The Real Housewives of Orange County

The Real Housewives of Orange County
File:RealhousewivesofOrangeCountylogo.jpg
Genre	Documentary
Starring	Current Housewives Vicki Gunvalson Tamra Barney (season 3 - ) Gretchen Rossi (season 4 - ) Alexis Bellino (season 5 - ) Heather Dubrow (season 7 - ) Lydia Stirling-McLaughlin (season 8 - ) Former Housewives Kimberly Bryant (season 1) Jo de la Rosa (season 1 - 2) Tammy Knickerbocker (season 2 - 3) Quinn Fry (season 3) Lauri Waring Peterson (season 1 - 4) Jeana Keough (season 1 - 5) Lynne Curtin (season 4 - 5) Peggy Tanous (season 6)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	101 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Douglas Ross Gregory Stewart Kathleen French Scott Dunlop
Running time	40 to 44 minutes (excluding commercials)
Production company	Evolution Film & Tape
Original release
Network	Bravo
Release	March 21, 2006 (2006-03-21) – present

The Real Housewives of Orange County is an American reality documentary television program on the Bravo network, set in Orange County, California. It was the first The Real Housewives program in the series. Created by Orange County producer and Coto de Caza ("Coto") resident Scott Dunlop, the show was initially produced by Kaufman Films and Dunlop Entertainment, with music by Chuck Hammer. The show was initially set primarily in the gated community of Coto, following the lavish livestyles of five "housewives" and their families who resided within Coto McMansions, with the exception of one housewife (Lauri Waring), who lived in a Ladera Ranch townhouse. This housewife exception-to-the-rule was used in Season 1 as a foil to the (then) extravagant lifestyle of the other four housewives, who lived "behind the Coto gates". The show is a voyeuristic look into the wealthy lives of these housewives, as they shop, get plastic surgery, gossip, fight and live lavishly. The construction-real estate crash, the beginning of which coincided almost exactly with the first season's broadcast, has since trimmed the housewives' lifestyles with job losses, evictions, mortgage defaults, foreclosures, and marital stress—all recorded in progressive seasons of the show.

History

The five original housewives were Kimberly Bryant, Jo de la Rosa, Vicki Gunvalson, Jeana Keough and Lauri Waring. Season 1 consisted of 8 episodes, including the reunion. The show's second season premiered on January 16, 2007. Four of the five original housewives returned, with the exception of Kimberly Bryant who was replaced by Tammy Knickerbocker. Season 2 consisted of 10 episodes, including the reunion. Season 3 opened with Jo De Le Rosa's replacement Tamra Vieth-Barney and consisted of 12 episodes, including the reunion. Additionally, midway through this season, a sixth housewife was introduced to the cast, Quinn Fry. With the introduction of Barney and Fry and Waring's move to San Juan Capistrano, the scope of the show widened its narrow focus that used to emphasize the privilege and exclusivity of living in gated Coto de Caza to purport the general luxury and materialism of living in the Orange County environment. For example, Waring comments in the opening credits of Season 3 that she is now "living the Orange County lifestyle again" with her new wealthy fiance. BravoTV announced the series' fourth season renewal with the return of three original housewives, Gunvalson, Keough, Peterson (Waring, after her marriage to George Peterson at the end of Season 3), and Season 3 housewife Barney. A new housewife, Gretchen Rossi, replaces Season 2 housewife Knickerbocker and Season 3 housewife Fry, both of whom did not return. To compensate for the mid-season departure of Peterson, another new housewife, Lynne Curtin, joined the cast. This season premiered on November 25, 2008. Season 4 consisted of 15 episodes, including the reunion and a 'Lost Footage' special. In June 2009, BravoTV announced the renewal of the show for a fifth season with the entire Season 4 cast returning. Season 5 premiered on November 5, 2009, with fifteen regular episodes and a two-part reunion. During this season a sixth housewife, Newport Beach resident, Alexis Bellino, was added to the cast to replace Keough, who departed mid-season, leaving Gunvalson as the only remaining original cast member. The show has been picked up for a sixth season, with new housewife Peggy Tanous replacing Lynne Curtin. Fernanda Rocha of Laguna Beach, a personal trainer who co-owns the Art of Fitness & Day Spa, also in Laguna, has signed up to appear on several upcoming episodes. Season 6 premiered on Sunday, March 6, 2011.

