Andy Cohen Responds to Leah McSweeney’s Lawsuit Allegations of Cocaine Use

Off-camera drama continues to unfold. Andy Cohen has just issued a response to Leah McSweeney’s lawsuit against him. The former Real Housewives of New York cast member filed a lawsuit against Cohen, Bravo, NBCUniversal, production company Shed Media, and several producers on February 27, 2024. The lawsuit alleges that they violated her rights under employment law by allegedly failing to facilitate proper treatment for her alcohol addiction, despite being aware of the issue.

In 2004, Andy Cohen assumed the role of Vice President of Original Programming at Bravo. He later became the Executive Vice President of Development and Talent at Bravo, a position he held until 2013 when he transitioned to focus on Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise. In 2009, Cohen also debuted his late-night talk show, Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.

Related Stories Andy Cohen husband Does Andy Cohen Have A Husband? His ‘Emotionally Chaotic’ Relationship Update Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper – CNN New Year’s Eve How to Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live For Free to See Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen’s Drunk Moments According to the lawsuit, McSweeney alleges that “Cohen tends to provide favorable treatment to Housewives with whom he uses cocaine and [portrays them more positively in] show edits.” While the lawsuit does not identify the Housewives involved, it further alleges that “Cohen deliberately engages in cocaine use with his employees to foster a workplace culture centered around drug and alcohol consumption, resulting in a failure to accommodate disabled employees striving for sobriety.”

McSweeney has been vocal about her battle with alcohol addiction and claimed that Cohen and producers were pressuring the cast to consume alcohol. The lawsuit contends that the “defendants, aware of Ms. McSweeney’s struggles with alcohol use disorder, conspired with her colleagues to coerce her into drinking, retaliated against her when she sought sobriety, and deliberately neglected to provide reasonable accommodations to support her efforts to maintain sobriety and job performance.”

Following the filing of the lawsuit, Andy Cohen has finally issued a response. A spokesperson for Cohen told Deadline, “the claims against Andy are completely false!”

Leah McSweeney took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the matter. “The people behind your beloved Bravo shows foster a hazardous work environment, encourage substance abuse to manufacture drama, and exploit the vulnerabilities of their employees,” she wrote. “I may become an outcast to them after this, but I hope my lawsuit encourages reality TV to embrace its true purpose: authentically portraying life’s complexities while genuinely supporting those who share their stories.”