Ever since last week’s suicide of Taylor Armstrong’s husband Russell, I’ve really been struggling with whether or not I’d watch the upcoming season of ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’. It’s obvious from the previews that the new season is largely about Taylor and her mental condition – as she nears the end of her marriage. From what I’ve heard majority of the season will play out the end of Taylor and Russell’s marriage, and Taylor’s constant pain and anguish.

RELATED: Taylor Armstrong releases statement on estranged husband’s suicide

After Russell committed suicide, the airing of these episode would be in such bad taste, in my opinion. I think Bravo either needs to cancel the season – OR – remove any scenes involving Taylor and Russell.

People Magazine believes they should shelve the whole season:

A reality show may present itself as a grand mansion, but it’s essentially a prefab house plunked down on what the owners hope looks like solid ground: If an earthquake rumbles below and splits open a fissure, the foundation of the house goes, goes, goes down, down, down.

Bravo has set about trying to repair the tragic mess that is now season 2 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The season, which was scheduled to premiere Sept. 5, will be reedited and possibly postponed in light of the suicide of Housewife Taylor Armstrong’s estranged husband, Russell. According to Variety, it’s likely that Russell’s presence – that is, his life – will be reshaped or reduced.

The fact remains that public interest in the show is now higher than ever. But, in a better world, Bravo would just go ahead and scrap not just the season but the entire series. And I say that as a fan of the show. The first season was one of the most entertaining things ever to come out of Bravo.

The death of Russell can’t be treated merely as an act of God or some incidental tragedy. His suicide by hanging weeks before the premiere was intimately connected with Taylor’s public and personal life. It may very well be that his death would have happened without press scrutiny, without Taylor’s overnight fame and the disturbing revelations about his abusive behavior, but the possibility can’t be eliminated. This isn’t a garnish of parsley that can be scraped aside and off the plate.

RELATED: Russell Armstrong’s Family May Sue ‘Bravo’ Network

Russell, although unseen, figured heavily in the season premiere screening disc Bravo sent out to critics earlier this summer: At a dinner reuniting the Housewives, Taylor, 40, was openly distraught over the state of her marriage – weeping in the powder room – but assuring everyone she was doing all she could to save her marriage.

Lisa Vanderpump suggested that Taylor knew how to turn the tears on and off, and her husband, Ken, mocked marriage counseling. Even before Russell’s suicide, they came across as stupendously cavalier. How much of this will remain?

Even if Taylor were to quit the show and move to an undisclosed island, claiming the need to shelter her daughter and her own spirit, Camille Grammer and the others would still be required, somehow, at some point, to address the issue. Awkward, one might say. And if Taylor remains, as the show spills into seasons 3 and even 4, how naturally can she be expected to mourn and recover with women who are not so much friends as costars? Or even possibly hostile costars?

What do you think? Should Bravo scrap the series? Cancel this season? Remove Russell from all episodes?

Following the recent tragedy of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Russell Armstrong’s suicide (which he coroner has made the official cause of death), RadarOnline reports that his family is considering suing the Bravo, the network that airs the reality television series.

“Bravo is at fault and somebody needs to pay,” Russell’s step brother Wade Jackson told RadarOnline. “Russell’s whole family was very close and they’re considering suing Bravo. Russell’s dad doesn’t want to talk about what happened to him with a lot of people, but everyone in the family thinks that Bravo is to blame. I’m sure somebody will sue them,” Jackson said about the Armstrong family plans to litigate against the network.

Bravo isn’t the only one Wade blames; he credits Russell’s estranged wife Taylor for getting Russell involved with the Real Housewives series:

“In his line of business he didn’t want to be a public person on the show, but Taylor pushed him into it.  He was really upset about the whole thing and told everyone in the family that he didn’t want to be on the show.”

Jackson said Russell had visited his dad in Texas in the last month and was planning to get through the divorce with Taylor and was then considering leaving California.

“He was a smart guy,” Jackson said. “The whole family is sad about his death and they want answers.”

Source

After a day of speculating just who it was that found Russell Armstrong’s body, it has now been confirmed by insiders that the person was none other than his estranged wife, Taylor Armstrong.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 40, discovered the body of her husband after he hung himself at a private residence on Mullholland Drive.

