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Bravo's Andy Cohen talks about 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' suicide

The producer/talk show host admits there were 'many discussions' about Armstrong

By Liane Bonin Starr Saturday, Jan 7, 2012 10:03 PM

Andy Cohen

 Andy Cohen

Credit: Bravo

While Andy Cohen was on hand at press tour to discuss his Bravo late night talk show, "Watch What Happens: Live," expanding to five nights a week (Sun. through Thurs.) this week, but it came as no surprise that questions about the recent suicide of Russell Armstrong, husband of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Taylor Armstrong, came up during a panel.

Cohen's interview with Taylor shortly after her husband's death was, as expected, a challenge given the playful tone of the show. "Yeah, I thought a lot about it and what I wanted to do was maintain the integrity of what we do at 'Watch What Happens: Live,' which is fun," Cohen said. "We're a fun show. That's our biggest kind of word that we associate with. So this was an interview obviously that was very serious.  And she also wanted to have fun on the show... but the audience hadn't seen her really that much and it wasn't necessarily time to be fun, so we spent the first 10 minutes of the show talking seriously, took a break and then went into the fun, so we did think about that.  And also... we taped the reunion that week and we talked a lot about every serious thing you could imagine, and that's a better forum for that conversation anyway."

Given that Russell's mother claims that her son told her, "They're going to crucify me this season... I'll never survive it," Cohen was asked how he felt about including the Russell-Taylor storyline in the show. "Well, we had had many discussions, as you can imagine, and for a long time, about how to do this, serious discussions.  And I think what emerged is the story of a woman trying to extricate herself from a bad... marriage in which she was unhappy where domestic violence was playing a part, and that was the story that wound up emerging from the season." 
 
Cohen also said that, despite allegations that Russell was unhappy with the show, his experience with the businessman was quite the opposite. "He was given the option to come back or not come back [for season two] and he chose to come back.  He had spoken to producers a lot vocally about how much the show had helped his business, being on the show.  So... you know, I can't speak for him."
 
Liane-bonin-starr-sm
Liane Bonin Starr
Sr. Editor
Liane Bonin Starr is an author, screenwriter and former writer for EW.com. Her byline has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Variety and a lot of other places. Her last book was called "a scandalously catty, guilty pleasure" by Jane magazine. Expect the same from Starr Raving.
Related Searches: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Taylor Armstrong, Russell Armstrong, Andy Cohen, Watch What Happens Live, TCA 2012

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    Sigh

    That's cold. Just because he signed on that dotted line he was not human being anymore? I don't mind Bravo not taking responsibility, because a legal aspect of it - but why they never gave condolences to his family? Expressed regret over their loss?

    January 8, 2012 at 9:10AM EST Reply to Comment

    • I was hoping for a little more from Cohen, too.

      January 8, 2012 at 2:51PM EST
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    StarChambers

    Are you kidding me?!? Let's speculate a bit - We'd like you to come back Russell (because we've developed a salacious story line - you know your past) and if you choose not to - then neither will your wife (who by the way is totally throwing you under the bus as we speak)? Yeah, we'll paint you in a better light this season? Plueezzzeeee.

    January 8, 2012 at 3:31PM EST Reply to Comment

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