Housewives

by Brian Moylan

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From Brian Moylan, the writer of Vulture ’s legendary Real Housewives recaps, a table-flipping, finger-pointing, halter-topping VIP journey through reality TV’s greatest saga…

In the spring of 2006, a new kind of show premiered on The Real Housewives of Orange County . Its stars were tanned, taut, and bedazzled; their homes were echoey California villas; and their drama was gossip-fueled, wine-drenched, and absolutely exquisite. Fifteen seasons on, RHOC is an institution, along with The Real Housewives of New York, Atlanta, New Jersey, Miami, Potomac , and more. Over the years these ladies have done a lot more than lunch, launching thirty-one books, a cocktail line, two jail sentences, a couple supermodel daughters, Andy Cohen’s talk show career, thirty-six divorces, fourteen albums, a White House party crash, and approximately one million memes.

Brian Moylan has been there through it all, in front of the screen and behind the scenes. The writer of Vulture ’s beloved series recaps, he’s here to tell us the full story, from the inside scoop on every classic throwdown to the questions we’ve always wanted to know, like―what are the housewives really like off-camera? (The same.) How much money do they make? (Lots.) He has a lot to say about the legacy and fandom of a franchise that’s near and dear to his heart, and inextricable from pop culture today.

A must-have for any fan of real drama and fake [redacted], The Housewives is the definitive companion to an American TV treasure.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Pop Culture, Memoir, Biography, Humor, Tv

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2021

Reviews

[Taylor Reid]

If you love the franchise like I do, this book is so damn fun. Brian shares all the behind-the-scenes secrets you’ve always wanted to know about the Real Housewives franchise in this must-read book for fans. Entertaining, gossipy fun you won’t want to put down.

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In case we haven’t met, allow me to introduce myself . . . .



That is why this book is perfect for me. If you are new to all things Bravo or are wanting a housewives book featuring snark and insider scoop regarding the various personalities of the franchise, this may not be what you’re looking for (you probably want one of the many memoirs written by the stars themselves or one of Andy’s various diaries). Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, if you are like me and have not missed one single episode of one single city since the debut more than FIFTEEN years ago and want allllllll the tea regarding creation, production, hirings, firings, boat rides from hell, dinner parties from hell, scary islands, BravoCon, and exactly what Andy does (and if he is truly the Godfather that gets these broads groveling at his feet to stay on air), then you need to grab a copy of this stat.

My husband would call my weekly dates with these gals a guilty pleasure, but I simply call it a pleasure because I don’t feel guilty at all!!!!



The best part of my day is when I get the T.V. all to myself, am in my jammies with one to three cats snuggling with me and we settle in to watch this spectacle . . . . .



And while it is getting tougher to stand by my girls (especially those like Rinna who went from being a fun-loving asshole to just sort of an asshole or Erika who truly has become a Pretty Mess or god help me poor Dorinda who appears to need an intervention, but got fired instead), do I ever foresee me not recording every catenation that could possibly be released????



Okay, so let’s talk Housewives. Are you a super fan???? Do you scream things at your family like “I MADE IT NICE!” Who is your favorite??? Hands down mine is . . . . .



She’s fucking great television.

How far does your addiction go? Does it stop with the wives or are you all in like me and watch all of the Below Decks and Southern Charms and other trash too???? I seriously could survive with Bravo as my only television channel. Oh wait, that’s a lie because Shelby got me hooked on the 90 Day Fiancé universe and I NEVER. LOOKED. BACK. Now 90 Days, Before the 90 Days, 90 Days the Other Way and Pillow Talk (oh my god Pillow Talk is my FAVE.O.RITE.) has even superseded my Housewives affliction.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fun history lesson for any Real Housewives fans. Brian Moylan did his research and I give him kudos for trying to wrangle as many housewives (former and present) and producers to gather information. For all the people that Brian interviewed, thank you for taking part of this because I was thoroughly entertained.

[Meredith B. (readingwithmere) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the first audiobooks that I've listened to and being a Real Housewives fanatic, I absolutely loved it. I loved that the author read it himself and you can tell he is a real expert on all things Real Housewives and truly all things Bravo.

I think there are parts that can get off Real Housewives at times and bleeds into other reality TV but honestly we needed those shows and events to happen in order for the Real Housewives to be who they are today. I do think that this book is probably best an an audiobook rather than read in a physical book. I think since I was listening to it I was able to have different scenes from various housewives episodes play out in my mind. Whereas if I read the book it may not have been the same.

