The world of reality television has always been ripe with glamour, drama, and larger-than-life personalities. But alongside the feuds and lavish lifestyles, there’s a more subtle yet equally intriguing battle being fought: the war of heavily edited Instagram posts. And this week, Kelly Bensimon, former star of The Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY), seems to have unintentionally thrown her hat into the ring for the dubious title of “Facetune Queen,” a crown long associated with Jeana Keough of The Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC) fame.
Kelly Bensimon recently shared a photo with Sutton Stracke, a current star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH), during Sutton’s trip to New York City. What should have been a simple and elegant snapshot of two Housewives enjoying their outing at Bergdorf Goodman turned into a social media spectacle. Kelly’s version of the photo, shared on her Instagram, appeared to have been edited extensively, with filters softening both women’s faces to a level that many fans deemed unnatural.
The drama escalated when Sutton posted—and later deleted—the unedited version of the photo. However, Reddit sleuths quickly preserved the image for posterity, sparking a flurry of side-by-side comparisons that revealed just how much editing had been done. While Sutton’s version showed the women’s natural beauty, Kelly’s Facetuned image became a subject of ridicule, with fans commenting on the “filtering overloads” and joking about how “natural” the two looked in the altered version.
For longtime Housewives fans, the controversy surrounding Kelly’s Facetuned post may feel familiar. Jeana Keough, a former cast member of RHOC, has been repeatedly called out for her own heavily edited Instagram photos over the years. From smoothing out every wrinkle to brightening her complexion beyond recognition, Jeana’s photos have become infamous within the fandom. Her name is often invoked whenever a Housewives star takes photo editing a step too far, as was the case with Kelly’s recent post.
In fact, one Reddit user even quipped that Kelly must have attended “the Jeana Keough school of Facetune,” a sentiment that echoed across multiple social media platforms.
The use of Facetune and other photo editing apps isn’t new, especially in the world of reality TV, where stars often feel immense pressure to maintain a youthful and flawless appearance. However, the backlash that comes with obvious over-editing highlights the fine line between enhancing one’s image and creating an entirely different persona.
Many fans expressed frustration over the unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by such heavily edited photos. “Drives me crazy when anyone does this—post highly edited photos and the people that comment how gorgeous and ageless they are. We can all be that with the right photo editing app,” one fan noted.
Others, however, took the opportunity to praise Sutton for embracing her natural appearance. “Bless Sutton for just being cool with how she looks and not Facetuning to high [hell]. She looks great for her age!” one comment read.
While Kelly Bensimon’s foray into the Facetune controversy may have been unintentional, it serves as a reminder of the broader societal pressures faced by women, particularly those in the public eye. The desire to appear youthful and flawless is amplified in the world of reality TV, where appearances often feel like currency.
At the same time, moments like these also highlight the absurdity and humor in the lengths some stars go to in order to maintain a perfect image. Whether Kelly truly aspires to rival Jeana Keough’s legacy or simply had a moment of over-editing, one thing is certain: the Housewives universe never fails to deliver a mix of entertainment and social commentary.
So, is Kelly Bensimon gunning for Jeana Keough’s “Facetune Queen” title? While it’s unlikely that this was her intention, her recent Instagram faux pas has certainly placed her in the spotlight. In the ever-competitive world of reality TV, where perfection is both an expectation and an illusion, the battle for authenticity—or lack thereof—rages on. As fans, we can only sit back, laugh, and wait for the next Facetune fiasco to hit our feeds.