Former "Real Housewives of Orange County" star Kelly Dodd has accused Bravo host Andy Cohen of being disingenuous in his defense of featuring "MAGA women" on the "Real Housewives" franchise. Dodd claimed Cohen's statements, made in response to a question on Threads about the inclusion of conservative women on the show, were driven by declining ratings.
Cohen had previously stated on Threads that showcasing individuals with different viewpoints is essential for the show's existence and that its focus remains on the women's relationships, not politics. "If we didn’t showcase people with different POV’s there would be no show. Also it’s a show about the women and their relationships, not about politics," he wrote.
Dodd countered this, asserting that Cohen and Bravo have historically not been open to conservative perspectives and are now seeking to regain a lost audience. "They're making excuses that they need points of views when I don't think that's true," Dodd told Fox News Digital. "He doesn't have different points of view. I think he's full of s---."
She suggested that Cohen's comments reflect a strategy to attract conservative viewers whose support may have waned. "I think that he sees that the ratings are slipping, and he needs to get back some conservative. He's lost half of his audience. Any time you talk, speak about politics... You're gonna p--- off half the country," Dodd stated.
Cohen, however, maintained that the "Real Housewives" brand is not inherently political. Dodd echoed this sentiment, saying, "The show is not about politics, it's about women's lives. It's not about politics. No one's running for office or no one's talking about politics."
Bravo and its parent company NBCUniversal declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital. A representative for Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dodd's tenure on "The Real Housewives of Orange County" ended in 2021 following controversial remarks related to the COVID-19 pandemic and accusations of mocking the Black Lives Matter movement. Other former cast members, such as Annemarie Wiley from "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," have also spoken out about conservative viewpoints potentially affecting their treatment on the show, with Wiley claiming she received a "terrible edit" after expressing conservative views.
NBCUniversal recently highlighted Bravo's strong performance, particularly among key female demographics and on the streaming service Peacock, despite reports of declining ratings for some "Real Housewives" seasons in recent years.