After the launch of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in 2006, these producers have successfully launched more than 11 “Real Housewives” series with numerous spin-offs. So, let’s get a reality check with this hit reality series and see what’s really allowed and not allowed behind the scenes.
Not in the Same Circles
If there’s one thing we know about reality TV, it’s that sometimes the reality we see onscreen has been orchestrated. This is the formula for the success stories of many reality TV hits, including the “Real Housewives.” While most viewers believe that the “housewives” run in the same circles, that’s not always the case. Some of the ladies aren’t really friends – or even frenemies – in real life. But they’re definitely acquainted with one another – and their secrets.
Naturally, producers prefer housewives to join the show if they’re already in with one of the housewives, but that doesn’t mean producers aren’t scouting for new talent. And by new talent, we mean, somehow who’s ready to dial up the drama.
Not Really Housewives
The one thing you’d expect in “The Real Housewives” is for the ladies to be housewives. After all the show’s name is “The Real Housewives.” But that’s not really the case. Ladies don’t need to have kids or even be married to join the “RH” cast. Single women are welcome onboard. The show’s executive producer, Andy Cohen, had this to say when casting single women on the show, “I think ‘Real Housewives’ is a little wink because ‘housewife’ is an old-fashioned term.”
As the show needs to appeal to modern audiences, the term ‘housewife’ is more of a suggestion than anything else. That makes perfect sense when you consider that some of the housewives are single or divorced like Luann de Lesseps and Sonja Morgan.
Referrals
Who wouldn’t love working with their friends? There is one group of people who can refer friends all they want – the “real housewives.” For these “housewives,” referring friends to the show isn’t only acceptable, it’s encouraged. “RH” producers want their cast members to refer their friends. Though it sounds eerily like nepotism, the real reason the producers chose these ladies’ friends is history.
In the world of reality TV, history equals drama, especially if the two go back a while. But wait a minute, what if the friends are super-sweet? Well, that’s why they must audition for their roles on the show. If the friends aren’t going to be reactive and bring plenty of spice, they’ll probably be sent packing.
Auditions
Nothing quite ruins the façade of reality TV more than the word ‘audition.’ But reality TV is business after all, and producers have to look after their pockets. It might sound like it defeats the purpose of reality TV, but before ladies can join the cast of “RH,” they must send in audition tapes.
The show’s producers are always scouting for the perfect female folk to stir the pot. They give the parts to candidates most likely to bring a whole lotta turbulence and who can cook up drama more easily than they can cook up a meal. And we have to say that these housewives definitely do a lot of cooking – just not always in the kitchen.
Legal Suits
For some reality TV series, if there’s so much as a hint of legal problems, they clam up. They have a golden rule when it comes to publicity: no scandals. But that’s not the case with the “Real Housewives.” In this show, they’re not only happy for you to air out your dirty laundry, but they will go looking for it.
On “The Real Housewives,” if your family or business is embroiled in a dirty scandal or has broken the law, you can bet your cast members will bring it up. One stellar example was the lawsuit Teresa Giudice and her husband, Joe, faced over allegations of fraud. The reality show was only too happy to bring it right into the open.
Reshoots & Retakes
This section might get many of you to scratch your heads. Why on earth would there be retakes and reshoots in reality TV? Well, it seems like reality shows are not quite what they seem. And this applies even to the super-successful, “The Real Housewives” series. Members of the “Real Housewives” cast must be available for retakes, just in case they didn’t capture all the drama the first time around.
That’s why it’s common to see crew members setting up lighting and cameras to reshoot a scene. Reality TV may be full of drama but sometimes it takes more than one take to get that drama just right.
No Suing
“Shoot stones at them” best sums up the hit reality series, “The Real Housewives.” In Season 17 of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” OG housewife, Vicki Gunvalson, accidentally messed up the line “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” Instead, she said, “Shoot stones at them.” This messed-up line best sums up the “RH” ethos. In this world, the ladies can get away with a lot, including publicly humiliating their “friends.” And their friends can’t sue them for it.
That’s right, housewives can’t sue each other. That explains why there are plenty of catfights, outright insults, and of course, the good ol’ reputation destruction. Though these women can’t sue their castmates for defamation, the good news is that these housewives are more than capable of holding their own.
