The Real Housewives of Orange County
Encyclopedia
The Real Housewives of Orange County is a reality television
program on the Bravo network. It is the first and seminal installation in the The Real Housewives of... series (all spinoffs, as acknowledged in the individual spinoffs' end credits, are based on ...of Orange County). Created by Orange County
producer and Coto de Caza
("Coto") resident Scott Dunlop, with music by Chuck Hammer
, the show was initially set primarily in the gated community
of Coto and followed the lavish livestyles of five "housewives" and their families who resided within Coto McMansions, with the exception of one housewife (Lauri Waring), who lived in a Ladera Ranch townhouse. This housewife exception-to-the-rule was used in Season 1 as a foil to the (then) extravagant lifestyle of the other four housewives, who lived "behind the Coto gates". The show is a voyeuristic look into the wealthy lives of these housewives, as they shop, get plastic surgery, gossip, fight and live lavishly. The construction-real estate crash, the beginning of which coincided almost exactly with the first season's broadcast, has since trimmed the housewives' lifestyles with job losses, evictions, mortgage defaults, foreclosures, and marital stress—all recorded in progressive seasons of the show. Some have seen the show as a parable of the economic bubble and crisis as it portrayed a lavish consumerism, with American families living beyond their means, only to find themselves in serious debt when the economy soured.
and Lauri Waring. Season 1 consisted of 8 episodes, including the reunion. The show's second season premiered on January 16, 2007. Four of the five original housewives returned, with the exception of Kimberly Bryant who was replaced by Tammy Knickerbocker. Season 2 consisted of 10 episodes, including the reunion. Season 3 opened with Jo De Le Rosa's replacement Tamra Barney and consisted of 12 episodes, including the reunion. Additionally, midway through this season, a sixth housewife was introduced to the cast, Quinn Fry. With the introduction of Barney and Fry and Waring's move to San Juan Capistrano, the scope of the show widened its narrow focus that used to emphasize the privilege and exclusivity of living in gated Coto de Caza to purport the general luxury and materialism of living in the Orange County environment. For example, Waring comments in the opening credits of Season 3 that she is now "living the Orange County lifestyle again" with her new wealthy fiance. BravoTV announced the series' fourth season renewal with the return of three original housewives, Gunvalson, Keough, Peterson (Waring, after her marriage to George Peterson at the end of Season 3), and Season 3 housewife Barney. A new housewife, Gretchen Rossi, replaces Season 2 housewife Knickerbocker and Season 3 housewife Fry, both of whom did not return. To compensate for the mid-season departure of Peterson, another new housewife, Lynne Curtin, joined the cast. This season premiered on November 25, 2008. Season 4 consisted of 15 episodes, including the reunion and a 'Lost Footage' special. In June 2009, BravoTV announced the renewal of the show for a fifth season with the entire Season 4 cast returning. Season 5 premiered on 5 November 2009, with fifteen regular episodes and a two-part reunion. During this season a sixth housewife, Newport Beach resident, Alexis Bellino, was added to the cast to replace Keough, who departed mid-season, leaving Gunvalson as the only remaining original cast member.
The show has been picked up for a sixth season, with new housewife Peggy Tanous replacing Lynne Curtin.
Fernanda Rocha of Laguna Beach, a personal trainer who co-owns the Art of Fitness & Day Spa, also in Laguna, has signed up to appear on several upcoming episodes. Season 6 premiered on Sunday, March 6, 2011.
On Tuesday, August 2, 2011, the Real Housewives of Orange County was renewed for the seventh season, and then on September 4, 2011, Vicki Gunvalson tweeted, "It's "Go Time" for season 7. Tamra and I are now locked in. Hoping to have our best season yet! Pray for us..... Woo hoo'", on her official Twitter account.
"I don’t want to get old." (Season 1)
"Here's to not being fake." (Season 2)
"Everything's gotta be huge, large, and grand." (Season 3)
"I want the power, and the money, and I want them both." (Season 4)
"I love my family, I love my work, I love my life." (Season 5)
"I make my own money, and I make my own rules." (Season 6 - present)
At 49, born March 27, 1962 Gunvalson's family includes her second husband, Donn, and the two children from her first marriage—Michael (who attended the University of Colorado at Boulder in early episodes) and Briana Wolfsmith (a nurse who attended Azusa Pacific University) in early episodes.
Gunvalson is the dominant force in her family and has been described by her family and friends as "controlling" and a "workaholic." As she is quoted in the show's opening credits, "I want the power and the money, and I want them both." Her children repeatedly call her "crazy" both to her face and during their camera confessionals during all three seasons. She has worked extremely hard to achieve financial success as an independent insurance agent and expects her family to toe her party line. Gunvalson herself admits to having control issues but maintains it is this very characteristic that has brought about her success and desired lifestyle. For example, in Season 1, when the housewives go on a private jewelry shopping spree, Waring laments that she does not have a man in her life to buy her the beautiful jewels in the shop; Gunvalson responds by telling her that she does not need a man to buy her things because they can earn the money independently through their insurance leads and purchase the jewels themselves.
In Season 3, Gunvalson and her husband are empty nesters and purchase a smaller home in Coto with the goal to downsize and simplify their lives. However, they still reside in their large residence and Gunvalson expresses anxiety of moving to the smaller home because of her perceived connection between financial failure and downsizing her home's square footage. She explains to the camera, "What will people think?" and eventually decides to sell her smaller house (4,000 s.f. initially listed at $2.1M) through Keough.
Gunvalson appears to have expanded her business to include business associates in Bellevue, Washington and Atlanta by Season 3. Michael starts an internship in Bellevue saying that he sees the lucrative income that his mom earns in insurance and wants to make that kind of money. Briana, however, thinks that he is crazy to want to work with their mother. Gunvalson is pleased that Michael wants to follow in her footsteps and looks forward to "passing the baton" if he meets her work standards. She announces to the staff in Bellevue that Michael shadowed his father as a carpenter last summer engaged in manual labor and she is glad that he is choosing to use his brain instead.
Gunvalson's opening scene in Season 4 finds her shopping for $1 million yachts with Michael. Her plans include selling the family's Lake Havasu vacation home and buying an expensive yacht that she says could be used more frequently as the yacht will be berthed 20 minutes from their home versus driving hours to Arizona. When she initially tells Donn of her plans, he asks her, "When is it ever enough?" Gunvalson replies, "It's never enough." Gunvalson's Season 4 motif revolves around her increasingly distant relationship with Donn and their awkward attempts to reintegrate their individual lives.
In Season 5, Vicki and Donn are portrayed as becoming closer after the growing estrangement in the Season 4 plots. However, Vicki becomes more distant from the other housewives after her season-opening "girls only" trip to Florida is crashed by husbands and a boyfriend without objection from the other cast members. In particular, Vicki's closest ally, Tamra, comes to prefer Alexis, and partially reconciles with Gretchen. Briana reappears in mid-season to provide a cancer-scare plot line.
In October 2010 it was reported that Vicki and Donn were divorcing. In April 2011, on the Bravo aftershow series Watch What Happens Live, Vicki confirmed that divorce proceedings were ongoing. She is the only original housewife from season 1 left in the programme.
"I'm the hottest housewife in Orange County." (Season 3)
"I'm not the new girl anymore, so watch out." (Season 4)
"Housewives come younger, but they don't come hotter." (Season 5)
"I'm done being the trophy wife. Freedom only makes me hotter." (Season 6 - present)
43-year-old California native Tamra Barney joined the cast in Season 3 through a casting call launched on the BravoTV website. She lived in Ladera Ranch with her second husband of 10 years, Simon Robert Barney (born 1964). She became a real estate agent in Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch to achieve a sense of "value" in her family dynamic. However, she made it clear that her job did not provide her family with its primary financial support and that her husband was her family's primary breadwinner. Her family included three children by Simon: Sidney, Spencer, and Sophia, all of whom are under the age 10. Barney also has a 23 year old son, Ryan Vieth, from her first marriage. In Season 3, Ryan moved back in with the Barneys after leaving the family home at age 18 because of his contentious relationship with Simon. Although Ryan's relationship with Simon had not improved, without a college education and a job, he is forced to move back in with Barney and Simon. Season 3 documents the strain that Ryan imposed upon Barney and Simon's marriage. In response, Simon has Ryan sign a contract listing conditions which Ryan must meet to continue living in his house. After three months of living with Vieth-Barney and Simon, Ryan begrudgingly accepts a parts picker job paying only $10/hour at the Newport Beach auto dealership where Simon works.[41][42] Simon gives Ryan the opportunity to attend Universal Technical Institute,[43] which specializes in auto mechanics. By the end of Season 3, Ryan moved out of Barney and Simon's home to live with his grandmother.
