by guest blogger Mickey Mckean
I am a dedicated viewer of the RHOBH. I didn't miss an episode from Season 1, and I certainly have not missed an episode from Season 2. It is not likely that I will miss one, either, since I know that filming this reality show contributed to Russell Armstrong's suicide.
I need to mention that I know people who have committed suicide. Therefore I know from personal experience that for those of us who are left behind, we are forever left questioning ourselves about whether we missed something that might have saved a life had we paid closer attention it .
Even though I know that careful editing has been done, I am very aware of the timeline of real life events in regards to the Armstrongs. With hindsight being 20/20 I find I am watching for clues that Russell was on the verge of "cracking," and I wonder if those around him missed any obvious signs. Or were there just a lot of little things that could have been easily dismissed?
Because we know of the real life events, my BF is now hooked on the show, and he has looked for signs too. Both of us were literally cringing for Taylor when she and her husband were asked to leave Kyle's white party because Russell sent an email to Camille threatening legal action for what she said on camera (and more likely than not, eventually threatening legal action to the other cast members too.) Whereas Taylor did not seem to know of the email, she was very aware while sitting in the limo that her husband was processing the fact that they were just asked to leave a party because they were no longer welcomed around the group and it was all being captured on film. I kid you not, we could tell that Taylor was scared of what her husband would say or do to her once they were alone and behind closed doors.
But we are just viewers watching something that happened months ago ... what about the producers and camera guys who were there at the time? Surely they had to be somewhat concerned for Taylor ... or was it just a job to them and besides, it would be good for ratings?
As a viewer, and keeping in mind that the cameras only intensified the emotions that were really going on beneath the surface, then we only see Taylor and Russell walk into their home that night. Again, as viewers who have studied the time line, knowing that at some point between that particular night and mid-July when Taylor filed for divorce, Taylor wound up in the hospital with an eye injury she alleges was caused by her husband.
I am addicted to a show where I know that a real life tragedy happened that will forever impact the family and friends of Russell Armstrong. I can only hope that some good will come out of this season, perhaps empower women who are in abusive relationships to get out before it is too late. As it is I feel that Taylor and her daughter Kennedy are very lucky to be alive, as this could have easily wound up to be a murder/suicide story and not just a suicide.
In the meantime, while the story is unfolding on RHOBH, recently a lot of the women from the Real Housewives various franchises posed for a Hollywood Reporter magazine shoot which of course has prompted a lot of talk on the celebrity news shows.
On last night's Access Hollywood, while showing a clip of the photo shoot, Billy Bush said, "The housewives shows have become a phenomenon worth over a half a billion dollars and growing for Bravo. It has spawned imitators on other networks but [in regards to RHOBH] none with the appeal of these self absorbed narcissistic ladies -- I say this in the nicest way -- who seem to have too much time and money on their hands."
Billy Bush goes on to point out that in the RH franchise there have been 10 failed marriages, 2 bankruptcies, countless physical altercations and one notorious table flip, and as outlined in the magazine Hollywood Reporter, the housewives have proven themselves to be a train wreck guilty pleasure recipe for success.
Andy Cohen, Bravo executive, showed up to be interviewed by AH. Billy asked, "Have you ever had any specific moments where you are like, oh, gosh, I don't feel good about this?"
Andy said, "Look, we are shooting what happens in people's real lives. If someone is having trouble in their marriage and I see that playing out on camera, you don't want anything bad to happen to people."
Andy Cohen helped develop the series into the success it is now. He was an instrumental voice behind the scenes when the franchise addressed its most devastating drama ever, the suicide of Russell Armstrong. Billy said, "As an executive you were involved in the decisions to get this show back on the air. Some people, even a few in the cast, were saying, 'let's not go with the show.'"
Andy responded, "You have a lot of conversations with the cast, with the producers, with ourselves. I mean this is something that we spent 3 or 4 weeks on lock down discussing, looking at footage, seeing what to keep in, what to keep out. What we wound up with is an interesting story of a woman facing domestic abuse issues and how her friends reacted to that."
Billy pointed out that the only mention of the death so far was during the Season 2 premiere, less than one month after Russell's suicide. Billy also noted that the ratings were up 42% from the first season premiere, and now the franchise is casting an international version in France, with Australia, Asia and the UK to follow.
He also noted that stateside the drama and attention has offered each housewife an unparalleled opportunity to develop her own brand, with the poster child being former NY housewife Bethany Frankel who has an estimated $120M sale of her Skinny Girl product brand. Then Billy pointed out that behind the scenes at the recent photo shoot the ladies were in full self promotion mode. Lisa Vanderpump said, "We've all got so many fabulous things to do. I'm now doing a book, you just get so many offers, but I love being on the show it really has been a lot of fun."
In closing Billy noted that even Lisa's dog has something like 40,000 twitter followers.
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This article was published first in Technorati.
Thanks to Mickey McKean for contributing this post and also to Concerned For the Kids whose post will be printed soon. :D
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:36AM 
