With iterations of the franchise stretching from Orange County to Dubai, The Real Housewives has propelled countless women to international fame.
One crucial character who stays constant across Bravo's best-loved docusoap, however, is Andy Cohen.
We sat down with the longtime Bravo executive, Real Housewives reunion referee and reality TV legend, to hear about his journey with the show.
Plus, he reveals the dramatic antics that keep him at the edge of his seat - and those that simply bore him.
For Andy Cohen "Real Housewives" Is A Dream Come True
Andy Cohen may not be a Real Housewife, but in a way, he's the face of the brand.
Even OGs have come and gone, but Andy remains.
In light of that, we couldn't help but ask: where did it all begin?
"It was a real slow burn for The Real Housewives," he begins.
"A group of us at Bravo in the US got a tape of these women, and we thought, 'What is this?' And, 'What can we do with this?'"
For Andy, a lifelong soap opera fan, an exciting new concept had begun to take hold.
"In my mind, I thought that if this could be a reality soap opera, then we could be onto something," he smiles.
"All these years later, that's exactly what The Real Housewives has become. It's a reality soap opera."
It's not exactly surprising, then, that he beams that he has no plans to walk away from his dream project, any time soon.
"I'm having so much fun, I will continue to do this as long as they have me. I'm so engaged, and it's a blast. I get to work in TV, which is an honor and a privilege."
But, Don't Expect To See Him On The Show, Outside Reunions
A quick clarification: Andy has every intention on sticking around for Real Housewives reunions ... but when it comes to the storylines themselves, he has no intention of getting involved.
"As an Executive Producer, I'm not part of the drama directly - nor do I want to be. I couldn't be on a show where I wasn't part of the edit."
"I think I'm too much of a control freak for that," he adds, with a laugh.
It's for precisely that reason, Andy continues, that reunions mark the perfect balance for him.
"Typically, when I host a reunion show, I do have a great degree of control of what's happening in the room."
After all, he points out, in the lead up to those reunions, he's chatting to the stars on Watch What Happens Live throughout the season, listening to fan feedback, seeing cuts of the show, and hearing about the drama as it happens.
There have been some notable exceptions to his control, though.
As Andy explains, "We cast highly dramatic individuals, and we don't know who is going to say what, or what's going to happen on the day."
"There have been moments when the volume of voices has started to get to me - but I think it's very evident when you see it."
Andy Shares His Dos And Don'ts For A Successful Season
It's worth noting that, while The Real Housewives thrives on drama, Andy has a preference for a particular type of drama.
That is, real and raw.
"Anything real, emotional, vulnerable or relatable makes for great viewing," he says.
And, he's not negating some of the most dramatic moments in the franchise's history: "There's the table flip, or Aviva's leg toss, or Jen Shah's arrest - it's a long list!"
However, he draws a line at glasses thrown.
Reason being? It's boring.
"When a glass gets broken, I'm not really into it. I don't like glass broken - it's just not that interesting."
Andy's Not Sure About The Drama To Come - But He's Looking Forward To It
With Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and Real Housewives of Dubai filming at the time of writing, fans of the franchise have a ton to look forward to.
But, don't expect the Bravo executive to spill any tea.
"I'm excited to see what happens, but there's no sense in talking about something a long time before it's going to air. All you can do is wait to watch it play out on television, or streaming on Hayu!"
Whatever is in store for viewers, one thing we do know for sure is we'll be waiting at the edge of our seats!
Fans can catch up with their Bravo favorites anytime, anywhere on Hayu.
