Fans know Real Housewives of New York alum Bethenny Frankel for her direct approach and often harsh opinions.
So it came as no surprise that the same attitude followed her into her latest show, The Big Shot, which airs on HBO.
The show, which follows contestants as they compete for the coveted spot as VP of Operations for Bethenny’s Skinny Girl company, put them through grueling tests to stand out.
In the show’s trailer, Bethenny explained, “These projects are designed to put someone to the test.”
However, Bethenny recently came under fire for her treatment of contestants. Some followers shared disappointment at the way Bethenny acted as a leader.
Many fans expected her to be more empathetic.
Bethenny was harsh on contestants, made one young woman cry
Bethenny may be a tough cookie, but that doesn’t make her exempt from criticism. And while many fans found her show to be entertaining, others took to Twitter with concern about her behavior.
One particular personality on the show, DJ Nicole Rose, was brought to tears by Bethenny, who referred to her as both “disruptive” and accused her of “wasting her time.”
Bethenny was staying consistent with her reputation for being tough, but fans just weren’t having it.
Bethenny called out for foul behavior
Fans took to Twitter to call out Bethenny’s treatment of the contestants.
One fan wrote, “@Bethenny why did you think making a reality game show where you abuse a group of potential new employees was a good idea in 2020? You’re [sic] ‘gut’ instinct was way off. @hbomax you’re guilty for buying that f**kery.”
“Who would really want to watch #Bethenny on her eternal power trip looking for idiots who want to work for her? Nope. Not even to hate on the whole thing #TheBigShotOnMax,” wrote another.
Some called out Bethenny’s old-fashioned criticism of a contestant’s outfit.
“@Bethenny not you shaming a woman for her wardrobe choices and reinforcing patriarchal standards of ‘professional’ dress for women. She looked great. This is not 1959. Get over it. #TheBigShotOnMax.”
One follower expressed his utter disappointment in the show for portraying poor leadership skills.
“Disappointed in the new show from @Bethenny. Leadership is about conveying empathy while articulating clear expectations/visions. This ‘job search’ represents none of that and epitomizes everything about what’s wrong with supposed leadership. #TheBigShotOnMax,” he wrote.
But for all the naysayers, there are plenty of hard core Bethenny fans who are living for the chaotic energy that the show brings. Apparently it depends on what you’re looking for as a fan.
The Big Shot streams on HBO Max.