Before the Skinnygirl empire, the high-stakes custody battles, and the endless "mention it all" memes, there was just a girl from the first season of The Real Housewives of New York City dating a high-flying financier. People often forget that the "Jason" everyone associates with Bethenny Frankel isn't the only one she dated on camera. Long before Jason Hoppy entered the picture, there was Jason Colodne.
Honestly, looking back at Season 1 now feels like a fever dream. Bethenny was the "broke" girl in the group—relatively speaking—living in a tiny apartment and promoting cookies in grocery stores. By her side during those early Bravo days was Colodne, a powerhouse in the New York finance world. He wasn't just some guy she was seeing; he was a significant part of her life as she pivoted from The Apprentice: Martha Stewart into the housewife stratosphere.
The Reality TV Curse That Actually Cost a Job
You’ve probably heard of the "Reality TV Curse" ruining marriages, but for Jason Colodne, it hit his bank account and career first. In 2008, being on a "tawdry" reality show wasn't the badge of honor or the branding opportunity it is today.
At the time, Colodne was the president of Patriarch Partners, a massive private equity firm. He appeared on an episode of RHONY to support a charity event for neurofibromatosis. It seemed harmless enough, right? Wrong. His employers were reportedly "horrified" by the association with the show.
The fallout was swift and pretty brutal:
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- He was fired from his position at Patriarch Partners.
- The firm claimed his appearance on the show made him miss work and damaged their private image.
- Colodne didn't take it lying down—he sued the firm for $55 million, alleging he was fired without cause.
It’s wild to think that appearing next to Bethenny for a few minutes of airtime could trigger a multi-million dollar legal war. It basically set the tone for the chaotic intersection of Bethenny’s public life and her private relationships.
Why Jason Colodne and Bethenny Frankel Didn't Last
While the drama with his job was unfolding in the headlines, the relationship itself was fizzling out. By the time the Season 1 reunion rolled around and Season 2 started filming, Colodne was ancient history in the "Bethennyverse."
They were an interesting match on paper. Both were incredibly driven, Type-A personalities navigating the shark-infested waters of Manhattan. But the pressure of the cameras, combined with the catastrophic impact the show had on his professional life, likely didn't help. Bethenny has always been open about how her "strong" personality can be a lot for partners to handle. Back then, she was also incredibly focused on building her brand, and the collateral damage to Colodne’s career was a heavy price to pay for a fledgling romance.
Where is Jason Colodne Now?
If you're wondering if he ever recovered from the RHONY debacle, the answer is a resounding yes. He didn't let the reality TV stain ruin his finance career. He went on to co-found Colbeck Capital Management, where he serves as a managing partner.
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He’s basically stayed completely out of the tabloid spotlight since his time with Bethenny. You won't find him popping up in Instagram comments or doing "tell-all" interviews. It seems he learned his lesson about the spotlight early on. He’s moved on to the world of distressed debt and strategic lending, which is a far cry from the "Scary Island" drama that defined later seasons of the show.
The Pattern of the "Two Jasons"
It's sorta strange that Bethenny ended up marrying another man named Jason just a couple of years later. While Jason Colodne was the sophisticated Wall Street executive, Jason Hoppy was the "relatable" pharmaceutical sales rep.
Fans often confuse the two because of the name, but their impacts on her life couldn't have been more different. Colodne was a brief chapter—a casualty of early reality TV growing pains. Hoppy became a decade-long saga of legal battles.
Lessons from the Colodne Era
What can we actually take away from the Jason Colodne and Bethenny Frankel era? For starters, it was a preview of how Bethenny’s career would always take center stage. She is a powerhouse, and her partners often find themselves caught in the wake of her celebrity.
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If you're looking for actionable insights from this piece of Bravo history, consider these:
- Protect your professional reputation: If you work in a high-privacy industry like finance or law, check your contract before filming anything. Colodne’s $55 million lawsuit is a reminder that "fame" has a literal cost.
- Vetting for lifestyle compatibility: Bethenny and Colodne were both high-earning, ambitious people, but they weren't on the same page regarding public exposure.
- The "First Season" effect: Early seasons of reality shows are often the most authentic because the "characters" don't yet know how they'll be edited. Colodne was seeing the real Bethenny before the Skinnygirl shield was fully up.
Ultimately, Jason Colodne remains a fascinating footnote in the history of The Real Housewives of New York. He was the one who lost a job but gained a fresh start, while Bethenny went on to become one of the most successful women in reality TV history.
To get a full picture of how Bethenny's dating life evolved after this, you should look into the specific timeline of her transition from Jason Colodne to the introduction of Jason Hoppy in Season 3. Reviewing the early Season 1 episodes can also provide a lot of context on how different the show's "vibe" was before the cast became hyper-aware of their public personas.