<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="3318" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Rihanna">Rihanna</keyword> is showing support for "<keyword id="3936485" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Real-Housewives-of-New-York">Real Housewives of New York</keyword>" castmember <keyword id="11750551" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="leah-mcsweeney">Leah McSweeney</keyword>.</li><li>The singer posted on Instagram, a selfie in McSweeney's "Married to the Mob" shirt, on Wednesday.</li><li>McSweeney mentioned Rihanna as her "demographic" on Tuesday's episode of Real Housewives of New York.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/s?q=rihanna">Rihanna</a> is a multi-hyphenated, booked-and-busy public figure - but that doesn't stop her from making time to support a fellow fashion designer.</p><p>The "Savage x Fenty" founder posted a selfie on Instagram showing herself wearing a <a href="https://mttmnyc.com/">Married to the Mob</a> T-shirt, a sign of support for "Real Housewives of New York" ("RHONY") star Leah McSweeney. Rihanna was name-checked on Tuesday's episode when an argument broke out between castmembers <keyword id="2909735" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ramona-Singer">Ramona Singer</keyword> and McSweeney. </p><p>"Let me promote Leah Mob or Mob something," Singer said to McSweeney.</p><p>"You aren't exactly my demographic, so it's all good," McSweeney replied. "I already have Rihanna wearing my s---, you think I need you wearing my s---?"</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style="margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR5c-TvIR3f" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></p></div></blockquote><p>Rihanna not only <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR5c-TvIR3f/">posted a picture</a> of herself in one of McSweeney's shirts, but also a clip of the scene with the caption "What was said [Ramona Singer]?" and a cry-laughing emoji.</p><p> In <a href="https://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-york-city/leah-mcsweeney-connection-to-rihanna">an interview last year</a>, McSweeney told <keyword id="286421" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bravo">Bravo</keyword> about the first time she met Rihanna.</p><p>"One of my most memorable New York City nights had to have been when I went to a Met Gala afterparty," McSweeney said. "I got introduced to Rihanna and she thought she knew me already - and she gave me a huge hug and was like, 'I know you!' and I was like, 'Actually, you don't know me. But, you wear my clothing line. You wear my brand, and thank you for that.'"</p><p>"The Real Housewives of New York" airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.</p>

Rihanna weighs in on 'Real Housewives of New York' drama with a pointed Instagram selfie

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Leah McSweeney, a former 'Real Housewives' star, is suing Bravo, Andy Cohen, and others.</li><li>The ex-star of the New York series has an alcohol-use disorder and has been open about her sobriety.</li></ul><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leah-mcsweeney-of-bravo-rhony-as-a-business-woman-2021-8?r=US&amp;IR=T">Leah McSweeney,</a> known for appearances on Seasons 12 and 13 of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/erin-lichy-real-housewives-of-new-york-day-life-2023-7">"The Real Housewives of New York City,</a>" is suing Bravo, executive producer Andy Cohen, and others, accusing them of encouraging her to relapse for ratings.</p><p>Filed in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday, the 109-page complaint claims that McSweeney was discriminated against because she is a woman with disabilities, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/mental-health/overcoming-alcohol-use-disorder">alcohol use disorder</a>, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.</p><p>Among other allegations, it accuses the defendants, which also includes showrunners, NBCUniversal (the parent company of Bravo), Shed Media (the show's production company), and Warner Media (the parent company of Shed), of fostering a hostile work environment.</p><p>The complaint, which Business Insider reviewed, said the defendants "established a rotted workplace culture" that depended on pressuring cast members to consume alcohol.</p><p>McSweeney, who also appeared on the spin-off show "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip," was candid with viewers and producers about her <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sobriety-benefits-sober-alcohol-drinking-2024-1">sobriety journey.</a></p><p>But the complaint says that on group vacations, cast members were provided with unlimited alcohol and little to no food or water, which was intended to "induce female cast members to behave inappropriately and unsafely," it said.</p><p>The lawsuit accuses the producers of encouraging McSweeney to drink alcohol, despite being aware of her <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sober-family-vacation-didnt-miss-alcohol-more-present-2024-2">sobriety</a>, as well as depicting her relapse as entertaining moments.</p><p>NBCUniversal, which owns Bravo and employs several defendants listed in the lawsuit, and Warner Media, which owns Shed Media, did not immediately respond to Business Insider's requests for comment.</p><p>A spokesperson for Cohen told BI: "The claims against Andy are completely false."</p><p>According to the lawsuit, McSweeney had been sober for around nine years until a brief relapse about five months before joining the show.</p><p>A short while before filming her first season, she regained sobriety and told producers and cast members that she wished to remain sober, it said.</p><p>However, according to the complaint, producers discriminated against her by intentionally planning scenarios intended to exacerbate her disabilities.</p><p>It alleged that they did this to drive her "to the brink of insanity and forced her to break her sobriety because it would create morbidly salacious reality television."</p><p>According to the complaint, she relapsed into alcohol addiction shortly after joining Season 12.</p><p>The complaint also said that McSweeney received no reasonable accommodations and was coerced into filming during vulnerable moments, fearing retaliation if she did not cooperate.</p><p>Despite maintaining her sobriety during Season 13, McSweeney said in the lawsuit that she faced reprisal from producers who suggested viewers would find her boring without alcohol, which she feared would lead to her losing her job.</p><p>The lawsuit said that after filming Season 13, McSweeney was admitted to a psychiatric facility.</p><p>The complaint also makes another allegation against <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/andy-cohen-missed-bunch-red-flags-in-debit-card-scam-2024-1">Cohen,</a> who it accuses of engaging in cocaine use with "Bravolebrities."</p><p>It said that Cohen gave favorable treatment to Housewives he did cocaine with.</p><p>Last week, former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star <a target="_blank" href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/02/23/brandi-glanville-andy-cohen-sexual-harassment-video-letter/72711657007/">Brandi Glanville accused Cohen</a> of sending her an inappropriate video in 2022, calling the alleged incident an "abuse of power."</p><p>Cohen <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Andy/status/1760819904846954674?s=20">responded on X</a>, saying he was "very clearly joking,'" adding that he nonetheless apologized and it was "totally inappropriate."</p><p>Last month, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/caroline-manzo-sues-bravo-sexual-harassment-real-housewives-brandi-glanville-2024-1?r=US&amp;IR=T">Caroline Manzo,</a> who previously appeared on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," also brought a lawsuit against Bravo, WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal, Shed Media, and others over allegations of sexual misconduct during filming.</p><p>McSweeney, who declined to be interviewed, said in a statement posted on Instagram: "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."</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C34ALz1tZz7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; 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<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C34ALz1tZz7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Leah McSweeney (@leahmob)</a></p></div></blockquote> <p>She ended the statement with the warning: "I will see you in court."</p><p>McSweeney is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and a trial by jury.</p>

