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Russell Armstrong, husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong, died by suicide earlier this week. I'm sure I'm not the first person to tell you.
It seems that everyone is talking about what the show, set to air its new season within the next couple weeks, will do with Russell Armstrong's suicide. Ideas have been floated, such as filming Taylor Armstrong reacting to the news of her husband's death or of her talking with other Housewives about entering therapy.
While I'm not convinced, as some are, that the season should be cancelled, I strongly urge caution in moving forward. Why should Real Housewives shift the focus away from Russell Armstrong's suicide?
1. Reality TV is not reality. We don't know the details behind Russell Armstrong's path to suicide, and really, do we need to know? Since it would be difficult to tell the true story, I question the utility of trying to tell it at all.
2. Sensationalizing suicide doesn't help prevent suicide. If the producers of Real Housewives aren't able to focus on a suicide prevention message (a very un-sexy message, if I do say so myself!), drawing more attention to Armstrong's suicide is just sensationalizing a tragedy.
3. What works for reality TV doesn't work for prevention. Suicide is a complex outcome that's extremely difficult to portray, especially via a medium that makes money by being attention-getting.
What do you think?
Copyright 2011 Elana Premack Sandler, All Rights Reserved
