Jill Zarin is making waves following her dismissal from E!’s forthcoming reunion show for "Real Housewives of New York City" (RHONY), titled "The Golden Life." The reason? Her outspoken criticism of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show has sparked quite the controversy.
Expressing her frustration, the 62-year-old former reality star stated to In Touch, "They didn’t even give me a chance. I took it down right away. People make mistakes. I’m human." This remark was in reference to an Instagram video she posted, which has since been removed due to the backlash it received.
Initially, Zarin was included in the cast for the new series, but Blink49 Studios, the production company behind the show, confirmed they have severed ties with her. In a statement provided to Variety, they said, "In light of recent public comments made by Jill Zarin, Blink49 Studios has decided not to move forward with her involvement in 'The Golden Life.' We remain committed to delivering the series in line with our company standards and values."
Zarin drew criticism for her now-deleted Instagram post, where she labeled Bad Bunny’s performance as "the worst halftime show ever." She remarked, "It’s 250 years that we’re celebrating right now, the United States, and I just don’t think it was appropriate to have it in Spanish, and, quite frankly, grabbing his ‘g’-area. I think it was totally inappropriate."
She went on to add, "You’ve got all these young kids watching the Super Bowl, and he doesn’t have to be grabbing himself every five seconds because he’s so insecure. Seriously."
Moreover, Zarin suggested that the performance appeared to convey a political message, stating, "It looked like a political statement because there were literally no white people in the entire thing. I think it was an ICE thing." Her feelings extended to how she viewed the NFL’s decision, saying, "The NFL sold out, and the halftime show was hard to watch. It’s very sad because, 75 years and, you know, shame. Shame."
The backlash from fellow reality stars was swift. Bozoma Saint John, a star from "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," commented, "'I’m not taking a side,' yet very clearly taking a side. Please. I, on the other hand, LOVED Benito Bowl … for its beauty, culture, history, and message." Janet Caperna from "The Valley" responded sharply, "Tell me you’re racist without telling me you’re racist…YIKES!!!"
Earlier reports indicated that Zarin, along with other RHONY veterans like Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon, and Sonja Morgan, were slated to star in a new show together, which would be called "The Golden Life," with filming set to begin this spring in Palm Beach, Florida.