As a new real estate agent working the same territory as Keough (a more established realtor), Barney expresses feelings of competitiveness with her. Barney asserted that "it won't be long before she's kicking Jeana's butt" when it comes to selling real estate in Coto. Citing the relative slowness of the Southern California real estate market, she was very pleased that she has four listings explaining that a good-looking female realtor will always make money in Orange County. She flamboyantly calls herself the "hottest housewife in Orange County" and works especially hard to keep herself looking "hot" as she approaches the "dreaded 40" during Season 3.
In Season 4, Simon has left Fletcher Jones to become a tequila salesman. He spent most of his time at home with Barney and their three small children. Tamra left employment as a real estate agent citing the severe slow down of the real estate market. Her eldest son, Ryan, lived on his own since leaving the low paying job that Simon arranged for him at his former employer to work construction at a higher pay. However, Ryan's lack of career focus and lifestyle choices continued to be a contentious issue for himself and his parents during this season.
Vieth-Barney and Gunvalson grow closer in Season 4 taking vacations together out of town (an anniversary weekend in Napa, California and New Year's vacation to Las Vegas, Nevada) and teaming up at an "Housewife" event during opening day at Del Mar Racetrack. While Curtin, Keough, and Rossi socialized with one another in the private box, Barney and Gunvalson (and their husbands) stayed close to one another avoiding Curtin and Rossi, prompting Keough to call them cliquey. Barney explains that their closeness is because she and Gunvalson "share a lot of the same values" and that "Vicki and Donn will be [their] lifelong friends."
The Tamra segments of Season 5 concentrate mainly on the growing marital discord between Tamra and Simon, exacerbated by their financial difficulties and continuing conflict over Ryan's behavior. On January 7, 2010, after Season 5 filming, Simon filed for divorce claiming infidelity and disloyalty by Tamra, and she moved from their home into a two bedroom apartment. The Barneys subsequently sold their house on May 10, 2010, as a "short sale," losing between $200,000 and $600,000.
Tamra Vieth-Barney appeared as a guest on Season 2, Episode 3, of Top Chef Masters
"I love the bling, I love the jewlery, I love it all." (Season 4)
"I'm smart, I'm sexy, and I'm confident. Of course people are going to talk about me." (Season 5)
"Happiness means never having to apologize for being me." (Season 6 - present)
Blond bombshell, Gretchen Rossi, 33, made a considerable impression on viewers when she joined the cast of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" in Season 4 and exposed some of the most poignant and personal details of her life. Gretchen grew up in La Cresenta, CA, and attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she earned a degree in Psychology and a minor in Family Studies and Child Development. Following college, Gretchen went into the then-booming South Orange County real estate industry, but quit working to take care of her fiancé at the time, Jeff. Gretchen continues to build financial independence through her make-up line and is now expanding the business with a handbag collection. Feeling pressure to take the next step with boyfriend, Slade Smiley, Gretchen doesn't know if she is ready for marriage again.
"Am I high maintenance? Of course I am. Look at me." (Season 5)
"God is my savior, my husband is my king, and my body, it's sinful." (Season 6 - present)
Having joined the cast during Season 5, Alexis Bellino is a 32-year-old spicy blonde and stay-at-home mom who unabashedly lives life on her own terms. Originally from the small town of Hannibal, Missouri
, Alexis now lives in the exclusive enclave of Newport Beach with her older husband, Jim Bellino. Alexis and Jim have three young children, 4-year old James and 3 year-old twins, Melania and Mackenna.
Alexis still believes that Jim is her king and savior and runs the show, but also confesses she wants more freedom and independence as a wife and mother. It's a new chapter for Alexis this season as she decides to launch a line of sexy and revealing dresses, designed for moms' just like her…which leads Tamra to speculate if there are other moms like Alexis.
Formerly Heather Paige Kent, who appeared on the CBS series That's Life - will take the place of Peggy Tanous on season 7.
In 1999, Heather married plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow, a man with his own reality show past: he appeared on The Swan and Bridalplasty. The couple resides in Newport Beach and has four children.
(Season 6 - present)
Tamra introduces the group to new gal-pal Fernanda Rocha, a 34-year-old, hot Brazilian lesbian fitness instructor. Fernanda and Tamra are pals and they love to flirt…with each other. The pair model topless for a charity fundraiser poster, and their behavior spreads rumors and speculation in the O.C.
circle. In episode 8, entitled Kiss and Tell it is revealed that Fernanda and Tamra shared a kiss in a public restroom. According to Fernanda the "kiss" was an obvious sign of affection, while Tamra insists that she had been drinking and was going through a tough time. Both women were involved with other people at the time of the incident and Fernanda blames the affair for the dissolution of her relationship.
Fernanda gets to know the other girls and decides to go with Gretchen, Alexis and Peggy on a girl trip to San Antonio
. The move helps her develop strong friendships with the gals beyond her tie to Tamra.
"85% of the women around here have had breast implants." (Season 1)
Born in 1961, Bryant is a stay-at-home mom whose schedule primarily consists of shuttling her kids from extracurricular activity to activity, working out, and socializing with her girlfriends. Season 1 focuses on her decision to surgically enhance her physical appearance after moving to Coto; her husband Scott asked her to get breast augmentation surgery after noticing that the majority of Coto wives were extremely well endowed. Bryant comments that 85 percent of the women living in Coto have had breast implants. She explains that she went from an A-cup to a D-cup breast size in part because her husband's idea of a wife over 40 is a "lingerie model."
At the end of Season 1, Bryant explained her family's departure from the show to Chicago by saying that her medical history of melanoma and her son's recent growth of a benign, but still pre-cancerous, mole catalyzed their move from the sunny OC weather.[55] The O.C. Register, however, provided an alternate explanation of why the Bryants left town: Scott purportedly physically assaulted a woman named Jana Kindchadwick after Kindchadwick and Bryant themselves engaged in a physical altercation.] Scott was eventually found not guilty in his misdemeanor battery criminal trial for assaulting Kindchadwick.
Bryant makes cameo appearances at Waring's bridal shower in Season 3 and in Season 4 when Gunvalson and Keough reunite with her during their trip to Chicago to visit family. She also attends a Season 4 end-of-summer party with the current housewives.
She now lives in Lake Bluff, Illinois.
"He's pretty much keeping me." (Season 1)
"I deserve only the best. I’m worth it." (Season 2)
Jo De La Rosa (alias) was born in Lima, Peru and emigrated with her parents to Tustin, California
at the age of three. In 1994, her parents won the California Lottery and moved the family to Mission Viejo. There she attended Mission Viejo High School where she was active in drama, cheer, and student body. She graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in English
and Comparative Literature. She then started a career in the title insurance industry where she met Slade Smiley, who served as her entrance into the Coto lifestyle.
In Season 1, De La Rosa lived with Slade in his house behind the Coto gates. Included in her Coto family were his two sons from two different relationships, Gavin and Grayson. Slade is an executive in the title insurance industry and provided De La Rosa with the money and prestige of living the Coto lifestyle. He gave her a Mercedes sedan and a luxurious home and wanted De La Rosa, in turn, to be the conventional stay-at-home wife and mother. In De La Rosa's words, "Slade is pretty much keeping me." Despite having all of her financial needs taken care of, she still had trouble adjusting to the traditional housewife role.