On Tuesday, August 2, 2011, the Real Housewives of Orange County was renewed for the seventh season, and then on September 4, 2011, Vicki Gunvalson tweeted, "It's "Go Time" for season 7. Tamra and I are now locked in. Hoping to have our best season yet! Pray for us..... Woo hoo'", on her official Twitter account. On December 16, Tamra Barney announced to a fan that season seven will return February 7, 2012.

In an interview Slade Smiley, boyfriend of Gretchen, announced that Bravo is currently doing changes to the cast for its eighth season that will debut sometime in Spring 2013. Alexis Bellino announced on September 24, 2012 that she will not be returning to the show for its eighth season in order to 'focus on family and other opportunities'. However, in October 2012, Alexis was spotted filming scenes for the show. Entertainment websites reports that Alexis asked for a pay increase for her next season of the show. Bravo declined her the pay increase, Alexis decided to hold out hoping Bravo would eventually change their minds. However, Bravo moved on and cast another Housewife, Allison Edmonds, wife of former pro baseball player, Jim Edmonds. A couple days before filming was scheduled to begin, Allison and her husband backed out of the show. So as a back up plan Bravo contacted Alexis and asked her to return to the show, although proclaimed they would still not give her more money. Alexis agreed and began filming for the show.

All seven seasons have aired on British channel ITV2 becoming increasing popular in the United Kingdom. The seventh season finished airing in October 2012.

Production for season 8 started in Fall 2012 with a Spring 2013 premiere. All season 7 Housewives will return including Alexis Bellino; along with new Housewife, Lydia Sterling-McLaughlin. Another new addition is housewife Kayla McCarthy, her involvement confirmed via her Twitter account. Although it is not expected she will be full time housewife but instead a "Friend of the Housewives" details of her involvement have yet to be confirmed officially.

On November 19, 2012, Vicki Gunvalson posted a picture on her official Facebook page of the ladies getting ready for a bachelorette weekend for Tamra Barney which was being filmed for season 8. Included in the picture was Gunvalson, Barney, Rossi, Dubrow, and new Housewife, Sterling. Noticeably absent from the picture was Alexis Bellino, who was not invited on the vacation. The following month Gunvalson posted another photo on Twitter, showing all the housewives as well as former housewife Lauri Waring-Peterson before they headed Whistler, Canada. On January 11, Alexis Bellino announced to a fan that she thinks the show will be back in March.

Current Housewives

Vicki Gunvalson

(Season 1 - present)

"I don't wanna get old." (Season 1)

"Here's to not being fake." (Season 2)

"Everything's got to be huge, large, and grand" (Season 3)

"I want the power and the money, and I want them both." (Season 4)

"I love my family, I love my work, I love my life." (Season 5)

"I make my own money and I make my own rules." (Season 6)

"My tank is full and I'm driving into my future." (Season 7)

Born March 27, 1962, Vicki Gunvalson has a family that includes her ex-husband, Donn, and the two children from her first marriage, Michael and Briana Wolfsmith. She has worked extremely hard to achieve financial success as an independent insurance agent and expects her family to toe her party line. Gunvalson herself admits to having control issues but maintains it is this very characteristic that has brought about her success and desired lifestyle. By Season 3, Gunvalson and her husband are empty nesters and purchase a smaller home in Coto with the goal to downsize and simplify their lives. However, they still reside in their large residence and Gunvalson eventually sells the smaller home. Gunvalson appears to have expanded her business to include business associates in Bellevue, Washington and Atlanta, Georgia, with her son eventually joining her business. Her daughter Briana has a cancer scare, but is able to recover. In October 2010 it was reported that Vicki and Donn were divorcing. In April 2011, on the Bravo aftershow series Watch What Happens Live, Vicki confirmed that divorce proceedings were ongoing. She is the only original housewife from season 1. As a result, Andy Cohen has dubbed her " The OG from the OC". Vicki is allegedly an Aries.

Gunvlason's daughter gave birth to Gunvalson's first grandchild on September 28, 2012. Troy William Culberson is the son of Briana Wolfsmith and her husband Ryan Culberson.

