On ABC’s May 19 The Story of Soaps special, Susan Lucci‘s (ex-Erica Kane, All My Children) number-one fan, Bravo’s Andy Cohen, made a controversial statement.

He asserted that the Real Housewives franchise rendered soaps unnecessary. Cohen stated that reality shows subsumed soaps and rendered them obsolete:

We’re voyeurs, but we also love stories.We want to be entertained, and I think that the ultimate expression of voyeurism is reality television. I know [Susan] Lucci doesn’t agree with me, but I think that the Housewives have replaced soap operas because truth is stranger than fiction. Soaps became kind of unnecessary because you could do it with real people, and they’re writing the drama themselves.

Andy Cohen at "Mad Men" New York Special Screening — Andy Cohen attends the “Mad Men” New York Special Screening at The Museum of Modern Art on March 22, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

In February, Lucci responded to previous comments made by Cohen about Real Housewives replacing soap operas.

She told Page Six, “I don’t think they are the modern-day soaps,” referring to the reality franchise. “There’s no storytelling. There’s a lot of editing. It’s, like, they cut to the chase all the time, and I think it’s different.” She added that reality stars are “great at entertaining,” but reiterates “I don’t think they’re the same.”

Andy Cohen at Z100's Jingle Ball 2018 - Show — Andy Cohen at Z100’s Jingle Ball 2018 at Madison Square Garden on December 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Getty Images)

When a fan called Cohen’s involvement as a “shameless promotion” for the reality TV producer, he responded and said, “I went to the interview as a soap fan prepped to talk soaps, and they asked about reality tv and I answered their questions. Sue me!”

I went to the interview as a soap fan prepped to talk soaps, and they asked about reality tv and I answered their questions. Sue me!
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) May 20, 2020