The Bossticks - Crystal Kung Minkoff On RHOBH, Tips For A Successful Marriage, Reality TV BTS, & The Lion King

Episode Date: March 23, 2023

#554: Crystal Kung Minkoff, mother, culinary expert, businesswoman and star of RHOBH, joins Michael and Lauryn to share her thoughts on Lisa Rina's departure from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the reality behind reality TV, her number one tip for a successful marriage, how she launched the largest organic coconut company in the world at age 29.   To connect with Crystal Kung Minkoff click HERE To connect with Lauryn Evarts click HERE To connect with Michael Bosstick click HERE Read More on The Skinny Confidential HERE For Detailed Show Notes visit TSCPODCAST.COM To Call the Him & Her Hotline call: 1-833-SKINNYS (754-6697) This episode is brought to you by The Skinny Confidential This episode is brought to you by AG1 AG1 is way more than greens. It's all of your key multi-vitamins, minerals, pre-and probiotics, and more, working together as one. Go to athleticgreens.com/SKINNY to get a free 1 year supply of vitamin D and 5 free travel packs with your first purchase. This episode is brought to you by Cymbiotika Cymbiotika is a health supplement company, designing sophisticated organic formulations that are scientifically proven to increase vitality and longevity by filling nutritional gaps that result from our modern day diet. Use code SKINNY at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase at cymbiotika.com This episode is brought to you by LMNT LMNT is a tasty electrolyte drink that has everything you need and nothing you don't. It contains a science-backed electrolyte ratio: 1000mg sodium, 200mg potassium, and 60mg magnesium. Get a free sample pack with any purchase at drinkLMNT.com/SKINNY This episode is brought to you by Beekeepers Naturals Beekeepers Naturals is female-founded and the products are clean and effective, third-party tested for all pesticides, and the brand is dedicated to sustainable beekeeping and helping save the bees. Get 20% off your first order at beekeepersnaturals.com/SKINNY or use code SKINNY at checkout. This episode is brought to you by Betterhelp BetterHelp is online therapy that offers video, phone, and even live chat-only therapy sessions. So you don't have to see anyone on camera if you don't want to. It's much more affordable than in-person therapy & you can be matched with a therapist in under 48 hours. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/skinny . This episode is brought to you by Perfect Snacks Made with freshly-ground nut butter, organic honey and 20 organic superfoods, Perfect Bar has a variety of products that are good to eat and good for you. Go to perfectsnacks.com/skinny to learn how you can receive a perfect bar for free. Produced by Dear Media  

The following podcast is a dear media production. Quick break to talk about AG1 athletic greens, one of our favorite partners, one of our favorite supplements. It is your one stop shop, all in one scoop, all in one bang. This thing is the most you're going to get bang for your buck in one place. Like I said, I take it every single morning. Lauren takes it every single morning. We take it when we travel. We carry the travel packs.

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That's athletic greens.com slash skinny. Check it out, athletic greens. com slash skinny. She's a lifestyle blogger extraordinaire. Fantastic. And he's a serial entrepreneur. A very smart cookie. And now Lauren Everts and Michael Bostic are bringing you along for the ride.

Get ready for some major realness. Welcome to the skinny confidential, him and her. But I know the moment how I started my disorder and I was in school, they showed. I showed a video about body image and eating disorders, and they described how to do it in the video. And so I was like, oh, well, that's how you get skinny. This is what people are doing, and then I copied it. I would do all these diets that was like avoiding food, right?

When you diet and become obsessed with everything you're eating, that didn't work. And then I was like, okay, I'm gonna not eat, and that didn't. It just got bad, so I was like, you know, maybe I'll learn to love food. then that was for me. I don't know if that works for everybody, but that worked for me. Crystal Minkoff is on the Skinny Confidential Him and Her Show. She is the star of one of my favorite shows,

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. But the reason that I invited her on the show is because she's very well-rounded. Not only is she the co-founder and CEO of the organic and sustainable coconut water brand Real Coco. She's also an outspoken advocate for body positivity and mental health awareness. In this episode, we talk about her personal experience of overcoming an eating disorder, her ongoing relationship with food, how it's been to film, her culinary arts, she is so talented in the kitchen, and her marriage to fame director Rob Minkoff. We kind of go everywhere in this episode. She really, really is open and raw and real and vulnerable. I have a lot of respect for her, and I'm so excited for you guys to hear her in this space. If you haven't watched Real Housewives

of Beverly Hills, I don't know what to say. Start from the beginning. It's like a wild ride. It's a roller coaster. It's such a good show. With that, let's welcome Crystal Minkoff to the Skinny Confidential Him and Her show. This is the Skinny Confidential Him and Her. We have Crystal in the studio. I'm so excited to interview. I've wanted to interview you forever. I am a huge Housewives fan, which is where I first discovered you. And then I did a deep dive before this interview. And I just feel like there's so much more to you that people don't know. So I wanted to have you on. Thank you. Give us some background of how you grew up before all of housewives being married, being a mother.

So I grew up in the valley in Northridge, actually, like down the street from where Garcel currently lives. Every time we film there, I'm very excited because it's like where I grew up. I went to school in L.A. I went to UC school for college. I'm just like a L.A. kid through and through. My parents were immigrants from China and met here in the States. And I grew up in a very sort of like middle, middle upper class life. The weekends was very much East L.A. with my grandparents. No one spoke English, only Chinese.

And then my sort of week long, my weekdays were just like a kid in the valley. And then I met my husband when I was in college. And we've been together almost 20 years now. Okay, so I want to go back. So your parents, your parents migrated from China and they met here. Yes. Yeah, they came separately. Were you able to go to China when you were a little?

