The Toast: "Recession Indicators with Dorothy Wang"

Date: December 4, 2025
Hosts: Claudia Oshry (Claude)
Guest: Dorothy Wang

Overview

This episode of The Toast features television personality and socialite Dorothy Wang, known for her roles in reality TV (Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, Bling Empire). The wide-ranging conversation covers Dorothy's wedding, her experience converting to Judaism, her reality TV journey, the blending of cultures, wellness before her wedding, her take on current social and pop culture topics, and, of course, her signature sharp commentary.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Dorothy Wang's Recent Wedding and Cultural Fusion (04:07–16:58)

• Meeting Her Husband: Dorothy met her now-husband Brandon Yankowitz, a fourth-generation New York Jew, at a Halloween party after moving to NYC. She appreciated his intentional style of courtship.

  “By the time I woke up the next morning, he had texted me and sent me the tickets and was like, a car. Appreciative, like, car will pick you up at 7:30. So it was always very intentional.” (05:05)

• On Converting to Judaism: Dorothy shares her experience of converting (Reform), detailing the process with guidance from Rabbi Michael Ehrlich, and her reflections on merging cultures.

  “For me, it was really ... I was just gaining something, not losing something.” (07:25)

• Wedding Traditions: Dorothy and Brandon’s wedding merged Jewish traditions (chuppah, yarmulke, rabbi) and a Chinese tea ceremony, highlighting cross-cultural celebration.

• The Guest List & Location: The wedding, held in Florence, Italy, was midsized and highly intentional (“who have we had dinner with?”)—no “Rich Kids” cast attended.

  “I never felt for me, even if it's certain family members, like, I don't feel like you have to invite anyone.” (14:22)

• Wedding Vision: Dorothy describes crafting the schedule for maximum enjoyment, rest, and minimal fatigue; she is firm on skipping post-wedding brunches and double-dinner events.

2. The Reality TV Experience: Rich Kids vs. Bling Empire (09:40–13:42)

• E! vs. Netflix: Dorothy contrasts the “hand-held” care and involvement of E! (“nicest producers, meetings with the network”) with the less personal, content-driven pace of Netflix.

  “At E, we were ... being handheld, and we had the nicest producers and they really cared about us ... Netflix ... they have so many shows… and then like you kind of like, see, you never.” (09:55–10:57)

• Impact of Rich Kids: She reflects on the surprise cancellation despite being E!’s second-highest-rated show. On reality TV’s cultural impact, Dorothy notes they provided something “guilty pleasure”-esque and relatable, even for celebrities.

• Cast Relationships: Close with some castmates (EJ, Johnny via “pen pals”), less so with others. Discusses evolving friendships post-show and decisions about wedding invitations.

3. Wellness, Beauty, and Pre-Wedding Prep (24:11–25:35; 45:24–48:26)

• Approach to Beauty Before Wedding:

  • Weight/inflammation management through diet.
  • Minimal interventions—tried “softwave” (a tightening laser), some whitening, but is “more cautious with age.”
  • Clear on risk aversion: “I think I'm more cautious and just ... careful with my body and what I try.” (24:48)

• Social Media & Safety During Wedding:

  “We asked everyone to just hold [off]... we also didn't want anyone to get robbed in their way or anything, so ... we wanted everyone to be safe.” (25:35)

• Facelifts & Beauty Trends:

  • Discusses Dr. Steven Levine’s popularity, the LA vs. NYC approach to beauty, and shifting standards (e.g., facelifts vs. filler).
  • Notably practical about the risks of veneers and over-procedures (“The gracious thing to do...”).

