{"id":495219,"date":"2026-06-12T01:13:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T01:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/495219\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T01:13:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T01:13:14","slug":"andy-cohen-on-bravo-summer-house-reunion-real-housewives-at-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/495219\/","title":{"rendered":"Andy Cohen on Bravo, ‘Summer House’ Reunion, Real Housewives at 20"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tAndy Cohen<\/a> hosts Bravo<\/a>\u2019s five-nights-a-week late-night talk show, \u201cWatch What Happens Live<\/a>,\u201d and a four-day-a-week show on Radio Andy, his SiriusXM channel. He\u2019s an executive producer of the \u201cReal Housewives\u201d franchise, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in March \u2014\u00a0an achievement that Bravo continues to tout, assembling 60ish Housewives<\/a> for \u201cThe Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th,\u201d premiering in August<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tCohen began his career<\/a> as an intern at CBS News, where he then worked for a decade as a producer. In 2004, he became a programming executive at Bravo, where he eventually began appearing as on-air talent, hosting \u201cThe Real Housewives\u201d reunions, which created a now much-copied format \u2014\u00a0and also changed Cohen\u2019s career. Ten years after joining the network, he transitioned from his executive role to focus on \u201cWWHL,\u201d as well as producing.<\/p>\n

\n\tOn June 5, Variety celebrated Cohen\u2019s many achievements, honoring him with the Creative Impact in Television Award at the Newport Beach Television Festival<\/a>, where I interviewed him in front of a raucous, vocal crowd of fans at the Lido Theater. Vicki Gunvalson \u2014\u00a0an original cast member of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Orange County,\u201d who is returning for Season 20<\/a> \u2014\u00a0presented Cohen with the award, as fellow \u201cOC\u201d cast members Emily Simpson, Gina Kirschenheiter, Jenn Pedranti and Tamra Judge cheered from the audience.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI don\u2019t have a typical day, which is one of the things I love about my life,\u201d Cohen said that night when asked about his many duties. \u201cBut I will say I was a producer at CBS News for 10 years, and I am an incredibly deadline-oriented person. So if someone gives me a deadline and says, \u2018You have to do this, write this, record this, whatever by this day,\u2019 then I will do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tOur conversation began with questions about \u201cSummer House,\u201d a top-of-mind subject for every Bravoholic in recent months, after castmates West Wilson and Amanda Batula confirmed<\/a> in a March 31 Instagram post that they\u2019re dating. Three weeks later, Cohen had the difficult task of grilling Wilson and Batula about what happened between them and when \u2014\u00a0as well as giving the floor to Wilson\u2019s ex-girlfriend, Ciara Miller, Batula\u2019s soon-to-be ex-husband, Kyle Cooke, and the rest of the \u201cSummer House\u201d cast, all of whom seemed crushed by the new couple\u2019s actions. I also asked Cohen about the rumor that Jennifer Lawrence had been the superfan who\u2019d helped expose the person who\u2019d leaked audio from the reunion<\/a>, who was caught and subsequently fired. Cohen told me that he\u2019d reveal who it was on the June 9 \u201cWWHL\u201d \u2014 and yes, it was indeed Lawrence<\/a>! (You can see in the video our back-and-forth in which I tried and failed to get Cohen to reveal whether it was, in fact, JLaw.)<\/p>\n

\n\tIn the lightly edited transcript of the conversation below, Cohen talked about the guests he still wants for \u201cWatch What Happens Live,\u201d the origins of the glorious \u201cReal Housewives of Rhode Island,\u201d whether there could ever be a trans Housewife, why he and Anderson Cooper will be drinking beer on CNN on July 3 \u2014\u00a0and much more.<\/p>\n

\t\tI just need to start with the \u201cSummer House\u201d reunion. You\u2019ve done a masterful job. What was that like to navigate?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI would say that the \u201cSummer House\u201d reunion was Top 10 most tense reunions that we\u2019ve had. This is a real group, and there was real emotional fallout among this group. This group is rocked and devastated, and it\u2019s very real, and it was very emotional. I left, and I was truly spent \u2014 and I wasn\u2019t in it. I was just directing the conversation.<\/p>\n