A former 'Real Housewives' star with alcoholism is suing Bravo and Andy Cohen, accusing them of making her relapse for ratings

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In February, Bravo was hit with one lawsuit and threatened with another.</li><li>Two "Real Housewives" stars have filed suits alleging mistreatment and a hostile workplace.</li></ul><p>Is Bravo doomed?</p><p>The network, long beloved by reality TV fans for gifting us drama-filled franchises like "The Real Housewives," "Vanderpump Rules," and "Below Deck," is facing legal action from a number of former stars.</p><p>The underlying argument in all three claims is the same: They believe the network, associated production companies,<strong> </strong>and longtime host Andy Cohen are purposely fostering a negative working environment, rampant with favoritism and filled with toxicity geared toward maximizing the drama — often at the cost of stars' safety and well-being.</p><p>Here's a complete rundown of the lawsuits filed and threatened against Cohen and the network, and a look at the deep-rooted issues other stars say have been simmering there for years.</p><p>(Representatives for Bravo, NBCUniversal, and Peacock didn't respond to requests for comment. Shed Media could not be reached for comment by email or phone.)</p><h2>Caroline Manzo filed a lawsuit against Bravo in January 2024</h2><p>In January 2024, Caroline Manzo, formerly an original cast member on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," filed a lawsuit against Bravo and other related entities, including NBCUniversal (which owns Bravo), Peacock (the streaming service that distributes the network's shows), and Shed Media (a production company behind several Bravo series).</p><p>In the complaint, viewed by BI, Manzo says producers "regularly ply the Real Housewives cast with alcohol, cause them to become severely intoxicated, and then direct, encourage and/or allow them to sexually harass other cast members because that is good for ratings."</p><p>Manzo first joined the show when it premiered in 2009 and left in 2014 after season five. She returned to the franchise for the fourth season of the spinoff "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip," where cast members from various series within the franchise go on a vacation together.</p><p>Manzo points to an incident that happened in January 2023, during filming for "Ultimate Girls Trip," in her suit. According to the complaint, Brandi Glanville, a former main cast member on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" who was brought back to the franchise for "Ultimate Girls Trip," sexually abused and harassed Manzo during the season four cast's trip to Morocco, causing her "extreme emotional distress and other loss of enjoyment of life and other damages."</p><p>The filing describes how a drunken Glanville mounted Manzo on a couch, forcibly kissing and humping her. She then pressed herself against Manzo and fondled her without her consent again when they both went to the bathroom. The incident in question never aired —  the entire season was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/real-housewives-ultimate-girls-trip-morocco-may-never-air">shelved</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/real-housewives-rhony-legacy-ulimate-girls-trip-premiere-date-ex-wives-club-1235686185/">its premiere date swapped</a> with a different season, "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy," which aired instead.</p><p>In the filing, Manzo says she's seeking damages after Bravo discriminated and retaliated against her for speaking out about Glanville's harassment. She also accuses the network of plying Glanville "with copious amounts of alcohol so that she would act outrageous and sexually harass others" and "encourage and direct" Glanville to harass Manzo and others.</p><p>The complaint also points to several instances of Glanville's "sexually harassing and assaulting behavior" on other Bravo shows, claiming that the network was aware of her tendencies and continued to cast her regardless, undermining the safety of other cast members.</p><p>Glanville herself isn't named as a defendant in Manzo's suit.</p><p>Manzo's lawyer, Derek Smith, told Business Insider via email that Manzo didn't have additional comment, but shared the following statement:</p><p>"A production company's creative rights should never trump a cast member's safety. I get it: Shocking reality television brings the ratings," the statement reads, in part. "However, human decency requires that we put limits on that shocking behavior. We all have the right to work in an environment that is free of sexual harassment."</p><p>It continues: "People like Ms. Manzo should never be sexually harassed in order to get a 'good' shot. These are people. They are not pawns for production companies to abuse for ratings and profits. Fortunately, there are laws in effect to protect reality TV cast members."</p><h2>Brandi Glanville threatened a lawsuit against Andy Cohen in February 2024</h2><p>Glanville's attorneys sent a letter to NBCUniversal, Warner Bros., and Shed Media, which produced "Ultimate Girls Trip," threatening a lawsuit and accusing Andy Cohen of sexual harassment.</p><p>In the eight-page letter, viewed by BI, Glanville's lawyers claim that an "obviously inebriated" Cohen sent Glanville a video in 2022 talking about "his intention to sleep with another Bravo star that night while thinking of her and invited her to watch via FaceTime."</p><p>"Mr. Cohen was Ms. Glanville's boss at the time and exercised complete and total control over her career. This was an extraordinary abuse of power that left Ms. Glanville feeling trapped and disgusted," the letter reads. "It is inconceivable that Mr. Cohen remains in his post in spite of this behavior and harkens back to the bad old days of Matt Lauer and NBC News when profits were prioritized over people."</p><p>Cohen responded to the report in a post on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>"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," Cohen <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Andy/status/1760819904846954674">wrote</a>, referring to the "Below Deck" star.</p><p>"That said, it was totally inappropriate and I apologize," he added.</p><p>According to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thecut.com/article/brandi-glanville-claims-andy-cohen-sexually-harassed-her.html">The Cut</a>, Glanville's letter was prompted by Manzo filing her lawsuit in January.</p><p>In the letter, Glanville's lawyers also reference the Morocco incident in Manzo's lawsuit and deny Manzo's account that she did not consent to Glanville's interactions. They say there's "no truth to any allegations of impropriety" and claim the production team had encouraged Glanville's behavior in Morocco by making it "crystal clear to the cast that they were there to make good TV."</p><p>In an added statement to media appended to the letter, Glanville's attorneys took a swing at the wider reality TV industry, saying they've "heard from thousands of current and former cast members on reality shows about the physical and emotional harm inflicted on them by virtue of their participation."</p><p>"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," they write.</p><p>"We know there are untold numbers of innocent victims who have yet to tell their stories or seek legal redress. We encourage all of them to contact us and join our growing team as we fight for change in this sordid industry."