The Real Housewives Of New York are on strike! The veteran castmates have reportedly united in refusing to sign their season 8 contracts until they are offered more money!
Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, and Sonja Morgan are digging in their Manolo Blahnik heels and demanding Bravo pay them the same salary as Bethenny Frankel, who apparently commands a $1 million dollar paycheck in exchange for stooping to Real Housewives level again.
“LuAnn, Sonja and Ramona have banded together [in holding out for more],” claims an insider. “They have not come to terms. The negotiations are always down to the last minute, but now the show’s started filming.”
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Bethenny who claimed to be uncertain about whether or not she’d be back on Real Housewives Of New York was spotted filming with Carole Radziwill recently, and also having brunch with Dorinda Medley and rumored new Housewife Julianne Wainstein last week while camera crews were present.
On the contrary, an insider explains to Page Six that Luann, Ramona, and Sonja are not currently filming for season 8, “because they have not signed their contracts” and it could put them at a serious disadvantage if they don’t sign soon because storylines will progress without them!
However a production source for Real Housewives Of New York insists that the cast hasn’t been decided yet, and filming is preliminary.
This isn’t the first time Ramona, Sonja, and Luann have used this tactic in an effort to demand more money from Bravo! In season 6 Luann was demoted to ‘friend’ in part because she held-out so long in contract negotiations. And a source reveals that the threats and demands “could work against them” in other ways because Bethenny is working to get members from her “long list of friends” cast on the show.
Bethenny has friends who aren’t her employees? Oh never mind – they mean Hollywood friends!
In fact Bethenny is the source of the tension for Ramona, Luann, and Sonja! Bethenny reportedly far out-earns the rest of the women, whose salaries “aren’t even close” to the Skinnygirl’s! Additionally last season, Bethenny was given special exemptions during filming, plus her widely reported diva behavior caused a lot of frustration amid the cast.
Despite Luann, Ramona and Sonja’s currently united front the insider believes Luann, the cast’s “wild card” will definitely return – because the Countess has a great storyline in the works this season! “She’s getting a new apartment in Manhattan and a plotline this season will be her decorating the apartment.” Luann has also been out and about showing off the fabulous life she brings to the group. Plus her issues with Carole will be a carry-over from last season.
Sonja on the other hand is “holed up at home” until her contract is finalized. And that includes skipping a Dream Downtown party this past week for the launch of Andy Cohen’s Sirius XM channel.
I personally think all three ladies will be back.
TELL US – WILL LUANN, RAMONA, AND SONJA RETURN? SHOULD THEY DEMAND MORE MONEY?
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