Following the tragic suicide of Russel Armstrong, one of the husbands on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, there have been an incredible amount of follow up stories, some of which I’ve found distasteful. I don’t want to get into the details of how he was found, how his estranged wife Taylor reacted or all the speculation on why he killed himself. It’s not anyone else’s “fault,” I don’t believe that someone can “drive” someone to suicide, and I don’t believe it’s done as “revenge.” Russell had many well documented business and personal problems over the years. The fact that he was starring on a reality show and that his darkest secrets may have been about to be revealed (again, not getting into it, you can look it up) may have pushed him to the edge, but he is the one who jumped.
Radar has a story on Russell, one of many they’ve run recently, in which they claim his family may sue Bravo, the network that puts out the RHOBC. It’s understandable that his family wants restitution, I guess, but the “somebody needs to pay” part rubs me the wrong way.
“Bravo is at fault and somebody needs to pay,” Russell’s step brother Wade Jackson told RadarOnline.com in an exclusive interview. “Russell’s whole family was very close and they’re considering suing Bravo.
“Russell’s dad doesn’t want to talk about what happened to him with a lot of people, but everyone in the family thinks that Bravo is to blame.
“I’m sure somebody will sue them,” Jackson said about the Armstrong family plans to litigate against the network.
Jackson also blamed Russell’s estranged wife Taylor Armstrong for getting his step brother involved in the show.
“In his line of business he didn’t want to be a public person on the show, but Taylor pushed him into it. He was really upset about the whole thing and told everyone in the family that he didn’t want to be on the show,” Jackson claimed.
Jackson said Russell had visited his dad in Texas in the last month and was planning to get through the divorce with Taylor and was then considering leaving California.
“He was a smart guy,” Jackson said. “The whole family is sad about his death and they want answers.”
[From Radar]
It’s not like the Beverly Hills version was the first in that illustrious franchise. All Russell had to do was rent a DVD of any of the other shows to realize what he was getting into. I get that his wife was a scamming social climber who may have pushed him into it, but so was he. E! ran a timeline of his issues, and he’s been convicted of tax evasion, he’s filed for bankruptcy, and he has a history of running shady businesses and physically abusing his partners. He was a very troubled person to say the least.
I don’t think it’s a bad idea for Russell’s family to sue Bravo, though. This does makes me wonder what’s going to happen to the Real Housewives shows. This takes the luster out of them for me. I don’t want to watch Russell and Taylor in couples’ therapy this season when I know that he’s just months away from taking his own life. It will be interesting to see how producers handle this though.
I don’t think they will have a case if they sue Bravo, he had so many things in his personal life that led him to take his life. Very sad.
In this litigious society, it’s no wonder personal responsibility has gone the way of the dinosaurs.
I do believe that for SOME PEOPLE suicide is a very passive-aggressive way to go. Abusers sometimes threaten suicide to their victims. (I’m not saying I believe this chick’s claims of abuse, but dude DID have track record.)
It’s like a final “Take THAT!”
Didn’t he have all kinds of legal and financial problems? Being on a reality show (which he agreed to do) had nothing to do with that, sadly it was his own choices that led to this.
If that’s his kid I feel great sympathy for her. And a big media magnet lawsuit rehashing everything for years to come would not be in her best interest.
Obviously it’s not Bravo’s fault that he killed himself. Even if he was stressed from being on a reality show, he agreed to be on said reality show. In the end he killed himself not Bravo.
However, they’re are many stages of grief. So although you may think “Somebody will pay” sounds distasteful, it’s obvious she’s angry and hasn’t accepted that it was her husband’s decision. Eventually she’ll calm.
