Andy Cohen has spent two decades presiding over some of reality television’s most memorable confrontations — and now he is opening up his personal archives. The Bravo host and executive producer is marking the 20th anniversary of the Real Housewives franchise with a new book, Andy’s Bravo Scrapbook: Twenty Years Behind the Scenes of the Real Housewives and the Bravoverse, released Tuesday, October 20.
Andy Cohen (Credits: Bravo / Charles Sykes via Getty Images)
The 320-page hardcover features more than 600 photographs from Cohen’s private collection, along with previously untold stories from his years helping turn Bravo into a reality television powerhouse. Almost all of the photos were taken by Cohen himself — originally on a digital camera, then a BlackBerry, and eventually every model of iPhone ever made.
Taken From His Seat at Every Reunion
Cohen’s big selling point is perspective. He says he took photos at every Real Housewives reunion for the last 20 years, right from his hosting seat. “It’s actually an incredible trip through the years,” he told People. He has called the book a “Bravo yearbook” and says he sent it to all of the Housewives ahead of release, getting sweet feedback from them in return.
Speaking to Page Six, Cohen teased what readers can expect: “The great thing about the book is I take you behind the scenes of pretty [much] every reunion show we’ve ever done. I share my insights about what I was thinking and what I went in thinking.” He recalled reunions where producers expected someone’s final season, only for the reunion performance to blow everyone away — and others where a cast member wound up isolating the whole group.
More Than Just Housewives
While the Real Housewives franchises anchor the collection, the book also goes behind the scenes of other Bravo staples like Vanderpump Rules, Southern Charm, Summer House, and Shahs of Sunset, tracing the network’s evolution from the early days of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Cohen also pushed back on the idea that the franchise merely rewards conflict: “I think that’s an over-generalization,” he said, pointing to the sisterhood and varied relationships that keep viewers invested. His sixth book, this one is the first centered entirely on his years at Bravo — and for devoted fans, it looks like the ultimate peek behind the reunion couch.
Source: Variety — read the full story there.
