Classicalite was lucky enough to catch up with Sonja Morgan, star of The Real Housewives of New York, for an insightful Q&A.
We asked Sonja about her successful company Sonja in the City, what it's like throwing the best parties in New York and, of course, her fellow housewives.
Still--despite our best efforts--Sonja remained as classy and diplomatic as ever.
Classicalite: How do you possibly find time to star on Real Housewives of New York, run a successful event planning company and raise millions for charities, all while looking so fabulous?
Sonja Morgan: Even though it's reality TV, I don't think a lot of people realize how many hours go into location and outfit changes between real life and the life that we film on camera, because even though we give you a slice of our real life, it's not always chronological.
There's also some set design, so that's when the interns come in handy. We have to move furniture for camera angles up and down the stairs at times. Especially for doing an art show, party or luncheon, and some things just can't be filmed like family photos or paintings that are not cleared, so there is a lot behind the scenes that goes on. And it takes 85 hours of film to make one 45-minute episode.
So, you only get to see the silly but funny moments and then, of course, when we're at our very worst--because that makes the best television!
C: Tell me a little bit about what it's like to run Sonja in the City and the kind of clients to which you typically cater.
S: I have people who have known me for decades that call me to put together something memorable for a special occasion, a corporate event or a charity that we have collaborated on before.
But now, with the show and my website, I've even had people email me asking me to do a sweet 16 or a bat mitzvah and those are fun, too. I really pick and choose because I don't have so much time, especially while I'm filming for five months.
The Sonja in the City events that I do on the show I sometimes only have a couple of days to put them together, but the jobs I choose I have sometimes up to a year to plan.
C: What's the most fun event you recently hosted?
S: I would say every event I plan is fun, that's why I do them. I only work with people I enjoy working with. I loved the season six Sonja in the City premiere party at Tokya, where we had over 450 people and all my co-stars came. They looked so beautiful. We had wonderful sponsors, and I gathered tons of press, plus my daughter was able to attend and everything I do is to make sure she is secure. Bravo has been wonderful for that. All my co-stars' children were invited. I adore them all.
It was a great learning experience for my interns and came together beautifully in the short span of a week, even though I had to travel to three cities within the same week doing promotions for the show.
I also really enjoyed putting together the Sonja in the City charity event for the LIGALY youth center for the LGBT on Long Island at the East Hampton studio, which is a huge airplane hangar and I performed my caburlesque singing song skit that I wrote and choreographed.
Hank Stampfl of Speakeasy Modern brought 90 Broadway and Off Broadway performers to blow away the 500 in attendance. Many thanks to David Klimnick and all his genius he shares with the LGBT youth.
C: Is it hard for you to attend parties that aren't put on by your company? I imagine it's difficult to attend functions you know could have been planned much better if your company was hired to produce them. Can you think of an event you attended where you thought, 'Oh my God. They really should have hired me for this.'
S: I'm not going to lie, I prefer my parties to other people's parties in general. But that's because I love entertaining. The biggest problem I experience is bad layout, and this creates lack of energy.
People go to a party to interact. A party needs sex appeal. A good hostess knows how to create a good mix. With a placement dinner, it is of the utmost importantance that the hostess possess this skill. I earned "the straw that stirs the drink" moniker in the early 90s for my ability to seat a room, put a guest list together, broker a deal and make a marriage match...and I pride myself in that.
I love putting people together.
C: As a big fan of Real Housewives, we have seen some of the ladies throw disastrous events and parties that are, well, simply duds. Of all of the housewives, who is in the most need for your party planning skills?
I would have to say Carole Radziwill. She said she just had her kitchen removed to turn it into an office. As the legendary Cindy Adam says, "only in New York, folks."
Having said that, keep in mind these parties are many, many hours long, and they only highlight one or two aspects, or one person or two opinions. That makes good TV.
For example, the party I threw for Aviva's fifth anniversary, I had a seated dinner with five courses. We could not film that seated for camera angle reasons, and it was said that I had no food.
That simply was not true. It was passed on trays and with all the fighting a few didn't notice! Aviva approved the menu, and she was comped by Sonja in the City.
So, this was a successful party. Also, the singer was approved to sing an unplugged love song. Not a rap song! But, again, this makes wonderfully addictive TV.
C. If you had to hire one of the housewives to throw a party for YOU, who would you choose? Who would you never consider?
That's an easy one, of course. Ramona Singer, since she knows exactly what I like, and she always goes out of her way to make sure you're comfortable. She really is very accommodating and very sensitive.
Remember when she threw a double birthday party for us? I got very emotional over that because I throw parties all the time, as you have seen on the show, and really very few people have thrown a party for me.
My girlfriend Carol Asscher, who is Parisian, she has thrown a few parties for me for my birthday in Paris, Geneva and Saint-Tropez. But other than that, I can't remember anyone throwing a party for me.
I think because people know I'm the one that throws the extravagant parties that are themed--with costumes, over-the-top, elaborate and with very flowery guests. It's a lot of work, but I enjoy it. And it almost always benefits a charity if not a special occasion, which makes me feel good.
C: Have you ever received a party planning request so crazy that you turned it down?
I don't mind if someone hires me to do their party and asks me to perform. But when I say I do burlesque, it's soft burlesque, so I definitely do not take my clothes off. I definitely do get those requests.
But then, having said that, when you're in the eye of the public, we get some very crazy requests that really have nothing to do with anything. I think one of the perks for my interns is just sorting through my email and prioritizing because they can't believe some of the requests that come through. It's entertaining for them to read!
I don't have time to read all the funny emails, and be in front of the camera many hours per day, five months out of the year, and be in the field going to meetings for my licensing opportunities, doing interviews and appearances, plus travel time.
When I get on a plane, I just want to sleep. I don't want to spend the $12 for the internet service either. I like to use the free internet at the airport.
You can keep up with Sonja, or at least try to, by following her at the links below. And if you're looking to throw an amazing event in New York, then you should really check out Sonja in the City.
https://twitter.com/SonjaTMorgan
https://instagram.com/SonjaTMorgan
https://www.SonjaMorganOnline.com
https://www.facebook.com/SonjaTMorgan
https://www.youtube.com/SonjaMorganOnline
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=79598554