I’ve never seen any of these shows, but based on what I know about suicide – more than I wish I did as the daughter of a parent who died by suicide when I was 14 and my sister 13 – blaming and “making someone pay” is one of a wide range of reactions and not necessarily the most productive. I would encourage this family and any other dealing with this issue to find a supportive community of others who have been there. I would also encourage everyone to try and find QPR Gatekeeper training in your area. Here are two links – one to a Survivors of Suicide support group resource list and the other to the QPR (suicide prevention training) web site. http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=FEE4D90C-A27B-456E-36DDF23261B4378D
http://www.qprinstitute.com/
Put aside his personal/relationship life for a moment: he was also financially ruined. A stockbroker in Japan just committed suicide the other day, and many other people do this even when they “just” lose a job, a house, some stock. Some people’s identities and lives and self worth are wrapped up in their “image.” It’s all a facade, and when they facade is peeled away, they can’t handle it.
I don’t know if he beat Taylor. He has a track record of abusing other women. I don’t know if those other rumors about him are true or not, and it doesn’t matter. Bravo didn’t kill this man, Taylor didn’t, only he did, and his broken mind. People emotionally and mentally in a good place don’t kill themselves (although it can be passive-aggressive like Bellaluna said).
His family needs to grieve, instead of litigating. it will do nothing but keep the wound raw.
I think they should be suing Taylor in a wrongful death suit she pretty much caused the man to go over the rails. And the Bravo network should not air the footage they have of Russell and Taylor. If the family sued to stop that I would totally agree with that.
The coverage of this mans suicide is shameful. There is an awful amount of sleazy rumors and speculation being put out there, that I am sure is really embarrassing and hurtful to the mans two teen sons who are old enough to see this crap and so are their friends and enemies at school being a teen is hard enough but being a teen with a father who commits suicide has got to be incredibly hard to deal with the add on the media and all the crap being thrown around about their dad. The mans children are the ones I feel for not that bitch Taylor. I’m sure she loves the attention this will bring her. Gross.
Unfortunely, I don’t think anyone has this poor little girl’s back in this horrible mess. She has already been paraded around like an accessory.
All of the Housewives shows are disgusting to me. I don’t need to see a bunch of botoxed women with clothes on that cost more than my monthy mortgage. Spending thousands of dollars on a kid’s birthday party or a trashy “girl’s night out”. Yuck.
I feel very sorry for all of the children involved in each and every one of those shows.
He had self-inflicted problems building up for years and took the chickensh*t way out instead of facing them for the sake of his daughter and sons.
Bravo has zero culpability for his poor choices in life, but ever since the “Milk-aholic” debacle I have no doubt his family will be able to squeeze a few drops out of the network to stop this f**kery dragging through court.
I don’t see how his family has a case against Bravo at all. 1) He chose to be on the show -even if if it was because Taylor pushed him into – he still chose to be on the show. 2) I think it was more to do with the business & personal dealing then anything else. The show didn’t have anything to do with those choices that he made.
I feel so bad for his two kids & I really don’t want to watch anything to do with his/Taylor’s storyline on RHOBH. I loved the first season of RHOBH for the absurdity of it and this is takes all of that way. I would still watch the other women/storylines but since I doubt Bravo will remove R/T from the show, I probably won’t what this season – which I had been really excited about.
I hate the Housewife shows and I only watch clips on the Soup or Andy Cohen. First off I have to wonder why so many commenters doubt the abuse claims considering the other women that came forward. I think that all but proves that there was some abuse in the home. Second, this man made the decision to end his life, he alone is responsible and all he had to do was turn on a TV to see what he was getting into. It sounds like his family is in denial.
Amy – Thank you for those links.
Allow me to clarify my earlier comment: For some, suicide is seen as the only way out of a living hell. For them, the decision is made as a last ditch “I just can’t live with this pain any more” or “I’m such a failure” decision. They are literally no longer in their right mind. They are over-whelmed and can see no other way. Sometimes, they are mentally ill. (I lost a good childhood friend [“I’m such a failure”] and a beloved aunt [mental illness] to suicide.)
But for others, those who are used to being in control…sometimes that lack of control can cause a different kind of “mental illness,” if you will. Think about it: for someone who prides themselves on being in control of their image, themselves, their lives (and yes, maybe others), that can be a “fish out of water” sense of devastation upon the realisation they no longer have control over these things.
