Real Housewives Get Even More Surreal in Upcoming Video Game

    IRVINE, CA, April 14, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- They say life imitates art, but when it comes to Bravo TV's Real Housewives, it's hard to tell which is which--and when it's gone too far.

Bravo just announced it will launch a new Facebook game based on the lives of its most popular characters: the wealthy women of the Real Housewives series, hailing from Orange County, Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Washington, DC, New Jersey, New York City, and Miami.

"It sounds ludicrous, but a Real Housewives virtual reality makes sense to me," says Judy Joseph Hamlin, author of the book "From Riches to Happiness." "Their lives are like a video game anyway, complete with fist fights and grabbing as much money as they can to advance to the next level."

The game aims to bring the Housewives into the social media world. In it players can interact with the stars of the hit TV shows and build their own virtual environments, such as condos or beach houses, then complete tasks to climb the game's social ladder. Whoever attains the best wardrobe and coolest apartment, for example, will be rewarded with on-air recognition during one of the shows.

The Facebook game is not the first unusual marketing ploy Bravo TV and its posse of Housewives have undertaken. For example:
* In 2011 Housewives from several of the series' featured cities embarked on the Real Housewives Live Tour. Fans paid up to $170 a ticket for the privilege of an in-person Q&A with their favorite housewives.

* Real Housewife of Atlanta Kandi Burruss has used her name to become an entrepreneur in the sex toys and iPad/iPhone apps industries.

* Ciroc vodka partnered with Bravo to create a "fully integrated marketing campaign" featuring a sweepstakes for a New Year's Even toast with one of the Housewives.

* Real Housewives have put their names and faces on everything from cookbooks (Bethenny Frankel) to cosmetics (Teresa Giudice) to handbags (Gretchen Rossi) to skin lotion (Tamra Barney).

"The game idea is unique, I have to give them that," says Ms. Hamlin. "I only wish my journey as an actual real housewife of Orange County had been as easy and fun."

About the author:
Judy Joseph Hamlin, a former Orange County housewife, earned a master's degree in special education. She is a teacher in Newport Beach, California. This is her first book.

For more information, please contact Judy Joseph Hamlin at [email protected] or visit www.judyjosephhamlin.com.

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