In Season 2, De La Rosa decided to move out of Coto to take a position as the title representative for her company's Beverly Hills territory. As a result, Slade ended their romantic relationship during a session with a relationship therapist, but becomes her unofficial "guide" on contract or business issues as she pursues a singing career. Another change to her Coto life during this season was that Slade's younger son, Grayson, did not appear to live with De La Rosa and Slade.
De La Rosa was not included as a Season 3 cast member as she has moved to Los Angeles with a record contract from Immergent Records in tow and does not keep in touch with the other housewives. However, she makes cameo appearances at Keough's backyard cocktail party on the Season 3 finale episode and the post-Season 3 reunion episode. She also appears in the Season 4 finale, along with several housewives from seasons past.
De La Rosa and Slade were spun off on a dating reality show following her pursuit of love and a music career in Los Angeles. On July 12, 2008, their spin-off, entitled, "Date My Ex: Jo & Slade," premiered on BravoTV. Before the spin-off premiered, BravoTV aired a one episode special called, "Jo and Slade: The Break Up," on June 30, 2008 that recapped De La Rosa and Slade's romantic history and previewed their spin-off.
De La Rosa released her first album, titled "Unscripted," on August 19, 2008.
In Season 4, Rossi appears as an extra in De La Rosa's first music video with Slade as the video's producer.
According to De La Rosa's website, she is currently working on her sophomore album.
"I love having a younger man in my life." (Season 3)
Fry joined the cast mid-Season 3 on December 11, 2007, by answering a casting call advertisement in a local newspaper. She was born in 1955 in Fort Knox, Kentucky, where her father was stationed in the military. Married twice before and now single, she lives in San Clemente, California
. She has two children, one from each of her marriages: Shannon (31 at the time, a Eureka
resident) and Colin. Colin lives with Fry and attended San Clemente High School as a senior at the time.[74] She works as an internet marketing manager and managing editor of an Orange County
-based lifestyle and entertainment website and has also appeared as an on-air personality for the Cox Communications cable program, OC Lifestyle.
She is portrayed as a "cougar" as she is casually seeing a 26-year-old named Jared and she comments that "I love having a younger man in my life." However, a liaison with a golf pro in his forties, named Billy, is the relationship that Fry more seriously pursues. The other housewives meet her for the first time at a Mission Viejo restaurant where they immediately ask Fry a number of personal questions, such as, her age (52 at the time) and the name of her plastic surgeon. At this meet-and-greet, she calls the other housewives "catty" in response to their derisive comments after being introduced to Jared. For example, Barney comments in her camera confessional about Fry dating Jared that "I think if you're super hot like Demi Moore you can get away with it, but that's not the case."
As a devout Christian, Fry's debut season chronicles her search for a committed relationship that will lead to marriage. She struggles to balance her self-purported "sensual" side with her religious conviction that she is meant to be married. She describes her most recent relationship with a man that she lived with for three years as a waste of time because he was simply not interested in being married. At the end of Season 3, Fry breaks up with Billy because he could not even call her his girlfriend let alone marry her.
Fry leaves the cast after the end of Season 3, but attends a party Keough gives during the premiere episode of Season 4. She keeps in touch with Keough, calling her the "glue that keeps the housewives together" and describes her as the "peacekeeper." At Keough's invitation, Fry plans to attend a "Housewives" function to reunite with Gunvalson, Keough, and Knickerbocker. However, she describes Waring as a "fake" and classifies Barney similarly, stating that they smile when the cameras are on but are completely different when she sees them on the street. She makes a party appearance in Season 5.
"I don’t let my kids or my exes drive me crazy." (Season 2)
"No matter how much money you have, you can always rely on others." (Season 3)
Tammy Knickerbocker, a 46-year-old single mother of three, joined the cast in Season 2 at the recommendation of her close friend of over 15 years and then-housewife Jeana Keough. Knickerbocker's family includes her two daughters from her first marriage, Megan and Lindsey, as well as a young son named Ryley from a recently ended relationship. Her first marriage to Lou (who died of a heart attack at age 67 on April 24, 2007) ended when he had an affair with his assistant and their lucrative business went bankrupt. Her lifestyle has been "reduced" from being married and owning one of the largest houses in Coto de Caza to being single and renting a $1.3 million house in the community while her permanent Coto home undergoes renovations because of severe water damage.
Another twist to her storyline is that Ryley's father, Duff, works in Coto as Gunvalson's home office manager. Knickerbocker and Duff attempt to balance their "friends with benefits" relationship with raising their young son. In the end, however, Duff and Knickerbocker decide to end any romantic relationship. Duff swears off the "crazy women of Coto de Caucasian" and Knickerbocker introduces the new man in her life to the other Housewives at Gunvalson's splashy end-of-summer barbecue party.
Although Knickerbocker left the series at the end of Season 3, she makes a cameo appearance at the end of Season 4, when she attended a party with current and selected former housewives, and another appearance for a Bunco party hosted by Tamra Barney.
(Recurring Season 6)
"I'm just your typical Orange County housewife. I'm obsessed with being young." (Season 4)
"It's not about how much money you have, it's about how good you look spending it." (Season 5)
On December 16, 2008, the Capistrano Beach resident Curtin,[107] joined the cast in the fourth episode of Season 4 to replace Lauri Waring Peterson. She has been married to Frank Curtin for 18 years and is a stay-at-home mom for her two teenage daughters, Raquel (19) and Alexa (17).[108] Her role as a stay-at-home mom and accompanying interpretation of appropriate parenting style is her storyline in Season 4. She mentions that her "carefree and laidback" parenting style where she strives to be her daughters' best friend differs greatly from her husband's. Raquel is turning 18 and angling for a blowout bash and a car (preferably a BMW, Mercedes or Audi) as Curtin debuts in Season 4.
While her younger daughter, Alexa, stays at home, Raquel prefers (in her words) to "party with her friends as often as she can" throughout Orange County. She is shown eating out in Laguna Beach restaurants ordering alcoholic beverages and smuggling bottled alcohol into a bowling alley to surreptitiously drink with her fellow underage friends in the bathroom. Compounding her image as a "problem child" (as Curtin teasingly labels her eldest), Raquel discloses to Keough that she graduated from a high school program called Access at Horizons, which Keough explains is designed to cope with children with disciplinary problems.
A leitmotif is Curtin's reluctance to accept that she is getting older. When pressed by Rossi, Curtin will not divulge her age confessing that she is absolutely afraid of getting old when she just wants to "have fun." She prides herself on looking young and wearing the same size clothing as her teenage daughters. At Raquel's birthday lunch, Alexa wears a form fitting short dress that incites Randy to respond that he did not even recognize her and that she looked like a stripper. Curtin's response is that the dress is very "classy" and it actually belongs to her.
The other Housewives label her and Frank as "so laid back," with Barney and Gunvalson implying that they both use marijuana to achieve that level of calmness. Barney, Gunvalson, and Keough observe that the Curtins differ so greatly from the rest of the Housewives and their spouses because of their "mc purposes. Both Lynne and her husband, jointly, are subjects of a $1,200,000 court judgment in favor of a former business associate [109]
Lynne Curtin appeared as a guest on Season 2, Episode 3, of Top Chef Masters [110] On August 6, 2010, Curtin has announced on her official Facebook page that she will not be returning to the show: "Rumor has it that I will not be returning for 'Season 6' That rumor is true! Further rumor has it we will be back somewhere else on our own show! Hmmmm! 'Watch what happens' Life is so unpredictable! Enjoy! L," also: "I am broken hearted! I was so let down the way this came about! We were the last to know! I guess Bravo has to do what they have to do! I thought we had a great relationship! I guess I was wrong! Its funny how fast offers came to us from other places! That's how we found out we were not returning! Funny how life can be! L." She also said, "Thank you! We tried to be honest about our lives! I thought that's what reality TV is supposed to be! I would like our new show to be totally honest! No retakes or do overs. You will see it exactly the way it really happens! Someone thinks a lot of people will tune in! That makes me feel better about things! It's important to keep a positive vibe in life no matter what is going on! L"
She will make an appearance during season 6.
