Jill Zarin Fired from RHONY Reboot After Backlash Over Racist Comments on Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show
Jill Zarin has officially been dropped from E!’s upcoming Real Housewives of New York City reboot series, The Golden Life, following widespread backlash over controversial and racially charged remarks she made about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime performance.
On Tuesday, Feb. 10, production company Blink49 Studios confirmed that Zarin will no longer appear in the new docuseries, which was set to reunite several original RHONY stars. The decision came just days after Zarin shared a now-deleted Instagram video criticizing Bad Bunny’s performance at the 2026 Super Bowl.
“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,” the company said in a statement. “We remain committed to producing content that reflects our values and standards.”
Zarin’s comments quickly sparked outrage after she referred to Bad Bunny’s halftime show as “the worst ever” and questioned the use of Spanish during the performance. She also accused the NFL of “selling out” and made disparaging remarks about the singer’s choreography, which many viewers labeled offensive and discriminatory.
The backlash intensified when Zarin Fabrics — the iconic New York City fabric business once owned by her late husband, Bobby Zarin — publicly distanced itself from the reality star. In a strong statement posted to Instagram, the company emphasized that Jill Zarin has not been affiliated with the business for years and condemned racism and exclusionary rhetoric in all forms.
The Golden Life was expected to feature Zarin alongside fellow RHONY originals Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon, and Sonja Morgan, following their lives in Palm Beach, Florida. Filming is still scheduled to begin this spring, though Zarin will no longer be part of the cast.
The new series marks another chapter in the Real Housewives of New York City franchise, which underwent a major reboot in 2022 after declining ratings and controversy. While fans were eager to see the original cast reunite, producers made clear that accountability and inclusivity remain priorities moving forward.