In the latest episode of Just B, Bethenny Frankel sat down with Patrick McDonald—a former Bravo producer turned OnlyFans creator—for a raw, emotional conversation about the reality TV industry's treatment of crew members behind the scenes.
Patrick, who worked across 13 seasons and nine Bravo franchises over five years, explained that he loved many parts of his job, but ultimately left after feeling burned out by what he called an incredibly "toxic culture." Now, he says he's speaking out not to burn bridges, but to spark change. Earlier this week, Patrick posted two Instagram Reels explaining why he walked away from production and what he hopes will come from sharing his story. "The only people who would have a problem with what I said in that video are the people who are perpetuating the toxic culture that I speak of," he said.
This interview takes place more than a year after Bethenny first began speaking publicly about the mistreatment of reality TV cast and crew—a conversation that's only grown louder since. While others have shared their experiences, this marks the first time a crew member has come forward in such clear, personal detail.
Read on for more details about what Patrick shared in the interview, and listen to the full Part 1 episode here.
A Call From the Inside
At one point during their conversation, Patrick described a phone call he received from Lisa Vanderpump after he began speaking out publicly and posting about the conditions on set.
"I get a call from Lisa," he said. "The first words out of her mouth after saying hello were, 'So is it just these two videos then, or is there more to come?'" To Patrick, the intent was clear. "I'm a reality TV producer," he said. "I know how to extract information from someone, and I know when someone's doing that to me."
Patrick said he felt disappointed and hurt by the conversation: “It did not feel good to get that call, honestly… It was such a blatant manipulation to me.” He recalled Lisa warning him that continuing to speak out could "cost" him jobs in the future.
"I said, 'Well, Lisa…I don't really stand to gain a lot from what I’m doing here, other than trying to initiate some change for these hardworking crews on my way out,'" he said.
What's at Stake When Content Is King
Patrick started out at the bottom of the production ladder—as a logger on Married to Medicine—before climbing to supervising producer. His experience spans franchises including Real Housewives of Atlanta, Potomac, Beverly Hills, Orange County, and Vanderpump Rules.
While he made clear there were many parts of the job he loved, including his relationships with cast and crew, he spoke frankly about the physical and emotional toll of the work. At one point, Patrick compared working in reality TV to his current life in adult entertainment and said the latter doesn't come close in terms of how deeply it affected him. "Reality TV is far more invasive than adult entertainment…and I'm having sex with people," he said. "That is much less invasive to me than some of the things that I have been behind the camera for, filming for these shows."
Patrick also described a production culture where the pace was relentless and recovery wasn't part of the plan. Crew members were pushed to their limits while filming on location, often with little support and even less downtime. "Content is king," he said. "If it's not happening on the screen, it's not the priority. You've been holding a camera for five hours and you need to pee? These two ladies are going in on their second hour talking about the same thing. You're gonna have to wait to pee or eat."
He added that in his later years at Bravo, he began to feel morally conflicted. "Just seeing how absolutely spent my colleagues were…barely being able to stay awake at times on these cast trips because they're so exhausted," he said. That feeling came into sharper focus during the filming of the Vanderpump Rules season 10 reunion, at the height of the "Scandoval" fallout. Patrick had worked closely with Rachel Leviss that season and was with her in the hours leading up to the reunion taping. He spent the day backstage by her side, watching as the rest of the cast tore her apart before she had to walk into what felt like a "firing squad." "I kind of paused and took a step back to myself internally and was like, 'Whoa. Wait, what are we doing here?'"
Peace Over Production
Patrick says that walking away from the industry has been the healthiest decision he's ever made. These days, he creates adult content on OnlyFans, travels often, and has found peace that he never felt in production.
"My life is far less toxic and filled with much less drama now," he said. "The work-life balance is just completely different. In terms of my mental health and my peace and just my general happiness and enjoyment of life—it's night and day."
What he's gained in this transition isn't just freedom—it's clarity. He says he now has nothing to lose and is finally in a position to speak out.
"If I can impart some change on my way out of these shows, then why would I not want to do that? If I can make [crew members'] lives a little better or maybe initiate some change…then that's what I'm going to do."
This episode is part one of a two-part conversation, with even more revelations set to come. As Bethenny said at the end of the interview: "The truth always rises to the top."
You can listen to Part 1 of Bethenny's full conversation with Patrick McDonald on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.