Loading ...
The Real Housewives of D.C., set to premiere August 5th, has already proven to be Bravo’s most controversial housewives franchise, though an episode has yet to air.
Bravo officially announced the cast of the DC housewives this week, and white house party crasher Michaele Salahi is part of the cast, but this isn’t exactly a shocker considering the DailyBeast revealed months ago that Michaele would indeed be on the show.
Joining Michaele on the reality show, from left to right (pictured above), are Catherine Ommanney, Stacie Turner, Mary Amons, and Lynda Erkiletian.
Bravo describes the DC ladies as “connected D.C. power players,” who “have their pulse on the most important cultural events, political galas, gallery openings, and fundraisers in Washington society.”
And as for the controversial decision to put Michaele Salahi on the show? Andy Cohen had the following to say -
“We kept Michaele in the show because she has a compelling life story, distinct relationships with the other women, and most especially because she represents a very real example of the inextricably intertwined worlds of political connections with social hierarchy. To the people who might excoriate us and say we’re making Michaele famous or glorifying what she did: ‘here’s what’ — we don’t make shows to make people famous and as a corollary, we don’t view being on a television show either as a reward or a punishment. That’s up to the individuals who choose to do so and the people who choose to watch and react.”
Michaele and her husband Tareq Salahi were never charged or prosecuted by the white house though presidential Social Secretary Desiree Rogers did lose her job as a result of the incident.
The Photos and Bios of the Ladies Below -
Michaele Salahi, 44 – Even before the white house incident, Michaele and hubby Tareq were notorious for their flamboyant polo matches and a long-running family feud over their Oasis Winery in Fauquier County. Raised in Oakton, Michaele worked at Nordstrom before marrying Tareq in a splashy 2003 ceremony. Though she turned up with camera crews at Redskins cheerleader alumnae events, the organization denied she was a member. A lot of people are also claiming the Salahis owe them money.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS AND BIOS OF THE LADIES! -
Mary Schmidt Amons, 43 – A socialite and mom of five. She’s the daughter of a telecom exec and the wife of a telecom guy, Rich Amons. They started early: Their oldest, Lolly, is 23; she and Mary were featured in 2005 stories in Marie Claire and on “Good Morning America” about mothers and daughters who look the same age.
Lynda Erkiletian, 52 – Is a divorced mom of four children, she’s the owner of T.H.E. Artist Agency, a Georgetown modeling firm that says it represents 500 models and stylists. She used to date Christopher Reiter, 40-ish owner of the Muléh boutique, but now is involved with Ebong Eka, a mid-30s man-about-town accountant/aspiring designer.
Stacie Scott Turner, 42. – She’s the only one with much connection to politics: Husband Jason once worked in Adrian Fenty’s administration. She’s a Howard University grad and a Harvard MBA who worked in marketing at BET and other companies before becoming a real estate agent with Long & Foster. They have two young children, Jacob and Catherine,
Catherine Ashley Ommanney, 40-ish. – A D.C. newcomer, the British interior designer moved to the United States in summer 2008 when she married Charles Ommanney, a prizewinning photojournalist with Newsweek, after a brief courtship. The mother of two girls, Jade and Ruby, from a previous marriage, she was little known here before she emerged as part of the “Housewives” set. Turns out she’s perfect for reality TV: In 2006, she blabbed to a British tabloid about her makeout session with much younger Prince Harry. She and Charles have recently separated.
Biographies Source – Washington Post
Hi all, Hi Dy!
Ditto, I’m not really interested!
Mary Schmidt Amons, 43 – A socialite and mom of five. She’s the daughter of a telecom exec and the wife of a telecom guy,…..WTF….Wow she is the daughter of a telecom exec and telecom guy…seriously?
Hi Carla
Lmao!
@Dyana…I never missed an episode of Dallas either….of course I was a kid, but still…our family never missed it. That was in the day when they knew how to do one of those shows.
And that’s why I thought that would be such a great city for them to take the show to.
In fact, I say dumb the Jersey thug show, and bring in Cowboys and catillians (sp?) I mean Dallas is the home of Neiman Marcus….the reason most of these women breathe.
You all crack me up!!
Realjewel, I don’t get it either. I’m sure my ass would be sitting in jail right now if I did what they did.
