You can take the ladies out of Real Housewives of New York, but you can't take the Real Housewives out of the ladies!
After getting fired from the hit Bravo show, Alex McCord is ready to place some blame: On Jill Zarin, also evicted from the cast.
McCord, 37, told Good Morning America Friday that Zarin, 48, "has been trying to get me off the show for a number of years. She succeeded…She's a manipulator and she's very good at feeding information to her own end."
McCord's husband Simon van Kempen added that Zarin was a "flawed woman extraordinaire…Jill sometimes is still very much stuck in junior high as the girl who was unpopular, who was bullied. And 30 years later, she's still there."
In response, a rep for Zarin tells Us Weekly: "Alex and Simon's allegations represent the type of negativity that Jill is eager to move on from. Jill will continue to take the high road and wish Alex and Simon nothing but the best."
Kelly Bensimon and Cindy Barshop were also not asked to return for the show's fifth season. Luann de Lessepps, Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan will be returning, along with not-yet-confirmed new women.
"While it is easy to play the blame game, it is our hope that Alex and Simon will eventually accept Bravo's decision and proceed with grace to the next stage in their career rather than hold on to past resentments," Zarin's rep continued. "As Jill proceeds with optimism, she is grateful to Bravo for a successful 4 year run on The Real Housewives of New York City and is focused on the national launch of her shapewear line, Skweez Couture at Lord and Taylor."
