“Actual Housewives” heavyweights are hitting again at Leah McSweeney’s claims towards Bravo honcho Andy Cohen and the franchise at giant. 

Web page Six spoke solely with Margaret Josephs, Kyle Richards, Heather Dubrow and Meghan King, every of whom felt compelled to defend Cohen’s character after the previous “Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis” star leveled a myriad of accusations at him in a prolonged lawsuit — together with alleged cocaine use together with his favourite staff — all of which he has categorically denied.

“I simply wish to additionally say concerning the cocaine allegations, Andy has by no means supplied me cocaine. I’m mates with each ‘Housewife.’ He has by no means supplied any ‘Housewife’ cocaine,” insists Josephs, 56, a staple on “The Actual Housewives of New Jersey.” 

“These allegations are nothing however to assassinate his character and that’s disgusting,” she continues. “I’ve by no means seen Andy do something like that, so I’m appalled that somebody would simply go so low to assassinate and goal somebody’s character in that method.”

The previous “Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis” star leveled a myriad of accusations at Cohen — together with alleged cocaine use together with his favourite staff — that he has categorically denied. leahmob/Instagram
McSweeney’s “Housewife” tenure lasted solely two seasons with one stint on Peacock’s “Actual Housewives Final Women Journey.” Getty Photographs for Legendary Video games

Following the allegations, a rep for Cohen informed Web page Six, “The claims towards Andy are utterly false.”

“Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills” OG Richards, 55, notes that, of all Bravolebrities, she is among the many closest to Cohen — and has by no means seen him take pleasure in any illicit actions.

“I’ve by no means seen Andy do medicine, supply medicine or do something inappropriate ever, ever,” she tells Web page Six. “And I’m one of many nearer ones to Andy.”

Regardless of their shut bond, Richards notes that Cohen retains a secure distance between himself and the handfuls of “Housewives” employed by Bravo.

“There’s a purpose he doesn’t observe any of them on Instagram. He likes to maintain considerably of a distance from all of them. He’s skilled,” the “Halloween” actress says. “That’s been my expertise.”

Along with accusing Cohen of providing laborious medicine to sure expertise and handing out particular skilled favors to them, McSweeney, 41, claimed that Cohen, 55, and Bravo preyed on her alcohol points in an try to generate favorable scores and even facilitated a piece surroundings that turned a blind eye to sexually predatory conduct.

“These allegations are nothing however to assassinate his character and that’s disgusting,” Margaret Josephs tells Web page Six. therealmargaretjosephs/Instagram
“I’ve by no means seen Andy do medicine, supply medicine or do something inappropriate ever, ever,” Richards says. “And I’m one of many nearer ones to Andy.” Todd Williamson/Bravo

“The Andy Cohen that I do know is nothing however skilled and humorous. I’ve solely had optimistic interactions. He has been nothing however heat and welcoming,” Josephs emphatically states.

“I’ve by no means been in a scenario of partying with him like what Leah is saying. He has solely been the utmost skilled and he champions everybody’s conduct in the way in which that they wish to be portrayed.”

Notably, Josephs doesn’t drink however will not be an alcoholic. Her aversion to imbibing — which stems from rising up in a family with a mom who had a penchant for partying  — has been closely highlighted on digicam since becoming a member of the fact sequence in 2017’s Season 8, however “by no means exploited,” she says.

“Manufacturing has by no means pressured me, by no means supplied me cocktails or something like that. They really are very accommodating to me. They provide me water. They provide me iced tea. In shot glasses, if everybody’s having a shot, they’ll put water in my shot glass,” the entrepreneur, who has launched a line of glowing mocktails known as Soirée, shares.

“They’ve integrated the truth that I don’t drink into the present and I feel that’s what’s been so nice about it. They accommodate all people’s life-style decisions and don’t strain anyone to do something that they don’t wish to do.”

Heather Dubrow additionally spoke to Web page Six in help of Cohen. Clifton Prescod/Bravo
The “Actual Housewives of Orange County” star, pictured right here with husband Dr. Terry Dubrow, has been a part of the Bravo-verse for greater than a decade. Zuma / SplashNews.com

Richards, for her half, says she “felt very supported” by Cohen and Bravo when she determined to ditch alcohol shortly earlier than cameras went up for “RHOBH” Season 13.