</p><h2>Leah McSweeney also filed a lawsuit against Bravo in February 2024</h2><p>In another lawsuit filed in late February, former "Real Housewives of New York City" star Leah McSweeney, a recovered alcoholic, claims that Bravo, Cohen, and other parties encouraged her relapse after nine years of sobriety on "The Real Housewives of New York" season 12 in order to boost ratings and then punished her when she refused to return to drinking in future appearances on Bravo shows.</p><p>McSweeney, who appeared on "RHONY" in seasons 12 and 13, returned to the franchise for season three of "Ultimate Girls Trip," which began production in July 2022.</p><p>The 109-page complaint claims that the reality star was "discriminated against, tormented, demoralized, demeaned, harassed, and retaliated against" as a woman with disabilities, including <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/mental-health/overcoming-alcohol-use-disorder"><u>alcohol use disorder</u></a>, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.</p><p>"Defendants established a rotted workplace culture that uniquely depended on pressuring its employees to consume alcohol," the complaint states, alleging that production "colluded" with McSweeney's costars to pressure her to drink.</p><p>The suit also says that production "employed psychological warfare" to "break" McSweeney, such as by implying they'd fire her and cut her pay if she left filming to visit her dying grandmother. It also claims that Cohen retaliated against McSweeney and publicly mocked her sobriety with the intent to blackball her from the industry. In 2022, McSweeney checked into a psychiatric hospital.</p><p>According to the complaint, producers and costars repeatedly questioned McSweeney about whether she was "still not drinking" or said they wished she was drinking, even though she repeatedly requested they not discuss her sobriety and alcoholism. It alleges that one Shed Media producer, Lisa Shannon, told McSweeney that she was "not the Leah we know and love" because she'd opted to stay sober for "Ultimate Girls Trip."</p><p>McSweeney ultimately filed a discrimination claim against her employers in March 2023.</p><p>The filing also alleged that Cohen regularly engages in "cocaine use with Housewives and other 'Bravolebrities' that he employs," that those people get "favorable treatment and edits," and that this is "well-known throughout the 'Real Housewives' franchise."</p><p>In a letter sent to McSweeney after her lawsuit was filed, obtained by People, Cohen's attorneys said the suit was "littered with false, offensive, and defamatory statements," calling McSweeney's allegations "categorically false." The letter also threatened legal action if McSweeney didn't retract her claims that Cohen uses cocaine.</p><p>"If you refuse to do so, Mr. Cohen reserves the right to hold you and your client accountable to the fullest extent of the law," reads the letter, according to People. "To be clear: these allegations are categorically false. Mr. Cohen never used cocaine with any cast member on any Real Housewives show or with any other Bravo employee."</p><p>Cohen's attorneys said in the letter that the allegations against Cohen were invented "in furtherance of a shakedown" intended to "force a settlement" between McSweeney and Cohen.</p><p>In response, McSweeney's lawyer told People that it was "hardly surprising" that Cohen had his attorney and PR team "write a threatening letter to give to the press."</p><p>"Mr. Cohen's attempt to discredit and intimidate Ms. McSweeney to deter her from engaging in legally protected activity in Court is exactly the type of retaliation that this lawsuit was brought to address and only is further evidence for Ms. McSweeney," McSweeney's lawyer said.</p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_1-0-26">"We do not intend to litigate this matter in the press, and if Mr. Cohen wants to address Ms. McSweeney's claims, we suggest he do so in Court, not in a letter for the press," they continued.</p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_1-0-26">McSweeney's lawyers had no further comment when reached by email. Cohen's lawyer didn't immediately respond to BI's request for comment.</p><h2>Meanwhile, Bethenny Frankel has been crusading against the network for months</h2><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-bethenny-frankel-real-housewife-became-influencer-lucrative-business-earnings-2024-2">Bethenny Frankel</a>, former star of "RHONY" who left the network behind for good in 2019, has been one of the most vocal Bravo alums voicing complaints about how the network's stars are treated and compensated, and calling for change. Frankel has made her issues known on her podcast, Just B with Bethenny Frankel. In July 2023, she <a target="_blank" href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/bethenny-frankel-reality-union-strike-1235674531/">called for reality stars to unionize</a> in an effort to better their working conditions and pay.</p><p>In an interview with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/10/real-housewives-bravo-reckoning">Vanity Fair</a> for its investigation into the so-called reckoning at Bravo, Frankel spoke about her experiences at the network and how she'd been part of the problem.</p><p>"I was part of it," Frankel said. "I wanted to be Andy's favorite. I loved that I was Andy's favorite. I loved that I was able to make good television and produce it at the same time. I loved that producers knew I was the best. I was in the machine. I was the machine. I created the machine."</p><p>She also dubbed her organizing efforts her "penance."</p><p>Frankel's rep didn't immediately respond to BI's request for comment.</p><h2>Cohen and Bravo have also faced accusations of racism in the past</h2><p>Manzo, Glanville, McSweeney, and Frankel aren't the first Bravolebrities to accuse Cohen and the network of bad behavior.</p><p>In Vanity Fair's October 2023 Bravo investigation, Eboni K. Williams, a cast member on "RHONY" season 13, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/10/real-housewives-bravo-reckoning">accused</a> costars Luann de Lesseps, Sonja Morgan, and Ramona Singer of racist behavior that went unchecked by production.</p><p>Former "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star NeNe Leakes has also accused Cohen and Bravo of racist behavior, insinuating it's why she left the show. She filed a discrimination <a target="_blank" href="https://heavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/nene-leakes-discriminaton-lawsuit.pdf">lawsuit</a> against Cohen, the network, related companies, and other individuals in April 2022, alleging they didn't do anything to remedy racist behavior, but <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2022/08/rhoa-nene-leakes-lawsuit-bravo-andy-cohen-racist-show-environment-1235097973/">the suit was dropped</a> in August that year.</p><p>In 2021, former "Real Housewives of Potomac" star Monique Samuels told Business Insider that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-housewives-monique-samuels-real-reason-why-she-left-show-2021-1">Cohen held her "to a different standard"</a> than the other Housewives in the season five "RHOP" reunion when discussing her physical altercation with costar Candiace Dillard Bassett. She also pointed to the lack of diversity among the production staff as a reason why her fight, a common occurrence in other "Housewives" franchises, appeared to be treated more seriously.</p><p>"You need to have that representation behind the scenes because not everybody understands other cultures that are outside [of] themselves," Samuels told BI. "If they did that then you wouldn't get so much heat once it airs. It becomes obvious that the diversity is lacking in that area."</p>

