Lisa Vanderpump Pushes Back Against Reality Stars Attempting to Unionize: ‘I’m Not Sure About That’

One of reality TV's modern-day matriarchs is pumping the brakes on the idea of forming a union for its stars.

Led by a charge instituted by Bethenny Frankel, many reality personalities have recently been outspoken about alleged poor treatment and unfair wages at the hands of various networks, including Bravo. However, Bravo stalwart Lisa Vanderpump isn't quite ready to get on board.

"One of the great things about reality shows is that they've always been able to be produced for less money than scripted shows," Vanderpump told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Thursday. "And I don't really understand how you can have a union for people that are normally plucked out of obscurity."

Vanderpump first rose to prominence as one of the original cast members of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which she left in 2019, and more recently as the namesake of the network's Vanderpump Rules, which is currently filming its 11th season.

"I've been a producer now for 11 years," she continued. "I'm thankful to the network, thankful for the opportunities and chances that they've given me. So, I don't know, advocating for a reality star union. I'm not sure about that. I'm really not."

Much of the recent uprising amongst the reality television community has been centered around salaries and, more specifically, residuals for streaming deals.

"I'm very happy with what I've been paid over the years," Vanderpump argued. "I think the first season is always like an audition and then it's what you make of it, you know?"

Vanderpump's comments were echoed by Vanderpump Rules cast member Rachel Leviss (previously Raquel Leviss), who told Frankel on her JustB podcast earlier this week, "One of the things that producers told me is that you get paid based off of our performance from the season prior."

Frankel's rallying cry started in earnest last month when she proposed the idea on Instagram of a reality television union. In the time since, she has enlisted the help of powerhouse attorneys Mark Geragos and Bryan Freedman.

The collaboration immediately led to progress, with SAG-AFTRA agreeing to engage in discussions.

"We stand ready to assist Bethenny Frankel, Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos," a SAG-AFTRA statement read Aug. 10, "along with reality performers and our members in the fight and are tired of studios and production companies trying to circumvent the Union in order to exploit the talent that they rely upon to make their product."