A “Real Housewives of New York City” veteran has been dropped from a new reality show after a social media rant about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance.
Jill Zarin was expected to begin filming “The Golden Life,” an E! reality series set in Palm Beach, Florida, alongside reality TV alumni including Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon and Sonja Morgan.
That changed Tuesday, when she was removed from the project following a now-deleted Instagram video in which she called Bad Bunny’s performance “the worst halftime show ever” and complained, “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.”
“He doesn’t have to be grabbing himself every five seconds: Is he so insecure?” she added.
Zarin also said she doesn’t speak Spanish, but argued the performance “looked like a political statement” because, she claimed, “there were literally no white people in the entire thing.” She then made a remark about one of the white people involved, speculating about a facelift.
Although she quickly deleted the video, it was saved and shared by an X user, @gibsonoma, and spread widely online. The comments drew backlash on “The View,” and Blink49 Studios — which is producing “The Golden Life” — said Tuesday it had cut ties with Zarin due to her “recent public comments.”
Zarin’s daughter, Ally Shapiro, did not agree with her mother’s remarks. She reportedly posted an Instagram Story praising the halftime show, calling it “best halftime show in years,” and describing it as “a true performance with a story line,” with direction and lighting she said were “perfect,” according to Us Weekly.
Zarin Fabrics, the company once owned by Zarin’s late husband, Bobby, also issued a statement distancing itself from her. In an Instagram post, the company said it stands against racism and discrimination and emphasized that Zarin has not been associated with the business 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,” the post said, adding that the company condemns “language or viewpoints” that undermine inclusion.
“They didn’t even give me a chance,” Zarin told In Touch magazine on Tuesday about being dropped from the show. “I took it down right away. People make mistakes. I’m human.”
