United States of Kennedy — Carole Radziwill

Podcast: United States of Kennedy by iHeartPodcasts
Hosts: Lyra Smith, George Civeris
Guest: Brian Moylan (Real Housewives commentator & writer)
Date: September 8, 2025

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This episode explores the fascinating, often overlooked Kennedy connections of Carole Radziwill—journalist, author, Real Housewives of New York (RHONY) star, and widow of Anthony Radziwill, nephew to Jackie Kennedy. The conversation, guided by Housewives expert Brian Moylan, deftly blends Bravo-verse camp with Kennedy lore, delving into Carole’s public persona, personal tragedies, and her ability to maintain credibility, humor, and even chic mystique both in and outside the infamous Housewives universe.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

Who is Carole Radziwill? (02:12–05:08)

• Kennedy Connections: Carole was married to Anthony Radziwill, Jackie O’s nephew and first cousin to JFK Jr. She was close friends with both John and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
  • “Anthony and John were very close. They were each best man at the other's wedding.” —Lyra Smith (03:39)
• Professional Achievements: Before her reality TV fame, Carole was an award-winning journalist, with three Emmys, a Peabody, and a GLAAD Media Award.
  • “She has Emmys, but also, like, she can read and write … It gets a little more sophisticated than that.” —Lyra Smith (10:44)
• Shared Trauma: Carole’s memoir, What Remains, chronicles losing her husband, best friend (Carolyn), and John all within a month—a period of unimaginable personal loss.
  • “Carol lost the three people closest to her in the span of one month.” —Lyra Smith (04:55)

Carole’s Persona on RHONY (05:36–12:30)

• Voice of Reason and Intellectual Outsider: Carole is described as the “cool downtown one,” set apart from more conventional, Upper East Side socialites of the show.
  • “It always seemed a little bit like the Housewives needed Carol more than Carol needed the housewives, which I think is a great way to position it.” —Brian Moylan (07:17)
• Comparison to Jenna Lyons: Like Jenna Lyons, Carole started the show as an “existing entity,” not needing to prove herself and retaining independence.
  • “Carol was basically Princess Diana.” —Lyra Smith (08:10)
• Housewives Authenticity: Carole is appreciated for her authenticity, quick wit, and for not playing up or faking her persona for the cameras—qualities Moylan calls essential for great Housewives.
  • "She's cool, she's smart, she's dishy. She's a little bit bitchy in a fun way. Like, just like she's on the show. She is, like, in real life." —Brian Moylan (10:06)

Kennedy Ties & Housewife Antics (15:03–21:45)

• Brings Credibility: Carole’s Kennedy connection added a rarefied air to RHONY, making her "the princess who can one-up the countess [Luann]” (09:01).
• Bookgate: The infamous RHONY storyline where Aviva Drescher accuses Carole of using a ghostwriter for her memoir What Remains. For Carole—a professional journalist—this was a deeply personal affront.
  • “For someone to say like you, you can't do the thing that you are known for... this, to me, was a really big deal, especially as a writer and a journalist.” —Brian Moylan (19:23)
  • “Why don’t you use your words, writer girl?” —(Aviva, infamously at the RHONY reunion, 21:45)
• Intimate Glimpses: Carole didn’t exploit her Kennedy ties for storylines; the now-legendary “Lee Radziwill couch” served as a subtle symbol of her close relationships.

The Cursed Jackie O Watch & Other Kennedy Ephemera (26:40–29:27)

• Cursed Relic: Carole inherited Jackie Kennedy’s iconic Cartier Tank watch. After both she and a friend who owned the watch became widows, Carole suspected it was cursed and sold it—Kim Kardashian bought it, then returned it due to its reputation.
  • “Carol was like, this watch is cursed. It has belonged to three women, all of whom are widowed in their 30s. I'm going to put it up for sale at Christie's.” —Lyra Smith (27:57)
  • “Kim maybe fully paid for it and just didn't want it in her possession. ...That's how much she was like, just get this motherfucker away from me.” —Brian Moylan (28:49)

Carole’s Relationships and Narrative Arcs on RHONY (32:12–38:59)

• Celebrity Friendships and Conflicts: Carole’s major storylines included her romance with young vegan chef Adam (involving “breaking girl code” allegations), and a high-profile falling out with Bethenny Frankel.
  • "They became very close and then had a falling out ... which becomes kind of Carol's last big story on Housewives before her exit.” —Brian Moylan (32:56)
• Bethenny Friendship Fallout: Despite her cool detachment, Carole was unable to withstand the force of Bethenny’s reality-TV aggression—fans, however, often took Carole’s side as the more credible narrator.