Coordinated Promo Looks
We’ve all seen them! Whether it’s the chic cream outfits announcing Season 13 of “RHOBH,” the formal black attire of Season 13 of “RHOA,” or the bright bold color-blocking of Season 17 of “RHOC,” we can definitely say these ladies’ wardrobes have been coordinated. Believe it or not, it’s one of the “RH” franchise rules – they have to wear coordinated outfits for promos.
Of course, we all know deep down that their matching wardrobes couldn’t be the result of the housewives actually matching to work together. For start, there’d be an episode dedicated to discussing promo outfits. And if such an episode existed, there’d be plenty of arguing.
No Fourth Wall
Plenty of mega-successful productions have broken the fourth wall. In the box office giant “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Martin Scorsese, with the help of his blue-eyed boy, Leonardo DiCaprio, pretty much destroyed any division between the audience and his main character. Then, there was the hit series “The Office” where characters had a lot of fun breaking the fourth wall.
But on the reality hit, “The Real Housewives,” breaking the fourth wall is a no-no. When housewives are on camera, they’re not allowed to speak to the audience or even acknowledge the audience. Interacting with the audience would shatter the sense of “reality.” So, one of the show’s rules is that these ladies don’t break the fourth wall.
Bottomless Alcohol
What other kind of work allows you to ‘imbibe’ on the job? And we’re not only speaking about imbibing — we’re speaking about drinking to their heart’s content. Of course, this only applies when the ladies go away on a cast trip. Then, they can literally keep drinking up and up and up. When these ladies head out of town, they’re really allowed to indulge.
“Bottom’s Up” doesn’t even work as a slogan for these vacations because there’s no bottom. There’s no end to the alcohol supply. What’s even crazier is that producers will go the extra mile and make sure that each housewife is stocked with her drink of choice. And the go-to drink never runs out!
No Compensation Equality
Not all housewives are equal. Some housewives may even be more equal than other housewives. Of course, when you’re on a reality show, popularity counts big time. The cream of the crop i.e., the housewives with the most adoring fans get handsome compensation packages. Also, OG housewives have their bread buttered on both sides. In 2018, NYC housewife, Bethenny Frankel earned roughly $1 million per season.
Her “RHOC” peer, Tamra Judge earns about $900,000 per season. But the housewives from Atlanta, when it comes to earnings, really hit it out of the park. By Season 14, Kandi Burruss was earning $2.3 million per season. Just before she called it quits in Season 13, NeNe Leakes took home a staggering $2.85 million per season.
Jailtime
It seems a bit ironic that there are rules for “RH” cast members, but transgressions against the law (i.e., breaking the law) aren’t one of them. Most ordinary workers will be given the boot if they break the law, but if you’re a housewife, the good news is, you won’t be fired. In fact, the news gets better. Production is so okay with jail or prison time that they will even make allowances for it.
A good example is New Jersey housewife, Teresa Giudice, who served time for fraud in 2015. “RH” production was only too happy to allow Giudice to return to “RHONJ” and its spin-off, “The Real Housewives Ultimate Guilt Trip.” Of course, it wouldn’t be right to not invite the “guilty” to the “guilt trip.”
Andy Cohen Has the Final Say
There are a few things a housewife needs to join “The Real Housewives:” some celebrity status, some celebrity connections, a crazy personality, a willingness to show her crazy personality to the public, and Andy Cohen’s approval. Even though it wouldn’t seem like it from the reunions, Cohen is king. Hailing from St. Louis, Cohen is the big-shot producer of the “RH” franchise and vice president of the TV network, Bravo.
If Cohen gives a housewife the thumbs-up, she’s onboard and joins the cast. If not, then she’s sent packing. Even returning housewives need Cohen’s approval. Cohen is king – it’s as simple as that in the “RH” world.
No Competition-Clause
Of course, being a member of the “Real Housewives” cast isn’t exactly like having a regular job – even if you get paid for it. You can drink, fight, instigate fights, and pick on your colleagues. But in some ways, being a housewife is exactly like having a typical job.
For one thing, when signing their contracts, the ladies must sign a non-competition clause, meaning that after leaving “RH,” they can’t join another reality series for a whole year. That’s one way to make sure your show is serving all the drama. It also means that once a housewife — always a housewife.
