Bethenny Frankel broke her silence Thursday after being “punched in the face” by a man in New York.
The “Real Housewives” star said she was one of several women that were randomly targeted in unprovoked attacks that went viral on social media in March. Frankel took to TikTok with a video, explaining the ordeal she experienced. “So many of you have wanted to punch me in the face at one point or another, and someone else did do it for you,” she told her fans. “I didn’t realize that this issue had gotten so much pickup, so I saw a woman talking about the fact that she had been punched in the face on the street, and I commented, ‘Oh my God, the same thing happened to me,” she said. Her video can be seen here.
Bethenny Frankel attends FX’s “Feud: Capote VS. The Swans” New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on January 23, 2024 in New York City. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
After the incident, the reality tv star commented on a video shared to social media, in which another woman was detailing that she had been through a similar experience. At that point, Frankel replied to the woman’s story, saying she had been targeted as well. It was later widely reported that Frankel deleted her comment, but she insists it’s still there.
TV personality Bethenny Frankel attends the amfAR Gala Los Angeles 2017 at Ron Burkle’s Green Acres Estate on October 13, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for FIJI Water
Frankel explained her reaction after being attacked.
“I actually recorded my reaction to it that day, but felt embarrassed or weird to post it, but here’s what happened.” she told her fans.
this is so nuts there are a bunch of women getting punched in the face in nyc rn all over tiktok. i don’t know if it’s all the same guy some of the stories seem slightly different but some of them seem similar pic.twitter.com/2rE7iEudCH
— youngmi mayer (@ymmayer) March 26, 2024
“I was in New York City looking for an apartment, and I stopped at this cute little, like, deli/bakery, tiny place, and I walked in, and I was shooting the baked goods, and as I turned around, I mean the place was the size of a bathroom, turned around, to walk out the door, was walking out the door, and this guy punched me – hit me is more – it wasn’t a closed fist – just hit me in the face, and I was completely stunned,” she said.
Bethenny Frankel on the set of ‘Bethenny’ with special guests NeNe Leakes, Miss America, Heather Dubrowm, Bevy Smith and Nicole Byer. Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images
“I walked outside and my driver, who’s also security, I looked at him and like, and you know, gestured over to this man, this homeless man, um, to explain to him that I’d just been hit, but I didn’t wanna provoke this guy even more,” Frankel said as she described the fear she felt.
Bethenny Frankel attends the Prime Video’s “Upgraded” New York Screening at iPic Fulton Market on February 07, 2024 in New York City. Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
“He went over and started confronting the guy, and I was like, ‘Lets get the hell outta here,’ and at that point I texted the broker, and said ‘I don’t wanna see apartments anymore, this city’s insane!'” (RELATED: Video Appears To Show Kodak Black Throw Rock At Photojournalist, Allegedly Threatens To Punch Reporter After)
Frankel later learned multiple women were assaulted by the same man, who was later arrested by the New York City Police Department.