Yeah, so my grandparents were still in Taiwan. My mom's side. My dad has an incredible history, sad history, but he grew up during the revolution. So his family perished. Oh, wow. Like when he was a child from starvation. I know it's like a crazy story. But so I only knew my mom's side because I didn't grow up with my dad's family.

obviously. And so my mom's parents had lived in Taiwan before they emigrated when we were about 10. So I spent all my summers in China. And then I didn't really go back throughout like middle school and high school because they were all here. And then I started going back. I studied abroad in China. And then I bought a home there. Yeah. When I was 23. When you were little and you go to China compared to the United States, was it a jarring difference or no because you were immersed in the culture here? Oh, that's a good question. I mean, because I was with my grandparents, it felt a little bit connected, but it was, it's a culture shock. I mean, I'm an American kid. You know, spending my summers there was magical, but it was also like, I couldn't be with my friends. I didn't have those, like, my family, we didn't have the money to, like, go to, like, Hawaii and all those things. I mean, I had been there, like, once. It was like, that was our annual trip, you know, if we could, you know. But my dad was a doctor. It wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn't like we didn't have it, but they were not spenders. So going there was sort of an extension of being home, but it was a culture shock, yeah. And were your parents strict, easy, or... What's it like growing up in the Valley? By the way, I have like a hashtag in my head. I always say hashtag 818 Stop the Hate.

The Valley is amazing. People have a terrible sort of impression of it. I don't know why, but I love the Valley. And I don't live in the Valley, but I say I live Valley adjacent. I think it's because it's called the Valley. Valley. And it just sounds like, you know. I feel like the Valley's PR has gotten better, though, because I do hear it coming back and people

really into it. Yeah. Now there's a tequila brand, right? Yeah. A-1-A. Yeah. The Kardashian. Oh, God. Again, triggering. Yeah. Michael, you got to watch the show if you don't know what she's talking about. Listen, I am a huge Housewives fan, and you know that. Every time it's on, I tune in.

That is true. That is true. Listen, I, you know, she sucked me in over the years. I think I'm pretty caught up. It's compelling television, isn't it? Oh, my God. It's hard not to. Any man that says that he can look away, I don't believe him. I'm like, as soon as they say that, I'm like, nope, can never do anything with you. I don't trust you. That's so many.

I used to watch the show and Rob would walk in. He's like, why are you watching this? I'm like, it's just easy. And now, of course, he's so invested. He like watches alone. Like, he's in the library. And he's like, so now when we get the episodes, we watch it like separately. I'm in all the franchises.

Someone that is literally behind the Lion King is watching Real Housewives. That's pretty incredible. Look, you know. You must think it's a good citizen. At the end of the day, it's all drama, right? It is. Yeah, it's conflict resolution. It's definitely conflict resolution.

Yes. But he's so funny. He always has, like, when he watches it, he's like, when someone has like a crazy line on the show, he's like, oh, I got to figure out how to use that in a movie. There's so many. There's so many. Especially if you're a real housewives list, like watch her. Like, there are so many one-liners that are iconic from across the board.

Yeah. Let me ask you this. I always wonder this and obviously being close and adjacent to this world and, you know, dealing with entertainers. What is the motivation or like, what's the thought process when you and your husband think about this opportunity? Because obviously you're not novice to what takes place on these channels and entertainment and know the business behind.

It's like, what do you guys thinking before you go into the franchise? Yeah. So, I mean, I think we had like kind of one leg up in terms of what to expect. Sure. So I was able to, you know, Rob's agent has been with him for 30 years, our lawyers, like all in entertainment. So we really spent a lot of time discussing it with them over months during my interview process. A lot of it was don't do it because they love us as a family.

They didn't want it to protect us. At the end of the day, we, Rob and I knew we would be okay with each other. It wasn't about our relationship. It was what would it expose to our kids. And we knew that they were young enough. They're on social media. They don't watch the show. They're young.

So, but we had a lot of, a lot of interviewing our friends and, you know, and in the business. And when I started filming, so when I was in Tahoe, which was major, that was like my opening. That was a lot. I was, that was my third day of filming ever being on camera. And I called Rob. It was like, they're in my room. And then he had to call his agent. And we were all confused. I'm like, this is off hours. And he's and then he called, they called me back. They're like, no, this is reality. There's no. There's no. We were very confused because we leaned into it like it was a production. And it is, but it's still, it's different. It's not the same as a scripted show at all. You thought it's like, it's like when you get to go in your room and close the door, the door is closed and that's it. And we're done. Yeah, we're done. That makes sense.

That's how I would think. That's why we could never do this. No, it's not. It's game on all the time. Well, look what happened to Lenny in Miami, Lisa and Lenny. Oh, yeah. Mike moment. I mean, he probably thought no one was listening.

And he's in his... Look, if you have a mic on. But the thing is, I didn't have a mic on. So I'm, like, really, like, shut down for the night. And then it kept going. So that's when it was like, you guys, this is like his agent. Like, this is what it is. Like, I'm like, okay.

So then I had to go back in and... You know what I would do? This is what I would do. Get some mouth tape. Like, mouth tape that you can tape your mouth shut when you're sleeping and put it on when you go in the room. So they're not going to... They know, because, you know, I tape my mouth shut when I'm sleeping.

It's really good for your breathing. What? It's really good for you. She's a big thing on this. Well, it's actually become like a big thing. Is that safe? Every night for the last four months. Well,

what happened is they... By choice? Yeah. Are you okay with that? Well, they've done... Yeah, I mean, sure. I don't... What?

He went and got it for me the other night because I forgot it. Honestly, sometimes just in the day I'll just pass over the mouth tape too. Oh my God. No, I'm just kidding. But here's gonna be so... Rob's gonna love this.

But no, they found... They did this whole study on mouth breathers versus nose breathers. And you want to be a nose breather because obviously it keeps your jaw in place and it's better for your immune system, all these things. And they basically studied these two twins. I'm going to butcher this.

And one was a nose breather, one was a mouth breather. And over time, it just distorts your face and ruins your breathing. You get worse sleep. If you're not breathing through your nose is supposed to. Cavities, better breath. If you tape your mouth shut. Tongue is not in the right place. A million things.

But the point of this is what I was saying is when next time you're on a trip, put some mouth tape on because they're going to know she can't talk with mouth tape and she's going to bed. It's like signals. Like there's an undertone. I don't think they care. I think they'd film that too. They're going to film me with the mouth tape.

Do you realize how crazy I'm going to look? Then put your, wait. Wait. Put Real Coco's Instagram. Wait, wait, wait. Is it just tape or is it actually? It's like a specific.

I'll show you before you leave. It's like a specific brand. It's B1. I think. And it's amazing. Okay. It works. Wow.

