Lifestyle

'TERRIFYING'

‘Real Housewives’ Star Faces Backlash Over ‘Super Skinny’ New Look

One commenter called the latest wave of ultra-thin celebrities “terrifying.”

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

PublishedJun 1, 2026, 1:18 PM EDT

UpdatedJun 1, 2026, 1:21 PM EDT

Updated Jun 1, 2026, 1:21 PM EDTPublished Jun 1, 2026, 1:18 PM EDT

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The Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel is under fire for her “super skinny” appearance on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway.

Frankel, 55, was the oldest model to walk on the celebrity-filled stage at Miami Swim Week on Saturday.

She strutted down the runway multiple times, modeling two different bikini designs. For the finale, she joined the other models on stage in a red swimsuit for the Baywatch-themed finale.

After Page Six posted an Instagram video of Frankel dancing on the stage hand-in-hand with influencer Alix Earle, 25, the comments quickly filled with people worrying about the pair’s slim physiques.

“The fact we are going back to super skinny culture is terrifying,” read the top comment with over 1,200 likes.

Another person wrote, “This is going to give young girls eating disorders! I feel like there should be a weight and fit requirement to these [shows]. It looks horrible.”

While another added, “This is just not it. What are we doing, people? Let’s get some muscle on our bones.”

Despite the criticism, some commenters expressed their admiration for Frankel’s “incredible” physique.

“Bethenny looks amazing, wow,” one person wrote, while another said that Frankel, who is in her fifties, had the body of a 20-year-old.

Frankel, who also posed for the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue, is the founder of the Skinnygirl lifestyle empire.

Launched in 2009 with Skinnygirl Cocktails as its main product, the brand has expanded into other low-calorie products, including vodka, salad dressings, and preserves, as well as clothing.

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Roosa Rahkonen

Frankel is also an author of multiple books, including the 2009 books Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting and The Skinnygirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life, which she co-authored with Eve Adamson.

Still, while Frankel’s figure typically falls on the slimmer side, her appearance is noticeably different from just a few years earlier.

While some people commented on the seeming lack of representation on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway, the show included models of different body types.

Body-positivity advocate and Olympic medal-winning rugby player Ilona Maher walked down the runway, as did Hunter McGrady, a curve model, and Katie Austin, who was six months pregnant at the time of the show.

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Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

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