Unfiltered, Unapologetic & Unbothered: Margaret Josephs Tells All

0:00You never know what's going to happen and life changes on a dime. Could be up one day, you could be down one day and you have to be able to support yourself and you know it's great for your self-esteem, your self-worth. I always feel very confident. People always say Marge, you know you have a good self-esteem, you're not an insecure, I feel like I could go into any room and I do think that comes from working at a young age and always feeling confident that I could take care of myself.

0:30You know, so it comes to be easy. You wanna be a boss today.

0:44Welcome back to the BILF pod, where authenticity trumps authority. And today's guest, whoo, do we have a real BILF? So before I introduce who she is, do you know what a BILF is? Yes, I mean, yes, a boss I'd like to follow. Yeah, but you're the real boss. Yes. I mean, most days. No, yes. Some days. Yes. A lot of days. Own it. Yes, you are. Yes, absolutely. Today we have Margot Josephs, who I, I know we were laughing. I did watch the show. And you are really the most appealing character because I think we resonate the most. I mean, you're just, your whole entrepreneur life. I know you're a fashion designer, author, TV personality, entrepreneur in its own right.

1:21I mean, what don't you do, first of all? You look fantastic. Oh, thank you. You're the whole package over here. Oh, thank you so much. I'm so appreciative of that. Thank you. I just feel like, you know what, I've done it all. I've lived many, many lives. And I feel like, you know, entrepreneurship is like in you, right? Yes. Yes. I think you're born innately with it. Yes, exactly. From selling at a lemonade stand a little kid to like, you know, my whole life. I was always on the hustle. Oh, that is so true. But oddly enough, I never sold anything. I just would sell like bullshit to my friends.

1:50Like I used to steal their clothes. You know, my girlfriends are sitting here and I used to like calm them all the time during sleepaway camp to give me their food that their parents sent them. So I guess I was always kind of selling myself. Yes. And then as I got older, it just made sense. And here I am also in sales. So, but let's dig in. I love it. Yes, let's dig in. Let's dig in. Oh, I'm so excited. First of all, I'm so excited that you came. No, thank you for having me. I was so excited to do your podcast. So thank you. No, you are so welcome. So where did this start? Like, where did your whole entrepreneurial journey begin?

2:18Where did that start? I mean, literally at a very young age. I always was just like a little hustler. I always wanted to make money. I always wanted to shop. I was raised by a single mother. I always saw my mother working. I think that really is what I saw. And she always was like, you have to be independent. You always have to work. You always have to hustle. You always have to have something for yourself. It's very important. It wasn't just about the money, but about feeling independent. And so I always did. I come from, my mother's a Hungarian immigrant. I was the first generation American.

2:54I didn't speak English till I went to kindergarten. garden so I always saw people working you know my grandparents as well so I think that's really where it came from so my so my whole life I worked even you know through through high school I worked in um shoe stores Bloomingdale's everything so I always wanted to have my own company from I was I went to FIT I was a dress designer you know and all different things and I think that's really where it came from yeah you know just listening to you and your background the same thing I don't know if you know but I also was raised by a single mom so I lost oh I didn't realize I did I lost my dad when I was six years old.

3:27So my mom was 41 years old with this little girl. Um, you know, and she, I mean, I always saw my mom working and same thing. Like I saw my grandparents, my grandmother worked too, which was like not really that common. My mom too. And my mom, the same exact thing that it doesn't matter what happens in life. Cause you never know, you know, it's true. You have to be able to provide for not only yourself, but your kids. And the only way that you do that is you get yours. So you have to work. So same. No, it's absolutely true. You never know what's going to happen. And life changes on a dime. And you could be up one day, you could be down one day, and you have to be able to support yourself.

4:01And, you know, it's great for your self-esteem, your self-worth. And I think, you know, I always feel very confident. People always say, Marge, you know, you have a good self-esteem. You're not an insecure. I feel like I could go into any room. And I do think that comes from working at a young age and always feeling confident that I could take care of myself. So you've always been confident. And the people around me. Yeah. So you've always been confident. Yes. And confidence has nothing to do with being the prettiest girl in the room, being the smartest girl in the room. Your sense of self-worth comes from within.

