Real Housewives of New York star Leah McSweeney has sued Andy Cohen and the companies behind the franchise, claiming drama has been ‘artificially created’ while taking advantage of cast members.
McSweeney, 41, filed the lawsuit earlier week, confirming in a statement posted online that she was suing her ‘former employers’.
“Your favorite Bravo shoes are run by people who create a dangerous work environment, encourage substance abuse to artificially create drama and cynically prey on the vulnerabilities of their employees,” she wrote.
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“Some of the stories and incidents that are detailed in the lawsuit have been shown in edited form on TV or reported in media, but many have not.
“And there will be much more that comes out once the people involved are questioned under oath.
“Today I am taking back my reality.”
Cohen has denied the claims made by McSweeney,
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McSweeney – who joined RHONY in 2019, appearing in two seasons of the hit reality series, along with series three of The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip spin-off - claims she was ‘warned not to’ speak out, adding that she felt ‘petrified’ to do so.
In her suit, the star alleges that Bravo facilitated a ‘rotted’ workplace culture, specifically naming Real Housewives exec Andy Cohen.
She claims that producers coerced her into drinking alcohol while shooting, despite being aware of her issues with alcohol and mental health struggles.
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Producers ‘colluded with her colleagues to pressure Ms. McSweeney to drink, retaliated against her when she wanted to stay sober, and intentionally failed to provide reasonable accommodations that would aid her efforts to stay sober and able to perform,’ the suit alleges.
The designer also claimed Cohen allegedly ‘engaged in cocaine use with ‘Housewives’ and other Bravolebrities that he employs’, while rewarding Housewives ‘with whom he uses cocaine with more favorable treatment and edits'.
Reps for Cohen said: “It’s outrageous that anyone would make a claim that Andy does cocaine with any Housewives.”
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"I have love and respect for many of the Bravo talent and getting to know them was a positive experience in all of this," she continued in her statement on Instagram.
"I may be a pariah to them after this, but I do hope my lawsuit helps reality TV to align with its true purpose: to authentically depict the complexities of life while offering genuine support to those who share their stories.
"I’ve been trying to address this internationally for years now but have been dismissed, stone-walled, and gaslit (but actually) at every turn since.
“Bravo can try to manipulate my reality and others’ all they want, but the cold hard facts of this case are as real as it gets.”
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Cohen has denied the claims made by McSweeney, with a rep for the Watch What Happens Live host telling The Hollywood Reporter: “The claims against Andy are completely false."
Tyla has reached out for reps for Cohen, NBC Universal Media and Warner Bros for comment.
Topics: Reality TV, Real Housewives, Celebrity, TV And Film
Jess Hardiman