That's just a tangent. Fascinating. Let's go back. Okay, sorry. But if you're not a mouth breather, and like you don't have that issue, then you just would never know. I'm not a mouth because I would know it's breather too. I don't know.

I don't know. I'm not sure. No, I bet you're a nose breather. Okay. You definitely don't have the issue. Yeah. Taylor, you're for sure a mouth breather. Just so you know, Taylor back there is for sure a mouth breather.

Okay. So your brother is a famous pop star. Is that correct? Yes. In China. In China. Okay. How old were you guys when this happened and how did he even go about this if you guys

are living here? Yeah. Easy. So my brother went to Michigan and I went to UC-R-R-Vine. When he went to Michigan, he studied a in China. And when I was at Irvine, I studied abroad in China. It was just what you do is Chinese kids, right? Like, you go back. He never came home from studying abroad. He was at Michigan studying business and then went to China and then somehow, long story, got a record deal and then called my

mom. My mom's like, over my dead body. What are you talking about? And then I think as I just started dating Rob. And then my mom, you know, I grew up in a pretty Chinese household. And I think then she saw like, oh, maybe you can have a career in the arts. It was all arts to her, right? Directing, single, whatever. Which is not something you naturally do in an Asian household. This is not unless you, unless your parents are in the arts, right? My parents were not. So she said, okay, you can record an album, but you got to finish Michigan. So he flew back for the summer and finished a year and a half of school in a summer. He just like, killed it and went back, recorded an album, and won MTV Best New Artist Asia.

And what happens to his life that just, just, like, he can't, like, get a moment alone anymore? No, it's like, I mean, it's been 20 years. So, like, you know, pop stars have their peak and whatever. So at that time it was, but he was, he started at an era of China where, like, things were opening up. So he really grew with the country. And it was, it was very exciting. So then that's why, so Rob and I bought a place there a couple years after.

So we started spending a lot of time there too. I think he has like five or six albums. I don't know. It was so out of sight of mine, though, because I was living in L.A. And I was like, so he called. He's like, oh, you know, I got to call you back. I'm filming like, you know, a music video. I'm like, okay, bye.

Like, it was so distant and random to me. It wasn't. That makes sense because Michael took me to Beijing when we first started dating. Oh, okay. And I was in the cab. See the way they looked at her over there. was too. I liked it.

I felt famous. Yeah. Well, you are. You are just by nature famous there. She came out, new boob job. They were like, what's happening here? But I was making friends with her cab driver and asking her all about the Kardashians, and she had no idea.

Oh, no. And so that makes sense to me that you're saying that you were separated from your brother's success because it is so separated. Yeah. I mean, it's its own country, its own language. He sings in Chinese. So when I go there, it was fun. You know, so I got sort of a glimpse into, like, the Hollywood of China.

But it's different than here. The states have a, they respond to celebrity differently. What do you mean? Like, in China, it's more managed, and it's also, like, it's more wholesome. Here, it's, like, more. Bleristic. Yeah, and they're also, like, they like, they want to see people crash and burn here. It's not like that in China.

China. I was just talking to someone about that. I was just talking about how people build you up to tear you down to then neutralize you. It's so interesting. When I ever see a famous like Instagram or TikTok or go super viral, you'll notice the human nature is then tear it down and this, they do this in housewives too. And then they neutralize you. So it's like it's, it is an interesting thing that's, that's really prominent in America. There's a famous Chinese director Zhang Zhuzong. I'm not saying his name, but he moved next door to my parents. Say it again. Say it again. He produced it's close. It's like the Game of Thrones

of China like it's something the Monkey King or Monkey, and he produced it. He's like the Spielberg over there. But he moved over here because over there, he's like, he can't walk the streets. But he said it's all what he was telling me, he said it's so safe and it's like people admire him. Yeah. But he comes here and he's like, nobody knows who he is.

Like he's in the grocery store and they have no, like Americans have no clue. He's like the king, right? Totally. But that's why I laugh at my brother because in China, he like would run like you know he started when he was 20 so he was like running the clubs and he was everywhere and like here he's like outside waiting in line for like an hour i'm like no one gives a shit about you yeah like and i'm like it humbles you a little bit he's like i can't get in anywhere i'm like whatever no one gives a shit about you that's amazing it's really funny yeah at what point

and where and when and you talked a little bit about this on juicy scoop did you meet rob so i met him in 2003 it was the end of my sophomore year and he was directing Haunted Mansion for Disney right around the corner. He was having a birthday party for his friend, and my friend knew the person who's having the birthday party. Okay. She was invited and asked me to go. And were you expecting anything out of this night, or was this one of those nights you just threw it together? Yeah, I was like not. I was at Irvine and I drove down, and I was not like a party girl at all.

I was like very straight-laced, and I really am still. Like, I just came down to go out with my friend. and at a birthday party. And then I met Rob and he's social until he's not. And then it was like, oh, I get it. So he's not. Yeah. He's like a classic artist like this Rob. And so he was just sitting, he had a piano in his office and he was just kind of like playing piano on his own. And it's so funny because that's how we met because he was like not engaging with anybody. But like it's the thing that drives me crazy as a husband. I'm like, food tension, you know. But because he was like that, I just ended up sitting with him and we were like, because I didn't know anybody and I was so young. And then we were just talking. And then we just kept talking and we've been together ever since. And had you already launched your business or this is way after? No. I launched my business when I was 29. So when you guys got together. Yeah. How long did you guys wait to have kids? I'm just trying to get the whole lay at the land. Yeah. So 2003, we got married 2007. We waited almost five years to get married. And then we waited another. So I didn't have Max until.

2012. Michael and I did that. I think that's nice. It's great. You're going to have a life for someone first. Oh yeah. We had 10 years together without. Isn't that nice to have? Yeah, because you need to, I mean, look, need whatever that word is. Like, I know what it's like to live my life with him in a very meaningful way without kids. Yep. Because I think that's, that can be a struggle. Like, the kid thing adds a whole other element of stress and dynamic change and all that. And so I get to refer back to it. And so something that Rob and I always do every year is we, we obviously travel the kids a lot, but we take a two-week trip out of the country to a new country every year together alone. And we've done that since the kids, I mean, Max, was one years old. I was going to ask you

about that because we have young kids. I'm like, is that the move? That's the move. That's the move. You'd go for two weeks. Two weeks. And they're fine. 12 to 14 days. Yes. And they're fine. We went to Machupeche, we do all these things. At first I was like, oh, I don't want to go there because I want to bring the kids. And Rob is the type. He's like, you'll go again. He's very forward-thinking, and he doesn't believe in, like,

he's just like, we'll go next year. Doesn't matter. He sounds like he doesn't have the box around him. No, he does not. But he's an animator, you know? He's like, he creates. He's a dreamer. He's a creator.