All in all if you are a Housewives fan or even a reality TV/Bravo fan then you will enjoy this book. I enjoyed learning some of the behind the scenes secrets that took place and some of the tidbits that some Housewives (who it sounds like weren't supposed to) shared with the author.

Thanks to Macmillan audio for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Brian's recaps of RHONY, RHOBH and Summer House but this book was surprisingly dry and dull. There wasn't much dirt dished at all and there was far too much about the producers and Bravo than about the actual housewives. Plus, Alexandre de Lesseps is French, not Swiss and descended from one of the promoters/builders of the Suez Canal, something easily found by Googling him.

[b · Rating 2 out of 5]

The attempted humor in this book is so wooden, so flat. You aren’t going to learn much if you are already a housewives fan, but why would you read this if you are not a housewives fan?

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where are my @bravotv fans at? Specifically Real Housewives fans, have I got a super fun book rec for you! The author writes Housewives recaps for Vulture and packed all his insider info and knowledge into this juicy book. I figured I wouldn’t learn anything new from reading this since I’ve been watching every single franchise since OC but I was pleasantly surprised that I totally did! From his vacation with Vicki to his behind the scenes scoop from various sources (some anon) there was plenty of info that was brand new to me. Though it’s Housewives heavy there’s also gossip about other Bravo shows as well as some nods to other iconic reality shows like Real World. It even made me feel oddly nostalgic for the early days of RHOC and RHONJ, maybe it’s time for a rewatch? 🤔 Definitely fun for fans, way better than most Bravolebrity books I’ve read

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really had no idea what to expect going into The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives by Brian Moylan, I just saw Real Housewives and knew I had to read it. I used to watch that show all the time, and I am a huge fan of Bravo in general, so I was curious what Moylan would have to say. While I will say that it would probably be better for someone who has actually seen all or most of the episodes (not me), I still really enjoyed this fun and juicy look at the show and Bravo TV.

I honestly think the best way to consume the novel is by listening to the audiobook since it is narrated by the author himself, and Moylan is FUN to listen to. I loved his reading of the book and it probably held my attention better since I got to listen to him. He has a very humorous and engaging way of talking and made this a real treat of an audiobook. Just like Bravo, there is plenty of drama packed into this read, and if you are a reality TV fan you will probably get a kick out of this even if you haven't watched The Real Housewives of whatever city. I was really entertained the entire time and felt like I learned quite a few things along the way. It was a nice break from thrillers and sad books too so there's that. The Housewives was a little all over the place, but I really didn't mind it, and I still got a fun, amusing, and insightful read.

[Karen Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun! This is for die hard housewife fans only, but for those people (i.e. my people) this is a must read. Snarky, gossipy but also lots of fascinating behind the scenes stuff, and all with the author’s obvious affection for his subject(s). A little history, a little feminist theory, a whole lot of anecdotes.... and I laughed.... a lot! The perfect audio soundtrack for my Key West road trip! 💕

[Arika · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I am going to apparently be in the minority on this one, I didn’t love it. I reread the blurb right after I finished the book because I thought, surely, I read it wrong when I first heard about this book. Nope, blurb is still misleading. Throughout the entire thing I kept thinking, it's ok, all of this info that I don’t care about will be worth it when we get to the juicy details, just hold on…...except, there are no juicy details. You will hear ratings statistics for each show, the history of the Bravo Network, the founding of Reality TV, and then mostly recaps of episodes.

Finally towards the end the author reveals that Bravo found out he was writing this book and put an end to him trying to interview anyone, which I seriously feel for him! I am sad that happened, because if it didn’t we may have gotten an interesting book. But as it is, this is not an interesting book, and it's about one of my favorite topics, so that should tell you something.

Another note, I would 100% skip the audiobook, if you do choose to trudge through this, save your sanity and just read it. Your ears will thank you.

[Alex O'Donnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent primer of the Housewives franchise. I enjoyed the first half of the book, but the second half felt contrived, like the author ran out of things to write about. The book lacked juicy gossip - if you already pay attention you’d know 95% of the stories. This was disappointing, especially compared to Ladies Who Punch, an excellent novel about the View’s drama.