In Season 1, Lauri Waring Peterson was a multiple-divorced single mother who used to live in a grand house with maid service in neighboring Dove Canyon with her ex-husband, but in the aftermath of her latest divorce had to downsize to a smaller townhouse outside the gates in Ladera Ranch. Her family included Ashley, Josh and Sophie.
Although she was 46 at the time, Waring, a former model, still attended parties at Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion, though she was quick to point out she was never a Playboy bunny. To make ends meet, she worked in Gunvalson's home insurance office. Her daughter Ashley moved back home to escape the difficulties of paying her own bills and her son Josh spent time in juvenile detention.
In Season 1, Waring struggled with the adjustment from her former affluent lifestyle provided by yet another wealthy husband to a more modest standard of living on her own. She has said that she has gone from being poor to being rich to being poor again, and that "having money is easier." However, her perception of "poor" still includes her purchase of jewelry valued for thousands of dollars during a private shopping excursion with the housewives. During Season 1, Gunvalson hired Waring into her home-based insurance company, however by Season 2, after forming a relationship with a rich land developer, Waring appears to have a less active role in Gunvalson's insurance company and by Season 3, Waring never appears working with Gunvalson or in the insurance business.
During Season 2, Waring became engaged on Lake Como to a wealthy real estate and land developer, George Peterson.[95] Season 2 focused on Waring's relationship with George and the financial improvements to her lifestyle that this upwardly mobile relationship provides her and her children. Waring identifies herself as a Republican (although she is unable to define what that means to her) and attends a Republican Party fundraiser as part of George's social obligations.
By Season 3, Waring, Ashley and Sophie have moved in with George into his home in San Juan Capistrano. She is shown planning her expensive third wedding and riding horses at George's ranch. After leaving rehab, Josh moved into Waring's Ladera Ranch townhouse with Ashley, however, Waring purports that Josh broke a number of "house rules" and she evicted him. After leaving his mother's townhouse, Josh moved in with George's ex-wife, Gina. Josh doesn't appear in the credits as part of Waring's family and Waring has alluded that she doesn't see him anymore. Despite the appearance of numerous children from George's former marriage and Waring's repeated commentary about their "modern Brady Bunch family" in Season 2, only one daughter, McKenzie (18), appears to live with George and Waring during Season 3. The Season 3 finale included an extended psychotherapy session attended by Waring and Josh where they achieved resolution in their conflicted mother-son relationship. Josh ends up being included in his mother's lavish wedding ceremony as his grandmother's escort down the aisle.
In Season 4, Waring makes a brief appearance with the other housewives as they enjoy massages, facials, manicures and pedicures at a high-end Los Angeles day spa. While the other housewives bond and leisurely enjoy spa treatments, Waring leaves early to attend a family function with George. Gunvalson comments that Waring used to be a close friend but not since she married George and says that, "It's sad." As the season progresses, it is apparent that Waring interacts very sporadically with the other housewives saying that her focus and attention is with George and her family. December 9, 2008 marked the departure of Waring from the show to focus her attention on her family and their difficulties, specifically citing Josh's spiral into heroin addiction. Prior to the start of Season 4, in June 2008, Josh was charged with two felony counts of possession and intent to sell.
"Soccer moms drive mini vans but this girl drives a Bentley." (Season 6)
Season 6 welcomed a new beautiful blonde, Peggy Tanous, a 41-year old former model and now stay-at-home mom with poster girl good looks. Peggy is an odd mix between a holistic, new age woman and a wealthy Orange County
party girl. She believes in clean, natural living, but loves her bling, Bentley, and plastic surgery. She sees her new O.C. gal-pals as another step towards being fabulous.
Peggy is a close friend to Alexis, but as the season plays out, the relationship hits a rocky patch. Peggy jumps into the middle of a friendship with Tamra because they are both involved with younger men, and Vicki because Peggy believes strongly in astrology and Vicki is an Aries.
During the season, Peggy gets breast implant replacement surgery because it's healthier and as she says, she wants to look "damn good in a bathing suit!" Peggy also reinvigorates her former modeling/hosting career, but there is more to Peggy than just good looks as she opens up about an emotional secret.
" moniker, once attached only to The Real Housewives of Orange County, now denotes a franchise with a number of spin-off
series that air on BravoTV. In the wake of the success of the original show, the first spin-off, The Real Housewives of New York City
, premiered on March 4, 2008. BravoTV also announced the development of two additional "Housewives" spin-offs, The Real Housewives of New Jersey
and The Real Housewives of Atlanta
, with the latter premiering on October 7, 2008. The Real Housewives of New Jersey subsequently premiered on May 12, 2009.
In the spring of 2009, BravoTV announced the creation and casting of another spin-off called The Real Housewives of D.C. The fifth season of The Real Housewives of Orange County premiered on November 5, 2009. Additionally, Season 1 O.C. housewife De La Rosa received her own dating show spin-off, Date My Ex: Jo & Slade, in which a group of bachelors competed to become her new love interest. This spin-off premiered on BravoTV on July 21, 2008.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
began shooting during March 2010. Kim and Kyle Richards, who are Paris Hilton's aunts, will be in the show. The Real Housewives franchise might go international. According to TV Fanatic and OK Magazine, Bravo is thinking about expanding their empire to Dubai. In Greece, The Real Housewives of Athens will begin airing on Antenna TV
in October 2010..'The Real Kids Of LA' was later changed to LA Prep spinoff of NYC Prep
.
As aforementioned, all spinoffs are based on the original Orange County series.
stores released the first season on DVD.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
program on the Bravo network. It is the first and seminal installation in the The Real Housewives of... series (all spinoffs, as acknowledged in the individual spinoffs' end credits, are based on ...of Orange County). Created by Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
producer and Coto de Caza
Coto de Caza, California
Coto de Caza is a census-designated place and guard-gated private community in Orange County, California. The population was 14,866 at the 2010 census, up from 13,057 at the 2000 census....
("Coto") resident Scott Dunlop, with music by Chuck Hammer
Chuck Hammer
Chuck Hammer is an American guitarist and Emmy nominated digital film composer, known for seminal guitar-synth with Lou Reed, David Bowie, and Guitarchitecture....
, the show was initially set primarily in the gated community
Gated community
In its modern form, a gated community is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly-controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences. Gated communities usually consist of small residential...
of Coto and followed the lavish livestyles of five "housewives" and their families who resided within Coto McMansions, with the exception of one housewife (Lauri Waring), who lived in a Ladera Ranch townhouse. This housewife exception-to-the-rule was used in Season 1 as a foil to the (then) extravagant lifestyle of the other four housewives, who lived "behind the Coto gates". The show is a voyeuristic look into the wealthy lives of these housewives, as they shop, get plastic surgery, gossip, fight and live lavishly. The construction-real estate crash, the beginning of which coincided almost exactly with the first season's broadcast, has since trimmed the housewives' lifestyles with job losses, evictions, mortgage defaults, foreclosures, and marital stress—all recorded in progressive seasons of the show. Some have seen the show as a parable of the economic bubble and crisis as it portrayed a lavish consumerism, with American families living beyond their means, only to find themselves in serious debt when the economy soured.