Free Rein
Nothing is off the table when it comes to “The Real Housewives.” This is reality TV after all. If there is one thing that anyone joining reality TV should know is that once you do so, you become a public figure. If you’re hoping that your private details won’t come under public scrutiny, don’t become a reality TV star. No one knows this better than the stars of “RH.”
It doesn’t matter how many skeletons are lurking in their closets, their husbands’, or cats (where they’re sure to be), viewers are sure to know all about them. Actually, the more skeletons, the better. Just one thing, housewives shouldn’t expect the skeletons to remain in the closet. Producers go through these ladies’ lives with a fine-tooth comb.
Phone-calls
We all have those friends who insist on putting us on speaker so that the whole world can overhear our conversations. These friends probably have spent too much time watching “The Real Housewives.” These housewives have all their phone conversations on speaker. But while our friends have a choice, the “housewives” don’t. Speaker-phone conversations are the only types of calls allowed in the “RH” universe.
Even if a “housewife” is making a private call to her dentist, sister, or counselor, the whole world needs to hear about it, i.e., viewers. Even if the housewife is calling up a friend to do a bit of backbiting, the call needs to be on speaker. Of course, that’s the point of the show. We want all the gossip and back-biting we can get.
Blogging
Producers want it all! Anything that can intensify the drama! One way to maximize the tension and drama between the housewives is to get the ladies to blog about it. While it might sound like the strangest rule, housewives need to keep a blog. Of course, the sole purpose of the blog is for the ladies to vent and share their frustrations with the world.
Producers want these ladies to be completely in touch with their feelings and they want their fans to be just as in touch. “Real Housewives” are expected to keep their blogs up to date and in line with the release of each episode, even if the drama’s old news and episode releases are behind schedule.
Input on Taglines
We must admit that some of these ladies have the feistiest taglines. Luann de Lesseps, of the NYC gang, gave us “If you can’t be cool, you can’t be with the countess.” The scene? Luann was telling her fellow New Yorkers to not get so flustered after she dropped quite a bomb. Another iconic tagline was from New Jersey housewife, Teresa Giudice, who boisterously remarked, “I used to flip tables, now I’m turning them.”
Giudice certainly does plenty of table-turning on the show. Though these taglines sum up these ladies perfectly, the ladies aren’t exactly the creative geniuses behind them. Bravo Producers give ladies a lot of creative input with their taglines and spend the whole season coming up with the perfect slogans for these housewives.
Three Interview Looks, Max
Ever wondered why the housewives tend to look the same in their one-on-one interviews? These ladies are only allowed three looks/outfits max for interviews. That includes the same outfit, hairstyle, and make-up. Even if an interview takes place several weeks after an episode or much later into the filming, these housewives need to make sure they can reproduce the same look.
Not only is the pressure on these ladies to look the same, but they need to make sure that they have three killer looks, just to make sure they stand out in their interviews. And we must admit that these ladies have willingly complied. Some standout interview looks include Erika Jayne’s chic platinum bob accompanied by dark pink and Diana Jenkins’ blazing red strapless top with matching gloves.
No New Hairdos
At least not mid-season anyway. Of course, during a season’s premiere, these housewives have free rein and can start the new season rocking a new look. But once the camera starts rolling and the season begins, these ladies need to embrace their looks because they have to stick with them. They can’t cut, tint, or dye their hair.
Naturally, we’d think a reality show about housewives would involve these ladies regularly changing their hairstyles, but that’s not the reality with the “Real Housewives”. If the women kept changing their hairstyles, it would ruin the show’s continuity. And to be frank, producers want to make sure that it’s the drama in their lives that gets all the attention – and not their hairstyles.
Glam Fees
One thing is clear about the ladies of the “Real Housewives” – they like to look good. These ladies won’t spare any expenses to make sure they look TV-ready. And though these housewives may be TV stars or “Bravolebrities”, they don’t have quite the same perks as other stars. When it comes to not sparing an expense, sadly, it’s the housewives – not the producers – who cover the costs. These ladies pay for their glam teams.
