| Aviva Drescher | |
 | |
| Born | September 9, 1970 |
| Place of Origin | New York, New York |
| Series | The Real Housewives of New York City |
| Season(s) | 5-6 |
Aviva Drescher is a former main cast member on The Real Housewives of New York City.
Background[]
RHONY[]
Aviva joined the Real Housewives of New York City in season five alongside Carole Radziwill and Heather Thomson. The three women were brought on as part of a major plan to overhaul the cast and revamp the series after seeing it fall into a perpetual cycle in its fourth season. Bethenny Frankel introduced Aviva to production citing her prosthetic leg and previous marriage with Harry Dubin—who many other New York housewives have dated—as a casting director's dream.
Season 5[]
Sonja introduces the new women , including Aviva, at a party at her house. Sonja hosts an anniversary party for Aviva, where she falls down the stairs. She hosts a dinner in Miami with her father in attendance, he is featured throughout, overly-sexual and forward with the women. She walks in a fashion show for Heather and changes the final look last minute.
Season 6[]
Aviva hosts a housewarming and is starting to write a book. She accuses Carole of using a ghostwriter, a feud that goes on all season. Due to her asthma she sits out Kristin's Montana trip, another ongoing trope this season is about how real her medical issues are. She later returns to the place where she lost her leg, reconnecting with a childhood friend. Season ends with her throwing her leg at Luann's anniversary party.
The Leg Toss[]
During the sixth season's finale episode, Aviva created one of the most talked about and memorable moments in New York Housewives history. Throughout season six, Aviva continued her hypochondriac-like behavior that viewers grew familiar with beginning in season five. In addition to this, the housewife also claimed to have been diagnosed with asthma for which she would not be able to attend the sixth season's cast trip to Montana.
The women all attend Sonja's "Team Sonja Party" at Le Cirque in Manhattan. The event reaches a culmination of scrutiny from the cast about whether Aviva's medical condition is real. She becomes agitated with the gossip at the table and pulls out x-rays from her purse which she throws across the table and challenges the other women to disprove. Heather then enters a battle of words with Aviva calling the entire spectacle "laughable". Aviva in turn responds that the only think "fake or artificial about [her] is..." and pulls from under the table her prosthetic leg, slamming it on the table. She then picks it up once more and throws it across the room.
Suspicions quickly grew that the shocking incident was highly contrived. Heather Thomson, who the toss was directed to, questioned Aviva's choice of words before throwing the prosthetic limb pointing out that no one called her "fake" or "artificial"—words that Drescher seemed offended by.
On the series' 100th episode special, Drescher revealed to host Andy Cohen that the leg toss had been premeditated; she had discussed it with producers not long before the event and knew that she would throw her leg upon attending it. Furthermore, the reality star went on to imply that RHONY in its entirety has long been a ploy concocted by production to keep audiences interested. Countess Luann has made similar comments about the show being a "produced" and "edited" television series.
After Housewives[]
Aviva and her husband Reid went onto to participate in the reality show Marriage Boot Camp. In 2018, it was revealed that Reid owed 45 thousand dollars in credit card debt to Capital One Bank. The deal stated that he will pay monthly installations of 266 dollars until the year 2028.
Aviva continued her philanthropic work with amputees. "I do a lot of one-on-one visits with new amputees, mostly women and children, by visiting them in the hospital and helping them adjust to wearing a prosthesis," she told Town & Country Magazine.
Season Storylines[]
5: Meets the women at Sonja's party, hosts charity event for prosthetics, Sonja hosts her anniversary party where Aviva falls down the stairs. Miami dinner party with her father, Carole, Ramona, and Sonja. St Barts drama with Reid.
6: Revisits farm where she lost her leg. Ghostwriter. Asthma. Leg toss.
Quotes[]
"Use your words, writer girl!" S6 Reunion
"The only thing fake or artificial about me...is this" Leg toss, S6E20
Family[]
- Reid Drescher (husband)
- Veronica & Sienna (daughters)
- Harrison & Hudson (sons)
Taglines[]
| "Never underestimate a woman born and raised in New York City." | ||
| "When people tell me I’m fake, I know they’re just pulling my leg." | ||