History
The five original housewives were Kimberly Bryant, Jo De La Rosa, Vicki Gunvalson, Jeana KeoughJeana Tomasino
Jeana Tomasino was born on September 18, 1955 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Tomasino graduated from Whitnall High School located in Greenfield, Wisconsin in 1972. When she was younger, she worked as a model and actress...
and Lauri Waring. Season 1 consisted of 8 episodes, including the reunion. The show's second season premiered on January 16, 2007. Four of the five original housewives returned, with the exception of Kimberly Bryant who was replaced by Tammy Knickerbocker. Season 2 consisted of 10 episodes, including the reunion. Season 3 opened with Jo De Le Rosa's replacement Tamra Barney and consisted of 12 episodes, including the reunion. Additionally, midway through this season, a sixth housewife was introduced to the cast, Quinn Fry. With the introduction of Barney and Fry and Waring's move to San Juan Capistrano, the scope of the show widened its narrow focus that used to emphasize the privilege and exclusivity of living in gated Coto de Caza to purport the general luxury and materialism of living in the Orange County environment. For example, Waring comments in the opening credits of Season 3 that she is now "living the Orange County lifestyle again" with her new wealthy fiance. BravoTV announced the series' fourth season renewal with the return of three original housewives, Gunvalson, Keough, Peterson (Waring, after her marriage to George Peterson at the end of Season 3), and Season 3 housewife Barney. A new housewife, Gretchen Rossi, replaces Season 2 housewife Knickerbocker and Season 3 housewife Fry, both of whom did not return. To compensate for the mid-season departure of Peterson, another new housewife, Lynne Curtin, joined the cast. This season premiered on November 25, 2008. Season 4 consisted of 15 episodes, including the reunion and a 'Lost Footage' special. In June 2009, BravoTV announced the renewal of the show for a fifth season with the entire Season 4 cast returning. Season 5 premiered on 5 November 2009, with fifteen regular episodes and a two-part reunion. During this season a sixth housewife, Newport Beach resident, Alexis Bellino, was added to the cast to replace Keough, who departed mid-season, leaving Gunvalson as the only remaining original cast member.
The show has been picked up for a sixth season, with new housewife Peggy Tanous replacing Lynne Curtin.
Fernanda Rocha of Laguna Beach, a personal trainer who co-owns the Art of Fitness & Day Spa, also in Laguna, has signed up to appear on several upcoming episodes. Season 6 premiered on Sunday, March 6, 2011.
On Tuesday, August 2, 2011, the Real Housewives of Orange County was renewed for the seventh season, and then on September 4, 2011, Vicki Gunvalson tweeted, "It's "Go Time" for season 7. Tamra and I are now locked in. Hoping to have our best season yet! Pray for us..... Woo hoo'", on her official Twitter account.
Vicki Gunvalson
(Season 1 - present)"I don’t want to get old." (Season 1)
"Here's to not being fake." (Season 2)
"Everything's gotta be huge, large, and grand." (Season 3)
"I want the power, and the money, and I want them both." (Season 4)
"I love my family, I love my work, I love my life." (Season 5)
"I make my own money, and I make my own rules." (Season 6 - present)
At 49, born March 27, 1962 Gunvalson's family includes her second husband, Donn, and the two children from her first marriage—Michael (who attended the University of Colorado at Boulder in early episodes) and Briana Wolfsmith (a nurse who attended Azusa Pacific University) in early episodes.
Gunvalson is the dominant force in her family and has been described by her family and friends as "controlling" and a "workaholic." As she is quoted in the show's opening credits, "I want the power and the money, and I want them both." Her children repeatedly call her "crazy" both to her face and during their camera confessionals during all three seasons. She has worked extremely hard to achieve financial success as an independent insurance agent and expects her family to toe her party line. Gunvalson herself admits to having control issues but maintains it is this very characteristic that has brought about her success and desired lifestyle. For example, in Season 1, when the housewives go on a private jewelry shopping spree, Waring laments that she does not have a man in her life to buy her the beautiful jewels in the shop; Gunvalson responds by telling her that she does not need a man to buy her things because they can earn the money independently through their insurance leads and purchase the jewels themselves.
In Season 3, Gunvalson and her husband are empty nesters and purchase a smaller home in Coto with the goal to downsize and simplify their lives. However, they still reside in their large residence and Gunvalson expresses anxiety of moving to the smaller home because of her perceived connection between financial failure and downsizing her home's square footage. She explains to the camera, "What will people think?" and eventually decides to sell her smaller house (4,000 s.f. initially listed at $2.1M) through Keough.
Gunvalson appears to have expanded her business to include business associates in Bellevue, Washington and Atlanta by Season 3. Michael starts an internship in Bellevue saying that he sees the lucrative income that his mom earns in insurance and wants to make that kind of money. Briana, however, thinks that he is crazy to want to work with their mother. Gunvalson is pleased that Michael wants to follow in her footsteps and looks forward to "passing the baton" if he meets her work standards. She announces to the staff in Bellevue that Michael shadowed his father as a carpenter last summer engaged in manual labor and she is glad that he is choosing to use his brain instead.
Gunvalson's opening scene in Season 4 finds her shopping for $1 million yachts with Michael. Her plans include selling the family's Lake Havasu vacation home and buying an expensive yacht that she says could be used more frequently as the yacht will be berthed 20 minutes from their home versus driving hours to Arizona. When she initially tells Donn of her plans, he asks her, "When is it ever enough?" Gunvalson replies, "It's never enough." Gunvalson's Season 4 motif revolves around her increasingly distant relationship with Donn and their awkward attempts to reintegrate their individual lives.
In Season 5, Vicki and Donn are portrayed as becoming closer after the growing estrangement in the Season 4 plots. However, Vicki becomes more distant from the other housewives after her season-opening "girls only" trip to Florida is crashed by husbands and a boyfriend without objection from the other cast members. In particular, Vicki's closest ally, Tamra, comes to prefer Alexis, and partially reconciles with Gretchen. Briana reappears in mid-season to provide a cancer-scare plot line.
In October 2010 it was reported that Vicki and Donn were divorcing. In April 2011, on the Bravo aftershow series Watch What Happens Live, Vicki confirmed that divorce proceedings were ongoing. She is the only original housewife from season 1 left in the programme.
Tamra Barney
(Season 3 - present)"I'm the hottest housewife in Orange County." (Season 3)
"I'm not the new girl anymore, so watch out." (Season 4)
"Housewives come younger, but they don't come hotter." (Season 5)
"I'm done being the trophy wife. Freedom only makes me hotter." (Season 6 - present)
43-year-old California native Tamra Barney joined the cast in Season 3 through a casting call launched on the BravoTV website. She lived in Ladera Ranch with her second husband of 10 years, Simon Robert Barney (born 1964). She became a real estate agent in Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch to achieve a sense of "value" in her family dynamic. However, she made it clear that her job did not provide her family with its primary financial support and that her husband was her family's primary breadwinner. Her family included three children by Simon: Sidney, Spencer, and Sophia, all of whom are under the age 10. Barney also has a 23 year old son, Ryan Vieth, from her first marriage. In Season 3, Ryan moved back in with the Barneys after leaving the family home at age 18 because of his contentious relationship with Simon. Although Ryan's relationship with Simon had not improved, without a college education and a job, he is forced to move back in with Barney and Simon. Season 3 documents the strain that Ryan imposed upon Barney and Simon's marriage. In response, Simon has Ryan sign a contract listing conditions which Ryan must meet to continue living in his house. After three months of living with Vieth-Barney and Simon, Ryan begrudgingly accepts a parts picker job paying only $10/hour at the Newport Beach auto dealership where Simon works.[41][42] Simon gives Ryan the opportunity to attend Universal Technical Institute,[43] which specializes in auto mechanics. By the end of Season 3, Ryan moved out of Barney and Simon's home to live with his grandmother.
As a new real estate agent working the same territory as Keough (a more established realtor), Barney expresses feelings of competitiveness with her. Barney asserted that "it won't be long before she's kicking Jeana's butt" when it comes to selling real estate in Coto. Citing the relative slowness of the Southern California real estate market, she was very pleased that she has four listings explaining that a good-looking female realtor will always make money in Orange County. She flamboyantly calls herself the "hottest housewife in Orange County" and works especially hard to keep herself looking "hot" as she approaches the "dreaded 40" during Season 3.
In Season 4, Simon has left Fletcher Jones to become a tequila salesman. He spent most of his time at home with Barney and their three small children. Tamra left employment as a real estate agent citing the severe slow down of the real estate market. Her eldest son, Ryan, lived on his own since leaving the low paying job that Simon arranged for him at his former employer to work construction at a higher pay. However, Ryan's lack of career focus and lifestyle choices continued to be a contentious issue for himself and his parents during this season.
