The Real Housewives franchise started on Bravo in 2006, in order to show details from the lives of wealthy women with luxurious lives. There are and have been series centered around Orange County, New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Beverly Hills, Miami, Potomac, and Dallas. There have also been spin-off shows and international versions.
Fans of these reality stars can’t get enough, and even people who—gasp!—do not like these shows or have never seen an episode get the general idea; there are shopping trips, vacations, parties, and cocktail hours full of drama! But what parts of it are real? Which cities are the world's favorites? How much money do they make? Why did this all begin? Where will it go from here?
All of that and more will be answered here today. Some people reading this article may have a bit of previous knowledge about these pieces of interesting info. On the other hand, there will also be some news that is not as well-known… yet still super juicy.
Yes, down below, there are 20 facts about this franchise and its cast members—the glam women who entertain many of us each and every week.
20 The Cast Is Told To Deliver Drama
According to theNew York Post, Aviva Drescher was told to deliver drama. In return, she would get a five-month contract, so she started saying that Carole Radziwill utilized a ghostwriter for her book. Later, the Real Housewives of New York took a trip to Montana, and producers told Drescher not to miss it—but she did, due to asthma. She had to deliver the drama when the cameras were back on her, which led to her throwing her artificial leg in the Season 6 finale.
This iconic scene apparently wasn’t enough, though, as Drescher didn’t come back… which she thinks had something to do with how close Radziwill is with Andy Cohen.
19 It Was Inspired By ‘Desperate Housewives’ And ‘Peyton Place’
When Bravo first planned these shows, they were going to be likeDesperate HousewivesandPeyton Place—only real. They would focus on upper-class women, starting with those in a gated community in California. In 2007, Bravo announced a similar show, featuring a group of NYC socialites and their families, which was going to be calledManhattan Moms.
In 2010, the network proposedMiami Social Club. And originally, the world was going to haveLadies of Dallasas a spin-off ofLadies of London. As we know, though, these all are just a few of the Real Housewives series and part of this growing franchise!
18 Producers Want The Women Looking Glam - Not Like A ‘Drowned Rat’
Another Housewife from New York, Kelly Bensimon, said the producers told her they wanted her to look like herself. Therefore, she looked very natural while riding horses with the other cast members - but that seemed to be the wrong decision; the next time she was on camera, she was told to have her hair blown out and to wear more makeup, since she was a supermodel, not adrowned rat!
It definitely now makes more sense that these women are always seen with their glam squads, who help them pick out outfits and get ready for their scenes and days.
17 There Have Been 10 International Versions
As mentioned and as fans know,The Real Housewives of Orange Countywas the first of these shows, followed by New York, Atlanta, New Jersey, D.C., Beverly Hills, Miami, Potomac, and Dallas (thoughThe Real Housewives of D.C.andThe Real Housewives of Miamiwere both canceled).
In 2011,The Real Housewives of Athenspremiered, and it was followed by shows set in Vancouver, Les Vraies, Melbourne, Cheshire, Auckland, Sydney, Toronto, Hungary, and Johannesburg. Melbourne, Cheshire, Hungary, and Johannesburg are still running, and a Bangkok version has been announced, but there is not a set premiere date for this show yet.
16 And There Have Been 18 Spin-Off Shows
Some people just keep up with the Housewives in one city. Many watch all of the U.S. installments. A few fans watch every single series within the franchise. And lots of people enjoy the spin-offs! So far, there have been 18 of them, and it all started withDate My Ex: Jo & Sladein 2008; Jo De La Rosa was an O.C. Housewife in seasons 1 and 2, back when Slade Smiley was with her and not another O.C. Housewife, Gretchen Rossi!
The most recent spin-off series has been thanks to Atlanta—Porsha's Having a Baby—and two of the most popular spin-offs areDon't Be TardyandVanderpump Rules.
15 The Women Can’t Sue Each Other
There are plenty of fights on these shows, but there is a limit… which was put to the test a couple of years ago; Joanna Krupa of Miami accused Brandi Glanville of Beverly Hills of defamation, and Glanville tried to fight this. According to reports inTown & Country Magazineand onFactinate, all of these ladies must sign a contract that says they won’t sue each other for whatever happens while filming their shows.
With Krupa and Glanville, some not-so-nice things were said, but these two eventually took care of all of it without having to go to court.
14 Future Cities May Include Nashville And New Orleans
With the success of this franchise, fans are always wondering what is next and making predictions about which cities could get their own shows (with rumors centered around places like Santa Barbara, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Boca Raton). In 2016, Andy Cohen said that Nashville could be the next locale for The Real Housewives.
He also said, while talking with Harry Connick Jr., that New Orleans could be a possibility. And if the ratings for these shows begin to drop, Cohen sees a super unique and exciting all-star version, where eight Housewives with big personalities end up on an island!
13 Vicki Is The OG, But It All Began With Her Son, Michael
It has already been said thatThe Real Housewives of Orange Countywas the first series in this franchise, making Vicki Gunvalson the original, the first, the OG of it all.It turns out that she may have her son to thank for all of this, though; rumor has it that Michael saw an ad in the newspaper about a new reality show and that when the team behind it showed up to meet him, they fell in love with his mom!
In the beginning, those O.C. kids were featured a great deal, but the women are now the stars whether they are chasing their babies around or whooping it up.
12 Big Parties Are A Big Selling Point
In an interview with theNew York Post, Alex McCord, who used to be on aThe Real Housewives of New York,said it was all about who could throw the biggest and the best party. Perhaps that is why her husband, Simon van Kempen, paid $5,000 on her birthday for a yacht and why fans have watched thousands of dollars get poured into many other events over the years.
That was back in 2008, though, and today, the production companies pay for the fun. Guess it was not big enough or good enough when the women and their families were buying it all?
11 Sometimes, Fake Friendships Bring On New Cast Members
When producers asked Kelly Bensimon to come onThe Real Housewives of New York,she had never heard of it, even though it starred these affluent, powerful, and social women. So even though she didn’t know these people, the show made it seem like she was brought on by her dear friend LuAnn de Lesseps.
Bensimon said she had at least met The Countess, once, a few years ago… and Bravo’s vice president of current production, Ryan Flynn, said that he and his team look for organic and real and natural connections when casting for this franchise (guess not always!).