Exposed, good idea about the other cities. Hope AC takes note.
Scarlette, say it isn’t so! I’m so tired of wasting my time watching frauds. The problem with these two is there is proof aplenty they are frauds before I start watching and become interested in the characters. I’m gonna say that I’m not going to watch but please don’t whiplash me if you see me commenting on the DC threads.
Oh my God I Loved Dallas , exposed..My whole family did, couldn’t wait until Friday night..Best nighttime soap opera. That and Dynasty..My sisters and I would dish about it for days,so funny!
Aww..I still love My Jersey Housewives.( not Danielle)..I know I know..kill me now!
Pixie:
No worries….although I’m hoping that the DC threads are *real* short, like those for Spencer & Heidi.
Scarlette Begonia
Hi Pixie!
Yeah, I said I planned on not watching…but I also planned to be a princess when I grew up and that didn’t exactly work out either.
If I were in charge of a bravo meeting, I’d say no more jersey at all, no more gretchen and slade, no dc, no bev hills, more Sonja….and no Andy conducting the reunions. I want someone who will hold their feet to the fire and he just doesn’t. I think he’s too easy on them. And I would add cities like Dallas….or maybe even a city in Hawaii.
@Dyana….Dallas was a huge! I think the entire country waited to find out who shot JR…they knew how to do cliffhangers. Dynasty too….and of course Falcon Crest.
Thats okay to love the Jersey wives…I watch too…but for some reason with them, I feel like I need a shower after watching.
i am a dc native, this cast is bull &#$% a british woman!? are you serious and that pig who broke into the white house? the respectable women of dc refused to do any of this. hence the pathetic excuses found. the only one with some promise is stacie she looks like she may represent some of what we are all about.
Hey exposed
Wow Falcon Crest, right after Dallas.. Then they had the spin off Knots Landing. Wow Old School!
I know what you mean about Jersey. I can’t help but watch it, and for whatever reason, I’m a freakin’ fan..Holy freakin’ canoli!
Dyana….I’m all about old school….those were some of the best characters ever written….and how could you not love the name Carrington?
And that’s what so amazing about tv…when we’ve had enough we can just flip the switch…because although I want a shower after I watch Jersey….I’m still back watching the very next week. You know what I think it is…Danielle….she really creeps me out.
I so agree exposed..
Dyana, I LOVED Dynasty! How come they can’t make shows like that anymore?
Exposed, you r so right. AC should not be moderating the Reunions. He’s kinda weak. What do you think of Bethenny replacing him?
Scarlette, glad you understand moments of weakness. Kinda off topic but I hope you or HMR delivers the final blow to Greedy Gretch. Hope we don’t have to see her again.
I wonder if these shows are going downhill because they can’t get many women of substance to participate. Seems like such false drama to mix lunatics and frauds with women who are genuinely trying to get ahead by hard work.
Hi Pixie!
Betheny replacing Andy…now that would be entertaining!
Geeze Pixie..I don’t know those shows were great.
I’m gong to give DC. I’m not interested in them , but it sure gives us a whole new group to rag on..Good Times Good Times1
I agree I hope Greedy and Sladester are not on,but I’m sure they will be.
DC power players? I live in DC and they only way that you are a power player is if you work on the Hill for/with a rep. or a senator. Please!!
These shows are such BS. A countess in NY? Alex in NY, another wanna be. Don’t even get me started on NJ, Atlanta or the bimbos in OC. Nouveau riche wannabes the lot of them.
No Thanks!! Politics and my entertainment don’t mix. We already have enough hollywood influence in politics. Do we really need reality show diva’s who bust into white house parties to have their mugs on t.v.? I think not. I won’t be watching!!!
“To the people who might excoriate us and say we’re making Michaele famous or glorifying what she did: ‘here’s what’ — we don’t make shows to make people famous and as a corollary, we don’t view being on a television show either as a reward or a punishment. That’s up to the individuals who choose to do so and the people who choose to watch and react.”
No Andy Cohen, you do it for ratings. Whoring people out for your own selfish reasons on national tv IS rewarding bad behavior. Behavior that embarrassed this country.