Vieth-Barney and Gunvalson grow closer in Season 4 taking vacations together out of town (an anniversary weekend in Napa, California and New Year's vacation to Las Vegas, Nevada) and teaming up at an "Housewife" event during opening day at Del Mar Racetrack. While Curtin, Keough, and Rossi socialized with one another in the private box, Barney and Gunvalson (and their husbands) stayed close to one another avoiding Curtin and Rossi, prompting Keough to call them cliquey. Barney explains that their closeness is because she and Gunvalson "share a lot of the same values" and that "Vicki and Donn will be [their] lifelong friends."
The Tamra segments of Season 5 concentrate mainly on the growing marital discord between Tamra and Simon, exacerbated by their financial difficulties and continuing conflict over Ryan's behavior. On January 7, 2010, after Season 5 filming, Simon filed for divorce claiming infidelity and disloyalty by Tamra, and she moved from their home into a two bedroom apartment. The Barneys subsequently sold their house on May 10, 2010, as a "short sale," losing between $200,000 and $600,000.
Tamra Vieth-Barney appeared as a guest on Season 2, Episode 3, of Top Chef Masters
Gretchen Rossi
(Season 4 - present)"I love the bling, I love the jewlery, I love it all." (Season 4)
"I'm smart, I'm sexy, and I'm confident. Of course people are going to talk about me." (Season 5)
"Happiness means never having to apologize for being me." (Season 6 - present)
Blond bombshell, Gretchen Rossi, 33, made a considerable impression on viewers when she joined the cast of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" in Season 4 and exposed some of the most poignant and personal details of her life. Gretchen grew up in La Cresenta, CA, and attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she earned a degree in Psychology and a minor in Family Studies and Child Development. Following college, Gretchen went into the then-booming South Orange County real estate industry, but quit working to take care of her fiancé at the time, Jeff. Gretchen continues to build financial independence through her make-up line and is now expanding the business with a handbag collection. Feeling pressure to take the next step with boyfriend, Slade Smiley, Gretchen doesn't know if she is ready for marriage again.
Alexis Bellino
(Season 5- present)"Am I high maintenance? Of course I am. Look at me." (Season 5)
"God is my savior, my husband is my king, and my body, it's sinful." (Season 6 - present)
Having joined the cast during Season 5, Alexis Bellino is a 32-year-old spicy blonde and stay-at-home mom who unabashedly lives life on her own terms. Originally from the small town of Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
, Alexis now lives in the exclusive enclave of Newport Beach with her older husband, Jim Bellino. Alexis and Jim have three young children, 4-year old James and 3 year-old twins, Melania and Mackenna.
Alexis still believes that Jim is her king and savior and runs the show, but also confesses she wants more freedom and independence as a wife and mother. It's a new chapter for Alexis this season as she decides to launch a line of sexy and revealing dresses, designed for moms' just like her…which leads Tamra to speculate if there are other moms like Alexis.
Heather Dubrow
(Season 7 - present)Formerly Heather Paige Kent, who appeared on the CBS series That's Life - will take the place of Peggy Tanous on season 7.
In 1999, Heather married plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow, a man with his own reality show past: he appeared on The Swan and Bridalplasty. The couple resides in Newport Beach and has four children.
Fernanda Rocha
(Friend of the Housewives)(Season 6 - present)
Tamra introduces the group to new gal-pal Fernanda Rocha, a 34-year-old, hot Brazilian lesbian fitness instructor. Fernanda and Tamra are pals and they love to flirt…with each other. The pair model topless for a charity fundraiser poster, and their behavior spreads rumors and speculation in the O.C.
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
circle. In episode 8, entitled Kiss and Tell it is revealed that Fernanda and Tamra shared a kiss in a public restroom. According to Fernanda the "kiss" was an obvious sign of affection, while Tamra insists that she had been drinking and was going through a tough time. Both women were involved with other people at the time of the incident and Fernanda blames the affair for the dissolution of her relationship.
Fernanda gets to know the other girls and decides to go with Gretchen, Alexis and Peggy on a girl trip to San Antonio
San Antonio, California
San Antonio is an unincorporated community in Marin County, California. It lies at an elevation of 56 feet ....
. The move helps her develop strong friendships with the gals beyond her tie to Tamra.
Kimberly Bryant
(Season 1)"85% of the women around here have had breast implants." (Season 1)
Born in 1961, Bryant is a stay-at-home mom whose schedule primarily consists of shuttling her kids from extracurricular activity to activity, working out, and socializing with her girlfriends. Season 1 focuses on her decision to surgically enhance her physical appearance after moving to Coto; her husband Scott asked her to get breast augmentation surgery after noticing that the majority of Coto wives were extremely well endowed. Bryant comments that 85 percent of the women living in Coto have had breast implants. She explains that she went from an A-cup to a D-cup breast size in part because her husband's idea of a wife over 40 is a "lingerie model."
At the end of Season 1, Bryant explained her family's departure from the show to Chicago by saying that her medical history of melanoma and her son's recent growth of a benign, but still pre-cancerous, mole catalyzed their move from the sunny OC weather.[55] The O.C. Register, however, provided an alternate explanation of why the Bryants left town: Scott purportedly physically assaulted a woman named Jana Kindchadwick after Kindchadwick and Bryant themselves engaged in a physical altercation.] Scott was eventually found not guilty in his misdemeanor battery criminal trial for assaulting Kindchadwick.
Bryant makes cameo appearances at Waring's bridal shower in Season 3 and in Season 4 when Gunvalson and Keough reunite with her during their trip to Chicago to visit family. She also attends a Season 4 end-of-summer party with the current housewives.
She now lives in Lake Bluff, Illinois.
Jo De La Rosa
(Season 1 - Season 2)"He's pretty much keeping me." (Season 1)
"I deserve only the best. I’m worth it." (Season 2)
Jo De La Rosa (alias) was born in Lima, Peru and emigrated with her parents to Tustin, California
Tustin, California
-Top employers:According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Tustin had a population of 75,540. The population density was 6,816.7 people per square mile...
at the age of three. In 1994, her parents won the California Lottery and moved the family to Mission Viejo. There she attended Mission Viejo High School where she was active in drama, cheer, and student body. She graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Comparative Literature. She then started a career in the title insurance industry where she met Slade Smiley, who served as her entrance into the Coto lifestyle.
In Season 1, De La Rosa lived with Slade in his house behind the Coto gates. Included in her Coto family were his two sons from two different relationships, Gavin and Grayson. Slade is an executive in the title insurance industry and provided De La Rosa with the money and prestige of living the Coto lifestyle. He gave her a Mercedes sedan and a luxurious home and wanted De La Rosa, in turn, to be the conventional stay-at-home wife and mother. In De La Rosa's words, "Slade is pretty much keeping me." Despite having all of her financial needs taken care of, she still had trouble adjusting to the traditional housewife role.
In Season 2, De La Rosa decided to move out of Coto to take a position as the title representative for her company's Beverly Hills territory. As a result, Slade ended their romantic relationship during a session with a relationship therapist, but becomes her unofficial "guide" on contract or business issues as she pursues a singing career. Another change to her Coto life during this season was that Slade's younger son, Grayson, did not appear to live with De La Rosa and Slade.
De La Rosa was not included as a Season 3 cast member as she has moved to Los Angeles with a record contract from Immergent Records in tow and does not keep in touch with the other housewives. However, she makes cameo appearances at Keough's backyard cocktail party on the Season 3 finale episode and the post-Season 3 reunion episode. She also appears in the Season 4 finale, along with several housewives from seasons past.
De La Rosa and Slade were spun off on a dating reality show following her pursuit of love and a music career in Los Angeles. On July 12, 2008, their spin-off, entitled, "Date My Ex: Jo & Slade," premiered on BravoTV. Before the spin-off premiered, BravoTV aired a one episode special called, "Jo and Slade: The Break Up," on June 30, 2008 that recapped De La Rosa and Slade's romantic history and previewed their spin-off.
De La Rosa released her first album, titled "Unscripted," on August 19, 2008.
In Season 4, Rossi appears as an extra in De La Rosa's first music video with Slade as the video's producer.
According to De La Rosa's website, she is currently working on her sophomore album.
