The Real Housewives empire may once have been Bravo’s crown jewel — but sources say the network has given up on ever signing true A-listers.
“Even when the show was at its hottest, no real celebrity was touching it,” sighs one industry insider. “Martha Stewart? Forget it. Gayle King? Never. The closest they got was C-list socialites and the occasional washed-up actress.”
Nicole Weingart/Bravo
Now, with ratings slipping and buzz fading, casting producers are trawling through New York’s “almost famous” circles, pitching offers to makeup artists, yoga instructors — and even celebrity dog walkers.
“It’s that desperate,” says a source. “We’re talking about the people who pick up after the stars’ poodles, not the stars themselves.”