Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Taylor Armstrong has released (sold) photos of the abuse she suffered, allegedly at the hands of her late husband, Russell Armstrong. Entertainment Tonight aired about three photos of her bruised and battered face while she was being treated in the hospital. Taylor had to get plastic surgery to repair her eye. An “expert” gave the opinion that Taylor was either punched out to cause that black eye or pushed into something. It does look like typical abuse, and it bolsters the stories that Russell was abusive to Taylor, which are supported by similar stories and restraining orders taken out on him by two of his exes.
I don’t get why Taylor is releasing these now, when her abuser and the father of her child is dead. It’s not about smearing his memory to me or anything, like I understand why she would want to get her side of the story out there, but why now? It just seems like a bid for publicity, public sympathy and cash, which is frankly what we’ve seen from Taylor prior to her husband’s death. Maybe she wants to set the record straight that it wasn’t Russell who was the victim here, as his family has been portraying him as.
I’m going to be honest, I didn’t tape Real Housewives of Beverly Hills this week. I saw enough last week to never want to watch that show again.
It’s worth noting that the latest news on Real Housewife Adrienne Maloof and her husband, plastic surgeon Paul Nassif, is that they’re cutting back because they’re having financial trouble. Adrienne’s family owns the Palms Casino. On last week’s show, Adrienne and Paul served their guests the most expensive champagne in the world, Angel, at over $2,200 a bottle. That show is so over for me. I’m sorry for Taylor, but that doesn’t mean I have to like her or any of the other Housewives at all.
Hmmm i don’t know how I feel about her releasing the pictures
No one deserves to be abused, no matter what.
I hate abusive men, but I still don’t like Taylor.
The man is dead–leave it alone already. I think selling those pictures is shameless. Why do it??
The releasing of the photos might have something to do with the book she is writing.
I know why these pictures were released (gotta make that money!) but what I want to know is WHY WERE THEY TAKEN?
*Did the hospital that treated her take them, to provide to police when reporting her abuse?
*Did the police take them, to make a case against him?
*Did a social worker take them, trying to show her what he did to her?
*Did her divorce attorney take them, to help with her case?
Because if not, those pictures shouldn’t even exist.
Abuse is horrible and should never be tolerated. I do however, find it odd that she is writing a book smearing her daughter’s father when he is not alive to give the other side to the story. That should do wonders for the little girl’s memory of her father.Something is very off with this whole situation. I believe Taylor would sell her soul for fame and I personally believe she has no business raising a little child.
I definitely have mixed emotions about this.
Taylor was obviously embarassed about the way her husband had been treating her and she alluded, from all of the seasons, that her marriage was in trouble. She wanted to keep things private, probably in a futile hope that if she behaved, things would get better. She clearly had issues with being alone.
I cannot imagine what it must feel like to have your abuser and husband die. Even though she left him, nothing was worked out at all. He chose his closure by taking his life. There definitely wasn’t any closure for her.
This woman needs the support of people who love and care for her. This is clearly a very delicate situation, and I pray that she finds forgiveness and peace.
i’m not bothered that she released the pictures. his family and his ex-wife have both been saying some awful things in the press– making it out to be that russell was an angel and that his death was entire her fault. i don’t really blame her for releasing these to show that who he was cannot be changed just by stating he wasn’t a horrible person after his death.
the book somewhat bothers me but then again, she’s on RH so OF COURSE she is a famewhore.
She is pathetic!
She’s only releasing these to profit from his death thru her book. I think this is about as tasteless and classless as a person can get, especially considering there are kids involved.
Her balloon/fish lips that she paid for are more disturbing than any of those bruises.
While I don’t like that these pictures were released, I think it could explain why Russell took his life. If he was this controlling of her, when she left, he probably was so enraged he pulled the ultimate control act by killing himself knowing she was going to have to live with it and suffer. Ugh.
@bellaluna I think that your 1st guess is probably right. Hospital staff will often take photos for evidence of domestic abuse. However, her lawyer def could have taken these photos to prove the abuse actually happened. I’am in no way condoning what happened to this woman but I think it’s extrememly tacky to sell theses photos. It would have been much more productive to release them for FREE in a domestic abuse PSA. Or she even could have toured the country offering support to other victims of domestic violence. It doesn’t bother me that she released these photos as she shouldn’t be ashamed of what was done to her. What bugs me is she releaseed them for money. Talk about selling your soul. I have to wonder if she is considering how this will affect her young daughter in the future. So sad…
I don’t condone abuse of any kind but why is she selling these pictures. What is the purpose of this?. She sure dobt get my smpathy. The man is dead and i thought ET was better than this.
If she were releasing them to an organization that helped fight abuse, to raise awareness and try to fight domestic violence across the board: Okay.
But I have a real issue with her selling these photos to Entertainment Tonight, and I have a real issue with Entertainment Tonight airing them. Not acceptable.
I hadn’t cancelled my RHoBH recordings on my DVR yet, but this might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
I do not like this woman one bit, but nothing justifies spousal abuse. I do question why she would choose this time to release the photos. If I give her the benefit of the doubt, she did this in order to counter the claims being made by Russell’s family. If I let my doubts about the sincerity of her personality take over, it’s because she is an attention whore who thinks that simply being dead isn’t enough–she’s got to spit on his grave to top it off. The person I feel the worst for is their little daughter. . . . no child deserves to be caught in the middle of this. If Russell was abusive, this little girl no doubt was aware on some level that things were very dysfunctional at home. For the child’s sake, I hope that my gut is wrong and that Taylor is a selfless and good mother to her.
