Real Housewives Kingpin Andy Cohen Faces Cocaine-Fueled Favoritism Lawsuit
Late Tuesday night, news broke of a lawsuit filed against Real Housewives executive producer Andy Cohen by former cast member Leah McSweeney. The lawsuit alleges that Cohen engaged in cocaine use with Housewives and other Bravo celebrities, and that he showed favoritism towards those who partook in drug use. This latest legal action adds to the growing list of lawsuits and allegations surrounding the Bravo network and its reality TV shows.
McSweeney’s lawsuit claims that there is a “rotted workplace culture” within the Real Housewives franchise that pressures employees to consume alcohol. It further accuses Cohen of colluding with Housewives who use cocaine, providing them with more favorable treatment and editing. The suit also alleges that the defendants, including Bravo, NBCUniversal, production company Shed Media, and various producers, failed to provide reasonable accommodations for McSweeney’s efforts to stay sober.
This lawsuit comes on the heels of Bethenny Frankel’s legal battle against NBC’s reality TV universe, where she exposed the restrictive NDAs and manipulation allegedly taking place on unscripted shows. Frankel’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has put Bravo and NBCU on notice, demanding accountability for their actions.
In recent months, the reality TV industry has faced an onslaught of sexual assault and harassment lawsuits. Marco Vega, a butler on Peacock’s The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, filed a lawsuit claiming he was sexually assaulted by cast members Brandi Glanville and Phaedra Parks. RH alum Caroline Manzo also accused Glanville of sexual assault during the filming of the show. These lawsuits have named Bravo, Forest Productions, Warner Bros., NBCU, Shed Media, and Peacock as defendants.
Last week, Glanville’s lawyer Freedman and Mark Geragos sent a scathing letter to NBCU, WBD, and Shed Media, alleging that Cohen sexually harassed Glanville. The lawyers cited the “abusive practices of the reality TV industry” and called Cohen’s actions an “extraordinary abuse of power.” Cohen later apologized on social media, claiming it was a joke, but Glanville and her lawyers are demanding further action, including Cohen’s termination.
With each new lawsuit, the spotlight on NBCU’s reality TV offerings grows brighter. The network has promised stricter workplace conduct guidelines, but the allegations continue to pile up. It remains to be seen how these legal battles will unfold and what consequences they will have for the Real Housewives franchise and its kingpin, Andy Cohen.
In the midst of all these legal troubles, time is ticking for Bravo and NBCU to address the serious allegations and ensure a safer and more respectful workplace environment for their employees. The future of the Real Housewives empire hangs in the balance as these lawsuits shed light on the dark underbelly of reality TV.