Eric Kowalsky / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com, Instagram
Andy Cohen spoke of the lawsuits that have been filed against NBCUniversal, Bravo, their production companies, and himself on Monday, also sharing what he felt was the network’s biggest challenge moving forward.
While chatting about Carole Radziwill‘s return to The Real Housewives of New York City, and Nene Leakes, 58, joining the cast of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip for its “Roaring 20th” special, Andy, 57, revealed if Nene could go back to The Real Housewives of Atlanta and commented on the success of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.
While speaking to Vulture on May 4, Andy was asked if his name was included in many of the lawsuits due to the fact that he was so widely recognized as the unofficial face of the network.
“Yeah. Well, also because they wanted to get press,” he explained.
Despite the backlash they’ve received in recent years, and after Bethenny Frankel, 55, touted a “reality reckoning,” Andy denied having pause about being so closely linked to Bravo.
“It’s the greatest brand on television. The fact that I could be Bravo Andy is a gift,” he stated.
He then shared the biggest challenge the brand faces.
“Keeping the shows fresh,” he revealed. “I view producing the Housewives shows as, we have 10 planes in the air and you want to keep the planes in the air flying with no turbulence.”
Looking ahead to Carole’s return to RHONY, which recently began filming its 16th season, Andy denied that she was brought back to save the show.
“I don’t think it’s ungenerous to say that it’s good to bring someone from the past back who’s beloved,” he stated. “If Carole didn’t know any of the women, I don’t know that bringing her back would’ve made as much sense. She actually knows more of the women now than she did when we brought her in season five.”
He then teased what was to come.
“We’re halfway through filming, and it’s everything that we wanted it to be,” he shared. “I think people are going to be really happy. We’re getting great personal story. We’re getting great interpersonal story. We’re getting a ton of humor and a ton of drama.”
In regard to Nene being featured on the RHUGT special, Andy said he didn’t consider her past lawsuit against the network.
“We are celebrating 20 years of the Housewives. I can’t speak to that lawsuit, but it’s in the past. She was integral to the show and its success. As we looked back on 20 years, it felt like doing something with her would be really nice for the fans, and she really wanted to do it. It was very positive,” he clarified.
That said, he’s not so sure Nene could return to RHOA.
“We’ve worked so hard to get a cast on Atlanta that is cohesive and makes sense and that we love and the fans love. We want to be at the level that Atlanta used to be, and we are finally there. That’s what I’m focusing on right now,” he explained.
As for the quick hit RHORI has become, Andy admitted it was “scary” branching out.
“There are thousands of shows. No one is watching live television. But I knew from the casting that this show was going to be a hit,” he said. “When it happens as a producer that, in your gut, you know something’s going to be great, and then it is great, and then other people think it’s great; that is why we are doing what we’re doing.”
