THEY'RE ALL COMING BACK
'Red Widow' Gets The Axe
Bravo Cancels 'The Real Housewives of D.C.'
by Catherine Lawson, posted Apr 8th 2011 7:15AM
It's been a bad year so far for Michaele Salahi. First she got thrown out of 'Celebrity Rehab' for not being addicted to anything, and now comes news that her version of 'The Real Housewives' has become the first one to be canceled.Rumors have been swirling for weeks that the series was in jeopardy, and now 'The Washington Post' reports that Bravo officially pulled the plug on the 'The Real Housewives of D.C.' Thursday.
According to the 'Post,' the production company behind the series contacted the cast to let them know Washington's contribution to Bravo's reality TV franchise would not be picked up for a second season.
The cancelation makes 'D.C.' the first 'Housewives' series not to receive a second season. Andy Cohen, Bravo's executive vice president of original programming and development, said, "We had an amazing season and we told stories that were unique to any other in the franchise. I wish all our DC Wives the best and hope to work with them again in another capacity."
So, can we expect to see any of the 'D.C.' housewives in their own spin-off show à la 'New York's Bethenny Frankel? Cohen didn't elaborate, but confirmed that British 'Housewife' Cat Ommanney has already booked her next gig on Bravo, taking part in -- what else? -- Royal Wedding coverage. "Cat is booked on our April 28th 'Watch What Happens Live' Royal Wedding Spectacular," he said.
Does this spell the beginning of the end of 'The Real Housewives'? Bravo's money-spinner launched in 2006 with 'The Real Housewives of Orange County' and parlayed its heady high-drama mix of Botox, boobs, blonds and bitchiness into a franchise with versions in New York City, New Jersey, Atlanta, Beverly Hills, D.C. and Miami.
Cohen has already confirmed that Miami is the last stop on the 'Housewives' train. It has not yet been picked up for a second season, but the 'O.C.' mothership has just kicked off its sixth season and 'Beverly Hills' was recently renewed. So the end's not in sight just yet.
'The Real Housewives of D.C.' launched to respectable ratings but never caught fire like its stablemates. One of the problems was that for viewers used to the hot tub-loving, wig-wearing drama queens and table-flippers of the other versions, the 'D.C.' housewives were simply a bit bland.
Cohen admitted the comparative demureness of the 'D.C.' show back in October when he told 'The Washington Post' that "It's less noisy. ... It's serious, it's politics. ... The level of discourse on this show is different. For people who expect to see table flipping or wig pulling, that was never going to happen on this show."
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