Real Housewives of New York City star Leah McSweeney has filed a damning new lawsuit against Andy Cohen, Bravo and NBC claiming that producers idly watched as a drunk Luann de Lesseps got into a car to buy illegal drugs , while also claiming that the producers actively encouraged cast members to drink themselves into oblivion in the name of entertainment.
The explosive reveal comes just days after Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Brandi Glanville accused Bravo boss Andy, 55, of sexual harassment, alleging he invited her to watch him have sex with the star From Below Deck, Kate Chastain, 41.
Fashion designer Leah, 41, filed her own explosive legal letter on Tuesday, alleging that producers actively created a “rotten” workplace culture in which they took advantage of vulnerable housewives and pressured them to consume alcohol. in a sick attempt to boost ratings.
According to her lawsuit, obtained by DailyMail.com, producers knew Luann, 58, suffered from “alcohol use disorder” but exploited her anyway.
A damning new lawsuit from Bravo claims producers watched a drunk Luann de Lesseps get into a car to buy illegal drugs.
Real Housewives of New York Alum Leah McSweeney Show’s Producers Allegedly Actively Created a ‘Rotten’ Work Culture
The lawsuit alleged that producers intentionally used Luann’s illness as a weapon and even joked with Leah about how they had seen her drunkenly get into a vehicle with two unknown men to buy drugs, completely ignoring all safeguards.
“The producers knew that Ms. de Lesseps suffered from an alcohol use disorder when filming her alcohol-related arrest, her criminal trial, her probation, and her experience at a halfway house,” the document reads.
“Despite this knowledge, the producer defendants joked with Ms. McSweeney about watching a drunken De Lesseps get into a vehicle with two men she did not know in an effort to obtain illicit substances.”
Luann, who has appeared in 13 of the show’s first 14 seasons since its premiere, has had a very public journey with sobriety.
She became sober for the first time after assaulting a police officer in 2017 and was charged with disorderly conduct while intoxicated and assault on an officer.
In 2022, Luann admitted her problems with alcohol after she was kicked out of a gay piano bar.
Alongside a statement of apology, he said: ‘Clearly my struggles with alcohol are real!
‘While I have made great strides over the years, there have been times when I have fallen. It’s one day at a time! “I am recovering and taking steps to ensure this does not happen again.”
Luann has been open about her struggle with alcohol over the years and has talked about her sobriety.
According to the lawsuit, seen by DailyMail.com, producers knew Luann suffered from an alcohol use disorder.
And she added: I am grateful to my family and friends for their constant support.’
Leah’s legal letter also alleged that producers knew that Sonja Morgan, 60, was the show’s ‘golden goose’ because she often got drunk in front of the cameras and, as a result, gave her special treatment, i.e. They were allowed to hide their daughter. , Quincy, from the program.
Ultimately, however, the lawsuit claims that executives grew tired of Sonja’s “excessive” alcohol consumption.
“Barrie Bernstein, an executive producer employed by the defendant Shed, told Ms. McSweeney that she was tired of cast member Sonja Morgan’s storyline, which involved heavy drinking, because she was becoming “pathetic,” the document states.
Leah was then informed that she should be a “fun drunk” and not a “bad” or “pathetic” drunk, “blatantly ignoring Ms. McSweeney’s requests for a reasonable accommodation request, meaning that the defendants Please respect and do not interfere with Mrs. McSweeney’s Sobriety.
In 2021, Sonja admitted to having “gone off the rails” in season 12 due to her excessive alcohol consumption.
During the series, she was singled out during an intervention about her drinking habits after she got into a shouting altercation with Bershan Shaw that got out of control.
The show between Sonja and Bershan got so out of control that Leah and the show’s producers had to break them up.
Leah’s legal letter alleged that producers viewed Sonja Morgan (pictured) as the show’s ‘golden goose’ because she often got drunk on camera.
The lawsuit claims that executives eventually tired of Sonja’s “excessive” alcohol consumption and criticized her as “pathetic.”
Sonja ultimately left Real Housewives of New York after season 13, having appeared as a main cast member since 2010.
DailyMail.com has contacted a representative for Luann and Sonja.
Elsewhere in her lawsuit, Leah also alleged that producers used her worsening mental health in an attempt to convince her to relapse into sobriety.
According to the filing, they implied that they would “help save their son” from filming obligations, “if Ms. McSweeney consumed alcohol.”
A production source vehemently denied her claims to DailyMail.com, insisting that ‘Bravo did everything he could to support Leah’s sobriety and his outlandish claims will get him nothing.’
‘They won’t pay you. They won’t pay him anything and the same thing happens to Brandi (Glanville).
“These two are women who knew their time with Bravo was over and they retaliated because they couldn’t accept it.”
The source also noted that Brandi has also been accused of sexual assault in the past, referring to accusations made by former Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip cast member Caroline Manzo.
“The difference with Brandi is that she had two cases of sexual assault before coming forward with these false accusations,” they said.
Leah claimed that the producers took advantage of vulnerable housewives and pressured them into consuming alcohol.
She posted a statement about her explosive lawsuit on Instagram, saying she was “petrified” to speak out.
After filing the lawsuit, Leah posted a lengthy statement on Instagram.
It said, ‘This is not a story I ever thought I’d tell. In fact, I was terrified to talk about it and was warned not to.
‘Today my attorneys filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against my former employers.
‘Your favorite Bravo shows are funny and feature people who create a dangerous work environment, encourage substance abuse to artificially create drama, and cynically take advantage of their employees’ vulnerabilities.
‘Some of the stories and incidents detailed in the lawsuit have been shown in edited form on television or reported in the media, but many have not.
And there will be much more that will come to light once the people involved are questioned under oath.
‘Today I am recovering my reality.’
Leah went on to say that she has been “fired, blocked, and criticized” for years as she tried to address her experiences with her employers.
Last week, Brandi Glanville accused Bravo boss Andy Cohen of sexual harassment.
Andy acknowledged that her message was “inappropriate,” but said Brandi’s response made it clear that she was “in on the joke.”
“Bravo can try to manipulate my reality and that of others all he wants, but the cold, hard facts of this attention are as real as they come,” he concluded.
Leah appeared on seasons 12 and 13 of Real Housewives of New York before appearing on season three of Ultimate Girls Trip.
Her lawsuit comes just days after Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Brandi accused Bravo boss Cohen of sexual harassment, alleging that he sent her an inappropriate video in which he invited her to FaceTime while he had sexual relations with Kate Chastain.
The letter claimed that an “obviously intoxicated” Andy sent Brandi a video of himself in March 2022 in which he said he wanted to have sex with another Bravo star, later revealed to be Kate, before inviting Brandi to watch the event on FaceTime.
Andy apologized last week for the joke which he said was “inappropriate” but “absolutely was in jest.”