So he's just like, no, he go. And I'm like, okay, great. So I don't feel like guilty anymore. It's like, we'll take them when they care, you know? But yes, that's the, that's, you got to go away. They'll be fine. Because we've been going away for like maybe three, four days, max. I did it.

It's hard. You get to stretch it a little bit. Yeah. But I have family here. Yeah. Lucy lives with us. So they have a lot of the same that they're, and our kids do not like, they're fine when we leave. They're not, like, that's hard.

When I see kids like crying when they walk out and the parents walk out of the house, they're like, bye, see you. Like, just they'll FaceTime me. You can tell your kids are independent on the show. They're independent. No, that's good. I think that's amazing. Yeah, it's great. It's great.

For anyone who's listening that doesn't have context of who your husband. been is, can you explain it? I don't think I'm going to do it eloquently. There's so much, I don't know, like, where you want me to start. Rob, yeah, Rob is a director, and he started his career at Disney, and he directed his first full feature was The Lion King. That's a good first. Yeah, the good first. Not a bad first. Yeah. When you say he directed, like, he's explained that with a cartoon, because I don't, my brain doesn't understand that. Yeah, he gets that question all the time, so I've heard him answer this. Okay. Each department runs a character, like Simba's a department, you know, Mufasa's department and also the landscape and color.

And so he will literally have a meeting every 15 minutes. So if you see his calendar, it's bananas. And so the lead of like Simba will come in and they have a team of maybe 30 people. And so his job is to make sure everything is coherent because everyone's drawing something separately, right? So he, it's like everyone has their own literally pen or paintbrush. And he needs to make one drawing at the end of the day. And so he's making sure everything works together coherently for, it takes like two years to do. So someone who draws Simba, the Mufas is a different drawer.

Yes. Even though they, and they have a whole team on their own. Nothing looks disjointed. Correct. That's his job is to join them. So he's making it seamless. Yes. That's so interesting, though, because if you were to ask me, I would say it's the same animator everywhere, because it does look the same.

Yeah. Yeah. That's crazy. And it's interesting when he does live action, he's like, you know, you have to deal with people who are actors who are adjusting and, you know, their own personality where animation, like every lash, every blink is designed. Oh my gosh. And so it's, yeah, that's why it takes so long. So Lion King Haunted Mansion, he's done. Stuart Little's.

Stuart Little's. Yeah. I'm going to show Zaza. were a little, so I haven't showed her that yet. Symbiotica, one of our favorite brands on the planet. We just had Cherveen, the founder of Symbiotica, on this show for the fourth time. I think it's a record. We were trying to figure that out on the show. How many other guests have been on four times? There may be one, maybe two, and I can't think of them off the top of my mind, but four times, you know if we're having somebody back that often. It's because they really know

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You decide to launch, I believe, with your brother, Real Coco. Yes. Okay. How does that come about? Why do you decide to do that? Yeah. So Jeff was in China. And my best friend, actually, when I, when Jeff was studying abroad, I brought my best friend

from high school to visit my brother in China, he ended up also just learning. He's like white, but he like learned Chinese. He saw the future of China, ended up moving there. And he called my brother, and he's like, I have access to, he was starting to do like manufacturing. And he called Jeff and he said, you know, do you want to start this brand? And then my brother wanted to cross it over to the States because we were getting our coconuts from Southeast Asia. So then I came on board. And we started this brand when I was 29.

Wow. Yeah, it's amazing. We're actually this largest organic coconut company in the world right now. Oh, good for you. I know. You got to brag a little bit. I did. That was a brag about, you were talking about Costco, about Costco, like what you guys did there, about stalking the shelves. Like, really, like, I mean, I was impressed with what you were saying. Thank you. There's a lot to it. Explain a little bit more of the business, the behind the scenes, of what it's doing. You know, it was really kind of exciting to have a Asian-based company.

But at the end of the day, like, I wanted to also expand to the states. And so we started. We started in China, primarily, in their, it's called BHG, which is like their Whole Foods. We got very, like, you know, it's always, it's hard to get shelf space to begin with. Is that a bigger market or is this a bigger market? I would say U.S. is a big market. U.S. is a big. It's our second largest. Sure.

It's like movies, right? Like, America's always number one and then. I heard that's going to flip soon, though. I mean, it's like, it will. It will. I mean, with COVID, we'll, like, you know, we'll see. But it's, it was, that was on the track to happen. And it's interesting because plant-based products were starting.

It's actually very new, right? You're like soy milk and then almond milk. And then I think soy has really kind of had its ran as course. I think soy is done. I don't think it's good for us, man. It's not good. So what I love about coconuts, it's the most sustainable nut-based water in the world. And so we don't have to put sprinklers.

Everything is naturally recycled through rainwater. And so for us, even that was like our cost came down. You know, we didn't take any investment. We just did it ourselves. Oh, that's hard. Very hard. We've no debt. And we were like, let's just try this, like grassroots job because Jeff was still singing.

We all had our own stuff going on. So it wasn't like all eggs and, you know, we weren't like putting up our houses for this, you know. But it took a long time where I think other brands would have grown maybe more quickly or could have died quickly. We just kept pushing. And Costco, we had a couple products at Costco. but now we're in every region other than Texas, but that's coming this year. So we're going to be in 100% of Costco's this year, which is wild.

That is insane. That's insane. And I'm a big Costco shopper, so. And I always, when I look at your Instagram, I look at all the drinks that you're making with this, she makes, like, the best food, which I want to ask you about this thing. But you make, like, cocktails with this. Tell Lauren about food because if I get one home-cooked meal in the next 10 years,

it'll be a miracle. Okay, this is where I'm really going to help you then. Well, I fell in love with cooking when I, in like, my mom didn't cook. I'm sorry, mom's truth. She doesn't cook. I was a Costco baby. Like, everything was microwaved and frozen. But all our friend's moms seemed to cook.