[Leslee G · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing like I thought! Does not give an inkling into the real lives of the real housewives instead talks about how the show came about a bunch of other BS. I wanted to know what really went on behind the scenes while they were filming each franchise instead it's just a bunch of crap

[Bridget · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love the Housewives, but this book was not what I was expecting it to be. It spent too long discussing histories of Bravo, Housewives and other reality TV. It didn't spend long enough getting into the REAL interesting pieces with the REAL stories behind the women.

[Jess | The_Afterword · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where are all my Real Housewives fans at?!
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I have been a fan of this show since the women of RHOC (Real Housewives of Orange County) were wearing bejeweled sky tops and their kids were sporting Heelys.
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Author Brian Moylan (a journalist who wrote "Real Housewives Recap" for Vulture) takes us on a legendary journey through the years of plastic surgeries, flipped tables, and prosthetic legs.
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He answers questions like, “Who actually pays for those girls trips” and “Does Andy reallyyy have that much power over casting?”
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Last year I read Amy Kaufman's “Bachelor Nation” and immediately fell in love with learning more about my favorite not-so-guilty guilty pleasure reality shows.
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I also loved Andy Cohen’s books “The Andy Cohen Diaries” and “Most Talkative.” However IMO these books still left me with questions about my favorite ladies who know it’s bad karma to host those vow renewals (except if your Stephanie from RHOD because she’s basically a saint).
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Brian Moylan did an AMAZING job of walking the reader (aka super fans) through the creation and making of the show, the addition of the cities, the fashion, the husbands, the drama, and of course - the fights!
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I also loved that he narrated his audiobook, giving emphasis in all the right places.
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If you have ever been a fan of the show (even if it was only one city), you HAVE to read this book!!
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Thank you author Brian Moylan and Macmillan Audio for this #giftedaudiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenny Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't like reality TV that much but I did like how this book was written.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was fine, I started to just scan chapters. Not much new or behind the scenes info that Housewives fans don’t already know. I was hoping for real behind the scenes scoop & housewives interviews with info😢

[Vito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this literary history of my favorite franchise on TV (sorry, not sorry). Your enjoyment level will depend on how well you know these ladies.

I had to dock a point because I wish more of the gals were able to speak on record since some sections of the book reads like gossip/rumor than actual fact.

[Elizabeth Morales · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t spend your money on this

I wanted to enjoy this book so much. It was not what I expected and found it tedious to read. It never really went anywhere.

[Cindy H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for gifting me with an audio ARC for Housewives by Brian Moylan, an insider’s look behind the hit Bravo franchise.

Gratuitous snark and I LOVED EVERY FREAKIN SECOND‼️
If you’re a fan of the Bravo franchise ( and ALL things reality tv) this is a MUST READ/LISTEN!!!

Brian Moylan, pop culture anthropologist (😉) brilliantly takes us down the dramatic low road of the evolution of soap operas from radio serials to today’s newest hybrid reality tv. It’s a 1930’s concept thrusted into modernity. It’s the blurring of the ordinary to the extraordinary.

This book covers EVERYTHING from MTV’s Real World to tv’s competitive reality show, Survivor. Brian gives us so much camp, it’s a burst of hilarity. Brian, who runs and writes the Real Housewives Institute recalls the infamous Housewives one liners & crazy moments from table flipping, to multiple meltdowns, hair pulling cat fights, the boat trip from HELL and artificial limbs being thrown down. There’s TONS of insider gossip all scandalous and delicious. This book validates all the reasons I LOVE Bravo and reality tv.
Listening to this audio narration was pure joy. It was like sharing the dishiest coffee date with your BFF.
Fantasy meets reality.

Bravo, Brian🙌🏻💕

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a ride. Is it weird to have been smiling the whole time because I knew vividly each scene and conflict the author references of the many seasons and franchises? That being said, I do wish there was maybe less on the history of bravo? Well that’s not true, I did find it interesting - I think this book is missing som crucial behind the scenes focus I was looking for (although don’t ask me what I was looking for, I’m not really sure). Overall I did enjoy this and I think was just happy to have an at length discussion about my favourite show with someone. I found myself nodding along the whole way through, and thats fun!

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

For RH devotees only. And as as a longtime, unapologetic fan—that's me! This is less about the drama that occurs on the screen, & more about how things work behind-the-scenes, & I found it mostly fascinating. That Moylan wasn't able to speak to many people on the record is a bit of a drawback, but it's an enjoyably breezy read.