The Real Housewives are turning on Bravo and Andy Cohen. Here's what to know about the lawsuits and turmoil behind the scenes.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip" season three is streaming now on Peacock.</li><li>In the first episode, Gizelle Bryant tells Alexia Nepola and Marysol Patton not to speak in Spanish.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/real-housewives-ultimate-girls-trip-candiace-apprehensive-porsha-2023-3">"Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip" season three</a> has only just premiered on Peacock, but already fans are criticizing one controversial moment in the first episode when Gizelle Bryant told Alexia Nepola and Marysol Patton not to speak in Spanish when with the group.</p><p>As the Bravolebrities settled into their new digs in Thailand, <a href="https://www.insider.com/rhop-season-7-wendy-osefo-johns-hopkins-disclaimer-2023-3">"Real Housewives of Potomac" star</a> Gizelle told her costars, who are Latina, "Okay, no. I have a rule: no Spanish."</p><p>When the "Real Housewives of Miami" stars said they regularly speak in "Spanglish," a combination of Spanish and English, Gizelle replied: "Not with the group."</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Alejandro ❤️ TV (@tvalejandrotv) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1638930021367644160">March 23, 2023</a></blockquote><p>Later, over dinner, Gizelle pulled Alexia and Marysol up again for speaking in Spanish, telling them: "We're not doing that, y'all. They're speaking Spanish."</p><p>When Marysol said that Gizelle's remarks "irked" her, Gizelle explained that her twin daughters, Angel and Adore, 16, often speak in Spanish at home and "talk about me," knowing she cannot understand. Gizelle then apologized for offending Alexia and Marysol.</p><p>But Gizelle's remarks have not gone down well with some viewers.</p><p>"Gizelle comment to the Miami women about speaking Spanish in front of her felt so ignorant and disguisting," one fan tweeted.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Hadia (@Dboo1996) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1638955991126384648">March 23, 2023</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—hotgurldenny (@___dennisss) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1638864104155910145">March 23, 2023</a></blockquote><p>Speaking to Insider last week, Gizelle echoed what she told Alexia and Marysol at the dinner table in episode one, explaining: "So, I was having PTSD from my kids. My kids do that to me. They do it on purpose. They talk about me in Spanish because they know I don't understand."</p><p>But she added: "I do respect that's a part of who they are, that's their culture, and that's how they communicate. So, once I understood that I was fine with it."</p><p>Despite the initial hiccup, it seems all is well between Gizelle, Alexia, and Marysol, and they became friends on the Thailand trip.</p><p>"I know them now, and I know if they've got something to say to me, they're going to say it in English," Gizelle said.</p><p>"Ultimate Girls Trip" season three also stars Gizelle's "Potomac" costar Candiace Dillard Bassett, former "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Porsha Williams, Heather Gay and Whitney Rose from the "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," and Leah McSweeney from "New York City."</p><p><em>The first three episodes of "Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip" season three are streaming on Peacock now, with new episodes dropping weekly on Thursday.</em></p>

'Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip' star Gizelle Bryant addresses controversial 'no Spanish' comment to Alexia Nepola and Marysol Patton: 'I respect that's a part of who they are'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Candiace Dillard Bassett was "apprehensive" about going on a trip to Thailand with Porsha Williams.</li><li>Candiace and Porsha are two of the cast members on "Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip 3."</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/real-housewives-potomac-wendy-osefo-disciplinary-action-mia-thornton-drink-2023-3">"Real Housewives of Potomac" star</a> Candiace Dillard Bassett was most "apprehensive" about going on a girls' trip to Thailand with Porsha Williams following their previous online clash.</p><p>Former "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Porsha and Candiace are just two of the housewives who jetted to Thailand last summer to shoot "Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip" season three, which is now streaming on Peacock.</p><p>But back in 2020, during season five of "Potomac," Porsha had some choice words about Candiace's <a href="https://www.insider.com/real-housewives-monique-samuels-real-reason-why-she-left-show-2021-1">physical altercation with costar Monique Samuels</a>, <a href="https://pagesix.com/2020/12/19/rhops-candiace-dillard-warns-porsha-williams-to-be-careful/">suggesting that Candiace was trying to sue Monique</a> to secure a down payment on a house. Candiace clapped back at the time, accusing Porsha of lying.</p><p>As a result, Candiace told Insider she was "most apprehensive about interacting with Porsha" during the trip to Thailand.</p><p>"As soon as they announced her, everyone was like, 'Oh god, they're gonna be fighting!' and I was like, 'I don't want it,'" Candiace said.</p><p>"I knew it was going to come up, the drama we had going back to season five of 'Potomac' and her comments. I wasn't looking forward to that."</p><div type="image" title="Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip 3" height="2000" width="2666" msid="98969032" hostid="261"></div><p>However, once the pair arrived in Thailand, Candiace said she was pleasantly surprised by her costar.</p><p>"That was on my mind, and I learned later, that was on her mind as we were embarking on this trip. We had to work through it," Candiace said.</p><p>"Porsha has good energy. People say a lot of things about Porsha — she's this, she's that. But I'm a reader of energy, and I believe in energy. We had our moments, but she had good energy. I was nervous at first, but I think it ended up okay."</p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1BGIroXVFnA" frameborder="0"></iframe><p>In fact, things ended up going so well that Porsha, who married businessman Simon Guobadia last year, invited Candiace and her mom Dorothy to <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1356013/porsha-williams-simon-guobadia-marry-in-second-wedding-in-front-of-real-housewives-co-stars">one of the couple's many wedding ceremonies.</a></p><p>"We've done a few things together since then," Candiace said of the Thailand trip. "My mother and I were guests at her American wedding, which was beautiful."</p><p>Candiace added that "we definitely have some verbal tussles" on "Ultimate Girls Trip," "but in the end, there's a mutual respect there and that trumps petty drama."</p><p>"Ultimate Girls Trip" season three also stars Candiace's "Potomac" costar Gizelle Bryant, Heather Gay and Whitney Rose from the "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," Alexia Nepola and Marysol Patton from "Miami," and Leah McSweeney from "New York City."</p><p><em>The first three episodes of "Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip" season three are streaming on Peacock now, with new episodes dropping weekly on Thursday.</em></p>

