Bravo & Andy Cohen Attacked By 12 Human Rights Groups, Why?

ByChanel Adams
Bravo & Andy Cohen Attacked By 12 Human Rights Groups, Why? [Credit: Bravo/YouTube]

Bravo and Andy Cohen have found new enemies with 12 human rights groups. This comes before the premiere of The Real Housewives of Dubai, which is on Wednesday, June 1. Most fans are looking forward to the new series. Critics argue the show glamorizes a country known for its extremist conservative beliefs.

Twelve human rights groups called for the network and Cohen to oppose the violence and homophobic laws that take place in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. They got together to send an open letter to Bravo, its parent company NBCUniversal and the production company Truly Original to share their concerns.

Who are the 12 human rights groups?

Per Yahoo! News, the 12 human rights groups are Action Corps Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues, CODEPINK, European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, FairSquare, Freedom Forward, Health Advocacy International, Human Rights Sentinel, Just Foreign Policy, Last Mile4D, and Peace Action and Rethinking Foreign Policy.

They sent a public letter to Bravo and Andy Cohen via Freedom Forward. They shared their concerns about The Real Housewives of Dubai, which is set to premiere in June. The groups argued that the show will glamorize and gloss over the political issues that take place in the country.

“Dubai is an absolute monarchy that is part of the dictatorship of the United Arab Emirates,” the letter reads.”By setting the Real Housewives franchise inside Dubai, you are helping the UAE dictatorship hide its male rulers’ misogyny, legalized homophobia, and mass violence against women.”

The group is asking Andy Cohen, Bravo, and its executives to “reveal whether the rules of Dubai and the UAE funded or financed the Real Housewives of Dubai in any way.”

They’re also asking the network to run a disclaimer before the episodes. The group says that Bravo and other businesses “oppose the UAE and Dubai dictatorship’s misogyny, homophobia, women’s rights violations and war in Yemen.” They’re also asking for the network to donate to human rights organizations, which address these human rights issues.

Bravo & Andy Cohen remain silent

So far, Bravo and Andy Cohen have remained silent on the controversy surrounding The Real Housewives of Dubai. Cohen has only spoken out about the latest mass shooting in the U.S.

TV Shows Ace was the first to share the reactions to the new series, including concerns about the Middle Eastern country. The groups outlined the human rights violations. Several of Dubai and UAE’s rulers have been accused of kidnapping and sexual assault.

The UAE is also known for its homophobic laws and criminalization of LGBTQ people. There is an exhaustive of reasons why Bravo watchers should boycott the program, according to the groups.

“By producing and launching the [RHOD], you risk providing the rulers of the UAE and Dubai with the soft propaganda they need to hide their human rights crimes from the world. We urge you to immediately take the above steps to demonstrate your rejection of the human rights violations, homophobia, and predatory male behavior of the rulers of the United Arab Emirates and Dubai.”

Arguments against The Real Housewives of Dubai

Peace Action Executive Director said that Bravo and Andy Cohen should’ve decided against premiering the show, in light of the war in Ukraine. Similarly, the rulers of Dubai and UAE “are responsible for a horrible war in Yemen that has killed countless women and men,” according to the statement.

Some have also wondered if the new series is out-of-touch with the current economic landscape. It focuses on the luxurious and excessive lives of the rich and famous. The women are seen as powerful when in actuality it’s not always the case.

Andy Cohen is the executive producer of the Real Housewives franchise. He also hosts the franchise’s reunion specials. When he announced the show, there was a swift backlash that the network chose to film in a country with known human rights violations.

Do you think Bravo and Cohen should pull the plug on RHOD? Do you plan to watch it? Sound off below in the comment section.

Check back with TV Shows Ace for more news on Andy Cohen.

Chanel Adams
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One Comment

  1. The Dubai housewives are more entertaining then any other housewives franchise. They are intelligent, beautiful, fun to watch. And the clothes, oh so many beautiful outfits. The ladies are a class act.

    Andy Cohen shame on you for continuing to glorify these convicted felons, (ie: Teresa Guidice) etc. Or Erika who threatens another cast member on air and still maintains her job, shameful and really uncool.

    Reply

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