Kelly Ripa came to the defense of her friend and Bravo star, Andy Cohen, amid a bombshell lawsuit filed by Leah McSweeney late last month where she accused him of doing cocaine.
The RHONY alum claimed that the TV personality, 55, took the drug with his favorite Real Housewives cast members – which both he and his legal team have since adamantly denied.
On Wednesday’s episode of Ripa’s, 53, podcast called, Let’s Talk Off Camera, she was joined by RHOBH star, Kyle Richards, and the pair briefly discussed the topic of the lawsuit.
‘I know him, like, off-camera. I know him privately. We’ve traveled together. We’ve gone on vacation together, like, pre-him having kids, you know?’ Kelly expressed.
She then added, ‘I’ve never seen a drug around him. It’s like the most…I’m so offended by it. I’m so angry over it.’
Kelly Ripa, 53, came to the defense of her friend and Bravo star, Andy Cohen , amid a bombshell lawsuit filed by Leah McSweeney late last month where she accused him of doing cocaine.; seen earlier this month in Hollywood
‘I know him, like, off-camera. I know him privately. We’ve traveled together. We’ve gone on vacation together, like, pre-him having kids, you know?’ she expressed
Kyle also chimed in to back up Ripa and said she has only ‘seen’ Andy ‘be professional’ while adding she’s ‘certainly never seen drugs around – or any of this.’
‘It made me angry and it made me really sad because I feel like that’s the time that we’re living in right now. It’s very dangerous to make accusations like that. It’s not like it used to be. Right? So it really made me sad.’
Richards has previously spoken out in regards to the allegations against Cohen while talking to Page Six last month, shortly after the lawsuit came to light.
‘I’ve never seen Andy do drugs, offer drugs or do anything inappropriate ever, ever,’ the reality star told the outlet. ‘And I’m one of the closer ones to Andy.’
She explained that the Bravo host also keeps a ‘professional’ relationship with the Real Housewives cast members.
‘There’s a reason he doesn’t follow any of them on Instagram. He likes to keep somewhat of a distance from all of them. He’s professional. That’s been my experience.’
Other Bravo celebrities have come forward to offer their support to Andy, such as RHONJ star, Melissa Gorga.
She also told Page Six, ‘Throughout my 14 years of working with Andy, I have witnessed nothing but respect, kindness and support. I have never been offered any type of drug by him ever.’
Ripa then added, ‘I’ve never seen a drug around him. It’s like the most…I’m so offended by it. I’m so angry over it’; the pair seen earlier this month in L.A.
Kyle also chimed in to back up Ripa and said she has only ‘seen’ Andy ‘be professional’ while adding she’s ‘certainly never seen drugs around – or any of this’; seen earlier this month in West Hollywood
Richards has previously spoken out in regards to the allegations against Cohen while talking to Page Six last month, shortly after the lawsuit came to light
‘His leadership style exemplifies authenticity. He prioritizes open communication and he’s very approachable,’ Gorga continued. ‘I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and grow under his guidance and share in his success.’
RHONJ star, Margaret Josephs, Kandi Burruss from RHOA, RHOM’s Guerdy Abraira and Luann de Lesseps have also all defended Cohen.
Late last month in February, Leah McSweeney filed the lawsuit against Andy and Bravo and alleged cocaine use is rampant at the the network, with the producer and on-air personality both using the illegal drug and providing it to employees.
The Bravo producer ‘engages in cocaine use with Housewives that he employs,’ according to the suit filed in New York’s Southern District by McSweeney.
She said in court docs reviewed by Page Six that Cohen ‘tends to provide the Housewives with whom he uses cocaine with more favorable treatment’ and strategic editing to make them look better.
Andy ‘intentionally uses cocaine with his employees to further promote a workplace culture that thrives off drug and alcohol use, which leads to a failure to accommodate employees who are disabled and trying to stay substance free,’ McSweeney said in court docs.
A rep for Cohen told Dailymail.com that ‘the claims against Andy are completely false.’
Leah, 41, appeared on two seasons of The Real Housewives of New York City in 2020-2021, and on a season of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, which aired last year.
Other Bravo celebrities have come forward to offer their support to Andy, such as RHONJ star, Melissa Gorga; seen in February in Santa Monica
McSweeney said in the legal docs that Bravo ‘thrives off drug and alcohol use,’ without naming any further parties past Cohen.
Leah said in court docs that she informed Bravo producers prior to her casting on the series, that she had been focused on staying sober, and had a 30-day streak of sobriety going into the show.
She told the court that producers failed to make a ‘reasonable accommodation’ for her addiction-related disability – but instead provided her ‘with unlimited, free-of charge alcoholic beverages,’ and ‘encouraged her to consume those alcoholic beverages.’
McSweeney’s legal team said that ‘this environment caused Ms. McSweeney to relapse into alcohol addiction shortly after joining RHONY season 12.’
In her suit – which is for unspecified damages – named Cohen, Bravo, Shed Media and Shed’s parent company Warner Media.
And earlier this month, Andy threatened McSweeney with legal action, calling her accusations ‘categorically false.’
A letter from his attorneys obtained by TMZ asked Leah to ‘retract’ the allegations. ‘[W]e demand that you immediately retract and withdraw all allegations relating to Mr. Cohen’s purported “cocaine use.”‘
Late last month in February, Leah McSweeney filed the lawsuit against Andy and Bravo and alleged cocaine use is rampant at the the network, with the producer and on-air personality both using the illegal drug and providing it to employees’ Leah and Andy seen in 2021
McSweeney said in the legal docs that Bravo ‘thrives off drug and alcohol use,’ without naming any further parties past Cohen
‘To be clear: these allegations are categorically false. Mr. Cohen never used cocaine with any cast member on any Real Housewives show or with any other Bravo employee.’
‘The absence of any reasonable basis to make such allegations is confirmed by your pleading itself,’ the letter continued.
Andy’s attorneys claimed that the lawsuit was ‘just to get headlines and a quick payday.’
The letter concluded with his lawyers stating that the ‘truth matters’ and once again asked Leah to ‘retract’ the lawsuit and ‘apologize to Mr. Cohen. Every day you fail to do so only increases the damages suffered by Mr. Cohen.’
And earlier this month, Andy threatened McSweeney with legal action , calling her accusations ‘categorically false’; seen in October 2023 in NYC
Earlier last week, McSweeney broke her silence on the lawsuit while appearing on the Addiction Talk podcast, claiming, ‘this is the truth, you know? And I have it on my side’
However, Leah’s lawyer, Gary Adelman, told Us Weekly that ‘there are more lawsuits coming and there are more people who are going to speak out.’
‘It doesn’t matter what people say or think – that Andy’s a good guy, or that you should expect to drink, or that you should expect this behavior…’
‘What’s going to matter is what the law thinks of it. And we believe the law thinks this is wrong.’
Earlier last week, McSweeney broke her silence on the lawsuit while appearing on the Addiction Talk podcast, claiming, ‘this is the truth, you know? And I have it on my side.’