\t\tYou\u2019ve done Pulitzer Prize-worthy work moderating, I think. What were you most surprised by during the taping?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tNot the timeline \u2014 by the way, the timeline started to feel a little irrelevant; Ciara read all those texts. The story was the betrayal and the feelings, and how it affected the group. I guess that the headline was how visibly shaken a lot of them were: Jesse Solomon spent a good chunk of the last 25 minutes sitting there, kind of crying for real. He was very shaken. I guess it was the emotion that really stood out to me.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tAndy Cohen, recipient of Variety\u2019s Creative Impact in Television Award, and Vicki Gunvalson of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Orange County\u201d <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Getty Images for Newport Beach TV FEST<\/p>\n

\t\tI own a \u201cCarl\u2019s a Mess T-shirt,\u201d but maybe \u201cJesse\u2019s a Mess\u201d should be next. As most people here probably know, there were leaks from the reunion online. The leaker was caught and fired. But then a rumor started that Detective Jennifer Lawrence was the one who\u2019d ID\u2019d the perp.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI absolutely love this rumor. And by the way, I said, \u201cOh, we\u2019re going to reveal the fan.\u201d And then I forgot. So, watch Tuesday night\u2019s \u201cWatch What Happens Live.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\tWhy not here? We\u2019re in a small room.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tBecause I\u2019m doing it in my own space.<\/p>\n

\t\tWell, was it Detective Jennifer Lawrence?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI flew out here today. Isn\u2019t that enough, Kate? It was a Bravo superfan. I\u2019ll tell you that.<\/p>\n

Yes. I have two channels on Sirius.<\/p>\n

Take me through your typical day. When do you have time to watch a cut of \u201cThe Real Housewives\u201d and be a human being with two small kids?<\/p>\n

\n\tI don\u2019t have a typical day, which is one of the things I love about my life.\u00a0But I\u2019m up early with the kids. I\u2019m usually up around 6-ish and get them both ready for school. I get to take both of them to school, which is the highlight of my day.\u00a0And then I usually go to radio, and after radio, I either head down to \u201cWatch What Happens Live,\u201d or I head back home. I take my laptop with me, and I watch cuts.\u00a0If I get in the cab after the radio, I can catch 30 minutes of Season 20 of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Orange County\u201d\u00a0on the way downtown.\u00a0So I mean, it\u2019s, literally, in my dressing room before shows, I watch. There\u2019s no one time that I do anything.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut I will say I was a producer at CBS News for 10 years, and I am an incredibly deadline-oriented person. So if someone gives me a deadline and says, \u201cYou have to do this, write this, record this, whatever by this day,\u201d then I will do it.<\/p>\n

\t\tDo you ever get nervous before interviews anymore? Like, when there\u2019s something huge like the \u201cSummer House\u201d reunion and there\u2019s a ton of pressure \u2014 do you worry about it?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI don\u2019t get nervous\u200b \u2014\u00a0\u200bbefore\u00a0\u200b\u201dSummer House,\u201d\u00a0I felt the weight of it\u200b.\u00a0I was leaning in. I was hyped up. I was energized. I went in and talked to Ciara, and then I went and talked to West and Amanda. I get nervous for them\u200b\u00a0a little bit, because it\u2019s intense, as you can ask any of the Housewives who are here. It\u2019s intense being\u00a0\u200bi\u200bn\u00a0a reunion, just if you had a normal season, but this was so elevated and intense.<\/p>\n

\n\tI was very nervous when Oprah Winfrey was on \u201cWatch What Happens Live,\u201d because I respect her so much, and I was such a fan of hers. I didn\u2019t want to get it wrong.\u200b\u00a0Sometimes, if there\u2019s a first-time \u201cWatch What Happens Live\u201d guest, it\u2019s what energizes me. It\u2019s what makes my endorphins go. Bette Midler was on recently for the first time\u200b \u2014 that was really exciting for me. So stuff like that is what really turns me on\u200b.<\/p>\n

\t\tBeyond Oprah and Bette Midler, who have been some of your favorite guests over the years?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tJoan Rivers was a favorite early guest, and she was very kind to me in the early years. I mean, look, I always love it when the Housewives are on. Obviously, they\u2019re fun, but they are also so game. They\u2019re so good at being on TV, like, for real. And when I watch \u201cThe Traitors,\u201d I get so proud of the Bravo people on, because I\u2019m like, Bravo people are just so good on television. They just are.<\/p>\n

\n\tJLo is on on Monday. I just had David and Amy Sedaris on Thursday, last night, and it was so funny and great. Amy is one of my favorite guests. I love it when there is someone like a Jennifer Lawrence or Julia Roberts, who\u2019s a huge Bravo fan. John Mayer, obviously, love.<\/p>\n