“We’ve by no means been made to really feel like we’ve to drink, by no means not one time,” she says. “And I’ve not been ingesting now a yr and eight months and I’ve had nothing however help from each the manufacturing firm and the community.”

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“RHONJ” and “RHOBH” are produced by Sirens Media and Evolution Media, respectively, whereas “RHONY” — the iteration McSweeney starred on for Seasons 12 and 13 from 2020 till 2021 — is produced by Shed Media. Cohen is an government producer on all U.S. variations of the present, which at the moment spans eight stateside cities and one Center East-set version in Dubai. 

Dubrow, 55 — a stalwart of “The Actual Housewives of Orange County,” which, like “RHOBH,” is produced by Evolution — says she has by no means felt compelled to take pleasure in ways in which don’t align together with her genuine self, together with extreme alcohol consumption. 

“We’ve by no means been made to really feel like we’ve to drink, by no means not one time,” says the “RHOC” staple (far proper), responding to McSweeney’s declare that Cohen and Bravo preyed on her alcohol points. Scott Gries/Bravo through Getty Photographs
The “Malibu Nation” actress (far left) is dissatisfied by McSweeney’s host of claims, which she hopes doesn’t taint the “enjoyable expertise” of being a “Housewife.” Clifton Prescod/Bravo

“I’ve been concerned on this franchise in a technique or one other for over 13 years and I, clearly, can solely communicate from my very own expertise however I’ve by no means, ever felt like anybody was making an attempt to make me drink alcohol,” she says. 

“I’ve by no means seen anybody else compelled to drink alcohol. It’s by no means even been a dialog. I’ve at all times felt, actually, very protected by the producers and by the crew.”  

The “Malibu Nation” actress is dissatisfied by McSweeney’s host of claims, which she hopes doesn’t taint the “enjoyable expertise” of being part of the “Housewives” universe — a singular alternative that features frequent appearances on Cohen’s late-night present, “Watch What Occurs Reside.” 

“I’ve been on ‘Watch What Occurs Reside’ one million occasions. I’ve by no means seen medicine, heard about medicine, nothing ever. And I’m a child from the ‘80s, OK?” she says. 

“I’ve by no means seen any of that. ‘Watch What Occurs Reside’ is such a enjoyable expertise. Yeah, we’ve a cocktail on the present. It’s enjoyable, however there’s a ingesting sport at all times with a disclaimer: don’t drink and drive. It’s a enjoyable expertise. It’s unhappy it’s being introduced all the way down to this degree. My expertise has been nothing however optimistic.”

McSweeney (far proper) starred in two seasons of “RHONY” from 2020 till 2021. Sophy Holland/Bravo
The sequence was retooled with a completely new solid following McSweeney’s departure after Season 13. Bravo

McSweeney turned a “Housewife” shortly after breaking a years-long sobriety streak. When it was time to movie her second and ultimate season of “RHONY,” she had recommitted herself to abstaining from alcohol. 

“Sadly for Leah, I suppose a part of her story is her sobriety and if she was prepared to open her life as much as the digicam, she needed to know that’s a part of her journey,” says Dubrow, acknowledging that starring on actuality TV could be a robust — however finally rewarding — gig.

“I’ll inform you, it’s traumatic to be on ‘Actual Housewives,’ for positive. There are traumatic components, there are components which might be annoying, there are components that you simply don’t like, however components which might be actually improbable,” she elaborates. “It’s an unbelievable platform and we, as solid members, actually get a lot from it that, to me, the professionals utterly outweigh the cons.”

A significant perk, Dubrow says, is the chance to develop not solely an expert rapport with Cohen however a friendship as effectively. 

“So far as Andy goes, once more, I’ve identified him for about 13 years and he’s at all times simply been nice. He’s not simply the chief of the pack, he’s like an older brother,” she explains. “I’ve at all times felt comfy calling him if I used to be upset about one thing, something. He’s simply at all times been actually nice.”

