Real Housewives’ Bethenny Frankel urges reality TV stars to join actors’ strike
The entrepreneur claims she has never received a residual check for her time on The Real Housewives Of New York City.
The Real Housewives Of New York City (Rhony) star Bethenny Frankel has asked why reality TV personalities are not on strike alongside actors in the Sag-Aftra union.
The entrepreneur, who first joined the programme when it premiered in 2008 and returned in 2015 after a three-year break, said reality stars are being financially exploited.
Posting a video on Instagram, she said: “Hollywood is on strike. Entertainers are fighting for residuals and no one will promote anything. Why isn’t reality TV on strike?
“I myself have generated millions and millions of dollars in advertising and online impressions being on reality TV and have never made a single residual.”
Frankel claims she was paid 7,250 dollars (£5,609) for her first series of Rhony but has never had a residual cheque despite people “still watching those episodes” 15 years later.
“Reality stars should go on strike,” she said in the video.
She captioned the post: “I’m well aware that unscripted talent aka ‘reality stars’ should have a union or simply be treated fairly and valued.
“Reality stars should also stop shooting network and streaming content until their free content is taking (sic) down. We also deserve residuals.”
The 52-year-old described working in reality TV as “fighting and clawing for everything you get” as well as “saying and doing horrible things to other people to get ratings”.
Instead of urging reality stars to strike, she then said it is more important to get educated and figure out “how reality stars could be better protected and not exploited”.
Frankel later confirmed she is not going to strike, having instead previously chosen to pay to produce her own content after choosing to “not be on shows on streamers and on cable when I don’t have control of the product”.
In another video, she added: “To the question if the Kardashians should keep earning residuals even though they are billionaires: yes, you don’t get to count their money. It’s supply and demand.
“If people want to buy their product, they should still get paid. If you keep buying lip gloss, should Kylie still get paid? If you keep buying shapewear, should Kim still get paid?
“So if you keep watching their content, yes, they should still get paid, to the end of time.”
