‘Real Housewives’ Faked? Leaked Emails And Texts Reveal Parts Of The Show Are Reportedly Scripted
Drama has always been a cornerstone of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise. But with all the screaming matches and crying that occur in practically every episode, it’s hard to believe that the drama isn’t somewhat scripted. Just how much fakery is going on, however, is another matter.
According to In Touch Weekly, a former producer for reality television recently revealed that every cast member’s storyline is developed before the cameras start rolling. While the show is filmed in a documentary style, all of the ladies get a dedicated story producer who helps them cultivate an interesting narrative for the season. This includes establishing plot lines, developing an image, and advising throughout the year.
Developing the story is only half the battle. Producers have to schedule public meetings, including lunches, well in advance because they need permission and filming permits. This means that all of those forgotten invites were meticulously thought out weeks ahead of time.
Even worse, Jezebel reports that some scenes are filmed twice to make sure everything is just right. During a shoot in Southampton for the latest season of the Real Housewives of New York, eyewitnesses spotted Carole Radziwill and Heather Thompson getting tips from producers and taking prolonged breaks while the cameras changed positions. Several fans also witnessed the cast shooting multiple scenes.
One witness equated the experience to being on the set of a movie or scripted show. At one point, Thompson and Radziwill waited to walk in the restaurant until producers gave them the green light. They apparently had to shoot the scene twice because the setup wasn’t quite right.
This is hardly the first time the franchise has been accused of fakery. On the last season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kenya Moore’s boyfriend, Matt Jordan, revealed that their romance was a complete sham and was meant to give Moore’s storyline a little more drama. And this is the second time Kenya has faced these accusations. When she first joined the show, she was “dating” Walter Jackson. He later claimed their romance was fake as well.
That said, there is an element of real life to the series. In fact, producer Rahel Tennione recently admitted that they don’t always know what will happen once filming begins. Although they plan a lot of the elements of the show, the drama sometimes takes a life of its own.
“As a reality producer, you’re dealing with real people with their own minds that have their own images that they want to control or they want to be seen. We don’t always know what we’re going to get,” Tennione shared.
Tell us! Do you think parts of the Real Housewives are faked? Let us know in the comments below.
[Featured Image by Bravo]
