Real Housewives of New York City star Jill Zarin fired from TV show following rant about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance
Real Housewives of New York City star Jill Zarin has been fired from an upcoming reality show following an Instagram rant about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl set.
E!’s The Golden Life will no longer feature Zarin, 62, alongside original cast members Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon and Sonja Morgan.
The producers behind the show, Blink49 Studios, released a statement to People about the controversy on February 10.
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“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,” they said.
“We remain committed to delivering the series in line with our company standards and values.”
Zarin had uploaded a video to her Instagram account on the day of the Super Bowl where she called Bad Bunny’s set “the worst halftime show ever.”
In the since-deleted video, she said, ”It’s 250 years that we’re celebrating right now in the United States, and I just don’t think it was appropriate to have it in Spanish.”
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She said that the performance “looked like a political statement,” adding that it was “very sad” and a “shame” that the NFL “sold out” by inviting Bad Bunny to perform.
Bad Bunny made history by being the first Super Bowl halftime show performer to sing entirely in Spanish, with his set being rich with symbolism and tributes to his Puerto Rican heritage.
It also had many messages pertaining to love persevering over hate, especially poignant as protests against ICE continue across the United States.
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Zarin later defended herself in a statement to InTouch.
“They didn’t even give me a chance,” Zarin said. “I took it down right away. People make mistakes. I’m human.”
Her firing was not the only fallout she experienced.
Zarin Fabrics, the New York City fabric store once owned by Zarin’s late husband, Bobby, also condemned her stance.
On February 9, they posted a photo of her to Instagram with a red “X” over her face.
“Zarin Fabrics stands firmly against racism, discrimination, and rhetoric that seeks to exclude or diminish people based on identity, culture, or background,” they wrote in their caption.
“We want to be absolutely clear that Jill Zarin has not had ownership of or been associated with Zarin Fabrics for several years. Our company operates independently, and any public statements attributed to her are made in a personal capacity and do not reflect our values, beliefs, or operations.
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“We condemn language or viewpoints that undermine those principles, and we remain committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment in everything we do.”
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