What’s next? ‘Real housewives of the mob?’ For publicity are they going to carry out a hit on a govenor, or how about ‘Real Housewives of Child Abductors’ because they’re lives are a “compelling life story, distinct relationships with the other women, and most especially because she represents a very real example of the inextricably intertwined worlds of political connections with social hierarchy.”
Dunno who the bigger whore is, but Andy Cohen I nominate you for ‘Jackhole of the week’. No…’Jackhole of the YEAR’.
I have stated it before: I will not watch this show. Better still, I hope the whole country will just tune out.
The ‘housewives’ series has seriously gone low-brow.
I’d really rather not meet them! Do we have to? LOL!
The woman that lost her job at the White House deserved her fate regardless. She didn’t follow protocol and there could have been a serious threat.
What kills me about this is the fact that when the show starts, we already know what kind of piece of crap the Salahi’s are. Everyone has already read and heard about how they really are and if like me, you’re local to Virginia, you’ve heard A LOT more about them and how much money they owe, what kind of posers they are, them being scam artists, D list wannabe’s etc etc
At least with Lynne on the OC and Teresa on NJ, we didn’t hear of their overinflated lifestyles and dwindling bank accounts until AFTER the shows aired.
This is exactly why I don’t understand Bravo’s logic when over-inflating who these women are. Every person who lives in a big city knows who the mover & shakers are. Did Bravo really think DC residents would go along with this cast of pretenders?
I think Bravo should create a socialite survivor type show. Considering all these women…and Simon are dying to be part of the socialite crowd, I would love to see what they are willing to do to get in
I’m going to pass on this one.
@bradley
That’s not the point. We’re not upset over the other women in the show and we’re not judging them.
what’s upsetting is they’re REWARDING the whitehouse gatecrasher and trying cash in on the reward themselves by ratings.
If what she did wasn’t so bad, then why were their inquires about it? Why did she and her husband invoke their fifth amendment privilege? Just because they haven’t been arrested doesn’t mean they didn’t do anything wrong. THEY DID!!!
It’s one thing to be special. We’re all special in some way or another, but she and her husband WERE NOT INVITED just like the rest of us AMERICANS WHO WERE NOT INVITED!!!
This series jumped the shark when it started the first season of RHONJ. Maybe they were pushing it with RHOA.
I may watch RHOBH, but probably not.
Too many housewive shows now and really the women are not the much different than each other. Some have money, some do not, but they are all mean high school girls.
LOOKS LIKE A GREAT CAST! LOOKING FORWARD TO RHODC!
I too live in the DC area, Alexandria, VA right across the Potomac river to be exact and posters above are correct. Not that I am in the inner power circle in DC by any stretch, but these women are not DC power players. To be considered a power player in DC you have to be a lobbyist/lawyer on Capitol Hill, a politician on Capitol Hill or be a high level staffer of someone on the Hill. As usual, Bravo gives us posers who are probably on the brink of bankruptcy. BTW may I remind everyone that DC power players do not get kicked out of WH dinners.
A modeling agency owner? In DC no less as we all know that DC is the modeling capital of the world. An interior designer? A long and Foster real estate agent? WTH is Bravo thinking?
ok guys i read what RT wrote about them and think is gonna be boring show sorry i don’t see anything interesting in them. no crazy no darama no inteersting show and i don’t see crazy in them sorry
I’ll watch the premier just to see how they handle the Salahis. As other NoVA people have posted, the word is out all over about these poseurs and lowlifes.
I’m hoping the Bravo cameras captured their many appearances at the Warren County Court House.
The power and money in the DC Metro region is in a few areas:
North East DC old money and politicians.
Great Falls VA The Mars Family of candy bar fame and interestingly enough, also the largest privately held company in the world, Linda Carter of Wonder Woman fame and Multi- billionaire Michael Saylor founder of Microstrategy, Inc. just to to name a few of the extremely wealthy individuals in Great Falls.
Potomac MD Dan Snyder owner of the Redskins and John Marrriott Jr. The son of the founder of the Marriott hotel chain based in Bethesda MD.
Bethesda/Chevy Chase mostly old money and politicians.
