Andy Cohen Q&A
Andy Cohen Q&A
One of my biggest guilty pleasures remains The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I can't wait for the new season, as I'm so curious whether the cast members will finally tackle that damn Erika Jayne a bit. And whether the rumors are true: is Denise Richards really coming back? And Camille Grammer? Or, please let this be true (but I don't expect it), Lisa Vanderpump? The man behind The Real Housewives, Andy Cohen, unfortunately doesn't reveal anything about this, but does share his favorite moments, the success behind these series, and who he would like to be as a Housewife.
‘You've interviewed many guests on Watch What Happens Live over the years. Which interview, or which guest, has stayed with you the most?’
‘There are too many. Kim Kardashian always comes to mind. You can ask her anything and she always has the best answers. Oprah was also amazing; it's these kinds of legends that really excite me. Mariah Carey has been on often and we always have a lot of fun. Hillary Clinton has also been on a few times and there are absolutely no rules with her, I could ask her anything. She's quite funny!’
‘Who would you most like to interview again? Who is your ultimate dream guest?’
‘Madonna! If she ever wants to promote something on my show, I'm in. In my notes app on my phone, I have a list of all Madonna questions for when she ever comes by.’
‘What is the secret to the success behind The Real Housewives?’
‘We cast people who have strong personalities and who have clear opinions. I think the secret lies first in the casting. Secondly, there are quite a few boring bits; we try to keep the show balanced so that you build up to the drama. But if there were no personal stories and no funny bits, I don't think the show would be such a massive hit worldwide, even sixteen years later. If it were only about the arguments, no one would talk about it anymore because it would be too one-dimensional. VFor me, The Real Housewives is also a great feminist show. I know many feminists won't agree with this, but as I see it, you see many women over fifty in this show who are completely themselves; full of life, sexual beings, who are also mothers or sisters, who are friends and who are partners.’
‘Why do we love reality TV so much?’
‘I think we love it because we enjoy judging other people's behavior. It's a kind of innocent gossip, we see the people in the shows as our friends.’
‘Which of The Real Housewives franchises contains the most drama?’
‘As far as I'm concerned, they are all full of drama. Tables have been flipped, or Aviva's leg was thrown, or Jen Shah was arrested — that's really a very long list. When a glass is broken, I'm not really interested. Everything that is real, emotional, vulnerable, or relatable I find very pleasant to watch.’
‘If you could bring someone back as a Housewife, who would it be?’
‘We've seen so many crazy Housewives leave and come back, like Heather Dubrow and Tamra Judge from The Real Housewives of Orange County. If you asked me to suggest a new Housewife – Kyle Richards recently mentioned the exact same name, I would say Chrissy Teigen. I just think she's not quite ready for it yet.’
All seasons and all variations of The Real Housewives are available on the streaming service Hayu, from Beverly Hills to The Ultimate Girls Trip. At Hayu, you can definitely get your daily dose of reality TV: you can also find Keeping Up With The Kardashians and series like Below Deck.
