Over the years, Bravo's Real Housewives franchise has become a massive, wildly popular sensation. Many of us thank Andy Cohen for this movement, as he is a producer on the shows, as well as the host of the reunions as well as Watch What Happens Live! And after chatter online and an ongoing legal situation, Cohen has responded to allegations made about the network pressuring Housewives to drink. At least, as much as his lawyers think he can say.
The Housewives franchise keeps expanding on Bravo (and streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), but there have been a number of controversies looming above it recently. One of which comes from ex-RHONY cast member Leah McSweeney, who alleged that she was pressured into drinking while filming. She also claimed that Cohen did drugs with Housewives, and that those who partook got preferential treatment. While speaking with THR about his celebrated career in broadcast, he addressed the issue of alcohol, saying:
What I’ll say about the alcohol is that we have so many sober people and people who have gotten sober on the show, like Countess Luann [de Lesseps]. We have people who’ve never had a drink during the entire run of the show. Jill Zarin. Kandi Burris. Heather Dubrow will just have an occasional glass of champagne. So sure, there are people who drink. There are many people who never drink. We don’t force anyone to do anything. But no one is secretly hiding liquor bottles on set. That’s ridiculous. We’ve been very supportive of people’s sobriety.
There you have it. Cohen is denying any claims that Bravolebrities are pressured into getting drunk while filming. And on top of that he mentioned a number of Housewives who don't drink or got sober while on the show. That includes another RHONY star: Countless Luann, who has had some public issues with alcohol.
There are definitely non-Bravo reality shows shows that have made booze readily available for cast members, seemingly in hopes of drama and sparks flying. But Cohen doesn't think that the Real Housewives franchise actually needs liquid courage to start drama. As he put it:
We don’t need to gin up drama! Have you seen Ramona Singer on a random Tuesday at 1 p.m.? Have you ever run into Lisa Rinna at noon? Lisa Rinna does not need a glass of rosé in order to tell you exactly how she is feeling. Margaret Josephs only drinks Diet Coke, and she is a truth cannon wherever she goes. I don’t think Teresa Giudice would say that it was the red wine that caused her to flip that table! We start filming the reunions at 6 a.m. for God’s sake!
Andy Cohen has his receipts, and reach of these references will be familiar hardcore Housewives fans like myself. It certainly seems like drinking isn't mandatory, even if it is fun seeing the likes of RHONY, RHOP, or RHOBH letting loose.
What are the lawsuits Andy Cohen is facing?
Leah McSweeney has filed a lawsuit against Bravo and Andy Cohen, but that's not the only legal shakeup that's been coming from former cast members. Amidst her RHUGT drama, Caroline Manzo is suing Bravo for creating an unsafe work environment, also pointing at the use of liquor by Housewives.
And while Brandi Glanville is named in Manzo's lawsuit after she allegedly sexually assaulted the Real Housewives of New Jersey OG, she has her own issue with Andy Cohen. She claimed that he sexually harassed her back in 2022, a claim he briefly addressed on his Twitter but not the long THR story.
There's also been calls by RHONY alum Bethenny Frankel for reality stars to form a union, and she's offered a ton of criticism at the network and Cohen. But where she's concerned, there hasn't been any legal paperwork signed.
Only time will tell how this legal situation plays out, but both The Real Housewives and WWHL seemingly aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Check the TV premiere list to plan your next reality TV obsession.