And so Jeff and I would go to our friend, like next door and they would feed us all this, like, great food. So my brother and I both loved to cook. I think it's like skips a generation, you know? Yeah, because you know what? Her parents, both mom and I were phenomenal. It's in the restaurant business. So I guess I just, I have to skip. Yeah.

So your kids will, you know. They'll cook. But like my mom didn't. And so like I really wanted that. So and then Food Network was really sort of on the rise and getting popular. So it was like my background TV. We'd only watch World Porko and Food Network. That's it. Okay. Around the clock. And then I was like starting to cook like trying recipes. And I remember the moment where I was like, I want to go to farmer's market and just see what's fresh and see if I can make something. And it was like an utter fail. Like I just did not know what to do other than reading a book. And I just did not know what to do other than reading a book. like I was a science major, you know? And so what I did was because I liked school as I went to culinary school. And I was like, I'm just... You're telling me, oh, let me go to culinary school. Yeah.

Why, why you, what am I supposed to do with two kids I have to go to culinary school? Why did I have kids yet? Okay. Listen, I need you to. I might have missed the boat by the little. This is that five-year awesome break. His second wife can cook.

I need you to get back in school. Yeah. So I did a year. I bet that would be fun though. It was amazing. Because like I, I mean, I, I, I still. have nightmares about waking up and doing tests. I hated school. I was the worst. I think I got kicked out of every school I ever went into. But that school, I feel like I could get behind me.

You don't fail. Yeah. Wait, so they literally taught you everything on how to cook. Yeah. So I went to a French-based school. You know, a lot of people, I wouldn't say everybody, but a lot of people can do any recipe because you just follow the instructions. But what culinary school is teaches you the base of food. So it's like, this is your heat source. This is your protein. source and then how do you cook it from there? Everything about flavors is like your own design, right? Like, so you're talking about roasting, braising, sauteing, like every base level and how does a protein affect, how is it affected by the heat source? That's how I think about it. I'm like, it's like science to me. And then it's like, do you use water? Do you use like all those

added liquid sources? How does that work? And so I was just fascinated by it. And I had so much fun. And I think that's what leaned, that's what got me into starting a food product, like Roa Coco, because I also loved watching. There was a show called Unwrapped. And it was like, it was literally a 30-minute show about food factories. And I would watch it. Oh, I'm like, oh, I dreamt of having a food factory. And I think that's why I brought, I mean, I don't have a factory here. I have a factory here. I have a factories in Asia. But I just love the like factory line of like, I just loved all that. So, yeah, that's why it started. Let me ask you this. What is the time commitment? if you just wanted like a base level of cooking skill.

Yeah, I was just going to ask, can you go at night? Because I know there's level, obviously there's levels. Yeah. Were you going nine to five? Yeah, I did a full program.

You did nine to five days a week. No, but say someone like me got, I get sent to me. I'm like, hey, I want to go and just learn exactly what you're talking about,

the basics, the heat, and I want to be able to come out and put a basic dish together at any time, but, you know, better than what the average show. Yeah, I think there's probably like,

six week programs that you could do it like once a week at night. Well, maybe we should do that. It might be fun to do together. Because I do remember there was people in my program that were like chefs already at restaurants, but they wanted to become executive chefs, so they needed the degree.

So they would come, like, they were on a different night program. Huh. But I was like free as a bird. I was like, whatever. So I, because I was, I didn't work that year because we were about to move to China for movie Rob was directing.

We were going to think about kids and the whole thing. I was like, I'm going to take this year off and just go to culinary school. I mean, it's obviously paid off. It was a luxury. It's paid off. I might pause this whole operation and just go to culinary school. I'll tell everyone in this office, I'm going to say, guys, I'll be back in a year.

I got to go learn how to cook some stuff. By the way, then you get out of your own factory. I would love if you learned how to cook out. Sit there and you can cook. By the way, my husband's very happy with it, too. You have been so open on the show about your journey with food in a different, a different way. You've talked about being bulimic, which I really appreciated because there's a lot of housewives that are not vulnerable like that. And I think that that was your point the whole season you were trying to

say there's an undertone. Yeah. You were trying to be like a lot of you guys, not maybe not just Beverly Hills, are not being vulnerable. So I'm going to open up. And I found that refreshing and youthful. Thank you. I'm just by millennially like, yeah, I know. Thank you for saying that. I'm, I'm by nature very vulnerable. I'm by nature very open because I've gotten to a place where I'm no longer feeling shame about it and feeling embarrassed by it. Because I know there's so many people that experience it and suffer every day. And like they shouldn't feel shameful for about it. So it's like the idea of where you're like, take your own advice.

I'm like, I'm taking my own advice, right, that I would give to someone like don't feel bad about it. But actually the cooking thing is very, people don't understand. They're like, how do you cook and you have this disorder? It actually is all encompassing because I wanted to also appreciate food where I hated it. It was like the enemy to me. Every time I'd go out was like I would look at the menu and I'd suffer about it. Where now that I know how to cook, it's like nourishing me and it has really helped my progress. And I was amazing.

I know. And I didn't know it was that strong then. It was sort of just, it was like, I was just like throwing darts of the, you know, and like maybe this will help. Maybe like, because I would avoid food. I remember thinking like I would do all these diets that was like avoiding food, right? Eat broccoli with boiled chicken. When you diet and become obsessed with everything you're eating, that didn't work. And then I was like, okay, I'm going to not eat.

And that didn't. You know, it just got bad. So I was like, you know, maybe. I'll learn to love food. And then that was for me. I don't know if that works for everybody, but that worked for me. Was there a point in your life or an event that triggered this? Like that basically made you start having this relationship with food in an unhealthy way?

Like, do you remember something specifically that. Yeah, I do. I'm sure it was somewhere already. I don't think anything, one thing can just trigger out of nowhere. But I know the moment how I started my disorder and I was in school. And, you know, when you go to, like, they have like sex ed. They have like all that like home act stuff. They were, they showed a video about body image and eating disorders.

