


Whether it be on reality TV, at Bluestone Manor, or on the airwaves, Dorinda Medley knows how to “make it nice.” In her time since exiting The Real Housewives of New York City, the reality star has struck up an exciting new career in radio, co-hosting Radio Andy’s Reality Checked with journalist Kiki Monique, who Bravo fans may recognize not only as a repeat bartender on Watch What Happens Live, but as an integral part of the storyline in the most recent season of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Having previously worked with Monique on DailyMail TV, Medley admits she was “a little nervous” to team up with the seasoned reporter for their radio show, which began airing on Sirius XM’s Radio Andy earlier this year (just in time for the channel’s 10-year anniversary) and covers the latest in reality TV, from recaps to interviews with the stars. But they soon learned that they were more alike than they initially thought. After all, they are both “Sagittarian women.”
“Sagittarian women are almost tribal in the way that they love to be together and talk and discuss and dissect,” Medley said. “So for us, it’s great.”
While Andy Cohen said he and Jeff Lewis are the most likely to show up to the radio station hungover, Monique thinks she and Medley might have them beat. “I’m like, ‘You didn’t pick Dorinda and I? Because I feel like it’s more than likely going to be one of us,'” she joked, noting that while she does take her reporting seriously, she’s “more loose than anything.”
When Decider visited SiriusXM HQ earlier this week to help ring in Radio Andy’s latest milestone, Medley and Monique spoke more about their undeniable bond, their part in Cohen’s legacy at the station, and who their dream Reality Checked guests would be. Check out the full interview below.
DECIDER: It’s the 10th anniversary of Radio Andy. What does it mean for the both of you to be a part of Andy Cohen’s legacy in this space?
KIKI MONIQUE: I feel like I’ve officially entered the pop culture zeitgeist. I feel like pop culture will continue on. I might be dead and gone and my name will carry on just because that’s how big Andy Cohen and this whole thing is.
DORINDA MEDLEY: It’s an honor to be part of this Radio Andy family. It really is. I come in every day excited. Even sometimes when I just look back and I see the Sirius XM Radio Andy sign behind me, I think, “I’m part of something.” You’re chosen. It doesn’t just happen. And there’s very few of us comparatively. I just think it’s so nice to have a platform where you can have a voice with freedom. It’s like a big family [at] Sirius, I’ll be honest with you, [And] on Radio Andy.

Dorinda, you obviously have your Housewife background and Kiki, you’re a super trusted journalist. How did your show, Reality Checked, come to be?
DORINDA: Well, Kiki and I used to do DailyMail TV together. They used to have the show on five days a week, and it was a different host every day. They had a genius idea of making it a four-day-a-week [show] and pairing up two fantastic, incredible women. It’s great because Kiki has such an inquisitive, legal, journalistic mindset. And of course, I just have the wacky reality background. So somehow those two ingredients make for a nice cake. You know what I mean? They’re complementary ingredients.
KIKI: We balance each other out, but we have so many similarities that I’m learning as we go on and become friends that are so surprising. I also love that, too. It’s interesting the parallels we have.
DORINDA: It’s so interesting because we had an interview the other day for Radio Andy. I thought about it after the fact, and I think I just didn’t feel comfortable saying it, but I think today I’m going to say it. I was a little nervous at first when you and I first started. I was like, “Is this going to work? Is the dynamic going to be accepted?” But, I would say from the get-go, it was very rhythmic.
KIKI: I think Dorinda thought I was going to be very rigid about, like, “These are the things I need to talk about. And I really go and research these things.” I don’t think she thought I could be loose.
DORINDA: Well, I started watching Talk of Shame and she’s like, “Today I was in court for 19 hours and the 15 things that I took away.” I’m like, what the fuck? I watch the show before I get there, OK?
KIKI: I was surprised when Andy said who’s most likely to show up hungover to to their studio. I’m like, “You didn’t pick Dorinda and I? Because I feel like it’s more than likely going to be one of us.” Yes, I am into that. But I’m more loose than anything. We’re Sagittarians.
DORINDA: Sagittarian women are very strong, but they love to be together with each other. They love to have conversations. Sagittarian women are almost tribal in the way that they love to be together and talk and discuss and dissect. So for us, it’s great. Sometimes the opinions aren’t so much different. They’re just a different look at it. That’s just become very surprising. We actually can have sort of the same opinion with a different outlook.

Do you both have a dream guest you’d like to have on the radio show? What would be one burning question you’d ask them?
KIKI: I think I’ve always wanted to interview Howard Stern, just because I’ve been a talk radio listener since I was a kid. This is what I know. Honestly, I would just be like, “Can we be friends?” I don’t know. I know he would say no.
DORINDA: You know who I would want to come on our show? Andy Cohen.
What’s something you would ask him?
DORINDA: Why did you put me on pause? No, I’m kidding. I couldn’t miss that opportunity. You threw me a ball. I had to hit it.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Reality Checked airs weekdays at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT on Sirius XM’s Radio Andy.