Bravo (no pun indented) to Dave Quinn, who got insane access to pretty much everyone who had a hand in making the Housewives the cultural touchstone it has become. This book goes franchise by franchise (published in 2021, up through Dallas) as long, Frankensteined interviews with the housewives themselves, producers, and even network executives (yes, including Andy Cohen).
This is where you learn just how surprising the Jersey table flip was, how the DC debacle even happened, why everyone was fascinated by Brooks’ non-cancer, and how they cast just the right cocktail of women. It’s not just pop culture, it’s how the sausage is made. Tamra Judge says “Andy told me once, ‘It’s okay if they love to hate you, but when they hate to hate you, that’s when you have a problem.”’ That psychology seems to drive much of the show(s), and I found it so incredibly interesting. It is a book for superfans, yes, but it’s also for anyone who sees the business in it all.
4 out of 5 stars.
Pair with: Belvedere soda with three lemons squeezed really good, carcass out
Peaches to Apples 