And they described how to do it in the video, which I'm sure is no longer shown in schools. I remember that. I saw that. I know what you're talking about. Uh-huh. And so I was like, oh, wow, that's how you get skinny. This is what people are doing. And then I copied it that day.

And that was it. Whoa. showed two that actually showed the girl throwing up after a meal like like a it was like a movie oh yeah there was a movie date oh i remember that it was like like a reenactment of like i remember that so you you learn by example it was like two sisters right in the movie it was i didn't watch a movie ours was very specifically it was like to not do it it was like a it was a reenact it was like they showed it in class and so they showed a lot of different things in class like even say like even saying it, I don't want to say the words because I don't want to

share it with people who haven't heard it. You know, like that's what scares me because that's how I learned it. But there were all these different things that they showed us that people did, which was supposed to scare us, right? Remember, they showed us the drug videos, which scared me. That worked for me. This one went the opposite direction for me. So then I, whatever it was breeding in me, now I had an outlet, an actual outlet.

And that's what happened to me. You know what's so funny you said about the dare video. too is like we've had people come on and say the opposite where like the dare video is actually encouraged them right so it's same thing here right yeah i want i think they've hopefully they've learned a bit i don't think you can actually just scare people into or into into or out of action right it's like right because everyone's different so each everyone's going to pick up learn something negate something like there's not one way and you know the intention was positive it wasn't like they've designed to do this But in my case, I know that I'm not the only one that that happened to.

When you start down this journey of having a disorder, do you know right away it's a disorder? Or does it take five years or does it take 10 years? What is it like to be like encompassed by this? I mean, I can imagine it's a lot. Well, I was 11. So at 11, I don't even know if I knew the word disorder. You know, it was just a response to a feeling. That's all.

Like when you're a kid, you just, you want to do whatever makes you feel good. Even though it was not comfortable, I suddenly felt better somehow. You know, I've gone through therapy about it where they're like, the reason why you hold on to it is because your memory as a child is positive because it gave you something positive. And that's why it's hard to break those things because at the time it was masking or giving you something that you were missing in your life or whatever it was. I, you know, and it's a coping mechanism. So that's why it's hard to let go.

And now it's a negative thing, but that's why habits are hard to break because it's familiar. Yeah. A lot of people who have come on here who've talked about an eating disorder or talked about when they throw up. And I think you might have actually said this on the show, too, that there's a relief, a release that comes with it. So to me, when I heard that, I would think it'd be easy to become addicted to the release. Yes.

Because it's almost like picking up a drink when you're stressed out. Yes. Yes. So everyone has their own thing. Right. Bulimia and I, it's even hard to say the word, but it's a very, people don't like to talk about it. It seems dirty. It's like the bad one of all those things.

But yes, there is, like I would have anxiety feeling full. That's just my thing. And then yes, as you start to like get used to that, then your anxiety gets grows. And then the release feeling grows. You know, just so you have to like. figure out a way everyone's journey is different. But that's why the cooking thing was so massive for me because I tried to then take the feeling of being full as a positive thing. That's smart. Because it was good for me. Yeah.

The love you're putting into the food too. Yes. Yes. It makes sense of me. It's a wild journey for me, but that's that's where it was. I think it's incredible that you spoke out about it. I think that there is a taboo around it. What was the backlash when you did? Maybe I miss it. There was no backlash. No backlash against me. I bet you had thousands of DMs that were good. I'm talking about with the women on the show.

Do you have two days? Oh. I'll let you say what I have my own opinion, but you say what you're. What's your video though? I think it was approached. This is really weird what I'm going to say. They felt really old to me the way they approached it. It was like.

Oh, that's going to win us in friends, Lauren. Keep going. old is maybe the wrong word it's almost like they were scared to talk about it's like maybe it's like I feel the previous generations hit a lot of shame and won't talk about a lot of things that many people like they won't talk about a lot you know all of us grew up with this like there's a certain part

yes of the human condition that was off limits until recently does that make sense yes like so many things that we talk about on this show like people in the beginning are like oh this is so taboo and like well and that's yeah we need to talk about it yeah and so a lot I feel like it's a generational thing where some of those taboo objects are like, whoa, whoa, whoa, it's off limits. That's exactly the undertone of it. It was a reflection of them.

Instead of looking at it from your perspective and putting themselves in your shoes, it brought out something in them that they didn't want to look at. It's almost like, whoa, whoa, whoa, why you're doing the real issues out? The audience is way smarter than anything. I'm so happy to hear you guys talking about that because it's so hard to experience it and also watch it back because it was almost like, Like, they didn't believe me. And if they did, it was like you're not allowed to have this experience.

And I'm like, I don't even know what to tell you. It's like, my hair's black. Like, I can't, like, this is it. Like, it's a factual situation. But there was a lot of questioning and what felt like shaming. But again, I, because I'm so kind of long and deep in my journey, I really didn't allow that in. I really, I was like, I went home like, they were doing this. is on them. And like, I cannot accept that because at the end of the day, I go home to my life,

to my body, to my experience, my person. And like, there's not any show that is going to get in the way of my recovery. So I was like, I just like pushed it away. The skinny confidential him and her show is brought to you by Better Help. All right, therapy. So many people have benefited from therapy. I know that therapy is definitely a tool in my toolbox that has really helped me in the past. But to be able to do it entirely online is the most convenient, flexible thing ever. You can literally make it suit your schedule. So if you want to do a call or a video, they got you covered. You don't have to do a video if you don't want to. And better help connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on a journey of self-discovery from wherever you are.

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email or tax and upload a picture of your receipt from your local grocery store. They will reimbursed you for the cost of one bar directly into your Venmo or PayPal account. This is so cool. All you have to do is go to Perfect Snacks.com slash Skinny to get a free Perfect Bar today. That's Perfect Snacks.com slash skinny, you get a free perfect bar today. Happy snacking. Do you think some of the cast members across the franchises just get caught up too much in the show? And it becomes too much of their real life. Of course. Yeah. Yes. No, I think you have to go into it, not allowing it to penetrate. And I think that speaks to how far you've come within your recovery. I mean, to be able to sort of have a boundary around it. Yeah. You remember the scene, I think, when Erica comes up to her and starts talking about like

laxatives and she's drunk. Did you remember that or no? I tune in, but it's, I remember. Yeah, like pockets of it. I mean, that was, that was. Right, highly insensitive. But then I think about her, you know, where people are like, why didn't you blast her for that? You have to have empathy for her.