One of the principles of our legal system is the right of an accused to face his/her accuser. His alleged actions were despicable; however, I think releasing these pictures now seem more like the actions of a money-hungry woman than one seeking justice. I would feel much better about this if she had gone to someone at the time to document the abuse, released the pictures then so that both could deal with the consequences. Yes, I understand it is sometimes almost impossible to leave an abuser. However, now we just have her version of the incidents, and it may or may not be the whole truth. I am in no way excusing what it seems he did, but I do not like the timing of this and the apparent motives behind it.
I don’t blame her for showing these pictures – if she needs money to provide for herself and her daughter and these pictures will help her do that – so be it . . . the abuse did happen . . . he did hit her . . .
This is absolutely disgusting.
I can’t, even. I had a whole tirade but this just makes me feel so bad for her little girl because obviously no one seems to be putting her interests first.
The timing it totally fishy, as are her motivations. I honestly think her motivations are probably less than honorable.
But the reality is he obviously beat the shit out of her pretty badly. I think it puts his suicide into perspective a little more about some of his control issues and stuff and may shut up his family who keeps acting like he was completely innocent and it was the show’s fault he killed himself. Bravo’s evil for sure, but the fact his business partner killer himself the next day implies something way bigger was gpoing down than bad press.
Taylor needs the money. Little Kennedy’s mom is a social climbing famewhore, and I pray this little girl has someone balanced and normal in her life to see her through this mess.
The only positive I see here is that Taylor illustrates how even women of means can be so downtrodden that they try to hide the abuse and appease their abuser.
Taylor probably took those photos, just like Nicole Simpson, so she would be believed.
Well, we’ve all got to pay the bills. It certainly feels like good taste is dead, but this happened to Taylor. She was victimized by her husband, who then pulled the ultimate passive aggressive move and killed himself. Its all so horrible. Still, she’s a single parent – she needs money. We all need money to survive. I wish there wasn’t a market for such gruesome tragedy but there is. There are people who watch videos of trainwrecks and find excitement out of violent stories, movies and books.
I don’t think putting this out there was the best thing for little Kennedy (Taylor’s daughter) but honestly – that ship has sailed. The Armstrongs have been airing their dirty laundry since the show started, so this is just another piece of the tragic story. At the end of the day, Taylor was between a rock and a hard place. Releasing the photo ends any speculation that she was lying about the abuse (which I thought she may have been). Its gross, but its reality.
I’m starting to turn on her. She has the worst timing. She needs to stfu for the sake of her daughter. Ugh, totally classless.
Mimi – I know you’re probably right. But hospitals are now required to report abuse to the authorities.
Obviously, the only thing that came out of these photos is the money tabloids paid for them.
This man abused his wife, and he’s dead now; their lives were plastered on tv, they have a daughter, and no one involved seems to care about that little girl and/or what this is doing to her. Or what it will do to her when she gets older.
Despicable. And this is exactly why I don’t watch these trashy RH shows – the entire lot of them don’t have a single person on them with even 1 redeeming quality.
yah she is incapable of handling anything with any class or dignity.
With Russell dead we don’t know how the hell she got that black eye. I think my dislike of her and her past behavior is making me suspicious.
Famewhore minus the “fame.” That’s what she is for selling these pics to ET now. Maybe she had told Russell she planned to do this and…
For those of you think that just because he is dead that she ought to leave it alone, you are wrong. So very wrong. This man more than likely controlled her life in ways that you cannot even begin to imagine. This is more than likely her chance to tell her side of it. I do not like this woman at all but what I like less are men who beat their wives. This guy was scum, period.
Just playing Devil’s advocate for a second – I take it these have been thoroughly vetted to establish beyond all reasonable doubt that her injuries were caused by an assault at the hands of her ex-husband? Because it seems odd to me that the pictures weren’t released to back up her original accusation after they seperated, but only after he was conveniently dead – especially since they would have immediately contradicted his initial denials. I don’t recall her saying at the time that she had photo evidence, so it seems very odd that it should emerge now.
Obviously I’m not defending Russell if he did hit her, just vocalising a nagging doubt!
I don’t watch this, just the New Jersey franchise, but I know no one likes Taylor. However, no one EVER deserves to get abused, and I know from experience how much that type of face and eye punch hurts. It feels likes your fece has exploded.
She has gotten a huge amount of bad press since her husband killed himself, including cries saying she lied about the abuse (even though he had abused other women in the past). Including from CB posters, and including some of Russell’s relatives. That may be why. Who knows.
Quite a few of us on here were called liars, weren’t we?
That top photo is a bad orbital punch that is at least a week to ten days old, after the huge majority of the swelling is gone, and after it is starting to “heal.” you can tell from the outlaying color. I’m surprised that didn’t break one of her orbital bones. That hurts like hell, and when it rains or is very cold out, your whole face hurts.
She may suck, but she’s also a DV victim, so no snark from me on this article.
K-mac
THANK YOU!
See? more posters saying she is lying about these photos, even though he has a history of being an abuser.
you know, they weren’t divorced, so she has his shared debts to pay. That may be why she’s selling them.