Erika Jayne of the Beverly Hills gang created quite a stir when she opened up about covering the costs of her glam team. Jayne confessed to the public that during one of the cast’s trips, she had to fly her makeup team out. Ouch! That must have burned a hole in her designer jeans pocket.
Poking the Bear
If there’s one thing Bravo Producers have a knack for, it’s poking the bear. In the case of “RH,” there may not be any bears around but there are plenty of angry housewives. If anyone knows anything about the “Real Housewives,” it’s that there’s an abundance of conflict. And that’s exactly what producers want.
Before filming, each housewife is briefed about the day ahead. But that’s just part of the plan. Producers also stage calls just to stir up a bit of drama between the ladies. Now we know why these women are flying into angry outbursts. It’s all part of the producers’ evil plan.
Family Aren’t Off-limits
One couple who know this best is Emily and Shane Simpson. During Season 17 of “RHOBH,” the inner turbulence and conflict over this couple’s parenting styles were on full display for the whole world to see. And though how a family raises their children isn’t anyone’s business, that’s not the case when you’re a reality TV celeb. In fact, your family problems are now the world’s problems.
If there are family problems, producers have free rein to bring them into the storyline. Danielle Staub’s daughter, Christine, explained in her memoir how she was bullied at school because her mother wasn’t exactly portrayed in a positive light in the show. Family just isn’t off-limits with “RH.” It’s also part of the story.
Long Hours
Just because these women are TV stars doesn’t mean that they don’t have their work cut out for them. While we might think that “the real housewives” have the best jobs in the world – of course, not counting all the drama – these gals actually work super hard. No wonder these housewives are always going off at each other. We’d be grouchy and on edge too after 50 hours of filming.
And that’s a good week! On a busy week, these ladies can spend up to 72 hours filming. And it gets worse. This is a six-day job. Housewives only have one day off. So, it makes all the sense in the world why these ladies are super grumpy and always throwing tantrums.
Kids Get a Break
In all honesty, it’s no walk in the park being a “housewife.” And we’re not referring to all the tension and fights. While regular housewives – i.e., the ones not on sets of TV shows – spend their time doing chores, taking care of their kids, and being homemakers, “real housewives” spend a lot of time on set. Yeah, they’re not exactly doing housewife things.
Fortunately, for their brood, their kids can just be kids – some of the time, that is. The housewives’ kids must be in the studio for filming, but because the laws around filming kids are stricter, the kids spend less time on set. Except Bravo producers do what they can to squeeze the kids in.
Travel Expenses
Some of the most memorable “RH” moments have come from these ladies' cast trips. One classic example was when the gang from New York enjoyed an escapade to Marrakesh and Luann de Lesseps’ camel tried to hoist her off twice. While these trips add a whole lot of spice to the show, these vacations don’t exactly come from the producers’ pockets.
That’s right. These ladies have to chip in for their travels. Imagine covering the bills and an ungrateful camel tries to throw you off! Or worse, you have a chance of losing your weave like the Atlanta clan almost did during their infamous trip to Anguilla.
No Get-Togethers Before Reunions
Bravo producers will go to extreme lengths to make sure there’s plenty of action during reunions. Fans are perfectly aware that if there’s any episode that’s bound to have plenty of name-calling, catfights, and screaming (yes, Teresa Giudice, we’re talking about you), it’s the reunions. Even though the big-shot producer, Andy Cohen, is present, there are loads of confrontations. And that’s because this is exactly what “RH” producers are aiming for – drama, and lots of it.
“Housewives” aren’t allowed to meet before reunions, just in case they try to do what normal people do and work things out. Nope, get-togethers before reunions are prohibited. Producers want to keep things exciting and that means making sure there’s zero resolution before the big reunion.
Accommodation Upgrades
The “Real Housewives” are notorious for wanting the best of the best, especially on vacation. This includes fighting for the best suites and throwing a tantrum if their suite isn’t decked out with a bathtub (yes, we’re speaking about Kenya Moore’s tantrum in Anguilla). Producers cover some of the traveling bills, but as these ladies are accustomed to the finest, they must pay a pretty penny for it.
On vacations, these ladies are more than welcome to upgrades. Naturally, it suits them, but it suits producers better. Accommodation upgrades and chartering private flights add to the glitz and glam of the show but producers don’t have to break the bank to cover these costs.