\t\tDo you have any dream guests who still haven\u2019t been on the show?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThere are so many who haven\u2019t done it, that we\u2019re always kind of working on, but I\u2019m so grateful \u2014<\/p>\n

\t\tName \u2018em.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tName \u2018em! Gosh, I mean Madonna, Matt Damon. There are some big movie stars who\u2019ve never done the show \u2014 Nicole Kidman\u2019s never done it. We\u2019ve gotten close.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tJennifer Pedranti, Shannon Storms Beador, Tamra Judge, Andy Cohen, recipient of Variety\u2019s Creative Impact in Television Award, Vicki Gunvalson, Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Getty Images for Newport Beach TV FEST<\/p>\n

\t\t\u201cThe Odyssey\u201d is coming out \u2014 Matt Damon should come on. March marked 20 years since \u201cThe Real Housewives of Orange County\u201d premiered. As I\u2019ve often argued, especially when drinking, \u201cThe Real Housewives\u201d is an incredibly important ongoing documentary project investigating the lives of American women.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI agree. It\u2019s also a very feminist show. I will go to the mat saying that.<\/p>\n

\t\tI agree. Back in March 2006, what were your hopes for it?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWell, there was a moment in 2005 where I was hoping that the show would be killed. It\u2019s a famous story that we were shooting stuff, what we were getting back wasn\u2019t what we heard we were filming, and it was becoming challenging.<\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019m a big fan of soap operas, and what I hoped was that it would be like a soap opera. And one of the original things that I loved about the show was these were women who lived in a gated community. Their lives were very aspirational. They were, on the one hand, relatable. Vicki worked hard. She was a mom. She\u2019s an insurance agent. But on the other hand, she had a grotto in her backyard, and she and Lauri were in their bikinis during their lunch break. And the way that they all talked to their very beautiful kids was different than the way I was raised in St. Louis, certainly. And it was just a different lifestyle.<\/p>\n

\n\tIt was the glossy idea that this could be a soap opera that really attracted me. And in Season 2 \u2014 and I hate to say, because it was something not pleasant that happened \u2014 but between seasons, we found out that Jeana Keough and her late husband, Matt, were splitting up. I remember feeling so many emotions about it, and I remember thinking, \u201cOh, my God, this is a soap opera \u2014 I can\u2019t wait to see the women supporting Jeana. And will Jeana date? And what happened?\u201d All the questions that you would have if a friend went through a significant moment in their life.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd now, here we are 20 years later, and I could speak for the next half-hour about Season 20 of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Orange County,\u201d and how moved I am by it for so many reasons. And how engaged I am by it, and how proud I am of it, especially \u2014 how proud I am of the women who are here tonight, who are sharing incredible, intimate moments in their lives, each one super relatable, super important, I think.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd I think this is a season that really grounds this show and this franchise back to the early years, and why we began it. I\u2019m proud that Vicki is back, and I love these women.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Getty Images for Newport Beach TV FEST<\/p>\n

\t\tDo you remember when you realized this show, this franchise, has expanded way beyond what you could have ever imagined?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWell, first of all, Lauren Zalaznick changed the name. It was going to just be called \u201cThe Real Housewives,\u201d then she changed it to \u201cThe Real Housewives of Orange County\u201d in case we did it anywhere else. And I was like, \u201cWell, that\u2019s the stupidest thing I\u2019ve ever \u2014 like, we\u2019re not doing this show anywhere else.\u201d Here we are, 10 cities later.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut I think it was when we turned development for a show called \u201cManhattan Moms\u201d into \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York.\u201d When I tell you that my mind was so blown \u2014 I was like, \u201cWait a minute, we can do this in New York, and these women couldn\u2019t be more different!\u201d The New York women and the Orange County women were so different in the way they spoke and the way they lived. But they were women, and they were dealing with issues that weren\u2019t so far apart, and it just worked.<\/p>\n