Tamra Barney

(Season 3 - present)

"I'm the hottest housewife in Orange County." (Season 3)

"I'm not the new girl anymore, so watch out." (Season 4)

"Housewives come younger, but they don't come hottter." (Season 5)

"I'm done being the trophy-wife. Freedom only makes me hotter." (Season 6)

"I call the shots in my life now, and I have good aim." (Season 7)

43-year-old California native Tamra Vieth-Barney joined the cast in Season 3 through a casting call launched on the BravoTV website. She lived in Ladera Ranch with her second husband of 10 years, Simon Robert Barney (born 1964). She became a real estate agent in Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch to achieve a sense of "value" in her family dynamic. However, she made it clear that her job did not provide her family with its primary financial support and that her husband was her family's primary breadwinner. Her family included three children by Simon: Sidney, Spencer, and Sophia, all of whom are under the age 10. Barney also has a 23 year old son, Ryan Vieth, from her first marriage. On January 7, 2010, after Season 5 filming, Simon filed for divorce claiming infidelity and disloyalty by Tamra, and she moved from their home into a two bedroom apartment. Simon and Tamra's divorce was finalized as of October 2011. Tamra's star sign is Virgo. Tamra Vieth-Barney appeared as a guest on Season 2, Episode 3, of Top Chef Masters.

She is currently engaged to Eddie Judge. This will be her third marriage.

Gretchen Rossi

(Season 4 - present)

"I love the bling, I love the jewelry, I love it all." (Season 4)

"I'm smart, I'm sexy, I'm confident, of course people are going to talk about me." (Season 5)

"Happiness is never having to apologize for being me." (Season 6)

"Don't call me a princess, call me the boss." (Season 7)

Gretchen Rossi, 34, joined the cast of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" in Season 4. Gretchen grew up in La Cresenta, CA, and attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she earned a degree in Psychology and a minor in Family Studies and Child Development. Following college, Gretchen went into the then-booming South Orange County real estate industry, but quit working to take care of her fiancé at the time, Jeff. Gretchen continues to build financial independence through her make-up line and is now expanding the business with a handbag collection. She has dated Slade Smiley for several years, though she is uncertain if marriage is in their future. Gretchen is said to be a Scorpio.

Gretchen has a fledgling singing career and made her professional singing debut performing with the Pussycat Dolls at Planet Hollywood Resort in Las Vegas.

She is pursuing options to become pregnant and more recently has had a surprisingly great relationship with fellow castmate, Tamra.

Alexis Bellino

(Season 5 - present)

"Am I high maintenance? Of course I am, look at me." (Season 5)

"God is my savior, my husband is my king, and my body is sinful." (Season 6)

''"I thank God everyday for my life, and you would too." (Season 7)''

Having joined the cast during Season 5, Alexis Bellino is a 32-year-old stay-at-home mom. Originally from the small town of Hannibal, Missouri, she now lives in Newport Beach with her husband, Jim Bellino. Alexis and Jim have three young children, 4-year old James and 3-year-old twins, Melania and Mackenna. She launched a line of sexy and revealing dresses, designed for moms just like her. Bellino also has a once-a-week TV gig at Fox 5 San Diego where she does light features both in studio and in the field. Alexis no longer works for Fox 5. Jim and Alexis now own Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Anaheim, California. She was said to be a Capricorn.

On September 18, 2012, Us Weekly reported that Alexis had quit the show and would not be returning for season 8. However E! online reports that she was not invited back, because of her always complaining, and her diva antics. However on September 24, 2012, she released a statement to People Magazine stating that she will not be returning to the show's eighth season 'in order to focus on family and other opportunities'

However, in October 2012, Alexis was spotting filming scenes for season 8 of that show. It is now being reported that her leaving the show was because she was trying to get a pay increase from Bravo. Bravo declined her the pay increase, so she was holding out to see if they would budge. Bravo moved on and cast another Housewife, Allison Edmonds, in her place. However, a couple days before filming was scheduled to begin, Allison backed out of the series. As a back up plan, Bravo contacted Alexis and asked her to return to the series.

Heather DuBrow

(Season 7 - present)

"I may be married to a plastic surgeon but I am 98% real." (Season 7)

In the seventh season, actress Heather Dubrow ( /dˈbroʊ/) joins the cast and is currently a stay-at-home mom. She is married to prominent Newport Beach plastic surgeon, Terry DuBrow. They have four children—8-year-old twins Nicholas and Maximilia, 5-year-old Katarina, and 10-month-old, Collette. She and her family live in the exclusive beach community of Pelican Hill.

