The entertainment industry is taking a major hit thanks to the strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. Since May, the Writers Guild of America which represents 11,500 screenwriters, chose to strike over an ongoing labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Every day, the picket lines grow larger and louder, with producers hoping they can force writers and actors to give up on their quest. And while reality TV hasn’t been affected much, some stars are also making their voices heard about their rights. These Bravo stars are advocating for reality TV cast members’ rights.
Bethenny Frankel
The Real Housewives of New York City star revealed in an Instagram Reel that she wants reality TV stars to form their own union. The mother of one noted she was in a special position because she was the highest-paid Real Housewives star. Bethenny Frankel started by saying, “This effort is not about one person or network. This awakening is about an industry overall that has ignored a large group of talent (plus production) and hasn’t balanced exploitation with proper compensation in perpetuity as content, GIFs, memes, merchandise, clips, and IP overall are continuously used.” The Skinny Girl founder claimed, “People have lost jobs, been ostracized from society—their families and reputations destroyed. Children haven’t been compensated.”
Bethenny spoke on what she knew while working with Bravo. “Talent has been put in unsafe and improper circumstances with no recourse as inferior talent with seemingly no rights,” she said. “Fear tactic language has been written into contracts that doesn’t even hold up in court. The Hollywood power players agree with this position. Networks and streamers have to respond by acknowledging these requests as a framework, and changes to contracts need to be made.”
Recently, Bethenny shared how she was able to get out of her contract in a separate video, sharing that she found a clause. There has also been a clause, nicknamed the Bethenny Clause, which explicitly stated that the television network would have no rights to the future business ventures she may receive as a result of the show. These few sentences have gone on to help newer housewives, too.
Bethenny ended her video by saying firmly, “Future contracts need to change. Many talents have recently been scared, warned, reminded, and intimidated by contract language. It’s fair and equitable for people to be compensated properly for their work. People have undeniably been taken advantage of in the name of ratings and views.” Bethenny has gone on to hire Hollywood attorneys Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos, who have accused NBCUniversal of multiple coverups.
Lisa Rinna
Lisa Rinna, who recently left the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, is calling for Bravo talent and Bravo fans to boycott BravoCon 2023 in the wake of all the strikes. During an Instagram Story, Lisa wrote, “Every @Sag/aftra member who is on a Bravo show should boycott Bravocon. You want them to start to take you seriously and pay you the money you deserve? Then start a reality show union per Bethenny. Time is now.”
A fan replied to Lisa’s story, writing, “I mean if we’re being real here, shouldn’t all the woke Bravo Stans boycott Bravocon? They love flexing how progressive they are by calling everybody racist and campaigning for reality stars to be fired. Well, there’s nothing more left wing than workers rights and unions!” The follower went on, “I hope all the passionate left-leaning Bravo fans can sit Bravocon out this year to flex their progressive credentials ? we need real action not just tweeting that everybody is a racist for not liking Garcelle’s outfit.” Lisa quickly reposted, writing “Bam” under the screenshot.
Lee Rosbach
Captain Lee Rosbach of Below Deck is due back on the small screen with Kate Chastain, but noted in a Yahoo interview, “From my point of view, would I like to be paid better? Sure, who wouldn’t like to be paid better? And would I like to be paid for all the reruns that there are? Yeah, of course, I would. I don’t know anybody in their right mind who would say, ‘no I don’t think I want to get paid for that.'”
TELL US – DO YOU BELIEVE REALITY TV STARS NEED A UNION?
