I have a weakness for TV personalities who others are wary of due to media hype, but who handle the haters and naysayers with humor and often prove them wrong. When Dorothy Wang began shooting scenes for Rich Kids of Beverly Hills (RKOBH), she had no idea what they were going to call the E! reality show. When she found out the title, she was taken aback at first. “I had to introduce myself as Dorothy Wang of Rich Kids of Beverly Hills which definitely took some getting used to.” She says this in a way that conveys the massive understatement and apologetic nature of promoting a show with a polarizing title. In time, Dorothy became a great sport about it, always with a pithy response and a good hashtag on social media, while paying attention to viewer feedback. From RKOBH, Wang would go on to start an affordable champagne line (Rich and Bubbly) and another for reasonably priced jewelry (#Fabuluxe). She understood fans who expressed wanting to enjoy and wear similar things to what they saw on TV.
The heiress (her father founded a real estate development group that operates department stores in China) now stars on E!’s Famously Single with other personalities who struggle with finding and navigating love in the real world due to the pitfalls of fame (and for some, notoriety). Wang is very prolific on social media which is actually how she first got noticed. She was part of the “Rich Kids of Instagram” campaign which inspired RKOBH. During a busy press day for Famously Single, I caught up with Wang for The Huffington Post.
Was there a little relief for you going from a show called ‘Rich Kids of Beverly Hills’ to the less-brash sounding (but still quite bold) ‘Famously Single’?
Yes, it was a little less ‘in your face,’ but at the same time, there can be this negative connotation with ‘single’ in the name. I’ve never been known to be ashamed of being single. I think that in the beginning it was very weird for me to go from introducing yourself as being part of RKOBH to being ‘Dorothy of Famously Single.’ I think now I can just say ‘Hi, it’s Dorothy.’
You’re very discerning about who you date - some people would say ‘picky,’ but I don’t think there’s any shame in that game at all when considering a potential suitor- and you’ve said you don’t feel the pressure to be in a relationship. So, how did you come to do this show?
The offer was presented and at first I said no. Then they came back and asked again, so I spoke to producers more about the process. I saw it as scary and daunting, but I love to challenge myself. I’ve always wanted to do a Road Rules or Amazing Race type of competition show and I thought this would be a new and different experience. I knew I would hate it at times, but it was good to open up and focus on a part of my life that I don’t focus on.
Since you’re on Instagram so much and are known for your impressive social media following, it’s unsurprising that you were on your phone the first night, but we saw some of the cast mates comment on that. I also thought maybe cell phone usage was supposed to be restricted in the house due to a recent interview I did with (the house’s group therapist) Dr. Darcy. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/5986052be4b00833d1de287b
There wasn’t a cell phone rule that was brought to my attention. Maybe the other cast mates were told that in the beginning, but they didn’t even try to tell me that...possibly because it’s a battle they’re not going to win so ‘let her have it?’ At the same time, when you know you are participating in something - you are on a show - you know that you have to put it away, focus on the process and engage with people which is what I ended up doing. I still had my phone but used it less.
You mentioned to your cast mates during one of the episodes that Brandi Glanville (who was on Season 1) started following you on social media. They were wondering aloud about why she might have added you. Did you ever find out why?
I don’t know, to be honest. I think that maybe she just knew that I was filming the show she had done before and that was our common connection.
A fan named Celena M. wants to know how you handled ‘glamping.’
(Laughs) At times, I felt like I was on Survivor in the Famously Single house. My survival instincts kicked in when the boys were fighting. I was walking back and forth carrying water bottles to my room because they were fighting in the kitchen all night and I didn’t know if my water source was going to be available. I had to create a surplus.
Celena also wants to know: What was the worst household issue we didn’t see on TV?
We were sharing a bathroom - there were 4 girls to 1 bathroom and then 4 boys to 1 bathroom. The rooms were spacious, but there were 4 beds in one room, so no privacy for anyone and that was really not glamorous.
I loved how in the first episode with Tiffany (AKA ‘New York’), when she bated you to get into an argument, you stepped back and basically said ‘no no no, I know what this is,this is for TV. I’m not doing this.’ Ultimately, you two ended up having a great dynamic. Do you think that stepping back is what helped with that?
Yeah, I think that in the long run it was good for our dynamic. She saw that by my not overreacting I was a real person. She saw I’m not someone who was there to fight on TV, but someone who is trying to get to know everyone and wants us to progress in the house. This was not a gimmicky reality TV thing for me for more articles or ratings.
Are you still close with your cast mates?
Yes, I became closest with Malika and we meet and talk every couple of weeks. I talk to Tiffany and I see Chad a lot. Everyone had their own lives before and that involves lots of traveling and doing different things so we don’t all see one another a ton, but we are all on good terms. Well...David and Calum and I might not be on good terms now.
Oh...It seemed like you are OK based on the episode I’m on (just before the finale that’s coming up).
Calum made a controversial comment about my being ‘Japanese’ when I’m Chinese and David referred to me as ‘oriental.’ In the moment a lot of times, when I know people are wrong I don’t want to contribute to it. Calum was so drunk that nothing was going to resonate at the time he made the comment. How he handled it wasn’t so well...and the next day he apologize but it was not an apology that addressed what he did...what he said. My issue with it was: what are you apologizing for? He wouldn’t acknowledge it and I think that now...we’re not good. https://instagram.com/p/BW8ZEm7hsyF/
A fan named Princess -
Actually a princess?
I totally thought you would love that! Princess wanted to know how the show changed your relationship with your parents? She watched RKOBH.
Well, Famously Single hasn’t really changed that relationship because that’s not the format, but they come on RKOBH and our relationship is still the same. They may be curious to check in and see ‘what is Dorothy up to?’ after being included on that show and a part of that experience.
Shannon G.told me to ask about your celebrity status in China. She says you’re queen there!
AW, I don’t think I’m ‘queen.’ Sometimes I feel like I should be doing more there. There is lots to do here so it’s hard to develop yourself in other countries.
When I watch Famously Single, it seems like you knew some of the cast mates before. You are trying to help them figure out their issues and some of their relationships to one another and playing ‘Dr. Dorothy.’ Who did you know/were you familiar with before the show?
As a person, I care about people and genuinely am curious. There was also some nosiness and I was bored in the house so I was trying to get to the bottom of other people’s problems and trying to help. There was no one I wanted to date so I had more time to focus on the other cast mates. I knew of Malika but had never met her before the show and we got along really well! We have a great friendship and we get each other. I didn’t know any of the others. Ronnie I was familiar with from Jersey Shore and Karina from Dancing with the Stars, but I didn’t know what their personalities were like. Getting to know all of them was an authentic experience.
Are you dating anyone now?
I have been dating. When I was in the house, I told Dr. Darcy that there was just no one around that I wanted to date, but now I really am trying to be more open-minded.
Tune in to Famously Single this Sunday at 10pm on E!