The XX Factor: What women really think.

Real Talk for Real Housewives

 Torie, I agree that last night's Housewives trainwreck was difficult to watch.However, I object to your characterization of Gretchen as so very helpless. Yes, she's going through a rough time with her fiance in the hospital, but you're not allowing her any agency in this situation. While Tamra et al. were certainly encouraging Gretchen's drunkenness, as you point out, Gretchen is a grown-ass woman. She's ultimately responsible for her own intake, and while Tamra's behavior was completely deplorable, Gretchen doesn't need our hand-wringing because she was three sheets to the wind on camera.

I am sympathetic to Gretchen's current situation, as it's crap to see a loved one sick. However, she could have dropped out of the filming at any time, and yet has chosen not to. But yeah—it's definitely trash TV, and I'm probably losing multiple brain cells every time I tune in to watch their orange-hued antics. While Bravo's editors are masters at getting their viewers to empathize with these frivolous ladies, we need to remember that they're not being shoved in our faces against their will. Gretchen, Tamra, and the entire bleached-blond crew is getting well-compensated for their televised trials.