Over the weekend, according to the source, Taylor grew concerned when she had not heard from Russell (father to her daughter Kennedy, 5) for several days. Finally, at the urging of a pal, the reality star and her assistant went to the house to check in on Russell, where they made their heartbreaking discovery.

The L.A. Coroner was in the process of examining Russell’s body on Tuesday.

“Taylor Armstrong is devastated at the tragic events that have unfolded,” her rep told Us in a statement on Tuesday. “She requests privacy at this time so that she may comfort her young daughter.”

Taylor filed for divorce on July 15 from Russell, citing physical and verbal abuse.

“Russell was dealing with a heavy amount of emotional and familial distress. His life was in shambles,” another insider explained to Us.

How unbelievably tragic.

If you think you or a loved one are in an emotional or suicidal crisis, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline online, or call 800.273.TALK

Source

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong has released a statement, via her rep, regarding the suicide of her estranged husband Russell Armstrong.

“Taylor Armstrong is devasted by the tragic events that have unfolded,” her rep says in a statement. “She requests privacy at this time so that she may comfort her young daughter” – 5-year-old Kennedy.

The statement adds that Armstrong’s “thoughts and prayers” are also with Russell’s 11- and 13-year-old sons from previous relationships.

Russell was found dead in a friend’s Los Angeles home, according to police.

Taylor Armstrong, 40, had filed for divorce on July 15 from Russell, 47, citing physical and verbal abuse.

The whole thing is so sad!

Source

Following the shocking news that The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong’s estranged husband, Russell, has committed suicide, fellow Housewives are reaching out to Taylor and the couple’s daughter, Kennedy, 5, in support.

“This is so sad for Taylor and her daughter,” Real Housewife of NYC Jill Zarin tells Life & Style. “Words cannot convey how I feel. I will be there for her if she needs me. This is such a senseless tragedy.”

Housewife of New Jersey Caroline Manzo tells Life & Style, “I’m so sorry to hear it — it’s so tragic. My thoughts are with Taylor, their daughter, Russell’s son and their families.”

See What Happens host Andy Cohen Tweeted, “I am so very sad about today’s news. My prayers and thoughts are with Taylor Armstrong and her family.”

“I cried when I heard the news,” Housewife of NYC Ramona Singer tells Life & Style. “Someone has to be extremely depressed to take his life, and he was obviously in an intense amount of pain.”

Taylor was reportedly told about Russell’s death last night around 8 p.m. He was found dead in an apartment in LA, where he’d been staying with a friend since the couple’s recent split.

“People grow apart, but it doesn’t mean Taylor stopped caring for him,” Ramona adds, referring to the couple’s relationship problems. “The whole thing is just sad. I feel so sad for their daughter. She has a loss forever. It’s a travesty.”

A rep for Bravo also expressed condolences. “All of us at Bravo are deeply saddened by this tragic news,” the rep tells Life & Style. “Our sympathy and thoughts are with the Armstrong family at this difficult time.”

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According to RadarOnline, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong is beyond hysterical with grief over her estranged husband’s apparent suicide.

Russell Armstrong was found hanging in the bedroom of his home in Los Angeles Monday night and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 47.

Taylor “has been up all night. She is hysterical, and can barely speak. She has no idea why Russell would do this. She doesn’t know how she is going to be able to tell her daughter, Kennedy,” a source close to the situation tells us exclusively.

Taylor had recently filed for divorce, and their marriage had been in trouble for some time.

The upcoming season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was going to feature the former couple going to marriage counseling in an attempt to save their marriage.

No word on if Bravo plans on airing those sessions in light of his tragic death.

Russell had “been dealing with a lot of financial stress in recent months,” our insider tells us.

Source

Oh my gosh! I am so sad right now! This news completely shocked me!

Russell Armstrong, the estranged husband of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Taylor Armstrong, was found dead of an apparent suicide …sources tell TMZ.

Our sources say Armstrong hanged himself. He was found hanging in his bedroom on Mulholland Drive.

We’re told L.A. City Fire Department arrived at his home and pronounced him dead at 8:16 PM Monday. Sources say a roommate found Russell and called 911.

We’re told authorities have not found a suicide note.

Taylor filed for divorce last month, after she claimed Russell physically abused her. We’re told authorities informed her of Russell’s death last night.

He was 47 years old.

Shocked!!! His poor daughter.

TMZ