Over the years and multiple franchises, there have been Real Housewives stars who grew too big for their briches. Sadly, this trait usually occurs within the fan favorite of a particular franchise. I don’t know what it is, but something goes right to their head and over-inflates their egos. Undeniably, these particular Bravolebs have unmatched star power, but it doesn’t mean they should bite the hand that feeds them.
Bethenny Frankel – Real Housewives of New York
I thought Bethenny Frankel would have felt satiated when she got the coveted one-on-one interview with Rachel Leviss. But the CEO was only scratching the surface. Bethenny inserted herself into the Scandoval drama after years of steering clear of Bravo and the show that made her a household name. After the success of her solo podcast interview, Bethenny blazed a new path never taken as she took charge of the reality reckoning.
It seems Bethenny was never really happy with her place on the Real Housewives of New York. In turn, she called for a “systematic change.” In an Instagram Post, she shared, “To be successful in reality TV, you must kill or be killed. To not get dirty is to get fired. Someone is winning, and someone is losing in this zero-sum game where people like myself get rich, and the less strategic go broke or get canceled.” At the time, Bethenny was called out for biting that hand that fed her, but her response was swift as she wrote, the “hand deserves to be bitten.” She made sure to point out, “We have fed the machine ratings, ad dollars, catchphrases and content. We get filthy, and they get filthy rich.”
Leah McSweeney – RHONY
The former Real Housewives of New York apple holder shocked viewers when she decided to sue Bravo. Leah McSweeney’s complaint has been a point of contention among viewers. Before filing her suit, she spoke to Vanity Fair, alleging producers disregarded her and other cast members’ sobriety on RHONY and season three of RHUGT. Before her first season on the franchise, Leah relapsed after nine years of sobriety. Leah is accusing Bravo and producers of “engaging in guerrilla-type psychological warfare intended to pressurize her into a psychological break and cause her to relapse.”
Leah’s aim is focused on the producers who were with her during these experiences. The mother of one is claiming they failed to “accommodate her bipolar, depression, and anxiety disorders.” According to Leah, the “truth” is on her side. She spoke with Addiction Talk, doubling down, saying, “As hard as it is to be going up against a very powerful entity, and for people to maybe also just not agree with me or, you know, come at me and get blowback and all the things, I don’t care, because this is the truth. I have it on my side, and my intentions are really good.”
NeNe Leakes – Real Housewives of Atlanta
NeNe Leakes was the star that put Real Housewives of Atlanta on the map. Between her ability to go from zero to one hundred and her witty clapbacks, it was easy to love NeNe. So, it surprised viewers to learn that NeNe was alleging the show had a racist environment. In April 2022, NeNe filed a lawsuit in Atlanta federal court. At the time, the former peach holder named NBCUniversal, Bravo, True Entertainment, Truly Original, and Andy Cohen in the suit, claiming she worked in a hostile and racist environment. The suit read, “NBC, Bravo, and True foster a corporate and workplace culture in which racially insensitive and inappropriate behavior is tolerated — if not encouraged.”
However, in August 2022, NeNe dropped her lawsuit. The court documents obtained by People read, “All Parties consent and stipulate to the foregoing dismissal,” the document reads. “No party will seek recovery of costs or attorneys’ fees in any submission to this Court.” The case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning if NeNe desires, she can refile the lawsuit.
Brandi Glanville – Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Not one to be left out, the former star of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Brandi Glanville, also threatened to sue Bravo. In July 2024, Brandi shared on X, “I’ve been left no choice but to sue Bravo. I have receipts 4days. This stress has ruined my health. I have uncontrollable stress induced angio-edem. I haven’t worked for a year & [a half]. I’m too depressed to do my podcast & too swollen 4cameo or Only Fans. IM BEING USED AS A FALLGUY.”
Brandi played coy regarding the exact issue, but she hinted it might have something to do with Caroline Manzo accusing her of sexual harassment. In a separate post, Brandi maintained her innocence, tweeting, “I was fired, removed from the cast, held hostage in a hotel in Morocco for days! The cast rallied on my side & didn’t want to continue without me. Cuz of the bad untrue press, I’ve been canceled from all jobs.” This isn’t the first time Brandi has bit the hand that fed her. Previously, she had her lawyers send a letter alleging that an “obviously inebriated” Andy had sent her a video stating “his intention to sleep with another Bravo star that night while thinking of her and invited her to watch via FaceTime.”
TELL US – DO YOU THINK THESE REAL HOUSEWIVES WERE RIGHT TO GO AGAINST BRAVO?
