Nearly a decade after Bethenny Frankel and Carole Radziwill’s friendship fell apart on “The Real Housewives of New York City,” Andy Cohen is reconsidering his own role in their contentious reunion.
And this time, he’s willing to admit that he may not have been entirely fair.
During an appearance on Rachel Lindsay’s “Morally Corrupt” podcast, Cohen revisited the Season 10 reunion, where Frankel and Radziwill’s once-close friendship had deteriorated into a bitter exchange. The 2018 taping remains one of the most memorable reunions in RHONY history, particularly because Radziwill openly questioned whether Cohen was favoring Frankel.
For years, viewers have debated how Cohen handled the confrontation. Now, the Bravo host is acknowledging that the criticism may have been justified.
Andy Cohen Reconsiders His Treatment of Carole Radziwill
Cohen didn’t attempt to rewrite the history of Frankel and Radziwill’s falling-out. Instead, he reflected on the circumstances surrounding the reunion and the tension that had developed between him and Radziwill.
“And there was a lot going on there,” Cohen told Lindsay. “I think Carole’s relationship with the show had really turned and she was really resenting us, and she was resenting me. And it got combative.”
By the time the women sat down for the reunion, their friendship had become one of the season’s central storylines. The former friends disagreed over what had caused their relationship to unravel, and their arguments extended well beyond the events shown during the season.
Cohen found himself drawn into the confrontation, too.
During the reunion, Radziwill challenged him over what she perceived as preferential treatment toward Frankel, asking whether Frankel controlled him as well.
It was a striking moment because Housewives frequently challenge one another, but they don’t always turn that scrutiny directly on the person moderating the conversation.
Cohen remembers the exchange, although he disputes the idea that Radziwill’s comments personally offended him.
“And people thought that I was so mad at Carole for saying that. And I really wasn’t. Like, I can take it, that’s fine,” he explained.
What he’s less certain about now is whether he gave both women an equal opportunity to make their cases.
“But if I look back on that reunion, did I have bias? Did I just take her side as opposed to Carole’s side? I probably did,” Cohen admitted.
“You know, so I can look back at that and say that.”
Why the Bethenny Frankel and Carole Radziwill Reunion Still Matters
Frankel and Radziwill entered Season 10 with years of friendship behind them. Their relationship had been an important part of RHONY, making its breakdown especially difficult to watch.
As the season progressed, their disagreements became increasingly personal. By the reunion, there was little indication that either woman was ready to repair the friendship.
But the tension between Radziwill and Cohen added another dimension to an already uncomfortable situation.
For Radziwill, the reunion was not simply an opportunity to confront Frankel. She also challenged the way the conversation itself was being handled.
That distinction makes Cohen’s latest admission noteworthy. He’s not claiming that Frankel was wrong about everything or that Radziwill was right. He’s recognizing that his own perspective may have influenced how he approached two women who were already at odds.
It also offers a different interpretation of Radziwill’s frustration at the time. What viewers witnessed as a heated exchange with the reunion host is now something Cohen himself can revisit with greater perspective.
Radziwill left RHONY after Season 10, ending her six-season run on the series. Frankel remained for another season before departing in 2019. Radziwill, however, made her return to the franchise for Season 16.
Neither woman’s departure erased the significance of their falling-out, which continues to generate conversation among longtime viewers.
And while Cohen can’t change how that reunion unfolded, his willingness to acknowledge a possible bias adds something the original episode never offered: a measure of validation for the questions Radziwill raised that day.
Andy Cohen Admits He Was Biased Toward Bethenny Frankel During Explosive RHONY Reunion