The effects of the SAG-AFTRA and Writers’ Guild of America strikes have begun spilling across all corners of the entertainment industry. As whispers of a Broadway strike almost overtook New York, the one area people assumed to be safe amid these uncertain times has now been called into question: reality TV.
Bethenny Frankel, former star of The Real Housewives of New York, has called upon members of her industry to unionize, telling Variety that studios and streamers should offer residual-like payments to its stars, especially for shows that blow up in popularity years down the road.
Frankel, who was paid $7,250 for the first season of Real Housewives of New York, says she has not received a single residual payment despite the fact that the show is continually shown on network TV and streaming platforms.
“Just because you can, as a streamer or a network, play the show as much as you want, doesn’t mean you should.”
Frankel described feeling “exploited” by studios and platforms over their one-and-done mentality toward the stars that ultimately make them millions of dollars.
“Meaning, yes, they’re going to get as much milk out of the cows as they could because it’s legal. We signed a contract. Does it mean we should be exploited? It means when you get a ratings bump or something happens, you should share. Networks and streamers have been exploiting people for too long.”
Among Frankel’s most eyebrow-raising comments pertains to the reality shows currently in production, such as the Real Housewives franchise on Bravo. She suggested they stop filming entirely until every past project they’ve worked on is removed from the air and reinstated after proper negotiations have been made.
“We should just find out what reality shows are in production right now and say, ‘Just stop working. Say you’re not going to work unless they take down all the things you’ve done in the past and then we can negotiate for the future.’”
On Instagram, Frankel shared a similar sentiment, addressing the “gold rush” of reality TV that occurred during the last writers’ strike in 2007-2008, during which scripted television and movies were put on pause and the number of reality shows shot through the roof.
“During the last writers’ strike, we’re providing all the entertainment and that’s when really the gold rush of reality TV started. So, 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. So, either I’m missing something or we’re getting screwed too. People on The Hills and The Bachelor and Bachelorette get paid peanuts to do what they do and people can still watch those episodes from years gone by.”
With talk shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon halted due to the writers’ strike, not to mention major motion pictures like Deadpool 3 and Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch shutting down production due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, as well as TV shows such as Stranger Things and Yellowjackets, there’s no question that if reality TV stars go on strike, Tinseltown will come to a screeching halt.
Two major strikes are already underway. Broadway almost became the third. Should reality TV stars unionize and go on strike, there’s no question it’ll become one of the most explosive moments in Hollywood’s century-long history.