Russell Armstrong's suicide last month put the future of 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' in doubt. Armstrong was the estranged husband of 'Housewives' star Taylor Armstrong, and the dissolution of their marriage was originally going to be a central storyline of the new season. Bravo made the decision this week to premiere the series on schedule, re-edit some of that storyline, and include some newly taped interview footage with the Housewives discussing the tragedy. Thursday on 'Today' (weekdays, 7AM on NBC), Donny Deutsch defended Bravo's controversial decision to not push back the premiere.

"They made the right call for a few reasons," said Deutsch. "Number one, they're a business. And this is going to be good television. I hate to use that word. It's reality TV, it's train wreck TV. Unfortunately, this was a fatal train wreck."

He further said Bravo was smart for editing some of the more sensitive material and for including suicide hotlines in the broadcast. "Look, this is what comes with this territory," he said. "Is it nice? Is it warm and fuzzy? But for them to cancel, I think, would be bad business and not paying homage to what the genre is." More importantly, it wouldn't be paying homage to the show's sponsors, who foot the bill for a show that has already been shot.