Even though I come from a family of rabid first-adopters, I’m a bit slow on the uptake, when it comes to new technology.  So, when I mentioned that I needed to borrow my 8-year-old nephew, so he could teach me how to use Hulu and Netflix; my brother responded by giving me Apple TV.  For the first month or so, I was delighted just to have finally taught myself how to use it for streaming Internet porn on my television; and that might’ve very well been the end of that.

Then (while watching Fashion Queens, on Bravo) I remembered an article I’d read last summer, about the spot-on spoof of the Real Housewives shows, that comedian Paul Scheer had created for Hulu, The Hotwives of Orlando – and suddenly, I was a man with a purpose.

If you aren’t familiar with the various Real Housewives franchises, this probably won’t be of much interest to you.  If, however, you are even slightly into just one (for instance, while I’ve seen at least one episode of each, the only one I record is RHOAtlanta…), and you enjoy very sharp satire, then this is the streaming series for you!

There’s my favorite wife, the entrepreneurial Phe Phe Reed (Tymberlee Hill), whose occupations include attorney, foot-model, life coach, taxidermist, music producer, hypnotherapist, and Zumba instructor.   Gold-digging Tawny St. John (Casey Wilson) is shtupping her trainer, Heath (Joey McIntyre), under the oblivious nose of her much-older husband, Phil (Stephen Tobolowsky).  Former child-star/longtime addict Amanda Simmons (Kristen Schall) is perpetually returning from or preparing to go to rehab; while her Bible-thumping, cleavage-bearing sister, Crystal Simmons (Angela Kinsey) has just accepted a gig as a TV weathergirl.

It doesn’t take much to guess who bankrupt shopaholic, Shauna Maducci (Danielle Schneider) is based upon – whether she’s shopping at Whor or throwing an absurd party for one of her four (or five – she’s not quite sure) daughters.  And the most fabulously monikered of the lot, cradle-robbing heiress Veronica Von Vandervon (Andrea Savage), invites the cameras to both her vaginal rejuvenation surgery and the poorly-attended memorial service for her long-haired dachshund, Lover.

Perhaps the most scathing spoof of all, is reserved for the individual who unleashed the whole Housewives phenomenon upon us, Bravo honcho, Andy Cohen; in the form of Matty Green (Paul Scheer), the series’ gay, Jewish, and very tan Executive Producer, who utters phrases like “Shalomsies, y’all!” on his after-show, which features such absurd guest-pairings as Cee Lo Green and Christiane Amanpour.

Anyhow, the seven-episode first season is available, in its entirety, on Hulu.  And binge on it, now; so you’ll be good to go when the show returns, this summer, as The Hotwives of Las Vegas (with all new characters portrayed by many of the same actors).

Now, thanks to Apple TV, I’m ready for them to take-on Vegas!  As Matty Green would say, “Sha-to-the-Lom!”

The Hotwives of Orlando
Hulu
Click HERE for info

Get into it!