Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify why BravoCon is not happening this year.
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(NewsNation) — It seems the landslide of lawsuits has finally gotten to Chief Bravolebrity Andy Cohen.
BravoCon – the Bravo celebrity convention featuring all the “stars” of Bravo started in 2020 and makes parent company NBCUniversal almost $14 million a year – is not happening in 2024.
Disappointed fans (and housewives) will just have to wait until 2025 when the convention will re-emerge in Las Vegas… an appropriate city for a channel that thrives on drunken and outrageous behavior.
A rep for Bravo told NewsNation that the decision to not hold Bravocon “was made long before any lawsuits.” Bravo says they plan to hold smaller fan events beginning in May.
While Cohen has emerged relatively unscathed despite the damning reports (some inhouse have taken to calling him “Teflon Andy”), the charges are piling up and NBC is said to be questioning whether it was wise to give one man so much power and airtime. It also remains to be seen if CNN will hire him back to co-host the New Year’s Eve ball drop with Anderson Cooper.
The lawsuits and charges include:
April 2022: Nene Leakes (RHOA) sues Bravo and Cohen for a hostile and racist environment. She later dropped the lawsuit in 2024.
August 2023: Bethenny Frankel (RHNY) threatened a lawsuit against Cohen and Bravo for a “toxic” environment (she did not sue) — and, according to lawyer Bryan Freedman, Bravo should be held accountable for:
- Deliberate attempts to manufacture mental instability by plying cast members with alcohol while depriving them of food and sleep.
- Denying mental health treatment to cast members displaying obvious and alarming signs of mental deterioration.
- Exploiting minors for uncompensated and sometimes long-term appearances on NBC reality TV shows.
- Distributing and/or condoning the distribution of nonconsensual pornography.
- Covering up acts of sexual violence.
- Refusing to allow cast members the freedom to leave their shows, even under dire circumstances.
January 26, 2024: Caroline Manzo (RHNJ) claims Brandi Glanville (RHNY) of sexually assaulting her; Sues Bravo, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros over “Girls Trip” misconduct.
February 2024: Brandi Glanville accuses Cohen of sexual harassment. According to Glanville, Cohen sent a video to her boasting about “his intention to sleep with another Bravo star that night.” The letter alleged that Cohen appeared inebriated and invited her to watch via FaceTime.
March 2024: Leah McSweeney (RHNY) sued Bravo and Cohen alleging an unsafe workplace, favoritism and that the producers plied housewives with alcohol to get better “scenes”… she also alleged Cohen did cocaine with his “favorite” castmembers (Cohen denies this).
April 2024: “Vanderpump Rules” castmate Faith Stowers sues the network for “racism, sexual harassment and physical assault” accusing the network of discrimination, retaliation and enabling an unsafe work environment on set.
