Why ‘Real Housewives’ Husbands and Love Interests Deserve a Paycheck for Their On-Screen Drama
Behind every strong woman on Bravo is most likely a man that is there to support her as she rises to reality stardom. With family as the focus, The Real Housewives Cinematic Universe has introduced a plethora of infamous husbands and partners. Though they tend to be the secondary character in any given story, over time, the rise and prominence of the “House Husbands” has made some ponder whether they deserve some compensation for their time on the reality shows.
The men of the franchise may not get a spot holding their city’s respective sparkling item, but they have become important players in the series. Showing the good, the bad, and the ugly of love and marriage, the husbands and partners might need a contract in order to provide the story’s full experience. With The Real Housewives of Potomac‘s Stacey Rusch and her “friend” TJ Jones becoming one of the latest headlines, it’s time to explore giving the men some time to shine.
Husbands and Partners Have a Big Part in ‘The Real Housewives’
Image via Bravo
When you watch any of The Real Housewives, you’re there to see some incredible women share their lives and families. The title card that leads into each woman’s chapter features their loved one and children, should they have them. It’s not like we’re hiding the men in their lives. Sure, sometimes they’re just there to showcase home life or be the arm candy at an event or gathering, but they’re getting camera ready just as much as the women. Well, not really. The men don’t have their own glam squad. Regardless, when you think of some of the biggest names of the franchise, you can think of their partners. Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky. Teresa Giudice and Joe Giudice. And Luis Ruelas. Melissa Gorga and Joe Gorga. The list goes on. While they’re not the stars of the series, they are the stars of the stories.
Right now on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, we’re watching dueling separations from two of the most prominent couples on the franchise. We are getting, essentially, only half the story as there is no incentive for the men, Maurico and PK, to come on screen and bring their perspective if they’re not prompted. The story of the season is watching Kyle Richards and Dorit Kemsley navigate this new chapter of their lives, so isn’t it fair to get the complete picture? Over on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, it’s safe to say that certain fellas have had more screen-time than any short-lived full-time cast member. The central story on the series has focused on Teresa and Melissa, but those stories heavily involved the men. While some may not advocate giving Joe or Luis any more screen time than they’re already getting, shouldn’t they be compensated for sharing almost as much as their wives?
Again, the list could go on and on discussing just how prominent the partners have been in many of the series’ biggest storylines. If the “Friend of” and guests get some sort of compensational credit, why not the men? Imagine a world where the men mentioned weren’t ever seen, would any of those shows have been as major? Sure, there are instances where the men don’t want to be a part of the action. We saw just about enough of Kelsey Grammer during Camille Grammer‘s first season on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as the story needed, but surely if he was under contract, we might have been privy to more of that wild separation. Keiarna Stewart has discussed how her partner Greg Diggs has been almost adamant that he wants nothing to do with filming. It’s affected her to the point where she’s just not interesting as a full-time Housewife. Surely some dollar signs might alter Greg’s opinion of appearing. Now this season of The Real Housewives of Potomac has had some lover drama, and we’re not even up to the stars of this feature. Mia Thornton not only brought her ex-husband Gordon Thornton on camera, she included her boyfriend Inc as well. It was tense. It was uncomfortable. Was it necessary? Did they even compensate for the trauma that the paternity storyline put them all through? All signs point to no.
