Why “The Real Housewives of D.C.” Was Never Renewed by Bravo

When The Real Housewives of D.C. first premiered in 2010, the show seemed to have all the elements for another hit on Bravo.

The cameras followed a group of prominent Washington D.C. women, including Mary Amons, Lynda Erkiletian, Cat Ommanney, Michaele Salahi, and Stacie Scott Turner, who were focused on perfection, prestige, and politics.

However, 14 years after its premiere, the show, which lasted for only one season comprising 11 episodes and a two-part reunion, still leaves fans curious as to why it was canceled.

According to Andy Cohen, the turbulent events surrounding Michaele, 58, and then-husband Tareq Salahi, who allegedly crashed then-President Barack Obama’s first State Dinner, proved to be too much.

“Frankly, I really wanted to bring D.C. back for season 2,” Cohen shared on a 2018 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “When the FBI is asking for raw tapes of your show, [a] good thing to maybe not move forward?”

The Salahis insisted they were invited to the dinner and did not crash the White House event. However, the incident led to a Secret Service criminal investigation, congressional hearings, and an internal review by the Obama administration. (Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs stated that the Salahis were not on the guest list.)

“When the FBI subpoenas your raw tapes, there ain’t no way,” Cohen, 56, reiterated on his SiriusXM show Andy Cohen Live. “This was such a big internal [shanda] at NBCUniversal that there was no way this show was coming back.”

In April, NBCUniversal made The Real Housewives of D.C. available for streaming on Peacock. Reflecting on this, some cast members shared their thoughts on the series, originally intended to offer a unique perspective on the nation’s capital.

“I felt like our show was very authentic,” Mary, 52, told the Washington Post in April. “As much nonsense and ridiculous behavior that was conducted by the Salahis that basically crashed the show, I still feel like it was a great snapshot of D.C.”

Lynda, 66, added, “I never believed that it was going to be canceled until I actually read about it being canceled.”

In a separate interview with Bravo, Mary and Lynda mentioned they remain in touch with Cat, 52, maintaining their friendship long after the cameras stopped recording.

“The three of us have a very fun WhatsApp chat,” Mary revealed in May, noting that the group text became more active after the show was made available on Peacock. “We’ve had some really fun moments.”

Source: Bravo, Washington Post, SiriusXM