The controversial season premiere of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills aired Monday night, and despite citing cast member Russell Armstrong’s recent suicide as a reason to scrap the reality hit’s second season, viewers turned out in record numbers.

Well, maybe not record numbers, but just like rubber-neckers on the freeway, the RHOBH faithful showed up, eager to be a part of whatever wreckage BRAVO was willing to share.

But, as it turns out, what BRAVO was willing to share was – well, not much.  The episode’s most “poignant” moment came during a meeting at Housewife Adrienne Maloof’s mansion, when housewives Lisa Vanderpump, Kim Richards, Kyle Richards, and Camille Grammer, spoke about how they each shouldn’t feel any responsibility for Armstrong’s death.

Now, I’m no cold-hearted cynic (or am I?), but I’m not sure the most appropriate thing to do after someone takes his own life is sit around, in front of a TV crew, and talk about how it’s not your fault.  But time and time again, each cast member passed the proverbial buck of blame back to Taylor, claiming that they wouldn’t have behaved the way they did, if not for the information she had shared with them regarding their abusive marriage.

Makes sense, but isn’t this something you all could’ve discussed privately?  These women (and their lapdog husbands) are acting like the kids at preschool, who didn’t call the little boy fat, but all pointed and laughed anyway.

[Image: WENN]