Bethenny Frankel, best known for starring on eight seasons of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York City,” is urging her fellow reality stars to follow in the steps of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA and go on strike.
“Anyone shooting a Bravo show should not be shooting until they get paid residuals for all the other episodes they’ve ever done or those episodes should be taken down. Reality stars should go on strike,” Frankel said on TikTok.
Frankel first appeared on “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart,” a season that saw her become one of two finalists. Three years later, she became one of the subjects of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” starting with the series from its launch.
“I got paid $7,250 for my first season of reality TV, and people are still watching those episodes,” Frankel said. “Why isn’t reality TV on strike?”
Frankel also revealed that she has “never made a single residual” despite generating “ millions and millions of dollars in advertising and online impressions” for various networks. She also pointed out that during the 2007 to 2008 writers strike, reality TV provided “really, all of the entertainment.”
The star also didn’t limit her post to only her experience. Frankel said that the cast of “The Hills,” “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” are paid “peanuts.” She specifically singled out “The Hills” stars as being “entirely exploited.”
Kaitlyn Bristowe also reportedly told Frankel that her episodes are still getting “6 million viewers.” Bristowe was a contestant in Season 19 of “The Bachelor” and was the lead in Season 11 of “The Bachelorette.”
“Network television doesn’t get that in many cases, and in most cases streaming doesn’t get that. It’s complete and total bulls—,” Frankel said.
One obstacle to the this call to strike is the structure of reality TV itself. While Hollywood’s writers and actors belong to their own separate unions, that’s not the case for reality TV.
When a TikTok commenter told Frankel she should start a reality union, the star responded “Maybe I will.”
