'Real Housewives' Celebrities Rally Behind Andy Cohen Amidst Leah McSweeney's Shocking Legal Battle

Feature Andy Cohen Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

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Several Real Housewives franchise stars are showing support for Andy Cohen after Leah McSweeney made serious accusations against him. Former RHONY star, Leah, filed a lawsuit against Cohen and Bravo on February 27. She later took to Instagram to claim that the network executives promote a harmful work environment and encourage substance abuse.

McSweeney accused NBCUniversal of taking advantage of her struggles with alcoholism. She also claimed that Andy Cohen, a producer, engaged in cocaine use with cast members of "Housewives" shows. According to court documents obtained by Page Six, McSweeney alleged that Cohen favored Housewives who used cocaine with better treatment and editing on the shows. (We have reached out to Cohen, Bravo, and McSweeney for comment.)

McSweeney also mentioned feeling pressured to drink while on "RHONY" despite informing producers that she had been sober for 30 days before her first season. She appeared on the show for seasons 12 to 13, which aired in 2020 and 2021.

Today, I am reclaiming control of my life. It is disheartening to see the people in power reveling in the misfortunes of women like myself, as expressed by McSweeney on Instagram. The workplace environment is filled with toxicity, alcoholism, and pain, which is not what I expected or support.

Cohen has not directly addressed the lawsuit, but his representative denied McSweeney's claims in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on February 28, stating that the accusations against Andy are untrue.

Keep scrolling to see which Housewives have publicly shared their loyalty to Cohen in the wake of the bombshell lawsuit:

Guerdy Abraira

Guerdy Abraira Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

Guerdy Abraira Mindy Small/Getty Images

Chanel Ayan's Kind Words for Andy

I have spent a lot of time with Andy and I have always been treated with nothing but kindness and hospitality. This was mentioned by the RHOM star in the comments of a post on Instagram shared by Page Six on February 28.

Chanel Ayan Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

Chanel Ayan Dave Benett/Getty Images for Perfect X AMI

Luann de Lesseps

RHODubai star, Luann de Lesseps, advised McSweeney to stop bothering Andy in a comment on Instagram. She expressed her thoughts on Page Six's social media post, highlighting the difficulty of trusting friends who may betray you by spreading false information.

Luann de Lesseps Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

Luann de Lesseps Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

De Lesseps, whose journey to sobriety was documented by Bravo cameras, emphasized that she does not agree with any accusations of being "forced to drink." She shared her perspective with TMZ on February 28, stating that while parties are a part of being on Housewives and drinking is involved, no one can be forced to drink. De Lesseps pointed out that ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide whether or not to pick up a drink.

She added: “I’ve known Andy for years, and it’s not in his character, and I’ve never, ever seen in the years that I’ve been doing Housewives any drug abuse.”

Cynthia Bailey

Cynthia Bailey Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

Cynthia Bailey Monica Schipper/WireImage

Bailey shared with TMZ that she has not experienced what McSweeney is claiming. She mentioned that she has never been pressured into doing anything while filming for Bravo.

The RHOA star emphasized that every action she took on the show was her own decision. She believes that as adults, individuals must take ownership and be responsible for their choices.

Kandi Burruss

Kandi Burruss Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

Kandi Burruss Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Burruss said she has a “good relationship” with Bravo while appearing on Tamron Hall’s talk show on February 29.

"I’ve been on that show for 14 years, and nobody can make me do anything," the reality star stated. She recently announced her departure from RHOA. "People know I don’t do drugs and I’ve never been drunk in my life. Some people enjoy having a little wine or a drink because that’s what they like. They like to have drinks."

She emphasized, "They do it for fun. However, I choose not to drink. Just like I have a choice, they have a choice too. Nobody is forcing you to do anything."

Margaret Josephs

Margaret Josephs Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

Margaret Josephs Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Bilt Rewards

The RHONJ star is “appalled” that someone would try to “target” Cohen’s character.

"I just want to clarify that Andy has never offered me cocaine. I am friends with all the Housewives, and he has never offered any of them cocaine," Josephs told Page Six on February 29. She added, "Those allegations are simply an attempt to tarnish his reputation, and that is truly appalling."

Josephs went on to praise Cohen as "professional and funny," mentioning that she has never felt any pressure to drink while filming, as she does not drink alcohol.

Kyle Richards

Kyle Richards Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

Kyle Richards supported Josephs' comments in a separate statement to Page Six. She described Cohen as a "professional" who prefers to maintain some distance from the Real Housewives stars.

"I have never witnessed Andy using drugs, offering drugs, or behaving inappropriately in any way, ever," stated the RHOBH OG. "And I consider myself one of the closest people to Andy."

Richards, who has recently quit drinking, also shared her thoughts on the accusations about alcohol. "We have never felt pressured to drink, not even once," she emphasized.

Heather Dubrow

Heather Dubrow Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

Heather Dubrow Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

The RHOC star detailed her “positive” experience on the show to Page Six as well.

"I've been a part of this franchise for over 13 years, and from my own experience, I have never felt pressured to drink alcohol," she mentioned. "I have never witnessed anyone being forced to drink either. It's never even been discussed. I have always felt safe and supported by the producers and crew."

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Meghan King's Perspective

In regards to the drugs, Dubrow mentioned that she has never witnessed anything like what McSweeney claimed in her lawsuit. However, she did acknowledge that being a Housewife can be a stressful experience. She emphasized that being on the show provides an amazing platform and the cast members gain a lot from it. From her point of view, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

Meghan King Every Real Housewife Defending Andy Cohen

Meghan King Elyse Jankowski/Getty Images

The former RHOC star shared a funny moment from her time on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. During a segment with a 'shot ski', a production assistant accidentally swapped her shot with Andy's. She explained to Page Six that Andy was worried because her co-star Gina Kirschenheiter does not drink alcohol. In front of the live audience, Andy made sure to remind the production assistant that such mix-ups should never happen again, especially when a sober guest is involved.

Editor's P/S:

The lawsuit filed by Leah McSweeney against Andy Cohen and Bravo has sparked a heated debate, with several Real Housewives stars coming out in support of Cohen. They deny McSweeney's allegations of cocaine use and a toxic work environment, emphasizing that their experiences have been positive and that they have never felt pressured to drink or engage in substance abuse. The accusations have divided opinions, with some believing McSweeney's claims while others dismiss them as unfounded.

It remains to be seen how the lawsuit will play out, but the public support from these Housewives is a significant boost for Cohen. Their testimonies suggest that the alleged behaviors may not be as widespread as McSweeney claims, or that some cast members have had different experiences than her. It is important to note that these are just a few voices from the franchise, and the full extent of the situation may be more complex than what has been presented so far.