Real Housewives of Orange County star Shannon Beador has a rocky relationship with finances. RHOC viewers have seen some of her money missteps over the years, but they appear much more prevalent now.
The latest season shows that the RHOC star may be living beyond her means. And her current financial predicament raises a bigger question about Real Housewives. How much does it cost to keep up the wealthy Housewife illusion?
For years, fans have been shown a world of designer clothes, gorgeous mansions, and lavish vacations on the Housewives shows. Wealth wasn’t simply the backdrop of their lives, it was a part of it. But overspending is always a legitimate concern on a show where looking rich may be just as important as actually being rich. The price tag to maintain the illusion is incredibly high.
Shannon Beador got financial advice from Vicki Gunvalson on Real Housewives of Orange County
It’s been 20 years of RHOC, and this season fans are getting a clearer picture of where the gals are right now. Shannon has incurred some debt over the years and is talking to Vicki Gunvalson about getting it squared away.
Watching their money conversation was surprisingly honest, It reveals that Shannon has made some financial missteps. So she turned to Vicki for help. Naturally, Vicki didn’t sugarcoat anything (like she didn’t for Teresa Giudice in Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip). She told Shannon she needed to make a realistic list of her monthly expenses ($3,000 a month on Uber alone?) and manage them better.
When Shannon mentioned she was paying over $10,000 a month in just rent, Vicki made it clear this was not in her budget, though Shannon argued the home “makes her happy.” Vicki confirmed that Shannon is not frugal and is possibly living too fast and loose with her finances.
However, it remains to be seen if Shannon is willing to make big changes. Is this because she doesn’t know any other way or because she feels she needs to maintain the coveted “Housewives lifestyle?”
Are Real Housewives going broke to look rich on Bravo?
Shannon and Vicki’s uncomfortable conversation begs the question that several fans have asked throughout the years. Are the Housewives going broke to portray the illusion of wealth? Viewers have always loved the luxury, but what happens when a cast member’s financial records don’t match her lavish lifestyle?
Shannon is hardly the first Housewife to struggle with debt. Taylor Armstrong from the first season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and her husband had massive debt but still threw an opulent $60,000 birthday party for their daughter.
Shereé Whitfield of Real Housewives of Atlanta struggled for years while building her mansion, Chateau Shereé. She faced several construction delays due to unpaid bills and struggled with tax liens and lawsuits from contractors.
Just last season on RHOA, financial literacy and bankruptcy were hot-button topics. And let’s not forget Kim Zolciak’s many financial struggles throughout the years.
The latest Housewife to be plagued by financial challenges is Dorit Kemsley. Her ongoing divorce with PK Kemsley is revealing mortgage and debt issues. But that hasn’t stopped her from buying outrageously expensive clothes and traveling.
Is this continued spending because many Housewives are just used to living this way, or is it also the pressure to look a certain way for their fans? Many must feel the need to ensure their feeds always look fabulous. But at what cost?
Do Real Housewives have to exude wealth to be successful with fans?
The real question is: do these ladies have to maintain a “wealthy exterior” to be successful with the fans? In an ideal world, the answer would be no. After all, reality TV, by its very name, suggests that fans want reality. And reality isn’t always luxury yachts and lavish mansions. Sometimes, reality means messy divorces, businesses closing, and required financial downsizing.
However, the truth is there is an expectation of wealth when it comes to Real Housewives. Part of the show’s appeal is the fantasy of luxurious living, and fans often tune in expecting to see a lifestyle they don’t get to experience themselves.
This creates an unspoken expectation that the women need to be (or look) wealthy to remain believable. When this image begins to crack, viewers notice and sometimes question whether the Housewife is still living up to the fantasy that made her compelling in the first place. It’s a steep price to pay, and sometimes the women break the bank to do it.
Perhaps that’s what makes Shannon’s situation, and the financial struggles of Housewives before her, so interesting. The women aren’t simply maintaining expensive lifestyles; they’re maintaining an image that has become part of their careers. Fans may tune in for the fantasy of wealth, but behind the designer bags and five-star vacations are real women whose financial circumstances can change just like anyone else’s.
Hopefully, viewers can begin to show the gals more grace. If we really want to see the ladies living their real lives, that doesn’t always mean lifestyles of the rich and famous. Besides, there are absolutely enough wealthy Housewives out there to keep the fans entertained. It’s time to also support the ones who may not always be able to keep up with the Joneses.
