Tomorrow (Saturday, October 22) is your last chance to see Sonja Morgan's stage debut as the adorably nerdy research fellow Robyn in the LOL off-Broadway comedy Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man. One of reality TV's greatest gifts (and GIFs), Sonja is best known to TV audiences as the straw the stirs the drink on Bravo's long-running hit series The Real Housewives of New York City. BroadwayBox caught up with the delightful, charming, and candid Lady Morgan to talk about her stage debut, the RHONYC, and future projects.
1. How did you know this was the show you wanted to make your debut in?
It was a really good fit for me because if you follow me you know I always use this sexy, bawdy humor in my everyday life. I can’t help myself. The last eight years on [RHONY], I’ve been known for that. This has come full circle for me. I did go to school for marketing and fashion, and I have an international fashion lifestyle brand, but I’ve always been the entertainer—it comes out at my charity events, with my caburlesque, and producing. Carole Radziwill (who is on my show) said, “Toaster ovens?! You should be a one-woman-show off Broadway!” So it’s interesting. And [the producers] had heard through the grapevine that I’d be good for this show, so when they called I was floored. I said, “Is this really off-Broadway?” Then my daughter said, “Mom this is such a great opportunity.” And Andy Cohen and Bravo are thrilled. The synergy has been amazing.
2.What’s been the most surprising thing about this experience for you?
I had a little experience decades ago when I was modeling between New York and Europe. It was brutal back then because actors were like, “Oh, another model trying to be an actress”—way before internet sensations or reality competitions. I surprised myself that I could actually do all the memorization and lines. People are asking if I got an acting coach and I’ve said, “No, the team has been so generous.” My two costars, who are seasoned professional actors, are side by side helping me. They have been great for my self-esteem, even after eight years being beat up on [RHONY]. It’s been nice.
3. After your month in Sex Tips, is the stage something you want to revisit again?
Well there’s only so many hours in the day, so this already has been such an amazing experience. And I begin five hours of filming again with the [Real Housewives] where I get to continue to practice my creative side by rolling with the punches and getting into the ring and throwing jabs with the words. New Yorkers are known for using their words and not their hands—though there has been a plastic cup thrown here and there by Ramona Singer. I got a call doing Vagina Monologues that was interesting for me—right up my….alley. And I loved doing Difficult People with Julie Klausner. So I don’t know, we’ll see.
4. I love watching you on reality TV. Do you watch any reality shows?
I like to watch Snapped on Oxygen (which is a sister channel on the network) where women just lose it and kill their partners. It’s one of our best shows. They have back-to-back half hours for a reason, people are watching. Usually I’m drawn to women’s stories. You heard one of the housewives the other day was at The Regency taking her heel off to spike someone; on Snapped there is a woman who went to jail for killing someone with a pump. Be careful if you see a heel and someone has a nasty hangover or is in the middle of a binge, they could kill you.
5. Speaking of the show, I love the vacation episodes, and you always shine on a Housewives vacation. Which has been your favorite?
Well I am a professional vacationer so no wonder I shine. I have the most experiences of all the housewives—I lived on a private island; I had a yacht. People say, “You don’t have a yacht.” Well guess what? At least I had one; I didn’t borrow it. Thank god my friends still have theirs and I’m invited. You say you’re embarrassed to be seen with me? Well thank god I have friends who aren’t. There is such a thing as a G5 and I’m invited. But with this group of girls it’s trepidacious. I like the ones I organize with boats and boys. I like when everyone shows their true colors.
6. You’ve been on Housewives since season two, have you had a favorite year?
They are all pretty much…I don’t mind everyone looking at my dirty laundry but how much do I want to show of theirs? It’s not my gig to do that, but sometimes you have to fight back. This last season, I had to pull out the nails. I don’t think they could live a day in my life. If they had to show what I have on them, I don’t think they could handle it like I can. That’s why I don’t go there.
7. Are you talking to Ramona Singer and Dorinda Medley again now?
No, because when I see after the filming is done what they said behind my back (but I couldn’t defend myself) it hurts me. I could deal with real. If you don’t say it to me, I can’t really work through it. If you say it behind my back and I see it five/six/seven/eight months later, it’s like really? And then you were smiling and acting like everything was cool? Me, I freak out on you and then I’m like, “So what do you want to have for dinner?” Or if you’re a guy, I’m like, “Lets have make up sex.” There’s always food and sex afterwards.
8. Was there anything Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man taught you that you didn’t know?
Come on, you’re talking to Sonja Morgan. I’ve had decades and decades of gay friends. There’s really not much the gays haven’t told me and not much I haven’t told the gays that they didn’t know. Between the give and take I pretty much have everything covered.
Spend your Saturday at the 777 Theatre seeing 'Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man' with the one and only Sonja Morgan.
