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A new reality show pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of Palm Beach and the elite who live there, including who gets in, who gets judged, and who decides what “belongs.”
Ro-Mina Ustayev, the breakout star of Netflix’s “Members Only: Palm Beach,” and often referred to as “Palm Beach’s Kim Kardashian,” said locals who objected to the show shaming the elite enclave “are the very people” the series exposes.
“I think the people who think this game is a disgrace to Palm Beach are the same people who are acting the way they are in this game,” Ustayev told Fox News Digital exclusively. “It’s like a perfect description of how difficult it is to be a member of society in this city.”
‘MEMBERS ONLY: PALM BEACH STAR’ SLAMS ‘NATY’ HABES TO BE FIRED FROM MAR-A-LAGO
Romina Ustayev and the cast of the Netflix original series “Members Only” in Palm Beach, Florida. (Jeffery Salter / Netflix)
The show offers an inside look at Palm Beach’s elite social scene — defined by private clubs, whispered judgments and unspoken rules — and Ustayev said honesty, not appearances, is what makes longtime residents uncomfortable.
He said Palm Beach doesn’t operate like a beach town and is more like a strictly controlled section.
“I think it’s about keeping certain people in your circles and out of your circles,” he said, comparing exclusive clubs to sororities where access is closely controlled.
WATCH: ‘MEMBERS ONLY’ STAR: PALM BEACH BACKLASH SHOWS ‘THE HARD WAY TO BE SPECTACULAR’
That dynamic, he added, fuels continued scrutiny — especially for newcomers who don’t fit the traditional mold.
“When people whisper that you don’t belong, they judge you by your money, your behavior, whatever they want to judge you by,” Ustayev told Fox News Digital.
Ustayev knows that it is a personal judgment, and his presence alone could upset Palm Beach’s expectations.
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Ro-Mina Ustayev, the “Palm Beach Kim Kardashian” from Netflix’s “Members Only,” built businesses in real estate and fashion after leaving Uzbekistan as a child refugee. (Ro-Mina Ustayev)
Born in Uzbekistan, he immigrated to the United States as a child refugee with his family, arriving with little money and no understanding of the English language. Later he built businesses in all areas, fashion and music – success that does not always translate into social acceptance in a city where pedigree is still important.
That tension came to a head when Ustayev declared himself “the new Palm Beach” — a phrase he says baffles longtime insiders. “I think when I say ‘I’m the new Palm Beach,’ people who are from there and have lived there for years feel bad about it,” she said.
“Palm Beach has always been a certain way … and here I come with my pleather. It’s just not what they’re used to, and a lot of people are afraid of change.”
Ro-mina Ustayev and Rosalyn Yellin with President Donald Trump. (Netflix)
Change, says Ustayev, is underway.
“I think Palm Beach is definitely changing whether local residents like it or not,” he told Fox News Digital, pointing to the influx of new residents attracted to the Florida lifestyle. “They just need to go along with the plan.”
“They just need to go along with the plan.”
One of the most overlooked aspects of “Members Only” is its repeated reference to Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private club.
Netflix’s “Members Only: Palm Beach” star Ro-Mina Ustayev says critics who say the reality series shames Florida’s elite enclave are “the very people” the show is portraying. (Netflix)
“I think Mar-a-Lago has been mentioned again in this program because it is a large members-only club in Palm Beach,” he said. “When you come to Florida, one of the first things you’re going to run into is what club membership you have.”
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As well as being a businessman, Ustayev is a mother of three children. She and her husband manage a growing real estate portfolio with more than 200 rental units, while Ustayev continues to release music and run her clothing line.
WATCH: ‘MEMBERS ONLY: PALM BEACH STAR’ ON BUILDING SUCCESS FROM GROUND
As “Members Only” continues to stir debate among Palm Beach’s tight-knit social circles, insiders say the on-screen conflict reflects a much deeper — and long-standing — reality.
Maria, known for her music career as DJ Tumbles, has spent years working in Palm Beach’s exclusive venues, touring private parties, country clubs and billionaire mansions. In his view, Palm Beach is not just about wealth – it’s about positions, intelligence and knowing when to combine.
Maria “DJ Tumbles” plays for the crowd during the “Members Only” episode in Palm Beach, Florida. (Netflix)
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“There’s a set of unspoken rules,” Maria told Fox News Digital, describing a social system where respect and self-awareness are more important than flashbacks. “You have to decide if you want to play this game. It’s the price of doing business.”
According to Maria, inhibition doesn’t always happen out loud – but the behavior that leads to it often does. Unwanted attention, breaking protocol or failing to read the room can put someone on the outside looking in.
WATCH: ‘MEMBERS ONLY: THE PALM BEACH STAR’ SAYS TO GO ON THE ‘UNSPOKEN RULES’ UNSPOKEN RULES TO GET ON THE LIST
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He said Palm Beach is less like an open-air playground for the rich and more like a “high school lunch table,” where power isn’t always visible — and the big players are often the ones no one notices.
“Members Only: Palm Beach” is available to stream on Netflix.
