Bravo is being sued by a man who claims he was sexually assaulted and harassed by more than one cast member while performing his duties during the taping of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip.
In his lawsuit butler Marco Vega said he was ‘sexually harassed and abused’ while shooting the show at Dorinda Medley’s Blue Stone Manor claiming he was slapped on the buttocks by Phaedra Parks, 49, and that he was ‘forcibly stripped’ by Brandi Glanville, 51, who ripped his shirt off.
Bravo is also the subject of a soon to be released investigation by Vanity Fair into the Housewives franchise.
AlertContent.com has reached out for comment from Bravo, as well as from representatives for Brandi Glanville, Dorinda Medley and Phaedra Parks.
In court papers obtained by People and TMZ, the houseman said he was hired for the second season of the Housewives spinoff, which was to take place at Medley’s mansion in the Berkshires in September 2021.
Lawsuit: Bravo is being sued by a man who claims he was sexually assaulted and harassed during the taping of Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Season 2
He alleges the assaults took place after a woman was hired to perform a strip tease for the cast and afterwards show producers told him to, ‘go over and get the women dancing!’
Vega said it was during that time Glanville told him ‘Earn your money, Marco. Take your shirt off. Do something!’
The lawsuit stated cast member Jill Zarin, 59, was concerned abut the large amounts of Bourbon being consumed.
‘I mean Bourbon’s a heavy-duty alcohol. Something to be sipped and not guzzled. I’m a little afraid about what’s to come,’ actress said, according to the lawsuit.
Vega said after taping had wrapped for the night, he returned to his hotel and after he told his wife what happened, she became upset and his marriage became strained.
In Q&A with Vega that took place after the episode aired and shared on the Instagram account Brands by Bravo, the actor responded to a comment about the shirt ripping incident.
‘I was not, I am not okay with it,’ he wrote.
‘Check the footage in that exact moment. I was not happy.’
Butler: Antonio Vega was hired to work as a butler at Dorinda Medley’s Blue Stone Manor
Vega claims Brandi Glanville ripped his shirt off on one occasion and groped him on another. His lawsuit alleges Bravo was aware of Glanville’s ‘deviant sexual proclivities and sexually harassing conduct’ (Pictured in Las Vegas in December 2022)
Not okay: In Q&A with Vega that took place after the episode aired and shared on the Instagram account Brands by Bravo, the actor responded to a comment about the shirt ripping incident. ‘I was not, I am not okay with it,’ he wrote
Another instance of reported harassment took place during the Lasagna Making episode.
Vega claimed Glanville allegedly ‘consumed alcohol, became intoxicated, and more brash, going so far as to grope’ him.
The butler said after he refused to drink several shots of alcohol offered by Glanville, she allegedly ordered him to ‘”deliver c–k” to the other Housewives, revealing bottles of wine shaped like penises that she had under her bed.’
The lawsuit asserts Bravo ‘had overwhelming prior notice of Ms. GLANVILLE’s prior deviant sexual proclivities and sexually harassing conduct.’
The suit introduced as proof an incident from Season two, Episode 17 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in which Glanville sexually harassed ‘Adrienne Malouf by trying to make out with her without her consent.’
‘GLANVILLE told Adrienne’s husband Paul, “I tried to make out with your wife, but I don’t think she wanted to,” the court papers read.
Slapped buttocks: The lawsuit also claims Phaedra Parks slapped Vega on the buttocks (Pictured in New York in October 2022)
Damages: Neither Glanville nor Parks is being sued. Vega claimed Bravo ‘allowed, condoned and even encouraged’ the bad behavior. He is seeking punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, costs, and more
‘Malouf’s husband told GLANVILLE, ‘I wouldn’t want you kissing my wife.”‘
Vega’s attorneys declared the network was aware of Glanville’s ‘sexually aggressive and offensive conduct’ and that it was ‘allowed, condoned and even encouraged.’
Vega has not sued Glanville or Parks, but he is suing Bravo, affiliates, including Warner Brothers Entertainment, NBCUniversal Media, and Peacock TV LLC.
He is seeking punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, costs, and disbursements of action.