And for some abusers, it is really a final hostile show of control.
I dont see how they can hold the network responsible for this. I would think suing them would just bring more embarrassing things out in public. If they actually cared about the kids and his honor then they should just learn to rebuild their lives. Networks have cutthroat lawyers that will pull any and all info to prove they’re not responsible. Imagine all the scandal that would come from those hearings. I hope they think enough of the kids not to put them thru that and air that stuff in public but I have a feeling its all going to come down to money. I cant stand the site of that Taylor and her lips but I hope for once she puts fame and money aside and thinks of how this will effect those kids.
I don’t think Bravo is responsible for his death . But I think they need to act responsibly now by considering the mans 3 kids and other family left behind and not air any of the footage of the mans mental decline. Aren’t they suffering enough?
He didn’t have to be on the show at all. Dina Manzo, who was on the first one and a half seasons of RHONJ, is married, and her husband refused to be on the show. At all. She even barely mentioned him, because HE REFUSED to be on the show.
I do believe that Bravo shouldn’t show any of the Armstrongs’ relationship footage, and need to carefully edit what else is said about him, for the sake of his children.
I think Bravo should scrap all of Taylors story lines, and have her in the show as minimal as possible. Pay her off and get her out. Everyone hates her anyway.
Outrageous that they would sue but expected. Doubt they’ll win a dime.
Have to wonder what Bravo will do with this season. Imo they’ll get a green lite from Taylor for a go with a dedication to him @ the end.
All these comments I pretty much agree with. I’m sure Bravo is doing a lot of editing. Perhaps they will cut out all of Taylor and Russell’s scenes or anything that has to do with their relationship. Show may be delayed due to last minute editing. I just really feel sad for the children and I’m sure Taylor is in a very confused and morbid place right now. As vapid as some may feel she is, she’s still a human being.
Wasn’t it about a year ago that a gay student in New Jersey threw himself off a bridge because a classmate revealed he was gay?
There was wide agreement on this board, and many other boards, that the classmate (or classmates) should face severe punishment.
If those classmates were responsible for someone else’s suicide, why isn’t Bravo
(or whomever disclosed the secrets he wanted hidden) responsible for this man’s suicide?
Or is a suicide the ultimate responsibility of the person who commits it?
CandyKay, I think the situations are SO different. The student’s privacy was invaded by his roommate in an extreme way, he was living his life privately and the roommate made it very public. This guy apparently made a lot of poor choices that got him into trouble and CHOSE to be on a reality show. I can’t see the comparison.
CandyKay: Russell Armstrong made a conscious decision to sign up for RH, knowing full well what he was getting himself in to. He’s also responsible for his own personal and financial issues. The student had no say on his sexuality or the forced disclosure of it.
The difference in the two cases is that Russell Armstrong was in the public eye of his own volition, and that’s a biggie!
@CandyKay did Bravo reveal that he’s gay??? It may have been rumored but it doesn’t compare to a 17yr old private citizen being outed on Facebook. This guy had financial problems and a history of beating women. His wife left him etc. He may have also been struggling with coming to terms with his sexuality but I don’t think it’s comparable to what happened to Tyler Clementi.
As sad as this is, this is the best thing to happen to Taylor’s ‘career’. We will not see the last of her. Let me guess how it will go, an ‘exclusive’ interview, annoucement of a book deal, paid appearances to grups who specialty are family member’s of suicide, then the rumor then annoucement of of her own reality show. Yeah, this woman is not going anywhere.
Bravo should meet with Russel’s family and agree to remove all segments involving Russel. They should terminate Duck Lip’s contract. She would just serve as a constant reminder of Russel’s suicide. It would be a nice gesture if BRAVO created a trust fund for each of Russel’s children. If Bravo did this, I think it would remove the threat of lawsuits and the bad press. On a side note, I think Bravo should replace Taylor with someone like Denise Richards,Charlie Sheen’s ex, who is use to the reality genre.
