The Bravo executive shares insights into the recent allegations directed at him and the network.
As former Bravo stars make allegations of sexism, racism and substance abuse on the sets of The Real Housewives shows, Andy Cohen breaks his silence to share his perspective and reflect on his position amid the controversies.
The executive producer of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise and host of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen tackles a range of pressing issues, including swirling controversies and lawsuits surrounding the iconic reality series, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter,.
In October, Eboni K. Williams, the first Black star on The Real Housewives of New York City, spoke out about encountering pervasive racism on the show, particularly from her co-star, Ramona Singer.
In response to these concerns, Cohen states, "I can’t speak to her particular experience, and I’m no longer in charge of programming decisions there, but I’m proud of all the work that Bravo has put into making their shows more representative of the country’s demographics. George Floyd was an important cultural shift that forced us to look at all of our programming. Bravo made it a mandate to diversify its shows."
Cohen highlights Bravo's proactive approach to diversification, citing specific examples such as Summer House and Southern Charm. He notes that Bravo recognized the need for more inclusive representation across its programming and took deliberate steps to address this.
"They thought, 'Why are a lot of the shows so segregated?' They decided that there needed to be more representation across the dial. And they did it," Cohen emphasizes.
On Feb. 27, former Real Housewives of New York City star Leah McSweeney filed a complaint against Cohen, Bravo and NBCUniversal, alleging that Cohen fostered a toxic workplace that encouraged alcohol consumption. She also alleges that she did not have a safe working environment amid her "alcohol use disorder" and "mental health disorders."
According to the complaint, McSweeney said she relapsed from her sobriety of nine years but was sober when she began filming season 12 of RHONY. She accuses producers of "intentionally planning scenarios intended to exacerbate disabilities" in order to "create morbidly salacious reality television."
A rep for Cohen previously told ET, "The claims against Andy are completely false."
In a letter sent to McSweeney from Cohen's attorney, Cohen's lawyer stated that "virtually every" allegation made by McSweeney is "categorically false," and it specifically demands that her accusation that Cohen uses cocaine is "immediately" retracted and withdrawn.
While constrained by legal counsel from delving into specifics, Cohen responded to the allegations, telling THR, "Unfortunately, I can’t talk about some of these things. What I’ll say about the alcohol is that we have so many sober people and people who have gotten sober on the show… We’ve been very supportive of people’s sobriety."
Regarding calls for unionizing reality stars spurred by RHONY alum Bethenny Frankel, Cohen offers his perspective as an independent producer, highlighting the transient nature of reality television stardom.
"You don’t go to school to be a reality star. Reality stars typically have other jobs. They’re bar owners, they’re designers. They’re doctors," says Cohen.
He emphasizes the varied backgrounds of reality stars and the potential for leveraging exposure into lucrative opportunities beyond the show.
"I think the way that Bravo pays people is that it’s a buyout — they’re buying them out for a show that can be distributed in certain ways, and the longer you stay on, the higher your salary gets... And many of them do just that," Cohen remarks.
When questioned about personal hurt stemming from criticism, particularly from former friend Frankel, Cohen reflects on his pride in the relationships built over his two decades at the network. While acknowledging the occasional complaints, Cohen affirms his commitment to walking tall and maintaining perspective, buoyed by the fervent support of Real Housewives fans worldwide.
"I know what the truth is and I know how I’ve conducted myself, and I walk tall every day on that," Cohen says, reminiscing on the electrifying atmosphere of BravoCon. "There are legions of fans who are passionately devoted to this brand. It’s a tonic that helps them get through the pains and obstacles in their lives."
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