4:33Yeah. It really does. People mistake confidence with cockiness. Yes. And that's not what it is. It's not what it is. It's when you bet on yourself. And when you believe in yourself and you know that you can supersede and you can stand alone, you don't need a whole entourage. Exactly. And everybody validating what you'd need to do. That's what confidence is. It is. It exactly is. So then, okay, so now you have this extensive background and we'll talk about the business that you're in and what you're doing. So how, how does one get on the housewives? Yes, it's very, very interesting. Well, prior to the housewives, I was a lifestyle expert.

5:05I was always on the news or, you know, Rosanna Scott or the Today Show, Margaret's picks for the holidays and things like that because, because I had a company. I was in the home accessory industry and so you know my opinions matter I was like I know I know better so I always was yes absolutely and I always I always love gift giving I always love entertaining teaching people how to do it on a budget so I was a lifestyle expert and I was a little out there you know I always had the pigtails you know I was very authentically myself and I did that so my agent at the time Mamie Rosenblum who I'm very grateful for she always worked with Joan Rivers as well and said to me, you know, you're a real character.

5:43You know, you should be on TV. I was like, okay. And then she goes, but you got to get your eyes done, and too much wrinkles on your forehead. I'm like, okay. You know, she talks me into plastic surgery when I'm in my early 40s. I get, you know, a brow lift. And then she's like, we're going to do a sizzle reel. I'm going to get you on TV. She shops me around, and everybody literally wanted me to do my own show with my husband, Joe, with Lexi, my team. It was called Pigtails and Power Tools. we had shot many pilots just uh and i was like i'm getting my own show my business was thriving i had a beautiful life always traveling doing great things and housewives said come to me it was season six you know because it was very popular then um even i feel like more popular than it is now and it was before theresa had gone to jail and uh i'm dead and i'm dead yes no no no it was the year of the twins and they said uh you know we'd love to interview you you know i took the interview you know i take any interview it's important to speak to everybody even though i thought i was getting my own show and they're like oh my god you know bravo loves you they would love for you to come on they think you're great and i was like oh no no i'm getting my own show sorry and then my they called the production company i was with to try and get me out of it and they were like no she's getting her own show fast forward i don't get my own show so I was like all right no big deal two years go by a lot had happened in the housewives world a lot had happened in my life like I said you never know when the other shoe's gonna drop um I was sitting high I had horrible lawsuits crazy things happen um my bank accounts frozen crazy like crazy shit yeah you know bad things happen in my business no my business crazy nonsense a lot of lawsuits I had moved to just my house I had now big house I'm going to renovate it housewives comes knocking again they need a new housewife they're going to start filming again it's season eight and they they came back to me and they were like are you ready to do it now so i didn't have to go through this lengthy process of interviewing and all this stuff the network executives came to my um new old house which is very old as they saw you know we're renovating it um i was a real you know like cartoon character you know i call myself powerhouse and pigtails.

7:56I, you know, I had my husband. I, you know, I was like, I married the contractor, you know, the whole nonsense. And they're like, all right, you're the new housewife. It was very easy for me. I actually thought it was scripted and fake. And that's how I became the housewife. That's, that is incredible. So then you go on. So you didn't know any of the girls when you went on. I, they made it out like I was friends with Siggy Flicker, better known as Soggy Flicker, as I nicknamed her. But she was a very big crybaby. Tell me how you really felt. We had lived in the same town. We were acquaintances, but it was no one I had really liked.

8:27But I immediately had bonded with the other women. Yeah, so then you go on. Now, actually, I watched it when you first came on. Yes. That's when I was watching. So you come on, and I remember, like, it was like, you fit in with some of them. Yes. Right? Yeah, I got along, actually, with Teresa and Melissa, right? I remember. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then all of a sudden. And Danielle. The shit hits the fan. Yeah, shit hits the fan. And that's it. Done. And now I just, I was actually watching with my girlfriend to, like, get updated. then I see this reunion and you guys are in a restaurant on two separate sides am I right about this you guys it was that was it the finale I think so yeah it was it yeah it could have been the finale so you cannot be in the room with them like you cannot control this one you're talking about this one oh yeah yeah yeah we can't no no no no no self-control nothing well I have self-control I mean I could control myself I'm not I'm not throwing anything I'm not going to hit anybody I'm not going to do anything like that but I mean I could tell you where to stick it yes of course You look like a lady.