Carole Beyond Housewives: Returning to Journalism (32:56–34:33)

• Andy Cohen Feud: After a perceived favoritism toward Bethenny during a reunion show, Carole and Andy Cohen didn’t speak for seven years—until recently.
• Current Life: Carole is now on Substack with her column “musings”—the hosts praise her distinct columnist voice, comparing her to Carrie Bradshaw.
  • “Carol's working on a bunch of writing projects that may or may not ever see the light of day, but if they do, she plans to sell them for an obscene amount of money, buy a castle in Antwerp and fuck off.” —Carole Radziwill Substack bio (34:32)

Relationships with Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy & Female Friendships (39:00–41:13)

• Intense Female Friendship: Carole’s memoir and personal narrative center the love she had for Carolyn, at times equaling or exceeding her marriage in emotional importance.
  • “The central love story is almost more Carol and Carolyn than it is Carol and Anthony.” —Lyra Smith (39:00)
  • “Can I borrow your toothbrush?” —Carolyn’s iconic first interaction with Carole, as told in Carol’s memoir.

Politics & Breaking the Housewives “Fourth Wall” (41:13–44:32)

• Injecting Real-World Context: Carole was unique in bringing real-world events, especially politics, into the apolitical, escapist Housewives realm—campaigning for Hillary Clinton in 2016 (42:10–43:41).
• Bravo’s Deliberate Timelessness: The hosts reflect on Housewives as existing in a “time-neutral” space, making Carole’s political storylines even more striking.

Housewives as Empowering Female Space (51:10–53:06)

• Defending Housewives as Culture: Brian Moylan argues for Housewives as an important space for stories “by, for, and about women,” rarely seen in scripted television.
  • “I do think that it is very biased in that reality television, especially the Housewives, is a very female space. And it is stories by, for and about women, and those are often discounted.” —Brian Moylan (51:10)
  • “Football, on the other hand, violent, damaging, terrible, promotes all the worst impulses in America. And we love it ... Housewives deserves the veneration that football gets in American culture. And I will die on this hill.” —Brian Moylan (52:07)

Memorable Moments, Quotes & Timestamps

• On Housewives Needing Carole:
  “It always seemed a little bit like the Housewives needed Carol more than Carol needed the Housewives.” —Brian Moylan (07:17)
• Aviva’s Epic Bookgate Climax:
  “Why don’t you use your words, writer girl?” —Aviva Drescher (21:45)
• On Carole’s Cursed Watch:
  “Kim maybe fully paid for it and just didn't want it in her possession ... that's how much she was like, just get this motherfucker away from me.” —Brian Moylan (28:49)
• Carole’s Substack bio: “If [my new writing projects] do [see the light of day], she plans to sell them for an obscene amount of money, buy a castle in Antwerp and fuck off.” —Carole Radziwill (34:32)
• Defending Housewives’ Cultural Value:
  “Housewives never given anyone CTE. ... Housewives deserves the veneration that football gets in American culture and I will die on this hill.” —Brian Moylan (52:07)
• On the Secret Magic of Housewives:
  “On the surface, it's silly, petty fights. But then there really is—I mean, these are like women with very full, storied lives.” —Lyra Smith (58:15)

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• Carole’s Kennedy & Journalism Background: 02:12–05:08
• “Bookgate” Explained: 19:23–21:45
• The Lee Radziwill Couch Saga & Apartment: 22:03–23:39
• The Jackie O Cursed Watch & Kim Kardashian: 26:40–29:08
• Carole’s Political Storyline: 41:13–44:32
• Housewives as Female-Centric Storytelling: 51:10–53:06

CONCLUSION: WHY CAROLE MATTERS

The episode paints Carole Radziwill as a pop culture anomaly—an accomplished journalist, a Kennedy by marriage, and a reality star who managed to maintain dignity, intellect, and an authentic sense of self. Through her, viewers see the permeability between America’s old aristocracy and its new celebrity class, and are reminded—amid the melodrama—of the real stakes beneath reality TV’s fiction.

Whether listeners are Kennedy buffs or Bravoholics, Carole’s story is a lens onto tragedy, reinvention, and the complicated joys of being a very modern American “princess.”