I was called a liar too, and told to just leave it alone, so the family wouldn’t be embarrassed. I don’t acre if he’s dead or not — sweeping DV under the carpet just keeps it in the dark. I don’t care if she isn’t a nice person or not. Maybe these photos of a “perfect rich housewife” will help someone.
Ugh.. I feel like I’ve eaten WAY too much of a dessert that is sickly sweet and it’s making me ill. The way these people behave — all of them, The Real Housewives, the Kardashians, P-Diddy, paris Hilton & their ilk — is reprehensible. We all have levels of narcissism, vanity and materialism.. .but these people are walking caricatures of what truly are abhorrent traits. Hateful traits. Hateful people. Inhuman.
After looking at these, I don’t know why they are glorified anymore. They amy make for “good tv” by triggering the worst values. I’m not a saint, but this is beyond words. To sell photos of your abuse for profit???
Do you know when you read books or watch those films about dystopic futures, where death & misfortune of our fellow man becomes fodder for entertainment? Are we at this point? What will shock us anymore?
No more. Just no more. This is too much.
As a former abused person I was asked for photos by the state police and willingly had them taken as evidence. If he did this to her I am sure he was controlling with every other aspect of her life. On the other hand I hope her releasing the photos was not done for money or another minute of fame. I have never seen the show nor do I watch reality TV. Most of it is just plain garbage.
Org B
I had a coworker take mine, after I was coerced from reporting my abuser to the police by their relatives. I wanted to have a record in case I was killed. Like what Nicole Simpson did, to have proof of what OJ did to her.
Ugh – Those pictures are awful and break my heart. I don’t blame her for releasing them b/c he took away all of her power by committing suicide and he never has to take responsibility for what he did to the mother of his child.
I can’t imagine how desperate she must feel. It’s all playing out in the public. Everyone has an opinion. I think besides the money she is trying to remind people that there are two sides to this story. I really feel sorry for her and hope she can keep it together for her little girl.
“The only positive I see here is that Taylor illustrates how even women of means can be so downtrodden that they try to hide the abuse and appease their abuser.
Taylor probably took those photos, just like Nicole Simpson, so she would be believed.”
Well said.
She is a phony and should not even be on the show. She and her husband were not millionaires, they were pretend wannabes, overspending and spending money they didn’t have, in fact, it sounds like they were spending other people’s money to keep up with the Jones’ (or whoever). Of all the women on that show she is the one that is the creepiest, like her dead husband. Birds of a feather.
I think she probably needs the money, so that’s why she sold them.
Why now? Besides needing the money, I think she was probably afraid of how he would react if she released them sooner. She was brave enough, honestly, in mentioning his abuse of her before his suicide.
I don’t like any of the people on this show, but absolutely nobody deserves this treatment.
I believe there is a time and a place for everything. NOW is not the time.
I am not questioning if she was abused. I am questioning her motives in releasing these photos as evidence of abuse to an entertainment outlet for monetary gain. It shows poor judgement and taste.
“she is writing a book smearing her daughter’s father when he is not alive to give the other side to the story. ”
I think the pictures tell his side of the story just fine.
Hospitals take photos, as do police and attorneys. Hospitals take them of almost every wound, especially those of abuse or when they need to see how it is progressing. It’s common for them to included in the patient’s chart.
The police routinely take them for evidence as well.
Seal Team – You were smart. I tried to hide my abuse. The worst wounds I suffered didn’t leave readily visible bruises, if you catch my drift.
But I did have a long sit-down with one of my closest friends from high school, and I told her that if anything ever happened to me she needed to go to my mom and tell her everything I told her in that conversation. And to NEVER, EVER let that man get my son.
As I’ve said before, some things are between me, my abuser, and God, and only we know the truth.
Abuse crosses ALL socio-economic and ethnicity borders. NO ONE IS IMMUNE.
I just find it disgusting that Taylor is profiting from her experience. I just couldn’t…ever.
And I’m going to speak with some authority here, as an abuse survivor with a child from said abuser.
My son put himself through so much agony fearing, worrying, SUFFERING that he was like his sperm-donor.
You have NO IDEA how HARD it is to convince a child whose violent, abusive father (who abused child’s mother) that said son IS NOT LIKE THAT.
Depression, medication, endless doctor and counselor visits…it is SO HARD to make a child understand that he (or she) is an individual and is NOT. THAT. WAY.
Try convincing the child of a socio/psychopath that he/she is good.
It’s HARD. And it HURTS.
Original Tiffany – Well thank God! It’s about time. The laws have FINALLY changed so that police no longer need the abusee’s testimony to prosecute DV cases.
How many dead women did it take to put those laws in place?
Was he ever charged?
the reason I think he is responsible for her injuries is cuase the dude had a history of domestic abuse, he left a paper trail to follow here.
For me, it’s pretty simple:
1) Taylor is not a woman I would want to be friends. Her motives are suspect.
2) That doesn’t take away from the fact her husband was an abuser and I’m sorry he committed suicide, but the suicide at this point is starting to look like the ultimate power and control play he could pull for a man who was losing all power and control in his life.
Suicide commentors: Suicide can be an angry, passive-aggressive way to show everyone you are still IN CHARGE. It’s a final “F You” to those you feel have “wronged” you. (Also see: “See. I TOLD you so.”)
Disclaimer: Not ALL suicides are that way. There are genuinely desperate, damaged people who feel there is truly no way out. For them, suicide is committed in an altered, damaged state.
