In the aftermath of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, Russell Armstrong‘s suicide, friends and family members are speaking out against the harsh media critiques that drove the 47-year-old to take his own life.

Armstrong’s mother, John Ann Hotchkiss, spoke to HLN last night regarding how appearing on BRAVO’s RHOBH destroyed her son’s marriage to wife, Taylor Armstrong , “I watched it slowly destroy their marriage…” and ultimately resulted in his suicide.

Before the new season even started, before he took his life, he said, ‘Mom, they’re just going to crucify me this season,’… He said, ‘I don’t know what to do. I’ll never survive it.’ I thought he meant businesswise or something…  Perhaps there was a double meaning there. I don’t know.

Hotchkiss added that Russell was devastated by the harsh criticisms he received from his RHOBH costars.

What bothered me the most, I think, is on the program itself — and this is on video — he would be bashed by some of the other cast members…  Especially Lisa[Vanderpump], who is a beautiful lady. I just couldn’t understand why she would be so unkind to him.

I know it hurt him deeply, because he would talk to me about it — never criticizing Taylor, of course. I would not want him to.  The program itself just really brought him down.

Talk about a lesson in learning to hold your tongue…

Season 2 of RHOBH is scheduled to premiere September 6th on BRAVO.

[Image: Nikki Nelson/WENN]