The Transformation Of Ramona Singer From 18 To 64 Years Old
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"Real Housewife of New York City" star Ramona Singer, also known as the "Singer Stinger," quickly solidified her spot in the "RHONY" cast and the Bravosphere with her outlandish antics, including her penchant for "turtle time," her infamous runway walk, and perhaps one of her most iconic taglines to date: "I'm an acquired taste. If you don't like me, acquire some taste."
Alas, there is so much more than meets the eye when it comes to Ramona's made-for-TV-gold personality. While one might presume that Ramona grew up in the perfect family, complete with a white picket fence, that actually couldn't be further from the truth. Instead, it was up to Ramona from a very young age to claw her way to the top, which eventually included taking her rightful place in reality television history.
Keep reading after the jump to learn about the astonishing and inspiring transformation of "Real Housewives" star Ramona Singer!
Ramona Singer's childhood was far from idyllic
Ramona Singer, born Ramona Mazur, has never been shy about her less-than-ideal childhood. In fact, the reality television star has spoken many times on camera and in her memoir "Life on the Ramona Coaster" about the traumatic childhood she endured — including witnessing her mother being abused at the hands of her father, who struggled with alcoholism.
In her memoir, Ramona even went as far as to describe her upbringing "as a blur of nightmarish memories, punctuated by my father drinking too much, then drunkenly abusing and berating my mother," via Distractify. She also recounted a harrowing incident in which she threatened her father with a knife in an effort to protect her mother. "I lunge toward him ... I point the blade directly at his face and scream, 'Stop it. Stop it right now or I swear I will take this knife and shove it into your neck.'"
Eventually, Ramona had enough of the dysfunction, and as soon as she was old enough, she hightailed it out of her hometown of Rhinebeck, N.Y. and escaped to the Big Apple on a mission to obtain a fashion degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Onward and upward!
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Ramona enjoyed a successful career prior to joining RHONY
Upon graduating with a bachelor's degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Ramona Singer quickly set about landing a career in the fashion world. As reported by Bustle, Ramona snagged a position as a buyer for Macy's at only 29 years old. Not exactly a small feat! She then went on to work for fashion powerhouses including Calvin Klein and French Connection.
Alas, Ramona wasn't content to work for others — soon she was ready to strike out on her own. It's reported that after borrowing $70,000 from her father she started her own business, one that would eventually become RMS Fashions, Inc. But what did her endeavor actually entail? As it turns out, Ramona used her prior experience as a buyer to purchase leftover inventory from other stores and sell them to discount stores. Think: TJ Maxx and HomeGoods.
But that's not all — Ramona took the world of jewelry design by storm, too! Together she and her then-husband Mario Singer started True Faith Jewelry in 2005. In early seasons of "Real Housewives of New York," the natural-born entrepreneur can be seen rocking many of the company's pieces and it's also reported that details of her contract included permission to promote the brand. Smart, Ramona ... very smart!
Ramona Singer added 'wife' and 'mother' to her resume
As much as Ramona Singer prided herself on having a successful career, it appears that the ambitious professional still wanted more — specifically marriage and motherhood.
As reported by The Cinemaholic, Ramona and Mario Singer tied the knot on March 14, 1992 after only a few short months of dating. According to Real Housewives Fandom, Mario and Ramona first met at the gym they both belonged to. In true Mario fashion, he broke the ice by asking Ramona if she was "the girl who wears the black G-String with the green ruffle." Purportedly, Ramona said yes and the rest is a history!
Just a little over three years later, however, the couple expanded their family with the birth of their daughter Avery Singer — a precocious, no-nonsense girl who was often caught on camera reigning her mom in after behaving in a way in which she thought was inappropriate. Still, Ramona maintained during Season 1 of filming that she was proud to be a "sexy mom."
Ramona Singer became a reality TV star and capitalized on it
Ramona Singer first burst on to the Bravo scene in 2008 during the premiere of the very first season of "Real Housewives of New York City." Immediately the show was a smashing success, and overnight Ramona became a household name!
Following the success of the show and her newfound notoriety, Ramona did what any natural-born entrepreneur would do: she capitalized on it. Enter Ramona Singer Collection for HSN, her skincare line Tru-Renewal, an anti-aging product aptly titled Ageless by Ramona, and last but certainly not least, Ramona Singer Pinot Grigio, per Women's Health.
In 2015, Ramona also added "author" to her résumé when she published her very own memoir titled, "Life on the Ramona Coaster." In the pages of the book, Ramona poured out her heart and soul, leaving no topic off-limits, including her traumatic upbringing and the demise of her marriage to her former husband, Mario Singer.
In short, Ramona wears many, many (designer-clad) hats!
Ramona Singer endured and overcame heartbreak
Speaking of her marriage, as reported by Us Weekly, Ramona Singer officially divorced from her husband Mario Singer in September of 2016 due to his infidelity with a younger woman by the name of Kasey Dexter.
During an interview with People, Ramona spoke candidly about the painful decision to end her 22-year marriage. "I tried to make my marriage work because I have strong values and I believe that people make mistakes," Ramona divulged. "But you reach a point where you realize the other person isn't putting in as much effort as you are. And I reached my breaking point," she continued.
Alas, it doesn't appear Ramona lost any respect for herself in the harrowing and heartbreaking ordeal. "Mario's behavior is embarrassing to me and my daughter," Ramona told the publication. "I'm not some pushover. I'm a strong, successful woman. I need someone who is going to treat me with love and respect," she declared.
Since her high-profile divorce, "RHONY" cameras have documented Ramona's various escapades in which she paints the town red and enjoys her new life as a single woman. Here's to hoping she finds the happiness she deserves — whether that includes a man or not!