4. Pop Culture “Fast Five” & Dorothy’s Hot Takes (32:04–52:08)

A signature Toast segment: five current cultural stories, dissected with Dorothy’s candid and often biting commentary.

a. Kathy Hilton Home Burglary & LA Crime (32:07–35:34)

• Dorothy shares she was in the neighborhood during the Hilton home break-in, notes the growing issue of crime in LA, especially for public figures.

b. Miley Cyrus’ Engagement (36:11–38:19)

• Skeptical but supportive. Commentary on Miley’s individuality and journey post-Liam Hemsworth.

c. Prince Harry & Meghan Markle / Celebrity Privacy (38:22–44:50)

• Dorothy and Claude critique the Sussexes’ paradoxical pursuit of privacy vs. public platform-building.
• Dorothy: “Their hook on us is that they're part of the Royal family. Right. And every day that goes past that they've left, I feel like we're less and less interested.” (38:57)

d. Kardashians, Beauty Trends, Facelifts & Transparency (45:24–51:54)

• Discusses Kris Jenner’s facelift admissions, the “face cost” epidemic, and the social media shift in beauty standards.
• Dorothy: “I always try to err on the side of caution. ... With veneers, you don't know how they're gonna react. And if you shave down your teeth, there's no going back.” (46:42)

e. Wellness & International Beauty Trends (52:03–52:52)

• Reflects on global beauty standards; contrasts LA’s “snatched” vibe with Korea's “youthful, soft and round” aesthetic.

5. Life Updates, New York vs. LA, and Social Rhythms (42:49–44:50, 52:52–62:19)

• NYC vs. LA: Dorothy praises New York's social energy versus LA's at-home culture:

  “Here you see everyone, like four times a week. Four times a day even. Everyone's always doing stuff.” (43:10)

• Post-Wedding Life: Settled in NYC, married to a personal-injury and mass tort lawyer ("real stickler" for rules), loving city life, NYC for the “near future.”

• Podcast and TV Consumption:

  • Listens to The Toast, Tinx; currently watching thrillers.
  • Excited for Kimora Lee Simmons’ return.

6. Reality TV Reflections and Cultural Impact (19:26–24:11)

• Looking Back at Rich Kids: Reflects on the show’s pop culture impact, growth from “rattling things out at 25” to being intentionally quieter now.

• Notable Quote:

  “My flex is like I'm just gonna keep it to myself ... I can't believe I was just like rattling everything out. I couldn't even imagine doing that nowadays.” (18:36)

• On Iconic “Itemized Bill” Episode: Dorothy gives the real backstory and her philosophy on picking up the tab, fairness, and being misunderstood as “cheap.”

7. Additional Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On merging traditions:

  “I love that we like to merge the tradition.” (08:51)

• On the impact of Rich Kids:

  “Honestly, I feel like we were always everyone's side chick... It was a guilty pleasure.” (23:59)

• On the sassy persona & personal growth:

  “I think you just mature and you just kind of think about what's more important or what's the message that's important to send out, you know.” (19:26)

• On growing softer in marriage:

  “He [Brandon] doesn't like the sassy. So I've kind of like, I'm not as sassy anymore. Well, maybe you don't need to be sassy.” (37:54)

• On beauty procedures and transparency:

  “They are embracing this, like, new era of transparency... I don't require it. You know, like, if you want to share with me, great. If not, how you look has...” (49:36)

Highlighted Timestamps

• 04:25 – 16:58: Dorothy’s engagement, conversion, and wedding details
• 09:40 – 13:42: Reality TV differences and cast relationships
• 21:04 – 23:59: The legendary “itemized bill” dinner story
• 32:07 – 44:50: The “Fast Five” pop culture commentary
• 45:24 – 51:54: Discussion of beauty, facelifts, and transparency
• 52:03 – 52:52: International beauty standards and Korean beauty
• 42:49 – 43:45: Living in NYC vs. LA

Tone & Language

The conversation is fast-paced, candid, irreverent, and peppered with humor and honesty—classic Toast style. Dorothy brings dry wit, irony, and thoughtful cultural insight, while Claudia steers the show with warmth and curiosity.

Final Thoughts

The episode is a mix of glittery wedding recap, reality tv nostalgia, and unfiltered hot takes on the current state of pop culture and beauty. Dorothy Wang stands out as both glamorous and grounded, offering candid stories and sage advice for listeners navigating friendship, beauty, and personal growth in a digital era.