It’s been a dizzying 12 months of off- and on-screen drama for followers of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise. Jen Shah shocked Salt Lake City castmates and followers by pleading guilty in July to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, leaving her future with the sequence doubtful. On Beverly Hills, an epic, off-screen freakout at a nightclub in Aspen (“I feel like I have seen the devil and her name is Kathy Hilton,” mentioned witness Lisa Rinna) solid lasting fissures between Hilton and her youthful sister, Kyle Richards. And solely this week, one of many stars of the upcoming New York reboot dropped out after being targeted with anti-Jewish hate on social media. (This after studies of racism among the many authentic RHONY forged led Bravo to launch an inner investigation and cancel the season 13 reunion.)
Here to make assist make sense of all of it is Andy Cohen, the 54-year-old grandmaster of all issues Housewives. Cohen — who has partnered with Amazon to advertise Alexa via the vacation season (“I walk in my apartment and I’m like, ‘Alexa — let’s get lit!” he says) — sat down over Zoom with The Hollywood Reporter to supply updates on these tales, and fill us in on his personal vacation plans, together with getting drunk on CNN on New Year’s Eve alongside his previous pal, Anderson Cooper.
Hi, Andy. Lizzy Savetsky, a brand new forged member on the rebooted Real Housewives of New York City, quit the present over antisemitic harassment. Can you inform us something extra about what occurred there? Was all of it amicable?
Yes, it was all mutual and I can’t actually inform you extra. I believe her assertion speaks for itself. I’ll say that I posted about antisemitism on Twitter final month, and the responses had been fairly alarming. I believe it’s a scary time proper now. I’m a Jewish man myself, clearly. And antisemitism is one thing that’s actually problematic proper now and upsetting. I believe social media notably is a harmful place. As a Jewish man, it’s actually upsetting.
Is Lizzy going to get replaced or are you simply transferring on with out her?
We’re persevering with manufacturing. There are six housewives at present. We began with seven. But we’re transferring ahead with the season.
And why are you utterly rebooting New York? What occurred that you simply wanted to utterly revamp that franchise versus any of the opposite franchises?
I believe that we now have been telling the story of the identical group of ladies for a while — girls who individuals love, and I like, and care about.
And we are going to proceed telling their tales in RHONY Legacy. It simply appeared like there have been 1,000,000 different tales that we may inform in New York City, which is the best metropolis, in my thoughts, within the nation. This goes to be a completely new, contemporary sequence that represents a special model of New York City.
I couldn’t be extra excited as a result of old-school RHONY followers are nonetheless going to get the RHONY that they love. And we’ve bought an entire new group of ladies to introduce individuals to. I simply suppose it’s going to be energetic. It’s one of the best of all potential worlds.
In phrases of Jen Shah, is she formally off of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City?
She’s being sentenced on Dec. 15. So I believe we now have to attend. I believe that’s as much as a decide. She’s pled responsible and she or he’s ready to be sentenced. She’s dealing with as much as 14 or 15 years. So I believe it’s depending on what her sentence is.
Interesting. But let’s say she needed to do, I don’t know, six months — would she keep on the present?
I’d reasonably see what occurs with the sentencing than go into hypotheticals about what may occur. I believe that your questions shall be answered on Dec. 15.
OK and concerning Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Hilton sisters, Kyle Richards and Kathy Hilton, have they reconciled in any respect? Is it going to be a Merry Christmas on the Hiltons?
I hope so. I don’t know. I texted with Kyle about one thing else the opposite day. But I haven’t gotten the complete replace.
There’s this story circulating that the brand new CNN chief, Chris Licht, desires extra sobriety on CNN’s New Year’s Eve. And that you simply kind of pushed again on that on Watch What Happens Live and mentioned you had been going to “party harder” than ever. Were you kidding, or are you severe?
I’m not [kidding]. What [Chris Licht] mentioned was that he didn’t need the correspondents on the market ingesting, however that he wished Anderson [Cooper] and I to do our factor. So I’m completely satisfied to do our factor. My solely directive for years on CNN has been to have enjoyable on New Year’s Eve, and that’s completely what I plan to do.
You’ve mentioned previously that the one factor you remorse from final 12 months was kind of dissing Ryan Seacrest. Have you ever apologized to him instantly about it or something?
I did. I believe I despatched him a textual content after, and I believe, pay attention, it was so silly. It was, as every little thing is, blown out of proportion and it was clickbait. It was an offhanded remark about nothing that basically needed to do with him. It was about Journey. I used to be actually going after the present iteration of Journey. Because I’m a giant Steve Perry fan. Right. And then I wound up sort of in inadvertently, you realize, throwing the ABC broadcast below the bus. But it was actually about Journey. It was not a giant deal and it was clickbait in its purest sense.
And then, as I recall, you had some outgoing words for the exiting New York City mayor.
Oh? I don’t keep in mind that. (Laughs.)
How is the brand new mayor faring as compared? Any complaints?
I knew that was going to be your query. It’s solely a 12 months in. It’s too quickly to inform. I’d say there’s lots of work to be executed in New York City.
Well, L.A. has a brand new mayor now, so hopefully some work will get executed over right here, as properly.
Yeah.
I’m a giant fan of Selling Sunset and Christine Quinn particularly. Would you ever need to poach her over to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?
You know, I by no means thought of it. I imply, she’s on her personal present, isn’t she?
Yeah. But you realize, it’s kind of a competitor to you. You would suppose you’ll need one of the best expertise.
I believe the Housewives sort of stands by itself. I don’t know. I by no means thought of it, truthfully. I imply, she’s on one other present. I assume if she left that present and she or he was good mates with a few of the girls and a bit of time had handed… I don’t know.
It’s extra natural, is what you’re saying — that you simply really do need actual mates on Housewives.
We just like the vibe to be a bit of extra natural, yeah.
You’re a dad occasions two now. What are you guys doing for Thanksgiving?
I’m entertaining in New York. I’m internet hosting my whole household. They are saving me lots of time and hassle by coming to New York for the primary time. It’s my first time in New York for Thanksgiving. I all the time go to St. Louis, however I’ve two little youngsters. So they’re serving to me out an ideal deal by permitting me to not need to journey with them.
I assume Anderson Cooper and you’re sharing parenting suggestions and having fun with changing into fathers collectively?
Yes. Totally. I adore it. It’s nice. It’s so enjoyable doing this with Anderson. He and I’ve been via a lot in our lives collectively as mates. And with the ability to be fathers collectively when our children are roughly the identical age is so cool. Last night time, I bought house and I used to be on the cellphone with him, really, planning New Year’s Eve. And I walked into my condo and his son Wyatt was standing there. And I’m like, “Wyatt! What are you doing here?” I’m like, “Here’s your daddy,” and handed him the cellphone. It was so humorous. He had come over for a bit of play date within the afternoon. It was superior.
It’s actually inspiring to see. It’s an ideal instance you’re giving homosexual males — and everybody — however particularly homosexual males.
Thanks.
Finally, any surprises you possibly can tease about New Year’s Eve?
Just that we’re going to have a ball. You know, there may be one shock: An excellent good friend of mine known as me final night time and mentioned, “I want to be a part of New Year’s Eve.” It was a stunning name to get. It’s somebody that folks care about and love very a lot. And so I want to attend to formulate what we’re going to do. But I’m actually excited. It’s just like the night time that I look ahead to all 12 months. I get to hang around with my nice good friend. We get to entertain people who find themselves house, who’re able to have enjoyable and do pictures with us. And I simply completely adore it.
Do you exit partying after the taping?
Sometimes. Sometimes.
Interview edited for size and readability.
