Meet the North Shore’s newest Real Housewife
Get ready for another season of drunken drama, malicious secrets and unbridled materialism.
Premiering Feb. 5 on Slice, The Real Housewives of Vancouver now has three cast members from the North Shore: “queen of mean” Jody Claman, jet-setter Ronnie Negus and newcomer Amanda Hansen.
“I felt there were people in the series who were very authentic and true to themselves, and that’s not always pretty,” says Hansen, who has lived near Lonsdale for nine years. Along with two other new housewives, she is replacing Reiko Mackenzie and Christina Kiesel.
A bad girl gone good, Hansen is a recovering alcoholic who has given up late night parties.
But this North Van housewife is anything but dull.
A “self-confessed sex addict” whose honesty has earned her a few enemies, Hansen is in a passionate relationship with her long-distance boyfriend who lives in Seattle.
“I’m human and absolutely, one hundred per cent, without a doubt I have lied and lied. But at the same time I try to be as honest as I can,” the mom of three, ages 10, seven and five, tells The Outlook. She is recently divorced from a “man who took care of everything,” allowing her to focus on raising her children.
“It puts me in a very vulnerable position a lot because I’m exactly who I am, without any fakeness,” she says, her Chihuahua Shyla barking in the background.
“When I see people put a fake veneer up, it really irritates me… I tend to get a bit hostile.”
As for being a sex addict, Hansen says she meant it as a joke and that she’s enjoying her monogamous relationship.
“I got a fare bit of flack for that. The other wives weren’t super keen.”
Season 2 wouldn’t be complete without the return of Jody Claman and her daughter Mia.
A self-made businesswoman, with an upscale boutique, tea house and catering company in West Van, Jody isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in.
The fashionista says she’s different than the other Housewives, many who rely on men in their lives for cash.
“I have a huge appetite for really pretty things — an orgy of excess in my life — but I don’t like people who want to become someone else,” she tells The Outlook. “I’m very confident in being myself.”
After moving from her parents’ ranch in Merritt, Jody settled down in West Van. She now lives in the British Properties with her businessman husband.
During the season, Jody sends her 17-year-old son Joshua off to university in Toronto. Mia, her devoted sidekick and partner in crime, introduced longtime friend Amanda to the show.
“I work six days a week and they beg me to take the seventh one off,” she says, laughing. “They say, ‘what would you like for Hanukkah?’ and I say another day.”
As for the reported text message threats Jody received in November, her publicist wouldn’t let her answer. According to reports, the messages were so awful that Jody went to the West Van police and hired a bodyguard and driver.
“I’ve never regretted anything in my life,” she says, evidence of her optimistic outlook on life. “Life’s so short and the next thing — poof! — you’re gone, so why tiptoe through life?”
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.