The reality reckoning isn’t dead. Leah McSweeney’s lawsuit with Bravo is still happening. The justice system moves slowly, but things are about to start heating up in the courtroom.
As a reminder, the former Real Housewives of New York participant launched a barrage of accusations against Bravo in a February 2024 lawsuit. Among her many claims, she said that the network had a “rotted workplace culture” and that the producers intentionally tried to exploit her alcoholism.
Bravo’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the case, but in a new 100-page ruling, a judge gave Leah the green light to move forward with some of her claims. Emphasis on the word “some.”
Leah McSweeney alleges producers “coerced and harassed” her in Bravo lawsuit
When Bravo originally tried to dismiss Leah’s case, their lawyers claimed that RHONY producers were exercising their First Amendment rights by having the cast drink on camera. Page Six reviewed the latest ruling from Judge Lewis Liman, and he agreed with the producers on that aspect of the case.
However, most of Leah’s case remained intact. Essentially, the part of Leah’s lawsuit that can move forward is addressing how the producers responded to her alcohol issues. She claims that the producers “directly coerced and harassed [her] based on her [addiction].”
For example, Leah wanted to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting while filming Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Leah’s lawsuit claimed that the producers failed to accommodate her.
Another aspect of Leah’s lawsuit circles back to those accusations of a nasty workplace culture. The judge called out specific claims where Leah accused the producers of mocking her alcoholism.
The judge noted, “[Producers] joked about [her] drinking issues in her presence despite her requests that they stop, taunted her about her alcohol use disorder and tried to undermine her sobriety through harassing comments, directed other cast members to bring up [her] mental health and substance abuse issues and to call [her] a drug addict, and coached fellow cast members to further disparage [her].”
For next steps, both parties will start gathering texts, emails, and other evidence, in addition to requesting under-oath interviews. There’s still a long road ahead, but Leah’s legal team saw this update as a major win.
Her attorney said, “We thank the Judge for his care in his 100-page decision that kept the majority of the major claims against the defendants and continues to give full life to Leah’s lawsuit and another step closer to holding the defendants accountable.”
Real Housewives of New York is streaming on Peacock.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ALLEGATIONS IN LEAH’S LAWSUIT? ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT A JUDGE DECIDED TO KEEP THE CASE ALIVE?