I tried watching one of those “Housewives” shows, and I just couldn’t. It’s nothing but a bunch of whiney, spoiled, immatures bitches and whores that have forgotten they aren’t in high school anymore.
Bravo had nothing to do with Russell’s suicide. Russell was only portrayed as a bit cold to Taylor during the first season, he wasn’t even featured on the show that much. Now the 2nd season of the show hasn’t even freaking aired. Why kill himself over stuff that has even come out yet? Russell killed himself, in my belief, over his lawsuits. Thats what I think and scape goating Bravo is a bullsh*t move. Also Russell signed a contract with show, he knew what he was getting into, Bravo doesn’t force people to do these shows.
I love these shows, if they take my Real Housewives, I am gonna be sad.
He didn’t take his life when the episodes aired, he did it after he knew his life was being outed by his ex and the press. I think his family is looking for a payday if they decide to sue so they chose bravo, but bravo never said anything real about this man because that’s not what they do. These reality shows don’t tell the truth, they just have the characters improvising from scripted situations. This man took his own life to escape the truth of his life, not some scripted soap opera.
I agree that the “someone needs to pay” stuff is totally crass. BUT I will say that the RHOBH is different from the other franchises. They highlighted the husbands much more than the other series did (except in Vicki’s divorce). Did anyone else notice that? The hubbies were at every party, were interviewed much more often and Russell was consistently painted as an uncaring hubby and a total stick in the mud. Fellow cast mates were interviewed and shown to be saying what a sketchy businessman he was. But he wasn’t a cast member so why was any of that shown? Bravo isn’t stupid. They circled those wagons quickly. Unfortunately, I think they needed to. I can’t blame them for Russell’s suicide but I do hope they will be more careful in how they portray spouses on the show.
So if it’s a nasty guy we don’t like, his suicide is his own fault, and if it’s a quiet guy who was (presumably) very nice, it’s someone else’s fault?
I don’t buy it. But I also don’t think being gay is a horrible shameful secret.
I also think suicide is a terribly selfish act, unless the person who commits it is severely mentally ill. It damages the lives of so many loved ones. There is a reason so many religions see suicide as a mortal sin.
I think reality programming is soul crushing. And at the same time, his relatives are being opportunistic. Which is even more disturbing.
@CandyKay: totally not the same thing. Being gay is not a crime. Outing someone you know is a violation of personal privacy and emotional bullying. Reporting on someone’s criminal or violent history is … reporting the facts.
Gold digger family. We may never know why he really killed himself with no note but suing for bucks is just a money grubbing way to go.
This does makes me wonder what’s going to happen to the Real Housewives shows. This takes the luster out of them for me. I don’t want to watch Russell and Taylor in couples’ therapy this season when I know that he’s just months away from taking his own life.
Oy, good point!
I was looking forward to this season, but now I’m not. Bad business for Bravo indeed..
I think RH has supplanted soaps. We just watch this now.
Anyway, I’ve had a best friend in my life commit suicide. It can be done as a major FU. He killed himself over his girlfriend when he was 18. He was Jewish, but committed suicide on Christmas day-she was Catholic. Kind of a FU, I’d say-along with the note.
It just winds up as the ultimate selfish act that ruins the life of all your family and friends. You leave everyone asking, why didn’t I know, why didn’t they just talk to me about it? It’s devastating for everyone.
Russell? I think he had a lot of skeletons and that’s what drove him to it, but not leaving a note IS a very big FU and I think a final act of revenge. JMO.
“Perhaps they will cut out all of Taylor and Russell’s scenes or anything that has to do with their relationship.”
Are you kidding? That’s ratings gold baby. And that is probably exactly how Bravo is going to play it. It’s all about the greenbacks.
@the original bellaluna – You took the words right out of my mouth. Personal responsibility. Take responsibility for your actions folks. Every action has a consequence whether good or bad and everyone knows that. There are appropriate reasons to sue but this is not one of the cases.
@CandyKay I say if a 17-year old CHILD kills themselves because they don’t have the emotional capability to handle being bullied or outed it is much different than a MIDDLE AGED MAN who has had years and opportunity to have a perspective an get help and face the consequences of their actions.
