'Real Housewives' Star Sues Andy Cohen For Discrimination, Alleges Rampant Cocaine Use
“Real Housewives of New York” alum Leah McSweeney is suing the show’s producer, Andy Cohen.
Tuesday’s filing in the Southern District of New York accuses him and Bravo, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, production company Shed Media and producers John Paparazzo, Darren Ward and Lisa Shannon of curating a “rotted” workplace culture.
McSweeney appeared in three seasons of the franchise, including its “New York” iteration and “Ultimate Girls Trip” series, and claimed in court papers obtained by People and Page Six that the defendants failed to accommodate her “alcohol use disorder” on set.
A representative for Cohen has since told Deadline the claims “are completely false.”
The suit claims McSweeney disclosed having broken nine years of sobriety before beginning to film Season 12 in 2019 while sober, but that the defendants “intentionally” orchestrated scenes “intended to exacerbate” her ailment to “create morbidly salacious” footage.
The fashion designer alleged executives were aware of her alcoholism and breached her rights under state employment law by failing to provide access to proper care. McSweeney claims producers “pressured” her to drink and that Cohen was a frequent cocaine user.
“Your 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,” McSweeney added Tuesday on Instagram.
“Some of the stories and incidents that are detailed in the lawsuit have been shown in edited form on TV or reported in media, but many have not,” she continued. “And there will be much more that comes out once the people involved are questioned under oath.”
Reps for NBCUniversal did not