And there IS a difference.
I sort of feel the same way…that the show has “jumped the shark” already. WHo knows how much longer it will last. I debated on watching it this season, after Russell committee suicide. However, I decided to continue watching. SO FAR, the second episode it not as drama-filled as the first one. Man, that scene with Adrianne and Paul was hard to watch. I wonder if they will end up splitting up, too. Anyway, I have DVR, so I will finish watching the second episode tonight. (I had to stop in the middle of it, to go to work.)
“I am not questioning if she was abused. I am questioning her motives in releasing these photos as evidence of abuse to an entertainment outlet for monetary gain. It shows poor judgement and taste.”
@curleque: Well said. I think this is what many of us our wondering. As others have mentioned, if she had released them to promote DV awareness it would be one thing. But she SOLD them to an ENTERTAINMENT show. I just don’t get the thought process on that one.
And before someone else says “She did it cuz she needs the money” I don’t really want to hear it. I have the same issue with this woman as I do with Kate Gosselin’s bitching about $. Don’t spend beyond your means and you won’t have to sell your soul. Get a real job, quit chasing fame, and live within your means like us common folk for pete’s sake and provide for your children in admirable (if mediocre, according to Khate) ways.
I also want to say that I admire all the women on here who have survived DV. My mum stayed with my dad for 30yrs because she was afraid she couldn’t financially support us & our church didn’t ‘believe’ in divorce. Abuse is so much more than just the physical–I’m in my 30s and still find myself struggling with it. I admire that you all found the strength to get away and not let it control your lives anymore.
It’s disturbing that she chose to release the photos now. It seems very oportunistic.
I say they are her pictures. She was the one who was abused. She can do whatever she wants with them. His family is completely trashing her, so I say the pictures tell the story. I want to know where does Bravo find these people?? I mean they had a psychopath on NJ Housewives, and does anything besides ratings matter???
klassy.
Bellaluna-I know, right? My old career, nuclear radiology and regular x-ray. Wow. I got to do all the brain death studies. I got to see babies thrown down flights of stairs, women battered with baseball bats, horrors no one would believe. So between that and the rest of my patients dying of cancer, blew me out of the water. I’d drive home sobbing some days.
Took me a good six months of early retirement to stop bleeding from both ends from stress and to enjoy my life again. Just the fucking scarring from dealing with the aftermath of abuse is sickening to caregivers. My heart truly grieves for all of you that had to take that shit.
You’d go to do the brain death study and look in the chart, see the pics, turn the head to the side (which usually felt like a broken egg) and leave, watching the sobbing family and the a-hole who did it that hadn’t been arrested yet. It’s a wonder I never got fired for following through on my impulse to spit on the perp. My life is way more calm these days…that shit will rip your heart out.
Scarlet Vixen – My mum always told me “God doesn’t want you to stay in an abusive relationship.” (God love her!)
And financial support is almost always a reason to stay.
I think the most hurtful (and that is saying a LOT) thing was hearing “No one will ever want you, because you have another man’s child.”
The emotional abuse was SO MUCH MORE DEVASTATING than the physical abuse I suffered. As I’ve said on previous threads, abuse is insidious and sneaky.
It starts with emotional/psychological abuse and escalates from there.
One of my dearest friend’s mom’s dealt with abuse for decades, like you said, because she had no options or didn’t know a way out.
@Seal Team 6..Jesus babe, I wanna give you a hug 🙁
Part of me thinks this is brave, and could really give someone the courage to speak out themselves…
And part of me thinks, holy F#@k woman, the man is dead! Stop it. Dont do this to your child! To his children.
This issue really messes with me 🙁
WoW. How selfish of her to release these. Her kid will undoubtably find these one day. Like she needs to find something like this online? Jeez..I dont understand how some ppl can put theirselves and money before their children. Mom of the year.
Cyber (((hugs))) to all who have survived DV, who have carried on with life striving to be healthy and have raised balanced, healthy children. It can consume whole lives and cycle repeatedly generation after generation.
There is no excuse for a man abusing his wife but showing these pictures is senseless. This just puts the idea out there that Taylor is a fame whore.
@Jeanette, maybe she will know her father for the abusing asshole he really was and why her mother made questionable decisions.
Those kids will be fucked either way, besides everyone knew she got messed up and was in the hospital for it, are you going to blame that on the abusee as well? The genie is way out of the bottle.
So she’s selling pics of abuse now?
Taylor is mocking people who really were abused. I dont know anyone who’s been abused who would ever want to sell ‘Entertainment Tonight’ a pic of a black eye. . . like this makes abuse ‘entertaining’ somehow???
I am a little surprised by the comments on this post. I do not have to like a person in order to feel compassion for her/him.
Coming from experience whose father would try to fight and silence her mother when he thought no one (us children) was looking and verbally abuse her in front of anyone if he was pissed off enough, Taylor was scared to tell anyone because she did not want to set him off. Russell clearly did not want any evidence on him.
Once she broke away, it became obvious that the truth was going to come out because his wife would eventually start talking, and not just about the physical/verbal abuse but anything else he had been doing illegally which probably included his business affairs. Russell took his life rather than man up and deal with the pending consequences of his horrid, bad decisions.
Even in his death, he still has control over her. There is no doubt that Taylor is a victim of domestic violence. Her self-esteem is low enough to let a man hit her (repeatedly), verbally abuse her and she “stayed.”