Former Housewives

Kimberly Bryant

(Season 1)

"85% of the women around here have had breast implants."(Season 1)

Born in 1961, Bryant is a stay-at-home mom whose schedule primarily consists of shuttling her kids from extracurricular activity to activity, working out, and socializing with her girlfriends. Season 1 focuses on her decision to surgically enhance her physical appearance after moving to Coto; her husband Scott asked her to get breast augmentation surgery after noticing that the majority of Coto wives were extremely well endowed. Bryant comments that 85 percent of the women living in Coto have had breast implants. She explains that she went from an A-cup to a D-cup breast size in part because her husband's idea of a wife over 40 is a "lingerie model."

At the end of Season 1, Bryant explained her family's departure from the show to Chicago by saying that her medical history of melanoma and her son's recent growth of a benign, but still pre-cancerous, mole catalyzed their move from the sunny OC weather.

Bryant makes cameo appearances at Waring's bridal shower in Season 3 and in Season 4 when Gunvalson and Keough reunite with her during their trip to Chicago to visit family. She also attends a Season 4 end-of-summer party with the current housewives.

She now lives in Lake Bluff, Illinois.

Jo de la Rosa

(Season 1 - Season 2)

"He's pretty much keeping me."(Season 1)

"I deserve only the best...I'm worth it."(Season 2)

Jo de la Rosa (alias) was born in Lima, Peru and emigrated with her parents to Tustin, California at the age of three. In 1994, her parents won the California Lottery and moved the family to Mission Viejo. There she attended Mission Viejo High School where she was active in drama, cheer, and student body. She graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in English and Comparative Literature. She then started a career in the title insurance industry where she met Slade Smiley, who served as her entrance into the Coto lifestyle.

In Season 1, De La Rosa lived with Slade in his house behind the Coto gates. Included in her Coto family were his two sons from two different relationships, Gavin and Grayson. Slade is an executive in the title insurance industry and provided De La Rosa with the money and prestige of living the Coto lifestyle. He gave her a Mercedes sedan and a luxurious home and wanted De La Rosa, in turn, to be the conventional stay-at-home wife and mother. In De La Rosa's words, "Slade is pretty much keeping me." Despite having all of her financial needs taken care of, she still had trouble adjusting to the traditional housewife role.

In Season 2, De La Rosa decided to move out of Coto to take a position as the title representative for her company's Beverly Hills territory. As a result, Slade ended their romantic relationship during a session with a relationship therapist, but becomes her unofficial "guide" on contract or business issues as she pursues a singing career. Another change to her Coto life during this season was that Slade's younger son, Grayson, did not appear to live with De La Rosa and Slade.

De La Rosa was not included as a Season 3 cast member as she has moved to Los Angeles with a record contract from Immergent Records in tow and does not keep in touch with the other housewives. However, she makes cameo appearances at Keough's backyard cocktail party on the Season 3 finale episode and the post-Season 3 reunion episode. She also appears in the Season 4 finale, along with several housewives from seasons past.

De La Rosa and Slade were spun off on a dating reality show following her pursuit of love and a music career in Los Angeles. On July 12, 2008, their spin-off, entitled, "Date My Ex: Jo & Slade," premiered on BravoTV. Before the spin-off premiered, BravoTV aired a one episode special called, "Jo and Slade: The Break Up," on June 30, 2008 that recapped De La Rosa and Slade's romantic history and previewed their spin-off.

De La Rosa released her first album, titled "Unscripted," on August 19, 2008.

In Season 4, Rossi appears as an extra in De La Rosa's first music video with Slade as the video's producer. De La Rosa's website once hinted at a sophomore album, but she has since confirmed that she is working steadily in the digital media industry.

Quinn Fry

(Season 3)

"I love having a younger man in my life." (Season 3)

Fry joined the cast mid-Season 3 on December 11, 2007, by answering a casting call advertisement in a local newspaper. She was born in 1955 in Fort Knox, Kentucky, where her father was stationed in the military. Married twice before and now single, she lives in San Clemente, California. She has two children, one from each of her marriages: Shannon (31 at the time, a Eureka resident) and Colin. Colin lives with Fry and attended San Clemente High School as a senior at the time.[74] She works as an internet marketing manager and managing editor of an Orange County-based lifestyle and entertainment website and has also appeared as an on-air personality for the Cox Communications cable program, OC Lifestyle.

