Bethenny Frankel Critiques ‘RHONY’ Reboot, Calls for Return of Original Cast
Bethenny Frankel expresses strong opinions about the "Real Housewives of New York City" reboot. On November 16, she shared her thoughts through a now-deleted TikTok video, which fans quickly circulated on social media.
In her critique, Bethenny, 54, responded to the negative sentiments surrounding the reboot. She pointed out, "Justice for Sonja [Morgan], Dorinda [Medley], Luann [de Lesseps], Ramona [Singer]." These were key figures in the original cast, which was dropped in 2022 after 13 seasons. She remarked that these women were "ride or die" and suggested they carried the show. "Suddenly, they all got replaced," she stated, likening them to "Toy Story" characters left on the shelf, awaiting someone to play with them.
Bethenny further mentioned that substantial funds were allocated for the new cast, comprised of Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, Brynn Whitfield, Sai De Silva, Erin Lichy, and Ubah Hassan. She noted, "The original cast has always been like the stepchildren. They’ve always been discarded." Bethenny was aware of the payments and budget changes for the original cast compared to the new members.
Continuing her thoughts, she expressed: "I haven’t seen the show, but the new girls seem lovely. However, the older women were dropped off at the side of the road as they aged."
Bethenny also commented on RHONY’s declining viewership since the reboot, advising Bravo to bring back some original cast members. She stated, "You have about 200,000 viewers watching this piece of trash. So, bring back the old girls and mix them in. Humble pie is coming in hot."
Us Weekly has contacted Bravo for comments. As a main cast member during seasons 1 to 3 and seasons 7 to 11, Bethenny has since criticized reality television. Through her podcast, "Just B With Bethenny Frankel," she advocates for better compensation for reality stars. Bethenny argues reality television exploits its participants, campaigning for them to receive residuals like traditional actors and writers.
In May, Andy Cohen, a producer of the Housewives franchise, responded to her concerns about unionization for reality stars. He mentioned, "Shows like "American Idol," "Survivor," and "The Bachelor" have a high turnover. Most reality stars only appear for one season or less." He also pointed out that acting is a full-time career and being a reality star often involves maintaining other jobs.
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