Missing a Cast Trip Is Frowned Upon
Cast trips can get pretty crazy. Just ask the Jersey housewives about their trips to Lake George. Tension certainly can reach a boiling point and flow freer than the free-flowing champagne (and that’s saying something). We can see why these gals might want to give the crazy cast trips a skip, especially since they’re bound to need a break from all the screaming afterward. Only missing a cast trip is frowned upon in Bravo Studios.
Missing a cast trip can really affect a housewife’s good standing with the show’s producers. So, the ladies just have to suck it up and attend. It might be a good idea if the ladies plan a holiday after the trip to get the much-needed break.
Sin-Bin Royalty
If there’s one thing the cast of the “Real Housewives” are known for, it's cooking up a storm. And we’re not talking about kitchen cooking here. While regular employees get the boot for instigating trouble at work, causing trouble is all part of the “RH” business model. Welcome to the world of reality TV, where if you’re a diva and drama queen, you’re like the top salesperson. Only you don’t work with products and services, you deal with drama.
The more drama you can dish up, the more you’re rewarded for it. That’s why the housewife who serves the most conflict and loves indulging in gossip keeps coming back. No wonder Tamra Judge earns a staggering $900,000 per “RHOC” season.
Housewives Get a Say Over Cast Trips
“Survivor” may be a reality TV show where contestants are dropped off in some mysterious location, but that’s not really how “RH” works. When it comes to cast trips, the housewives have some say. In an interview with OK!, executive producer, Andy Cohen had this to say about cast trips, “There have been some that have been generated by us and there have been some that have been generated by them.”
Cohen also stated that these ladies take vacations very seriously. Even though, we know quite well that “RH” vacations equal the boat being seriously rocked, the housewives are the ones who say where that boat travels to. Producers give their input, but generally, the ladies have a big say on vacation destinations.
Bravo Gets a Cut
There’s a reason why there’s such a term “Bravolebrities.” Media company Bravo is the business that brought us “The Real Housewives.” It also made many of the housewives’ household names. Traditionally, housewives stayed as far as possible from the public eye, but that isn’t so with modern housewives. At least, not “the real housewives.”
Some of these ladies have become national if not international figures thanks to their fame on the show. Brands have flocked to them to get them to endorse their products. Except Bravo gets a cut. Bravo believes it’s the main reason behind these ladies’ clout, so they should get in some of the monetary action.
Vacations Are Encouraged
While the rest of us regular workers must fight tooth and nail for time off, the “real housewives” are encouraged to take time off. Seriously, we want their jobs! Except, maybe not the drama. While we’re green with envy that their employers are so understanding about time off, we admit these ladies need downtime. In fact, they shouldn’t be called vacations but cooling-off periods.
The drama on-screen gets pretty heated, and they don’t exactly get a break from it off-screen. With all the heat, these ladies would burn out if they didn’t have downtime. We can understand why Bravo producers encourage the housewives to take vacations.
It’s Not Fake
One of the remedies to imposter syndrome is to “fake it until you make it.” We can say with some confidence that this isn’t the official slogan of “The Real Housewives” franchise. The show isn’t about faking it in any sense. There have been some accusations that the drama onscreen is staged but it isn’t so.
Drama has certainly been instigated and provoked, and many strings have been pulled to bring out these housewives’ nastier sides, but these ladies aren’t acting. They might be overdoing it a bit, but all the drama is totally 100% legit. Even Taylor Armstrong’s famous meltdown – which inspired a generation of memes – or Tamra’s outburst on the yacht were both real.
Magical Editing
There have been some accusations that the drama is not real. If you’re a long-time fan, don’t worry – it’s all real. Except it’s totally been under the editor’s knife. There’s a reason why there’s an Oscar for video editors. These professionals really make a difference. They can turn the plot of a comedy into a horror.
One of the most notorious housewives, Tamra Judge of the “RHOC” cast, once said in an interview that all the “housewives” have to sign contracts allowing the editors to frame them in the worst possible light. While these women are without a doubt a piece of work, editors have a big hand in it. After all, if these women can’t make a scene, the editors can.
