Exclusive: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: What You Won't See
Credit: Richard McLaren/Bravo
Monday night's season-two premiere of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was more heavily anticipated than most.
From the first frame, the Bravo hit directly and immediately addressed the mid-August suicide of Russell Armstrong, the estranged husband of star Taylor Armstrong and father to Kennedy, their 5-year-old daughter.
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Minus Taylor, the core cast was shown gathering at the home of Adrienne Maloof on Aug. 29 to hash out the tragic news.
"A lot of us have some guilt about not seeing this coming," admitted a tearful Kyle Richards. But, she cautioned of Russell, who hanged himself at age 47 amid his crumbling marriage and financial woes: "You cannot feel responsible for that, nobody can. It was his choice. As difficult as that is, life goes on. It has to."
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And the show goes on too -- but with major, ongoing alterations in light of Russell's death.
"We've completed editing on the first few episodes, but are still reviewing the rest of the season," the show's executive producer, Douglas Ross, tells Us Weekly. "Russell does not appear in the first several episodes. At this point, I can't say if Russell will appear at all."
What scenes were definitely left on the cutting room floor for sensitivity's sake? The premiere episode originally featured Taylor, 40, shopping for lingerie in an attempt to spice up her flagging marriage to Russell. "You're not going to see anything like that," a show insider says.
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One scene that fans did see on Monday's premiere was an awkward dinner moment at the Maloof house -- in which Lisa Vanderpump's husband Ken Todd calls the Armstrong's decision to try couple's therapy "weak."
"Lisa was very upset that the producers weren't taking out that part," admits the insider.
But Taylor's big-time meltdown -- "I'm breaking!" she cries in a teaser for the season -- will indeed see the light of day later this season.
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In the meantime, behind the scenes, the Housewives are rallying around their grieving friend.
"They all asked that her story be handled delicately," the source says. "This has brought them all much closer together."
Tell Us What You Think
7To Linda the poster, that's hilarious! And true. I sometimes watch these shows to see the horrid plastic surgery. Turns out, even if you have a lot of money, it doesn't seem to buy you a great surgeon!
What you won't see? Talent, good taste, something uplifting, dignity, something worthwhile??? Thank goodness for channel changer remotes, and the off button!
I thought addressing the suicide was important, my father committed suicide and like kyle said " he had a choice" my father had a choice and it was the wrong one a very selfish act on his part, But life does go on!! ken's comment was taken out proportion he was speaking of himself as always people only hear what they ant to hear and assume that's what's wrong with people these day's , unless you have walked or are walking in their shoes, don't an assumption for crying out loud suicide is suicide any way you look at it, LIFE HAS TO GO ON REGARDLESS!!!!
I think addressing of suicide was important , my father committed suicide and like kyle said "he had a choice" my father's choice was the wrong one BUT HE MADE HIS! LIFE GOES ON !! ken's commit was thrown out of proportion it was his feeling for himself.It's said how people hear what they want to hear ..
That therapy statement got blown totally out of proportion, Ken said " If I would need therapy I would feel weak" he never said anything about other people, it is his own feelings about therapy. Like always, people don't listen and assume.
Yet, another waste of space show!
I believe they met at Adrienne and Paul's house for the beginning of the show, didn't they? I remember seeing Lisa and Ken (and Giggy) get out of a car and walking up to the front door.