Re the “I dont feel that any one can push someone to suicide” comment. That is a broad topic and depending on the circumstances I disagree. My husband had a friend who recently committed suicide. He and his wife were being forced out of the Marine Corps, he had no job, money, house, etc. Apparently, he and his wife got into a fight (to keep a long story short, shes the type to kick while youre down) while he was cleaning his weapons and he put his pistol to his head and said “is this what you want”. The gun went off and he was dead. I believe his wife pushed him to do it. Im sure there are other circumstances where its not someone else’s fault but like I stated before, this is a broad topic and each incident is unique.
Oh, how ridiculous. The man was disturbed and didn’t see a way out. Period. Bravo has nothing to do with that.
This is the only RH I have watched, & I remember him being there twice: Once at the birthday party, and once at a getaway with everyone (maybe Vegas?) where he didn’t get along with anyone and was a controlling arse to Taylor. His family thinks those instances being aired drove him to suicide. Please.
CandyKay
The young man who killed himself was not out to his very conservative family, and was dealing with being gay because of his upbringing. His roommate set up a secret camera to film, live, the boy’s tryst with another young man. His roommate also was very publicly homophobic on social media about Tyler’s being gay. The boy killed himself because of the homophobia rife in this country, and in his family and community, and in his own mind. NO ONE who has never had to “come to terms” with being gay because of a conservative upbringing has no idea how scary it is to a toung person. There’s a reason who the majority of teen suicides are LGBT youths, and why so many runways are LGBT teens thrown out by their families.
Russell Armstrong was an adult who chose to be on a reality show, chose to be paid by Bravo, and I have no frigging idea why you keep saying he killed himself for being outed by Bravo. that never happened and wasn’t filmed happening. A book coming out MAY say this. However, he has been financially devastated, and is a proven abuser. Who knows what was in his mind.
Russell Armstrong’s suicide is devastating to all who loved him. Tyler Clementi’s suicide devastated those who loved him, as well as our nation’s psyche.
I find it quite shameful you are comparing the two.
Maybe Bravo can countersue Russell’s family for not stopping him from killing himself. They had a long history with him, have known about his criminal past and restraining orders, why did they not push him to think of his children.
@ candy kay: you are forgetting that many people actually hang on, get their affairs in order, write loving letters absolving loved ones from blame, etc. before committing suicide. these are people living in such hopelesness and despair day after day, month after month that eventually they cannot hold on any longer and just seek some release. i know – i was one of those people. i am bipolar and took pills at 17 (had my stomach pumped) and slit my wrists at 30 (still have the scars). i could not see any other way out and thought very carefeully about it each time. i just wanted some peace for me and for my loved ones as i felt i was a tremendous burden. after a lot of therapy and the right medications i am much better now, but i am always looking for that shadow to creep back.
you would benefit from reading a little on suicide. the suicide prevention site is helpful and there is an amazing book called “night falls fast” by kay redfield jamison that is very informative. i would recommend it to anyone interested in the topic. i really hope that if a friend or loved one attempts/commits suicide you are a bit more charitable than you are in this thread.
“It damages the lives of so many loved ones.There is a reason so many religions see suicide as a mortal sin. ”
WOW. Talk about compassion for the haunted. (Not).
Technically, him and Taylor were not divorced, so wouldn’t that mean she is the only person w/say? Well, her and his kids.
How would it all play out legally if someone sued to keep it off the air?
@Lukie His parents (I presume that they are the ones who are pursuing this) could sue as could his other children(or someone on their behalf).
Bravo effectively killed Armstrong because it employed him and since work clearly kills his family must shore up resources before taking leave of the world of the working wounded and retreat to some distant and pastoral environ–and freedom!
