Jill Zarin has been removed from the cast of Real Housewives of New York City docuseries, The Golden Life, after making racist comments about Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show.
The producers behind The Golden Life, Blink49 Studios, revealed that the 62-year-old will no longer be joining Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon, and Sonja Morgan in the reality TV show.
"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 statement read. "We remain committed to delivering the series in line with our company standards and values."
Controversial Remarks About The Super Bowl Halftime Show
In a now-deleted clip shared on Instagram, Zarin called 31-year-old's performance, which took place on Sunday (February 8), "the worst halftime show ever".
"It’s 250 years that we’re celebrating right now in the United States, and I just don’t think it was appropriate to have it in Spanish," she said.
She criticized the 'Titi Me Pregunto' artist's stage presence, saying he was “grabbing himself every five seconds," and calling it "totally inappropriate".
She then added: "You've got all these young kids watching the Super Bowl and he doesn't have to be grabbing himself every 5 seconds. Is he so insecure? Seriously, I didn't understand."
Further commenting on her inability to understand the performance, the ex-RHONY star remarked that the entire show being in Spanish left her confused.
She also made a controversial claim that the performance was a political statement because “there were literally no white people in the entire thing".
“I'm not taking a side one way or the other, I just do. I think it was an ICE thing. I just think that the NFL sold out, and it's very sad because this was 75 years, and you know, shame. Shame," she said in the video.
She then concluded the video by blasting Lady Gaga, who made a surprise appearance during the show.
Zarin said she "didn't recognize" the Bad Romance songstress when she got on stage, adding: "I literally had to Google her face to see who it was because we all couldn't agree who it was. So that was kind of fun in the middle of halftime. At least it gave me something to do cause it was so hard to watch."
Social Media Reactions
Many social media users were shocked by Zarin’s offensive remarks and quickly took to online platforms to condemn her.
One user expressed disbelief: "So much disrespect, fear, and anger. A human being singing and dancing and bringing joy to others upsets you because you don’t understand it? Ask questions and learn about it. Why deny yourself a moment to expand your knowledge of the world around you? I’ll never get it."
Another shocked user wrote: "I can’t believe she just straight up says “there were literally no white people in the entire thing” like she just straight up said that not even trying to dance around her bigotry."
A third questioned: "Why are they so afraid of the Spanish language??????? Just learn it if you’re this damn hard pressed about it? I don’t even know fluent Spanish and I’m not afraid of it or people that speak it? Like grow the f*** up."
Zarin Fabrics Responds to Controversy
On Monday, (February 9), Zarin Fabrics, the fabric store once owned by the reality star's late husband Bobby, responded to the backlash with a post on Instagram featuring a photo of Zarin with a red “X” over her face.
The company issued a statement that read: "Zarin Fabrics stands firmly against racism, discrimination, and rhetoric that seeks to exclude or diminish people based on identity, culture, or background."
The company further clarified: "We want to be absolutely clear that Jill Zarin has not had ownership of or been associated with Zarin Fabrics for several years. Our company operates independently, and any public statements attributed to her are made in a personal capacity and do not reflect our values, beliefs, or operations.
"Zarin Fabrics is built on creativity, collaboration, and respect for the diverse communities that shape art, culture, and expression," they continued. "We condemn language or viewpoints that undermine those principles, and we remain committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment in everything we do."