\t\tYou mentioned Vicki, and here we are in beautiful Newport Beach. You invited Vicki to rejoin the cast on stage at BravoCon: I was in the audience. I got chills. BravoCon has turned into such a delightful biennial event, and you\u2019re very much at the center of it. What does BravoCon teach you about Bravo?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tSo much. It\u2019s a lesson about fandom. I think Bravo is maybe, what, the last great television brand going right now. I don\u2019t see 30,000 people schlepping on airplanes and saving their money to attend, you know, LifetimeCon or ABCCon. No disrespect! But I think it\u2019s a testament to the Bravo brand. I think it\u2019s a testament to the fandom. And I think, most importantly, it\u2019s a testament to the men and women who are on Bravo who really just give it all for their shows. BravoCon is an incredibly emotional weekend for me, and I think for all of us at Bravo, and I think everyone who\u2019s on Bravo.<\/p>\n

\t\tWhy do you think people feel so attached to Bravo?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWell, first of all, I think the shows are great. I think we really know what we\u2019re doing. I think that the shows are produced really well. But again, it always comes down to the people on the shows, to me and the stories that they tell and that we tell.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd these are real people. People always say, \u201cWhat are the Housewives like? Or what\u2019s this person like?\u201d And I say, \u201cThey\u2019re exactly as you think they are.\u201d Because they are. I think that\u2019s part of the magic. And I think that people feel like they know me \u2014 and they do know me. I share everything on the radio and on the show, and so do the women. So it\u2019s a very intimate relationship.<\/p>\n

\t\t\u201cThe Real Housewives of Rhode Island,\u201d which premiered in April, is the gift we deserve, I think, as we cling on for dear life in this news cycle. That cast is made of magic. Since it\u2019s the first new \u201cHousewives\u201d show since \u201cReal Housewives of Salt Lake City\u201d premiered in 2020, what was it that made you all say, OK, it\u2019s time for a new one?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tYou know, we are casting all the time. We have tentacles out in so many towns, and we say, \u201cNo, this isn\u2019t it. This isn\u2019t it. This isn\u2019t it.\u201d \u201cRhode Island\u201d came along\u00a0\u2014 Pamela Gimenez at Bravo, I got to give it up to her. I know some people from Rhode Island, and like, you do not fuck with these people. When Pamela said this, \u201cI want to cast there, and it\u2019s Italian American and this\u201d \u2014 I just got so excited immediately. It seemed like, \u201cOh, this is a total no-brainer.\u201d It had so many elements of what we\u2019re always looking for: a strong regional identity, a surprising location, someplace that\u2019s aspirational. I mean, Rhode Island in the summer, it\u2019s beautiful. And then we saw the casting, and it\u2019s like, they all know each other. It\u2019s perfect! It\u2019s lightning in a bottle.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Getty Images for Newport Beach TV FEST<\/p>\n

\t\tEvery episode is perfect. Do you worry with a show that\u2019s been this great in its first season, about filming a second season when they become self-aware?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI do. Yes. But the great thing is, and it\u2019s why Vicki, 20 years later, is still great on television \u2014\u00a0with everything that has happened to her in her life, and she actually is known around the world, as they all are, she still is very much herself. As they all are.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd so I do have very little doubt that these women will remain themselves. Will they zhuzh their faces? Will they start getting made up for scenes where Season 1 they didn\u2019t? Probably. Would I like them just to put a little blush on and hit the street? Yes. But I know these women. They\u2019re going to be fine in Season 2.<\/p>\n

\t\tWhen is Season 2 starting to film?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI think this summer.<\/p>\n

\t\tVicki and I were whooping it up backstage, and she had a question, which is, \u201cAndy, have you ever been to Orange County?\u201d\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI have. But the funny thing is, I\u2019m so bummed that I never got to go to Vicki\u2019s house that she sold. I always wanted to go there, I always wanted to go there, and I didn\u2019t get to go.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd so the truth of the matter is I have, but I haven\u2019t with the Housewives. And I haven\u2019t, really.<\/p>\n

\t\tVicki, you have your answer! As we\u2019ve seen in recent years, there are times when casts fight about things that happened off-camera that turn into gold, like Reality Von Tease on \u201cSalt Lake City.\u201d But then there are times when fights about things that happen off-camera can turn into a bit of a burden, as also happened on \u201cSalt Lake City\u201d with the plane fight.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tYes.<\/p>\n

\t\tIs there anything that can be done about that? And as a producer, are you like, \u201cOh, my God, please stop fighting about things that happen on the internet?\u201d\t<\/p>\n

