesses and things like that...
KOTB: Mm-hmm.
Ms. VANDERPUMP: ...in this economy.
Ms. KIM RICHARDS: And we're still all mothers and have, like she said, our own, you know, companies, and...
GIFFORD: And will we see plastic surgery?
Ms. MALOOF: My husband's a plastic surgeon, so you'll see some on the show.
GIFFORD: We'll see some. OK.
KOTB: Now, are the husbands...
GIFFORD: Oh, we're just seeing it now.
KOTB: Oh, really.
GIFFORD: Hello.
KOTB: You did it on the air?
Ms. ARMSTRONG: Yeah.
KOTB: You did? Was that Botox or the whole thing?
Ms. ARMSTRONG: That's filler...
KOTB: Filler.
Ms. ARMSTRONG: Mm-hmm. And, Paul, Adrienne's husband, did that procedure.
GIFFORD: But you were so--one of you said in the notes, `Listen, this is Beverly Hills. There is not a woman over 20 that hasn't had something done to herself in Beverly Hills.'
Ms. VANDERPUMP: Absolutely.
Ms. ARMSTRONG: Absolutely.
KOTB: So everyone has? Everybody?
Ms. ARMSTRONG: We got to keep up with the Joneses, right?
GIFFORD: All right.
Ms. KYLE RICHARDS: I don't want to be the only one with crow's feet.
KOTB: Well, you guys, I know it's going to be a fiery one. So we wish you good luck with your new series.
Group: (In unison) Thank you very much. Thank you.
GIFFORD: The same to you.
KOTB: And you can catch the premiere of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" tomorrow at 10, 9 Central on our sister station Bravo.
GIFFORD: Up next, gather your girlfriends, we've got some great getaways that'll have you packing right after
this. Ooh, look at that, Hoda.
KOTB: Ooh.
GIFFORD: Let's go.