Roxanne 
Andy Cohen is weighing in on Rulla Nehme Pontarelli’s first season on The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, and he has some thoughts about how the first time Housewife handled her husband Brian’s affair scandal on camera.
Rulla has been at the center of one of RHORI’s biggest storylines since the show premiered, as viewers have watched bombshell after bombshell unfold involving her marriage, her husband Brian, and his alleged mistress. But according to Andy, Rulla may have underestimated just how much reality TV cameras are able to capture.
While speaking with Vulture for its May feature naming him one of the masterminds of reality TV, Andy described Rulla as an interesting case study for the franchise.
“Rulla feels like an interesting case study of someone who, in her first season of Housewives, seems to think she can hide more from the cameras than is possible,” Andy remarked.
Rulla’s marriage has been heavily featured throughout RHORI Season 1, especially as new details about Brian’s alleged affair continued to surface while filming was underway. The drama put Rulla in the difficult position of trying to protect her family while also being part of a show built around transparency, conflict and real life mess.
Andy acknowledged that Rulla does not react like everyone else, especially when faced with such personal allegations.
“She has a different way of reacting. You’re talking about the allegations that her husband was involved in an affair while we’re shooting,” Andy said. “You’re looking at someone who’s making decisions on behalf of her family.”
Despite the uncomfortable subject matter, Andy said he was impressed that Rulla and Brian continued to participate in the show while the drama played out.
“That conversation continues, by the way. Her husband shot with us throughout the season. He came to the premiere party with her. They’re excited,” Andy said.
He also made it clear that he does not view Rulla as someone who completely shut down during filming.
“I’m not viewing her as stonewalling,” Andy added. “I’m viewing her as an active participant in the show.”
Rulla and Brian also addressed their marriage during the April 26 episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, where Rulla said they were actively working through things.
“We’re working on things, to be honest,” Rulla said. “We’re in a much better place than we were before. It’s like it was prior to the affair—and better.”
Brian, who was in the audience, also weighed in and said he and Rulla are “stronger than ever.”
Andy jokingly called Brian the “bravest man on Bravo” for showing up to WWHL while the affair drama was still unfolding publicly.
Brian also defended himself when asked about what viewers are seeing on RHORI Season 1.
“That was a while ago. That was before,” Brian said, adding that he is “a different person” now.
He continued, “I realized what an amazing person my wife is, and the only thing that matters to me now is my wife and children. I just want to move forward.”
Rulla also shared why she has chosen to stay and work on the marriage despite everything that has played out.
“I don’t think that Brian is a bad person,” Rulla said. “I think he’s good to the core, but has made some grave mistakes, and a bad series of choices.”
When Andy asked why she stayed with Brian after the affair, Rulla said her decision came down to her family and the history they share.
“I’m all about keeping the family together, but I’m not stupid, at the same time,” Rulla answered. “I know what we had before, I know there’s potential, so I don’t want to be perceived as wrong or weak just because I’m choosing to work on my marriage.”
She added, “I’m not the type to drop a relationship like that. And we have a family.”
Andy’s comments come as RHORI continues to make noise as Bravo’s newest Housewives franchise. In the same Vulture interview, Andy admitted that launching a brand new Housewives city in today’s TV landscape was nerve wracking.
“It is so scary launching anything at this point. There are thousands of shows. No one is watching live television,” he shared.
Still, Andy said he had confidence in RHORI because of the cast.
“I knew from the casting that this show was going to be a hit. When it happens as a producer that, in your gut, you know something’s going to be great, and then it is great, and then other people think it’s great — that is why we are doing what we’re doing,” he said.
Andy also explained what he looks for when casting Housewives, saying it comes down to group connections, presence and personality.
“[It’s] about connections to the group, and it’s about whether they pop on camera, whether they’re opinionated, whether they have something to say,” Andy said.
And according to Andy, there is one quality that is especially important.
“Funny is huge. I am often looking at casting, and my note is, ‘I did not smile once,’” he added.