\n\tYeah. The last season of \u201cOrange County\u201d was a good example. We got in the weeds about a lot of things that happened. Look, we used to never break the fourth wall. I remember a scene, I think in Season 2 or 3 of \u201cOrange County,\u201d where Gina, Lauri and maybe Vicki went to the convention center, and I think Lauri might\u2019ve been appearing at the convention center, and I was like, \u201cWait, why is she appearing?\u201d And they\u2019re like, \u201cBecause she\u2019s an Orange County Housewife.\u201d I was like, \u201cWe don\u2019t acknowledge that on the show.\u201d Quaint times. Obviously, we do now.<\/p>\n

\n\tSo I think that we really want to tell the story of what is going on in the women\u2019s lives and their kids and their marriages and their friendships, and not about what it\u2019s like to be on \u201cThe Real Housewives of Orange County.\u201d So I think we just try to redirect that better now.<\/p>\n

\t\tWhy didn\u2019t anyone take out their phone on the plane?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019m not surprised. Do you remember what happened the last time they took their phone out?<\/p>\n

\t\tWith Britani Bateman, yes.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tBritani took it out in the van, and she was eaten alive! Of course they didn\u2019t take it out. It didn\u2019t seem like there was one moment that was like, \u201cOh, my God, take out your phone.\u201d It sounded like from the reports that it was \u2014\u00a0anyway, the new season is great.<\/p>\n

\t\tThe soft reboot of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Atlanta\u201d is fantastic.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThank you! I like it that you call it a \u201csoft reboot.\u201d We were in growth mode and rebuilding mode for a few seasons. And I do feel like we got it back.<\/p>\n

\t\tWhat went into the planning of that?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tIt just really took a lot of time to find the right women. We were trying different things that worked, didn\u2019t work. Various things happened that were out of our control through the last few seasons. Look, last season, you had the addition of Angela Oakley, who I think is just an outstanding Atlanta Housewife. And you had Kelli, who was a great addition. Shamea, who we knew, who we had seen. We got Porsha back! It just clicked, but it was slow, and it was meticulous, and it was sometimes painful.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Getty Images for Newport Beach TV FEST<\/p>\n

\t\tWas the \u201csoft reboot\u201d a strategy that you learned after \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York City\u201d situation?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tNo, because \u201cNew York City\u201d was a real reboot. This was just, we needed to strengthen the cast, I mean, so it was a gradual reboot. Took a few seasons.<\/p>\n

\t\tSpeaking of which, how\u2019s the new \u201cRHONY\u201d season?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s outstanding. I\u2019m excited because I think people\u2019s expectations are low, which I\u2019m thrilled by, because we totally exceed everything. Look, everyone accuses me of overhyping things. So all I will say is I\u2019m very happy, and I can\u2019t wait for you to see it.<\/p>\n

\t\tAnd how\u2019s \u201cNew Jersey\u201d?\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNew Jersey,\u201d we just started filming, but it\u2019s going great.<\/p>\n

\t\tAnd Teresa and Melissa have actually made up.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThey actually have, and I do believe it. You know, this happened months ago, and we decided not to film anything because, frankly, we\u2019ve seen Melissa \u2014 and we\u2019ve seen Joe and Teresa \u2014 make up before. We were like, \u201cGreat, if you\u2019re going to do this, go do it!\u201d And they lived in it for many months. I remember talking to Gia at BravoCon, and she looked in my eye, and she was telling me things that they had been doing as a family, and she was emotional about having her uncle back and her cousins back. And I was like, \u201cOK, good. This is real.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\tShe should sing it!\t<\/p>\n

\n\tListen, the kids, as we know, as we know, the kids on the \u201cHousewives,\u201d they are the real truth-tellers.<\/p>\n

\t\tI have to ask you about the next season of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,\u201d the show people hate so much that it\u2019s Bravo\u2019s most-watched series.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThey hate it so much, it\u2019s the No. 1 \u201cHousewives.\u201d What can I say?<\/p>\n

\t\tAre you anticipating any cast changes? Because the rumors are rumoring.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat are the rumors?<\/p>\n

\t\tThere was something on one of the blogs that said Dorit\u2019s on pause. Does anyone know?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThe answer is that, like every season, we are casting. And I think that there will be some new additions.<\/p>\n

\t\tAmanda Frances? Is she coming back?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWe will see. Rihanna is petitioning hard for Amanda to stay. I was a fan of last season of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,\u201d what can I tell you?<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Getty Images for Newport Beach TV FEST<\/p>\n

