Bravo's Real Housewives franchise isn’t exactly known for its progressive female role models, though many of the ladies are successful businesswomen. But thanks to The Real Housewives of Orange County's Alexis Bellino and her husband Jim, last night we got a taste of their chauvinistic relationship at its most musty and outdated.
Alexis has a little gig on the local Fox News station -- nothing major. She’s not Christiane Amanpour. She’s not running around Afghanistan with a Hellfire missile strapped to her back. She’s got a one-day-a-week gig at Fox, yammering about spas and gourmet cooking and the like. No one is going to win a Pulitzer. But she enjoys doing it. It gives her a sense of purpose. A sense of purpose outside of taking care of her husband and kids. Oh-oh. Hubby don’t like that.
When Alexis tells Jim that she’d like an acting coach to help her with her Fox appearances (though I think she means a media coach), Jim grunts: "I just don’t see how this fits into being a wife and mother."
OMG. Did you see his hairy knuckles dragging on the floor? Jim then goes on to say that Alexis shouldn't get more involved with her job because they don't need the money. Oh, help me Gloria Steinem. He thinks that it’s all about the money. Not that women might enjoy working. Not that working at a job they love might give women a sense of self. Alexis isn’t suggesting she become a coal miner. She dresses up and goes on TV! It's fun for her.
Plus, the kids are old enough now that she can leave the house without any issues. What should she be doing instead? Cleaning the pool table? Vacuuming up the hair her troglodyte husband leaves behind?
Anyway, Alexis doesn't seem ready to quit her job. She told the camera (though not Jim) that he would have to deal.
Here’s the gig that has Jim’s sexist panties in a twist:
Is Alexis's husband a chauvinist oink oink?
Image via Getty
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Comments 22
It's like telling a doctor(or any other woman that has aspirations) who JUST happens to be a mother, that her enjoyment of helping others is selfish.
And it's not that being a mother and wife is demeaning, it's the fact that there are idiots who try to make others feel GUILTY about wanting to acheive MORE in life. If those two thing are enough for you, then that's wonderful, but thank GOD there are women in this world who strive to do more. Whether it be volunteering, going to school, finding a trade, becoming a professional, etc, the impact is felt.
Ugh I can't stand that guy i swear! And I honestly think that with the fame she's getting Alexis won't stand it for much longer either...it happened to Tamara and look at her now! :)
Guys... she's not a career woman, she does this ONCE A WEEK. Am I one of the only sane people here? Her husband must be delusional to think that takes away from her being a wife and mother. And I think some of you can't read.
@Todd
I agree with you there. Once all the Bellino children are in school full-time, Alexis will have more free time to focus on her career. If she can successfully manage both, there shouldn't be any reason for Jim not to support her, right?
As far as their child rearing situation is concerned, it's pretty simple. Jim and Alexis both need to do the jobs they said they were going to do. I imagine that like most couples, they communicated their expectations to one another before they got married. Jim wanted a woman that was willing to be a full-time wife and mother and Alexis wanted a provider. Jim appears to be fulfilling his end of the bargain but Alexis wants to change the rules in the middle of the game. Jim has every right to be concerned that Alexis' new pursuits are going to affect her ability to do the job she agreed to do. Something tells me that if the tables were turned, Alexis would be slightly put off if Jim wanted to pursue a career that might affect the lavish lifestyle that she appears to love so much.
But TorranceMom, her "job" isn't even an every day thing. She probably has loads of free time with the kids in school, now that she has more time, why shouldn't she do something on the side? As far as I can see from the info here, she IS fulfilling her end of the bargain. Why should she be at home by herself with nothing to do? Also, why can't the agreement change? People change. And unlike the tables turned senario you described, Alexis is not affecting their lifestyle, she's gone every once in a while to pursue what amounts to no more than a hobby. What if she wanted to leave the house to do yoga, or go rock climbing? Or take a pottery class? Or should she be "confined to the home."