‘RHONY’ star Jessel Taank doubles down on shocking Carolyn Bessette ‘bitch’ comment: ‘I was just curious’

TV exclusive Jessel Taank is defending her callous questions about the late Carolyn Bessette. During Tuesday night’s episode of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” Taank shockingly asked Carole Radziwill if Carolyn — who died in a plane crash alongside her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., in 1999 — was a “bitch.” “It’s only because, from fashion girl to fashion girl, we are a little bit bitchy and cold,” Taank, 46, exclusively told Page Six Radio Wednesday morning. Jessel Taank (pictured above in the Page Six Studio in September) defended asking if Carolyn Bessette was a “bitch” in “The Real Housewives of New York City.” Brian Zak/Page Six Bessette (pictured above in New York City in 1999) and her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., were killed in a plane crash in July 1999. Getty Images Taank — who works as a fashion publicist — admitted she “maybe shouldn’t have led with the ‘B-word,'” but joked that offending people is what she does “best.” “I don’t know Carolyn Bessette personally, so I was just curious, did she have a demeanor where she was sort of cold and maybe a little bit of a fashion diva?” Taank said. Carole, on the other hand, did know the Calvin Klein icon personally. Kennedy Jr. (pictured above with Bessette at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 1999) was cousins and best friends with Carole Radziwill’s late husband, Anthony Radziwill. Getty Images In “The Real Housewives of New York City,” Taank asked Carole a series of questions about her deceased family members. (Pictured above: Taank in “RHONY” Season 16.) Bravo The former journalist was married to Anthony Radziwill — the cousin and best friend of Kennedy Jr. — from 1994 until he died of cancer just weeks after the plane crash that took the lives of Kennedy Jr., Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette. During the first “RHONY” brunch of Season 16, Carole — who returned to the show after an eight-year hiatus — appeared visibly uncomfortable with Taank’s line of questioning about her late family members. Not only did Taank ask if Carolyn was a “bitch,” but she also wondered if there was a “curse” on the Kennedy family, pointing to the untimely and tragic deaths of multiple members. Taank (pictured above in “RHONY” Season 16) asked if the Kennedy family was “cursed” and prodded Carole for her thoughts on the “Carolyn Bessette summer” style trend. Bravo Carole (pictured above in “RHONY” Season 16) appeared visibly uncomfortable with the questions. Bravo Taank also asked Carole for her thoughts on “Carolyn Bessette summer,” the minimalistic style trend inspired by the fashion guru’s signature clothing palette of whites, blacks and neutral tones. Carole, however, said she wasn’t a fan of the trend. “I understand where Carole’s coming from,” Taank told us in retrospect. “Obviously, her best friend, who is no longer with us, in her eyes, was reduced to a trend. But in my eyes, I was like, ‘No, we’re celebrating her.’” Bessette (pictured above at the 1998 Fire & Ice Ball in Los Angeles) was known for her “minimalistic” style. FilmMagic However, Carole (pictured above in “RHONY” Season 16) said she wasn’t a fan of the trend. Bravo Stay one step ahead with all the exclusive tea on your favorite reality TV stars! Sign up for Virtual Reali-Tea with Danny and Evan, our must-read newsletter! Thank for signing up! “She had incredible, impeccable style.” Although Taank was the most vocal with her questions for Carole, she said “everyone was a little bit curious” about the writer’s friendship with Carolyn — especially following the release of Ryan Murphy’s “Love Story,” which documented the latter’s relationship with Kennedy Jr. “Carole really lived that experience with them; and for us, we’re just seeing what we’re seeing on the TV show,” she said, noting that their curiosity was “all in innocence” and they “didn’t know” they were going to “upset” Carole, who ultimately left the brunch. Taank (pictured above in “RHONY” Season 16) said her questions were all asked in “innocence.” Ralph Bavaro/Bravo The fashion publicist said “everyone” in the cast was “a little bit curious” about Carole’s past. (Pictured above: the “RHONY” cast at the Season 16 premiere party in the Hamptons in September.) Eugene Gologursky/Bravo via Getty Images Taank said the group stopped asking so many questions as the season progressed. “I think it did resurface a lot of emotion [for Carole], so we were cognizant of that after that,” she explained. “The Real Housewives of New York City” airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo, with new episodes available to stream the next day on Peacock. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. 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