Bravo’s highly anticipated annual convention, BravoCon, is only five days away, but a bombshell report about the Real Housewives franchise—which includes multiple allegations of racism against Ramona Singer—could cast a shadow over the event.
In a Vanity Fair exposé published on Monday, former RHONY cast member Eboni K. Williams and several other sources spoke about their experiences working with O.G. cast member Singer, including her alleged use of the N-word.
Singer, who became famous for her unfiltered antics on the show, was the subject of a racism complaint filed by Williams after the 13th and final season of the original franchise. In 2021, TMZ reported that Singer was under investigation for a “racially motivated” comment but was eventually cleared by the network. However, these new allegations about Singer’s behavior reveal a repeated pattern of racially offensive comments.
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In the article, former RHONY producer Darian Edmondson claims that Singer used the N-word in a conversation following another inflammatory moment during Season 13. In one episode, Singer expresses her discomfort to Williams, the show’s first Black cast member, around the topic of race. After filming the scene, Singer allegedly told Edmondson, a Black woman, that their conversation reminded her of when her Jewish colleagues would refer to her as a “shiksa” (a Yiddish term for a non-Jewish woman). When Edmondson asked what the term meant, Singer allegedly responded, “It’s literally like somebody calling you a n-----.” Singer told Vanity Fair that she “never” used the slur.
Another source claimed that Singer had a meltdown following another conversation on the show. After Williams accused cast member Luann de Lesseps of displaying “white fragility” in an argument, Singer supposedly “slammed her hands on the table” and exclaimed, ‘This is why we didn’t need Black people on the show…. This is gonna ruin our show.’” (Singer also denied that accusation.)
During the same season, Singer allegedly told a Black woman staffer, “There’s so many of you guys here now, please don’t change your hair as I’m not gonna be able to remember anybody’s names.” According to Williams, Singer also made derogatory remarks about Black fathers during a racial education session on Black women before the season began filming. When the cast was advised against invoking racial stereotypes, including the notion that Black people were raised in single-parent households, Williams claims that Singer responded, “What if they don’t have a father? Why can’t I say that? Most of them don’t.”
Williams and several crew members allegedly complained about Singer’s comments to HR at Warner Bros. Discovery throughout the season. Regarding Singer’s alleged use of the N-word, Williams said that NBCUniversal executives confirmed to her that the Housewife did say the N-word, but tried to downplay the incident because she didn’t use the slur against Edmondson. Williams claims to have quit the show during the season, while Edmondson wasn’t hired by Bravo again.
Other allegations in Vanity Fair’s report concern former RHONY cast member Leah McSweeney, who claims producers were insensitive to her mental health problems and alcohol addiction. According to the fashion designer, a producer suggested that the audience had become uninterested in her during her second season on the show because of her sobriety. She also mentioned the lack of care for her castmate Sonja Morgan, whom the producers were aware had issues with alcohol.
McSweeney has not been cast on any Bravo program since Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Singer, meanwhile, will be a part of the upcoming season of that show’s spinoff, RHUGT: RHONY Legacy, which will premiere on Peacock in December. She’s also slated to attend BravoCon this weekend—although these new accusations may affect her planned appearance. Bravo has yet to release a statement.
