Prostitution Whores

NBC Universal recently announced that it's going to begin airing Bravo's Real Housewives franchise in syndication beginning in 2010. Now you would think that the faux-riche, attention hungry moms that have graced our television screens from Orange Country, New York, Atlanta, and New Jersey would be ecstatic that even more commoners get to see how fabulous their lives are. But you would be wrong. And I would be shocked.

Although I might have argued that homogenization of media isn't the wisest thing, I'm going to let it slide here. Lo and behold, every single housewife in this series is just a reality show star and not part of the actors union. Since they're not considered actors, they get all their pay upon completion of taping and have no protection when it comes to getting money from further syndication. Here's where our discussion comes in. Big companies owning little companies. NBC owns Bravo and can do whatever the hell it pleases with these episodes, but the housewives will never get another penny from them as long as they live. No. More. Money. And they are not happy about it. Quote a certain loudmouth from Atlanta who may or may not be named NeNe Leakes: “This is some bullshit! We've been fighting their ass for the longest to keep the show from going to syndication without us making a dime. Damn, we not getting a dime and they making all the money. WOW! They can play the show forever and we will never get a check. That ain't right." Perhaps you should have read your contract first, girl. Pawn some of those Dolce&Gabbana purses if you need some extra cash.

Of course, some of the wives have already tried to sue the company for funds. But perhaps table-flipping is a more viable option.