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An Inside Peek at a Real Housewive’s Contract: Part 1

 

Since 2006, Bravo and executive producer Andy Cohen has brought us nonstop drama with the Real Housewives franchise. While it may seem like all these ladies have to do is allow cameras in their homes, show up to stupid "events", and pretend to be friends, it turns out there are quite a few rules written into their contracts.  Perhaps this is why we have yet to see one sue. I've comprised a rather lengthy list of fun housewife facts.  Here is part 1.

 

1) ALL of the cast members have to audition. Yes, these women have to send in audition tapes, go through home interviews, have extensive on-camera tests, and more before becoming "Resl Housewives", and although he plays it down, they have to earn Andy Cohen's stamp of approval.

 

2) When casting new housewives, friends and/or family are always preferred. In a 2015 interview with Attitude, Andy explained why: "The show works so well because it’s all people who have long histories with each other. So it's not just throwing people together in a Big Brother house and seeing what happens.".  Hmm, I wonder how the hoplessly disengenuous Cohen would explain "open casting calls" seen in the entertainment trades like Variety, and even alleged community postings on local supermarket bulletin boards.  Also, I would have to challenge him on the "friends" thing, because Margaret Josephs bringing on Soggy Flicker, Lisa Vanderpump bringing on Dorit Kemsely, Dorit bringing on John Mellencamp's daughter, and Tamra Judge bringing on Emily Simpson are just a view examples of friends turning foe in record time.

 

 

3) The women are known to hock their various ventures, but it's not exactly *free* publicity. Per their contract, Bravo receives a percentage of the revenue earned from any business promoted on the show, with one exception: Bethenny Frankel.  Frankel spoke to CNBC in 2019.  "In the first season of Housewives, I made $7,250 for the entire season, but was the only person to put in my contract [that] anything I ever do, I own. And that ended up being a pretty good thing when it came to Skinnygirl.".  This one had be wondering if Bravo gets a piece of any of Lisa Vanderpump or Kand Burruss's restaurants.  Somehow I doubt it.   

 

4) Per the Real Housewives contract, the crew is allowed to access anything and everything while filming—from the women's closets to their kids. "I always ask people what's off the table. [If they] say, 'This, this, this and that,' I say, 'You shouldn't be on reality TV," casting director Melissa Stanforth told the New York Post.  Apparently NeNe Leakes missed this clause in her contract.

 

5) Have you ever noticed that the Housewives exclusively talk on speakerphone on the show? It's because while they're filming, the producers want to hear both sides of a conversation, you know, since they later share those phone conversations with the whole world. Also, sometimes production will “re-arrange” the times (and edit the content of) phone calls for story line continuity.

 

6) The women have to keep a blog. When the show airs, the drama can get real. From things said behind their back to situations that unfolded a lot differently than one thought. That's why the Housewives are supposed to keep a blog with their reactions to each episode as part of their job. Kyle Richards has always referred to this task as “homework”; however, in recent years, it appears that Bravo has gotten more lax on this one.

 

7) The women get *some* input on their taglines. "We actually start discussing what the potential tagline could be for each of the various 'wives pretty much at the beginning of the season, and we kick around ideas all season long, because they want their tagline to be unique and special and ones that really stand out from the pack," producer Doug Ross told E News. The women get some say, record three to six, and producers see which one sticks.

 

 

8) They can't change their hairstyle mid-season. During every season premiere, you'll see at least one Housewife has changed up her look. That's because the network won't let them once filming starts. Why? A new look would ruin the continuity of their interview looks.

 

9) The women only get three interview looks. And they have to be able to recreate those looks regularly. "You wear the same outfit all year long. You get three looks [total]. But for three months, you have to wear the exact same outfit, same hair, same makeup. You can never cut your hair in the middle of it because you're supposed to look the same," Vicki Gunvalson told Glamour.

 

10) Housewives have to be available for reshoots. Yes, reshoots. Because if reality doesn't work once, try, try again. Cast members have been caught in public filming the same scene multiple times and the crew sometimes even sets up lighting for the "set" where they're filming.

 

11) They have to coordinate for promo shoots. From all white to metallics to different shades of neon, the cast members always look cohesive for their cast photo. Reunion looks are a little more lax. Some are more planned than others. The Real Housewives of Dallas really nailed the black and red color scheme here, but usually the theme is a little less obvious and the women wear what they're most comfortable in—as long as it's cocktail attire.

 

12) They pay for their own glam team. When Erika Jayne joined The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, she blew the lid off of the glam squad secret that some Housewives hadn't been airing. Erika was open about her wardrobe, hair, and makeup team she flew out for all of the major cast trips, obviously something she may very well live to regret.

 

13) The Housewives work long hours while filming. It takes hard work to make TV gold like the Real Housewives franchise, and not just from the producers's end. The women are logging six-day work weeks for 14 weeks during their season—and that's on top of any other job that they might have. But their kids have lighter schedules. There are strict rules about filming children, as legally they can only be filmed for a limited time each day. So production has to come up with a strict schedule to make sure they get the footage they need in the constrained time.

 

14) Production sends out call sheets every day. Besides securing locations to film (more on that later), the production team gives each cast member a written call sheet. According to Bravo producer, Dave Rupel this "outlines the next day's shoot schedule. Times, locations, weather conditions, etc.".

 

 

15) Housewives aren’t allowed to “break the fourth wall”, which means no mentions of production or the crew whatsoever. This can sometimes lead to confusing drama. Former Real Housewives of New York star Carole Radziwill told BuzzFeed that she was told information by a producer that led to her calling Aviva Drescher a liar. But since explaining her source to viewers would break the fourth wall, she couldn't divulge more info. Perhaps the most infamous example of breaking the fourth wall was when a particular topic involving Denise Richards during RHOBH season 10, got rather uncomfortable, and she blurted out “Bravo Bravo Bravo!”, in a (failed) attempt to get production to deem the damaging conversation as “useless”. But as we all know, her plan backfired.

 

16) Cast trips are paid for (sort of). Andy Cohen has revealed that the network pays for part of the cost of the exotic trips the Housewives take on the show, but that ultimately it's a combination between the network and the 'wives. Housewives can pay to upgrade accommodations. If a trip the women want to go on is outside of Bravo's budget, the women can front the bill. Perks like flying private or traveling to a destination in peak season are all some of the things the women arrange themselves. "Look at the credits. If you see 'promotional consideration provided by' an airline, a hotel, a cruise ship, a this, a that. That means it was provided by the producers," Alex McCord told RealityFix.

 

17) Attendance on cast trips is expected, but not required. It's a big deal to miss a cast trip and the women are expected to show up. However, sometimes there are conflict, or the women will create excuses if they're fighting with someone and don't want to go. That said, a lack of attendance can seriously jeopardize your standing in the show's cast. It is rumored that RHONY’s Aviva Dreschler was ultimately let go due to her refusal to attend a cast trip (to Montana).

 

 To be continued ... I hope you enjoyed this part one (of three).