Kyle Richards Stands Firm on Bravo Stint Amidst Bethenny Frankel's 'Reality Reckoning'
Kyle Richards shares candid insights on her unique Bravo journey compared to Bethenny Frankel's reality TV experience, revealing why their decade-long paths diverged Find out the intriguing details!
Kyle Richards is aware of Bethenny Frankel's reality show troubles, but she only has positive things to say about Bravo. "I understand that reality television is sometimes criticized, and it definitely has its drawbacks and advantages," shared the 54-year-old exclusively at BravoCon on November 4. "However, my personal experience has been overwhelmingly positive, despite any challenges."
The star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills credited the network for her professional success, stating that she has been able to sustain a 13-year career due to the positive experience she has had. She emphasized that any decisions she has made during this time were entirely her own, and therefore, she takes full responsibility for them. This perspective is shared after her friend Bethenny, aged 53, garnered attention for voicing her concerns about the reality TV industry. Following the strike by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA earlier this summer, Bethenny reflected on the difficulties she encountered as a TV personality.
“We have always been the ones at a disadvantage. In the previous writers strike, while we were the ones responsible for generating all the entertainment, it was truly during that time when the surge of reality TV took off," Frankel mentioned in a July Instagram video. "I have never received a single residual. Consequently, either I am overlooking something or we are also being taken advantage of."
Rich Polk/Bravo; Santiago Felipe/Getty Images
Bethenny, a former cast member of The Real Housewives of New York City for eight seasons, is advocating for significant changes in the reality TV industry, such as the unionization of its participants and the fair distribution of residuals. However, not everyone within the industry supports her demands.
Speaking on Rob Lowe's "Literally!" podcast in August, Frankel revealed, "I have a strong feeling that everyone at Bravo, including Andy Cohen, dislikes me. This animosity stems from personal reasons and the need to safeguard their own interests. The situation I find myself in is quite complex, as I have burned bridges and seemingly criticized the very people who have provided for me. Yet, I have taken care of myself and there are many individuals who have been left behind."
Bravo has chosen not to publicly address the comments made by Bethenny regarding her time at the network. Meanwhile, Vanity Fair has released an exposé featuring interviews with several Housewives who have shared their negative experiences at Bravo.
As for Kyle, she admits that she hasn't had the chance to read the article yet. Dealing with personal issues, such as her public split from husband Mauricio Umansky, has consumed much of her time. During an interview with Us, the reality star mentioned that she is only vaguely aware of Bethenny's reality reckoning and hasn't delved into it extensively.
Prior to the start of BravoCon in Las Vegas on Friday, November 3rd, Lisa Vanderpump, a former costar of Kyle, expressed her gratitude to the network. Lisa, 63, mentioned that she was thankful to NBC and Bravo for providing her with an amazing television career. Despite the recent criticism faced by both networks from former employees, she considered it unfortunate and emphasized the need to acknowledge the opportunities they have provided.
She added: “I have great respect for NBC. … So a lot of that a lot of bulls–t, people casting blame. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
