Andy Cohen Says Real Housewives Casting Is ‘Work in Progress’

Bravo had a difficult month in January 2022 as the network came under fire for its casting of “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jennie Nguyen. The 44-year-old shared a series of controversial posts on Facebook regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, and Bravo announced on January 25 that they were cutting ties with Nguyen.

Cohen was asked about the casting process for the “Real Housewives” franchise at the Broadway opening of “Music Man” on Thursday, February 10, and he acknowledged that “Everything is a work in progress.” According to Page Six, he said the vetting process could do with some sprucing up.

The “Watch What Happens Live” host, who recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, also discussed the casting process and where Bravo draws the line with controversial stars with ET Online.

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Cohen Also Told ET That It’s a ‘Work in Progress’ & Every Case Is Different

During an exclusive interview with ET Online, Cohen was asked, “I think the big question is, ‘Where is the line?’ What do you say to that, when people question, ‘well why is she gone and others aren’t?'”

For example, fans have brought up “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah, who is a returning cast member despite having been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The star has maintained her innocence and will be facing a trial this spring.

Cohen replied to ET, saying, “Listen, I think that we’re in a time where, we’re producing a show that is about outspoken, sometimes politically incorrect people who are speaking their mind.” He added, “you know, we have to be sensitive to issues of racism and we have to look out for everybody who is not only watching, but who are also on the show.”

The Bravo boss concluded, “Every case is different, but we wanna do the right thing and it’s a work in progress.” A clip of it was shared on Twitter:

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Bravo Announced Nguyen’s Departure in a Statement After Many Fans Called for Her to Be Fired

On January 25, Bravo released a statement on Instagram that announced the network “ceased filming with Jennie Nguyen and she will no longer be a cast member on ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.’” It added:

We recognize we failed to take appropriate action once her offensive social media posts were brought to our attention. Moving forward, we will work to improve our processes to ensure we make better informed and more thoughtful casting decisions.

The statement came nearly a week after Nguyen addressed her offensive Facebook posts from 2020. “I want to acknowledge and apologize for my deleted Facebook posts from 2020 that resurfaced today,” Nguyen wrote on January 19.

She wrote that she learned since then how “offensive and hurtful” her language was and that’s why she deleted her posts and deactivated the account afterward. According to Page Six, Nguyen’s posts included memes and photos mocking the BLM movement and used captions like “BLM Thugs” and “Violent Gangs.”

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