\t\tGreat reunion episodes. The Bravoverse is a largely forgiving community. I want to ask you about what you think is forgivable within the world and what isn\u2019t. Starting with: Karen Huger was greeted with a standing ovation at BravoCon, right after she\u2019d been released from prison for her fourth DUI. What did you make of that?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI think that on Bravo, as in life, we like to see happy endings for things. We see people fall, we build them. You build people up, they fall. You root against them, you root for them. That standing ovation \u2014 I think it was very dramatic when she came out. She came out wearing white.<\/p>\n

\t\tA suffragette!\t<\/p>\n

\n\tYes. I mean, it was a real moment. So I think people also were just very caught up in the drama, and the camp of it as well. And for me, sitting down with Karen, look \u2014 look, I thought that that was the most real that Karen had been. We sat down for several hours in her home.<\/p>\n

\t\tYou did a great interview with her.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThank you. I appreciate it. And I think you\u2019ll see more next season of her owning her mistakes, and living in her sobriety. And she is a different person.<\/p>\n

\t\tWell! A little bit. Was it an easy decision to bring them back?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019ve always been a big Wendy fan.<\/p>\n

\t\tShe had her best season!\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI know it\u2019s so weird. She\u2019s always been, I think, a great role model on that show, interestingly enough. She\u2019s always led with her education. She\u2019s always led with being a great mom. I loved seeing she and Gizelle have an unlikely friendship over the last year and a half. And it was definitely a conversation, and we\u2019re filming now, and she\u2019s in the midst of a legal procedure that will figure out where she\u2019s going. And so yes, we made the decision to document that.<\/p>\n

\t\tNeNe Leakes has committed no crimes, and you\u2019ve talked about texting with her. We\u2019re going to see her on \u201cThe Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th,\u201d which premieres in August.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tYes, which is a true joy. I watched Episode 5 today on the plane, and it\u2019s a joy.<\/p>\n

\t\tIs there a road back for NeNe to Bravo beyond something like that special occasion?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019ll tell you what I keep saying, which is we\u2019ve worked so hard to get the Atlanta \u201cHousewives\u201d to a place that we feel so good about the cast. And I enjoy them kind of standing on their own right now. And so the answer is that we\u2019re really kind of that\u2019s where we are right now, and we\u2019re focused on those women. We have the reunion in about a month, and we\u2019ll see where we go after.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Getty Images for Newport Beach TV FEST<\/p>\n

\t\tI\u2019ve solicited some rapid-fire questions from fans of yours.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tGreat.<\/p>\n

\t\tThe first of which is in this vein. Michael from Los Angeles wants to know whether Jen Shah would ever be allowed back on \u201cThe Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.\u201d And I will add, please say no.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI wish her the best. I don\u2019t see her back on \u201cSalt Lake City.\u201d As we know, this is not solely my decision, but that\u2019s what I would say.<\/p>\n

\t\tSarah from New York City asks, \u201cThere\u2019s a bit of a code among Bravo creators known as \u2018respect the villains.\u2019 How do you consider the value of a Bravoleb eliciting big emotions from the audience versus someone who genuinely doesn\u2019t fit in with their cast?\u201d\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWell, that\u2019s a really good question. You just have to figure out \u2014\u00a0it\u2019s that thing that I\u2019ve talked about so much. Like, there are people who you love to hate. But do you love them, or do you just hate them? Do you love to hate them? And I think what winds up happening sometimes with people who are considered villains, sometimes they lean too much into it, and they wind up isolating themselves. They wind up getting lost in making a TV show, as opposed to the things we loved about them when they first joined the show. You know what I mean?<\/p>\n

\t\tI totally know what you mean. Marisa from Queens asks: \u201cCould there ever be a trans Housewife? And which franchise do you think would be the most likely to cast a trans Housewife on?\u201d\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI mean, I think if there was a trans Housewife who was friends with other Housewives, that would be the way. You wouldn\u2019t want it to be a stunt \u2014 and you wouldn\u2019t want it to be like, \u201cOh, let\u2019s cast into this.\u201d If someone were friends with that person, then that would be great. I have no idea what franchise that would be.<\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019ve talked about this, but in an early season of \u201cJersey,\u201d Caroline and Dina have a gay brother, and there was like a moment where we were flirting with the idea [of maybe casting him]. I mean, look, I think that in terms of casting a gay guy on the show, this is a show about women, and celebrating women so I think we leave it there.<\/p>\n

\t\t\u201cLadies of London\u201d does have a great gay man on the show \u2014\t<\/p>\n