Why 'Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip' star Candiace Dillard Bassett was 'apprehensive' about going to Thailand with Porsha Williams, and where they stand now

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11404966" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="eboni-k-williams">Eboni K. Williams</keyword> dealt with the aftermath of her fight with <keyword id="6413271" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="luann-de-lesseps">Luann de Lesseps</keyword> on the latest "RHONY."</li><li>In many conversations, Heather Thomson was seen speaking in support of Williams.</li><li>Still, the former Fox News host felt Thomson was "whitesplaining."</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/real-housewives-eboni-k-williams-luann-de-lesseps-2021-6">Eboni K. Williams</a> is continuing to deal with the aftermath of her fight with fellow castmember Luann de Lesseps, who called her "angry" <a href="https://www.insider.com/real-housewives-eboni-k-williams-luann-de-lesseps-2021-6">during a heated argument</a> last week on "The <keyword id="3936485" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Real-Housewives-of-New-York">Real Housewives of New York</keyword>."</p><p>The <a href="https://www.insider.com/eboni-k-williams-real-housewives-new-york-cast-2020-10">first Black castmember on the series</a> immediately called out the word de Lesseps chose to use, later pointing out that it plays into an oft-spoken stereotype for Black women.</p><p>It didn't help that during a sit down when the castmembers were all discussing the incident, Heather Thomson, a "friend of the show," continued to interject and engaged in "whitesplaining" without her consent, Williams said.</p><p>"Heather's insertion, while I think her intention was pure and positive, I actually think it ended up doing much more harm than good," the former Fox News host told Insider.</p><div type="image" title="Heather Thomson" height="952" width="1704" msid="83358036" hostid="261"></div><p>After Thomson issued "action items" to the other women present that Williams had not asked her to delegate, Thomson referred to Williams as "articulate," a term many Black people find demeaning because its use implies ones ability to speak clearly and effectively is rare enough to warrant comment.</p><p>"To have this white woman, despite her intentions, step into the space of translator, it furthers a narrative that there's some inability to connect with me directly in shared humanity."</p><p>Williams attributed Thomson's actions to a self-appointed authority.</p><p>"I don't need to be translated, let alone translated by a woman who doesn't have an adequate lens of my experience or even know me, beyond meeting me 48 hours prior to," she added. "So in those ways I do think Heather was unproductive." </p><p>Insider reached out to a rep for Thomson, but didn't immediately hear back.</p><div type="image" title="Eboni K. Williams and Leah McSweeney" height="954" width="1710" msid="83358038" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>Williams says she was treated differently than her castmate Leah McSweeney, even though they both were grieving their grandmothers</strong></h2><p>During the ladies' trip to The Hamptons, an upscale area of Long Island, New York, all of the women gathered in a "healing" ceremony to discuss what was on their hearts. That's when both Leah McSweeney and Williams opened up about their dying grandmothers.</p><p>Still, Williams told Insider she felt that she was treated with less empathy from her castmates compared to McSweeney.</p><p>In last week's episode, Williams pointed out that McSweeeny shouted at the women, called them "hos," and stormed off moments before - and was not called angry.</p><p>Fellow castmember Ramona Singer interjected that McSweeny was given "a pass" because her grandmother was dying.</p><p>"You see the goalpost moved again around the notion of who gets to grieve the loss of their grandmother and who does not," Williams added.</p><p>"For me, it just reinforced what I had suspected, which is, I am not fully humanized to these women at this point because to not give me that same compassion and empathy around my grandmother's upcoming transition in the way that they did for Leah told me that they do not see me as fully human," she continued." That is very clear to me."</p><div type="image" title="Eboni K. Williams" height="667" width="1000" msid="83358039" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>Other Housewives from different franchises have reached out to Williams after these last two episodes</strong></h2><p>Although Williams necessarily didn't feel supported by all of her castmates in that moment, the TV personality did say other Housewives from different franchises have expressed support publicly and privately after the episodes aired.</p><p>"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Crystal Kung Minkoff, the first Asian-American cast on that series, and "Dallas" star Tiffany Moon, the second woman of color on her show, both reached out to Williams.</p><p>"We all know what it is to experience being the first and the only in our respective representations of our cultures on these platforms that have been historically white," Williams explained.  "So they've just basically shown up ... to just say, they see me. They're here if I need to talk."</p><p>The reality star also told Insider that "RHONY's" production company, Shed Media, has also been very supportive of Williams - even when she went on a social media hiatus because of these "taxing" episodes. She added they've even held "listening sessions" where she can describe her experiences.</p><p>"The Real Housewives of New York" airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.</p>

