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Interview
Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen
Alex McCord and Simon van KempenWhen Season 2 of The Real Housewives of New York City premieres on Bravo on February 17, social-climbing Brooklynite Alex McCord and her Aussie-accented hubby Simon van Kempen—who’s been called the sixth housewife—will continue to be attached at the hip. And that’s the way they’re going to stay, no matter what the blogs say. Despite snarky comments about their relationship and their child-rearing techniques, the couple are eagerly authoring a parenting book, and, judging by their interview, they’ve got a lot to say. Take that, blogosphere!
With your TV show, your jobs and your two little boys, where do you find the time to write a book?
Alex McCord We wrote most of it while we were away in Saint Bart's this past summer.
Simon van Kempen We just had to be incredibly disciplined and get up at 6am to do it before the boys got up.
Alex It’s something we had always wanted to do. We thought of the concept in 2004, way before The Real Housewives of New York City existed. I’d written essays on parenting, and suddenly we found ourselves on a show that involved our family, and it just kind of organically happened.How is your book different from the zillions of other parenting books already out there?
Alex We didn’t want to write a how-to book. You don’t need to read a book in order to parent. Ours is a collection of experiences and what we gleaned from raising our children.
Simon It’s a fun read. It’s not some Ph.D. dissertation. We have about 100 pages written, and the synopses of the rest of the chapters. We’ll start shopping it around when Season 2 starts.Did you use a ghostwriter?
Alex We would never use a ghostwriter!
Simon There would be no point. If I can’t write my words down, then I don’t have anything worth saying.Who are your parenting role models?
Alex I don’t think anyone out there is a parenting expert. Nobody’s got all the answers and it’s silly to pretend that anyone does.
Simon You do the best you can. My father died when I was Francois’s age, so I want to be around for my children, and taking Francois to school three times a week is just one way I do that.Do you espouse togetherness in the book?
Alex Yes. We make every moment count. When Simon and I met on Matchmaker.com, neither of us was looking for a soul mate. We found each other by accident and it’s really been amazing. We have something a lot of people don’t have and it was just dumb luck.What got you two in the most trouble during Season 1?
Alex Last season Simon said how Francois was in his 15th choice school, and it got picked up online. By the time the series aired, he was in a different school, but no one knew that, so local Cobble Hill blogs said that people were upset. Blogs thrive on scandal. We learned to take all the things that get published with a grain of salt.Alex, how do you feel about those naked pictures that surfaced?
Alex I’m one of millions of people out there with such photos.
Simon We didn’t necessarily want them to get out there, nor were we complicit in getting them out there. But once a website gets them, you can’t shut them down. So we said, “Big deal” and moved on.Do you follow the blogs?
Alex We have Google alerts [on our names]. So much was being written, we couldn’t keep up!What do your fans say to you when they recognize you on the street?
Alex When the show’s airing, it takes time to get through crowds. People say, "I wish I had a relationship like yours," and they ask about the kids.
Simon People are usually very nice. But with the hits, you grow a thicker skin. The barbs that really hurt were the ones about the boys. We definitely learned to filter what we read. Someone said online, "I hope the kids get cancer and die." People say stupid things.But you still came back for Season 2.
Alex Once you commit to doing something you have to fully commit and apply the lessons learned. There’s nowhere to go but up, but maybe I’m being overly positive here.Read more celebrity interviews
•More scoop on The Real Housewives of New York City
•Countess LuAnn de Lesseps
•Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar
•Maggie Gyllenhaal
•Elisabeth Hasselbeck
•Soledad O'Brien
•Tina Fey
•More celeb Q&As
Time Out New York Kids / Issue 39 : Jan 1–31, 2009
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Simon has won me over. I am in Australia and just viewing the beginning of season two. He was such a good sport about the tennis match, and partnering Jill. Hats off to you, Simon. You are a neat juxtaposition (and foil) to the sometimes overly-complicated Americans.
That said, I do think they have a great relationship as a couple and it's nice that they try to be more hands on than most of the other well off parents. I just don't think they should be writing a parenting book of any kind unless it's to admit they have yet to learn the basics (e.g. you take your child out of the room if they are running around like crazy and screaming...take them outside, somewhere quiet until they calm down and stop disrupting everyone's evening).
Can't believe they'd write a parenting book either. Especially not without a ghostwriter. Okay, not everyone needs one but you don't have to assume that anyone who hires one has nothing worth saying. That I find most annoying being a professional writer myself. I've worked for people who can probably write ten times as well as these guys. Oh, and as a parent of two (a 3 year old and a 1 year old living in NYC), I totally agree with the points about the behavior. Watching the kids was horrifying
I agree that they are indulgent parents; however, I like them because they are more "real" than the other women(with the exception of Bethany...LOVE HER). I like that they have their own taste and don't sway to the likes of the rest of the cast. They are in my opinion A OK!!!!
Okay, I really am not trying to judge, but, they should write about how to survive the ny social climbing scene which they do well and leave the child rearing books to the pros......
I have never seen such undisciplined ,unpleasant little pucks as those Kemp Children ,they have absolute no manners ,maybe instead writing a bock on Child-raising ,maybe they should take some parenting Classes or at least read a Book on it
Considering that the McCord/Van Kempen income is just from their 2 jobs, and apparently Alex just lost hers, I wonder how they'll be able to afford finishing that extensive renovation .. AND spend a fortune on clothes! Their children are wild & unpleasant, whether that masks them being bright or not.
i like alex she is very real, and beautiful
Fran-swah's behavior at 21 restaurant (running around screaming, stabbing the hamburger over and over)--well toddlers do act up sometimes, especially if they are tired, hungry, or in a new environment. What was shocking was that neither of his parents intervened. They seem like the kind of parents who don't want to prevent their darlings from "expressing themselves." I've seen those type of kids in the school system, and they don't ever get used to boundaries until someone sets/enforces limits.
These people have as much credibility writing a parenting book as Louie Anderson has writing a diet book. Their children are not well behaved and they allow it to go on unchecked. This will be on the Border's $2 table in no time.
Honestly, I want to see the financial statements for these two! They "try" way to hard to be worth much! I think if there is any money it's hers and not his! those poor children are going to be so incredibly messed up (God Bless them both). What a pathetic couple! I want proof that they actually sleep together.
well you obviously care what they have to say otherwise you wouldnt have read this article
Why would I care what these two out of touch NY'ers have to say about raising kids. He looks like an idiot.....and if he was broke......she'd dump him like leaky sore leper.
Why does Alex say "When Simon and I met on Matchmaker.com, neither of us was looking for a soul mate.'? Hello! If you go on a match-making website, then you <i>obviously</i> looking for love... This is another example of their obnoxious lying, climbing, crawling behavior that makes this show contemptable. They belittle the Hamptons' lifestyle yet take a house there in the summer for season 2 of RHoNYC... I am through watching it and won't watch anymore...
Clueless. In their own world.
I love Alex and Simon! They give me hope that maybe one day I will find my soul mate! They are a beautiful couple! Hats off to you guys - j
these two writing a parenting book?!?? That's the funniest thing i've read all morning.