Andy Cohen addresses Bethenny Frankel’s failed “reality reckoning” while also dishing on season 14 of RHOBH, Monica Garcia’s absence from season 5 of RHOSLC, and so much more!
While speaking to Variety, Bravo’s Andy Cohen admitted that he doesn’t “really think about” Bethenny Frankel‘s “reality reckoning” these days.
In the summer of 2023, Real Housewives of New York OG Bethenny Frankel called for a “reality reckoning” amid allegations that producers and networks mistreated reality TV stars. She also encouraged reality TV to unionize in order to get residuals for their likeness.
“My job is always focusing on making the shows that I produce — and as I said a year ago, and I’ll say it again now — I am so proud to partner with incredible production companies,” Andy Cohen told the outlet. “I am proud of the systems that we had in place a year ago, and I’m proud of the systems that we have in place now that are built to look after people’s mental health and also produce absolutely great television that people around the world love.”
The Watch What Happens Live host called the negative comments about the ins and outs of reality TV “nonsense,” before addressing the Skinnygirl mogul.
“I don’t really pay attention [to Bethenny],” he confessed. “She’s very active on TikTok; I’m not on TikTok.”
The Big Daddy of Bravo then teased the upcoming season of RHOBH, claiming that the it’s a “very good season,” and the cast’s “lives have changed in pretty dramatic ways” since fans last saw them on Bravo.
Andy Cohen then addressed Monica Garcia‘s absence on season 5 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.
“I think that the whole point of these shows is that they’re ensemble shows and no one person is really greater than the group. Absolutely, last season was incredible and this season is incredible in a totally new way. You have to kind of trust the process, and we had great casting this season. I mean, Bronwyn [Newport] is just a great addition to the mix. And I think from that first episode you’re like, ‘Oh wow, this is forward-moving.’ We’re seeing a different Mary [Cosby] this season. By the way, we’re still in the early stages of this season, so people are going to be really happy,” Andy said.
He also teased that Mary has a “really interesting personal story” later on in the season that he believes will “really touch people.”
Last but not least, Andy commented on the Bravoverse’s reaction to Rebecca Minkoff‘s Scientology background.
“I can’t really judge people’s reactions to Scientology, but I’ll say that she’s a well-known New Yorker and she is fun to have in the mix,” he said, noting that the RHONY cast will question Rebecca about the religion further into season 15.
“It is something that recurs in the show, and I think that she made it clear on the first grilling how far she was really going to — it doesn’t look like she came on the show to preach about Scientology,” Andy said. “So we’ll see how that develops.”