A former Bravo producer, Patrick McDonald, has come ahead with scathing accusations towards the community.
McDonald alleged that Bravo does not prefer it when forged members on its actuality tv exhibits grow to be sober.
The previous “Actual Housewives” producer’s claims come amid “The Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis” alum Leah McSweeney‘s lawsuit towards Bravo, claiming that the community coerced and manipulated her out of her sobriety.
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Patrick McDonald’s Claims About Bravo
On Friday, McDonald appeared on Bethenny Frankel’s “Just B” podcast and accused Bravo of not encouraging its forged members to be sober.
He shared per Page Six, “The dependancy and substance abuse storylines made me somewhat uneasy,”
McDonald, who has grow to be sober following a battle with meth dependancy, added, “Anytime we have been speaking about somebody’s alcoholism or drug dependancy — any of that — it is so, so fragile. It is not one thing to be taken mild, and but it will get amplified by these exhibits.”
He claimed, “I can not think about making an attempt to… keep or get sober whereas being on one among these exhibits… it is a bummer to manufacturing when somebody will get sober.”
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Frankel and McDonald mentioned they felt Bravo handled stars higher in the event that they created “boozy drama.” Additionally they famous that stars like “Vanderpump Guidelines'” Scheana Shay have been demoted to “buddy of” as a result of their storylines weren’t thought-about darkish sufficient.
Nevertheless, a Bravo insider debunked Frankel and McDonald’s claims, saying, “there is no such thing as a reality to any of this.”
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McDonald Leaves Bravo And Joins OnlyFans
Patrick McDonald’s claims about Bravo got here a number of days after he shared a video on social media saying that actuality tv’s harsh calls for led him to create content material on OnlyFans.
He additionally mentioned he now feels he has been quietly pushed out of the business.
McDonald, a former supervising producer and fan favourite amongst “Actual Housewives” stars like Robyn Dixon, Marlo Hampton, and Sutton Stracke, revealed {that a} punishing work tradition on many actuality exhibits left him drained and disillusioned.
He cited his grueling schedule whereas engaged on sequence like, “The Actual Housewives of Orange County,” “The Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills, and “Vanderpump Guidelines, and mentioned, “I used to be extraordinarily burned-out, overworked and exhausted.”
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McDonald mentioned the job recurrently demanded over 12 hours a day, six days every week, for months at a time.
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Patrick McDonald Describes Bravo’s Alleged ‘Poisonous Tradition’
McDonald claimed there was an “extremely poisonous work tradition on most of the exhibits” he labored on.
He defined that he was impressed to enterprise into grownup content material creation after seeing his associates thriving on OnlyFans and residing a freer and extra financially rewarding way of life.
To emphasise the toll the job took on him, McDonald posted a clip of himself intervening in a bodily altercation between forged members on a Housewives set. Whereas he has labored for a number of manufacturing corporations affiliated with Bravo, he didn’t identify particular ones accountable for the alleged poisonous circumstances.
Nevertheless, he didn’t initially inform community executives about his new NSFW enterprise, however he suspects they finally found it, which he believes price him future alternatives.
“Issues went radio silent with government groups” when new tasks rolled round, he shared. “It harm my emotions – for the final 5 years, [I’ve] given a lot of myself to those exhibits.”
McDonald additionally pushed again towards the obvious double customary, saying, “It’s 2025. There are ‘Actual Housewives’ and Bravo stars with OnlyFans accounts. [It] should not be an issue [for people working] behind the scenes.”
He additional famous that grownup performers have even been featured on “Watch What Occurs Reside,” the Bravo speak present hosted by franchise figurehead Andy Cohen.
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Leah McSweeney’s Lawsuit Towards Bravo Strikes Ahead
McDonald’s claims that Bravo doesn’t prefer it when forged members grow to be sober adopted a federal choose’s ruling that “RHONY” alum Leah McSweeney can proceed with key elements of her lawsuit towards the community and Andy Cohen.
In her February 2024 filing, McSweeney alleged that producers exploited her historical past of substance abuse to impress a relapse and create dramatic TV moments.
Although Bravo tried to have the case dismissed in Might 2024, Decide Lewis Liman’s 100-page ruling permits the central claims to face.
In accordance with the ruling, producers allegedly “coerced and harassed [her] primarily based on her [addiction],” encouraging behaviors dangerous to her sobriety.
Claims of Mockery, Taunting, and Damaged Guarantees
McSweeney accused producers of mocking her struggles, instructing castmates to name her a drug addict, and undermining her psychological well being. She additionally mentioned they reversed a promise to permit her to attend Alcoholics Nameless conferences through the filming of “Final Ladies Journey.”
Liman wrote, “Her request to attend an AA assembly may have been accommodated with out unreasonable hardship or expense.”
In the meantime, McSweeney’s lawyer, Gary Adelman, advised Page Six, “We thank the Decide for his care in his 100-page determination that saved the vast majority of the key claims towards the defendants and continues to present full life to Leah’s lawsuit and one other step nearer to holding the defendants accountable.”
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Adelman added, “Whereas we disagree along with his findings on the minor claims and will definitely be submitting an amended criticism to deal with his questions, this determination isn’t a scorecard, it was an affirmation that there are severe claims and that they are going to proceed in Court docket.”
Each events will now enter discovery, exchanging data and getting ready for depositions.