Middleburg, VA and the Plains, VA aka horse country. This is where DC power players used to keep there horses and country homes to get away from the hustle and bustle of DC years ago and send their daughters to Foxcroft boarding school. One of the oldest all girl boarding schools in the country. Robert Duvall now makes his permanent home here as well as do the WH crashers the Salahis.
It will certainly be interesting to see what these housewives have to offer. To be honest, I agree with other DC region posters above, I don’t think it will be any different than the other shows. The bottom line is, is that no one with either money or power is going to want to air their dirty laundry out on national TV.
Catherine Ommanney (Ashley)
THis tramp has a UK criminal record for theft. She has stolen and lied her way through life. The main reason she climbs the social ladder so quickly is she is ready to climb into bed with anyone who will help her.
She worked as a “Hostess” in a Lapdance/strip club in London. And made a name for herself “entertaining” customers at parties after work. She was very well known for drug taking and even dealt drugs.
Her career as a “designer” is more of a fantasy trip with nothing to back up her claims.
It strikes me that America is a good place for her as Americans tend to believe bullshit easily. Her claims of been kissed by Prince Harry are part of that Bullshit.
Do you think its possible to be drinking etc with him and leave in his Police Convoy without a single member of the press getting a Pic? !!!
Her legal entry into the US depended on her correctly informing the US authorities of her Criminal history. If she has failed to do this then her visa etc should be revoked and this would mean she is no longer able to work etc
Now that her marriage to Charles is over , lets see what else she will do. Maybe she will try to “use” the man she has been seeing for the last 3 months . He is married and has a Child . But is “connected” .
She has stolen of her business partners and friends. Very few have a good word to say about this lady. She is a terrible example of a Mother.
Pffle…what passes for society in the Hamptons is tuna in DC. The real powers and “gets” would never show.
I can’t wait for this new show…all of these women are hot hot hot especially Michaele and Mary. I hope they get into a battle royale just like pro wrestling. They are mostly liberals and will gang up on the mothers with 4 and 5 kids just like they do on The View. I watch all these shows and record them because I am disabled and at home.
No thank you Bravo. DC? Really?
Won’t be watching…..even on a rainy Sat./Sunday marathon!
This franchise has run its course….Who wants to keep kicking a dead horse.
I’m over it.
Scarlette,
ITA and am so happy
to read your post.
xo, Eva
Bravo is jumping the shark with Real Housewives of DC and Hollywood..enough is enough
DONT WANT TO WATCH WHY IF SOMETHING IS GOOD WOULD YOU BRING THE DARMA OF WASHINGTON DC IN TO OUR HOUSES. WE LOVE ARE HOUSEWIFES E DONT NEED MORE CRAZY BITCHES ON TV. THEY NEED TO GO GET REAL JOBS.
Yo Xena @46 – As of May 26th the govt was still deciding if they were going to press charges. Nothing at this time, but they are keeping all options open. Or so I’ve read.
Trisha @78 – I think they say model agency owner because pimp is not very socialite.
Thanks Sam, Scarlett, Eva, Nelson, Lauren, and Nicole:
You guys nailed it for me!
To Bob: Thanks for the update
To Vinnie: Whatever to get you through. There are some christian networks also.
Does anyone else think that Lynda Erkiletian could be Danielle Staub’s older sister or aunt?
There is a video of Stacie Turner on youtube and she seems to be a very nice woman she talks about being on the show and what we can expect so dont tune them out just because of those salahis people that is just stupid you can change the tv when they appear anyway i will be watching especially stacie, she has an impressive background
Jennifer: Correction: Neither Robert Duvall or the Salahis lived in Middleburg the past several years. Do you have new info that they have either or both moved there recently?
Stacie,you just had to play the race card. Cat was certainly right in giving her opinion. You get all giddy regarding obama and you don’t think Cat has the right to speak well of President Bush who was and is still an honorable man. Your obama is a disgrace to this country. If a White person acted and said what you said the elite media would make a big deal out of it but oh, let a black say it and it’s just fine. The reason this country is racist is because the blacks want it that way. I lovel Cat and Mary. The rest of cast does not impress me. Stacie I guess you figured out I don’t care for you and the way you played the race care.
@51 Carla:
Mary is the daughter of Bob Schmidt, a telecom exec, and married to Rich Amons, who once worked as a telecom guy for her father.