We all knew something was going on when @BravoAndy suddenly changed his twitter handle to @Andy. Well now we know. Andy is no longer in charge of Development at Bravo. But fear not. He is merely inching toward the door at this point. He has a new multi-year contract to produce the Housewives franchises through his new production company, Most Talkative. In addition, WWHL has been renewed for two more seasons.
From Zap2it : “Andy has influenced the course and the shape of Bravo tremendously over the past 10 years as a production and development executive, and as creator and host of our flagship late-night show, becoming the face of the network,” says Frances Berwick, president of Bravo and Oxygen Media. “We are excited to retain him as a creative force with this new deal, which will also allow him to take ‘Watch What Happens Live’ and its irreverent, brand-defining humor to the next level.”
So, do you think Andy is seeing the Housewives running their course and starting to plan for other ventures? What does it all mean?
Here is the complete press release on the shakeup, from Bravo….
NEW YORK – November 13, 2013 – Bravo Media announced today that the Clubhouse will be open for business for the next two years with host Andy Cohen at the helm of the buzziest, most interactive and only live talk show in late night, “Watch What Happens Live.” Additionally, Cohen also inked a first-look, multi-year development deal with the network as he launches his new production company, Most Talkative, the same name as his recent best-selling autobiography. This marks the first deal of this kind for Bravo. Cohen, an Emmy Award-winning Producer, will depart the network as an executive, but will continue as Executive Producer of Bravo’s successful “Housewives” franchise and serve as host for reunions and specials.
“Andy has influenced the course and the shape of Bravo tremendously over the past 10 years as a production and development executive, and as creator and host of our flagship late night show, becoming the face of the network,” said Frances Berwick, President of Bravo and Oxygen Media. “He has created legions of cultural-touchstone programs and left an indelible imprint on the network. We are excited to retain him as a creative force with this new deal, which will also allow him to take ‘Watch What Happens Live’ and its irreverent, brand-defining humor to the next level.”
Cohen will continue to host the network’s iconic reunions and specials which have amassed nearly 80 hours and averaged 1.8 million A18-49 and 2.7 million total viewers since kicking-off in 2006. He will also continue to serve as an executive producer for the entire “The Real Housewives” franchise, which he helped launch in 2005.
“In my 23 years as a television producer, my time at Bravo has been the most rewarding and this next phase of my career is the perfect marriage of everything I love doing — producing and broadcasting,” said Cohen. “Watch What Happens Live’ is the show I have dreamt about hosting all my life – it’s the exact extension of my love for pop culture and fun. I’m thrilled to launch my production company Most Talkative and to continue my role as EP of the ‘Housewives’ – I couldn’t imagine leaving behind women that have become a part of my daily life.”
With Cohen’s departure from his executive duties, Vice President Lara Spotts will assume the role as head of Bravo’s development team. Spotts currently serves as Vice President, Development for Bravo and will now lead the scripted and non-scripted efforts on both the West and East Coast, reporting to Berwick.
“Watch What Happens Live” started in 2007 as an online after show for “Top Chef” and the following year for “Project Runway.” After building a loyal online audience, Bravo strategically premiered the show on-air at midnight one night a week and soon moved to 11PM, two nights a week. The only live interactive late-night talk show was then stripped to five nights-a-week in January 2012, and since then has been averaging 534,000 P18-49 and 942,000 total viewers. Featuring guests from the world of entertainment, politics and pop culture the show has become a destination for major celebrities including Oprah, Lady GaGa, Meryl Streep and Cher.
Cohen started at Bravo in 2004 as Vice President of Original Programming & Development and was upped to Senior Vice President and then Executive Vice President of Original Programming & Development in December, 2010. Since then he has overseen an aggressive slate of unscripted series and specials including hits such as the Peabody Award winning “Project Runway,” Emmy winning “Top Chef,” “Queer Eye,” “Being Bobby Brown” “Kathy Griffin: My Life On the D List,” “The Millionaire Matchmaker,” “Million Dollar Listing,” “The Rachel Zoe Project,” “Work of Art: The Next Great Artist,” “Bethenny Ever After,” “Tabatha’s Salon Takeover,” “Shahs of Sunset,” “Flipping Out,” and the entire “The Real Housewives” franchise.
Cohen received an Emmy award when season six of “Top Chef” won Outstanding Reality Competition Program at the 2010 primetime Emmy awards and has been nominated for 17 additional Emmy Awards as Executive Producer of “Project Greenlight,” “Project Runway,” “Top Chef” and “Queer Eye.” In 2005, Cohen was awarded a Peabody Award for his role as Executive Producer of the TRIO documentary “The N Word” and another in 2008 as an Executive Producer of “Project Runway.” Previously, Cohen was Vice President of Original Programming for TRIO (pop, culture, TV), beginning in July 2000 where he was responsible for developing and supervising all of TRIO’s original productions. Prior to TRIO, Cohen worked at CBS News for ten years.
