As Bravo fans know, on-screen drama can quickly be amplified offscreen.
That's exactly what Jeff Lewis said happened to him and Bethenny Frankel after they butted heads over her Real Housewives recap podcast ReWives on the Dec. 7 episode of Watch What Happens Live. Now, the star is spelling out what really went down on the late-night show.
Noting that he and The Real Housewives of New York City alum "had a great time" on WWHL, Jeff exclusively revealed on the Jan. 12 episode of E! News that it wasn't until the next day that he realized Bethenny was "very unhappy with me."
On WWHL, Jeff asked Bethenny how her podcast was different from other Housewives recap podcasts. She clapped back, noting that unlike Jeff—who parted ways with Bravo following the cancelation of his show Flipping Out—she left RHONY by her own choice.
"When you have your team and they're now, 'Wow, he was really rude,' or, 'He was disrespectful,' or whatever, no," the 52-year-old explained to E! News co-hosts Adrienne Bailon-Houghton and Justin Sylvester. "I was having fun, and she was somebody that I thought, 'This is somebody that I could have a good time with.'"
Luckily, Jeff said he hopped on a call with the Skinnygirl founder, and they were able to talk things out. "I can say something with intent, but it doesn't mean you're receiving it that way," he said of his WWHL comments, "and that's what we had to kind of explain."
As for where their relationship stands today? "I think we're good," Jeff noted, though he added that Bethenny turned down an invite to co-host an upcoming episode of his podcast Jeff Lewis Has Issues.
Despite their drama, it's possible that Jeff could soon follow in Bethenny's Real Housewives footsteps, as he revealed why he should be the franchise's first male star.
"I love to get drunk, I love to talk trash and start fights," Jeff joked. "Ask my boyfriend. Yeah, so I think I would be an excellent Housewife."
And he already knows which show's cast he'd like to join. "I think I'm moving to Salt Lake City," he said. "We also gotta save that franchise 'cause, you know, they're down to like three women."
Hear more from Jeff in the full interview above.
Jeff's SiriusXM radio show Jeff Lewis Live airs Mondays through Fridays at 12 p.m. and catch new episodes of his Jeff Lewis Has Issues podcast twice a week.
E! News airs Mondays through Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. on E!.