Does ‘Real Housewives’ Kill Marriages? Lisa Rinna & Harry Hamlin Don’t Think So

“Reality TV curse”—three words that haunt every couple brave enough to sign a Bravo contract. For years, The Real Housewives universe has served up champagne-fueled confessionals, meme-worthy catfights, and a shockingly long trail of broken marriages. From Beverly Hills to Potomac, viewers have watched wedding rings slip off faster than clip-in extensions on reunion night. 

Yet, amid the swirl of splits, one duo still stands solid: Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin. How did the pair avoid the reality TV curse?

What exactly is the reality TV curse?

Fans coined the term “reality TV curse” to describe a pattern—couples sign up for a hit series, air every triumph and tantrum, then suddenly file for divorce faster than you can say “roll footage.” 

While the cameras don’t always cause the split, nonstop filming, social media snark, and a rabid 24-hour news cycle can turn tiny cracks into crater-sized problems. Think of it as relationship Jenga; every episode pulls out one more block until the whole tower wobbles.

Even couples from the early days of reality TV felt the scourge of the curse. Remember Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson’s “Is this chicken or fish?” on Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica that signaled the beginning of the end? Or Linda and Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea on Hogan Knows Best? 

The most infamous breeding ground for the curse these days is the Real Housewives franchise, where cast members’ trips often double as pop psychology case studies. Viewers have watched vow renewals morph into separation announcements, rehab reveals, and “we’re just co-parenting” Instagram captions. 

The ‘Real Housewives’ divorce roll call

Need receipts? Here’s a lightning-round refresher on Housewives heartbreak:

• Kyle Richards & Mauricio Umansky: After 27 years, the Beverly Hills OG and her real-estate mogul husband stunned fans with a 2023 separation announcement.
• Kim Zolciak & Kroy Biermann: The Atlanta alum and her former NFL star filed in 2023 after serious money woes (and a canceled spinoff).
• Alexia Nepola & Todd Nepola: Miami’s power pair called it quits in April 2024, just weeks after presenting a united front at the season-six reunion.
• Monique Samuels & Chris Samuels: Potomac viewers saw cracks in 2022; divorce papers hit mid-2023.

Even franchises once marketed as “divorce-free” have now racked up splits (see: Real Housewives of Dallas‘ Kary and Eduardo Brittingham). Add the quiet off-camera break-ups fans never see, and Bravo Reddit forums start looking like cautionary-tale yearbooks.

How Lisa Rinna & Harry Hamlin avoided the reality TV curse

Enter Hollywood’s longest-running Housewives couple—Rinna and Hamlin. On Let’s Not Talk About The Husband, a listener called in to ask the reality TV power couple if RHOBH ruins relationships. Rinna didn’t mince words, replying, “I do not think the show ends people’s marriages…it can affect a relationship, but I think that there are so many other aspects to a relationship that get affected by life.”

Hamlin echoed her pragmatism: “What breaks up marriages is people not working on their relationship.”

So why hasn’t the reality TV curse come for them? The couple credits a handful of unglamorous—but highly effective—habits:

• Therapy early and often. Hamlin reminded listeners, “We had therapy early on in our relationship.” Therapy isn’t a bad thing—it’s just a sign that you need some help and aren’t afraid to ask a qualified professional for it.
• Self-work over self-editing. Rinna said reading personal development classics helped them “understand a lot about human dynamics.”
• Limited screen time for Hamlin. Hamlin joked, “If your girl gets on that show, don’t show up. Hide.” There’s an old canard in reality TV: Producers can’t edit what you don’t give them. Hamlin’s duck-and-hide approach paid off.
• Team-first mentality. Rinna laughed that Hamlin “helped [her] through that show,” proving off-camera support matters more than any slick tagline.

And yes, there’s still plenty of spark. Hamlin teased, “I’ll always come back to you…you’re my favorite.”

Can any couple outsmart the cameras?

Rinna and Hamlin admit that Real Housewives isn’t exactly marriage counseling, but they argue that the show only magnifies issues that already exist. 

If you’re reality-curious (or just binge-watching from the couch), the Hamlin-Rinna playbook is refreshingly simple:

• Prioritize the relationship over the ratings. Film less, talk more.
• Invest in outside help. Therapists, date nights, even a leopard-print bucket hat—whatever keeps you both sane.
• Build traditions bigger than the show. The Hamlins still host epic Easter egg hunts and swear by white hotel-style sheets for calm vibes—off-screen rituals that anchor on-screen chaos.
• Laugh at the narrative. When tabloids painted Hamlin as a globe-trotting playboy, the couple cackled on-air about his imaginary “mistresses in Canada.” Humor deflates rumors faster than a reunion-stage apology.

Will every Bravo duo survive the reality TV curse? History says no. But Rinna and Hamlin prove longevity is possible if you treat producers like houseguests instead of marriage counselors—and keep the work of love going long after the cameras cut.

So, the next time social media begins speculating on a split the second a new tagline drops, remember Rinna’s mic-drop wisdom: “If you have a strong marriage, then that’s what stands the test of time.” Reality may be messy, but real commitment still writes the final script.