Andy Cohen Reflects on ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Firings, Shares Some Regrets

Earlier this year, numerous cast members on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules were fired, including longtime stars Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Jax Taylor, and Brittany Cartwright. Amidst these changes to the Vanderpump Rules line-up, Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen spoke to the New York Times about the Bravo series. During his interview with the publication, he even hinted that he would have preferred to keep the stars on the show to see how their growth and respective journeys would play out.

This past June, Schroeder, Doute, and newcomers Brett Caprioni and Max Boyens were all fired from the show. Schroeder and Doute, who had been on Vanderpump Rules since the first season, were reportedly fired after they reported their former co-star, Faith Stowers, a Black woman, to the police for a crime she did not commit. As for Caprioni and Boyens, they both reportedly had racially insensitive tweets from their pasts that undoubtedly played a role in their removal from the program. Taylor and Cartwright, who wed in June 2019, were fired in early December. While they did not explain why they wouldn’t be back for an additional season, Taylor has had his fair share of controversial moments over the years. He was also tied to the controversy with Schroeder and Doute, as he also alleged on social media that Stowers was involved in a crime that she did not commit.

Cohen explained to the NYT, in an interview that was published on Wednesday, that these firings were “decisions for that moment.” Although, he told the publication that he would have preferred for the stars to have remained on the show in order to see how they navigate these controversies. The Real Housewives producer said, “It’s more interesting to sit in the moment with people that you have a rooting interest in and watch them find their way than it is just turning out the lights and forgetting it existed.” In June, when several cast members were fired, Cohen spoke out about the news on his Andy Cohen Live Sirius XM show, per Variety.

At the time, Cohen said, “I absolutely support Bravo’s decision. I think it was the right decision.” He then clarified that he has nothing to do with Vanderpump Rules creatively. He added, “I feel like I remind people of this all the time: I’m not in charge of programming at Bravo anymore; I am not an executive producer of ‘Vanderpump Rules,’ I don’t have anything to do with the show except I love it, and that I host the reunions.” Cohen continued, “I don’t produce the shows. So what I want people to know is I have no say in hiring and firing people.”