Eboni K. Williams said Heather Thomson did 'more harm than good' after Luann de Lesseps' blow-up on 'Real Housewives of New York'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Eboni K. Williams has joined the cast of "The <keyword id="3936485" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Real-Housewives-of-New-York">Real Housewives of New York</keyword> City," and is now the show's first Black cast member in 13 seasons.</li><li>Williams is an attorney, <keyword id="6355065" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TV">TV</keyword> host, and author, and is currently the host and executive producer of "Revolt Black News." </li><li>She'll be joining returning cast members: Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Leah McSweeney, and Sonja Morgan. </li><li>"NYC is filled with successful and dynamic Black women. I'm excited to join this legendary franchise as the first Black housewife," Williams said in a statement to People. </li></ul><p>Eboni K. Williams has joined the cast of "The Real Housewives of New York City," making her the first Black cast member in the show's 12-year history. </p><p>TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2020/10/08/rhony-real-housewives-of-new-york-hires-eboni-k-williams-first-black-cast-member/">broke the news of Williams' casting on Thursday</a>. In a <a href="https://people.com/tv/eboni-k-williams-joins-real-housewives-of-new-york-city-as-first-black-cast-member/">statement to People</a>, Williams said she was "excited" to join the show's cast and "share a slice of life in this city that hasn't been seen before." </p><p>"NYC is filled with successful and dynamic Black women. I'm excited to join this legendary franchise as the first Black housewife," she added. "Anyone who's aware of my work knows I don't hold back. I'm going to keep it just as real here as I do everywhere else." </p><p>Williams is a TV host, author, and attorney, who currently hosts "Revolt Black News." She's also a cohost on Revolt TV's hip-hop talk show, "State of the Culture." </p><p>On "RHONY," Williams will join returning cast members, Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Leah McSweeney, and Sonja Morgan. </p><p>Earlier this year, the reality show announced that Tinsley Mortimer, who moved to Chicago, and Dorinda Medley, wouldn't be returning to the series. </p><p>Williams' arrival to "RHONY" follows a trend in Bravo reality shows to diversify its cast. Actress Garcelle Beauvais became the first Black woman to join the cast of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" last year, and "Southern Charm" added a person of color to their cast: <a href="https://www.bravotv.com/people/leva-bonaparte" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leva Bonaparte</a>, an Indian-born Persian woman who runs Charleston nightlife.</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li><strong>Read more</strong>:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/teresa-joe-giudice-reportedly-split-break-up-marriage-2019-12">'Real Housewives' stars Teresa and Joe Giudice split after 20 years of marriage</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/behind-the-scenes-real-housewives-fun-facts-2019-1">17 of the weirdest facts you didn't know about the 'Real Housewives' franchises</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/tamra-judge-quit-keto-diet-keto-flu-2018-10">'Real Housewives' star Tamra Judge quit the keto diet after only a month: 'I just fell off the wagon'</a></li></ul>

Eboni K. Williams becomes first Black woman to join 'The Real Housewives of New York City'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11404966" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="eboni-k-williams">Eboni K. Williams</keyword> has been criticized by fans and castmates of making the show "too woke."</li><li>The first Black castmember of "RHONY" said she shouldn't be to blame for the ratings dip.</li><li>Williams told Insider that fans shouldn't blame the ratings "of a 13-year series to a freshman talent."</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/eboni-k-williams-real-housewives-new-york-cast-2020-10">Eboni K. Williams</a> rejects theories that she's solely responsible for the sharp ratings drop on<a href="https://www.insider.com/real-housewives-eboni-k-williams-luann-de-lesseps-2021-6"> "The Real Housewives of New York."</a></p><p>"From my experience in television, any expectation to carry ratings around a program will go to the veteran talent. So I think it's nonsense to correlate the ratings performance of a 13-year series to a freshman talent," she told Insider in an interview last month. "I just don't buy it." </p><p>Reports circulated last month that<a href="https://www.insider.com/real-housewives-eboni-k-williams-luann-de-lesseps-fight-heather-thomson-2021-6"> "RHONY,"</a> which also stars Sonja Morgan, Leah McSweeney, Ramona Singer, and Luann de Lesseps, had a steep ratings decline.</p><p>Some <a href="https://twitter.com/sportsgirl302/status/1405024829103878144">fans on social media</a> have criticized the newest apple holder, who became the first Black cast member on the series this season, for attempting to make the show "too woke."</p><p>"Television ratings are down across the board," said Williams before referring to ratings as "a story that more accurately reflects the viewing habits of our nation."</p><div type="image" title="eboni williams" height="2592" width="3456" msid="85250187" hostid="261"></div><p>"People are not watching appointment television the way they used to two or even three years ago. That's the reality," she added.</p><p>Indeed, ratings for Bravo's one-time most-watched franchise, "The <keyword id="132223" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Real-Housewives">Real Housewives</keyword> of Atlanta," have dropped as well along with every major program, including the Olympics, and awards shows like the Oscars, Emmys, and the Grammys.</p><p>For "RHONY," which airs on Tuesday nights, Williams believes ratings were impacted by the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, triggered by the widespread availability of vaccines.</p><p>"The other reality is 'RHONY's' ratings were disproportionately up last season because the series premiered in April of 2020, which was literally the inauguration, like the kickoff of the lockdown of a national and global lockdown. People literally had nowhere else to go," Williams said. "The world literally started to open up exactly when we premiered [this year]." </p><div type="image" title="The Real Housewives of New York - season 13" height="667" width="1000" msid="85250191" hostid="261"></div><h2>Williams pushed back on fellow castmembers calling her events boring, saying they knew they were getting 'an education'</h2><p>While cameras rolled, fellow castmember Ramona Singer and Luann de Lesseps criticized Williams, saying they didn't want to be educated every time they spent time with her.</p><p>When Williams hosted a Harlem-themed party that detailed some elements of Black history, the two complained of the surprise lecture in confessionals.</p><p>Williams told Insider that her castmates were aware of what the evening would entail.</p><p>"They knew exactly what to expect. I let them know that there would be learning about the history of iconic Harlem," she said. "I told them verbally in the invitation." </p><p>The talk show host referenced Morgan's choice to tote her reading glasses to the event as evidence that the women were aware they would be learning throughout the evening.</p><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/neANjYtAsv0" frameborder="0"></iframe><p>"If you look back at the scene, you'll see her putting them on," said Williams of Morgan. "She knew she was going to get an education."</p><p>Williams noted that other cast members have hosted educational events about their cultures, interests, and experiences that were not met with the same reaction.</p><p>"Sonja Morgan took everybody to Philadelphia to go to the Morgan library and hear the history of John P. Morgan [and the] family legacy, which is great, that's considered interesting."</p><p>"So it's only when ... it's accompanied by this Black American education, now the event becomes boring," she said, adding that it "tells me what you're bored by is the learning and education of Black American life."</p><p>"The <keyword id="3936485" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Real-Housewives-of-New-York">Real Housewives of New York</keyword>" airs on Bravo Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.</p>

Eboni K. Williams says there's another reason why 'Real Housewives of New York' is lower in the ratings - and it has nothing to do with her