[Amanda Grinavich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a blast reading this. It's a fun one if - like myself - you spend an obnoxious amount of time watching Bravo. If you've read more in-depth about the Housewives before, how the episodes are produced, etc., then there might not be a ton of new info in this for you. But I really enjoyed it, and I always love Brian's writing. Guaranteed laughs.

[Jennifer S. Brown]

Yes, I read this! Judge me all you want, but I wanted to read it so I did. It's exactly what you think it would be like--dishy and behind-the-scenes--and though it was a little repetitive (and you better know all your housewives--I didn't any occasionally was lost), this was a great stuck-at-home read.

[exorcismemily · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Review coming soon**

[Jonathan Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a very, very, very slow and drawn out beginning few chapters that talk far too much about the history of reality television and the precursors to the RH rather than the franchise itself. Once it got into the RH, though, it was by far the most informative piece I've ever read regarding cast dynamics, the various production companies, show logistics, and more. So happy to have stuck it out! Make it nice and read this book ಠ‿↼

[Robert Lambregts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun and entertaining book about the reality behind reality TV and in this case the Real Housewives. And yes, I am not ashamed to admit to this guilty pleasure. I love watching it for years now and will still enjoy it in the future.
The book talks about a lot of behind the scenes stuff, which is interesting, even though some things weren't total secrets anymore. But there were also quite a few fun facts that I had not heard about.
The first 2/3 of the book earns a solid 4 stars for me, but then it goes quickly downhill with filler material. A rather uninspiring review of BravoCon and Vacation with Vicky, which in my opinion was just created to give the book more body and make it appear thicker, but does nothing as a whole. The 'why we watch' section is nice at the end, but anyone watching the show could have written that. Two stars for that part. So that leaves with 3 in the end. Still enough and it's been a fun way of exploring the show a bit more behind the scenes.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow~such a fun book to read for Bravo Real Housewives Fans. The Original RHONY barely even made it to it’s first episode. Then the Housewives Franchise became a cultural phenomenon. It had inside scoops and recaps of the early episodes of the show.

The author used to write for Vulture Magazine and give a weekly update of the show. A basic idea was made for an episode, but the crazy antics really just would happen. Who could forget, too. Theresa flipping the table, Kelly telling Bethany she’s up here and Bethany down there. Ramona with all her gusto and belief that she was the ultimate star. Lisa Vanderkamp stretching the truth....a lot and how that was dealt with. Then there was Erica Jane and deciding not to wear underwear, bringing on panty gate.

The author, Brian Moylan really worshipped the show and admires all the fans incredible loyalty. Vicky was on the road and doing speaking engagements. Even if you worked for Bravo, you were not guaranteed tickets! Fans waited for hours to get tickets and spend a weekend with a Housewife Favorite. So, definitely great to listen to all the stories and had nostalgia for the early shows.

Thank you NetGalley, Brian Moylan, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audio book.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, this is definitely only for Housewives fans. I think it had a really strong start (history of Bravo, specific details of mergers and acquisitions and how the network became what it is) and a strong finish (academics weigh in on the merit and feminism of the franchises) but so much of the middle was a slog (fan base, history of online debacles with Facebook groups) that I wish had a finer edit. To me it showed that Moylan was blackballed from talking to most everyone, and much of the middle felt like substitute filler. Overall, still a fun read, and I appreciate any time to think critically about some of my favorite “TV friends”, to borrow a phrase.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars maybe? I listened to the audiobook. It was like bingeing a podcast. The chapters jump around in timelines, he will reference happenings during a season of a show early on, and then later say the show hadn’t aired at the time of interview. But like…put that chapter first then? Or do a follow up? He also mispronounced names quite a bit which was a little annoying and weird, and he got some information wrong. Like a Facebook group drama he mentioned happened in a group I’m in, I saw the post, and he didn’t have the correct information. So that was annoying. And I was expecting some good behind the scenes gossip but it was really more about how the show is made rather than spilling tea, which wasn’t really clear in the description in my opinion. I’m a huge Bravo fan and it was still a little meh for me. I wanted to love it but just didn’t.

[Basic B's Guide · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love Real Housewives you will gobble this up. It’s fun and juicy and takes me way back. I’ve been a fan since the beginning and loved reliving some of the best moments. Pure entertainment!

Definitely gave me Bachelor Nation vibes which I enjoyed as well.

Thank you Macmillan audio for the advanced listening copy.