Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa

Guest: Bronwyn Newport (“Jan” from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City)

Episode Title: Is Loyal To The Truth
Date: February 11, 2026

Main Theme

In this candid, unfiltered episode, Kelly Ripa sits down with Bronwyn Newport (often called “Jan”), star of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Together, they dig into fame, fashion, real-life challenges behind reality TV, complicated family and romantic relationships, and what it means to remain loyal to the truth amidst personal and public upheaval. The episode is notable both for its warmth and depth—a conversational space where vulnerability, humor, and smart commentary intertwine.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction: Why Bronwyn? (01:49–04:10)

• Kelly reveals her obsession with Bronwyn, highlighting her authenticity, unique style, and role as "a New Yorker at heart."
• Bronwyn’s breadth is underscored: mother, philanthropist, Broadway producer, fashion historian, and archivist.

Memorable Quote:
"She captured my imagination, my spirit, my heart, my soul. I can't stop looking at her. I want her to come unfuck my wardrobe." – Kelly Ripa (01:54)

2. Roots and Identity: "Fish Out of Water" & Broadway Dreams (04:10–07:12)

• Bronwyn shares she is in New York for tradition: post-finale dinner with designer Christian Siriano.
• Discusses her attachment to New York’s creative pulse versus life in Salt Lake City.
• Temptation to ask Andy Cohen for a transfer to the “Real Housewives of New York.”

Memorable Quote:
"Some days I think, should I say to Andy, I'm looking for, like, a...transfer to Roni?" – Bronwyn (06:06)

3. Reality vs. Reality TV: Playing It Real (07:40–12:12)

• Bronwyn sees herself as a "voice of reason" and explains her loyalty to truth rather than individuals or alliances.
• She doesn’t strategize for the show—she just lives her truth.

Notable Quotes:
"What they liked about me is that I'm not loyal to anyone, even myself. I'm loyal to what I think is right." – Bronwyn (07:40)
"I just film each day as it comes...some days I was mad, some days I was hopeful, and some days I didn't know where it was going." – Bronwyn (10:17)

• Reveals many Housewives plan lines, alliances, or story arcs—she refuses to do so.

4. On Friendship Dynamics: The Meredith-Lisa Codependency (08:12–10:04, 12:38–14:54)

• Bronwyn analyzes the intense, strategic friendship between Lisa and Meredith, suggesting it’s fueled by mutual protection, not genuine connection.

Quote:
"Their friendship right now, I think, is...mutually assured distraction. I think they both know where all of each other's bodies are buried...it does feel like a strategy, not a friendship to me." – Bronwyn (08:23)

5. Fashion, Personal Style, and Rebellion (13:36–19:22)

• Kelly and Bronwyn bond over clothes, with Kelly longing for Bronwyn’s help in reorganizing her closet.
• Bronwyn narrates her defiance of modest norms as a Mormon child, her blossoming fashion sense, interactions with Betsey Johnson, and her fashion-as-storytelling philosophy.

Quotes:
"I remember being little and thinking that, like, rainbow cheetah was my favorite color. Just like a normal color." – Bronwyn (16:08)
"I think the way that we do all get dressed every single day, whether you pretend like you care about it or you don't...you are saying something to the world.” – Bronwyn (17:16)

• Details her massive (8,000-square-foot!) clothing archive in Utah, to Kelly’s delight.

6. Marriage, Separation, and Emotional Truths (19:22–29:55)

• Deep dive into Bronwyn’s evolving marriage with Todd: their age gap, his discomfort with the show, the emotional strain of her parents’ illnesses and deaths, and her quest for honesty and autonomy at 40.
• “The cherry on the sundae” moment symbolizes unmet emotional needs in their relationship.

Quotes:
"I like, woke up tired the day after my 40th birthday. And I just was like, there's just some things I just don't want to do anymore." – Bronwyn (20:30)

• Reveals separation from Todd, her ambivalence about reconciliation, and how public scrutiny magnifies their private challenges.

Quotes:
"Some things you shouldn't have to explain, some things you shouldn't have to ask for. Some things should be, like, innately understood." – Bronwyn (01:00, 25:23)

7. Impact of the Show on Family (29:55–36:48)

• Discusses Todd’s dual pride in her and discomfort with filming, waxing on Instagram vs. “show” versions of her family life.
• Details her daughter Gwen’s indifference (and sly critique) toward the show, and how her boyfriend Logan has become a surprising support.
• The toll of reality TV on Bronwyn’s relationship with her mother, magnified by public opinion and social media backlash.

