The Real Housewives of New York has three new girls in town, but Aviva Dresher has quickly set herself apart from the updated cast. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Aviva talked about how her life has changed since season 5 has started airing and about the message she hopes to get across.

Aviva, who claims the only thing "fake" about her is the prosthetic leg she wears due to a childhood accident, says the trickiest thing she's had to deal with since becoming a housewife is the public scrutiny.

"I am at times horrified by something I might see on the web," she said. "I never thought in a million years I'd bat an eyelash at that. One site called my hands 'alien hands.' I claim no perfection of body parts, and that's been difficult to navigate. It's cruelty."

Besides the criticism she receives from nasty Internet bloggers, she also found it difficult at times to deal with her co-star Ramona Singer (but who doesn't find Ramona difficult, honestly).

"What I learned later on in filming is you never know what you're gonna get with [Ramona], I know not to trust her."

Aviva tries not to let her difficulties with Ramona her castmates deter her from her main objective for appearing on the show.

"My focus primarily is that a lot of teens watch the show and when they see a woman with one leg who has earned a couple of degrees, married, divorced and remarried, when they see that they, too can do whatever they want to do, with whatever challenge they may have it's really hard and can scar you for life," she said. "If I had someone like me on TV to give me the visualization of being a wife and mother--whatever your baggage is--it's worth all the cruelty coming my way. Or even an adult who has had an accident or diabetes or whatever. I've always reached out to people on a one-on-one level, and now on the show, I reach a lot more people."

Aviva also reassures us that although the experience may have its challenges, she remains extremely grateful to be a part of such a pop culture phenomenon.

"Being a part of it is such an honor and being part of it in such a positive way and helping people. Seeing the people who are so interested in every word we say and what we do and what we wear, it's so fun and so hilarious. I get that watching the show about real people is far more interesting and relevant to your own life than a scripted drama. I'm very happy to talk to people about it."

And as most housewives do in their interviews with the press, Aviva promises for more drama for the rest of the season.

"I don't think you'll see a crazier Housewives show than the next eight episodes of the show. I can't believe it and I lived it."

Gina Pusateri
Contributing Writer

(Image courtesy of Bravo)