Rebecca Minkoff In Hot Seat Over Scientology on RHONY Reunion, Reacts to ‘Cult’ Accusations

The designer, who joined the show in a “friend” role this past season, made it clear she didn’t appreciate some of the comments about her beliefs. One specific pain point brought up first was costar and friend — or former friend, it seems — Erin Lichy wondering in a confessional how she could be both Jewish and a Scientologist.

“She called me to complain about me bringing up, how are you Jewish and how are you a Scientologist?” said Lichy. “Which was approved language, actually, from you, but she didn’t like the tone in which I said it.”

After Erin called Rebecca “the most self-involved person I’ve ever met,” Andy Cohen wanted them to explain what Erin meant by “approved language,” saying it sounded like Minkoff was providing “talking points.”

“I understand, it’s a sensitive topic for her. I said can I ask you the question … and she said yes,” Erin explained. “Her being mad about that was literally the weirdest thing ever.”

After a clip showed Erin saying in a confessional, “I don’t fully understand how you can have two religions that are so different and opposing,” Rebecca added that to “see that from you was a bit disappointing.”

As the conversation continued, Andy wondered whether she considered both Judaism and Scientology as her religions, to whish she said yes — insisting the latter “is a world-recognized religion.”

“I feel like in general, this subject with me in the show has been disrespected,” Minkoff continued. “It has helped me overcome depression, anxiety, be a better mom, be a better communicator, deal with the incredibly intense pressure of running a company.”

Looking at both Andy and Erin, who are Jewish as well, she added, “Getting attacked for it, it feels like, we’re dealing in a time being attacked for what we believe in.”

When pressed on how she was “attacked” by her colleagues, she told Cohen, “Some of the things said in confessionals really hurt. Outside of the show, you’re attacked all day. It felt like it was coming form a place of, I’m gonna bring it up because it’s clickbait and I’m gonna get you to react.”

“I feel like when someone calls someone a used car salesman selling snake oil, that’s offensive, when she never even bothered to get to know me at all,” she added, pointing to a comment Brynn Whitfield said during the season.

Cohen then brought up a comment from a viewer who said of her casting, “No thanks, stop normalizing cults.”

“That is a bigoted term. It’s hate speech to keep calling a religion a cult,” Minkoff said of the comment. “You wouldn’t be asking me these questions about Christianity, Muslim, Judaism; I am tired of the attacks and it’s suddenly okay for this religion. It is not.”

She was also asked whether she actually expected to come onto the show and not talk about Scientology at all.

“I’m happy to talk about it if I feel like I’m at a place where I can have an honest conversation,” she said, before addressing a recent hour-long dinner with Racquel Chevremont and Jessel Tank in which they talked about her beliefs.

“This also isn’t something you can answer … we spent an hour talking about it and there was probably still more time to go. Do you have an hour? No. This is not the format to discuss this,” she added.

Andy, however, pushed back, saying she had “tons of hours” to talk about it with the women on various outings and trips she joined during the season. “I’m not here to bring it up out of the blue,” she replied.