Jen Shah denies punching ‘Real Housewives’ co-star, takes shots at Andy Cohen
Not even the bounds of the penal system could stop former “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah from speaking out about the drama that unfolded during the latest season finale of Bravo’s “RHOSLC.”
Shah — who is currently serving a 6½-year prison sentence for fraud — responded Tuesday to claims from cast member Heather Gay that she gave Gay her notable black eye during the show’s third season.
Gay had previously told several different stories about how she got the shiner, but had maintained until recently that she didn’t fully recall the events that led to her injury. Now she’s saying she had been concealing the truth in an effort to protect Shah, whom she considered a friend at the time.
“I went on book tour and defended [Shah] and took s— for the fact that she gave me a black eye,” Gay said in Tuesday night’s finale.
Jen Shah, a cast member of ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,’ has been sentenced to prison for wire fraud. She pleaded guilty in July.
“BRAVO, if i punched Heather in her eye, you guys would have footage to prove it,” Shah wrote Tuesday in an Instagram Story , rejecting Gay’s assertion. “It’s clear the show can’t live without me since I was brought up at the beginning, middle and end of season 4.”
In her online musings, Shah also said she believed Bravo mega producer Andy Cohen was “still butt hurt” that she turned down a one-on-one interview with him.
“Why would you sit down with someone who ‘gave’ another cast member a black eye? Next story,” Shah wrote.
Cohen responded to Shah’s claims Wednesday on his SiriusXM show “Andy Cohen Live.”
“Let me point out, I don’t want to be Captain Obvious here, but if we had footage, don’t you think we would’ve aired it?” Cohen pondered on the radio program.
He then said he did request a one-on-one interview with Shah, but “her stipulations were insane.” She wanted Cohen’s production crew to do a docuseries about her days leading up to jail as well as a hefty amount of money to do the interview, he said.
As to whether he’s still “butt hurt” after trying to get the interview, Cohen stated that he’s “over it.”
In July 2022, Shah pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She told a judge that in 2012 she began taking part in a massive telemarketing fraud that prosecutors say cheated thousands of people nationwide for nearly a decade.
In the lead up to Bravocon, Frankel had choice words about her former network Bravo, ‘Housewives’ impresario Andy Cohen and her leading role in reality TV’s union drive.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiersten Ann Fletcher said during the 2022 hearing that Shah had engaged in a fraudulent scheme from 2012 to 2021 that sold bogus services advertised to help people make substantial amounts of money through online businesses.
Shah, who admitted she was aware of the fraud, said, “I knew this was wrong and that many people were harmed, and I’m so sorry.”
In January 2023, the 50-year-old was sentenced to serve 6½ years in prison. Before her sentencing, Shah was facing 11 to 14 years in prison. She has since had her release date moved up several times, according to Business Insider.
Shah also pledged to pay $6.5 million in restitution and forfeiture when she gets out of prison.
Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.
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