Andy Cohen's Close Pal Kelly Ripa 'Offended' and 'Angry' Over Leah McSweeney's Drug Allegations Against Him
Kelly Ripa is outraged by the allegations against Andy Cohen.
While chatting with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards during the Wednesday, March 27, episode of the daytime diva's "Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa" podcast, Ripa, 53, expressed how upset she was over Leah McSweeney's lawsuit against her close friend where the former reality star, 41, accused Cohen, 55, of doing cocaine with his employees.
"I know him, like, off-camera. I know him privately. We’ve traveled together. We’ve gone on vacation together, like, pre-him having kids, you know?" the former soap opera actress told the Halloween star, 55. "I’ve never seen a drug around him. It’s like the most… I’m so offended by it. I’m so angry over it."
Ripa added she has “only seen him be professional” and has “certainly never seen drugs around – or any of this."
Richards agreed with the Hope & Faith alum about the lawsuit against her boss. "It made me angry and it made me really sad because I feel like that’s the time that we’re living in right now. It’s very dangerous to make accusations like that. It’s not like it used to be. Right? So it really made me sad," the Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip cast member said.
In The Real Housewives of New York City alum's bombshell lawsuit against Cohen, she alleged the Watch What Happens Live host did drugs with fellow Housewives, established a "rotted workplace culture" and that the producers pressured her into breaking her sobriety while filming.
- Margaret Josephs, Kyle Richards and More Housewives Defend Andy Cohen Against Leah McSweeney's 'Disgusting' Cocaine Accusations
- 'Completely False!': Andy Cohen Denies Cocaine Accusations Made by Leah McSweeney in Bombshell Bravo Lawsuit
- Kathy Griffin Admits Andy Cohen Offered Her 'Blow' Ahead of 'WWHL' Years Before Leah McSweeney's Cocaine Lawsuit Accusations
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"While virtually every statement about Mr. Cohen contained in the complaint is false and will be proven so if this baseless lawsuit proceeds, we demand that you immediately retract and withdraw all allegations relating to Mr. Cohen's purported ‘cocaine use,' including but not limited to the allegation that Mr. Cohen ‘engages in cocaine use with Housewives and other ‘Bravolebrities' that he employs,'" Cohen's attorney fired back in a legal letter sent to McSweeney.
"If you refuse to do so, Mr. Cohen reserves the right to hold you and your client accountable to the fullest extent of the law," the lawyer made clear to the disgruntled former employee.
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Other stars from the network have come out in defense of Cohen. "I just want to also say about the cocaine allegations, Andy has never offered me cocaine. I am friends with every 'Housewife.' He has never offered any 'Housewife' cocaine," The Real Housewives of New Jersey cast member Margaret Josephs stated.
"Those allegations are nothing but to assassinate his character and that is disgusting," she noted. "I’ve never seen Andy do anything like that, so I am appalled that someone would just go so low to assassinate and target someone’s character in that way."