Leah McSweeney slammed “diabolical” Andy Cohen and Bravo mere hours after Page Six broke the news that she filed a bombshell lawsuit against them.
“There’s something wonderful about the concept of reality TV — that millions of people you’ve never met can laugh with you, cry with you, empathize with and root for you,” she wrote on Instagram late Tuesday. “But the reckless and diabolical way in which people at the top drool over the mishaps and misfortunes of the women including myself are disturbing.”
The former “Real Housewives of New York City” star, 41, claimed in her federal court lawsuit that the network preyed on her alcoholism while filming and further alleged that the King of Bravo snorts cocaine with a coterie of his favorite “Housewives” and doles out special professional favors to them.
“The claims against Andy are completely false,” a rep for Cohen told Page Six in response to the lawsuit.
McSweeney, however, doubled down on her claims in her Instagram statement, writing that fans’ favorite Bravo shows are “run by people who create a dangerous work environment, encourage substance abuse to artificially create drama and cynically prey on the vulnerabilities of their employees.”
She added, “It’s a workplace culture where toxicity, alcoholism and pain are not only expected but encouraged and facilitated.”
The Married to the Mob designer admitted she included “personal” anecdotes in her lawsuit that she once feared sharing but now feels “strong enough” to withstand what happens next.
Can’t get enough ‘Real Housewives?’
McSweeney’s lawsuit is just the latest in a series of legal woes facing Cohen, 55, and Bravo. A few weeks ago, “Real Housewives of New Jersey” alum Caroline Manzo sued the group over similar allegations, claiming in her lawsuit that the women were plied “with alcohol” as production failed to stop her from being sexually harassed by co-star Brandi Glanville.
Glanville, 52, called Manzo’s claims “absurd” but then fired off a legal letter to Cohen herself that accused him of sexual harassment.
Cohen apologized for his “inappropriate” comment but insisted it was meant “in jest.” Glanville’s attorneys, however, felt differently.
“Any boss who is clearly inebriated and encourages their employee by FaceTime video, and invites the employee to watch their boss to have sex with another employee, constitutes sexual harassment, plain and simple, under any definition of sexual harassment even one concocted by NBC,” Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos told us in a statement.
“Why is Andy Cohen getting a pass? Any other supervisor at Comcast/NBC who engaged in this behavior would be fired immediately on the spot.”
Source: NewsFinale