9:18Like, I'll tell you. I mean, listen, I've had unladylike behavior. I'm not going to lie. I've had, I had thrown drinks at someone in fits of rage. I'm not, you know, which was not nice. But that was only one person, Danielle. But we had a very, and I felt we had a very close bond. And, you know, I did have rage towards her. But anybody else, I hadn't done that to. No, I feel like, you know, I always say I have deplorable behavior. I feel like as long as you recognize it, it's okay. Yes, and my behavior with her wasn't good. But ever since then, there was nothing, no, you know, I've said horrible things, but it was to people who really deserved it.

9:58No. I don't really regret much. I was just going to say you're not apologetic. It doesn't look like you're very apologetic about it. No. I'm not really apologetic. If I do something I don't like or I think that I apologize and I mean it. Yeah, but if not, then why? I love that you're unapologetically you and you say what you need to say. You mean what you have to say and who cares? And you have all the success to back it up. Look at the businesses that you're doing. I also think I'm vindicated on a regular basis. And I think people realize that I've been writing 99.9 % of the time. It's a gut feeling.

10:29It's a gut feeling. And it might take time to be vindicated, but. Isn't that funny how shit floats? Yes, it does. And the truth always comes out. Truth always comes out. Always. Yes. It doesn't matter what. It might not be today. It might not be tomorrow. It's true. But I promise you, it definitely. It definitely always comes out. comes to light all the time. Yes, it does. And I haven't been wrong yet. I love that for you. Yes, I've been very blessed. So what are you waiting for to be right about now? Nothing. Everything I've ever said I've been right about has happened so far. So it just keeps coming.

10:56It's just so funny. It just keeps coming. So we were talking before that you don't drink, which I did not know that. I had no idea that you really, you just don't drink. Not into it. I want to be clear. You're not an addict. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I mean, the sober community are my people because I have a mocktail line um no i really but i grew up with a mother that cocktailed a little too much yeah um she you know she doesn't think she ever had a problem i think you know i beg to differ but it was the 70s yeah very common you know things were very things were very different then um you know and she was a very young mother we're only 20 years apart but as a young little girl it frightened me I learned very early on that drinking is not good.

11:41I do not like a sloppy drunk. I don't like to feel out of control. And so I never picked a habit up for drinking. I never developed a taste for alcohol. I've had a drink, but I don't enjoy it. And then I get a horrible migraine. So I don't drink. I don't drink alcohol. I abstain from it. But I'm a professional party girl. I like to stay out late. I like to dance all night. I like to enjoy everything that everybody who does drink and have a good time does. And I think people think people who don't drink are Debbie Downers, right? They're like, you know, why don't you drink? What's wrong with you?

12:11You're a buzzkill. No, I can party with the best of them. So I wanted to create a brand, Soiree, which means a party, that people feel comfortable partying together, that people have something that they could hold that tastes good. How sick am I? I don't want to be drinking iced tea, diet soda, this, all the nonsense. I want to drink something that you're drinking. If you're drinking a cosmopolitan, why can't I drink something that tastes good and elevated? Yeah. So I started Soiree with Lexi, who's been with me for 17 years. She's my business partner, helped me grow other businesses. And we came out with Soiree.

12:42So where can you find Soiree? Well, you could go online, Soiree, drinksoiree.com. You'll have a list of places to find it. But currently, we're on premise a few places, some liquor stores in New Jersey, Buy Right, Gary's. And that's really where, Brownstone, Pancake Factory. We're a lot of little places. We're really just growing the brand right now, and it's been going well. And then, so they cut. You want to show the can? Oh, yeah, yeah. Can we do that? Okay, fine. I love it. This is it. This is all about you. Yeah, this is the margarita. We have four fabulous flavors. This is passion fruit, rose, and guava.