Quinn Fry
(Season 3)"I love having a younger man in my life." (Season 3)
Fry joined the cast mid-Season 3 on December 11, 2007, by answering a casting call advertisement in a local newspaper. She was born in 1955 in Fort Knox, Kentucky, where her father was stationed in the military. Married twice before and now single, she lives in San Clemente, California
San Clemente, California
San Clemente is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 63,522 at the 2010 census. Located on the California Coast, midway between Los Angeles and San Diego at the southern tip of the county, it is known for its ocean, hill, and mountain views, a pleasant climate and its Spanish...
. She has two children, one from each of her marriages: Shannon (31 at the time, a Eureka
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
resident) and Colin. Colin lives with Fry and attended San Clemente High School as a senior at the time.[74] She works as an internet marketing manager and managing editor of an Orange County
Orange County
Orange County is the name of several counties in the United States of America:* Orange County, California* Orange County, Florida* Orange County, Indiana* Orange County, New York* Orange County, North Carolina* Orange County, Texas...
-based lifestyle and entertainment website and has also appeared as an on-air personality for the Cox Communications cable program, OC Lifestyle.
She is portrayed as a "cougar" as she is casually seeing a 26-year-old named Jared and she comments that "I love having a younger man in my life." However, a liaison with a golf pro in his forties, named Billy, is the relationship that Fry more seriously pursues. The other housewives meet her for the first time at a Mission Viejo restaurant where they immediately ask Fry a number of personal questions, such as, her age (52 at the time) and the name of her plastic surgeon. At this meet-and-greet, she calls the other housewives "catty" in response to their derisive comments after being introduced to Jared. For example, Barney comments in her camera confessional about Fry dating Jared that "I think if you're super hot like Demi Moore you can get away with it, but that's not the case."
As a devout Christian, Fry's debut season chronicles her search for a committed relationship that will lead to marriage. She struggles to balance her self-purported "sensual" side with her religious conviction that she is meant to be married. She describes her most recent relationship with a man that she lived with for three years as a waste of time because he was simply not interested in being married. At the end of Season 3, Fry breaks up with Billy because he could not even call her his girlfriend let alone marry her.
Fry leaves the cast after the end of Season 3, but attends a party Keough gives during the premiere episode of Season 4. She keeps in touch with Keough, calling her the "glue that keeps the housewives together" and describes her as the "peacekeeper." At Keough's invitation, Fry plans to attend a "Housewives" function to reunite with Gunvalson, Keough, and Knickerbocker. However, she describes Waring as a "fake" and classifies Barney similarly, stating that they smile when the cameras are on but are completely different when she sees them on the street. She makes a party appearance in Season 5.
Tammy Knickerbocker
(Season 2 - Season 3)"I don’t let my kids or my exes drive me crazy." (Season 2)
"No matter how much money you have, you can always rely on others." (Season 3)
Tammy Knickerbocker, a 46-year-old single mother of three, joined the cast in Season 2 at the recommendation of her close friend of over 15 years and then-housewife Jeana Keough. Knickerbocker's family includes her two daughters from her first marriage, Megan and Lindsey, as well as a young son named Ryley from a recently ended relationship. Her first marriage to Lou (who died of a heart attack at age 67 on April 24, 2007) ended when he had an affair with his assistant and their lucrative business went bankrupt. Her lifestyle has been "reduced" from being married and owning one of the largest houses in Coto de Caza to being single and renting a $1.3 million house in the community while her permanent Coto home undergoes renovations because of severe water damage.
Another twist to her storyline is that Ryley's father, Duff, works in Coto as Gunvalson's home office manager. Knickerbocker and Duff attempt to balance their "friends with benefits" relationship with raising their young son. In the end, however, Duff and Knickerbocker decide to end any romantic relationship. Duff swears off the "crazy women of Coto de Caucasian" and Knickerbocker introduces the new man in her life to the other Housewives at Gunvalson's splashy end-of-summer barbecue party.
Although Knickerbocker left the series at the end of Season 3, she makes a cameo appearance at the end of Season 4, when she attended a party with current and selected former housewives, and another appearance for a Bunco party hosted by Tamra Barney.
Lynne Curtin
(Season 4 - Season 5)(Recurring Season 6)
"I'm just your typical Orange County housewife. I'm obsessed with being young." (Season 4)
"It's not about how much money you have, it's about how good you look spending it." (Season 5)
On December 16, 2008, the Capistrano Beach resident Curtin,[107] joined the cast in the fourth episode of Season 4 to replace Lauri Waring Peterson. She has been married to Frank Curtin for 18 years and is a stay-at-home mom for her two teenage daughters, Raquel (19) and Alexa (17).[108] Her role as a stay-at-home mom and accompanying interpretation of appropriate parenting style is her storyline in Season 4. She mentions that her "carefree and laidback" parenting style where she strives to be her daughters' best friend differs greatly from her husband's. Raquel is turning 18 and angling for a blowout bash and a car (preferably a BMW, Mercedes or Audi) as Curtin debuts in Season 4.
While her younger daughter, Alexa, stays at home, Raquel prefers (in her words) to "party with her friends as often as she can" throughout Orange County. She is shown eating out in Laguna Beach restaurants ordering alcoholic beverages and smuggling bottled alcohol into a bowling alley to surreptitiously drink with her fellow underage friends in the bathroom. Compounding her image as a "problem child" (as Curtin teasingly labels her eldest), Raquel discloses to Keough that she graduated from a high school program called Access at Horizons, which Keough explains is designed to cope with children with disciplinary problems.
A leitmotif is Curtin's reluctance to accept that she is getting older. When pressed by Rossi, Curtin will not divulge her age confessing that she is absolutely afraid of getting old when she just wants to "have fun." She prides herself on looking young and wearing the same size clothing as her teenage daughters. At Raquel's birthday lunch, Alexa wears a form fitting short dress that incites Randy to respond that he did not even recognize her and that she looked like a stripper. Curtin's response is that the dress is very "classy" and it actually belongs to her.
The other Housewives label her and Frank as "so laid back," with Barney and Gunvalson implying that they both use marijuana to achieve that level of calmness. Barney, Gunvalson, and Keough observe that the Curtins differ so greatly from the rest of the Housewives and their spouses because of their "mc purposes. Both Lynne and her husband, jointly, are subjects of a $1,200,000 court judgment in favor of a former business associate [109]
Lynne Curtin appeared as a guest on Season 2, Episode 3, of Top Chef Masters [110] On August 6, 2010, Curtin has announced on her official Facebook page that she will not be returning to the show: "Rumor has it that I will not be returning for 'Season 6' That rumor is true! Further rumor has it we will be back somewhere else on our own show! Hmmmm! 'Watch what happens' Life is so unpredictable! Enjoy! L," also: "I am broken hearted! I was so let down the way this came about! We were the last to know! I guess Bravo has to do what they have to do! I thought we had a great relationship! I guess I was wrong! Its funny how fast offers came to us from other places! That's how we found out we were not returning! Funny how life can be! L." She also said, "Thank you! We tried to be honest about our lives! I thought that's what reality TV is supposed to be! I would like our new show to be totally honest! No retakes or do overs. You will see it exactly the way it really happens! Someone thinks a lot of people will tune in! That makes me feel better about things! It's important to keep a positive vibe in life no matter what is going on! L"
She will make an appearance during season 6.
Lauri Waring Peterson
(Season 1 - Season 4)In Season 1, Lauri Waring Peterson was a multiple-divorced single mother who used to live in a grand house with maid service in neighboring Dove Canyon with her ex-husband, but in the aftermath of her latest divorce had to downsize to a smaller townhouse outside the gates in Ladera Ranch. Her family included Ashley, Josh and Sophie.
Although she was 46 at the time, Waring, a former model, still attended parties at Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion, though she was quick to point out she was never a Playboy bunny. To make ends meet, she worked in Gunvalson's home insurance office. Her daughter Ashley moved back home to escape the difficulties of paying her own bills and her son Josh spent time in juvenile detention.
