Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!
Party People
BH Producer Dave Rupel shares the difficulties behind shooting Kyle Richard's White Party.
Hello, readers! I hope you enjoyed this week's episode.
This was a particularly hard one for me, as I felt everyone was in a very difficult position.
It is impossible to shoot a reality show in which the people do not interact, and the tension created by Russell's email to Camille put pressure on the group that was going to make it hard for everyone to be at the party together. And while this isn't mentioned much in the episode, Taylor had lost her phone in Las Vegas, which is why Kyle and Lisa were unable to get a hold of her. It was a difficult moment for everyone involved.
But like I've been saying all season long. We captured the reality of the situation. One friend threatening to sue another friend. It wasn't pretty, but it was very real. And with a trip to Hawaii for the entire cast looming in four days, hard decisions had to be made.
Beyond that, let me talk about how physically difficult it is to shoot one of these parties. We had all three crews working, two at the party and one riding over with Taylor and Russell. The trick with Kyle and Mauricio's parties is that they're incredibly fun! Which means they're very loud. All the crew members wear walkie talkies to communicate with. However, on nights like this, they are almost virtually impossible to hear over the din of the party. So that means the crews shoot whatever is in front of them, while several other people, including myself, are literally running around the party to see what we might be missing.
The big upside to Kyle's parties? Is that she is good friends with the owners of Fat Burgers, who always cater the party and even better, provide the crew meals!
Now, on to answer some questions from last week's blog.
ViewerDuffy wants to know if we ever thought about filming the crew for a real behind-the-scenes view? Answer: The crew often jokes about this, particularly when we have very difficult days. A show I produced several years ago, Bands Reunited 2 for VH1 actually did just that as we tracked down old music stars from the 80s. It was an interesting experience and not one I'd prefer to repeat. Some people (like me) are just happier being behind the cameras!
ViewerRHOBH wants us to stop "pushing and fabricating drama!" I'm not sure what specifically that means, however, I've seen lots of re-cappers assume the Lisa/Adrienne Las Vegas conflict is phony and was scripted by us. Nothing could be further from the truth! Adrienne was truly upset about that and the friction in their friendship that you're seeing was very real.