13:17And we have a cucumber one, which is my favorite one, the Cool Breeze, which is cucumber, mint, lychee, and elderflower. We have a great one, coco colada, which is pineapple, coconut, lemon grass, and ginger. and another one that's watermelon, mint, basil, and chamomile. But they're lightly sparkling. No one wants too much gas. They're low in sugar. You know, only nine grams of sugar. All natural. Real juice. Everything we do is very clean. Listen, so a baby could drink it. Yeah. And people use it as a mixer as well. It's just nice when you're at a party, you have something in your hand. Yeah.

13:48And it looks like – You know, the cans are super pretty. You know, they have the gold ends. We did everything very elevated. And I think, you know, people want to feel part of something, right? For sure. Part of a community. People are choosing not to drink. Is it because they're doing mushrooms? I don't know. Maybe. Maybe. Whatever it is, I'm all about it. Well, being sober right now is a big thing. You're right. It's a big, trendy thing right now. And honestly, I think being sober is the way to go because who wants to feel like shit in the morning? No. Because that is the worst. They're showing things that, I mean, alcohol, they call it detox for a reason if you drink too much alcohol.

14:21Yeah. You have to detox. It's a toxin. Yes. It affects your brain. Of course. Your skin looks like shit. I don't care what anyone says. I do better on Housewives and in life in general because I have an unbelievable memory because I didn't drink. Yeah, of course. Because when you, oh, I could tell you all the times that I've done some crazy shit just drinking. Exactly. I just blame it on drinking. I'm like, nobody knows. But they know. They know. They know what's going on. But the drinking is no bueno. No. So with, okay, so with your, so not only that, do you use the platform for being on TV? Like, is this ever on the Housewives?

14:50Yes, it has been on the Housewives. It's a great place to launch a brand. And I think a lot of people launch a brand and don't realize how hard it is. There's a lot of housewife brands that fail. I have very successful brands. I built huge companies before I got on Housewives. I have a brand in Walmart that I've had forever. It's called Candy Couture. It's beauty tools. It was an offshoot of my other company, Macbeth Collection, which I started in 1999. Wow. Yeah, and it's still around. And it's still your company. You sell it off, nothing like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you're literally, you're everywhere.

15:27You're literally everywhere. Yes, yes, yes. That is incredible. And I love that. And listen, it's had pitfalls. It's had highs. It's had lows. It's had everything. But that's all licensed. That's, you know, I get paid on royalty, but I still own it. Every business. I mean, let's talk a little bit about business too. You know, it looks glamorous on TV. It really does. Your life looks glamorous. Yes, they show like the highs and lows. But have there been pitfalls? I know you talked a little bit about it. Have there been pitfalls? Yes. I mean, you know, of course. And I've talked about it on the show.

15:55people like you don't really talk about it i do talk about it business is not easy there's times that you couldn't make payroll uh people are screwing you out of money so then you're having a hard time paying someone else it's it's not easy you everything on instagram you you know is not always the way it is with business right people think there's an overnight success there is no overnight success there's no there's no overnight success this has been a long time in the making everything I've done in life you know building my brand and and my brand was huge and then COVID hit I had an amazing luggage line that licensee went out of business you know my clothing line was unbelievable it was fun it was like preppy cute and adorable well that licensee got me in a horrible lawsuit with Vineyard Vines and and that literally almost did bankrupt the company you know I got out of it but you know things happen so it's not easy yeah but I love I'll tell you just listening to I love how you're able to pivot.

16:50Not a lot of people are able to do that. No, people get stuck. No, they get stuck and then they can't move. But you pivot. You literally have, it doesn't work. And it does work. Like that's the reality about being an entrepreneur. That sometimes it doesn't work. But our greatest success are our greatest failures. Because tell me, give me one good lesson that you've learned along the way from your failures. Oh my God. Best lesson. You are not good at everything. And hire people with the opposite skill set that you have. You hire for what you're not good at. Yes. I feel like people think they could be good at everything and they're so controlling.

17:24Yeah. I know what I'm, it's more important to know what you're not good at. Yes. And I think that's the most important lesson. I love that. Say that again because so many times we get our egos in the way. But say that again. No, not me. Oh my God. I love to delegate. I'm actually maybe a lazy bitch. I don't know. But I'm just saying. I like that better. Can you do this? Yes, exactly. No, I think it's more important to know what you're not good at. Yes, of course. Yeah, than knowing what you're good at. I know what I'm good at. And by the way, I'm great at a decent amount of things, but I really suck at most things.

