NEWSOK! Exclusive: We Talked to Dr. V from 'LA Shrinks' and It Was Life-Changing!
Working at OKMagazine.com, we editors meet celebs a lot. It's the best part of the job! But since it is indeed a job, we try to stay professional at all times and not, say, faint when we meet a Real Housewife.
When I sat down to coffee with Dr. Venus Nicolino from Bravo's LA Shrinks, I started out totally composed (swearsies!). But before long she got me to analyze my own adolesence, discuss my mom, show her pics of my boyfriend, and reconsider my body ("I encourage you, as a young person, to have a sense of sexual self-awareness."). We laughed, we discussed Freud, and we even cried.
This woman is good.
The season finale of LA Shrinks is tonight, so we talked about her first season as a reality star and what she thinks about Reese Witherspoon's recent arrest.
OK!: How has the show changed your life so far?
Venus Nicolino: I feel like I’ve learned a lot. I think one thing I’ve learned is that if it’s not fun, don’t do it. While doing the show, we had a really great time. But it hasn’t really changed my life. I still wake up and hear the pitter patter of four little boys, threatening me if I don’t get up and make them waffles.
OK!: How do you relax?
VN: My time is so constricted now. Some people go on vacations to unwind—I just try to have snippets throughout the day. Even if I close my eyes for five minutes and breathe deeply, I feel like I’ve rejuvenated myself. And, you know, I have a lot of sex toys. Deep breathing and sex toys really help me! I just discovered my body about five years ago. I’m blown away that at 41, I’m just now like—wow.
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OK! Do you watch the other Bravo shows?
VN: When I first turned on Bravo, I was like—there is a channel on television where they are focusing on women who are for the most part over 40, have kids, are married. I was shocked. I know now why people love it. You’re getting a view of an entire population of older people. Usually no one cares when you marry a nice guy! But you know, I’m a glass half full kinda gal. Some people think the takeaway is that you feel better about yourself after watching. That’s never my takeaway. People are very cynical online.
Bravo has its pulse on some fringe cultures. The thing about Andy is that he's in this really great position, as a gay man, and I think he doesn't shy away from it.
OK!: I wanted to ask you about Andy—you never hear about his dating life. Who do you think would be the perfect man for him?
VN: His boyfriend! Check his twitter. He has a boyfriend. You can’t be that happy without getting laid. One time I asked him, how do you do all this? And he doesn’t know. It’s fascinating to me.
OK!: Have you heard about Reese Witherspoon? She issued a press release saying she’s embarrassed about it.
VN: Can you imagine having to write that press release? It’s like a walk of shame in college. I love her more, to be honest. I think we need to get away from perfection. We’re perfect in our imperfections. It’s never a fun experience to be pulled over by a cop. You feel like there’s this power over you that you can’t escape. I can see myself on a PMS flare-up being like, “Do you know who I am?!” I can just imagine the complexity of that situation. You’re embarrassed. You see the lights, the sirens. I jaywalk in LA and I’m like, f*ck!
OK!: Have you been following the Amanda Bynes situation? Is there a way to be a healthy child star?
VN: As a society, we’re not meant to be away from the group. We’re social creatures. When you’re taken from the group, it affects who we are as people. So when I think about child stars, I think about growing up in that social disconnect. I couldn’t have done LA Shrinks even five years ago. I wasn’t grounded enough in my life. What we’re not talking about is the epidemic of substance abuse of all time in this country. That would include phramaceuticals, the amount of coffee that we drink—I don’t know know how we’re not all stabbing each other with plastic forks.
Do you watch LA Shrinks? Are you a fan of Dr. V? Would you like her to make over your life? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @OKMagazine.
