Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Kandi Burruss weighed in on the discussion surrounding Leah McSweeney's bombshell lawsuit against Bravo and Andy Cohen.
While appearing on Thursday's episode of Tamron Hall’s daytime talk show, the 47-year-old reality star made it clear where she stands on the fashion designer's claims that the producer 'encourage substance abuse to artificially create drama and cynically prey on the vulnerabilities of their employees.'
'I don't want to get too involved in their legal matters or whatever, but I have had — and I hope to continue — to have a good relationship with the network,' she told the broadcast journalist, 53.
She continued, 'And the reason why I can vouch for how I feel… I've been on that show for 14 years, and nobody can make me do anything. So, people know I don't do drugs, I've never been drunk in my life, and yes, I mean, some people ask for a little wine or a drink or whatever because that's what they like.'
The TV personality added that many members of the franchise 'like to have wine' and 'have drinks.'
'That’s what they do when they want to have fun. Do I have drinks? No. So, the same way that I have a choice, they have a choice, too,' Burruss concluded. 'Nobody is making you do anything.'
The appearance comes after former Real Housewives of New York City star Leah McSweeney accused Cohen of engaging 'in cocaine use with Housewives that he employs' in a new lawsuit.
McSweeney said in court docs reviewed by Page Six that Cohen 'tends to provide the Housewives with whom he uses cocaine with more favorable treatment' and strategic editing to make them look better.
Cohen 'intentionally uses cocaine with his employees to further promote a workplace culture that thrives off drug and alcohol use, which leads to a failure to accommodate employees who are disabled and trying to stay substance free,' McSweeney said in court docs.
A rep for Cohen told Dailymail.com that 'the claims against Andy are completely false.'
McSweeney, 41, appeared on two seasons of The Real Housewives of New York City in 2020-2021, and on a season of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, which aired last year.
McSweeney said in the legal docs that Bravo 'thrives off drug and alcohol use,' without naming any further parties past Cohen.
McSweeney said in court docs reviewed by Page Six that she informed Bravo producers prior to her casting on the series, that she had been focused on staying sober, and had a 30-day streak of sobriety going into the show.
McSweeney told the court that producers failed to make a 'reasonable accommodation' for her addiction-related disability - but instead provided her 'with unlimited, free-of charge alcoholic beverages,' and 'encouraged her to consume those alcoholic beverages.'
McSweeney's legal team said that 'this environment caused Ms. McSweeney to relapse into alcohol addiction shortly after joining RHONY season 12.'
McSweeney said in court docs that Bravo producers sought to sabotage her sobriety by both exacerbating it and stopping her from getting treatment for her problem.
McSweeney told the court that Bravo executives violated her employment rights under the Disabilities Act by preventing her to get help for her alcohol issues, knowing she was dealing with them.
McSweeney, who has a fashion label called Married To The Mob, said in the legal docs that sexual harassment was also rife in the company, claiming that a senior producer 'routinely sends unsolicited pictures of [their] genitalia to lower-level … production employees,' and that executives have ignored the issues.
McSweeney said in legal docs that Bravo and Shed Media, a production company it works with on its shows, continued to promote the unnamed senior producer in question 'to positions of increased power.'
In 'failing to take appropriate remedial action' amid the claims, McSweeney said in court docs, Bravo and Shed officials 'tacitly' signaled to both the senior producer and 'all other employees that they can engage in unlawful employment practices with impunity.'
McSweeney in her suit, which is for unspecified damages, named Cohen, Bravo, Shed Media and Shed's parent company Warner Media.