17:55Yeah, the same thing. I always say that. I go, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. And really, my only superpower is I take other people's shit and make it better. Why reinvent the wheel if it's not broken? Oh, you're so right. That's what I say. Call it what you want, but I know I'm not stupid. I'm just going to take the idea that works, and I'm going to use it and make it even better. You can elevate it and make it better. Why not? I agree. I've said that a lot of times. And people are like, that's stealing. No, it's not. It's not. that's it's not stealing it it's being smart actually because if it isn't broken why are you going to fix it exactly just make it better it's true I mean speaking of better you look incredible oh thank you really do yes I mean I've had a nice little amount of work I'm not gonna lie who cares I've had a facelift I love it you know you get older and I will say that's the scrutiny of television is unbearable I think it's so funny I thank God have very thick skin I gotta you know I was in a bad place when I first got on the show I was like chubby menopausal thank God I have a great husband who loves me.

18:48I don't know why you mean chubby. I was a little chubby, but it's okay. Voluptuous. I was a voluptuous. Voluptuous sex kitten. Thick. That's the new thing. Thick. Yes, I was thicker. I was thicker. Big boobs and everything else. But you know what? That, not a big deal. But then I was like, why did I let myself go on television like this? Why didn't someone tell me my family let me have a facelift? I was like, Joe, I'm going to kill you. But, you know, I've had a facelift. I'm totally on the compounded semaglutide, life-changing after menopause. Love it. Love it. You know, my cholesterol is low, feel good.

19:18I had a breast reduction, much to the chagrin of my husband, and a lift because my nips were like cheeseburgers, you know, hanging down. Yeah, so, you know, I've done some things. Who cares? No, I don't care. By the way, I have not had liposuction. I haven't done lipo. I have not had liposuction. I have not had a tummy tuck. Yeah, no, me either. I've done the boobs. I've I haven't done the nose. I've gotten scrutiny about it. No nose. Nothing like that. No, your nose looks good. No, but people think I had a nose. I didn't. I use filler, Botox. I have fake hair, fake tan. Love the semi-glutide.

19:53Yes, I love a semi-glutide. I mean, that, I'm sorry, that has changed, life-changing. I agree. And if you can look good and feel good, why not do it? And yes, I feel the exact same way. Whose fucking business is it? No one. But though I did get naked in the doctor's office the other day where I go from when I had the semi-glutide. my girlfriend said to me oh you have no ass anymore your ass is sick and I was like all right come on I mean you know I'll do some squats you can put filler in my ass yeah you can put filler in there no I don't yes you can you can put um I do it I put um oh god what is it it's not voluma it's a part I in your butt yes you can put it in your butt it's either that or bbl I'm not no I'm not doing that shit not doing no no no no I don't know I feel like at my age um you know when I was younger you know I want to look more of a love she said I think now I like my thin ladies who launch a breeze side socialite look I think that's more my style me and beat you have to be honest listen you have to be honest with me so when people are like oh my god Marge you're so skinny don't you like inside love it that they're saying you're like no I'm not but inside you're like yes no I like it I like it listen growing up because I love yes I love it growing up I was very thin yeah when I got married the first time I was very thin but I happen to have huge boobs when you have naturally huge boobs no one thinks you're thin though i i you know i weigh the same exact thing i did when i first got married yeah you know in 1994 fyi um very long time ago and uh and i was great i was always thin i had my son i bounced right back but then you know a few years after that you know i was i was packing on the pounds menopause it forget it i was like i cannot drop anything i was like why don't you do it the natural way the natural way what's the what's the natural way never never eat a meal again I couldn't do it one workout natural way once you have menopause I think you know people think you have to suffer to look good where is this written you have to suffer it's not written I don't know what I like I do not suffer well that is my that is my that is my tagline of life Marge does not suffer well I don't believe I will do anything not to suffer listen I'll do anything literally anything to stay younger I'm looking for I just went last night and I saw Death Becomes Her.

