Jill Zarin believes she knows what’s causing the current slump in ratings on The Real Housewives of New York City.
Over a week after the series reached an all-time low with just 764,000 viewers, Zarin said the lack of male energy has led to disinterest from fans.
“I think the biggest problem with the show, which nobody talks about, is it’s called The Real Housewives of New York,” Zarin said on her sister’s podcast, The Lisa Wexler Show, via a report shared by Showbiz Cheat Sheet on July 16.
Jill Zarin Doesn’t Believe Race Conversations Are Causing The Ratings Dip
"There’s not one boyfriend. And I think the lack of male energy on the show is the problem," Zarin continued of the 13th season of The Real Housewives of New York City, which features an unwed cast.
According to Zarin, she doesn’t think the issues stem from the ongoing conversations about race or the ages of the series’ cast members.
“It’s a lack of male energy,” she insisted. “To either fight over or, you know, men are from Mars, women are from Venus. And I think that in a lot of ways is the success of the Real Housewives brand as a whole."
Jill Zarin Claims ‘RHOBH’ Is Her Favorite Show
Zarin went on to reveal that while she used to be featured in a full-time position on RHONY, it is The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills that is “beyond” her favorite show.
“Though there’s no male energy physically really much in the show, they’re married. So this whole divorce with Erika would not be if there wasn’t a man,” she noted.
As Zarin explained, the drama surrounding Erika Jayne’s husband, Thomas Girardi, who is accused of stealing millions from former clients, fuels the show, even though Girardi hasn’t actually been seen.
Jil Zarin Believes Male Drama Has Helped The Franchise
"There’s not one man mentioned on The Real Housewives of New York City,” Zarin went on. “And I think that’s what’s missing [from the show].”
“When Bethenny [Frankel] told Luann that Tom [D’Agostino] cheated on her,” she recalled. “Which ultimately ended in her divorce. Again, it was a man. If you really think about the stuff. Ramona [Singer] getting divorced from Mario. The first few seasons of New York was so great because of Simon [van Kempen] and his red leather pants.”
Jill Zarin Wishes A Married Woman Had Been Added For ‘RHONY’ Season 13
As rumors continue to swirl in regard to the drowning ratings on The Real Housewives of New York City, Zarin said that while she was glad to see producers add Eboni K. Williams to the show as the series’ first Black cast member, she would have linked to see them hire someone who is married with a family.
"We are missing men,” she insisted. “The most important thing that they did was hire someone Black. They should have made her married with kids.”
The Real Housewives of New York City season 13 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.
