If someone is going to get this reality TV union started, I’m not surprised it’s Bethenny Frankel.
When Bethenny first brought up the idea of reality TV stars unionizing so that they’re protected and treated fairly while shooting, I’m not anyone thought she was serious. Like most of her TikToks, she shoots the sh*t, states her opinion, and moves on. But when she returned with another video, and yet another about rallying the reality troops to start a union, it became real.
In the first video she posted to her Instagram, reality star legends NeNe Leakes and Vicki Gunvalson responded. Their reactions were unsurprising since the three of them have a huge hand in making the Real Housewives as successful as it is today. However, it’s Bethenny that’s leading the charge. She hasn’t been shy regarding her feelings, telling streamers and networks to pay her residuals or take her previous shows down.
But in a new video, NeNe shared just a little about her thoughts on the situation.
Keepin’ it real with NeNe
“For a very long time, I have said there’s a lot of unfair treatment in different areas of the reality workspace,” she said in the video. “Reality stars do not receive benefits … any residuals; there’s no union for reality stars,” she continued.
“All of those things you see … all of the memes … the way your likeness is used over and over and over and over again, and you don’t get one red penny.”
Bethenny shared something similar in her video, adding that she and others have generated millions of dollars worth of content for networks. Yet, they don’t receive additional pay for the streams on Peacock and Max.
“I myself have generated millions and millions of dollars in advertising and online impressions being on reality TV and have never made a single residual,” she said.
NeNe chose not to say too much because of her past issues between herself, the network, and Andy Cohen. Instead, she urged viewers that want to support this new movement to interact with Bethenny’s content as they move forward.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON NENE’S STATEMENTS? WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF BETHENNY’S NEW MOVEMENT?