She is portrayed as a "cougar" as she is casually seeing a 26-year-old named Jared and she comments that "I love having a younger man in my life." However, a liaison with a golf pro in his forties, named Billy, is the relationship that Fry more seriously pursues. The other housewives meet her for the first time at a Mission Viejo restaurant where they immediately ask Fry a number of personal questions, such as, her age (52 at the time) and the name of her plastic surgeon. At this meet-and-greet, she calls the other housewives "catty" in response to their derisive comments after being introduced to Jared. For example, Barney comments in her camera confessional about Fry dating Jared that "I think if you're super hot like Demi Moore you can get away with it, but that's not the case."

As a devout Christian, Fry's debut season chronicles her search for a committed relationship that will lead to marriage. She struggles to balance her self-purported "sensual" side with her religious conviction that she is meant to be married. She describes her most recent relationship with a man that she lived with for three years as a waste of time because he was simply not interested in being married. At the end of Season 3, Fry breaks up with Billy because he could not even call her his girlfriend let alone marry her.

Fry leaves the cast after the end of Season 3, but attends a party Keough gives during the premiere episode of Season 4. She keeps in touch with Keough, calling her the "glue that keeps the housewives together" and describes her as the "peacekeeper." At Keough's invitation, Fry plans to attend a "Housewives" function to reunite with Gunvalson, Keough, and Knickerbocker. However, she describes Waring as a "fake" and classifies Barney similarly, stating that they smile when the cameras are on but are completely different when she sees them on the street. She makes a party appearance in Season 5.

Tammy Knickerbocker

(Season 2 - Season 3)

"I don't let my kids or my exes drive me crazy." (Season 2)

"No matter how much money you have, you can always rely on others." (Season 3)

Tammy Knickerbocker, a 46-year-old single mother of three, joined the cast in Season 2 at the recommendation of her close friend of over 15 years and then-housewife Jeana Keough. Knickerbocker's family includes her two daughters from her first marriage, Megan and Lindsey, as well as a young son named Ryley from a recently ended relationship. Her first marriage to Lou (who died of a heart attack at age 67 on April 24, 2007) ended when he had an affair with his assistant and their lucrative business went bankrupt. Her lifestyle has been "reduced" from being married and owning one of the largest houses in Coto de Caza to being single and renting a $1.3 million house in the community while her permanent Coto home undergoes renovations because of severe water damage.

Another twist to her storyline is that Ryley's father, Duff, works in Coto as Gunvalson's home office manager. Knickerbocker and Duff attempt to balance their "friends with benefits" relationship with raising their young son. In the end, however, Duff and Knickerbocker decide to end any romantic relationship. Duff swears off the "crazy women of Coto de Caucasian" and Knickerbocker introduces the new man in her life to the other Housewives at Gunvalson's splashy end-of-summer barbecue party.

Although Knickerbocker left the series at the end of Season 3, she makes a cameo appearance at the end of Season 4, when she attended a party with current and selected former housewives, and another appearance for a Bunco party hosted by Tamra Barney.

Lauri Waring Peterson

(Season 1 - Season 4)

"Are the police involved?"(Season 1)

"I was poor I was rich I was poor again. And you know what...having money is easier."(Season 2)

"You know what I'm living the O.C. lifestyle again. I feel like royalty."(Season 3)

"I still get pampered...I still get treated like a princess...I deserve it."(Season 4)

In Season 1, Lauri Waring Peterson was a multiple-divorced single mother who used to live in a grand house with maid service in neighboring Dove Canyon with her ex-husband, but in the aftermath of her latest divorce had to downsize to a smaller townhouse outside the gates in Ladera Ranch. Her family included Ashley, Josh and Sophie. Although she was 46 at the time, Waring, a former model, still attended parties at Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion, though she was quick to point out she was never a Playboy bunny. To make ends meet, she worked in Gunvalson's home insurance office. Her daughter Ashley moved back home to escape the difficulties of paying her own bills and her son Josh spent time in juvenile detention.

