Garcelle Beauvais’s departure from the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” after five seasons sent shockwaves throughout the Bravo Clubhouse.
Beauvais was beloved by audiences, especially as she was the first African American woman to ever join the show in its 14 years of runtime. She was witty. She was pretty. But more importantly, Beauvais was outspoken. That’s what fans are going to miss most.
Beavauis was what every housewife who graced reality television wanted to be. She was a self-made superstar in Hollywood, with wonderful children, and an immense list of A-List suitors. She connected with audiences through vulnerability about her challenges as an African American woman in Hollywood, her struggles with her son battling addiction, even her divorce, and through all of it, managed to keep her composure on-and-off screen.
That’s why her departure feels like a sucker punch to viewers, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected.
Beavuais found herself on an island alone despite her fellow castmates. In every argument, she ended up as the person always in the wrong despite asking the right questions.
This all came to a head at the RHOBH reunion that was taped back in February. Beauvais came face-to-face with the “Fox Four Flunkies,” or perhaps known to most viewers as the inherent mean girls on Beverly Hills. From there, it became a car wreck. Beauvais was ignored by her peers. She was found “uninteresting” because her marital affairs weren’t playing out during the filming of the current season. The mean girls also shouted “pack it right on up.”
Strangely enough, Andy Cohen was silent as the incessant bullying of Beavuais took place on national television. Her No. 1 friend, Sutton Stracke, folded under the pressure of the rest of these women when it came to defending Beauvais. To see Stracke sit there like a deer in headlights as the women ganged up on her supposed “best friend” was seemingly cruel.
By the time part one was over, Beavuais was a mess as she stormed back into her dressing room and ripped a new one about her castmates. She claimed that she couldn’t just, “Go along with the inherent mean girls. I’m not allowed to even voice what I believe is wrong without being crucified. These women are not my friends. They’re phonies.”
Beauvuias will be missed on RHOBH, and the audience must wonder how this sinking ship of a show will find a new punching bag to stay afloat.