Some compassion for the family must be shown, and grief makes fools of us all, but if you’re going to throw blame around, splash-back is inevitable. For instance: where they when he was growing into the person who would knowingly engage in illegal practices? Where was this concern for his children when the possibility of total financial collapse nigh on slept in their home? Did Bravo use a time machine to force Armstrong to physically abuse those previous partners? And what would his daughter have learned, being privy to all of this, heck, where were they whenever he descended into that behaviour.
I know nothing of his estranged wife, as I’ve never seen these shows, but until someone produces clumps of blonde ‘Extensions par Fraggle’ at the trial, she didn’t do it.
@ CandyKay —
What LadyD said. Education yourself about suicide: no one in a healthy emotional and/or mental state kills attempts suicide.
Then, after you educate yourself, so see someone to discover why you have so little compassion for people. Wow.
I find it absolutely disgusting and outrageous they would make a comment to the media about suing Bravo. This world we live in… someone always needs to be blamed & money up
They can sue all they want, but look at any reality show contract and you will see 38 pages of typed “YOU CAN NOT SUE US FOR ANYTHING” legally binding sentences. I have seen contracts for a few reality shows and the first thing they make you sign is the acknowledgement that participating on a show like RHW can cause emotional distress and that (network) is not responsible.
I find it very hard to believe they will get any money from Bravo. Bravo is a network that I can guarantee covered their asses contractually, especially knowing that they were dealing with a bunch of money hungry social climbers.
I’ve known 13 people my in my adult life,that have taken their lives.7 of them shot themselves in the head.All of these people I worked with.One was my agent.One day,myself and some of the girls I work with were trying to understand why.Everyone one had a different reason for taking their life.In my line of work,we all know each other.At times we depend on each other.We’ve watched each others children grow up.For being in a competitive way of life,we are close.After losing so many,none of us have any answers.
It’s a very common reaction amongst the bereaved of a suicide.
A suicide leaves everyone with a crushing amount of guilt, and many people want to psychologically “pass the buck” onto someone or something else. It makes the grieving process easier when “someone” or “something” can be held accountable.
If it’s simplified, it’s easier to deal with, right? – when in reality there’s a lot of raw, complex emotions boiling just below the surface. (Which is why I mentioned the issue of “control” in the last thread. Whether it’s a salient thought or just subconscious, the suicide victim inevitably brings all of their loved ones “down to their level”.)
Which is, in part, why suicide is so devastating. It poisons the “healthy” individuals and makes the survivors unable to trust their own emotions – or each other. It leaves the bereaved with more questions than answers. And in order to soothe their individual grief, a lot of blame gets thrown around, making for a very angry, hurtful dynamic amongst the survivors. It literally tore my family apart – leaving everyone to mourn individually than together as a family unit.
The fact of the matter is Russell signed on the dotted line. He made the choice to be on the show.
I can’t stand any of them on RHOBH but I will say that this was Russell’s choice to take his own life. It sounds to me he was running from taking responsibility for his actions. Sure, Taylor may have wanted him to do things that were unethical but the final choice was his. That being said, I do feel sympathy for his kids and his family but everyone needs to grow up and stop playing the blame game.
This may be ill timed and insensitive but Taylor is disgusting looking. Those cheek implants did her no favors at all.
Russell was a crook and it got overwhelming. That’s my theory.
Sucker for the Corps – He pulled the trigger in front of her?! I’m sorry, but that is one of the most abusive things a person can do to another person. I just can’t stop thinking about it. Wow.
I disagree. This is ridiculous. Did Bravo make all those bad business deals, and make his ex-wife and ex-girlfriend take out restraining orders? He made his own life what it was, and he decided to take it.
Pay why? He signed on and was paid and signed back on for a second season for pay and his fame-whore wife. He lived a fake lifestyle or agreed to allow his wife to spend them into debt for a pretentious phony lifestyle she wanted to present. They have no money now or assets his lawyer said. A friend had to pay for his dinner last week bc he had no money. So why was she spending 60,000 for kennedy’s birthday party? What a fake she is.
Yeah, like we didn’t see this coming.
They willingly put their life on display for money, then want some kind of retribution when it all goes to hell.