22:03Okay that's the funniest thing. I love Death Becomes Her. I actually watched the movie again just so before I go see the. That I need to find I need to find this person. The potion. I need the potion. I really that whole entire play I was sitting there thinking the whole the whole show I'm like this this is me. This is a hundred percent me. But I. Did you ever watch the movie? Yeah of course. Isn't that the best thing in the whole world? I felt hysterical and then last night I was I could not stop laughing. It was such a breath of fresh air but that is me and i'm unapologetic about it i don't care i get scrutiny all the time but i you know i'm at a point in my life i don't give a shit do you know what aging gracefully is feeling the best you could possibly feel of course that's graceful defined by yourself not by everybody else exactly you have to make yourself happy of course first you and then everybody else exactly so what about the scrutiny that you get from the show because oh my god it's classic it's classic what's your favorite remark somebody has said i mean people i favorite remark or the craziest What craziest shit they've ever said to you?

22:59Well, craziest. They say crazy things all the time because I used to be, like, too chubby for them and everything else. Or I should get a face. And then I got a facelift and lost weight and everything. And now I'm a bobblehead. You know, I'm too thin. I'm, you know, I get a lot where they say my kids hate me, that they love to shoot that card. And by the way, I don't put my kids on the show. because I originally had come out and said two of my kids were not talking to me when I had gotten divorced. And people are like, they love to tell me I don't have a child. You know, like they really know.

23:33I'm like, dude, I gave birth. You know what I mean? And yes, I'm always with my son and everything else. You know, they think they know so much about you, but I like to keep those things very private. So those that, that like, I'm just like, you guys are nuts, but I don't ever put my kids on social media but you know my insulting things I think are kind of funny because I love to like go back to them because have you ever seen these people that insult you yes of course they say weird things to the bizarre I had one this morning this woman I'm gonna say her name I don't care Kimberly O 'Reilly um Kimberly O 'Reilly Kimberly O 'Reilly talk do you even know her no I don't know her but I had to say she sends she constantly sends me messages on Facebook Messenger constantly someone and now by the way there's a ton of people named Kimberly O 'Reilly so I don't even care if I'm outing her because she is no shame.

24:19She told me, she said to me, it's freedom of speech. It's a free country. She could say whatever she wants to me. So I love to, you know, sometimes I'll banter back there because every picture I post, this woman has to comment. I'm a hoe, trout mouth. Who am I to go out to dinner so much? I'm disgusting. You know, all these horrible things. So I was like, Kimberly, you know, you're clearly obsessed with me. I'm so sorry. You know, I write back something, whatever. It's like the funniest thing. So this morning she said she could sleep at night because she's not a tramp like I am. And I said, you should be so lucky to be a tramp like I am.

24:57You know, you could elevate your life. You're living with like nine cats. I mean, I was like, you know, I was just like, you know, if you can't work your way to the top, Kimberly, at least try and sleep your way to the top. Do whatever you got to do. I work my way to the top. Kimberly, Kimberly, she does this on a day. this is part of her daily routine. It's her daily routine. Kimberly just has, like, she's had better. Yeah, I've had Vera. I used to have Vera doing it all the time. I mean, I have like my, I have a good slew of women who love to do this. I think the best line that I recently heard you say, what was, you and Teresa were fighting or some, who was fighting, who was she fighting with?

25:32Who was March fighting with? And she goes, I fucked the plumber. Oh yeah, that was Teresa. That was Teresa. Yeah. And she's like, you sleep, I'm like, you're very, I fucked the plumber. I love to fuck the plumber. Who doesn't want to fuck the plumber? My plumber. I love him. I'm obsessed with him. You know, I have a wonderful marriage. I mean, I know my house is always going to be fixed. I mean, she had more sewage problems than I've ever seen. I mean, she could barely sell that house. If you drove on the property, it reeked. Do you think that you guys will ever be friends? Never. I will never acknowledge her again.

26:00I will never look at her again. I don't want to have anything to do with her. Never in a million years. I wish her no ill, by the way. She has horrible issues. And I pray that she gets out of them for the sake. because I did have a relationship with her at one point, so I don't want anything bad to happen to her, her daughters, or her family. Her husband, I could give two shits what happens to him. But never have a relationship with her again. Yeah, that's a... No, those days, that ship has sailed. That's a tough, I mean, that's never as definitive. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. By the way, when you're dead to me, you're dead.