In Season 1, Waring struggled with the adjustment from her former affluent lifestyle provided by yet another wealthy husband to a more modest standard of living on her own. She has said that she has gone from being poor to being rich to being poor again, and that "having money is easier." However, her perception of "poor" still includes her purchase of jewelry valued for thousands of dollars during a private shopping excursion with the housewives. During Season 1, Gunvalson hired Waring into her home-based insurance company, however by Season 2, after forming a relationship with a rich land developer, Waring appears to have a less active role in Gunvalson's insurance company and by Season 3, Waring never appears working with Gunvalson or in the insurance business.

During Season 2, Waring became engaged on Lake Como to a wealthy real estate and land developer, George Peterson.[95] Season 2 focused on Waring's relationship with George and the financial improvements to her lifestyle that this upwardly mobile relationship provides her and her children. Waring identifies herself as a Republican (although she is unable to define what that means to her) and attends a Republican Party fundraiser as part of George's social obligations.

By Season 3, Waring, Ashley and Sophie have moved in with George into his home in San Juan Capistrano. She is shown planning her expensive third wedding and riding horses at George's ranch. After leaving rehab, Josh moved into Waring's Ladera Ranch townhouse with Ashley, however, Waring purports that Josh broke a number of "house rules" and she evicted him. After leaving his mother's townhouse, Josh moved in with George's ex-wife, Gina. Josh doesn't appear in the credits as part of Waring's family and Waring has alluded that she doesn't see him anymore. Despite the appearance of numerous children from George's former marriage and Waring's repeated commentary about their "modern Brady Bunch family" in Season 2, only one daughter, McKenzie (18), appears to live with George and Waring during Season 3. The Season 3 finale included an extended psychotherapy session attended by Waring and Josh where they achieved resolution in their conflicted mother-son relationship. Josh ends up being included in his mother's lavish wedding ceremony as his grandmother's escort down the aisle.

In Season 4, Waring makes a brief appearance with the other housewives as they enjoy massages, facials, manicures and pedicures at a high-end Los Angeles day spa. While the other housewives bond and leisurely enjoy spa treatments, Waring leaves early to attend a family function with George. Gunvalson comments that Waring used to be a close friend but not since she married George and says that, "It's sad." As the season progresses, it is apparent that Waring interacts very sporadically with the other housewives saying that her focus and attention is with George and her family. December 9, 2008 marked the departure of Waring from the show to focus her attention on her family and their difficulties, specifically citing Josh's spiral into heroin addiction. Prior to the start of Season 4, in June 2008, Josh was charged with two felony counts of possession and intent to sell.

In, July 2008, there were allegations that Waring had cheated on her husband. The next month after the allegations were made Waring confirmed that the allegations were true and was deeply sorry. Waring and her husband currently live in separate houses and see each other on weekends.

In late November 2012, Waring was spotted filming with the ladies as they attended a dress fitting for Tamra Barney's upcoming wedding. She also appeared in a photo of the entire group vacationing in Canada. According to Rumourfix she will not return as a full-time housewife.

Jeana Keough

(Season 1 - Season 5)

"It's just money and you can't take it with you."'(Season 1)

"I have always wanted things. I crave money."'(Season 2)

"I love money and now I'm loving life."(Season 3)

"It doesn't matter what happens in life...I do it my way."(Season 4)

"Money is a girl's best friend. And I love friends."(Season 5)

Jeana Keough ( /ˈkiːoʊ/) (born September 18, 1955) is a 57-year-old former Playboy Playmate of the Month (November 1980, under the name Jeana Tomasino) and actress (featured in the 1981 film History of the World, Part 1 and in the 1982 movie Beach Girls) from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jeana was also featured in ZZ Top's video's. She currently works as a realtor. In Season 3, she legally separated from her second husband, Matt Keough, with whom she has three children: Shane, Kara, and Colton. Matt is a former major league pitcher[81] for the Oakland A's and several other major league teams. He is currently employed as an executive with the Oakland A's.

Keough often described her experience as a mother as tough and her children are often seen battling with one another over the usual sibling rivalries and the not so usual sibling rivalries, such as who has the newer BMW. Kara talks on-air about her family dynamic by saying, "We show our love by buying each other things." During both Seasons 1 and 2, Keough explained that Matt was often out of town on business which left her as the primary parent and disciplinarian to her three children, which resulted in a very hectic household. Part of this absence can be attributed to Matt's serving time in jail for a drunk driving accident in which he hit a bicyclist.[84][85] Season 2 continued to document Keough's marital struggle and one of her closing statements is, "We have four houses; he [Matt] can choose one."