Taylor is trying to get to the other side where life is normal again and some of you want her to focus on being classy? This is a gritty, hard-knocks life situation… albeit in Beverly Hills, yet some of you are expecting grace and eloquence. Really now…
She is just trying to get through all of these ugly, twisted feelings and emotions. She probably feels guilty for loving a man that beat her and then takes his life. She is taking one day at a time. She is in survival mode.
The pictures were probable given to ET to shut up Russell’s family and their futile hope in trying to publicly defend a relative with a known record of abusing women. Look how long it took Tina Tuner to get away from her husband Ike. Thank God she is still alive. If Russell can take his own life, he certainly could have taken hers.
@Josephina
Cosign your entire post.
Including getting why she is selling the photos. Russell’s family members are calling her liars, and she is drowning in martial debt — not all of it hers by any means.
There is no other “side to the story.” She was punched in the face by her husband. Period. He could have walked away. It’s pretty straight forward why she released these photos – money. No point in complicating things.
Come on, be realistic. This is 100% about getting money, and I am not even going to hate on her for it! SHE NEEDS MONEY, THEY WANT THESE PICS AND WILL PAY DECENT MONEY FOR THEM. The sole breadwinner of their family is sadly gone, she has no discernible business skills, a young daughter, and a reputation to uphold. That’s it, there is no other reasoning behind this, and even if there were, it would be a distant second
#11 Eileen-That’s a common emotional abuser tactic to keep the victim in the relationship. Which is probably why she found it difficult to leave.
My step father was a beater/emotional abuser, and I could tell Russel was that way, before anything came out about it. No matter what you feel about Taylor, these kind of relationships take a lot out of a person. It can make the most stable person an emotional wreck. It’s not easy to leave them, because they threaten to find or even kill. If there are children, then they threaten to take them. It’s not as easy as just calling the cops.
Thankfully, my mom snuck us out of state for a little while and divorced him. It was far from the end of the physical threats(including threats from his brother), but we came out of it better than if we stayed.
weren’t there members of russell’s family and various friends coming out saying that the tales of abuse were untrue, and that his suicide was foul play? if i was getting called out in the media for being a liar and possible murderer, i might go this route as well. i’m not a huge fan of hers, and the reasons for her doing this might be completely financial, but the stuff i’ve seen in the media recently makes me give her the benefit of the doubt.
NOW after he is dead she comes out with these pictures??? Yes if he abused her its terrible BUT that means she hid it while he was alive because they were making money off the show/being on it together and that is pathetic! She is a terrible role model to her child. Why would she do this to her daughter? She should have been up front about it from day one & not hid it to profit from being on the show.
It certainly makes me question if she is telling the truth. These pictures prove she was punched or hit something but dont prove that Russell was the cause of the injuries.
Im not siding with an abuser but he is not here to speak for himself so if someone saw her bing abused by Russell then they should come out and say so (they should have a long time ago) and Taylor should not have hid the abuse because her and her husband were profiting off Housewives and being an abuser isnt a great show plot. That is terrible for domestic violence victims – to know money covered up abuse!
michkabibbles —
Yes. I think it’s partly that and partly needing money.
@ Original Tiffany
I can’t even imagine the horrors you saw in your job, the fact you managed to keep your sanity is in itself amazing. I could not keep my cool in that line of work and I surely would have been fired in short notice. Remember that even though some patients didn’t make it, they did appreciate your caring & I thank you for that.
Well getting blamed for an obvious abusers suicide might make one release these photos. I still can’t stand her though.
The photos were timed to coincide with the new season of the show.
I was ALL OVER this show last season. It’s the only one in the series I watch because it’s local. However, I’ve changed a lot (for the better I think) in the last few months so I’m not sure I can watch it anymore.
“Im not siding with an abuser”
Kinda sounds that way. Perhaps you are just innocent of knowing violence in your life? You have no idea if she hid it for money or not. Ask any of the above abused if they hid it for money.
“@Josephina
Cosign your entire post.
Me too Josephina.
With the way her family and media outlets are screaming that she is to blame for his suicide I don’t blame her for releasing the photos.
It was Russell’s choice to commit suicide. He made the decision to end his life.
I don’t like her but with all the media maligning her after his death I don’t blame her for doing this.
Josephina is the only person who is making sense to me on this thread right now.
And, as she stated and I try to reiterate, this woman was probably scared to release the photos while he was still alive. Fear is the #1 reason women stay in DV situations, not money or children. They are scared of him. She has every right to share her experience with the public, but she couldn’t do it while there was fear of retaliation by him.
Had it been me in this particular situation (he’s dead; his family is doubting), I would have taken out full-page ads in the LA Times & Orange County Register and put those pix in it, along with a date/time said pix were taken.
Make everyone aware, without making a profit. Sometimes, pictures don’t need words.
Yes, Kim, you are siding with an abuser (with a history of abusing women), and even saying she faked her own injuries. Gosh, like none of us ever heard anything that THAT before.
*bitterlaugh*
@Pirouette
I think I made sense in this thread.
Pirouette – Thank you for explaining to us DV survivors/escapees our “number one” reason for staying. Fear may not be the “number one” reason, but fear of not being able to support your child/ren and/or yourself is a list-topper. Particularly when HE has the money (control, which he does) and the means to hire a high-powered attorney and take your child/ren. (Please don’t over-simplify the DV issue – it’s further demeaning to those of us who managed to make it out alive.)
