NEWSRussell Armstrong's Mother Speaks Out: 'Real Housewives' Critics "Hurt Him Deeply"
Aug. 18 2011, Published 5:47 a.m. ET
Russell Armstrong's mother is now speaking out after his suicide saying The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills "destroyed" his marriage with Taylor Armstrong and the criticism he received from co-stars "hurt him deeply."
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John Ann Hotchkiss spoke on HLN last night about her son's death and the collapse of his marriage to Taylor.
According to Hotchkiss, Russell and Taylor were happy in their marriage until they agreed to appear on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
"I watched it slowly destroy their marriage," she said.
"Before the new season even started, before he took his life, he said, 'Mom, they're just going to crucify me this season,' " Hotchkiss explained. "He said, 'I don't know what to do. I'll never survive it.' I thought he meant businesswise or something," Hotchkiss said. "Perhaps there was a double meaning there. I don't know."
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And Russell's mother also said that the criticism her son received from his fellow Beverly Hills co-stars were hard for him to hear.
"What bothered me the most, I think, is on the program itself — and this is on video — he would be bashed by some of the other cast members," she said. "Especially Lisa Vanderpump, who is a beautiful lady. I just couldn't understand why she would be so unkind to him."
"I know it hurt him deeply, because he would talk to me about it — never criticizing Taylor, of course. I would not want him to." she said. "The program itself just really brought him down."
Listen to Russell's mom speak with HLN over at CNN.com!
Do you think Lisa criticized Russell too much on the Real Housewives? Sound off in the comments, below!
