Carole Radziwill of " The Real Housewives of New York City" attends the Premiere of Bravo's "Below Deck Mediterranean" on April27, 2016 at IAC in New York City, New York, USA.photo by Robin Platzer/Twin Images/Photoshot

Carole Radziwill Slams Bravo For Exploiting Casts' Emotional Issues

Home / News / Carole Radziwill Slams Bravo For Exploiting Casts' Emotional Issues

By Favour Adegoke on November 18, 2021 at 5:40 AM PST

Carole Ann Radziwill is an author, journalist, and a former cast of 'The Real Housewives of New York City." Radziwill joined the reality show in 2012 for its 5th season, and it resonated with the viewers. The fascination stemmed mainly from her marriage to Anthony Radziwill, Jackie Kennedy's nephew.

While on the show, the 58-year-old was one of the most outspoken and rational housewives. She was often the voice of reason among the women and didn't hold back on her opinions. Radziwill remained on the show till season 10, when she had a falling out with Bethenny Frankel.

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A photo showing Carole Radziwill pouting.
Instagram | Carole Radziwill
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In more recent news, the former RHONY cast called Andy Cohen out in a tweet for saying that he changed her life. She also called out Bravo for making a show that focuses on women misbehaving and exploiting sensitive issues of the cast for its benefit.

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Radziwill Refused To Comment On Her Co-Stars Documentaries

After Radziwill left the RHONY, the reality television star was asked to comment on "The Housewife and The Hustler," a Hulu documentary on Erika Jayne and Thomas Girardi's former crimes.

She was also charged for her commentary on an anticipated special about Jen Shah. Radziwill reported that she refused both offers and shaded Bravo for focusing on misbehaving women.

The author had a lot to say when she appeared on the Behind the Velvet Rope With David Yontef podcast. She said, "They contacted me, and they're like, 'We have some mutual colleagues.' So I emailed back. I said, 'I don't know anything about Erika and her husband. I don't know about the case… I have nothing to add to that,'"

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Radziwill revealed that the documentary about Shah would be about her ongoing FBI investigation. The "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star was arrested for fraud and money laundering early this year. "These are serious, serious charges and serious allegations about [criminal activity] where there's victims, old people… I don't want anything to do with it. And I told them, 'No,'" Radziwill said.

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Radziwill Said That Bravo Is Exploitative

Still, the former RHONY cast had a lot to say about the show's narrative on the podcast. She said that the show showed women in a sexist, misogynistic, and negative light for their benefit. Radziwill continued saying, "Their programming is steeped in that misogynistic, sexist narrative about women behaving badly and shame and bullying… And you could see that they were rewarding the people who were really, I think, beyond the pale in their behavior."

She then spoke about Luann de Lesseps and how she got arrested for putting her hands on a law enforcement officer and her drunken behavior. She also opened up about how the production affected how the cast acted on camera. According to her, Bravo exploited the issues on set, no matter how gory it was.

"They're really good at exploiting emotional issues, mental illness, alcoholism, all that, you know, addictions for entertainment value because it does, when they grind it through the Bravo machine, it comes out kind of funny."

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Radziwill On RHONY's Decline In Ratings

The 13th season of RHONY had ratings way lower than other seasons. The newest cast, Eboni K. Williams, took the brunt of the blame for making the show "too political." Most viewers saw the show as a form of escapism, and the too real subject wasn't welcomed.

The show's newbie went on Insider to refute these claims. "From my experience in television, any expectation to carry ratings around a program will go to the veteran talent," she told the magazine. "So I think it's nonsense to correlate the ratings performance of a 13-year series to a freshman talent. I just don't buy it."

Radziwill also said some things about the issue during her podcast sit-down with Yonteef. "I think they're getting away from their core competencies. And that's why I think you're seeing the ratings decline," the reality television star explained.

"It's hemorrhaging. And it's really hard to build that backup, but I guess that's why they canceled it, and maybe they'll have to reboot it in some other way."

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Radziwill Exchanged Words With Andy Cohen

In Dave Quinn's book "Not All Diamonds And Rosé,"Andy Cohen was quoted saying that he changed Radziwill's life. The quote in question was, "It really rubbed me the wrong way because I really felt like I had changed her life over, what, six years?" Here, Cohen referred to her previous Instagram story that labeled the show as toxic.

When the news got to Radziwill, she went off on Cohen via Twitter. "Just another man telling a woman she ought to be more grateful," the 58-year-old tweeted on Wednesday.

Carole Radziwill sighting, 043018
MEGA

"Housewives changed Andy Cohen's life, not mine. And Bravo built a 100 million dollar franchise on the backs of women. Let's not get it twisted."

On "Andy Cohen Live," the host addressed the tweet and said that even if the show hadn't affected Radziwill's life, it had changed the lives of almost all the housewives. He agreed that the show impacted his life just as much because he wouldn't be as successful as he currently is without it.

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