Cohen on Armstrong's Suicide: Don't Blame Bravo
Host and TV executive asserts network, 'Real Housewives' producers not responsible
Andy Cohen absolves himself and his network, Bravo, of any blame in the suicide of Russell Armstrong.
"If anyone in this building or the producers or the production company believed that the show was to blame for what happened, we would not have aired the show no matter what," Cohen tells the New York Times in a new interview.
Bing: More about 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'
Russell Armstrong -- husband to "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Taylor -- hanged himself in August 2011, between Seasons 1 and 2. Bravo did not let tragedy bump its Season 2 premiere, although it did re-edit the episode to acknowledge it.
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One month before Armstrong killed himself, his wife filed for divorce. Two weeks before, he told People magazine that the show -- which portrayed him as an abusive husband -- added so much stress to his life, it "literally pushed us to the limit."
Cohen is adamant that Bravo did not contribute to the tragedy, however, explaining that Armstrong even expressed appreciation for what the show had done for his career.
"Well, I mean, concurrently he mentioned to the head of Evolution, the production company, that he wanted to buy them and that being on the show helped his business 110 percent," Cohen says. " A lot came out about a lot of issues that he had going on in his life, and this was just one of them. I think that there was a lot going on with him."
What do you think? Is Cohen right?
Season 3 of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" is expected to premiere this fall on Bravo.
Lots of people have REALLY down points at any given time. Either you deal with them or you end it. If Real Housewives made his life hell then do not participate and if you want your marriage to last then ask your spouse not to participate. If she wouldn't quit RH then it was more important than the marriage and that should be an indication to get out.
So yeah, the show may have aired his dirty laundry for everyone to see, but they did not actively bully him or seek out any way to harm him -this isn't a room-mate putting private moments on the internet without permission -they merely showed his and his wife's life in progress under signed contract. They showed the juicy parts that make people want to watch, but the people involved in these shows know this going in. So yeah -he is fully responsible for what happened. It's sad and tragic, but Bravo is not to blame.
I've seen a few episodes here and there and realized that the women involved were often some of the most despicable examples of human beings on Earth. I can't understand people's fascination with these women and the Kardashians but it says a lot about the American society that they keep on airing.
Bravo should let Taylor go from the show and deal with her issues. It was all so depressing and all she did was cry, that I could not stand it and I am willing to bet she will cry on every episode of the new season. I don't believe that Taylor was innocent in all this.
yes it was to a big degree bravos fault,,
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Deanna Barnert | Los Angeles, Calif.
Entertainment journalist Deanna "TVDeeva" Barnert visits sets, interviews industry players and critiques the final product. Buzz's daytime TV queen covers it all for MSN TV, but loves her sitcoms, soaps and any juicy drama that doesn't call itself Reality TV.
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