McSweeney turned a “Housewife” shortly after breaking a years-long sobriety streak. leamob/Instagram
She recommitted to abstaining from alcohol in her second season. Leahmob/Instagram

Richards agrees, emphasizing that Cohen has typically touched base together with her over the previous yr as she’s continued to mourn the dying of her greatest pal, Lorene Shea — who died by suicide in Might 2022 — and navigated her 2023 separation from husband Mauricio Umansky.

“Andy’s somebody who, when he is aware of we’re going by a tough time, he’ll attain out say, ‘Are you OK? Checking in on you,’” she says. “He checked in rather a lot on me this final season due to every thing I went by.”

Former Bravo star Meghan King — who held an orange on “RHOC” from 2013 till 2015 — says she observed Cohen’s consideration of others when she appeared on “WWHL” with present “Orange County” star Gina Kirschenheiter in July 2023.

When an opportunity arose that now-sober Kirschenheiter, 39, might have been given an alcoholic shot — as a result of mistake of a manufacturing assistant who readied the Clubhouse’s famed “shot ski” — Cohen stepped in, King, 39, remembers. 

“There was confusion with the ‘shot ski’ and a manufacturing assistant had by accident switched my shot with Andy’s,” she tells us. 

“RHOC” alum Meghan King tells Web page Six she has seen Cohen respect expertise’s relationship with alcohol. meghanking/Instagram
King says the “Watch What Occurs Reside” host made positive Gina Kirschenheiter, who’s now sober, wasn’t served any alcohol on his late-night present final yr. Charles Sykes/Bravo

“Andy was involved as a result of Gina doesn’t drink alcohol, and informed the manufacturing assistant in entrance of the entire reside viewers how that might by no means occur once more, particularly with a sober individual as a visitor.”

Richards — who gave up ingesting as she adopted a more healthy life-style, not due to alcoholism — acquired such care throughout a latest “WWHL” taping, too.

“At ‘Watch What Occurs Reside,’ Andy made some extent to say, ‘We’ve water right here however I don’t know in the event you even wish to take a drink out of the “shot ski” as a result of though it’s water, for you, I don’t know if it’s the look you’ll need,’” she recounts. “He was very thoughtful of me about that.”

Richards tells Web page Six that she doesn’t perceive McSweeney’s resolution to go after Cohen after she selected to partake in Peacock’s “Actual Housewives Final Women Journey” Season 3, which aired earlier this yr — following her allegedly dangerous expertise filming “RHONY.”

“She did the present after which she additionally went on ‘Final Women Journey,’ so if it was that horrible, you selected to do one other season of a by-product, which is attention-grabbing to me,” she muses.

Richards — who gave up ingesting as she adopted a more healthy life-style, not due to alcoholism — acquired such care throughout a latest “WWHL” taping, too. Instagram/@kylerichards
McSweeney’s lawsuit got here to mild not lengthy after Brandi Glanville accused Cohen of sexual harassment; an allegation he has additionally denied. NBCU Photograph Financial institution/NBCUniversal through Getty Photographs

The longtime diamond holder can also be curious concerning the intention behind “RHOBH” alum Brandi Glanville’s latest accusation of sexual harassment towards Cohen, an allegation he has denied. Cohen, although, has since apologized publicly for making an “inappropriate” joke “meant in jest” throughout a 2022 telephone alternate involving “Beneath Deck” alum Kate Chastain.

“It’s so unfair to do that, one thing like this to somebody like Andy,” says Richards. “Particularly after they had been getting one thing out of it, it appeared to be working for them.”

An unlimited portion of viewers keep an identical opinion, expressing as a lot in fervid social media posts since McSweeney and Glanville’s allegations got here to mild. (In the meantime, the latter has expressed help for the previous through social media, declaring that it’s “time to take our energy again.”)

“Why does it appear all people is gunning for Andy Cohen unexpectedly?!?” one individual requested in an Instagram remark, whereas one other added, “Is anybody taking accountability for their very own conduct these days?”

Like Josephs, Richards, Dubrow and King, fellow Bravo personalities Kandi Burruss, Chanel Ayan, Dorinda Medley, Luann de Lesseps, Cynthia Bailey, Guerdy Abraira and Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi, amongst others, have spoken out in Cohen’s protection.