Jill Zarin Fired from Real Housewives of New York City Reboot Series After Racist Bad Bunny Halftime Show Comments

In a since-deleted Instagram, the reality star called Bad Bunny’s performance at the Super Bowl “the worst halftime show ever”

Jill Zarin.Credit :

Sonia Moskowitz/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

Jill Zarin has been fired from E!’s new Real Housewives of New York City docuseries, The Golden Life
Zarin’s firing comes two days after she made racist comments about Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl halftime show performance
Zarin was supposed to join fellow RHONY OGs Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon and Sonja Morgan in the new series

Jill Zarin has been fired from E!’s new Real Housewives of New York City docuseries, The Golden Life.

On Tuesday, Feb. 10, the producers behind The Golden Life, Blink49 Studios, released a statement to PEOPLE saying that Zarin will no longer be joining her fellow RHONY OGs Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon and Sonja Morgan in the project. The news came just two days after Zarin came under fire for racist comments about Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl halftime show performance.

“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,” Blink49 Studios said in their statement. “We remain committed to delivering the series in line with our company standards and values.”

In a since-deleted video posted to her Instagram on Super Bowl Sunday, Zarin called Bad Bunny’s performance “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.

Bad Bunny performing in the Super Bowl halftime show.

David Tulis/UPI/Shutterstock

Zarin went on to criticize Bad Bunny for “grabbing himself every five seconds.”

“Quite frankly I didn’t need to see him grabbing his, you know, G area. I think it was totally inappropriate,” she said in the since-deleted video. “You’ve got all these young kids watching the Super Bowl and he doesn’t have to be grabbing himself every 5 seconds. Is he so insecure? Seriously, I didn’t understand.”

Zarin continued, “I don’t speak Spanish, I would have liked to have known the words he was saying. To me, it looked like a political statement because there were literally no white people in the entire thing.” She then added, “I’m not taking a side one way or the other, I just do. I think it was an ICE thing. I just think that the NFL sold out and it’s very sad because this was 75 years and you know, shame. Shame.”

She concluded by critiquing Lady Gaga, who made a surprise appearance during the show. Zarin said she “didn’t recognize” the star when she got on stage. “I literally had to Google her face to see who it was because we all couldn’t agree who it was,” Zarin said. “So that was kind of fun in the middle of halftime. At least it gave me something to do cause it was so hard to watch.”

On Monday, Feb. 9, Zarin Fabrics, the N.Y.C. fabric store once owned by Zarin’s late husband, Bobby, posted a photo of Zarin 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,” the company 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.”

They concluded their message by saying, “We condemn language or viewpoints that undermine those principles, and we remain committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment in everything we do.”

“Bound by decades of shared history, fallouts and friendship, this fan-favorite group of New Yorkers are starting fresh together in the Sunshine State,” reads a press release for the show. “In this new ‘golden’ era of life, the longtime friends are thriving in and around Palm Beach with fabulous second homes and a bustling social scene.”

“With their signature humor and non-stop hijinks, the series will follow the group as they navigate dating, family, and career milestones,” the release continues. “Though skies are bright in Florida, unresolved drama looms as they reconnect after years of highs and lows.”

The show comes four years after Bravo rebooted RHONY in 2022 for its 14th season, which featured a whole new cast of Housewives after a controversial and low-rated season 13.

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