Jill Zarin Fired from RHONY Following Backlash over Bad Bunny Super Bowl Comments
Jill Zarin has been fired from The Real Housewives of New York City franchise after controversial comments she made about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance.
Zarin, 62, an original cast member from the early days of the series, was reportedly set to appear in a reunion-style spinoff called The Golden Life. The project was only announced on February 3, but before it even entered production, the studio behind it announced they were cutting ties with her.
“In light of recent public comments made by Jill Zarin, Bling149 Studios has decided not to move forward with her involvement in The Golden Life. We remain committed to delivering the series in line with out company standards and values,” producers said in a statement.
The decision comes after Zarin posted a social media rant following the official halftime show at the NFL championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
Bad Bunny’s performance featured him singing entirely in Spanish and paying tribute to Puerto Rico and other parts of the Americas. But Zarin was not impressed and took to Instagram to share her reaction, Variety reported. The video has since been deleted, but not before it was widely circulated.
“We all agree–it was the worst halftime show ever. 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,” she said.
She also criticized the singer for grabbing his crotch during the performance, saying she thought it was inappropriate for kids watching. Zarin added that she does not speak Spanish but believed the performance came across as political.
She claimed it “looked like a political statement,” and pointed to the performers on stage as part of her reasoning.
“I think it was a political statement, and I’m not taking a side one way or another,” she continued. “I just do. I think it was an ICE thing.”
Zarin also took shots at Lady Gaga, who appeared as a featured guest during the show. In her video, she said she did not recognize Gaga at first and made comments about her appearance.
“And Lady Gaga got a facelift–I didn’t recognize her! I literally had to Google her face to see who it was. We all couldn’t agree who it was. So that was kind of fun in the middle of halftime. At least it gave me something to do, because it was so hard to watch.”
Her post was later captured and shared in full by content creator Gibson Johns, which further fueled attention and criticism.
Zarin’s comments sparked immediate backlash, including from members of the Real Housewives fan community and other Bravo-related personalities. The reaction was so strong that even her own daughter, Ally Shapiro, appeared to distance herself by praising the halftime show on her own social media.
Zarin Fabrics, the company associated with her family name, also issued a statement condemning her remarks and clarifying that she is no longer connected to the business.
“Zarin Fabrics stands firmly against racism, discrimination, and rhetoric that seeks to exclude or diminish people based on identity, culture, or background,” the company said in a statement on Instagram. “We want to be absolutely clear that Jill Zarin has not had ownership or been associated with Zarin Fabrics for several years. Ou 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.”
“Zarin Fabrics is built on creativity, collaboration, and respect for the diverse communities that shape art, culture, and expression. We condemn language or viewpoints that undermine those principles, and we remain committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment in everything we do.”
Zarin’s firing adds another complication to efforts to reunite the original Real Housewives of New York City cast. That idea has faced major delays since the show’s messy 13th season in 2021, which ultimately led Bravo to reboot RHONY with an entirely new cast.
Original cast members were expected to get their own series, but contract issues and production setbacks have slowed the process. Those problems eventually led to the Ultimate Girls Trip spinoff, which was not well-received and did not include Zarin.