Andy Cohen, the Bravo overlord and unofficial mayor of Reality TV Land, is out here waving his golden chalice of defense for the new cast of The Real Housewives of New York City. And honestly, who wouldn’t fight for a crew that’s bringing fresh chaos to Manhattan’s concrete jungle?
Rebooting Ain’t Easy!
ICYMI, Bravo hit CTRL+ALT+DEL on the entire old RHONY cast for Season 14 and swapped them out for a shiny new lineup: Brynn Whitfield, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, Ubah Hassan, Sai De Silva, and Racquel Chevremont. It’s like trading in your vintage Chanel bag for a sleek Gucci tote—not everyone’s going to love it, but hey, it’s still designer!
But here we are in Season 15, and some viewers are side-eyeing these ladies like they just showed up to a gala in Crocs. The criticism? “Meh, we miss the OGs!” To which Andy, 56 years fabulous, says: Pipe down, people; this group is great.
Andy’s Sales Pitch for the Newbies
In an interview with Deadline, Andy got real:
“There’s a lot of interesting personal stories with the women in the new New York.” Translation: These gals have more drama than Times Square at midnight, and you WILL eat it up.
He did admit that the group dynamic is, uh, a work in progress. “The rap on the group in Season 1 was, ‘Oh, there’s not a lot of history there,’” Andy confessed. “But now, they hang out a lot and are cohesive.” (Read: They text each other passive-aggressively and call it bonding.)
Andy then pivoted to their aesthetic vibes:
“They’re aspirational. The clothes are stunning. The window into a different kind of New York is exactly what we wanted.” In other words, these ladies serve looks while throwing shade, and isn’t that why we’re here?
A Fond Farewell to the OGs
Andy also took a moment to wax nostalgic about the RHONY icons of yesteryear—Ramona “Turtle Time” Singer, Bethenny “I Invented Skinnygirl” Frankel, Luann “Countess” de Lesseps, Sonja “Toaster Oven” Morgan, and Dorinda “Clip!” Medley.
“We had 13 amazing seasons plus a Girls Trip. That’s legendary,” Andy gushed, before adding, “But things have shifted. Sonja’s now living in Florida, and Ramona’s basically a permanent Floridian.” (Translation: They’ve traded Manhattan martinis for Boca mimosas.)
Looking to the Future (With a Side of Drama)
“So with this new group, we’re looking ahead,” Andy said. Translation: The OGs aren’t coming back, so buckle up for Brynn’s one-liners and Jenna’s statement blazers.
As for the old cast? Andy still loves them, but he’s made it clear: This is the RHONY of the now. Will it become iconic? Only time, tequila, and a few explosive reunions will tell.
New episodes of RHONY drop every Tuesday night on Bravo, so grab your popcorn and prepare for a parade of high heels, low blows, and perfectly edited meltdowns.
@accesshollywood #AndyCohen is weighing in on the controversial #RHONY prank. #BravoFanFest ♬ original sound – Access Hollywood