If you’re a die-hard fan of The Real Housewives of New York City, you probably think of "Jason" and immediately picture the years-long divorce battle with Jason Hoppy. It was brutal. It was everywhere. But before the Skinnygirl mogul became a household name—and before the "Jason 2" era—there was Jason Colodne.
Honestly, most people have completely forgotten he was ever in the picture. He was the original "Housewife" boyfriend, the guy standing by her side in Season 1 when Bethenny was still a "natural foods chef" trying to make it in a tiny Manhattan apartment.
But their relationship wasn’t just a footnote. It actually ended in a massive $55 million lawsuit and a cautionary tale about what happens when corporate life crashes into the chaotic world of reality TV.
The First Jason: Who is Jason Colodne?
Before the cameras started rolling in 2008, Jason Colodne was a high-flying finance executive. He wasn't some guy looking for fame; he had a serious career. He’d spent seven years at Goldman Sachs and worked as a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley. By the time he met Bethenny, he was the President of Patriarch Partners.
He was successful. He was "on paper" perfect for a New York socialite-adjacent career woman.
But then came Bravo.
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In the very first season of RHONY, Bethenny was the "unmarried" one. She was the underdog. We watched her and Colodne navigate the Hamptons scene and social events. If you rewatch those episodes now, the vibe is... interesting. While Bethenny was high-energy and ready for her close-up, Colodne often looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.
Fans at the time noted he seemed quiet, maybe even a little shy. Looking back, he probably should have stayed that way.
Why Jason Colodne Got Fired (Because of RHONY)
Here is the part that sounds like a movie script. Shortly after appearing on the show, Jason Colodne was fired from his job at Patriarch Partners.
His employer wasn't exactly a fan of the "Housewives" brand. They reportedly described the show as "tawdry." The company claimed his appearance on the series was a distraction and alleged he missed work because of it.
Colodne didn't take it lying down. He sued Patriarch Partners for a staggering $55 million. He claimed he was fired without cause and that he had only gone on the show to help Bethenny promote a charity. It was a messy, public fallout that highlighted a massive divide in 2008: the world of serious "Old Guard" finance versus the emerging, unpolished world of reality television.
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The Breakup and the Aftermath
Needless to say, the relationship didn't survive the drama. Bethenny and Jason Colodne split before the show really exploded into the cultural phenomenon it is today.
While Bethenny moved on to marry (and eventually engage in a decade-long divorce with) Jason Hoppy, Colodne took a different path. He didn't become a reality TV staple. He didn't start a podcast. He went back to what he knew.
Life After Bethenny
Colodne eventually landed on his feet in the financial sector. He joined Chimay Capital Management and later co-founded Colbeck Capital Management in 2009 alongside Jason Beckman.
Today, he is a Managing Member and Portfolio Manager. He’s back in the world of credit opportunities and distressed research—far away from the "Apples" and reunion couches of Bravo.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Relationship
People often lump all of Bethenny’s exes together as "fame-hungry," but Colodne was arguably the opposite. If anything, he was a casualty of the early days of reality TV when nobody knew how much it could ruin a "professional" reputation.
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- The "Charity" Defense: He maintained he was just trying to be a supportive boyfriend.
- The Timing: Their romance was pre-Skinnygirl billions. It was a different Bethenny.
- The Legal Fallout: His lawsuit wasn't against Bethenny; it was against the corporate culture that judged him for his personal life.
Bethenny’s Current Take on Love (2025-2026)
Fast forward to the present. Bethenny’s dating life has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. After her 2024 split from fiancé Paul Bernon and a brief stint with Tom Villante, Bethenny has been surprisingly vocal about her current status.
In late 2025, she took to TikTok to announce she was embracing celibacy and was essentially "afraid" to date. "I dip my foot in and think I'm gonna do it, and then start talking to someone, and then I run away," she told her followers. It’s a stark contrast to the woman we saw in Season 1, desperately trying to make it work with "Jason 1."
Lessons from the Colodne Era
Looking back at the Bethenny Frankel Jason Colodne era, it’s clear that reality TV has changed. Today, being on a show is a career move for many. In 2008, for a guy like Colodne, it was a career killer.
If you’re following Bethenny’s journey or looking for insights into the high-stakes world of New York dating and business, there are a few takeaways:
- Brand Alignment Matters: If you have a high-level corporate job, appearing on a "messy" reality show still carries risk, though much less than it did twenty years ago.
- Privacy is a Choice: Colodne proved you can have a brush with reality TV and then successfully disappear back into a private, high-stakes career.
- Bethenny is Consistent: Whether it’s 2008 or 2026, she’s always going to be 100% herself, regardless of how it affects the people around her.
If you want to understand the full arc of Bethenny Frankel, you have to look at the men who came before the fame. Jason Colodne was the first to see the whirlwind coming—and the first to get swept up in the debris.
Practical Next Steps:
If you're interested in the intersection of business and reality TV, you should research the "morality clauses" often found in high-level executive contracts. These are the same types of clauses that led to Colodne's firing. Additionally, watching the first three episodes of RHONY Season 1 provides a fascinating time capsule of how different "reality" was before everyone became an influencer.