Leslie Birkland, one of the stars of Style Network’s hit reality show ‘Big Rich Texas,’ is engaged to her boyfriend, Rip Mason. Mason proposed to the beauty pageant coach before the Thanksgiving holiday in Beverly Hills. The couple’s relationship has been chronicled on the docu-drama since its first season.
Leslie “Is truly overjoyed with her engagement and excited about their future together. Currently in its third season, ‘Big Rich Texas’ chronicles the glamorous lives of five Dallas women and their privileged daughters. Birkland joined the cast of the show, which first aired in July of 2011, after competing in various beauty pageants since 1992. The show is currently airing its third season on Style Network. Leslie spoke exclusively with me and opens up about when Rip popped the question! Read the interview below:
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How would you say you evolved over the seasons?
Leslie Birkland: “I have grown a lot and I have learned a lot! I am no longer naïve this season.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Do you feel like fans get a better understanding/perspective of you this season?
Leslie Birkland: “I think that they do, I actually learned a lot from Kalyn, and from the fans and I appreciate their feedback…beauty comes in all sizes and it’s not all about competing in a pageant, and it makes me happy that Kalyn appreciates her body and size, and what she’s done for other young ladies help accept their size, has helped me.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How is it filming with such a huge cast?
Leslie Birkland: “I like it, because we’re not quite as busy as we were in other seasons. It’s only two camera crews, so they can’t follow us around and catch our every move like in the past two seasons, so let’s say it makes life a little easier now.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How did you first meet Rip?
Leslie Birkland: “I met him in Dallas through a mutual friend who knew that he had moved to Dallas around the same time that I did, so it was very interesting because we both moved from California and our mutual friend said we should get together and do lunch, and that’s where it started.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Three words to describe your relationship?
Leslie Birkland: “It’s exciting, wonderful, and comfortable. I say comfortable because we are both older and we just have this understanding between us, I don’t feel like I have to be anyone other than myself around him. I think in younger relationships they try to be someone that they are not.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Do you feel like you compromised a lot of yourself in this relationship?
Leslie Birkland: “With him we are so much on the same level and I don’t feel that I even had to, with him it is just effortless.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Did you have a hunch that he was going to propose to you?
Leslie Birkland: “Yes(laughs) because he actually proposed three times, but he did it in such a funny way. The first time we were driving in the car, and he said, “You know what honey? I think we should get married!” I said, “I think we should too.” However, that wasn’t really a proposal, but I knew that he was leading up to the real proposal. Then he mentioned it again and we talked about how we would do it and who we would invite, but since it’s a second marriage for both of us we don’t have as much pressure. We decided that we wanted something very simple with the important people in our lives.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How would you describe the engagement?
Leslie Birkland: “I thought that I knew the day, because he had called my mom and told her that he was going to propose to me, so I knew (laughs). He actually proposed to me in a restaurant in Hawaii in a restaurant on the beach at the Four Seasons on Maui, it was a nice sunset, but I was so embarrassed but I just said yes! Even though we’re on the show and we can’t be shy, I’m a very shy person (laughs). It was very sweet and kept looking around and kept wondering what everyone in the restaurant was thinking.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How did you know that he was the one?
Leslie Birkland: “I remember one time when he was talking about his company and his business, he is the CEO of a huge corporation and he has over 350,000 sales associates and he was telling me about the responsibilities that he feels and that the decisions he makes impacts the livelihood of so many people and families. I just looked at him and was in awe because he is such a good man, but in that moment I was in love with him forever. He has so much integrity and I admire that.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How has it been having him by your side during the drama of the show?
Leslie Birkland: “He really gave me courage and strength, knowing that he cares about me and has my best interest at heart has been helpful, because no one else does– the cast can careless and the producers are about producing a show for TV. Knowing that he was there when I needed to talk to him about the drama regardless of what he was doing or where he was, has helped me tremendously. He has a hard time a little bit with me on the show because of what the other ladies do to me and say things that are just completely not true, he has a problem witnessing that.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How does he cope with that?
Leslie Birkland: “He knows that this is not a forever thing…my relationship with him is forever, however the show is not forever…In the later future it will be something to reflect upon and laugh about.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): I’ve read that you wanted to get married in an airplane over 4 states, what changed?
Leslie Birkland: “I still do! (laughs) I say it all the time, hoping it will inspire him, but he still just laughs at me! I’m not given up on that idea! (laughs).”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): How do you vision your gown, wedding day, etc?
Leslie Birkland: “I vision it on the jet! (laughs) I actually see myself in the cream color gown, get married on his jet and have the minister there, and envision stepping off the jet, much like when the President gets off of Air Force 1–except I want a pink carpet! After all of that I just want to go back to the house and have a nice, simple, and beautiful reception.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Will any of your cast mates be invited to the wedding?
Leslie Birkland: “Kalyn, Paul, my son, and no one else.
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): What was your goddaughter Kalyn reaction to your news?
Leslie Birkland: “She loves Rip, and thinks that he is a really good guy for me, so she was thrilled for me.”
Examiner (Anthony Bowles): Lastly, what can viewers and fans look forward to in the upcoming season finale?
Leslie Birkland: “Let’s just say that I didn’t leave unscathed (laughs) I had a bruise on my face, it was surprising because it was a big one! It was yellow three weeks later and I had to buy some special cover up make-up. I’m still very much traumatized over what happened even months later. I enjoy being on “Big Rich Texas” but I did not sign up to get beat up for no reason and to make it worse I had security with me!”
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