Andy Cohen Calls Housewives a 'Feminist Show' and Reveals Which RHOBH Star He Initially Didn't Want to Join

Andy Cohen has a clear vision of what Real Housewives the franchise is — or should be.

In the new profile for Hollywood Reporter, Cohen, 55, debated whether the 11-show franchise is “the gayest show on mainstream TV,” while defending the “superstars” who make up the beloved, drama-filled world.

“Bravo is a women’s and gay men’s network, run mostly by women and gay men, and we each bring different perspectives to the table,” he said of the franchise’s parent network. “Gays love our divas. We celebrate strong women. I think the women on our shows are the superstars. Also, gay men appreciate women of all ages, especially women over 45. At housewivesunlike many other places, age is no barrier to being a superstar.”

The women behind the camera “bring their own unique feelings and story,” he continued, before asserting, “I think it’s a really feminist show because it can be about women finding their voice or finding their power or discovering their sexuality.”

Andy Cohen thinks Bette Midler would be the ‘grande dame of Beverly Hills’ if she joined RHOBH

Cohen admitted that he “debated with Gloria Steinem” about whether the franchise, on which he serves as an executive producer, could be called feminist in a previous episode Watch what’s happening live.

“She called housewives minstrel show for women! I know some feminist critics say it’s just a gay male conception of women, but you know what? They are wrong!” he retorted, before citing some of the show’s fan-favorite female characters as examples. “If you look at Luann [de Lesseps] and Sonja [Morgan] and even Ramona [Singer], you saw them get divorced, and in the end they really found themselves as sexual beings. Others go through trauma and find great empowerment.”

Crystal Kung Minkoff, Dorit Kemsley, Lisa Rinna, Erika Girardi, Andy Cohen, Kyle Richards, Kathy Hilton, Garcelle Beauvais, Sutton Stracke at the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion.

Nicole Weingart/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Elsewhere in the profile, Cohen looked back at the cast of the iconic series – and revealed one star he was initially hesitant to let go.

“I actually have mixed feelings about having stars on the show,” he admitted. “When Lisa Rinna auditioned for the first season Beverly Hills, I was very much against the idea. Like, she’s already a celebrity!”

However, his opinion changed when Rinna, 60, joined the show in Season 5 in 2014. “But then she came along, and it made perfect sense,” Cohen said.

In January 2023, PEOPLE confirmed that Rinna planned to leave the show after nearly a decade. “This is the longest job I’ve done in my 35-year career and I’m grateful to everyone at Bravo and everyone involved with the series,” she said in a statement. “It’s been a fun eight years and I’m excited for what’s to come!”

Leah McSweeney says truth is ‘on my side’ in lawsuit against Bravo and Andy Cohen

Lisa Rinna and Andy Cohen on ‘Watch What Happens Live’.

Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Cohen’s status at Bravo has been the subject of debate in recent months, after his ex The Real Housewives of New York star Leah McSweeney sued the longtime host, alleging that he and Bravo facilitated a “rotten” workplace culture where employees were pressured to consume alcohol, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE.

Cohen’s attorney, Orin Snyder, said the filing is “riddled with false, offensive and defamatory statements” in the letter sent to McSweeney, obtained by PEOPLE.

Snyder called “almost all” of the allegations made by the Bravo star “categorically false” and threatened further legal action unless she “immediately” recanted and retracted the claims about Cohen’s cocaine use.

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In April, PEOPLE confirmed that Cohen has no plans to leave the network despite the ongoing legal drama.

“There is absolutely no truth to this story – it was clearly made up by a non-credible source,” said a Bravo spokesperson.

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