Throughout the Real Housewives franchise, there’ve been multiple occasions when one of the stars has told a little white lie. While we were all taught lying is bad, sometimes it is for the greater good of a storyline. As fans know, if a housewife is considered boring, they have a higher chance of being canceled (cough, Teddi Mellencamp cough.) So there are moments when a Bravo star has to take their fate into their own hands and flat-out lie.
While Pinocchio wouldn’t approve, sometimes a good PR stunt is all that’s needed to revive a dying Real Housewives career. The goal is for the new storyline to feel seamless and unimagined. However, there have been countless times that a wife’s antics have been called out and seen for what they truly are—an ugly reality TV ploy that often hurts those around her the most. These are the Real Housewives accused of staging storylines.
Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky
Recently, news hit the Bravosphere, via People, revealing Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umanksy‘s separation after 27 years of marriage. The claim didn’t make sense. The couple always seemed to support one another and acted as a rock to those around them. Often their castmates would call them out as relationship goals. However, the same day the news broke, both Kyle and Mauricio were snapped hanging out together in Aspen, Colorado.
The news seemed sketchy, with fans of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills having more questions than answers. For instance, was the couple trying to cover up a case of infidelity by announcing their mutual breakup? Rumors have been swirling around that Kyle has found herself in a lesbian love affair with country singer Morgan Wade. The two women have even been photographed wearing wedding rings.
The entire story could be a fallacy. It’s possible Kyle plotted it all in the name of a more exciting storyline.
Kroy Biermann and Kim Zolciak
Though there are several Real Housewives accused of staging storylines, few are so suspect. Nancy Drew herself couldn’t solve this conundrum of the case of Kim Zolciak‘s lost love for Kroy Biermann, aka “the tush.” In a move that has Real Housewives of Atlanta fans checking themselves for whiplash, the couple announced that their messy divorce had been called off. The about-face came after weeks of annihilating one another in the news with claims that Kim was a gambling addict and Kroy was cold.
The move didn’t make sense to followers who felt the two were one another’s ride-or-die for the past 12 years. However, during the current season, Kim was at dinner with Shereé Whitfield, and claimed her marriage “had never been better.”
The sham divorce easily could have been cooked up by the couple to make Kim’s appearance on the franchise a high-rated episode with hopes of Bravo then asking Kim back for a full-time peach.
Melissa Gorga
Real Housewives of New Jersey fans may have forgotten the time that Melissa Gorga claimed to have had a long-lost sister. However, that’s exactly what the Envy owner did when her story started to become stale. During Season 9, Melissa, who is the youngest out of three, shared with Bravo cameras that she may, in fact, have another sister who was fathered by her late father, Anthony Marco.
Melissa’s father was known to roam around, so the idea initially felt plausible to fans. However, no sister was ever found, and Melissa’s storyline quality faded into the background. During a 2019 episode of The Daily Dish, Melissa revealed that she had created a 23andMe profile in hopes her lost sister also created one. She told the hosts that everything would work out if it were meant to be. It is safe to assume that Melissa has moved on from her fantasy from the silence.
Kenya’s Hired Boyfriend
Kenya Moore is a lot of things. She is a model, actress, producer, and mom, but she is not great at picking out a man. During RHOA Season 5, Kenya made the mistake of hiring a man by the name of Walter Jackson to appear and act as her loving boyfriend.
The Miss USA winner’s castmates and fans quickly figured out Walter was just a man for hire after he made it clear he wasn’t going to win the boyfriend of the year award.
In a 2012 interview, via Atlanta’s v-103, Walter spilled the beans on their work relationship. He claimed that Kenya had begged him to play the role. Walter went as far as to say that Bravo did a great job at angling their romance, noting it was their “secret.” Among the real Housewives accused of staging storylines, Kenya stands apart. Kenya has always denied she hired Walter, but the awkward bombastic side eyes don’t lie.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS THE MOST STAGED REAL HOUSEWIVES STORY?