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c1bda0ae04d62336f775806-2400/gettyimages-908570100.jpg" border="0" alt="GettyImages 908570100" data-mce-source="Ethan Miller/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Women's March Co-Chairwomen Bob Bland, Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour and Tamika D. Mallory speak during the Women's March 'Power to the Polls' voter registration tour launch at Sam Boyd Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Demonstrators across the nation gathered over the weekend, one year after the historic Women's March on Washington, D.C., to protest President Donald Trump's administration and to raise awareness for women's issues." data-link="http://www.gettyimages.com"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com">Ethan Miller/Getty Images</a></span></p><p class="caption">LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Women's March Co-Chairwomen Bob Bland, Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour and Tamika D. Mallory speak during the Women's March 'Power to the Polls' voter registration tour launch at Sam Boyd Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Demonstrators across the nation gathered over the weekend, one year after the historic Women's March on Washington, D.C., to protest President Donald Trump's administration and to raise awareness for women's issues.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>A bombshell report in Tablet depicts pervasive anti-Semitism among the Women's March leadership.</strong></li><li><strong>The national Women's March vehemently denies the allegations, but one of its PR partners made bizarre demands of journalists who shared the Tablet article on Twitter.&#xa0;</strong></li><li>Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour, and Carmen Perez have challenged their former colleagues-turned-detractors to a public conversation, and accused them of lying.&#xa0;</li><li>A growing number of local and state chapters have disassociated from the national organization.</li></ul><p>There's a problem in the leadership of the Women's March, and its leading to the splintering of the movement nationally.&#xa0;</p><p>A thoroughly-reported piece in <a href="https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/276694/is-the-womens-march-melting-down">Tablet</a> last week depicted the Women's March as an organization whose very first official meeting included anti-Semitic tropes spoken by those still in the organization's leadership. Some of these had been widely propagated by Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, such as "Jews were proven to have been leaders of the American slave trade."</p><p>Several <a href="https://twitter.com/Yair_Rosenberg/status/1073585904839618561">witnesses</a> - including <a href="https://twitter.com/PopChassid/status/1064624139808514050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1064624139808514050&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.haaretz.com%2Fus-news%2F.premium-women-s-march-founder-calls-on-leaders-to-resign-citing-anti-Semitism-1.6671002">women of color</a> - corroborated allegations that later meetings among the Women's March leadership also included anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish women in the room. This included an accusation leveled at one Jewish organizer, Vanessa Wruble, that "your people hold all the wealth."</p><p>The story, by Leah McSweeney and Jacob Siegel, details how Tamika Mallory, Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour, and Bob Bland solidified their roles as the collective public face of a movement that was actually far more decentralized than the public was led to believe at the time of the historic January 2017 marches across the country. At the historic march protesting the inauguration of President Donald Trump, anywhere from 3.6 to 4.6 million people marched in cities across the US.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But as the Women's March brand grew in stature and the organization brought in millions of dollars in donations, as well as a fortune from branded merchandise, <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/embattled-womens-march-finally-releases-financial-records">the murky financial management of the organization</a> has come under scrutiny. Also criticized is the relationship between the leadership - Mallory and Sarsour, in particular - with the Nation of Islam (NOI) and Farrakhan, whose long history of <a href="https://twitter.com/LouisFarrakhan/status/1052304476923719680">anti-Semitic</a> and <a href="https://www.splicetoday.com/politics-and-media/the-farrakhan-problem-has-always-been-in-plain-sight">racist</a> statements is well-documented.&#xa0;</span></p><h2>Accusations of anti-Semitism among the leadership</h2><p>Mercy Morganfield, former president of the DC Women's March and daughter of blues legend Muddy Waters, has been vocal in her criticism of the Women's March leadership, noting that an organization that prides itself on intersectional activism left anti-Semitism out of its stated "unity principles" and has no Jewish women on its board.</p><p>Morganfield <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/johnpaulpagano/status/1064674192233299969">also asserted</a> that Bland had told her outright that the NOI provides security for the leadership. Bland denies saying any such thing to Morganfield.&#xa0;A May 2015 photograph posted to Linda Sarsour's Facebook page (which was well before the Women's March existed) features the caption "FOI [Fruit of Islam] Brothers, security of the movement."&#xa0;</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bland and Mallory also denied to Tablet that the Women's March contracts directly with the Fruit of Islam (NOI's security detail), but conceded "the likelihood" that the Women's March had used a private security firm that "employs some guards who are practicing members of the NOI." They added that they "<span>denounce anti-Semitism, and there should be no confusion about that."</span></span></p><p>But two other Women's March co-founders who have since left the organization - Evvie Harmon and Teresa Shook - also directly accused Mallory and Sarsour of making anti-Semitic statements during Women's March meetings.&#xa0;<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Given the prominence of the Women's March in US <keyword id="6358883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="politics">politics</keyword> - Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York called the organization's leadership "<span>the suffragists of our time" in a <a href="http://time.com/collection/2017-time-100/4742711/tamika-mallory-bob-bland-carmen-perez-linda-sarsour/">blurb</a> for Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2017 -</span></span> the muted response to the Tablet article is puzzling. But what's even stranger has been the Women's March's response.</p><p>Last week, scores of journalists (myself included) who had tweeted the Tablet story received an email from a representative at <a href="https://megaphonestrategies.com/">Megaphone Strategies</a> which stated that Tablet was "<span>in the process of making several corrections to the story." Megaphone offered to share a list of fact-checks, but only if some bizarre parameters were met, including a promise to keep the fact-checks off the record unless Megaphone gave permission. But the email took an even stranger turn with the request, "You will let us know if you intend to delete your tweet pushing an article that includes sources/allegations, which were not vetted properly and in line with journalistic ethics?"</span><span> </span></p><p>The email was met with <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/online/pr-agency-for-womens-march-sends-terrible-email-to-every-reporter-on-twitter/">swift mockery and condemnation</a> from many of the journalists on its receiving end.</p><p>For its part, Tablet ended up publishing a total of <a href="https://twitter.com/yair_rosenberg/status/1073585904839618561">four minor corrections</a> to the over 10,000 word article, some of which actually strengthened the case of the article.