The Sketchy Men Of Real Housewives
The women of Bravo's Real Housewives franchise are known for creating a whole lot of drama, but in recent years, their male counterparts have made plenty of headlines too. From stints in jail to allegations of infidelity, find out which of the Real Housewives' husbands could probably star in a reality show of their own.
Joe Giudice
Joe Giudice is currently serving a 41-month prison sentence after he and his wife, Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fraud in 2014. Giudice started his sentence in March 2016, shortly after Teresa ended her 15-month sentence early. If that wasn't crazy enough, reports are circulating that Giudice may face deportation upon release from jail: a federal investigation uncovered the fact that he is not actually a United States citizen.
Mario Singer
Real Housewives of New York City star Ramona Singer's 22-year marriage came to a screeching halt in 2014 after she caught her husband Mario cheating on her with a 32-year-old woman named Kasey Dexter. "I have decided to move on with my life without Mario," Singer—who tried to reconcile her marriage after the affair was exposed—confirmed on August 7, 2014. "I tried my best to make my marriage work," she wrote. "I am excited for the new chapter in my life."
In her 2015 memoir, Life on the Ramona Coaster, Singer—whose divorce from Mario was finalized in December 2015—admitted that the pain of her divorce was so debilitating that she became reliant upon anti-anxiety medication and contemplated suicide. Although Mario and Dexter allegedly split after their affair was exposed, they were spotted together again as recently as October 2015.
Apollo Nida
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Phaedra Parks' ex Apollo Nida was sentenced to eight years in prison in July 2014 for his involvement in a fraud scheme that allegedly stole millions of dollars from more than 50 people.
According to the charges, Nida set up fake companies that granted him access to databases from which he stole people's identities. Then, according to TMZ, he opened fake accounts in their names—and "somehow got hold of stolen U.S. Treasury checks, stolen retirement checks from Delta Airline employees and checks that were supposed to go to people who had unclaimed tax money." Nida—who, FYI, previously spent five years in a federal prison for auto title fraud—allegedly laundered more than $2.3 million during the scheme. Radar Online reported in 2016 that Nida was later transferred to maximum security after getting caught with a smuggled cell phone.
Kelsey Grammer
He may have made millions of people laugh on shows like Cheers and Frasier, but in real life, Kelsey Grammer battled a boatload of drama when his marriage to his third wife, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Camille Grammer, fell apart in 2010. Amid the drama, it was uncovered that Kelsey had allegedly been having an affair with his soon-to-be-fourth wife, a British flight attendant named Kayte Walsh (they met on a flight). Grammer's divorce was finalized in early 2011; he married Walsh just a few weeks later.
By all accounts, the relationship between Grammer and Camille remains acrimonious. In an October 2011 interview with Piers Morgan, Grammer claimed he gave Camille Real Housewives as a "parting gift" because she "always wanted to be famous." Meanwhile, in 2014, Camille flat-out called Grammer a "total d**k" and an "a**" while speaking to Bravo's Andy Cohen. Soo ... yeah. Not great.
Josh Taekman
In 2015, accounts registered to the online dating site Ashley Madison—which let married users sign up to have affairs with other married people—were exposed during an internet hack. During the drama, The Daily Mail discovered that Josh Taekman, the husband of Real Housewives of New York City star Kristen Taekman, had spent thousands of dollars on the site. Taekman initially denied the report before confessing his actions to Us Weekly. "I signed up for the site foolishly and ignorantly with a group of friends and I deeply apologize for any embarrassment or pain I have brought to my wife and family," he said. "We both look forward to moving past this and getting on with our lives." His wife left Real Housewives after Josh's account was exposed. They are still married.
Russell Armstrong
The past of the late Russell Armstrong was filled with even more drama than an entire season of Real Housewives. As E! News pointed out, Armstrong battled everything from felony tax evasion charges to domestic abuse allegations and bankruptcy. His turbulent life came to a tragic end when he committed suicide by hanging himself in August 2011, mere weeks after his second wife, former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong, filed for divorce.
Simon Barney
The bitter end of the marriage between Simon Barney and Real Housewives of Orange County star Tamra Barney reached bottom in 2010 after Simon was reportedly arrested on domestic violence charges for throwing a plastic retractable dog leash at his now-ex-wife. The former couple eventually reached a divorce settlement in 2012, although the fallout from their relationship continues to play out in the tabloids.
Michael Wainstein
Jules Wainstein has only been on The Real Housewives of New York City for one season, but she's already had enough personal drama to last a lifetime. In June 2016, Page Six reported that Wainstein was divorcing her husband Michael after catching him cheating. One day later, reports claimed Wainstein called the police to the couple's New York City apartment because Jules "was in an environment in which she genuinely did not feel safe." She was later granted a temporary restraining order against her husband of eight years, with whom she has two children. Meanwhile, a lawyer for Michael has denied Wainstein's claims, alleging that Michael had actually sued for divorce first and she never answered the papers.