The Real Housewives Face an Un-Reckoning

Reality stars, union now!

A 2019 viral meme template is the easiest way to understand how reality TV exploits women without consequences. On the right side, a white cat scowls at a plate of salad. On the left, a sobbing and irate middle-aged white woman points aggressively. The meme’s comedy is in the absurdity of the woman’s over-the-top reaction paired with the cat’s spurning look. The meme template was adapted into multiple sub-formats, including one for gamer children who are mad at their parents.

Most people had no idea where either image originated from. The cat turned out to be an Instagram influencer (catfluencer?) named Smudge. The woman is Taylor Armstrong, who starred in early seasons of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The picture is a screencap from the episode, “Malibu Beach Party from Hell.” Do not let the cutesy name fool you. In the referenced scene, Armstrong confronts supporters of a fellow housewife — Camille Grammer, then wife of Kelsey Grammer — who outed Armstrong as a victim of ongoing domestic abuse.