I have empathy because I, it's like the moment where you're like, when did you know? And I'm like, I don't think she realizes that she maybe suffers through one too. Like taking laxatives is a form of an eating disorder because when my best friends suffer through that, I would never shame someone. that what I'm going through, even though because she's being highly insensitive, I think it's pure ignorance. I don't think it was like... So do I. Yeah. So do I. But what I think the most important moral of all this story is that the audience does have the ability to see what's happening. Do you know what I mean? And I think that that's smart that you went home and you didn't want

to penetrate. Yeah, I didn't. I just, it stings in the moment for a second. I can't lie. I'm not going to be like that didn't like I'm a human and I feel those things the actual moment I felt it was I felt embarrassed that's the experience in that moment someone says that to you're like you feel sort of like weirdly on display and you're on a show so I understand that's the whole idea but like because it's so personal that's I just sort of retreat and then like and then I don't allow that in but it yeah it's stings sometimes do you think that one of the reasons that people were uncomfortable because you decided to open up about something that was so personal and so vulnerable and maybe that exposed that other people weren't opening up about things that were vulnerable in their own lives?

Yeah, I mean, I think it's hard to go there, but I also think it's such a foreign concept if you really don't suffer through it. Like it's, I think it's very, I don't think people want to understand it. It feels a little bit heavy and I don't think we want to touch that subject for some reason. Well, I want to touch it in the sense that I want to say if someone's listening and they're struggling, is there anything that you, a tool in your toolbox that's really helped? Is it a bunch of different things? Is there any, I don't, I don't want to say tips, but any takeaways that you've learned to this experience to give to someone who may need them? I mean, I've got, like you said, I got thousands of DMs about it. I got so many that people said, I got a lot that

said, I never knew I had eating disorder until I, everything you were describing. is what I go through. I got a lot of, I've never said it out loud to one person in my life. I've had it for 30 years. Like people really shared with me. Like, and I just think it's one day at a time. And if you feel successful in a day, great. And if you feel the next day, it's not a failure at all. Like, it is a long-term process to get through. It's always a health hazard. But if you really feel like it's that point. It's like try to seek help. There's a lot of avenues. I mean, there's a lot of different associations that people can reach out to, but it's scary. I mean, it's a scary thing to talk about. I didn't talk about it for so long. I mean, my friend's new.

If you have your, I mean, your close friends know. If you're around people, they can tell. And a really good friend will bring it up. But there's a lot of resources. But people can just message me. I talk to everybody. That's about it. If you DM me about that, we're talking. Oh, my God. Wow. Yeah.

Be careful what you wish for. It's a lot. I know. It's a lot. Oh, my gosh. That's incredible. I think the more you talk about it, it sounds like you want to be more active in helping people recover. And I think that's where this all started, which is so crazy as it started with housewives.

It seems like. I know. I never thought. I never thought in my life. Like, it was not something I was going to talk about. I think it's great. I think it's great. So hindsight, you go back in time.

You're doing the show or you're not doing the show? How are we feeling about it at this point? I mean, every day I go back and forth. You know, it's uprooted my life in the crazy. I have a very, I'm very lucky. I have a very great normal life. But here's the way I think about this. We get to do this and curate this. We've done it for seven years. And we've had all sorts of, we get to talk to people like you and all these people. But it's this thing that we control and its environment that we can kind of turn up or turn down. And people kind of, you know, they don't feel maybe as entitled to what we're doing in our life. as maybe they do to someone in your position.

Like, we have all these people that come in these shows, and I feel like the microscope that you guys get put under once you go, it's got to be intense. In a different way, even than, like, an actor or a traditional celebrity. It's like, because there's still a little bit like, oh, but like people feel entitled to know every aspect of everything you're doing. Yes, it's true. And I have a lot of empathy for that concept when people expect that.

because I know as a viewer of random shows, like, I feel that way. And I have to check myself all the time. But I understand why. You know, they feel like you signed up. Now we get to just scrutinize all day long. It's hard, but because I have a very big life and very normal life, I have a ton of friends. I'm from here. So when I can shut it off and go back to that.

Whereas, like, I think a lot of people can't. It all gets blended into their lives. And it becomes, it takes over them. Like, I would have never done it had I felt like it would have been too much chaos in my family. And that, that grounds me when I go back to it. But I've been with Rob for so long, so I've seen sort of the other side of the business. And so it doesn't, I think I'm less affected. And this is a kind of a protective environment here in Los Angeles in a way.

Yes, it is. Because we moved out to Texas part-time. Because now we're there full-time, right? Okay. And it's a different environment. Yeah. Right. In L.A., I feel like it's a little bubble where if you're, if you've been here and you're used

you kind of know what to expect. Like everybody's in the business. I grew up friends who are actors when I was in school. They'd be gone for two weeks filming. Like you sort of see that and then you get dissenticized to it. Yeah. In a way, I remember Lauren, you're sitting down and like Oprah went for you're sitting there. Everyone's kind of like, okay, like, but if you prop Oprah out in the middle of Texas.

Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. If Oprah was here. No, but she's still, I mean. That's a true story. That's a true story. That's a true story. No, what he's saying is because Oprah was there, it's like you can't think you're, you're great if Oprah's sitting over there.

You know what you're going to think like. That's not only what I'm saying. I'm saying people, even though it was like, listen, everyone is aware of that Oprah said. Yeah, yeah,

you're going to keep it together more. But if Oprah's popped up in some other places, like it's just not, it's mob. It's not happening. Yeah, exactly. So yeah,

so it's just, it's all relative. But my friends. Oprah's a big listener. So when she hears back, she's going to. Oprah, I love you.

But my friends I grew up with keep me very humble. They do not give me inch ever. That's important. Yes, and I love it. I love it, yes. What do you think about the announcement of Lisa Renna after eight seasons?

Michael doesn't know this. She's off the show. She's done? It's happened yesterday. Happened yesterday. What is your vibe? Crystal's probably not going to say. I'm going to say, just seeing...

