Andy Cohen says there have been ‘talks’ about a gay Real Housewives franchise
Andy Cohen said that Bravo almost cast “several lesbians” (Getty/Bravo)
Andy Cohen has suggested that a queer The Real Housewives might be closer to becoming a reality than you think.
The rip-roaring and almost always suspenseful staple of Bravo’s reality TV empire has enthralled the US for more than a decade.
But as much as the franchise has seen spin-offs in everywhere from New York to Salt Lake City, there’s never been one exclusively queer Real Housewives.
That could be about to change though, according to Andy Cohen, the series’ executive producer.
Appearing on Garcelle Beauvais’ podcast Going to Bed with Garcelle, Cohen revealed how franchise bosses not only considered, but came closer to casting “several” lesbian women.
“Have you ever thought about having a gay [Real Housewives] franchise?” asked Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Beauvais, according to People.
“We’ve talked about that,” Cohen, the 52-year-old host of Watch What Happens Live responded.
“It was something that we were really into many years ago. We’ve almost cast several lesbians.”
Andy Cohen discussing Real Housewives casting choices on Going to Bed with Garcelle. (Screen capture via Going to Bed with Garcelle/People)
He also revealed that only a few years ago, Bravo bosses considered tapping in Dina and Caroline Manzo’s gay brother to The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
“I think when you start casting gay men, it just, it’s ultimately a show about women, which is why the guys have always been in the background, like, the husbands have typically been more in the background,” he said.
“And so I think the answer is we’ve been open to it. We almost cast a guy on [The Real Housewives of New Jersey] who was Dina Manzo’s brother and Caroline’s brother as the first gay Housewife.
“This was years ago. This was like, 2008 or nine or something like that. But we wound up just not doing it.”
So, will there be a queer Real Housewives coming anytime soon? Don’t hold out on it, Cohen said.
But always benevolent, he said that it’s not a total impossibility. “If the right person smacked me in the face, yeah,” Cohen continued.
Cohen has remained close to many of the Real Housewives stars – they all even attended his highly extravagant baby shower in 2019.
“I’m speechless,” the talk-show personality wrote in an Instagram caption at the time. “Every Housewife, featuring John Mayer.”
