The curse of reality TV has been blamed for breaking up Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, Hulk and Linda Hogan, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, and Jon and Kate Gosselin. Now, we can add Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries to that list.
So what is it about being on a reality show that has resulted in divorce for so many of its stars? Ex "Real Housewives Of New York" couple, Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen, who beat the curse and are still together after four seasons on TV, explain some of the problems of living your life so publicly.
"It's so hard to get to know someone on television," Alex says. "Simon and I were lucky that we met and married years before our lives were on display. When you meet with your life already public, it's hard to actually build a relationship. It took me years to truly get to know some of our cast because producers were always in the way. I can only imagine what it must be like to try and start a romantic relationship with cameras watching. I feel for them both. I wonder whether Kim and Kris had second thoughts before getting married."
And if they did have doubts before saying "I do," Simon says those uncertainties may have been trumped by pressure from producers to make what the network considered great television.
"It's one thing to call off a wedding in non-televised life, that's hard enough. But when every move is being followed by cameras and tons of sponsorship dollars are involved? I don't blame them for going through with it. The pressure must have been terrible," Simon tells me.
Either way, Kim and Kris are now facing a whole new reality.
These "Housewives" are some smart cookies. Check out their work on the red carpet:
The Real Housewives of Bravo
These "Housewives" are some smart cookies. Check out their work on the red carpet: