‘Members Only: Palm Beach’ Star Taja Abitbol Recalls Harrowing Mar-a-Lago Experience When Gale Brophy Was “Vaping” In Front Of Trump: “We Were Mortified”

Members Only: Palm Beach is Netflix’s hottest new reality show, and for star Taja Abitbol, it was a long time in the making. Per Abitbol, who stopped by DECIDER’s studio earlier this week, “many people,” including herself, have tried to put together a show about Palm Beach, but nothing ever came to fruition … until now.

The eight-episode series follows a high-society group of women as they navigate Palm Beach’s posh social scene. But with rules comes rule-breakers and with rule-breakers comes chaos — much of which is centered around Gale Brophy, the self-described “Queen of Palm Beach.” As seen on the show, Brophy loves a good name drop and has no problem chastising Ro-Mina Ustayev, the new girl in town, and while people like Rosalyn Yellin are quick to give her a pass, Abitbol is not.

With Brophy spreading the gospel of proper Palm Beach etiquette at every chance she gets, Abitbol recalled a time (or two) when Brophy didn’t exactly practice what she preaches. According to Abitbol, they were once at Mar-a-Lago when Brophy, who claims to have bid against President Donald Trump for the Floridian estate, offhandedly approached the president.

“We were mortified because Gale was sitting there vaping and approaching the president, saying, ‘Do you remember me?’” Abitbol alleged. “After she was asked to sit down by the Secret Service, she still continued to approach him.”

Brophy allegedly found herself in another compromising position when she was asked to leave a recent party thrown by Abitbol.

“I was told by the security that she was drinking leftover champagne glasses outside of the venue,” Abitbol claimed, accusing Brophy of coming to the party specifically to “attack” and “threaten” her. “That can’t happen at any of my events. So, unfortunately, she was asked to leave by security and she wouldn’t go.”

When DECIDER caught up with Abitbol this week, she also shared how she knows Teresa Giudice, whether she things “MAGA Housewives” is an appropriate description of the show, and what she hopes to showcase in a potential Season 2. Check out the full interview below.

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DECIDER: How were you approached about this show and what made you want to sign on?

TAJA ABITBOL: It was just meant to be. It was something I manifested. Many, many people have tried to do a show in Palm Beach for years and years and years. It’s a known fact. People have been trying to put together a cast, a storyline, a production team, including myself. I didn’t get it greenlit, but Johnny, our producer, did. It just so happened that the girl who did my hair for my sizzle reel found this producer that was doing, again, a sizzle reel for a Palm Beach show, and they got it greenlit. 

It’s giving Palm Royale vibes. Have you watched that show?

I saw Season 1 of Palm Royale and I thought it was hilarious. I haven’t seen all of season two, but I heard that Kristen Wiig has a twin sister or something? So I’ve been looking for Rosalyn’s twin sister.

Your husband is David Cone, former New York Yankee, MLB commentator. How did he feel about you joining a reality show?

He lets me be very independent, and he’s very supportive of anything I want to do, even if it’s completely crazy and something that he would never think of. But he’s always saying, “You and your genius ideas, you’re going to become a billionaire one day, Taja.” He always says that. So he’s very supportive of anything that I want to do.

I have to ask about the latest in the news – this party of yours that Gale Brophy was asked to leave. What happened?

She did herself in. I was told by the security that she was drinking leftover champagne glasses outside of the venue because we were handing out champagne as the guests entered. They wouldn’t drink the whole thing, they would leave them there, and she was drinking them all. She came in to attack me and she threatened me. I had a lot of security there because it was in a very expensive mansion. My friend Stu, who built a stunning home that’s on the market for sale, actually. I had almost 400 of an unbelievably curated guest list. She just came in to cause trouble. That can’t happen at any of my events. So, unfortunately, she was asked to leave by security and she wouldn’t go. That was the thing. Then she was apologizing. She was like, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.” Obviously, she did do something wrong if she was apologizing. Even Hilary said to her, “You can’t take that back. It’s too late.” Because she was threatening me in front of people. 

It doesn’t sound like Palm Beach behavior!

It’s definitely not any behavior, but especially not Palm Beach, and especially not with the class of people, of my attendees and my guests. It was just really, really hard to watch. I really hope she gets help.

Gale has gone on and talked about this with a different perspective.

She’s making up lies as usual. I mean, she’s known for that. Obviously, she’s known for that. Everybody knows that that’s what she does. Oh, and by the way, she’s having her own party because she got kicked out of the real premiere. I mean, the show’s already been out for three weeks. She’s doing a premiere and she copied my exact invitation, and is charging people like. Who does that? Like, please. And making up lies? They just project onto me – her and her friend. I’m not going to even say the name. 

Out of all of Gale’s name-dropping, are there any stories you don’t believe? If so, which ones?

Me and Sheikh Mohammed and I lived in Dubai. I mean, come on. I’m going to ask Sheikh Mohammed.