My thing (and it’s a BIG thing, for me, at least) was maintaining a modicum of dignity.
Yes, I was abused. Yes, I was nearly killed. But dammit to hell if I was going to plaster all the indignities forced upon me for all the world to see. No thank you. However bruised and battered, I have my pride. I also had a son I needed to put first.
(I have lived for over 20 years with what was done to me. I will continue to do the same, without broadcasting pictures and a definitive text of every single instance of abuse committed upon me.)
T.O.Bellaluna: man I just feel sick all over reading what you and the others went through. Good for you honey that you got out…maybe not unscathed, but alive and kicking. I’m sending you much love and light.
As for Taylor: we honestly have no right to judge where her heart and mind are-regardless of what tv show she is on.
I don’t like Taylor, but no one deserves to be abused.
I hope her only motivation for releasing the photos now is simply to counter the claims being made by Russell’s family. I can understand that. The only thing that gives me pause is why release them to an entertainment show?
Why not go through a DV organization or something less sensationalized/scandel driven? The results would have been the same (if her intentions were to prove the abuse) But her motivation would seem much less greed/money driven.
I know she needs money to support Kennedy but it seems wrong to use her abuse to do it.
eileen – Thank you. And you make a very valid point: abuse victims are NOT in their right minds, and probably haven’t been for some time (duration of abuse) so trying to figure out their motives is a slippery slope.
I don’t speak for all, I just speak for myself.
Kim-
Why aren’t you questioning Russell’s family reaction to his behavior as a husband as well as to his death? How is it that all of this abuse was going on and they knew nothing about it or turned their heads? The man had a documented past of inappopriate aggressiveness towards women with whom he had been intimate.
Apparently Taylor could not go to Russell’s family for help while he was alive. Her skittish, neurotic behavior on the show was telling. The pictures are more than enough. How many times did we see her hold back tears when she was questioned about her marriage or Russell? Eventually, she started confiding with Camille and Kyle on the show. She admitted that they were in therapy, which wasn’t working. She separated from him, even though she had issues with being alone.
I doubt you will get a live recording of him smashing in her face to disprove all doubt. These abusers go out of their way to cover up evidence, including using family members to vouch for them.
I’d like to see evidence of a police report via notification by the attending hospital. Why wasn’t a case of domestic abuse filed and followed up by law enforcement? Isn’t it illegal for a doctor or hospital to hide battery cases?
So sad – all of it.
Could the photos have been sold earlier but the release delayed because of his death?
Or possibly the investigation into his death may have meant they were about to become available to the public – if that were the case I would understand her want to control the release and possibly make some money off it in the process.
Josephina & Kim – You would be AMAZED at what family members of abusive men can deny. My abuser’s sister and mother were both in court with him when I was granted the restraining order, and to this day his sister claims she knew nothing about him abusing me.
Susan O. – Yes. But money talks, and if he had enough of it, it could be “swept under the rug.”
That’s one of the reasons police are now legally allowed (obliged?) to pursue abuse cases without the victim’s confirmation of abuse.
(Well, that and all those homicide cases of women who were too terrified into submission to talk.)
The pictures needed to be released. If she is going to accuse him she should have evidence to back it up
Plus DV is v real. The photos make it real for everyone. No more hiding!
It matters not what her reasons are for releasing them at this time
I think she is a disgusting person and it is interesting these photos were released when the man was not here to defend himself (unless I am missing something and they were out there before). It has never been reported that any charges were filed against him nor has it been reported that the police were ever called to investigate (even with Nicole Simpson I think I read she had called the police at least once). Didn’t Taylor lie about Adrienne being her child’s godmother? To me, the whole thing is fishy.
Foofey- I agree. The pictures needed to be released..for many reasons. Now it cannot be denied that she is a DV victim.
Original Bellaluna- The sister’s apparent jealousy over Taylor’s lifestyle with her brother Russell is revelaed in her statements. It does not make sense that she is hostile towards Taylor. You can tell that she either did not know Taylor well or was not around often during their marriage.
A sister should never try to attempt to know a brother better than the wife. It’s ridiculous. She does not live with him.
well its no secret that Taylor nds money, so she will be spilling her guts to the tabloids.
Her daughter just lost her daddy. The mother should let her live with good memories of her dad regardles of the fact that he may have been an abuser. What good is it to ruin her daughter’s memories?
Harvey needs to get on it and ferret out what’s at the bottom of this. Timing is bizarre.
How dare you criticize her for releasing these photos and saying it was for publicity! Since that wife beater killed himself, Taylor has been criticized over and over and called a gold-digger, etc. Now we see the damage HE caused. He killed himself because he knew his dirty little secret of beating his wife was going to come out of the closet where he could bully & control his wife and beat her with no one knowing. He killed himself because he was a COWARD and didnt want to face & take responsibility for his horrible actions like a man. On top of that he leaves his little girl with no will. Selfish, coward. I am glad he is dead and Taylor & her daughter will live better lives because of it.
Given my personal experience, these pix make me sick to my stomach. Literally.
crtb, et al – If this abuse is recent, their daughter will remember it. She’s 5 years old, not 5 months. The damage has been done.
