Bethenny Frankel Pitched a Show to Bravo Before Calling Out Network for Treatment of Reality Stars, Ditched Project Over 'Married to Medicine' Lawsuit
Bethenny Frankel pitched a show idea to Bravo years before openly discussing the treatment of its reality stars, RadarOnline.com can confirm.
An insider with direct knowledge tells RadarOnline.com that the Skinnygirl mogul, 52, approached Bravo with a reality show about her life in Connecticut post-Real Housewives of New York. We're told that Frankel was clear about how she didn't want it to be like Housewives.
Insiders spilled to Page Six that Frankel got the green light from network executives to move forward with the project, adding Susan Sarandon’s daughter, Eva Amurri, was set to star in the show; however, a "bust-up" allegedly occurred between Bethenny and the production company.
RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal that the ex-RHONY star backed out after discovering the discrimination lawsuit filed by Married to Medicine star Mariah Huq — years before Bravo was accused of alleged mistreatment.
Huq sued Purveyors of Pop, Bravo, NBC, and Fremantle in 2021, claiming they "stole" her creation of Married to Medicine and are "not paying her royalties, giving her proper credit for spinoffs, etc., and treating her with discriminatory practices."
Once Frankel learned about the lawsuit, we're told she pulled the plug on her project.
"Bethenny pitched Matt Anderson, POP and Bravo the next chapter of her life in CT. She repeatedly told them she didn’t want it to be like housewives. They then added multiple women and she was told by someone at Bravo that the Married to Medicine project was stolen from talent resulting in a massive lawsuit. That’s when she backed out. She hadn’t yet heard about the illegal Bravo practices," a source told RadarOnline.com on Monday.
As for Bravo, they replied by stating, “We don’t comment on shows that were potentially in development.”
Frankel has led the charge regarding the alleged mistreatment of reality stars in the wake of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
“Hollywood is on strike, entertainers are fighting for residuals and no one will promote anything. Why isn’t reality TV on strike?" she said on TikTok, urging for reality personalities to come together.
“Unscripted talent a.k.a. ‘reality stars’ should have a union or simply be treated fairly and valued," she added.
After Frankel's call to action, famed attorneys Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos joined the crusade. As RadarOnline.com reported, the legal team fired off a letter, accusing NBC — particularly Bravo — of plying reality stars with booze, allegedly covering up sexual violence, and putting them in mental distress on purpose.
The letter obtained by TMZ alleged that reality stars were subjected to "grotesque and depraved mistreatment," including deliberately manufacturing their mental stability by feeding them alcohol and depriving them of food and sleep — as well as denying them mental health treatment despite displaying signs of deterioration.
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The letter further claimed alarming accusations that NBC covered up acts of sexual violence and hurled an allegation about the "distribution of revenge porn."
Despite the allegations, NBC stands by its protocol.
“NBCUniversal is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows. At the outset, we require our third-party production partners to have appropriate workplace policies and training in place," an NBCUniversal spokesperson told RadarOnline.com. "If complaints are brought to our attention, we work with our production partners to ensure that timely, appropriate action is or has been taken, including investigations, medical and/or psychological support, and other remedial action that may be warranted such as personnel changes.”
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