It isn’t easy keeping a popular network going for over 20 years, but Bravo found a way to do it. As the network expanded, so did their shows and on-air talent. In 2006, Bravo released the first Real Housewives city and has been raking in views over their 11 franchises ever since. While Bravo stars always take center stage, sometimes it’s the various shows’ editors who really stand out. These are the moments when Bravo editing really stood out.
RHOB Season 2
Shortly before the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 2 aired, Taylor Armstrong lost her husband, Russell Armstrong, after he committed suicide. The original footage of Taylor was going to show her talking about how she and Russell were in therapy and trying to save their marriage, which was in severe trouble. Bravo cameras filmed her going into lingerie stores telling the housewives she wanted to spice up her sex life.
At the time, Bravo president, Frances Berwick, noted via CTV they were in the process of re-editing Taylor’s storyline. There were reports that Bravo may have delayed the premiere after Russell was found dead. For RHOBH fans, it was hard to watch Taylor navigate her life as a widow and single mother. Some felt the network should have taken more time to edit her scenes.
Scandoval
When Vanderpump Rules Season 10 aired its final episode of the series with a long, drawn-out dinner at SUR. Lisa Vanderpump gave a tearful and moving speech, while Peter Madrigal revealed he would be going into business for himself. Katie Maloney drunkenly supported Lisa, while the rest of the cast all sat around, clearly sad their show had come to its timely end.
Bravo initially claimed that cameras were down when Scandoval occurred. However, there were some clear moments that felt as if the network had purposely edited the season. Lala Kent confirmed what viewers thought, noting Bravo had changed some scenes to match up with the affair.
While chatting on her Give Them Lala podcast, per US Weekly, the mother of one joked that she had spoken too soon. Lala stated, “What was added in after Scandoval is they had me narrate what happened. This Labor Day thing mattered enough for me to pull Ariana aside and have that conversation with her. But it wasn’t a mind-blowing scene. I watched them with no cameras and no Ariana around,” Lala continued, explaining that Bravo didn’t have footage of the Labor Day party.
Lala blew fans’ minds when she revealed, “Now we are starting to have interviews after Scandoval happened and scenes that may not have made it. Some of these scenes may not have made it—they were absolutely filmed pre-Scandoval—that may have been insignificant at the time but became very significant.”
Lala also divulged that her mother witnessed Tom Sandoval lying to Ariana Madix. “Ariana was screaming at him, and he would hang up and say that he lost service,” Lala said. “My mom was watching this and didn’t tell me until I thought something was happening.” Needless to say, Scandoval was highly edited to fit a narrative, but it saved the show from cancellation.
RHONY and Ramona
Ramona Singer of the Real Housewives of New York City is known for many things, but being a stand-up human who faces up to her lies is not one of her major attributes. During Season 11, producers did Ramona dirty. They showed her claiming she didn’t plant her own birthday party, just so Sonja Morgan couldn’t be mad at her for not being invited. Not once, not twice, but three times. The scene cut to Ramona’s friend, Lucia, directly telling Ramona that she plans to invite Sonja, and Ramona shakes her head, “No.”
Ramona was clearly in the wrong for lying. So, she deserved the way Bravo repeatedly inserted those flashbacks directly after Ramona’s insistence that she had no control over the guest list. It was so hilariously shady the way producers outed her. The moment proves there can be good editing blunders too.
Jax Almost Drowning
This is a clip of Jax Taylor that still lives rent-free in our heads all these years later. While out at Big Bear, Jax forgot about how the altitude could affect his already ravaged body thanks to beer and smoking.
After thinking he could swim to the buoy, he turned around, acting as if he was in distress. While splashing and talking about his life flashing before his eyes, the scene cut to flashbacks of all the horrible stuff Jax had done over the years. It was extremely shady of the editors to do that, and we loved every second of it.
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