Being among the most visible reality stars, Bravolebrities are judged frequently — and
harshly — for just being themselves. Their every move is scrutinized by fans and hate-watchers
alike, and controversy ultimately follows. While we love us some of that juicy drama,
here's what everyone ignores about these Bravo stars.
In 2010, former Real Housewives of Orange County star Vicki Gunvalson left her husband
of 19 years, Donn Gunvalson — and ended up regretting it.
"I did not put the effort in to stay married"
Vicki didn't publicly address her reason for leaving at the time, but castmate Tamra Judge
revealed during the show's Season 10 reunion that Gunvalson left Donn to take care of a
purportedly ill Brooks Ayers. Sadly, it turns out Ayers may have played Gunvalson by pretending
to have been diagnosed with cancer to play on her sympathies. He finally admitted to
E! News that he had fabricated medical bills from City of Hope cancer hospital, although
he maintained that he did, in fact, have stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to People
magazine. Gunvalson and Ayers ultimately parted ways in 2015. Vicki told Andy Cohen,
"If I had to do it all over again, I would not have divorced Donn. I know that for a
fact. […] He was a great man [and] great husband."
Radar Online reported Gunvalson attempted to reconcile with Donn after the bitter divorce,
but that ship had sailed. And that left Vicki's love tank wide open for her new man, Steve
Lodge.
"Being divorced is a forever decision"
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills started off with a bang thanks to the Season 1 blowout
between former child stars, sisters Kim and Kyle Richards. The fight escalated when Kyle
called her sister an alcoholic.
"You are a liar, and second an alcoholic"
Kyle also threatened to stop providing financial assistance that she and her husband, Mauricio
Umansky, had apparently been giving to Kim.
"My husband has helped you every month, and stood by you, and taken care of you, ok, like
you're his second f---ing wife, so f--- you for talking like that."
The incident led to a period of estrangement between the sisters. But Bravo's cameras only
captured part of Kim's longtime struggle with addiction. Kyle said on Good Morning America,
"There were things going on that the audience wasn't aware of. I had had a lot of pain and
built up anger and frustration towards her, and obviously she did towards me too."
A source told In Touch Weekly that Kim's behavior was sometimes so outrageous that producers
quote "edited out a lot of scenes in which she was acting really sloppy." Kim did not
appear on the Season 1 reunion because she was in rehab. In June, 2019, Kyle revealed
on The Jenny McCarthy Show that being on Housewives was ultimately good for her sister.
"She says that it saved her life because, you know, there's nowhere to hide and everyone
knows — now anywhere she goes, people know who she is. She can't get away with anything!"
Beverly Hills Housewife Taylor Armstrong successfully hid her alleged domestic abuse at the hands
of her then-husband, Russell Armstrong, from the Bravo audience. But during a heated group
discussion on the show, Camille Grammer spilled all of the tea, saying,
"We've been protecting you. Because we don't say that he hits you."
"Because we don't say that he broke your jaw."
After the episode aired, Taylor went public with accusations of abuse against Russell,
and filed for divorce shortly thereafter. One month later, Russell reportedly took his
own life. His attorney told ABC News,
"[Russell] was more than $1.5 million in debt as a result of trying to keep up with expectations
for the lavish lifestyle portrayed on the show."
In her memoir, Hiding from Reality: My Story of Love, Loss, and Finding the Courage Within,
Taylor described life without Russell, writing,
"I felt lost without the control that Russell had imposed on me for the nearly six years
that we were married. I didn't know what to do once I had no one there to tell me how
to dress, act, and behave; what to want; and who, even, to be."
"It was more than just walking on eggshells, it was like walking on landmines"
Eddie Cibrian was a serial scoundrel during his marriage to Real Housewives of Beverly
Hills star Brandi Glanville. When Cibrian was caught in an affair with LeAnn Rimes,
Glanville thought it was a one-time indiscretion — until she discovered he had also been
snogging Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay. Their marriage ended quickly after the latter
revelation.
"I feel a little random freedom"
During Season 3 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Vanderpump arranged a private
meeting between Glanville and Shay, plugging the upcoming Housewives spinoff Vanderpump
Rules. And in Season 4, Vanderpump had Shay serving a party Glanville was attending. It
was beginning to appear as if Vanderpump was intentionally stirring the pot to poke at
Glanville's heartbreak over her husband's infidelity. Glanville said in a confessional
after the friendship was broken beyond repair,
"Lisa Vanderpump and I were best friends for five years. Let's be clear: whatever she wants
out there, she gets."
Thomas Ravenel's tenure on Southern Charm was filled with baby-mama drama, but it was
also book-ended by legal woes. Before appearing on the show, Ravenel held the office of South
Carolina State Treasurer. Six months into his term in 2007, Deadline reported he was
quote, "indicted on federal cocaine distribution charges" and later "sentenced to 10 months
in federal prison," in 2008.
"I've done some things I'm proud of, and some I'm not. But I've never run away from my responsibilities"
Settling into a new high-profile role on reality TV, the Southern Charm star's quest to become
a U.S. Senator was the original focus of the show. Its purpose was to resurrect Ravenel's
political career, but his appearance did more to tank his electability than elevate it.
But beyond the normal stigma of reality TV fame, Ravenel was later forced out of the
show when he was charged in two assault cases. Per Deadline, he pleaded guilty to quote "third-degree
assault and battery" following allegations by his children's nanny. He paid a $500 fine
and was given a 30-day suspended jail sentence. He quietly settled the other case for $200,000.
"People might find me to be a little too much"
Joining The Real Housewives of New Jersey was a risky proposition for Danielle Staub.
A past she thought was long-hidden was unearthed when her cast mates began circulating a book
by Staub's ex-boyfriend that made startling allegations against her. The book alleges
that, when she was younger, Staub was an exotic dancer named Beverly Merrill and that she
was arrested on kidnapping, extortion, and drug charges.
Staub admitted to changing her name and being arrested. Everything else in the book, as
she told Oprah, is poppycock. Regardless of what was true and what wasn't, the allegations
sent her newfound Housewives fame spinning into scandal.
"They sit there and go 'I don't know why you keep saying you're the victim.' Well, bitch,
cuz I am. Stop f-ing chasing me"
Then there was the dramatic table-flipping confrontation where the book had made an appearance,
a frenzy which was all compliments of Terese Giudice. The moment made for one of the most
iconic reality TV moments in modern history.
"Wow"
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