If you haven't thought about Alex McCord since she walked down those stairs in Morocco wearing those "Herman Munster" shoes, you're missing out on the wildest second act in reality TV history. Seriously. Most former Housewives spend their post-Bravo years hawking tummy teas or trying to get back on a legacy trip. Alex? She basically ghosted the entire American entertainment industry to become a scientist.
It’s been over a decade since the original Real Housewives of New York City cast was dismantled, and honestly, the "Brooklyn" housewife won. While her former castmates are still fighting over seating charts at lunch, Alex is living a life that most people would find unrecognizable from her days in Boerum Hill.
The Alex McCord RHONY Era: Why We Were Wrong
Back in 2008, Alex and her husband, Simon van Kempen, were the easy targets. They were the "social climbers." They were the ones obsessed with the right schools and the right parties. Remember the red and black house? Or the naked pregnancy photos? At the time, the audience (and the other women) thought they were trying too hard.
But looking back with 2026 eyes, Alex was actually the most authentic person on that show. She was just... weird. And in a world of polished "Countesses," being weird felt like a crime. She didn't have a filter, her skin would literally break out in hives when she got nervous, and she actually liked her husband. Like, really liked him.
The "Brooklyn vs. Manhattan" divide was the central conflict of those early seasons. Bethenny Frankel and Jill Zarin acted like Alex was living in a different country because she lived over the bridge. It’s hilarious now, considering Brooklyn is the most expensive place on earth, but back then, it was a legitimate storyline.
That Morocco Trip Changed Everything
We have to talk about the hives. In Season 4, during the infamous Morocco trip, Alex tried to deliver a message to Luann de Lesseps. She was vibrating with anxiety. She was wearing those clunky Louis Vuitton heels. Luann looked at her and famously said, "Even Louis Vuitton makes mistakes."
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It was a brutal moment. But it also showed that Alex wasn't built for the "mean girl" architecture of the show. She was too sensitive for the machine. When she was fired after Season 4 along with Jill Zarin and Kelly Bensimon, most people thought she’d fade into obscurity.
The Great Escape to Australia
In 2014, Alex and Simon packed up their lives and moved to Australia. Simon is originally from there, and they wanted their sons, Francois and Johan, to grow up away from the microscope of New York City fame.
This wasn't just a vacation. They stayed.
Alex didn't just move; she completely reinvented herself. She went back to school. She didn't just get a certificate or a "life coaching" license. She went all the way. She earned her Bachelor’s, then her Master’s, and as of late 2025, she officially became Dr. Alex McCord.
Dr. McCord is In
Honestly, "Dr. McCord" has a nice ring to it. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of New England in Australia. This isn't some honorary degree. She has spent years researching child and adolescent eating disorders.
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She recently published a major research tool designed to help families identify what kind of support they need during eating disorder treatment. It’s actual, peer-reviewed science. Think about that: the woman who Luann de Lesseps once told to "go back to the cabinet you came out of" is now a leading voice in clinical research.
Simon did the same thing. He went to law school and is now a practicing lawyer in Australia. They’re basically the ultimate power couple of career pivots.
What About the "Ultimate Girls Trip" Drama?
If you're a hardcore fan, you know Alex was supposed to make her big return to TV in Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 4 (the "Ex-Wives Club" in Morocco). It was poetic. She was going back to the place where the Herman Munster shoes happened.
But then, things got dark.
The season was indefinitely shelved after an incident between Brandi Glanville and Caroline Manzo. While Alex wasn't the center of the controversy, she was reportedly "distressed" by the environment. It makes sense. Imagine spending a decade studying the human mind and healthy boundaries, then being dropped back into a house with Brandi Glanville. It must have felt like a psychological experiment gone wrong.
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Reports from the set suggested Alex was "appalled" by the behavior she saw. She wasn't the same girl who was desperate to fit in. She was a professional looking at a group of people who had never left the reality TV bubble.
Why Alex McCord Still Matters in 2026
Alex and Simon are the only couple from the original RHONY cast who are still married. Read that again. Ramona and Mario? Done. Luann and the Count? Done. Bethenny and Jason? A disaster.
The "co-dependency" everyone mocked them for turned out to be the very thing that saved them. They were a team. They saw through the artifice of the show and used the money to build a real life.
Actionable Takeaways from the McCord Method
If you’re looking at Alex’s life and feeling like you need a "Glow Up" that isn't just Botox, here’s what we can learn from her:
- Geography Matters: If your environment makes you break out in hives, leave. Alex moved to the other side of the planet and found her peace.
- It’s Never Too Late to Pivot: She was a model and a visual merchandiser in her 30s. She became a doctor in her 50s. You aren't stuck in your current career path.
- Invest in Your Team: People laughed at Simon and Alex for being "attached at the hip." In 2026, they have a 25-year marriage and a successful family. The "weird" couple won the long game.
- Education is the Ultimate Flex: Reality fame is fleeting. A PhD is forever. Alex used her platform to fund a life that has nothing to do with being "famous for being famous."
Whether she ever returns to our screens or stays in her clinic in New South Wales, Alex McCord has cemented her legacy. She isn't just a footnote in Bravo history. She's the blueprint for how to survive reality TV without losing your soul.
Keep an eye on her Instagram for updates on her clinical research. Just don't expect her to be wearing the shoes.
Next Steps: If you're interested in Alex's academic work, you can look up her published research on the University of New England’s repository. Her focus on family-based treatment for eating disorders is actually changing how clinicians approach the recovery process.