\n\tYes, and that was about a group of friends. Mark-Francis, he was so good on that show.<\/p>\n

\t\tHe\u2019s great. Tasha from Santa Monica wonders: \u201cFrom your perspective, who was more in love at the reunion \u2014 West and Amanda or Rachel and Tom?\u201d\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThat\u2019s a good question. I mean, look, you use the word \u201clove\u201d \u2014 who was more into each other? I don\u2019t know. I mean, it seems like West and Amanda are trying to \u2026 figure this out?<\/p>\n

They just seem miserable, though!<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know what Rachel and Tom were doing at that point.<\/p>\n

\t\tJohn from Los Angeles wonders: \u201cWhat do you make of the \u2018Housewives\u2019 ripoffs, like E! doing the \u2018RHONY\u2019 one, and the Netflix MAGA show, \u2018Members Only: Palm Beach?\u2019\u201d\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI haven\u2019t seen the Netflix one. And I think, look, in terms of the \u201cRHONY\u201d women, I mean, those are women that I love. And I have known forever, and so I\u2019m just happy for them. I mean, that\u2019s my feeling about that. If this is what they want to do, I think it\u2019s great, and I\u2019m happy for them. I\u2019ll never root against them.<\/p>\n

\t\tGibson from Manhattan says: \u201cSome people think that every Housewife should get two seasons to find their footing and prove themselves. What goes into the decision not to give someone a second chance to figure it out?\u201d\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThat\u2019s a good question. And there are so many times where we go into a reunion, and I start thinking, \u201cOh, well, this person is a one and done.\u201d And then we do the reunion, and I\u2019m like, \u201cYou know what? Wow! They really \u2014\u201d A lot of times I\u2019m won over by the end of the very long day. Because it\u2019s so hard being on the show, too. It\u2019s so hard, especially as a newbie.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut I think it\u2019s about how did they connect with the women? How did they connect with the audience? I mean, those are the two biggest factors.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd: Where do we go from here? What will it be next year if that person comes back?<\/p>\n

\t\tSomeone was yelling, \u201cAmanda.\u201d What\u2019s happening with \u201cMiami,\u201d which is currently on pause<\/a>?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI hope it comes back soon. I mean, if it was up to me \u2014 by the way, don\u2019t hang your shit on me. It wasn\u2019t my decision, OK? Call Frances Berwick on that one. I hope it comes back soon!<\/p>\n

\t\tWhat\u2019s the most revealing thing you\u2019ve ever said about yourself on air? And was it when you recently admitted to liking cuck porn on \u201cWatch What Happens Live\u201d?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThat was liberating! I loved that! I went in the control room after. I mean, listen, we\u2019re there every night, you guys. I got to keep my camera guys entertained! I got to keep my control room entertained! I mean, the elevator ride out of the show every night is so fun, because it\u2019s me and the camera guys and some of the producers. And so if they all get in smiling or laughing, I\u2019m like, \u201cOK. It\u2019s great.\u201d Yeah, that was Top 5.<\/p>\n

\t\tI\u2019m excited to see your and Anderson Cooper\u2019s CNN Independence Eve Live on July 3.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019m so excited about it. I\u2019m really excited about this.<\/p>\n

\t\tHow drunk do you think you\u2019ll get?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWell, we\u2019re going to be drinking beer, America\u2019s beverage. And I\u2019m not sure if the Vanderbilt boy has ever had a beer! So I\u2019m really excited to see that. And there is\u00a0\u2014 if you don\u2019t know \u2014 there\u2019s a ball drop in Times Square on July 3, counting down to the 250th anniversary of the country.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd I\u2019m so excited. We\u2019re celebrating the best of America, this country that we all love so much, and it\u2019s going to be really celebratory of the best of America. And I can\u2019t wait. I was thrilled that they asked me, and I said yes immediately. A summer ball drop with Anderson celebrating America? That\u2019s fun!<\/p>\n

\n\tThis interview has been edited and condensed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Andy Cohen hosts Bravo\u2019s five-nights-a-week late-night talk show, \u201cWatch What Happens Live,\u201d and a four-day-a-week show on Radio…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":495220,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[2002,15171,93,61,60,212394,212395,282,86080],"class_list":["post-495219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-andy-cohen","tag-bravo","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-newport-beach-television-festival","tag-newport-beach-tv-fest-recap","tag-tv","tag-watch-what-happens-live"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495219"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495219\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}