The ‘Real Housewives’ Scandal Taking a Page From ‘Vanderpump Rules’
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When it was reported that Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards and her husband of 27 years, Buying Beverly Hills boss Mauricio Umansky, were separating after 27 years, my social media feed was filled with sheer devastation. Not since Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow “consciously uncoupled” have I seen such public mourning. It’s one of life’s mysteries: How two people who seemed so perfect for each other just couldn’t stay together. If this is the fate of rich, hot people, then what hope is there for the rest of us?
Soon, my timeline was full of memes referencing Allison DuBois – a vape-puffing, cocktail-chugging medium who, in the first season of RHOBH, infamously predicted that Umansky “would never emotionally fulfill” Richards during an episode aptly titled “The Dinner Party From Hell.” In response to her thirteen-year-old prediction, the chaotic medium wrote on Instagram: “I guess I’m the only one who ‘saw’ this coming.”
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Then, there was another twist. Richards and Umansky uploaded a joint Instagram post – in the familiar black and white color scheme we now associate with celebrities and brands in a deep crisis – which refuted that they are divorcing. “In regards to the news that came out about us today… Any claims regarding us divorcing are untrue,” read the statement. “However, yes, we have had a rough year. The most challenging one of our marriage. But we both love and respect each other tremendously. There has been no wrongdoing on anyone’s part.”
The statement continued: “Although we are in the public eye, we ask to be able to work through our issues privately. While it may be entertaining to speculate, please do not create false stories to fit a further salacious narrative.”
This statement alludes to the fact that it wasn’t just DuBois who speculated that Richards and Umansky might be headed for trouble. For weeks now, rumors have been circulating on TikTok that the pair were having problems. Not only that, but Richards has been accused of cheating with Morgan Wade, a country singer who she has struck up a close friendship with for the last couple of years. Like vigilante detectives, fans seized upon small clues, like Wade’s “K” tattoo, as evidence of a secret relationship. Since the news broke, Richards has continued to deny that anyone else is involved in the couple’s rumored split. She also told a paparazzo that she is “not single,” suggesting her marriage to Umansky isn’t over.
In the aftermath of #Scandoval – the earth-shaking cheating scandal that engulfed Vanderpump Rules, wherein Tom Sandoval carried on a monthslong affair behind the back of his partner of nine years, Ariana Madix, with her best friend, Raquel Leviss – it might simply be that fans are chasing a story that isn’t there. But they are likely emboldened by the fact that, just a few weeks ago, Umansky appeared on Richard’s former co-star and bestie Teddi Mellencamp’s podcast to deny the rumors of a separation – and look where we are now.
In a sea of Real Housewives divorces, known by fans of the franchise as the “curse,” it would still be shocking if Richards and Umansky were to call it quits. As Bravo’s golden couple, at no point in their time on camera over the last thirteen years has there been any suggestion they were unhappy. Even when cheating allegations were made against Umansky in the early seasons of RHOBH, they faced it with a united front and it seemed like they were brought closer. This begs the question: What went wrong?
Fans of RHOBH will be delighted to know that, reportedly, the cameras sprung back into action to capture the fallout from the “separation” reports. Filming for the upcoming season wrapped in May, but Bravo fans expect the most recent story when an event this seismic happens.
Bravo restarting filming on RHOBH is part of a new pattern. When #Scandoval broke in March this year, filming for Vanderpump Rules had also wrapped months prior. But more footage and a jaw-dropping extended episode were added to the season, giving fans the behind-the-scenes story of the immediate aftermath. The quick restart and the integration of the astonishing finale 2.0 episode is likely part of the reason why the show was nominated for two Emmys, including Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program.
Cameras suddenly going back up on RHOBH reflects the reality that Bravo’s producers know their shows will feel stale if they don’t give fans the latest updates on its stars. Like Vanderpump Rules, RHOBH would seem very strange if fans have to wait for the reunion, then the following season, to find out what really happened between Richards and Umanasky. Thanks to social media, being a reality TV fan and following the lives of reality stars is now a 365-day-a-year pastime, so the audience now expects producers to give them the latest footage – even if something huge goes down in the “off-season.”
The immediacy of social media has presented difficulties for the reality TV medium. Sometimes, the lag between filming and episodes airing can make reality shows feel dated, particularly if a lot has happened in the meantime. But Bravo’s newfound urgency and desire to restart filming shows signals that they have the power to change that. After all, it means the network is in possession of the hottest commodity: The raw footage of the aftermath of a huge scandal, which no amount of cryptic or messy social media posts can possibly compete with. If Bravo has that level of access to its stars, then why not use it? Why not make reality stars really work for that check?
In thirteen years on camera, Richards and Umansky have shared their lives with fans on RHOBH and now on Buying Beverly Hills, too. Together, they’ve used reality TV fame to great effect, to start businesses and make millions of dollars from acting roles and sponsorship deals. Richards is no stranger to letting viewers into the more challenging parts of her life, from her sister Kim Richards’ alcoholism to her estrangement from her other sister, Kathy Hilton. It’s probably why she has held the coveted center diamond on RHOBH more than any other Housewife over the years, and is the show’s last remaining “OG” cast member. Giving fans that extra level of intimacy and openness, especially during difficult times, is what separates average reality stars from the all-time greats.
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