Kelly Ripa Says She's 'Offended' and 'Angry' Over Andy Cohen Drug Allegations
Kelly Ripa is speaking out about the allegations leveled against longtime friend, Andry Cohen. In a bombshell lawsuit filed by Real Housewives of New York alum Leah McSweeney, the former reality star accused Cohen of doing cocaine with Bravo stars, and claimed that the Bravo head created "toxicity" in the workplace and "played favorites" amongst those who partied with him. The daytime talk show host spoke about the allegations on Wednesday's all-new episode of her Let's Talk Off Camera podcast, alongside Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, Kyle Richards. "I know him, like, off-camera. I know him privately. We've traveled together. We've gone on vacation together, like, pre-him having kids, you know?" Ripa said. "I've never seen a drug around him. It's like the most… I'm so offended by it. I'm so angry over it." Richards, who has voiced her support of Cohen publicly, chimed in, noting that she's "only seen him be professional" and has "certainly never seen drugs around -- or any of this." "It made me angry and it made me really sad because I feel like that's the time that we're living in right now," she added. "It's very dangerous to make accusations like that. It's not like it used to be. Right? So it really made me sad." McSweeney also alleged in her suit that she was "pressured" to drink alcohol, despite telling producers she was working on maintaining her sobriety throughout the three seasons she filmed. She also claimed that producers retaliated against her when she wanted to stay sober, and intentionally failed to provide reasonable accommodations that would aid her efforts to stay sober and be able to perform. A rep for Cohen responded to the suit in a statement to TMZ, calling the claims "completely false." His legal team then fired off a letter to McSweeney that read: "[W]e demand that you immediately retract and withdraw all allegations relating to Mr. Cohen’s purported 'cocaine use.'" If she doesn't, they say they're taking her to court. Cohen's legal team continued, "To be clear: these allegations are categorically false. Mr. Cohen never used cocaine with any cast member on any Real Housewives show or with any other Bravo employee. The absence of any reasonable basis to make such allegations is confirmed by your pleading itself." "The truth matters. Litigation cannot be used to create fake news. And it cannot be used as a vehicle to spread false and malicious lies, in furtherance of a shakedown," the Bravo exec's team said in conclusion. "We demand that you issue an immediate public retraction and apologize to Mr. Cohen. Every day you fail to do so only increases the damages suffered by Mr. Cohen." See all the housewives who have spoken out in support of Cohen in the gallery below.
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"I know him, like, off-camera. I know him privately. We've traveled together. We’ve gone on vacation together, like, pre-him having kids, you know?" Ripa said on a recent episode of her 'Let's Talk Off Camera' podcast. "I've never seen a drug around him. It's like the most… I'm so offended by it. I'm so angry over it."
Kelly Ripa is speaking out about the allegations leveled against longtime friend, Andry Cohen.
In a bombshell lawsuit filed by Real Housewives of New York alum Leah McSweeney, the former reality star accused Cohen of doing cocaine with Bravo stars, and claimed that the Bravo head created "toxicity" in the workplace and "played favorites" amongst those who partied with him.
The daytime talk show host spoke about the allegations on Wednesday's all-new episode of her Let's Talk Off Camera podcast, alongside Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, Kyle Richards.
"I know him, like, off-camera. I know him privately. We've traveled together. We've gone on vacation together, like, pre-him having kids, you know?" Ripa said. "I've never seen a drug around him. It's like the most… I'm so offended by it. I'm so angry over it."
Richards, who has voiced her support of Cohen publicly, chimed in, noting that she's "only seen him be professional" and has "certainly never seen drugs around -- or any of this."
"It made me angry and it made me really sad because I feel like that's the time that we're living in right now," she added. "It's very dangerous to make accusations like that. It's not like it used to be. Right? So it really made me sad."
McSweeney also alleged in her suit that she was "pressured" to drink alcohol, despite telling producers she was working on maintaining her sobriety throughout the three seasons she filmed.
She also claimed that producers retaliated against her when she wanted to stay sober, and intentionally failed to provide reasonable accommodations that would aid her efforts to stay sober and be able to perform.
A rep for Cohen responded to the suit in a statement to TMZ, calling the claims "completely false."
His legal team then fired off a letter to McSweeney that read: "[W]e demand that you immediately retract and withdraw all allegations relating to Mr. Cohen’s purported 'cocaine use.'" If she doesn't, they say they're taking her to court.
Cohen's legal team continued, "To be clear: these allegations are categorically false. Mr. Cohen never used cocaine with any cast member on any Real Housewives show or with any other Bravo employee. The absence of any reasonable basis to make such allegations is confirmed by your pleading itself."
"The truth matters. Litigation cannot be used to create fake news. And it cannot be used as a vehicle to spread false and malicious lies, in furtherance of a shakedown," the Bravo exec's team said in conclusion. "We demand that you issue an immediate public retraction and apologize to Mr. Cohen. Every day you fail to do so only increases the damages suffered by Mr. Cohen."
See all the housewives who have spoken out in support of Cohen in the gallery below.