Okay, I know I’m probably sticking my head in the sharks mouth by even posing this question…
But how fearful is a women of her abuser to go out and blow $90,000 of his money after it was revealed they were being investigated about the 1.5 million they had ripped off from investors? Like others I’m not questioning the abuse….but certainly her priorities are screwed and she contributed to their financial and moral decline.
I’m just commenting to say that I love what Seal Team 6, Original Tiffany and The Original Bellaluna had to say here. I have nothing to add except, a big hug to all the survivors of DV.
Family law attorney checking in. I handle a lot of DV cases and I have to cosign what others have said. There is ALWAYS a component of emotional abuse: “you can’t support yourself on your own.” “You are too stupid to get a job.” “If you report this, I will take the kids and you will never see them again.” “If you say anything I’ll tell the cops XYZ lie and you’ll end up in jail.”
Kudos to those of you who left. It’s not an easy thing to do.
(Re:the $90,000–we don’t know what she spent the money on–could be bills. Also, the “his card” is misleading. California is a community property state.
I can’t believe people are still questioning whether she was abused!
I do not blame her for releasing the photos-it was his family that spoke first, trashing her reputation when he was a known abuser. They were the ones who wouldn’t let him “rest in peace,” and they wouldn’t let Taylor OR THEIR DAUGHTER rest either.
“Tarnishing” the memory for the little girl…are you serious? Didn’t he do that by, oh, I don’t know, COMMITTING SUICIDE AND BEATING HIS WIFE? Of course the daughter knew before these photos.
Making money off it and the timing is disgusting, I agree. Maybe she figured she might as well make money considering her controlling husband made sure she was written off the show and will himself provide no income.
Timing-dubious. Making money-distasteful. But I don’t blame her for acting as she did.
Oh my, this is the longest post I ever wrote for Celebitchy. I guess photos like these bring out the worst in people. Sorry if I offended anyone with my rant.
Thanks, and it is true for every person I helped or comforted, it made the job redeeming. It got me in the end, but even if you lose 9 and save 1, you helped.
There is nothing more sad than seeing DV victims, rape victims, 11 year olds pregnant with their father’s child.
I went to Niagara Falls a couple weeks ago and throwing these people in about 500 yards upstream (enough panic time) sounds about right.
I have NO pity for her husband. He beat the crap out of his 100 pound wife, then hung himself. Big man. Oh, after he completely screwed them monetarily. Like I said before, she should have been stuffing bills into the mattress for a rainy day.
I would like to encourage anyone living in a DV situation to get help. It is out there. If you live in Los Angeles County, every Superior Court courthouse has a domestic violence clinic. Volunteer attorneys assist people with preparing their paperwork for requesting temporary restraining orders. They have shelter info too. It is likely that you will be granted sole custody of your kids until your permanent restraining order hearing. Support is also possible.
The program is available to everyone regardless of income—high or low.
Maybe the $90K was for her divorce attorney’s retainer and fees. Just a thought…
That is absolutely tasteless and tacky that she would do this. Not only RELEASE the photos, but sell them. To a TABLOID TV show. Right around the new season’s start. Just plain disgusting. Just when I was gaining some sympathy for her after last night’s episode.
I just remembered that Taylor threatened to “get Oklahoma” on Kim last season, implying violence. I think hers and Russel’s relationship was most likely mutually abusive. Seeing how she manipulates the other women and threatens violence toward them, contrasted with a meek and shy Russel, I don’t think he was the only abuser in this relationship.
@I Choose Me —
Right back at you! *hug*
Agreement with everyone who says there is always emotional abuse, too. What you have to understand is that this abuse is worse: more insidious, and it’s the abuse you probably never get over. You don’t often have nightmares about the beatings; they are usually about the other things.
Posters have to also understand that the abuse, of whatever kind, because almost normal, because you have to learn to endure it and live through it, so you normalize it.
And, who cares if she spent 90K OF HER MONEY/CREDIT? It wasn’t “his.” I don’t care what she spent it on, and it is NONE of his family’s business what she did or didn’t spend it on.
And, for the poster who said Taylor had no right to tarnish the memory of Kennedy’s father? You have to be effing KIDDING ME. Yeah, let’s keep on covering up his abuse, because that’s the “proper” thing. The hell with that.
I wish she’s post billboards all over town of that eye of hers.
One of my friends is in an abusive relationship, has been for years. She put pictures of her injuries on facebook so his family would see what he’s really like but she took them down a few hours later. After he slammed her head into a door she fled the house with the kids fearing for their safety and her own and the bastard had the nerve to call the cops on her saying she had kidnapped the kids. I guess she stays out of fear of being alone but she always defends him afterwards. I don’t want her boys to grow up just like their father or the daughter to end up in an abusive relationship.
My grandmother is a survivor of domestic violence, as are a few of my friends – including one who’s sister was also a victim – she didn’t make it out alive. Most of them are out of those abusive relationships now but the scars still run deep.
My first thought was that Russell “didn’t seem the type” to be an abuser, but that’s the thing, they never seem the type. Their friends, family, co workers, have got no idea what they’re truly like. The only people who really know is the wife, the girlfriend, the kids.
My point wasn’t what she spent the 90,000 on but
exactly how fearful could she be of Russell if she was willing to charge that after they’re financial mess was revealed?.
I don’t think some of you watch the show if you’re defending her spending habits or justifying her financial decisions. To her money was NEVER about security or securing her or her daughters future, it was about showing off or keeping up with the BH housewives.