</p><p><span>Megaphone Strategies declined a request for comment from INSIDER, but the Women's March responded to emailed questions with a statement which read in part, "</span><span>The Women's March organization disagrees with these allegations. The organization and its leaders have dedicated themselves to liberating women from all forms of oppression, including anti-Semitism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, racism, white supremacy, xenophobia and Islamophobia." </span></p><p><span>The Women's March also directed INSIDER to a March 2018 statement made after Mallory was widely criticized for <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfog6_QBKrj/">attending</a> a <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/395527/womens-march-co-president-attends-louis-farrakhan-rally-again/">Nation of Islam rally</a> in February where Farrakhan declared </span><span>"the powerful Jews are my enemy" and "the Jews have control over agencies of those agencies of government," while also blaming Jews for "degenerate behavior in Hollywood turning men into women and women into men."</span></p><p><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/womensmarchonwash/posts/anti-semitism-misogyny-homophobia-transphobia-racism-and-white-supremacy-are-and/1848805725132698/">In that statement</a>, the Women's March declared, "</span><span>Minister Farrakhan's statements about Jewish, queer, and trans people are not aligned with the Women's March Unity Principles, which were created by women of color leaders and are grounded in Kingian Nonviolence ... Our external silence has been because we are holding these conversations and are trying to intentionally break the cycles that pit our communities against each other."</span></p><p><span>In an updated statement to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/23/us/womens-march-anti-semitism.html">The New York Times</a> earlier this week, Mallory said that since the group's first meeting, "</span><span>we've all learned a lot about how while white Jews, as white people, uphold white supremacy, ALL Jews are targeted by it."</span></p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/womens-march-chicago-photos-how-photographers-archive-history-2018-3">How the photographers behind the Women's March are capturing and archiving history</a></em></p><h2><span>'These three women have lied on us'</span></h2><p><span>In a video posted to Tamika Mallory's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TDMallory/videos/vb.158273754666311/313254956067370/?type=2&amp;theater">Facebook page</a>, Mallory - flanked by Sarsour and Perez - said that instead of wasting time by responding to reporters' queries, they want to have a "public conversation" with Wruble, Harmon, and Morganfield.</span></p><p><span>"These three women have lied on us," Mallory said. "We want to have these conversations in public, not behind closed doors, but in public. So we challenge the three of --" - at which point the video abruptly cuts off.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>Sarsour wrote a long post to her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/linda.sarsour/posts/10157173188585572">Facebook page</a> which read in part, "The headlines, the character assassination, the undermining of leadership, discreditation campaigns are nothing new but in fact a bedrock of American society when the status quo is challenged." Sarsour added, "A million newspapers can write and for those of us who are Black and Brown and from communities under attack - we cannot let hurtful and unvetted words by those who have the luxury of speaking but not fighting to take us off our tracks."&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>In another video on Sarsour's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/linda.sarsour/posts/10157164245105572?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARClB3w-FTE95zm6pcIQ3h2kxobutSJGp67L8LtVyzFMxAdqYo3o-fmRI1HVnDHlnspETJOCgFrCs5Y2nUjjlK9PiPLic0tzdVRxt0yLy1FAD0NL3egrtOizGJMbMFC6H-3ycJECN1zaSVYkHElab9cs_mEPkzeQcmAZaYNzEHelc-d-pqveIEHtx0MoVxIVVT77pMj7OP9BnYscJyfMTsC38YxEBOWuWGJ6DSywlGudlw-4J7IxSsEJ7yMo-CYogXScrgVHAVdxy3_WZfahqmLzBM14yg-b_VSt3BmGZ_5y5DUMSQyIh9ArbBeV6skKo0r7HLLUkDK1CZIvGXFpIkURNj0Rgt8&amp;__tn__=-R">Facebook page</a>, the four Women's March leaders talked for nearly 30 minutes, at certain points arguing that activists of color are held to an unfair standard. At one point, Mallory alluded to the "dirty laundry" she could share regarding her former Women's March colleagues, but demurred, saying, "that's for another day."</span><span></span></p><p><span>Morganfield addressed the challenge made to her by Mallory, Sarsour, and Perez in a message to <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/12/219336/planned-parenthood-womens-march-2019-womens-wave">Refinery29</a>, characterizing the video as an intimidation tactic and adding, "The way you you respond to criticism shows more than the criticism itself." </span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c1d2c54a040ff4489045fbf-1778/rtswp8q.jpg" border="0" alt="women's march on washington" data-mce-source="Shannon Stapleton/Reuters" data-mce-caption="People gather for the Women's March in Washington U.S., January 21, 2017."><p class="source"><span>Shannon Stapleton/Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">People gather for the Women's March in Washington U.S., January 21, 2017.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><h2>What's next for the Women's March?</h2><p>As noted in the Tablet article, a number of local and state Women's March chapters have disassociated from the national Women's March organization. Last week, Angie Beem, Washington State Women's March Board Director, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Womensmarchonwashingtonstate/posts/2178285899103435">released a statement</a> which read in part, "I and my team can't sit idly by and ignore the antisemitism the four National Team co-chairs have supported and continue to support."</p><p><span>But Planned Parenthood has notably chosen to stand by the national Women's March organization, <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/12/219336/planned-parenthood-womens-march-2019-womens-wave">releasing a statement</a> to Refinery29 reading in part, "We will continue to work with the Women's March to hold ourselves and each other accountable to the<a href="https://www.womensmarch.com/principles/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-tracker-added="true">&#xa0;<u>Unity Principles</u></a>&#xa0;that are the basis of our partnership."</span></p><p>The Women's March is moving ahead with its third march on Washington, DC, on January 19, 2019, with<a href="https://www.vox.com/identities/2018/12/21/18145176/feminism-womens-march-2018-2019-farrakhan-intersectionality"> at least 130 marches</a> also scheduled on that date across the US.&#xa0;</p><p>Chicago's previously scheduled Women's March, one of the nation's largest, was cancelled Wednesday. Its organizers blamed exceedingly high costs to stage a rally for hundreds of thousands in Grant Park, as well as too few available volunteers. <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-womens-march-chicago-global-march-womens-wave-20181225-story.html">The Chicago Tribune</a> reports one member called the decision "disappointing" on the group's Facebook page but added,<span>&#xa0;"Women continue fighting to be heard in this patronizing patriarchal society. We are not done."</span></p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Uh what <a href="https://t.co/fDvIu77Cgq">pic.twitter.com/fDvIu77Cgq</a></p>- Miriam Elder  (@MiriamElder) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1072920334142238723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2018</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bernie-bernard-madoff-life-prison-2017-5">Bernie Madoff was arrested 10 years ago today - here's what his life is like in prison</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/GhBsd7vc-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

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Eboni K. Williams becomes first Black woman to join 'The Real Housewives of New York City'

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The Women's March leadership has been accused of anti-Semitism and many local chapters are disassociating from the national organization

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