Man, the Real Housewives are having a headline day!  First, it was announced that the Countess is divorcing, and now this!

Real Housewives of New York City newcomer Kelly Killoren Bensimon faced a judge this morning for allegedly assaulting her ex, Nick Stefanov.

The reality star, 40, was arrested earlier this month for reportedly punching her 30-year-old beau in the face, causing lacerations below his left eye and “substantial pain,” according to the complaint he filed with police. She could face up to a year in jail if convicted.

Bensimon’s lawyer Ed Hayes argued Stefanov was responsible for the altercation because he refused to leave her apartment after they split up.

“I can’t believe the guy went to the police,” Hayes told New York’s Daily News. “It is very, very mean-spirited. It’s not like she’s in his apartment. He’s in her apartment.”

“I don’t even know if I qualify him as lover. How about a jilted moron?” he continued to Extra.

Prosecutors asked for an order of protection against Bensimon to be extended, but Hayes charged Stefanov — who wasn’t present at court — was sending his ex threatening e-mails that said, “I’m going to make your life misery.” (more…)

The Real Housewives of New York City star Countess Luann de Lesseps has split from her husband, Count de Lesseps.

According to the New York Post, they decided to separate after she “got wind he was seeing somebody and he didn’t answer her when she called. He finally sent her an e-mail saying he was with an Ethiopian woman in Geneva and he was serious with her.”

What’s more, sources tell the Post the pair — who have two children — just celebrated their 16th anniversary on March 16.

“Luann was blindsided. She was just devastated,” the Post quotes a pal as saying. “They have basically lived apart for many years — he lives in Europe and comes and goes as he pleases, but she never thought this would happen.”

“It has been very rough for her and the children [Victoria and Noel], but she’s taking the high road and will remain friends with him,” adds the source. “She has no intention of making it bitter or becoming angry. She’s just trying to come to terms with [the separation and impending divorce]. She feels this is the ultimate test for her to handle this with dignity and grace.”

Luann — whose releases her book, Class With the Countess next month — has told friends that, no matter what, “I will always be the countess,” according to the Post.

Says her rep, “It is obviously a very difficult time for the countess and count, but they plan to remain friends and their primary focus will be to do what is best for their two children.”

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Well, well, well! Look what the cat dragged in!  The Real Housewives of Orange County star Gretchen Rossi was spotted in Newport Beach yesterday with none other than Slade Smiley!  Slade was in the first season of TRHOOC with his then-fiance, Jo.  Shortly after the last season of Housewives wrapped, it was rumored that Gretchen and Slade were bumping nasties – which of course secures his spot in the new season.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for the new season! There are so many women I love to hate!

Hmmm…what do we think of this?

Bauer Griffin

Kenley Collins, the talented yet whiny designer whom Project Runway fans loved to loathe, spent Tuesday night in a New York jail after allegedly attacking her former fiancé with her cat.

The 26-year-old was released this morning after being booked on suspicion of assault, menacing, harassment and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the police report.

Per the legal documents, Collins woke up live-in ex Zak Penley at about 7 a.m. Tuesday by throwing their cat at his face. When he tried to leave the room, she slammed the bedroom door on his head.

Collins then, per the report, hoisted Penley’s laptop in the air and shouted, “I’ll do it!” before hurling it at him. After tossing a bushel of apples and a glass of water in his put-upon punim, she then hissed, “You’re lucky, it could have been worse.”

Penley at some point called the cops, who upon arrival noted that Penley has suffered substantial pain and swelling to the face, feared further injury and was “alarmed and annoyed.”

Collins was arrested and taken into custody later that morning. The police report does not indicate which makeshift projectile earned her the weapon possession charge.

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Count Alex McCord as one of the millions of Americans being hit by the bad economy.

The Real Housewives of New York City star, known for going on extravagant shopping trips with her husband Simon Van Kempen, was just laid off from her visual merchandising job at Victoria’s Secret.

“Now I’m more a Real Housewife than I ever have been before!” McCord tells PEOPLE. “The whole time this show’s been on people have said ‘Define this term housewife,’ ‘Are you a real housewife?’ And I always said, ‘Well, I own a house and I am a wife! But now I’m a real housewife.”

The layoff was not related to McCord’s being on the Bravo reality show. The loss of her full-time job was one of 90 positions cut at the company’s New York headquarters — part of a 10-percent reduction in the brand’s workforce.

McCord had been at the job for two years. She started after a period of freelancing when her sons, Francois and Johan — with Van Kempen — were young. “I had a great time, and even up until the last week I was there, I was gaining new skills,” she says. “My job was my green zone — when I was not Alex from Real Housewives but Alex who’s in beauty.”

What’s next? “The challenge will be to find something meaningful to do, where I am the real Alex McCord and not just a Real Housewife,” she says. Of course, that will depend a lot on employers, and whether they look at her resumé and skills as a graphic artist, “or if they’ll expect me to come into the interview wearing a leopard-print dress, looking for connections,” she says with a laugh. (more…)

For years, The Millionaire Matchmaker’s Patti Stanger has been the go-to love guru for the rich and famous. When it came to her own personal life, however, one problem kept her from total happiness: her DD-cup breasts. So last October, Patti underwent a breast-reduction surgery, performed by Dr. 90210’s Gary Motykie. Patti spoke to Life & Style about her decision to have the procedure.

ON WHAT FINALLY PROMPTED HER TO HAVE THE PROCEDURE DONE

“I had always wanted to do it, but I was afraid it would be too painful. Early last year, though, I saw an episode of Dr. 90210 where Dr. Motykie did the surgery on a girl who was in her 20s. Her scarring and pain were minimal, and she looked amazing afterward. So I called him. I met with a bunch of doctors, but at the end of the day, Dr. Motykie was the best fit for me.”

ON WHAT ELSE SHE HAD DONE

“I did have a little bit of liposuction done under my chin. It was very minor. But during the first season of my show, the camera would always hit me at just that spot where it looked like I had a double chin. It’s not something that was going to go away with weight loss — it’s hereditary. So Dr. Motykie went in and took care of it.”

ON THE RESULTS OF HER BREAST REDUCTION

“Well, for one thing, I can stand up straighter! I feel lighter. Doing the boobs and the chin lipo together was such a good idea. It’s like I took out all the extra padding. I’m so happy. My boobs are perky, but they still drop just a little bit. They look natural. I’m thrilled. And my boyfriend loves them!”

ON HER ATTITUDE TOWARD PLASTIC SURGERY

“Do what makes you feel good. Don’t get me wrong — I don’t think you should go overboard, but it’s better to do it earlier than later. If you wait, you’ll probably end up needing more work done.”

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I’ll put my post behind the cut…in case you haven’t seen it yet… (more…)