Quote:
"She was horrified...There was so much discussion about my mom on social media that was so negative that it really kind of took back her willingness to want to keep talking to me about things." – Bronwyn (34:59)

8. Personal Progress and Vulnerability (36:33–38:52)

• Kelly and Bronwyn reflect on healing real relationships, progress with her mom, and how being publicly accountable can catalyze change.

Quote:
"You just know certain things...If I don't like it, the onus is on me to fix it." – Bronwyn (38:08)

9. Behind-the-Scenes Drama: The Infamous “Plane Incident” (39:13–53:02)

• The Housewives’ wildest trip home from below deck Greece is shrouded in rumor. Bronwyn wasn’t present but shares her perceptions of the chaos, speculation about why no one recorded the event, and the show’s unspoken rules.
• Theories discussed: exhaustion, alcohol, sleeping pills, and social contracts about recording within the cast.

Quote:
"There is definitely a bond once you're on the...Sometimes I think there's the OGs and the newer girls. There is a little unspoken divide there." – Bronwyn (41:53)

10. Who Shows Up When It Counts? (53:13–56:04)

• Bronwyn reveals, after her father's death and her separation, which Housewives offered real support. All but Lisa Barlow reached out.
• Kelly suggests Lisa is intimidated or threatened by Bronwyn’s originality.

Quote:
"Everybody but one person on the cast personally reached out to me when my dad passed...There was one very specific person who did not. And it did not surprise me." – Bronwyn (53:36)

11. Housewives Power Dynamics & Fashion Shade (56:04–58:13)

• Kelly and Bronwyn dissect Lisa Barlow’s tendency to project and claim others’ ideas as her own. Bronwyn reflects with humor about Lisa’s possible perception of her as a rival.

Quote:
"I kind of live for her living in her glue, you know what I mean? What would that feel like to just walk around and be like, you know, Kelly Ripa got those earrings because she saw me wearing them?" – Bronwyn (56:43)

12. Wrapping Up: Hufflepuff Pride and Future Plans (58:55–59:16)

• Kelly and Bronwyn bond over their Hufflepuff (Harry Potter) identities, joke about starting a line of couture Hufflepuff merch, and tease future creative projects in New York.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "I am obsessed with who you are. I love who you are. I feel like I want to be your boat roommate because I would cherish that experience." – Kelly Ripa (04:28)
• "I'm not loyal to anyone, even myself. I'm loyal to what I think is right." – Bronwyn (07:40)
• "Their friendship right now, I think, is...mutually assured distraction...It does feel like a strategy, not a friendship to me." – Bronwyn (08:23)
• "Some things you shouldn't have to explain, some things you shouldn't have to ask for. Some things should be...innately understood." – Bronwyn (01:00, repeated sentiment at 25:23)
• "I like, woke up tired the day after my 40th birthday. And I just was like, there's just some things I just don't want to do anymore." – Bronwyn (20:30)
• "I've always known what I wanted to look like. I remember in kindergarten really, like, knocking heads with my mom over what I wanted." – Bronwyn (14:56)
• "If I don't like it, the onus is on me to fix it." – Bronwyn (38:08)
• "There is definitely a bond once you're on the...show together, and...sometimes I think there's all of us together, and sometimes I think there's the OGs and the newer girls." – Bronwyn (41:53)
• "I kind of live for her living in her glue." – Bronwyn (56:43)
• "The time has come for Hufflepuff Merch because nobody knows...We're the sleeper." – Kelly Ripa (59:04)

Section Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamps | |------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Obsession & Introduction | 01:49–04:10 | | New York/Broadway Roots | 04:10–07:12 | | Truth in Reality TV | 07:40–12:12 | | Friendship Strategies – Lisa & Meredith | 08:12–10:04 | | Fashion, Closet Cleanouts, Storytelling | 13:36–19:22 | | Marriage, Separation, Emotional Truths | 19:22–29:55 | | Family Impact (Daughter, Mom) | 29:55–36:48 | | Personal Progress & Vulnerability | 36:33–38:52 | | Drama Dissected: The Plane Incident | 39:13–53:02 | | Support After Loss/Separation | 53:13–56:04 | | Lisa Barlow Dynamics | 56:04–58:13 | | Hufflepuff/Bonding/Pop-Up Tease | 58:55–59:16 |

Overall Tone & Style

The language is witty, intelligent, empathetic, and peppered with pop-culture and fashion references. Kelly and Bronwyn’s dialogue is intimate with a confessional, spirited vibe—equal parts heart and humor. They balance vulnerability with lightheartedness, making even painful moments approachable.

For Listeners

This episode delivers far more than reality TV gossip: it’s an honest, often hilarious meditation on change, self-recognition, personal integrity, and the madness (and magic) of being both performer and person, on and off camera. Whether you come for the Housewives insider dirt or the life wisdom, you’ll leave having learned something real.