Bethenny Frankel Opens Up About Past Friendship With Andy Cohen

Getty Andy Cohen and Bethenny Frankel

Bethenny Frankel peeled back the curtain on her relationship with Andy Cohen following several months of the “Real Housewives of New York City” alum criticizing Bravo.

In an interview with fellow Bravo alum NeNe Leakes on her podcast “Just B,” Frankel said the relationship between the Housewives and Cohen is “tricky” because of his role in the network. “There’s a psychology that goes on with this group and this show,” she shared. “He used to be an executive and he’s a producer so there’s this power play.”

“He’s at the top and he is moving everybody around on the board,” she continued. “There’s always questions, ‘Who texts you the most? Who do you text the most?’ And the thing is, we’re all in the game.” Frankel recalled one year when she wasn’t on the Housewives and she was invited to a Christmas party at Cohen’s house, where she said she was surrounded by famous people and “felt special.”

“And then, you know, I’m sitting next to him at this reunion and now I feel special,” she added. “And it reminds me of you with your parents … we all want his approval, we all want to be the favorite. We want to be able to say, ‘I’ve been on that show the most.’ It’s like a calling card.”

Frankel said she thought she and Cohen were friends over the past several years because they’ve texted, but in reality, she hadn’t been to his house except for the holiday party 10 years prior. “Every time we’re together, we’re only talking about the Housewives. Am I coming on, am I going off? Is that person getting fired, is that person coming on? We’re not really — you know what your real friends are like,” she added.

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Bethenny Frankel Accused Andy Cohen of Asking WWHL Guests ‘Problematic’ Questions

Frankel said she realized before speaking out that she and Cohen weren’t really friends and “kind of really don’t like each other” but were playing the game. “When things are happening for me, he’s not really congratulating me,” she added. “And I feel like he has this sort of resentment because I’m supposed to be beneath him because we sort of came up at the same time… And one day I just decided not to be afraid and open my f****** mouth because the only person I was protecting in that whole realm was him, and he hasn’t been protecting me.”

Frankel also spoke about “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen” specifically and the “problematic” questions that Bravo stars are asked. She said the show’s guests are “always f****** skinned alive” while Cohen is protected and it “all just seems so gross.” Frankel added, “And we all play the god d*** f****** game, because we’re using him like he’s using us because we want to promote our s***.”

Despite her major criticism of Cohen, Frankel said she felt bad at how he was likely taking her recent calls for a reality TV reckoning. She said she felt bad that Cohen was likely thinking she “f***** him over” but that none of her actions were about him.

Andy Cohen Hinted at Some of Bethenny Frankel’s Bravo Criticisms During His Radio Show

While Cohen hasn’t really addressed any of Frankel’s claims that Bravo was a “toxic” environment, he did seem to throw shade at the RHONY alum on his radio show.

According to a clip circulating on social media of Cohen’s SiriusXM show “Andy Cohen Live,” the WWHL host said in September 2023, “You are as hypocritical as a former Housewife that’s been making a lot of noise about Bravo lately.”

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