I understand their feeling of wanting ‘someone to pay’ but they need to look at family, homelife and those he choose to associate with to find that ‘someone’ and stop blaming a TV show.
@SuckerforCorps sounds like your buddy was suffering from PTSD I don’t think it was the girlfriends’ fault. I am sorry for your loss though.
I don’t think Bravo could ultimately be held responsible for Russels death either.
However causation and P R fall-out are totally different issues.
While you can’t draw a direct line from the show to his demise, you could certainly show the undue influence he felt in trying to “keep up”.
I think many of these RH participants cling to the idea that showing excess will translate into more airtime which translates into opportunity which translates to “my ship has come in,”
Only in Betheny’s case am I aware of this becoming a reality.( I certainly don’t mean to minimize Bethany’s many talents,as I am a fan.. but airtime helped…)
My limited impression of Andy Cohen is that he is compassionate AND an astute business man.
I think they’ll edit out any or all of Russell’s participation according to the families wishes and set up a trust for the family.
In the end it could save the franchise…and people wouldn’t be left with such a bad taste..
No one can force you to commit suicide. I have an uncle who killed himself right before his firm went belly up ten years ago. His family blamed my aunt for “pushing him to earn more” and therefore “pushed” him into risky business deals by default even though he always gambled even before he met her. Suicide is a selfish and short sighted decision and a lot of people have difficulty accepting their loved one being capable of that.
This is an extremely sad story. I dont think we can sit here and judge somebody after they have taken their own life. Though, If anyone should feel guilty , it should be his wife. She traded the intimacy of her marriage and personal life for a taste of fame. Every picture i see of them , you can just see the hunger in her face of wanting to be famous or noticed. He looks like he really doesnt want to be in the picture. All I can say is that she muat be carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders right now and we need to pray for her , so she can go on and learn from this; that fame isnt all what its hyped up to be.
@shalibali….amen..
Wow, all the blogs have just blown up on the controversy of this man’s suicide. Personally I feel nobody knows what goes on between two people but those two. Certainly by all accounts, this man had financial, legal, and emotional issues. Why he felt the need to kill himself, only he knows. I don’t hold Bravo or his wife responsible for his act. I do hope that Bravo does the right thing and scraps the season for the sake of his children. I just can’t imagine what they must be going through right now.
@tuppiv, it wasn’t this past season that was the (alleged) reason for his suicide. The 2nd season has been shot but not aired…
In this season he is alleged to have abused Taylor (as well as other previous women) and has financial dealings that were less than ethical.
It was the apprehension of these allegations going public that caused his anguish…
My heart goes out to Russell because he would have had to have been severely depressed to take his life. I hope they remove all footage of him this season. I’m not a fan of Taylor ever since she made the remark to Kim Richards about pulling some “Oklahoma” on her. I think Taylor is very rude.
It could have been a number of things. I didnt know him that well but PTSD could have been a factor. Yes, unfortunately he did pull the trigger in front of her. As the story went she was saying that he was not a man since he couldnt provide for his family after the separation from the corps. I think he was fed up with her saying those types of things to him and if he was in a fragile state it may have sent him over the edge. For all we know it could have been an accident. I would like to think that there is always another alternative to suicide but then again no one besides his wife really knows what happened.
@ Horsepoor Hanna… 13? that is beyond tragic. I’m sorry you’ve had that much grief to deal with..
This whole thing is so heartbreaking. Especially for the kid.
@Jezi is right. Taylor is still a person, and she has just lost the father of her child.
This family, extended included, need to just walk away from RH, Bravo, sueing to make a buck off his death and focus on that child who no longer has her father.
John Wayne Lives** What I’ve learned from it,is not to be judgemental.Those people I knew are dead now.But,their families must go on.And they suffer.So, we all take care to not add to their pain.The last death was hard for everyone.He was well liked by everyone.It’s hard to see his family in so much pain.His father carries his saddness in his eyes.I’m crying now
@Horsepoor Hanna… *hands tissue* you are a good woman.