He has also hosted the CFDA Fashion Awards, interviewed Lady Gaga for the cover of Glamour Magazine, Rihanna live on Facebook, Jerry Seinfeld on AOL.com, and Martha Stewart at the 92nd St YMCA. In June of 2013 Cohen was named to Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business List. In December of 2012 GQ Magazine named Cohen one of the 25 Best Dressed Men of the Year. In 2011 and 2012, he hosted the “Miss USA” and “Miss Universe” pageants live on NBC. His book, Most Talkative, spent 13 weeks on the New York Times best sellers list.
The wording is vague and can be interpreted in several ways. I don’t know the details of the last contract negotiation… I see a power alliance possibly in his future. Wonder what he and Murphy could cook up…?
Perhaps they are looking at taking WWHL to an interactive/Satellite format??
Did he really get that Twitter handle and not @AndyC12386 or something? Lol. That is some power!
I think it was starting to be too much to host late night show get drunk and then show up at the office in the morning ready to go.Smart move on his behalf to get his own prod company. He said himself he sees the housewives franchise lasting another yr or two.
I had the exact thought Brendy_luv – more freedom, writes his own ticket. We’ve all seen this sudden ‘famous/rich’ thrust upon reality personalities – some weather it well, others spend all the money, go crazy and then wind up with nothing. I think Andy is pretty business savy, and obviously has some very smart, experienced people around him to give him good business advice – and hopefully steer him to making the best decisions before things either die, or get out of hand. I admire anyone who does this – Andy, Nene, Bethenny, etc. It’s all about choices as you stand before the next open door.
Sounds like a demotion to me. I can’t imagine that WWHL is a big cash cow for Bravo. When you add in the fact that most of the new shows introduced on Bravo have tanked, it looks like Andy’s desk is moving closer and closer to the exit door. This could be good for Andy’s production company is they can now focus on developing a couple of shows rather than a complete schedule for Bravo.
In many ways it is a demotion and your totally correct. Think about all the production companies that are out there, hell I could start my own production company. But the big secret is having deep pockets and him being an executive at Bravo and in charge of all the housewives he was able to move Bravo money back and forth to old and new projects that he thought would work. Now he has to hit all the time everytime in regard to shows if he want to make money.
Andy is probably going to be leaving soon. He seems to have done a lot of things over the course of his career. He probably can make more money by going into production. The housewives series has at least 2 more years and he might think of other concepts. Nothing lasts forever!
Doesn’t NeNe have her own production company? Doesn’t Kenya?
I think I remember hearing that Todd Tucker has his own production company also.
They must be as real as NeNe’s “charity”
Maybe Tamara should start a production company? Seems like its the way to go.
Most of the Housewives y’all are claiming have a “production company” do not have a business that produces anything. They have an executive producer title. It’s like an honorary thing. It’s nothing more than a line in the credits ie “Nene Leakes Productions” It is not the same thing as the companies that actually produce the RHOA for example is produced by True Entertainment. It is a production company that has employees and cameras, and lights, and payrolls, and such.
I’m looking at this slightly differently – as an executive for a network, is it ethical for you to develop a show and then pay yourself a producer/creator fee? I’m thinking this is just a way for him to make money off of development deals without being beholden to a Bravo contract.
He still has a multi-year contract with Bravo.
I thought that is what Heidi Klum did with “Project Runway.” She found a better deal with lifetime network and Bravo was bought out. I think having a stake in the production end could potentially pay off in future years, when he does not want to work as hard. 10 years in the entertainment industry is a long time. Andy still benefits from being part of the Bravo network. I remember when he used to interview the housewives in his office. They never said they were cutting his salary!
They took away a major job title. That will reduce his salary.
Executives at networks have ethics? I’m confused…
Andy’s company will now PRODUCE all the RH shows–$$$ is far far greater for him than his Bravo salary–as stated-Most Talkative will now produce ALL HW franchises–that’s the big $… CONGRATS ANDY COHEN!!!
Exactly Dawn. Plus, he can retain the rights to those shows, thereby selling them in years to come via DVD, etc.
“I’m thrilled to launch my production company Most Talkative and to continue my role as EP of the ‘Housewives’ – I couldn’t imagine leaving behind women that have become a part of my daily life.”
Not so. He is going to continue to EXECUTIVE PRODUCE the housewives. Just the same as he always has. They will still use Production companies like True Entertainment for the actual nuts a bolts of producing.
He lost the fancy pants aspect of his job. It’s a demotion.
Is it lame I wanna see some crossover Real Housewife show? Like I want a show where Yolanda and Joanna go on vacation together with Teresa and Ramona and Nene. I think it’d be soooo fun!
It’s impossible to say if Andy Cohen was demoted. Without actually seeing his (iron clad) contract, no one will ever know. Even if he was demoted, executives at his level, do not have their salaries reduced. If Bravo wanted to get rid of him they would have paid him to “go away”. He is a senior level executive with stock options and many, many perks. Demotion or not, Andy Cohen is set him for life. He is a multimillionaire…
I’m going with: he pissed off David Foster.