A controversy surrounding The Real Housewives of New York City reboot series seems to have more than meets the eye…and involves the N-word.
Fans of the show are anxiously awaiting the new split franchises: a legacy series with OGs and a second show with a younger and more diverse cast. Lizzy Savestky was cast on the latter. But she recently announced she opted to leave the show after experiencing antisemitism. Per reports, this isn’t the full story.
Savestky announces departure before filming wraps
The almost-Bravo star announced her exit in an Instagram post. She stated: “From the time [it was announced she was joining the cast],” she said, “I was on the receiving end of a torrent of [anti-Semitic] attacks. As this continued, I realized that this path was no longer right for me and my family.”
Bravo followed up with their own statement via Page Six, telling the outlet:
“After thoughtful consideration and discussion with Lizzy, we have reached the mutual conclusion that Lizzy will not be a cast member on ‘RHONY.’”
But production insiders are telling Page Six a different version of events.
The N-word was reportedly used during a discussion
The report alleges that Savetsky was filming a scene with co-star Brynn Whitfield, and things took a turn.
Whitfield asked Orthodox Jew Savetsky, who has a reputation as a matchmaker, if she’d set her up with a Jewish man. Savetsky reportedly responded that while she has no problem with Jews dating gentiles — she prefers only to set up Jews with other Jews.
She added that Orthodox Jews favor marriages between Jews to preserve the ethnic lineage. The report says that she explained that Judaism is not just a belief system, but also a people.
Whitfield was reportedly offended and said something to the effect that Savetsky’s terminology sounds like that used by “horrific people [meaning Nazis] who did evil things to your people."
Her response shocked Savestsky. Insiders say an off-camera phone call between Savetsky and Whitfield took place in which they discussed racial slurs. Whitfield, who is half-Black, used the N-word during the call. Savetsky was reportedly afraid that Whitfield planned to tell other cast members that she had also used the N-word during the call.
Sources say that Savetsky’s husband, Dr. Ira Savetsky, was outraged and reported the conversation to the producers, also using the N-word in full. Page Six notes that he later apologized, but the damage was done, thus beginning conversations of them leaving the show.
