Jessel Taank - ‘Real Housewives? It’s like Game of Thrones’
Feb 12, 2025
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Jessel Taank, the first South Asian housewife on The Real Housewives of New York, dives deep into her personal journey as a fashion publicist and brand consultant. She candidly discusses her struggles with IVF and the societal pressures of motherhood. With humor, she reflects on the challenges of balancing ambition with family life and navigating the reality TV landscape, likening it to Game of Thrones. Jessel also shares insights on identity, beauty standards, and the emotional toll of public scrutiny in a high-stakes environment.
Jessel Tank shares her struggles with IVF and the societal pressures surrounding motherhood, highlighting the stigma around fertility issues.
The podcast reveals the behind-the-scenes complexities of reality television, emphasizing the impact of production manipulation on personal relationships.
Deep dives
Understanding PMS and Hormonal Health
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) can cause debilitating symptoms like depression, fatigue, and cravings, especially in women approaching menopause. The podcast discusses the importance of hormonal health and how the liver processes estrogen, directly impacting PMS. The supplement Estro Control by Happy Mammoth, containing science-backed herbal extracts, aids in managing PMS symptoms by supporting liver function. This formulation is particularly beneficial for women who are perimenopausal, helping to alleviate the physical and emotional challenges they face.
Jessel Tank's Journey to Reality TV Fame
Jessel Tank, the first South Asian housewife on the reboot of The Real Housewives of New York, shares her unconventional path to fame. Growing up in a close-knit Indian family in London, her early experiences, including a belief that she was kidnapped by Michael Jackson, shaped her unique perspective on life and culture. As a fashion publicist, Tank transitioned into reality television and quickly became a breakout star known for her humor and candidness. Her journey also reflects deeper themes of body image and cultural identity as she navigates the challenges of being in the public eye.
Challenges of Motherhood and IVF
Tank candidly discusses the struggles of motherhood, particularly her experience with IVF, which profoundly affected her identity and relationship with her husband. The journey involved financial stress and emotional turmoil, leading her to feel isolated and frustrated while trying to conceive. During this time, Tank faced societal expectations about motherhood that compounded her internal conflicts, making her aware of the stigma surrounding fertility issues. Her openness about these experiences resonates with many women who share similar challenges in balancing personal ambition with the desire for family.
Navigating Reality TV Dynamics
The podcast delves into the complex dynamics of reality television, highlighting Jessel Tank's initial naivety about the genre. She reflects on how cast interactions can be manipulated by production teams, resulting in misunderstandings that unfold in front of the audience. Tank emphasizes the importance of addressing conflicts in real-time with friends rather than relying on production to mediate. This revelation underscores the emotional toll reality TV can have on participants, necessitating thick skin to endure public scrutiny and online criticism.
Jessel Taank is the first South Asian housewife and the breakout star of her debut season of The Real Housewives of New York in 2023. In this episode we speak openly about the challenges of conceiving her twin sons through IVF and the misplaced shame she felt at not being able to have children naturally.
Her failures include failing to overcome Indian beauty ideals, a failure to balance motherhood with personal ambition, and a failure to understand the mechanisms of reality TV (and yes…we get INTO it).
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Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan
Studio and Mix Engineer: Gulliver Lawrence-Tickell
Producer: Hannah Talbot
Executive Producer: Carly Maile
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How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
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