In Season 3, Keough's Coto family has gotten smaller as she and Matt have legally separated, and Colton is the only child living consistently at home. Shane plays minor league baseball out of state and Kara (a former child actor) prepares to attend UC Berkeley in Northern California. In prior seasons, Colton was depicted as the reasonable, obedient, down-to-earth child with Keough describing him as her "golden child". However, this season shows Colton defying his mother, Coto HOA rules, and traffic laws; with Keough now saying that she doesn't trust Colton alone and she really wants to keep a closer eye on him.

Keough explores the dating scene in Season 3, explaining to friends that she and Matt did not have a real marriage, just a relationship that used to be based on a strong physical and sexual attraction. According to Keough, Matt does not really like or love her; they got caught up in the sex at first, then the children came along and they just got on with the "business of marriage". She continues to explain that when she gained weight he, being an athlete, could not understand and so stopped being "nice" to her.

In the opening scenes of Season 4, Keough and Matt still live in the same house with Keough explaining that she takes in all types of people into her house, so "why wouldn't she let the father of her children live in her home?" Despite their close living quarters, Keough asserts that she and Matt are definitely separated and she has just redecorated her master bedroom for thousands and thousands of dollars as a show of her independence. With Shane[88] and Kara living in different cities, Colton remains the only child living with her and Keough relies on family friend "Uncle Richie" to act as a father figure for him (such as helping Colton get ready for prom). With the downturn of the real estate market, and California particularly hard hit, a portion of Keough's Season 4 storyline depicts how the market lows and the current recession has affected Keough's occupation as a high-end realtor. The extreme real estate downturn in Orange County since 2005 has severely impacted the Keoughs' financial position. Jeana and Matt lost the residences which they bought for their children during the boom, but averted the loss of their home in March 2010. The house is still scheduled for foreclosure by the community association, but the sale date has been extended month-by-month. The third episode of Season 5 was Keough's last appearance as a regular on the show, although she has made later cameo appearances.

Keough returned to Bravo in September 2010 on the fitness series Thintervention with Jackie Warner as a weight-loss client.

Lynne Curtin

(Season 4 - Season 5)

"I am just your typical Orange County housewife...I am obsessed with being young."(Season 4)

"It's not about how much money you have...It's about how good you look spending it."(Season 5)

On December 16, 2008, the Capistrano Beach resident Curtin,[107] joined the cast in the fourth episode of Season 4 to replace Lauri Waring Peterson. She has been married to Frank Curtin for 18 years and is a stay-at-home mom for her two teenage daughters, Raquel (19) and Alexa (17).[108] Her role as a stay-at-home mom and accompanying interpretation of appropriate parenting style is her storyline in Season 4. She mentions that her "carefree and laidback" parenting style where she strives to be her daughters' best friend differs greatly from her husband's. Raquel is turning 18 and angling for a blowout bash and a car (preferably a BMW, Mercedes or Audi) as Curtin debuts in Season 4.

While her younger daughter, Alexa, stays at home, Raquel prefers (in her words) to "party with her friends as often as she can" throughout Orange County. She is shown eating out in Laguna Beach restaurants ordering alcoholic beverages and smuggling bottled alcohol into a bowling alley to surreptitiously drink with her fellow underage friends in the bathroom. Compounding her image as a "problem child" (as Curtin teasingly labels her eldest), Raquel discloses to Keough that she graduated from a high school program called Access at Horizons, which Keough explains is designed to cope with children with disciplinary problems.

A leitmotif is Curtin's reluctance to accept that she is getting older. When pressed by Rossi, Curtin will not divulge her age confessing that she is absolutely afraid of getting old when she just wants to "have fun." She prides herself on looking young and wearing the same size clothing as her teenage daughters. At Raquel's birthday lunch, Alexa wears a form fitting short dress that incites Randy to respond that he did not even recognize her and that she looked like a stripper. Curtin's response is that the dress is very "classy" and it actually belongs to her.

