A discrimination case against Cindy Barshop, formerly one of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City, has been dismissed, the New York Post reported..
Barshop, who debuted last season of the reality show but was not hired for the next, runs Completely Bare, a spa-and-waxing salon with locations in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Atlanta. According to the Post, Altovise Collier, a former employee of the company, had filed a discrimination complaint against Barshop with the New York’s Divison of Human Rights, alleging the ex-reality star fired her because she’s black.
Among Collier’s claims: she didn’t receive enough employee training, which resulted in negative customer feedback. Collier also alleged that staffers joked she was hired to “inject some color” into the salon, and when she talked to Barshop about it, Barshop let her go.
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The case was dropped this month, reported the Post, due to a lack of evidence that Collier was fired because of her race. In a statement, Barshop said: “I’m so happy that the truth has come out. I’ve never looked at people based on race, religion, creed, or color. I see people for who they are.”
Meanwhile, the single mother of twin girls will not return for season five of Bravo’s Real Housewives New York edition. The NBC Universal-owned cable channel did not ask her back, along with Alex McCord, Jill Zarin, and Kelly Killoren Bensimon.
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After receiving the news last September, Barshop told The Hollywood Reporter she was “100 percent good with the decision.”
“Bravo and I parted amicably and I will not be returning for the show,” she said. “And I’m absolutely thrilled with the opportunity, really am thrilled. And for me, it’s a great decision personally and for my business. It’s going to be an amazing year next year.”
