Commentary: The real housewives of Orange County shop at Target

The gasp that came out my mouth scared a few people at Shirley’s Bagels on a recent morning when I read your headline: “Newport Coast housewife is voted best ever cast member,” (Sept. 11).

Yes I have been known to watch this show. It’s a little embarrassing.

As a local girl growing up here in the ‘70s and ‘80s I am fascinated by what Bravo has labeled as a “real” OC housewife. They’ve got it wrong. It’s been sad and difficult explaining to out-of-towners that this is not how we as locals behave or treat our friends. It’s a horrendous and false perception of the local, fun and homegrown people we have always known.

In a nutshell we go to Target, we work out at Orange Theory and we meet friends at Kean Coffee without makeup. True story.

There was a funny little incident with one of the housewives that I’d like to share. At the USC game, a few weeks ago, my three girlfriends and I went to the Coliseum Club for a libation at halftime. There was a line to get in so we waited patiently at the front of the line. Then to my immediate left I saw the housewife and her husband cut in the front of the line. It wasn’t going to happen.

I said, “No, you can’t cut in line.” The husband went straight back to the back of the line. By the way, nice move, dude.

But the housewife didn’t. So I said, “Sorry lady [wrong word, I know], you need to back off and get in the back of the line” Blank look. Then I said, “You’re not that special.” Her response was, “Ah, ya, actually, I am.”

What? Even a real celebrity has more manners. Let me just ask Bravo to change the title of the show to “It started in Coto de Caza.” Anything without the word “real.”

Local O.C. women who have lived here and are humble and know how blessed they are to live here, who aren’t defined by their bank accounts or their designer shoes, are tired of explaining that they can’t relate to these women.

My feud really comes down to this: Don’t cut in line. Be polite. Get in back of the line behind the patient locals and wait your turn. Now that would be special.

KIMBERLY FARIS lives in Newport Beach.