In a new interview, Bravo’s Vice President of Original Programming and Development aka Andy Cohen discusses the Real Housewives of Miami – explaining why the first season was cut short to just six weeks, the low ratings & the decision to do a live reunion show. Andy also touches on his strong like for Mama Elsa Patton plus his favorite and least favorite part of his job.
Excerpts from Andy’s interview with the Miami New Times below –
What’s your favorite part about your job?
Too many to count! Just talking to people and getting to know people and having fun with them, being on Watch What Happens Live!, I don’t even call that a job. My mom came to the show with me last night and we were getting home at 12:30 and I was like ‘Can you believe that’s even considered work, what I just did?’ It’s just fun.
Least favorite part about your job?
I hate negotiating contracts. It just gets really personal and nasty, not nasty, but very personal and sensitive.
Are there any shows you took a chance with and were surprised they became successful?
The Real Houswives. It was something that we all thought could be interesting but you just never know what’s going to resonate. And Top Chef! And that the title of ‘Top Chef’ actually means something to a lot of people and a lot of chefs is something we’re all very proud of here.
It seems like Bravo shows shot in Miami [Miami Social and the Real Housewives of Miami] have some ratings challenges. Any insight on this?
I don’t know, I feel pretty good about the Miami Housewives. We threw it on with not a lot of promotion and I think those woman are great characters. The truth of the matter was, we put it on because everyone in America was going through such a horrible winter and we just kind of realized we had Miami on the shelf, ready to go, and we needed a little more time to finish New York [Housewives] to make it perfect. Let’s throw it on as a six-week kind of antidote to all the winter madness.
And then by the time we decided to do a reunion show, we were three weeks in and didn’t have time to post it properly, so we decided to do one live. And I think the fact that we [did] a live reunion show speaks to our wanting to do something to celebrate the end of the show. I’ll say that when I had Elsa and Marysol on Watch What Happens Live! it was one of the best half hours I’ve ever had on TV or off TV. It was a blast!
Elsa has been the break-out star of the show, hasn’t she?
She has been one of them, yeah. Look, the breakout star of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was a hairless pomeranian named Jiggy and we love break-out stars.
If Elsa Patton could grant you three wishes, what would they be?
I think Elsa ‘can’ grant me three wishes, because I think she is a witch. But one would be that she comes back on Watch What Happens Live!, two would be that she finds me the love of my life, and three would be eternal health and happiness.
Who would win a cage match between Elsa and Ramona [from the Real Housewives of New York]?
Ramona. I think she’s fueled by Pinot Grigio, she works out a lot, and Elsa’s got a bum knee. But, I think Elsa could reduce Ramona to tears. If it was a couch match, Elsa could cut Ramon down. But if you threw them in a cage, it’s going to be Ramona.
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