Andy Cohen has responded to former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Brandi Glanville‘s claim that he sexually harassed her.
On Friday, Glanville’s lawyers sent out a scathing letter, blasting NBCUniversal, Bravo, Warner Bros., and Shed Media for allegedly “abusive practices” and for his or her handling of events that took place through the filming of “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.”
Within the letter, Glanville accused Cohen of sexual harassment when he made a comment in 2022 about wanting to sleep with a Bravo star while “pondering” about her. Now Cohen says this comment was a “joke” but “inappropriate.”
Andy Cohen Responds To Brandi Glanville’s Sexual Harassment Claim
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Cohen swiftly addressed the accusations leveled against him by former “RHOBH” star Glanville.
Cohen wrote that within the video, he and Kate Chastain, one other Bravo star, were “clearly joking” with Glanville and that her response showed that she was allegedly in on the joke. Nonetheless, Cohen noted that the “joke” was still inappropriate, likely considering that he was her boss on the time.
The video shows Kate Chastain and I very clearly joking to Brandi. It was absolutely meant in jest, and Brandi’s response clearly communicated she was in on the joke. That said, it was totally inappropriate and I apologize.
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) February 23, 2024
“The video shows Kate Chastain and I very clearly joking to Brandi. It was absolutely meant in jest, and Brandi’s response clearly communicated she was in on the joke. That said, it was totally inappropriate and I apologize,” Cohen wrote on X.
A source near the matter also spoke to People magazine, noting that what Cohen said within the video was a joke. They said, “Nobody of their right mind would think that anything Andy was saying in that video was meant to be taken seriously. It was very clear that everybody was in on the joke.”
Brandi Glanville Said Andy Cohen Made Her Feel ‘Trapped’ And ‘Disgusted’
Within the letter sent out by Glanville’s lawyers, Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos, they noted Cohen’s joke made the fact TV star feel “trapped” and “disgusted” attributable to his position as her boss, who had complete control “over her profession.”
The letter read, “Worse still, Ms. Glanville herself has been a victim of sexual harassment at Bravo by none aside from Andy Cohen. In a video sent by Mr. Cohen to Ms. Glanville in 2022, Mr. Cohen—appearing obviously inebriated—boasted of his intention to sleep with one other Bravo star that night while pondering of her and invited her to look at via Facetime.”
It continued, “Mr. Cohen was Ms. Glanville’s boss on the time and exercised complete and total control over her profession. This was a rare abuse of power that left Ms. Glanville feeling trapped and disgusted. It’s inconceivable that Mr. Cohen stays in his post despite this behavior and harkens back to the bad old days of Matt Lauer and NBC News when profits were prioritized over people.”
Brandi Glanville Speaks On Caroline Manzo’s Sexual Assault Allegations
Glanville’s letter comes after she was accused of sexual assault by her former co-star, Caroline Manzo, who claimed that she forcefully kissed her during their time filming “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.”
Within the letter, she noted that Manzo’s accusations and NBCUniversal’s handling of the matter have led to her fame being “damaged.” Glanville also shared that what happened between her and Manzo was consensual, emphasizing that through the “Ultimate Girls Trip,” they were told they were there to “make good TV.” She said that she took this as a directive to take part in “boozy debauchery.”
Glanville claimed that she and all the opposite housewives, including Manzo, participated in these activities, which led to “flirting” and “playful touching.” She and Manzo also shared a “couple of kisses” “throughout” that night.
In her explosive letter, Glanville claims that she and Manzo were never alone on the evening the alleged assault occurred and that “Ms. Manzo didn’t manifest a scarcity of consent at any point.”
She Called Out NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. & Bravo
Glanville’s letter was mainly a notice to NBCUniversal, Warner Bros., Bravo, and Shed Media that she was ready for a court battle over the alleged mistreatment she had received from the studio and its producers.
The letter read partially: “Over the past yr, Ms. Glanville has been subjected to a vicious media campaign based on false allegations of sexual misconduct. The false narrative, which NBC and Shed Media have apparently decided to foment, arises from Ms. Glanville’s experience on ‘Ultimate Girls Trip: Morocco.”
“While the experience has been a nightmare for Ms. Glanville, it is way from the primary time Ms. Glanville has been used and abused by NBC, Bravo, Warner Bros., and Shed Media. Indeed, Ms. Glanville has long been taken advantage of by the institutions with which she is indelibly tied personally, professionally, financially, and in the general public mind,” it continued.
Her lawyer Freedman also slammed the studios, saying: “That is yet one more example of the abusive practices of the fact TV industry. Mark Geragos and I actually have heard from hundreds of current and former forged members on reality shows in regards to the physical and emotional harm inflicted on them by virtue of their participation. NBC, Bravo, Warner Bros., and Shed Media intentionally obscure their legal rights, bind them to illegal contracts, and knowingly cause them to suffer in silence.”
Freedman then sent out a call to other “innocent victims” of NBC, Shed Media, Bravo, and Warner Bros to return forward and tell their stories so that they can band together and “fight for change” within the “sordid” reality TV industry.
