Chrishell Stause Broke the Most Hypocritical Rule of Reality TV—And Selling Sunset Turned On Her

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The most important rule for reality TV stars is simple: don’t say anything that could hurt your fellow cast members’ careers or businesses. You can create drama, argue, spread rumors, and even be openly critical of their appearance or personal life – the possibilities for on-screen conflict are endless. However, you absolutely must avoid doing anything that could negatively impact their income or brand.

Chrishell Stause recently experienced a difficult situation after the dramatic ninth season of Selling Sunset, with the reunion episode dropping on Netflix Wednesday. The episode featured previews of the new season of Selling the O.C. and revisited past conflicts, including harsh comments made by former cast member Nicole Young about Stause’s late parents. However, the most heated part of the episode involved nearly everyone criticizing Stause. The reason? She shared her honest opinion about Emma Hernan’s complicated relationship, and it potentially could have damaged Hernan’s public image.

During a conversation shown on screen, a fan questioned Chrishell Stause about her falling out with Christine Quinn. Stause responded by suggesting the fan ask Quinn about her boyfriend’s controversial views, claiming he dismissed pronouns and used a racial slur, which she found unacceptable. Quinn then shared that she received hateful and abusive messages on social media, including being labeled a supporter of MAGA, because of Stause’s post. Stause, however, didn’t take responsibility for the backlash, questioning whether it was caused by her words or by the boyfriend’s actions and statements. The two continued to argue about exactly what the boyfriend had said. This disagreement is particularly sensitive for Stause, as her spouse, G Flip, identifies as nonbinary. It’s unlikely the full truth about the boyfriend’s comments will ever be known.

Many viewers have always seen Chrishell Stause as self-righteous, subtly hostile, and quick to portray herself as a victim, and her recent statements and actions on the reunion show seem to confirm that impression. However, if her claims about Blake Davis – the real estate heir who didn’t make a good impression during his brief appearances on season nine – are true, why shouldn’t she share them? After all, isn’t raw honesty – the core idea of The Real World’s promise to show what happens when people drop the pretense – what viewers expect from reality television?

It seems there’s a limit to how much could be excused. Almost everyone at the reunion, including Chrishell’s last remaining friend, Chelsea Lazkani, felt Chrishell went too far. Chelsea suggested Chrishell needed to admit she acted inappropriately, stating that everything else wasn’t as important. Chrishell disagreed that what Davis said was less significant than her publicly sharing it, but she offered a weak apology for repeating his comments online. Both Chrishell and Hernan expressed feeling hurt by each other’s actions regarding Davis.

The conversation kept returning to Chrishell’s post about Hernan, and almost everyone sided with him. Then, Hernan directly stated that Chrishell knew her post would be hurtful and damage his business, reminding her she knew he supports his family. For those unfamiliar, Hernan isn’t just a reality TV personality and real estate agent; he also owns a company that sells frozen empanadas, a business he’s frequently promoted on Selling Sunset.

Tan France, along with the rest of the cast, kept criticizing Chrishell Stause for sharing personal issues on social media. However, she’s not the first person from the Oppenheim Group to do so. Using platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or X to fuel conflicts within the cast is actually a common tactic for reality stars, especially when the show isn’t actively filming and viewers might lose interest. It would be more surprising if there wasn’t some social media drama surrounding the breakup between Emma and Chrishell. What made this situation different was the specific accusations Chrishell made about Jason Davis – claiming he supported MAGA and used offensive language – which could potentially harm his reputation with the show’s mostly young, female audience (and maybe affect sales of his frozen empanadas).

Reality TV thrives on drama and conflict, but the people who star in these shows face a tricky challenge. They need to seem real and keep viewers entertained, while also protecting their reputations and the businesses they’re building thanks to their fame. This creates an unspoken agreement among cast members: anything goes, as long as it doesn’t reveal information that could harm someone’s ability to earn money. This tension is especially clear in The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, which is known for being particularly chaotic. The women on the show are constantly trying to figure out who’s secretly looking for damaging information about their legal or financial problems. They’re happy to say nasty things on camera, but no one wants to be exposed for digging up lawsuits or talking about a co-star’s shady dealings.

As someone who watches a lot of reality TV, the hypocrisy always gets to me. These shows are built on drama, exposing people’s flaws, and pretending to show ‘real life,’ but it’s all a bit much, right? Then you remember these aren’t people genuinely looking for connections – they’re there to build a career and earn a paycheck. It’s cynical, but it explains a lot!

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2025-11-06 01:06