While we’re on the topic, you shared that she was also nearly escorted out of Mar-a-Lago by the secret service after attempting to approach Trump. What else do you remember from that ordeal?

Maria and I were sitting there. We were invited to Rosalyn’s birthday party, and the president walked into his club and, of course, was attacked by Ro-Mina and Rosalyn. “Oh, my God, oh, my God, can we get a picture?” And she said, “It’s her birthday.” And the president was nice enough to take pictures with them. I would never ask for a picture, I would never. Maria and I were sitting on the sofa ready to leave. We were mortified because Gale was sitting there vaping and approaching the president, saying, “Do you remember me?” After she was asked to sit down by the Secret Service, she still continued to approach him. Maria and I were mortified. Mortified. We really were. It was, again, hard to watch. 

We mentioned Mar-a-Lago before and some people have dubbed this show the “MAGA Housewives.” Without getting too into politics, do you think that’s a fair description?

I have nothing to do with the politics of the region. You know what I mean? Like, just because you live in South Florida, it doesn’t mean that you are one side or the other. I’m an independent and I follow what Michael Jordan said. “Democrats buy Jordans too.” I’ll say that again. David taught me that. Mar-A-Lago is a beautiful, stunning, architecturally  iconic place and has nothing to do with politics. Like, it’s just a stunning structure. 

I want to get into the Ro-Mina of it all, because she seems to be having a hard time finding her place within this group. Why do you think it’s been so hard for everyone to just accept Ro-Mina for who she is?

I think she just chose the wrong mentors, that’s all. She should have chosen myself or Hilary, and she might have gone much further. 

It did seem like you and Hilary were a bit easier on her, so I wonder why she wanted Rosalyn and Gale’s approval so much. Was that something you wondered yourself?

I think that Ro-Mina had a history with Rosalyn, and she’s loyal. I think that shows something about her character. She knew her from the past, and so she might have trusted her. But she might have gotten disappointed. 

What have people around Palm Beach said about the show? Are they accepting it? Is there criticism? 

As I said, I had the premiere and I had so many Palm Beach people attend, like great, great influential Palm Beachers. Real ones. They are just really supportive. They attended the premiere in support of the show. I don’t really discuss any of the other cast with them. They only talk about me and love the job that I did on the show. They love my role in the show. They are very eager to support a Season 2 to film on the island,  to collaborate with me on many different events and amazing things to happen if we get a Season 2.

I was surprised to see Teresa Giudice and her husband Louie make a cameo at your party! How do you know Teresa?

I met Teresa years ago when she did Celebrity Apprentice. The foundation that she chose to support, David and I were involved in. It’s called NephCure. And she is still involved with NephCure. She’s been supporting them and helping them raise money for many years. That was how many years ago? Like 14, 15 years ago. She’s been working with them all this time, and that’s how we met. I think she won Celebrity Apprentice, and we had the gala and we contributed to the gala, and that’s how we met. We stayed friends since.

We got to see you belly dance at that party! Do you have any other hidden talents? 

Many! You guys have to just stay tuned. Follow me. 

I have to bring up your parents and how funny they were in the show. How did they feel about their screentime? 

They don’t even realize that they’re going to get their own show. That’s what’s going to happen. We’re going to have the reality version of White Lotus while I build my hotel brand with my family.

It’s clear that you were made for reality TV! There’s this rumor from some resurfaced articles claiming you went to extreme lengths to secure a spot on RHONY. What can you say about that?

I’m happy to be on Netflix. Don’t believe everything you read. That’s what I have to say. Because who would do that? Who would do that? I didn’t even have a fire. It was a flood that was the building’s fault, so there you go. 

I imagine the Florida reality TV community is small – and obviously, The Real Housewives of Miami is also based there. How do you guys feel about the Housewives?

I have a lot of friends who are Housewives, and I have gotten nothing but support from them. I’ve gotten message after message after message saying, “Taja, we love the show. We love you on the show.” Nothing but support from all of them, from Teresa, Cynthia [Bailey], Marge [Josephs], Dolores [Catania]. All of them. From the Married to Medicine girls, from Toya [Bush-Harris], from Quad [Webb], from all of my reality star queens. I’m friends with so many of them. Toya was also at my birthday party. They only show support. Nothing but support. 

What do you hope to showcase in a potential Season 2?

Definitely more of me, my personal story, if they want to show that, if the producers want to show that. I mean, it’s not up to me. It’s up to them kind of. But me as a mother, a wife, a businesswoman, a daughter, a friend. That’s what I would like to show.

We need a reunion! Who do you think would be showing down? Who would you want to host it?

I think it would be great to have a reunion. I would be showing down with everybody but mostly those two [Rosalyn and Gale]. Who would I want to host? I don’t know if he does that but maybe Jeff Lewis. I think Bethenny – that would be great if Bethenny Frankel hosted our reunion. Wow. Oh, my goodness.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Members Only: Palm Beach is currently streaming on Netflix.