Lisa Rinna has publicly criticised television host and producer Andy Cohen for sharing her private text messages within one of his published books. The 62-year-old former star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills addressed the ongoing situation during a recent appearance on SiriusXM's The Julia Cunningham Show.
A Complicated Friendship and Literary Dispute
Rinna, who recently attended Paris Fashion Week, confirmed that she is currently "fine" with Cohen but revealed she did not contact him before writing her own forthcoming memoir. Her book, titled You Better Believe I'm Gonna Talk About It, is scheduled for release on February 24th.
"He's written his own books and done what he's done," Rinna stated. "You know, I think - he put my personal text messages in his book." While Cohen reportedly gave Rinna a general warning that she would be featured, the specific inclusion of private correspondence came as a shock.
"Wow, Wow, Wow": The Reaction to Personal Disclosure
"Well, I had an idea," the television personality explained. "But then when I read it and they were personal text messages to basically my boss. And to have them show up in a book, I was like, 'Wow, wow, wow'... don't give it away, but you gotta read what happened."
Although Rinna did not specify which of Cohen's books contained the messages, his publications include The Andy Cohen Diaries: A Deep Look At A Shallow Star from 2014 and Glitter Every Day: 365 Quotes From Women I Love from 2021.
Years of On-Again, Off-Again Drama
The relationship between Rinna and Cohen has experienced significant turbulence over the years, particularly during her eight-season tenure on RHOBH before her departure in 2023. Despite this, the pair were seen sharing a friendly moment at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards in August last year.
Earlier in 2025, Rinna appeared on Cohen's SiriusXM show to apologise for comparing RHOBH to the Titanic. "I put my foot in my mouth. It's not that. That show's gonna go on and on and on. I misused my words," she explained at the time, adding, "I meant to say Titanic, and I said it, and I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. Let's move on."
Cohen responded by noting, "You're not a 'Housewife' anymore, but that was a little bit of an old-school Housewife apology." Rinna later reflected on this dynamic with her husband Harry Hamlin on their podcast, Let's Not Talk About The Husband, describing how she fell "into a trope of Housewife to Big Daddy" and gave her power to Cohen as her boss.
Rinna's Memoir: Telling Her Side of the Story
Following her exit from the Real Housewives franchise, Rinna has remained active with appearances at Paris Fashion Week and on the fourth season of The Traitors. Her upcoming memoir represents a significant personal project.
In a statement to People last year, Rinna teased, "I don't know if everyone is ready for all of the truth I am unloading in this book. But I was certainly ready to tell it. Life comes with a lot of ups and downs, and so much of it gets lost 'in the editing,' if you will. It was time to share the director's cut."
No Holding Back: A Candid Account
During a recent interview with Cosmopolitan, Rinna briefly discussed including Cohen in her memoir, revealing, "He doesn't quite know what's in this book yet. That's scary! But I always knew if I was going to write another book, I had to be honest. And listen, it's been two years in the making, and I'm in a different place now than I was when I was writing it."
The star explained her motivation for publishing, stating, "It's about telling my side of the story more than anything. I'm too old to settle scores at this point." She expressed frustration that RHOBH "never showed me for who I really am. And I had a bone to pick with that."
"Publishing this book is my way of speaking my side without anybody editing me out," Rinna emphasised. "And listen, I don't hold back in this book. I definitely don't." She described the process as opening a vault, sharing "the good, the bad and the wackadoodle" aspects of her life and career.
