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Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Shutterstock
To quote Bethenny Frankel … yeah, it’s bad. Like the hosts achieving self-awareness and rising up in Westworld, the Bravo-lebrities have had enough and they’re fighting back. On August 3, entertainment lawyers Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos sent what “Page Six” calls a “strongly worded letter” to NBCUniversal’s general counsel, Kimberley Harris, accusing the company of “a pattern and practice of grotesque and depraved mistreatment of the reality stars and crew members on whose account its coffers swell.” The letter states that these individuals have been “threatened with ruin” to stay quiet and not speak out against their alleged physical, mental, and financial victimization.
The legal counsel state that they are undergoing an investigation into the “sordid and dark underbelly” of NBCUniversal’s reality series and have “reason to believe” claims of mistreatment, which range from “deliberate attempts to manufacture mental instability by plying cast members with alcohol while depriving them of food and sleep” and “denying mental health treatment to cast members displaying obvious and alarming signs of mental deterioration” to “distributing and/or condoning distribution of nonconsensual pornography” and “covering up acts of sexual violence.” There are also claims of false imprisonment and revenge porn.
But, to play devil’s advocate, don’t reality stars “know what they’re signing up for”? The letter accounts for this, saying that NBCUniversal has still “exceeded the moral and legal limits permissible in a civilized society governed by the rule of law.” The letter demands that NBCUniversal does not delete any electronically held evidence that may prove relevant if this goes to litigation, which Freedman and Geragos imply is likely, writing, “Please be advised that the day of reckoning has arrived.”
While no specific cast and crew members are named in this letter, Variety reported that Frankel, a former Real Housewives of New York City cast member, retained Freedman and Geragos in July to fight for reality stars’ protection against exploitation. While her messaging has been mostly about financial analogs to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes — Frankel has called reality-TV workers to unionize for rights like residuals — Freedman said he had spoken with around 50 cast members about being “used and unfairly” treated by networks and streamers.
In other news from the Bravo-verse, Meredith Marks launched her own line of caviar today. Erin Lichy has yet to comment.
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