Reality Reckoning Rumble: What to Know About Andy Cohen and Bethenny Frankel’s Feud

There’s no denying that Andy Cohen launched a multitude of careers through his Bravo juggernaut, The Real Housewives franchise. If it weren’t for the Real Housewives, the masses wouldn’t know the names Teresa Giudice, Heather Gay, or Linnethia “NeNe” Leakes. Facts are facts.

Bethenny Frankel is another person whose name didn’t carry the same weight before she joined the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City.

During her time on RHONY, Bethenny gained a net worth of $70 Million, a lucrative Skinny alcoholic beverage line, a talk show, and now, a podcast. A large part of Bethenny’s success has been credited to Andy, who hired Bethenny to be one of RHONY’s OG cast members in 2008. However, the two have been on the outs for quite some time, which Andy addressed in June 2024.

So, what happened between Andy and Bethenny? Here’s the scoop on their feud.

While some employees like to steer clear from their bosses outside of work hours, the same isn’t the case in reality TV or any other entertainment genre. Andy and Bethenny, for instance, became fast friends while she was on the show. However, their drama began when Andy expressed disappointment in Bethenny’s post-RHONY venture.

After officially leaving the series in 2019, Bethenny shared some not-so-nice things about Andy and Housewives in interviews and on social media. Fans of both parties felt Bethenny’s comments strained their relationship, which Andy confirmed to be true in 2022.

When Bethenny appeared on an episode of Watch What Happens Live alongside Jeff Lewis, Andy confronted her about her comments and her decision to launch a Housewives rewatch podcast, ReWives. He said he felt Bethenny’s actions were “kind of hypocritical” for “embracing the Housewives” now after seemingly not doing so, causing Bethenny to push back.

“I actually haven't been trashing the show - I said it wasn't for me because I do think it was toxic, and I'm entitled to not want to be there but still want to talk about it ... how could I be on for more than a decade and not have reflections to share? I'm not trashing people on the show.”

Andy and Bethenny’s WWHL blowup began the former friends’ ongoing drama. In July 2023, the Bethenny Ever After star took to her Instagram account to discuss alleged money Andy and Bravo owe her from her time on RHONY.

During the SAG-AFTRA writers and actors strike in Summer 2023, Bethenny stated she and her fellow reality stars were also “getting screwed” out of royalties she felt she had acquired. She then spearheaded a “reality reckoning” that would result in the unionization of reality TV. Some of Bethenny’s demands included “residual-esque payments for networks playing hit reality shows over and over, a minimum salary of $5,000 per episode, and that stars get a 10 percent raise every season,” per Mashable.

Bethenny was firm in her stance against the reality reckoning for several months. In December 2023, when asked how the reckoning would affect her and Andy’s relationship, she said, “He didn’t make me a star; he made himself a star on the backs of all of these women.”

Over time, she became less vocal about the reckoning, something fans have criticized. Andy, however, has shared his take on his former friend’s actions, telling Vulture in June 2024 that he felt the reckoning was a “sustained attack” against him.

While Andy and Bethenny may never have the same relationship as they did during The Real Housewives glory days, they both seem ready to keep one another’s names at least out of their mouths.

In his Vulture interview, Andy didn’t name Bethenny directly but said the “noise” surrounding Bethenny’s claims was “definitely sad about.” Nonetheless, the Bravo star has enough on his plate with ongoing lawsuits involving other former Housewives stars, Brandi Glanville, Leah McSweeney, and Caroline Manzo.

Bethenny also expressed her willingness to move on. When asked to speak on her and Andy’s feud to Vulture, she declined, with her publicist reportedly telling the outlet, “This story is so ol, lol.”

I guess this feud doesn’t need a reunion to end, or at least “pause.”