Andy Cohen is having his say on the so-called “reality reckoning.”
In an interview with Vulture published on Monday, June 3, the producer of Real Housewives described a “sustained attack” over the last year as the popular Bravo franchise has been hit with various lawsuits and accusations of misconduct.
Former Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel began a “reckoning” last summer, campaigning for reality television stars to be compensated with residuals for their work like actors and writers. She said reality television exploits its stars.
Bravo was also hit with a lawsuit from former Real Housewives of New Jersey star Caroline Manzo, who alleged she was sexually harassed and assaulted by former Beverly Hills Housewife Brandi Glanville while shooting The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip in Morocco. Former New York City Housewife Leah McSweeney filed a suit against Cohen and Bravo in February, accusing them of “encouraging substance abuse.” Glanville also accused Cohen of sexual harassment.
“There was a lot of noise. And I was definitely sad about it,” Cohen told Vulture.
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However, the Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen host added that despite all the “noise,” he and the franchise are still incredibly popular.
“But I’m telling you — and it sounds like bulls–t — but when I walked into BravoCon, it was like, ‘Dude, get off Twitter. That’s a bunch of clickbait. This is sanity,’” he said.
Cohen previously addressed Frankel’s “reality reckoning” in May, telling The Hollywood Reporter he has “a lot to say about that.”
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“If you look at shows like American Idol, Survivor, The Bachelor, or the Below Deck people, 90 percent or more of the reality stars on them are on for one season or less. Also, acting is a full-time profession. You don’t go to school to be a reality star. Reality stars typically have other jobs,” he said.
“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,” Cohen explained. “And salaries for people who have been on a long time are really high. Look, you’re not drafted into the Real Housewives. You either want to be on the show or not, and you either see it as having some greater benefit for you or not.”