P-LEASE!!!!
Plastic surgery to fix her eye? you mean: plastic surgery to fix the broken plastic in her eye from the punch.
So this is the deal: if you have this much work done, no matter what else happens in your life, all people think when they see you is: oooooh, too much plastic.
No one deserves to be abused, but what kind of pathetic famewhore sells the photos and makes them public knowledge to try and boost ratings? Taylor needs to hang out with Oksana G. And regardless, the man you’re villianizing is DEAD. Tasteless doesn’t begin to describe this ugly mess.
My mother was beaten and humiliated in front of us children. I don’t think Kennedy was in the dark about her dad.
My sister was emotionally abused by him and I got his fist to my backside for things I didn’t do. Abusers can look like doting fathers in public. Doesn’t mean a thing.
Just popping in to say THANK YOU for the “warning” pre-jump, I’ve seen these pics plastered all over other websites and there was no warning, just a black eye jumping out at you. Thank you for being respectful of your readers.
There’s a pretty obvious explanation for “why now”. Her abuser is dead and he can’t retaliate, so she doesn’t have to be afraid.
I certainly don’t think she’s an angel or anything, but I don’t question her motive as to why now. I also don’t care that she is profiting from the photos. After all, she had to go through that abuse and they’re her photos. She has a right to get her side of the story out, and you can’t really argue with photos.
@laine you don’t have a shred of evidence to back up your victim-blaming accusations. You don’t know this woman. You’re just a domestic violence apologist and you’re projecting. It’s because of people like you that these women often stay silent and it’s too late. Shame on you.
As for the people saying it’s bad that Taylor is doing this now that her husband isn’t here to defend himself – he CHOSE to kill himself! He CHOSE to not be here to defend himself. If he wanted to be here to publicly refute things Taylor was going to say, he could very easily still be here. But he’s not, and it’s because of his own decision. So I don’t think that’s a very valid objection. In fact, it sounds like he killed himself to hurt the people in his life. I can’t feel any pity for someone who could be so vindictive.
It’s really easy to sit behind our screens and judge her for her choices, but the truth is, we would not know how we would react ourselves. I come from a suburban family and have always had a lot of friends, but I ended in an abusive relationship a couple of years ago. And before it happened, I would never believe I would stay with an abusive man!
He broke me mentally, and the fear of not being believed and the complete break down of my self esteem, made me stay with him. Looking back at it, I blame myself for letting it go on for nearly two years, and I still don’t fully understand why it all happened.
Abusive partners mess with your head, and no matter what you feel about Taylor, I cannot believe that people say: “I don’t like domestic violence, BUT”. People get so angry that she released these photos, but it prooves that she was indeed abused. And so what if she gets paid for it? As far as I understand, she has financial troubles and Russell left her with their child to provide for, when he chose to kill himself. It is really sad that Kennedy is caught in the middle – I hope she can forgive both her parents when she grows up.
However, my point is that I don’t judge Taylor for her choices, because I did questionable things too, and I lost touch of reality in many ways too. I feel sorry for her.
Wow the fact that she sold these pictures is disgusting!!! She needs the money, again disgusting. There are so many woman out there who have been abused with nothing. Her husbad is dead. Regardless if she wanted him to be or not, he is dead. To sell these pictures is souless. Obviously he married her because “she didn’t have a voice”. Noone deserves to be abused but Taylor you are trailer trash!!!
I don’t know this woman from a hole in the wall. However my reaction is:
Her abuse.
Her photos.
Her choice.
She’s bloody lucky to be alive as many suicidal abusers kill the wife first.
On the timing, perhaps she needs the money or perhaps she is at a point in her grief that this seems like a good idea. Nobody reacts to grief how you think they should.
Come on, be honest. If any of you were in that situation, and could sell pics for that price, 90% would, you just don’t want to admit it. Everyone knows they were in financial trouble and have a daughter to raise. She suffered abuse, that’s obvious. She should get SOMETHING out of it.
Wow, so we ALL have a point of view and this is a forum to express it. Here I go:
I don’t like Taylor or whatever her real name is but both of them were accountable for their joint debt. Last season they spent like mad on their daughters 4th BDay party. The shopping bags she had came from somewhere.
The question with the photos were when they took place, because she was photographed so much even after the film in was over except for a time frame in July. Now, it was commented that she never told them at the hospital that it was DV but her belated spouse said her daughter kicked her in the eye. That is why they were not followed up by him in jail because the hospital staff took their word because generally we don’t let the spouse answer for them…so I question that rumor.
We know that Paul has suffered broken noses from his sons when playing with them,,,,.it could have been plausible but I think a man that has hit a woman can hit another. Though I was abused by my ex but he hasn’t laid a hand on his current wife so I have no opinion just speculation as to when the pictures were taken.
The reason being is that if it was before the show or being on the show….she should have been wiser ….after the show began…hello you were in a shelter for DV so how can you do that? That’s like a betrayal to work for them and live such a lie.
Russell is gone. His memory lingers in the air like stale smoke but this woman sells her pictures for-profit. Not to speak out but to gain money and promot a book. But that same man was
She is lying about the photos, the photos were taken after plastic surgery. As for the other abuse allegations, there are two sides to every story. Her side,his side and the truth. This woman is not known for honesty or integrity. Think twice before you believe anything that comes out of her mouth, especially when there is money to be made.
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