Jill Zarin will no longer participate in the E! reality series The Golden Life following comments she made regarding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show. Zarin, 62, was initially slated to join the new show, which features Real Housewives of New York City alumnae Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon, and Sonja Morgan as they adapt to life in Palm Beach, Florida.
Blink49 Studios, the production company behind The Golden Life, issued a statement on February 10 to Variety confirming Zarin’s departure: “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. We remain committed to delivering the series in line with our company standards and values.”
The announcement came two days after Zarin publicly criticized Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance via an Instagram video that has since been removed. During the video, Zarin described the show as “the worst halftime show ever.” She continued, “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. I don’t speak Spanish. I would’ve liked to understand the words that he was saying. To me, it looked like a political statement because there were literally no white people in the entire thing.” Zarin also alleged Bad Bunny engaged in “inappropriate” conduct, stating he “was grabbing himself every five seconds,” and made further claims that Lady Gaga, a surprise guest, “got a facelift.”
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Recording artist Bad Bunny performs at halftime Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Carlos Barria/Reuters via Imagn Images
“I didn’t recognize her,” said Zarin. “I literally had to Google her face to see who it was.”
Meanwhile, Sonja Morgan, another RHONY figure, expressed enthusiasm about Gaga’s Latin-style performance. Responding to a fan’s social media post referencing Lady Gaga’s appearance with Bad Bunny, Sonja replied on X (formerly Twitter) with “So good,” accompanied by a smiling emoji.
Bethenny Frankel / Imagn
Zarin was a member of the initial RHONY cast with Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Bethenny Frankel, and Alex McCord. Kelly Bensimon joined during the second season, and Sonja Morgan entered in season three. The Real Housewives of New York City underwent a reboot with a new cast for its fourteenth season in 2023.
