When The Real Housewives of Orange County hit the airwaves in 2006, a Bravo sensation was born. Fans couldn't get enough of these wealthy women and the lifestyle they maintained. After Orange County hit the ground running, other cities followed suit. Nowadays fans have Salt Lake City, Atlanta, New York, Potomac, New Jersey, Beverly Hills, and Dallas.
With the entire franchise is well past its early years, there are a ton of historic and dramatic moments that fans can't get enough of. And thanks to Reddit, Real Housewives fans have come together to talk about their favorite moments, beloved housewives, and of course, conspiracy theories.
Legit: Was Kathy Hilton Added For Damage Control?
Kyle Richards is an OG housewife who has been a part of RHOBH since the start. Her sister, actress Kim Richards, was also a housewife for five seasons before leaving and coming back as a friend of the series. Kim and Kyle's sister, Kathy Hilton, has been surprisingly absent from the show, but she finally decided to join the cast as a friend in season 11.
So, what changed Kathy's mind about being on the show? No one really knows, but one fan has a theory. "Kathy only agreed to be on RHOBH because she knew Paris was releasing her documentary and required damage control," the Reddit user said. This makes a lot of sense considering how famous Kathy's kids are.
Far-Fetched: Is Fake @DonnGunvalson The Real Donn Gonvalson?
Donn Gunvalson, Vicki's husband on RHOC, was one of those level-headed partners that viewers were rooting for but sadly, his marriage to Vicki didn't last. When Donn left the series, a Twitter account soon appeared with the handle @DonnGunvalson. His tweets were so hilarious and well-attached to the series that fans assumed it was the real Donn.
However, it turned out to be a parody account. While no one knows who runs the account, one fan theorized that the fake Donn is actually the real Donn in disguise as himself. If this really is the real Donn Gonvulason, he pays far more attention to his ex-wife than she does.
Legit: Was #MKEPI Tipped Off About Brooks?
RHOC's Meghan King (formerly known as Meghan King Edmonds) was a housewife for three seasons before becoming a guest and friend of the series. During her time on the series, fans started calling her "MKEPI" (Meghan Kind Edmonds Private Investigator) because of her in-depth look at Brooks Ayers' cancer diagnosis. From the start, Meghan thought Brooks' diagnosis was fishy and did everything she could to prove that he was a liar. It's one of the biggest Real Housewives controversies.
One fan believes that Meghan was tipped off by production about Brooks' cancer diagnosis, that production needed someone to stir the pot and they put this in Meghan's hands. Considering she was one of the first to question him, it does make sense.
Far-Fetched: Andy Cohen Is Working With The FBI
There have been plenty of Bravolebrities who have either been arrested or have a questionable background with finances. Because of so many women having a rap sheet, one fan thinks it's because of Andy Cohen.
The Redditor hilariously said, "Andy is working for the FBI and the entire show is a sting operation to catch scammers. I have no evidence." As entertaining of an idea as this is, it's far-fetched.
Legit: Was Marge The One Who Told Teresa The Rumor About Jackie's Husband?
In the latest season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, one of the ongoing dramas is the issue between Teresa, Jackie, and Jackie's husband, Evan.
At Evan's birthday party, Teresa told multiple people that she heard a rumor about Evan having a girlfriend. Both Jackie and Evan denied the rumor and were devastated that Teresa was dragging their names through the mud. When Teresa was asked who told her the rumor, she declined to say. But in an odd turn of events, Margaret's husband Joe Benigno said that he too heard the rumor because he overheard his wife and her friends talking about it. Could this mean that it was Margaret who told Teresa about the rumor?
Far-Fetched: The Producers Engage The Women In Unlawful Activity
The women in the Real Housewives universe know how to party. It doesn't matter how busy their schedule is or how much they drink, they never seem to tire. It's reality TV at its finest.
Shockingly, one fan thinks there's a reason for this. The fan's theory consists of producers supplying the ladies with certain drugs that keep them wired so they don't fall asleep. Considering how well-known and professional the series is, this theory seems illegal and far-fetched.
Legit: The Shah Squad
The most recent buzz in the Housewives world has been Jen Shah's arrest on money laundering charges. She was released on bail but her trial awaits. As surprising as the news was, fans were also not surprised.
Jen's description of her career didn't make sense and the number of assistants she had seemed excessive for one person. In fact, one fan believes that a member of her Shah Squad was actually an undercover agent to relay more information on her day-to-day business deals. Considering the feds were tipped off about Jen, sending in a secret agent for more information does make sense...
Far-Fetched: Production Is Ruining RHOBH On Purpose
If there's one city in the franchise that fans are upset with, it's The Real Housewives of Orange County. From the storylines to the casting choices, fans are quickly losing interest in the Californian city.
Beverly Hills, on the other hand, continues to grow its fandom. One fan, however, suggests that Beverly Hills is on a decline because of producers. "Evolution Media (BH' production company) is deliberately trying to ruin the show and has been making decisions for the last several seasons that they know will lead to its demise," the fan said. One fan agreed that the production company isn't the best but they couldn't imagine planning its demise on purpose.
Legit: Did A Producer Tell Bethenny About Tom?
In the eighth season, Bethenny has some incriminating evidence about Luann's fiancé, Tom. Apparently, as soon as he was away from Luann, Tom went to the Regency where he was seen with another woman for the remainder of the evening. Bethenny heard from a "friend" that they were kissing in front of everyone, which mortified and embarrassed Luann. But what if it wasn't a friend that gave Bethenny that information, but a producer? One fan believes the producer had this information and gave it to Bethenny to relay to Lu.
Far-Fetched: Phaedra Was A Part Of Apollo's Crimes
After five years of marriage, RHOA's Phaedra divorced her husband Apollo after he was caught with "conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and bank fraud charges." He was arrested and sentenced to five years behind bars. In the fallout, Phaedra chose to divorce him. Due to her profession as a lawyer, being involved with someone breaking the law is a big no-no.
Phaedra told cameras that she had no idea what Apollo was doing and that she was embarrassed by his behavior. However, some fans think she knew about it all along and was even a part of it. Apollo took the fall so that Phaedra could raise their children. Considering how serious Phaedra took her career and her love for the US government, it would be improbable that she was a part of his scheme.