By Anya
Very sad news to report, Russell Armstrong, the husband of Taylor Armstrong one of the stars of Bravo TV’s hit show, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” was found dead last night of a suspected suicide.
Taylor Armstrong filed for divorce from Russell last month. In the last couple of weeks, reports have surfaced that Russell had physically abused Taylor during their marriage. This news was especially surprising as Taylor had fashioned herself during the first season of RHOBH as a “victims’ rights advocate.” (There were murky suggestions that she may have suffered abuse as a child).
The second season of RHOBH, due to premiere in September, was said to include the Armstrongs attending counseling in an attempt to save their marriage. It was very apparent during the first season of the show that Taylor was not happy in the marriage. Russell seemed much more preoccupied with his business than Taylor. (It has since been revealed that the couple is in serious debt). They also clashed on issues relating to their 4-year-old daughter, Kennedy.
It is a strange function of reality TV that we viewers often come to feel we really know the “characters” on our screen. Personally, I never cared for Taylor and many other viewers felt the same. In a show that focused almost as much on the husbands of the ladies as the housewives themselves, Russell was far from a fan favorite. He was called “odd” among many more ugly pejoratives on fan message boards. In hindsight, he appears to be a man very much in pain who probably didn’t belong on reality TV.
One of the saddest aspects of this tragedy is the children left behind. In addition, to Kennedy, Russell apparently had other children. They will have to live with the reality of their father’s suicide for the rest of their lives. Heartbreaking stuff indeed.
This news is so very sad. I cannot begin to imagine how the children and Taylor are feeling.
Horrible. I only feel compassion for his ex(?) wife, children, and friends. There is no answer as to why someone would do it, no good reason at all.
Really very sad. I wasn’t a fan of Russell on the show (or Taylor, for that matter), but the pain a person has to be in to do such a thing really makes me sad. I wish peace for those who loved him, especially for his children.
This is the only Housewives I’d caught…the wives seemed to fit the stereotypical Beverly Hills caricature, but the husbands… willing ‘cash cows’. Russell – odd man out, & sadly, even I could see he was in over his head socially. Perhaps, just perhaps, his torture might be a game changer in ‘reality’ preying upon the weakest link/s. Suicide IS a coward’s selfish act. His children will never be the same…ever!
I don’t watch any of the Housewives so I have no idea who this is but his family must be suffering. It is very painful to lose a close family member, but losing someone to suicide has to be extremely painful. His children will have a lot to cope with.
My thought and prayers to the whole family, but if anyone has noticed when the scoop comes out on these families that are doing these shows the ugly really comes about about them. Failed business, divorce, bankrupcy, heavy drinking and a lifestyle that they all feel entitled to. This will be a issue of the so called Hollywood social life. Although not to put blame on the industry, seems to me that the money for these shows trying to save a home or a spa date so these women can brag is sad.
I don’t watch any of the RH’s either. So sad for this family’s tragedy.
When Kate Gosselin makes our local CBS nightly news…something tells me Discovery (local to us in DC) may be suffering just as most all the networks are. I preface that b/c now the chattering heads are predicting…BRAVO’s reality shows may just be the next to get the ax. Russell Armstrong hasn’t been given a proper funeral yet, & the lawyers’ filings are coming fast & furious…before the ink can dry. I don’t know what to think, but one thing is for certain… lawyers don’t lack b/c our society has been preened to think as ‘victims’. This man took his life…it HAS to be BRAVO’s fault.
HB, I saw about the lawsuit(s). Perhaps some of his family is lashing out in pain and this is the first thought they had? I’m not sure what BRAVO could possibly be sued for. It seems he had many serious problems beyond an unfavorable depiction on Real Houswives.That said,if this leads to a serious discussion among producers and the the networks about how far reality TV goes in casting people who are obvisouly unbalanced because “they bring the drama”, then I think that is a good thing.
Was anyone watching the premiere tonight? Lisa and Ken are really going down in my estimation. Lisa’s superior attitude is beginning to grate. And Ken was a real jerk about the therapy issue with Taylor. It looks like maybe some of Lisa’s less savory qualities will be coming to light this season. Should be interesting.
I DVR’d it and just watched it a little bit ago. This new season does look interesting with Eddie Cibrian’s ex on it. (btw, I wish she would’ve laid off the botox and plastic surgery…yikes she changed her looks so much she looked plastic). Does look like a lot of catfights for sure.
I can understand Taylor being upset at what Ken said, but I do understand Ken’s POV. I think he just needed to word it better…even preface perhaps he wasn’t calling her or Russell weak…just that it’s not for him.
I’ve always thought Taylor was a drama queen. I do feel bad about Russell’s death, but as HB said above, suicide is a coward’s end. If he thought more of the consequences (like how it would affect his familly, especially his kids), perhaps he wouldn’t have done it at all. And, perhaps if Taylor weren’t so gun ho on keeping appearances or acting like she’s rich and actually tried to help him, even though she said she was doing counseling…maybe without the cameras, she would’ve seen and understood their true cicrumstances…they would’ve been able to make it and Russell could’ve trusted that his wife loved him for him, not what (money/extravagance) he could give her. As a couple, they needed to fix the monetary problems together. That alone could’ve brought them closer (if Taylor weren’t so fixated on her image of being a Hollywood wife).
Perhaps I’m a bit too harsh on Taylor, and we don’t have the details, but just my opinion.