In Season 1, Waring struggled with the adjustment from her former affluent lifestyle provided by yet another wealthy husband to a more modest standard of living on her own. She has said that she has gone from being poor to being rich to being poor again, and that "having money is easier." However, her perception of "poor" still includes her purchase of jewelry valued for thousands of dollars during a private shopping excursion with the housewives. During Season 1, Gunvalson hired Waring into her home-based insurance company, however by Season 2, after forming a relationship with a rich land developer, Waring appears to have a less active role in Gunvalson's insurance company and by Season 3, Waring never appears working with Gunvalson or in the insurance business.
During Season 2, Waring became engaged on Lake Como to a wealthy real estate and land developer, George Peterson.[95] Season 2 focused on Waring's relationship with George and the financial improvements to her lifestyle that this upwardly mobile relationship provides her and her children. Waring identifies herself as a Republican (although she is unable to define what that means to her) and attends a Republican Party fundraiser as part of George's social obligations.
By Season 3, Waring, Ashley and Sophie have moved in with George into his home in San Juan Capistrano. She is shown planning her expensive third wedding and riding horses at George's ranch. After leaving rehab, Josh moved into Waring's Ladera Ranch townhouse with Ashley, however, Waring purports that Josh broke a number of "house rules" and she evicted him. After leaving his mother's townhouse, Josh moved in with George's ex-wife, Gina. Josh doesn't appear in the credits as part of Waring's family and Waring has alluded that she doesn't see him anymore. Despite the appearance of numerous children from George's former marriage and Waring's repeated commentary about their "modern Brady Bunch family" in Season 2, only one daughter, McKenzie (18), appears to live with George and Waring during Season 3. The Season 3 finale included an extended psychotherapy session attended by Waring and Josh where they achieved resolution in their conflicted mother-son relationship. Josh ends up being included in his mother's lavish wedding ceremony as his grandmother's escort down the aisle.
In Season 4, Waring makes a brief appearance with the other housewives as they enjoy massages, facials, manicures and pedicures at a high-end Los Angeles day spa. While the other housewives bond and leisurely enjoy spa treatments, Waring leaves early to attend a family function with George. Gunvalson comments that Waring used to be a close friend but not since she married George and says that, "It's sad." As the season progresses, it is apparent that Waring interacts very sporadically with the other housewives saying that her focus and attention is with George and her family. December 9, 2008 marked the departure of Waring from the show to focus her attention on her family and their difficulties, specifically citing Josh's spiral into heroin addiction. Prior to the start of Season 4, in June 2008, Josh was charged with two felony counts of possession and intent to sell.
Peggy Tanous
(Season 6)"Soccer moms drive mini vans but this girl drives a Bentley." (Season 6)
Season 6 welcomed a new beautiful blonde, Peggy Tanous, a 41-year old former model and now stay-at-home mom with poster girl good looks. Peggy is an odd mix between a holistic, new age woman and a wealthy Orange County
Orange County
Orange County is the name of several counties in the United States of America:* Orange County, California* Orange County, Florida* Orange County, Indiana* Orange County, New York* Orange County, North Carolina* Orange County, Texas...
party girl. She believes in clean, natural living, but loves her bling, Bentley, and plastic surgery. She sees her new O.C. gal-pals as another step towards being fabulous.
Peggy is a close friend to Alexis, but as the season plays out, the relationship hits a rocky patch. Peggy jumps into the middle of a friendship with Tamra because they are both involved with younger men, and Vicki because Peggy believes strongly in astrology and Vicki is an Aries.
During the season, Peggy gets breast implant replacement surgery because it's healthier and as she says, she wants to look "damn good in a bathing suit!" Peggy also reinvigorates her former modeling/hosting career, but there is more to Peggy than just good looks as she opens up about an emotional secret.
Housewife history
| Housewives | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 | Season 6 | Season 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vicki Gunvalson | |||||||
| Jeana Keough | |||||||
| Lauri Waring Peterson | |||||||
| Jo De La Rosa | |||||||
| Kimberly Bryant | |||||||
| Tammy Knickerbocker | |||||||
| Quinn Fry | |||||||
| Tamra Barney | |||||||
| Gretchen Rossi | |||||||
| Lynne Curtin | |||||||
| Alexis Bellino | |||||||
| Peggy Tanous | |||||||
| Heather Dubrow |
Friends of the Housewife history
| Housewives | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 | Season 6 | Season 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernanda Rocha | |||||||
| Lynne Curtin | |||||||
| Jeana Keough |
Spin-offs
The "Real HousewivesReal Housewives
The Real Housewives... is a reality series which airs in the United States on the cable network Bravo, and various other broadcasters internationally...
" moniker, once attached only to The Real Housewives of Orange County, now denotes a franchise with a number of spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
series that air on BravoTV. In the wake of the success of the original show, the first spin-off, The Real Housewives of New York City
The Real Housewives of New York City
The Real Housewives of New York City is an American reality television program on the Bravo cable TV network, a spin-off of the Bravo series The Real Housewives of Orange County. New York is the second city featured in The Real Housewives of... franchise...
, premiered on March 4, 2008. BravoTV also announced the development of two additional "Housewives" spin-offs, The Real Housewives of New Jersey
The Real Housewives of New Jersey
The Real Housewives of New Jersey is a reality television program on the Bravo network which originally followed the lives of five women in and around several upscale communities in Northern New Jersey...
and The Real Housewives of Atlanta
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is an American reality television series on the Bravo cable network that premiered in the fall of 2008. Following the format of its predecessors , in 2009 the Atlanta series was not only the highest rated show of the The Real Housewives of... franchise, it was the...
, with the latter premiering on October 7, 2008. The Real Housewives of New Jersey subsequently premiered on May 12, 2009.
In the spring of 2009, BravoTV announced the creation and casting of another spin-off called The Real Housewives of D.C. The fifth season of The Real Housewives of Orange County premiered on November 5, 2009. Additionally, Season 1 O.C. housewife De La Rosa received her own dating show spin-off, Date My Ex: Jo & Slade, in which a group of bachelors competed to become her new love interest. This spin-off premiered on BravoTV on July 21, 2008.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is an American reality series for the Bravo cable network. The sixth installment in the network's The Real Housewives of... franchise, production for the Evolution Media series began in March 2010. The show premiered on October 14, 2010...
began shooting during March 2010. Kim and Kyle Richards, who are Paris Hilton's aunts, will be in the show. The Real Housewives franchise might go international. According to TV Fanatic and OK Magazine, Bravo is thinking about expanding their empire to Dubai. In Greece, The Real Housewives of Athens will begin airing on Antenna TV
Antenna TV
Antenna TV is an American digital broadcast television network, primarily featuring classic television series from the 1950s to the 1990s, along with some feature films. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, a division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
in October 2010..'The Real Kids Of LA' was later changed to LA Prep spinoff of NYC Prep
NYC Prep
NYC Prep was a reality television program on the Bravo channel. It followed six Manhattan teenagers in their daily lives as they attended events such as weekend parties, fashion shows, shopping sprees, charity events and dinner parties...
.
As aforementioned, all spinoffs are based on the original Orange County series.
DVD releases
In April 2010, TargetTarget Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
stores released the first season on DVD.
| Season | Episodes | Release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | March 15, 2009 | |
| 2 | 10 | November 8, 2009 | |
| 3 | 12 | March 21, 2010 | |
| 4 | 15 | November 14, 2010 | |
| 5 | 17 | August 9, 2011 | |
| 6 | 16 | TBA | |
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Season Premiere | Season Finale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | March 21, 2006 | May 9, 2006 | |
| 2 | 10 | January 16, 2007 | March 20, 2007 | |
| 3 | 12 | November 6, 2007 | January 29, 2008 | |
| 4 | 15 | November 25, 2008 | February 24, 2009 | |
| 5 | 17 | November 5, 2009 | March 11, 2010 | |
| 6 | 16 | March 6, 2011 | June 20, 2011 | |
| 7 | TBA | Spring 2012 | TBA | |
External links
- Monster's Bawl March 30, 2006 Kara Keough's letter to the OC Weekly editor