Credit: Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM, Instagram
Caroline Manzo explained why she filed a lawsuit against Bravo, Peacock, and its production company while appearing on a podcast earlier this month.
Following an encounter with Brandi Glanville, 53, during which the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum allegedly pinned her to a bathroom door, locked it, and forced herself on Caroline amid filming on Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip in Morocco, the 65-year-old Real Housewives of New Jersey alum opened up about her litigation against the networks, while also sharing why she agreed to take part in the series to begin with.
“I can’t [say what really happened] … cuz I can’t. I won’t be able to finish the sentence. I can’t. I’m still working through it,” Caroline began on the September 1 episode of Legally Goff.
Then, after being asked why Brandi wasn’t named as a defendant in her case, Caroline clarified the reason she did not sue Brandi or Andy Cohen, 58.
“I sued all the corporate entities. I didn’t sue Andy. I didn’t sue Brandy. It’s about the atmosphere and what it’s become, and not about the people,” she stated.
@legallygoffpodcast NBC Lawsuit_ Disturbing Details of Assault Revealed #legallygoffpodcast #podcast #caroline #dating #relationship ♬ original sound – Legally Goff Podcast
During another moment of the podcast, Caroline admitted to being lured back to the Real Housewives franchise by Andy after attending BravoCon.
“Every year they would ask me to do BravoCon — I’m gonna try not to cry,” she shared, through tears. “Every year they would ask me to go to BravoCon, and I would go. It was fun. And the last year I did it, the response was just insane.”
According to Caroline, it was the response to her meet and greet that convinced her to return to the network.
“I remember saying to my handler at the time, ‘I’m embarrassed. I hope at least there’s a couple people in line.’ And she said, ‘We had to cut it off. That’s how many people are on line.’ And I hear in the background, ‘Manzo! Manzo!’ The people that couldn’t get on line were chanting my name, and I guess they saw that, the reaction, and I get a call from Andy, and he said, ‘Hear me out.’ He goes, ‘This isn’t housewives. This is fun. This is different,’” Caroline recalled, admitting that, historically, whenever there was a conversation about RHONJ, she would always refuse to appear without getting an “[absolutely] ridiculous” amount of money.
“And he says, ‘You know, we’re going to Morocco, and this is [what] the compensation is,’ and I said, ‘Well, who am I going with?’ And I only knew a couple of the ladies,” she shared. “I knew [Vicki Gunvalson]. I knew [Alex McCord]. I knew [Phaedra Parks] … And I said, ‘Okay.’ And that’s it.”
Caroline Manzo explains why she decided to do #RHUGT. She says the reason she chose to do the show was because every year she was asked to attend BravoCon, where she would go and have fun. The last time she attended, the response was insane, and she had a huge lineup for her… pic.twitter.com/GV0digqO0a
— Bye Wig Hello Drama (@HousewivesHub) September 3, 2026
Caroline Manzo was featured in a full-time role on The Real Housewives of New Jersey for its first five seasons.