My choice? I think that it's a mutual decision. Yeah. But I think when you're... When you mutually decide to part ways, it's a choice that the network allows you to say it's a mutual decision. Here's the thing. Only she knows.

Right. And only the network knows. I don't dive deep into that. I think I wasn't really worried about anybody else. I was just thinking about what's my situation. And like I am very good at managing my anxiety. I don't have a lot of anxiety, but this is like this, the show has brought a lot of anxiety to my life.

to be honest. I would be in a straight jacket. So, yeah. So I've managed. I'm like, okay, like, I don't, I have lived the last few months because we've, we wrapped, it aired, and no one's gotten their contracts yet. So I've just, like, live my life. And when it happens, it happens.

So I was, I was not thinking really about everybody else. I'm always curious. But I'm like, okay, so I just, like, if I get picked up, then who am I working with? So when I saw that, I was like, it was more about like, oh, my God, it's like happening. The next season's. happening. I'm like, oh, God. So I think that she was, she's been a great housewife. I mean, I, like I said, I used to watch. I walked onto there. She was real, I met her literally randomly a week before my first week of shooting, very warm and was like, if you need anything, you know,

I'm here for you. It's a crazy situation. It's a crazy job. Am I surprised? Yeah. Like, like, I thought she was, I, I'm surprised. I thought she would defy. I loved her as a housewife because she has a huge personality and she brings it. One thing that I also was saying earlier today is it's like, I really think she approaches it as a job. She's a pro. I mean, back when she used to even going on the stern show. And she understands that with the job,

there needs to be a heightened sense of drama. Right. And so she brings it. And I think maybe this year, maybe it was too much for the audience. Yes. I'm not talking about me. I was like, okay, like this is her job.

But this is, this goes back to what you were saying about building people up and then breaking them down. So I think what people have to remember. And again, this is like, everyone has our opinions of how she handled things and whatever. Because I just, it's not my personality. I'm not, I'm not like that. But when you glorify and you constantly praise people and then they level up because it's by nature, you're going to now try to reach that expectation. and then you're like too much, like what are they supposed to do?

You know, and that's the society that we're in now, right? You build, build, build. And it's like, we don't like this, that one step up and we're going to break you down. So that's why for me, it's a lesson that is I'm just always going to be myself. I can't listen to anybody outside in the world. I can't fall into that trap because at the end of I need to just go home and go to bed and feel good about myself. And so it's surprising. It's not.

There's a lot of chatter. But if she came, if she was back on again this year, I wouldn't have surprised me at all. I'm looking so forward to seeing who the rest of the cast is. I'm going to predict that you're going to get cast again. That's my prediction. Now I'm like very,

so I have this weird thing. Yeah, who do you think's coming back if he's not? You, Kyle, Doreet, Kathy. I don't know about that. I'm just saying when I have people that are on these properties on the show, now I'm more vested because now I know you. So now I'm going to be like,

Garcell. watch me in a different way. I'm going to be yelling at the TV if anyone's mean to you. I'm like, hey. Thank you. Yeah, I'm going to be screaming. I'm going to get on these blogs. I'm going to go on all these channels.

I'm like, quit it. Before we go, I have to ask this question. Yeah. Do you put the Lion King soundtrack on every single morning for your kids? Why? That's weird. Oh my God. I would do it every single morning if I was married to Rob.

That's literally like me like packing real coke on their lunchbox. Like, we're like low-key about it. When my children were born, I put the song on and I hold them on. Well, you're allowed to. And by the way, we love, like, people message us all. Like, that's been around for, you know, it's been 25 years, right? It's amazing. Almost 30 years.

No, that would be really weird. What's the coolest souvenir you had? You guys probably have some cool souvenirs in your house. Yeah, we do. It was actually shown on the show, which I love. It's in our library. It's the original clay designs of the characters. But when my favorite things is actually from Stuart Little.

Okay. So they used a model of the plane and like a little character. character and it's like actually it's like sizes table okay and it's in our theater and it's like this big plain that's cool wait when she says her theater too is this the underground yeah okay tell you gotta tell them about the underground it's like a real theater you know this we have movie theater no no but this is like you guys did it on the show and it started as this one iteration and turned into something else and now it's like a a craft cocktail bar this is not like a like and we have like a very cool

golf simulator, which is awesome. Yeah, this is like a normal theater. Yeah, it's awesome. I would watch the Lion King every day in there. I'm just saying. Yeah, we've seen it a couple of times. But I was at the Pantages yesterday and like Lion King is coming back. Like they're doing another run here at the show. And my friend was like, oh, we're going to come. Like, I can't watch it again. You've done it. I'm, I'm, yeah. It's, by the way, it's awesome, movie. Everything is great. But it's a lot. Your husband's like enough already.

It's a lot. Yeah. But at the end of it, he's so, I mean, he's like, I can't believe it's like my legacy. It's great. It's an iconic. It's one of those. From Lion King to Real Housewives, Crystal, I'm so excited to see you in the next season. I know you're going to be on.

Come back anytime. Thank you so much. Where can everyone find you and buy Real Coco? Pimp yourself out. Okay. I met Crystal Cung Minkoff on social. And you can find Real Coco in any Costco and on Amazon or my website. or my website, enjoyroco.com.

I love it. And you guys, organic, pure, fat-free, gluten-free, delicious. I was drinking the whole time. Isn't it good? Yeah, like I said, I just got off this light from Vegas, and I'm all refreshed now. By the way, that's why I make it with cocktails because it's like counteracts hydration, and you want to keep your friends hydrated. I was not doing a lot of hydration.

Maybe I'll go to cooking school. Yes. Oh my God, that would be so amazing. Would you be so happy? I mean, yeah, maybe the sky will turn green. I do make a mean sandwich. All right, Crystal, thank you so much for coming on. Thank you.

Thank you. We are giving away a pair of skinny confidential driving gloves. These driving gloves are so insane to protect you from the sun if you're driving, if you're golfing, if you're walking, a stroller, if you're doing a hot girl walk, even if you're getting your nails done. All you have to do is tell us who you want to hear on the show next. We love your feedback on my latest Instagram at Lauren Bostic and make sure you're following at the skinny confidential.

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