Real Housewives beats odds, expectations

It turns out that "The Real Housewives" series of reality shows is recession-proof, and though we cant know for sure, the stars of the show act like they are. The show, which follows incredibly wealthy women as they fight with one another and buy things, was expected to lose rating as the economy soured, and less and less people would be able to relate. Instead, it is doing remarkably well, reports the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune reported that a reunion special that aired in May attracted 2.29 million viewers, and the season finale of the New Jersey branch of the show, which a dinner which became a table-flipping fight, drew 4.6 million viewers. What the tribune calls a "wish-fulfillment soap opera franchise" is developing a new version of the show, "The Real Housewives of Washington D.C." which will follow the shows already filmed in New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, and Orange County.