The other Housewives label her and Frank as "so laid back," with Barney and Gunvalson implying that they both use marijuana to achieve that level of calmness. Barney, Gunvalson, and Keough observe that the Curtins differ so greatly from the rest of the Housewives and their spouses because of their "mc purposes. Both Lynne and her husband, jointly, are subjects of a $1,200,000 court judgment in favor of a former business associate [109]

Lynne Curtin appeared as a guest on Season 2, Episode 3, of Top Chef Masters [110] On August 6, 2010, Curtin has announced on her official Facebook page that she will not be returning to the show: "Rumor has it that I will not be returning for 'Season 6' That rumor is true! Further rumor has it we will be back somewhere else on our own show! Hmmmm! 'Watch what happens' Life is so unpredictable! Enjoy! L," also: "I am broken hearted! I was so let down the way this came about! We were the last to know! I guess Bravo has to do what they have to do! I thought we had a great relationship! I guess I was wrong! Its funny how fast offers came to us from other places! That's how we found out we were not returning! Funny how life can be! L." She also said, "Thank you! We tried to be honest about our lives! I thought that's what reality TV is supposed to be! I would like our new show to be totally honest! No retakes or do overs. You will see it exactly the way it really happens! Someone thinks a lot of people will tune in! That makes me feel better about things! It's important to keep a positive vibe in life no matter what is going on! L"

In May 2012, former co-star Tamra Barney stated that Lynne and Frank have, since leaving the show, filed for divorce.

She made an appearance during season 6.

Peggy Tanous

(Season 6)

"Soccer moms drive Mini vans...but this girl...drives a Bentley."(Season 6)

Season 6 welcomed a new beautiful blonde, Peggy Tanous ( /ˈtænoʊs/), a 41-year old former model and now stay-at-home mom with poster girl good looks. Peggy is an odd mix between a holistic, new age woman and a wealthy Orange County party girl. She believes in clean, natural living, but loves her bling, Bentley, and plastic surgery. She sees her new O.C. gal-pals as another step towards being fabulous.

Peggy is a close friend to Alexis, but as the season plays out, the relationship hits a rocky patch. Peggy jumps into the middle of a friendship with Tamra, because they are both involved with younger men, and Vicki because Peggy believes strongly in astrology and Vicki is an Aries, which is the same as Peggy.

During the season, Peggy gets breast implant replacement surgery because it's healthier and as she says, she wants to look "damn good in a bathing suit!" Peggy also reinvigorates her former modeling/hosting career, but there is more to Peggy than just good looks as she opens up about an emotional secret.

Housewives history

Housewives	Seasons
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	Current
Vicki Gunvalson	Main
Tamra Vieth-Barney			Main
Gretchen Rossi				Main
Alexis Bellino					Main
Heather Dubrow							Main
Lydia Sterling-McLaughlin								Main
Lauri Waring Peterson	Main				Guest			Recurring
Kayla McCarthy								Recurring
	Former
Jeana Keough	Main					Recurring
Jo De LaRosa	Main		Guest
Kimberly Bryant	Main	Guest
Tammy Knickerbocker		Main		Guest		Guest
Quinn Fry			Main	Guest
Lynne Curtin				Main		Guest
Peggy Tanous						Main	Guest
Fernanda Rocha						Recurring
Sarah Winchester							Recurring

DVD Releases

In March 2009, Target stores released the first season on DVD.

Season		Episodes	Release date
	1	8	March 15, 2009
	2	10	November 8, 2009
	3	12	March 21, 2010
	4	15	November 14, 2010
	5	17	August 9, 2011
	6	16	February 7, 2012
	7	23	December 4, 2012

Episodes

• List of The Real Housewives of Orange County episodes

Season		Episodes	Season Premiere	Season Finale	Reunion
	1	8	March 21, 2006	May 2, 2006	May 9, 2006
	2	10	January 16, 2007	March 13, 2007	March 20, 2007
	3	12	November 6, 2007	January 22, 2008	January 29, 2008
	4	15	November 25, 2008	February 17, 2009	February 24, 2009
	5	17	November 5, 2009	March 5, 2010	March 10, 2010 March 11, 2010
	6	16	March 6, 2011	June 5, 2011	June 12, 2011 June 13, 2011
	7	23	February 7, 2012	June 26, 2012	July 10, 2012 July 16, 2012
	8	TBA	Spring 2013	Summer 2013	Summer 2013

External links

• Official website
• The Real Housewives of Orange County at IMDb