Strategic Seating
There’s certainly a golden rule among Bravo producers – drama is golden. These producers will do anything to make sure that the tension is boundless. There’s a reason there’s no cap on conflict and that’s because producers are behind the scenes, pulling strings to make it happen. Reunions are known for regularly taking a turn for the worst, even when the big-shot producer, Andy Cohen, is present.
One thing producers do to turn up the heat is strategic seating. Each housewife is assigned a seat to make sure friends are either all seated on one side staring down their enemies or strategically seat enemies side by side. Now we know why these reunions can get quite vicious.
“Housewives” Can Bring Evidence
If there’s one thing worse than being accused of something in public – or rather your SO being accused of something – it’ll have to be your accuser showing you and everyone else evidence of it. Fortunately for the rest of us, we aren’t “Real Housewives” and probably won’t ever have to deal with this. Unfortunately for “real housewives” this is all part and parcel of the job. For reunions, “housewives” do their research.
They get evidence against their “friends” to support their claims. This means going through texts and emails and digging through medical records. And of course, they have the burden of proof to make sure they bring the hard evidence along to the reunion. The truth must come out after all.
Reunions End With a Toast
No matter how nasty reunions get, one of the rules is to make sure it all ends well. Honestly, the more we learn about the “RH” franchise, the more it sounds like some terrible fairy tale. Everything starts out fine, then it unravels, and oddly enough everything ends up all fine again. And that’s the Bravo producers’ formula.
Though producer, Andy Cohen, will ask questions probing conflict among the housewives, the housewives end off reunions with a toast.
Whether it's tequila, shots, or champagne, Cohen and the ladies will have a toast, and end things on a friendly note – even if it’s only for that day. Because we know when the next season premiers, there will be fresh drama.
Pandemic Regulations
The dreaded pandemic was bad for business. One of the industries most affected by this pandemic was, naturally, the entertainment industry. Like many other TV stars, the “real housewives” felt the pinch of this recent pandemic. When the rules on filming relaxed, it meant that the “RH” cast had to adapt to the new regulations.
And these ladies had to get pretty creative for arranging meetups.
The housewives had to go for daily health checks, had to arrange their gatherings outdoors, and naturally, avoid crowds. Cast and crew had also to be tested regularly to stop the virus from spreading.
In-person Reunions
Let’s be honest, right off the bat, Zoom reunions weren’t going to work well for us long-time fans. “RH” reunions mean one thing for fans – and that’s drama. There’s a reason why Andy Cohen is featured in the reunions. And that’s not to maintain order, but just to gently probe the “housewives.” However, during a recent pandemic, the world went a bit topsy-turvy, and producers had to hold reunions over Zoom.
Of course, while we were glad to see our favorite housewives and see all the spice they’d been cooking up, we were much gladder to see the end of Zoom reunions. By the summer of 2020, we fortunately saw the last of these virtual meetups.
Filming Permission
You know all those fancy restaurants the housewives frequent? The housewives don’t just rock up to them with all the camera and lighting crew. “RH” producers must get the rights from restaurants to film scenes from the show at these public venues. Before filming begins, the production team needs to make sure they get permission from the venue itself.
We imagine that most restaurants, bars, and cafés will be more than more than happy to host the housewives. After all, it means more publicity for them. But producers can’t simply turn up, turn on the lights, and start rolling the cameras, they need managers’ approval first.
Everyone Signs a Release
The rules of “The Real Housewives” don’t only apply to the housewives. Anyone who’s involved in the filming process needs to follow some rules. While we long-time fans have been waiting a while to have our cameo appearances on an episode of “RH” or to see our fave housewives out and about, we should know beforehand that we have to sign a release if that should ever happen.
Before any scene is filmed at a public venue, the production unit will make sure all members of the public present for the filming sign a release. That’s not the end of the rules. Everyone who even interacts with someone from the show also has to sign a release. This goes for lawyers, doctors, and hairstylists.
Eating at Odd Hours
The Bravo production crew has been pulling the wool over our eyes. We wouldn’t say outright that they’ve been gaslighting us, but then again, that wouldn’t be a lie. Though the ladies may meet up for lunch, that lunch may actually be filmed at 10 a.m. One of the reasons for this is because Bravo producers want emptier restaurants.
