KATE ALTMAN—If you are familiar with reality TV, chances are you are familiar with Bravo. Since the early 2000s, the network has revolutionized guilty-pleasure television, creating a cult-like fanbase around its most popular shows. While the on-screen drama keeps audiences entertained, in recent years, the darker side of the industry and behind-the-scenes conflicts have taken center stage.
In February 2024, former Real Housewives of New York (RHONY) and Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip star Leah McSweeney filed a 109-page lawsuit against Bravo Media, NBCUniversal Media, and executive producer Andy Cohen, alleging discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, and more. McSweeney, who has struggled with alcoholism in her past and had been sober for several years before joining RHONY, accused the defendants of creating a “rotted workplace culture” that relied on pressuring the housewives to consume alcohol in order to create a more entertaining reality for viewers. She claimed that this toxic environment, which employed “guerrilla-type psychological warfare,” ultimately led to her relapse. McSweeney further alleged that despite the network’s awareness of her history of alcoholism, the defendants failed to provide reasonable accommodations for her disability, and instead intentionally placed her in situations designed to jeopardize her sobriety. She described the pinnacle of events as the episode titled “Hurricane Leah,” where she relapsed. However, she claimed the defendants paid little mind to the incident as it happened, or even after, as the episode became the highest-rated episode of her RHONY season—the only opinion that matters in entertainment. In response to McSweeney’s complaint, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss in May 2024, arguing that her discrimination claims violated their First Amendment “rights to tailor and adjust the messages they wish to convey in their creative works.” This motion was later denied by a federal judge in the Southern District of New York.
With McSweeney’s lawsuit still ongoing, it is important to note that she is not alone in her fight against Bravo. Over the years, several Real Housewives alumnae have filed complaints of their own. For example, just a month before McSweeney’s lawsuit was filed, Bravo was hit with another legal battle—this time by Real Housewives of New Jersey alumna Caroline Manzo. Manzo, who was filming Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, filed suit against Bravo Media, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros Entertainment, Peacock and others. Her complaint included over sixteen claims, including sexual harassment and discrimination. Manzo alleged she was sexually assaulted while on set filming for Ultimate Girls Trip, and she claimed the defendants “allowed, condoned and even encouraged” the misconduct. Like McSweeney, Manzo also accuses Bravo of supplying cast members with alcohol to provoke outrageous behavior, which producers could then manipulate for ratings gold.
With all the legal troubles unfolding in the Bravo-sphere, one might ask: What protections exist for the women making these shows so successful? While most actors in Hollywood are part of unions like SAG-AFTRA, reality TV stars are often classified as “participants” rather than employees under labor law. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)—a federal law that protects private-sector employees—grants certain legal protections to those deemed “employees” under the Act, including the right to form a union, the right to bargain collectively, and the right to be protected from employer retaliation. “Participants” typically do not receive the same rights.
This distinction has sparked efforts to reform labor conditions in reality TV. In 2023—amid widespread SAG-AFTRA strikes in Hollywood—RHONY alumna Bethenny Frankel took to Instagram to call for the unionization of reality stars. In her post, Frankel claimed the networks continue to profit from her “name and likeness” and that “her content [is] used for years to come . . . on episodes where [she] was paid peanuts.”
Beyond Frankel’s call to action, another challenge emerged from the cast of Love is Blind, a Netflix reality series. In December 2024, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)—the agency responsible for enforcing the NLRA—issued a complaint against Kinetic Content, the show’s producers. The complaint alleges that Love is Blind cast members have been misclassified as “participants” when they should be considered employees, thereby entitling them to workplace protections under the NLRA. This marks the “first major labor action filed on behalf of unscripted TV cast members.”
Overall, what was once just behind-the-scenes drama is now unfolding into a legal reckoning for reality TV’s biggest players. If the NLRB rules in favor of the Love is Blind cast members, it could set a precedent that reshapes not just Netflix, but the entire reality TV industry, redefining the rights of stars across all networks. Even if such a ruling forces changes in how reality TV is filmed, produced, and edited—a potentially controversial shift for audiences who prefer the production-doctored reality—the implications for stars like McSweeney, Manzo, and Frankel could be even greater. It could secure long-overdue rights and protections for an industry that has long operated in a legal grey area. Whether these battles will lead to meaningful, lasting change remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: reality TV’s most explosive fights are no longer just for the cameras—they are being fought in the courtroom.