In other words, they want fewer members of ordinary people to be present at public spots. Members of the public have to sign releases if they end up on a “RH” set so to avoid loads of paperwork, production will have the ladies arrange their lunch dates for non-peak times. So, in the “RH” world, dinner doesn’t always mean dinnertime.
Time-Consuming Interviews
Though we only see these ladies each for a couple of seconds in interviews, it might surprise viewers to learn that these one-on-one interviews are time-consuming affairs. Filming these interviews generally takes up to five hours. And that’s just the filming. Setting up can take hours too.
Cameramen will visit the housewives’ homes and rearrange their furniture and things; you know, to get that perfect angle. And of course, the ladies themselves need to make sure they’re camera-ready. After editing, the final product may only be snippets, but the cast and crew have set aside plenty of time to make sure those snippets are perfect.
Payment
Of course, regular housewives don’t earn a salary. They are generally supported by their spouses. Then again, let’s not be fooled by the word ‘real’ with the “Real Housewives” franchise, these ladies, like the rest of us, earn a living. While most employees are paid after a month’s work, these ladies get their salaries after a season’s work.
These ladies get paid per season. But unlike regular workers, these ladies really bring home the bacon. In Season 12, Cynthia Bailey of “RHOA” earned a whopping $1.8 million that season. Her co-star, Porsha Williams, took home $1.3 million. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Teresa Giudice earned a comfortable $1.1 million per season while her co-star, Bethenny Frankel also took home around $1 million.
Friends’ Earnings
Most of us would love to help a friend out. And in the “Real Housewives” world it’s possible. These ladies can more than help a good friend out. Often the friends of housewives will be featured in some episodes and the good news is that their friends get paid for these appearances. Unlike the housewives who earn a lump sum after every season, friends get paid after each episode.
“Friends” can earn roughly about $1000 per episode, which certainly helps to pay the bills. Like the housewives, “friends” often enjoy cooking up drama so they can be invited back to the show and make a few more bucks. That’s why Faye Resnick kept making appearances in “RHOBH.” Producers wouldn’t want any drama to go unresolved, now, would they?
Making an Effort
Though being a reality TV star sounds like an awesome job, it’s a job after all. And the housewives who put in the most effort get rewarded for it, i.e., they get more screen time. Not only do the ladies who make less of an effort risk losing their role in the reality series, they actually have less control over their storyline thanks to the creative license of the editor.
An anonymous studio producer said as much during an interview with Business Insider. If a particular housewife isn’t going to make an effort to make a storyline, one will be made on her behalf. And she might not like the story she becomes embroiled in.
No Business/Brand Promoting
It’s well known that these housewives are side hustlers. In fact, many of these women are successful entrepreneurs. A case in point is New York City housewife, Bethenny Frankel, who launched the Skinnygirl brand after joining “The Real Housewives.” Knowing these women were go-getters, producers made sure that they agreed in their contracts to not do any personal brand endorsing or promoting on air.
Of course, if Bravo is making a cut, your brand might get a mention, but if not, forget it. One of the cardinal rules of “Real Housewives” is that they can’t use the reality show for any personal endorsement.
No Tattle-telling
If something happens backstage or in the dressing room of “The Real Housewives”, you’d expect to hear all about it. After all, these women make a living from sharing gossip and starting rumors. But when it comes to things happening behind the scenes, the cast has to keep mute. What happens backstage, stays backstage.
When Ariana Drescher of the New York City cast came out about something that happened behind the scenes, the producers weren’t too thrilled, and it ended with Drescher being called a liar. With the amount of drama on air, we aren’t surprised that things can get pretty nasty behind the scenes. More’s the pity because we’ll never hear about it.
The OGs Are the Queen Bees
No matter what an OG housewife does, she remains an OG housewife. OG housewives include NeNe Leaks, Teresa Giudice, and Vick Gunvalson. Even if this lady’s gone through a divorce, public scandals, major family problems, or even served time in prison, if she’s still on the show, there must be a reason. When a new housewife starts getting too uppity and tries to dethrone an OG housewife, she can end up losing her status as “a housewife.”
She may be relegated to the friend zone. Some examples of housewives who were demoted to “friends” include Danielle Staub and Camille Grammar. This means there wasn’t much focus on their storylines and had much less airtime, in the end, meaning they earned less.