Enough is enough. After Garcelle Beauvais’ son Jax Nilon was harassed online with hateful messages, Bravo slammed viewers for their actions, encouraging better treatment of its stars.
The backlash began when the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 55, took to social media on Tuesday, August 24, explaining via Twitter that she is “a very strong woman” but was “in tears all night” over the harassment her son Jax received online during season 12.
“It’s just a TV show people scream at your TV throw something at your TV but leave our kids alone,” she concluded her message, also reposting a screenshot of the Instagram.
Jax was featured on RHOBH last month when Erika Jayne yelled at him during his mother’s birthday party, telling him “get the f–k out.”
“It’s an unfortunate that that had to happen,” the White House Down star told Us Weekly exclusively in July. “That’s really tough. That’s definitely crossing the line for sure. No Doubt.”
The hate directed toward Beauvais and her family comes amid the former Real cohost’s ongoing feud with Jayne, Lisa Rinna and Diana Jenkins. Rinna, 59, however, was the first to speak out in defense of Jax, revealing she related to the post.
The Melrose Place alum followed Beauvais’ statement on Tuesday by speaking out against the hate her two daughters — Delilah, 24, and Amelia, 21 — have received online. The reality star told Bravo fans to “treat it like wrestling” and to “leave the kids alone,” continuing to name several instances when viewers made negative comments about other RHOBH children, including Jayne’s son, Tommy Zizzo, receiving “threats.”
A day later, Beauvais shared an Instagram Story reposting a message from Jax — one of her 14-year-old twins whom she shares with ex Michael Nilon. The message detailed harsh comments the teen received online as his mom’s feud with her costars continues to play out on screen.
“Well I’d like to start off by saying I am still a kid and wish to not be viewed as a fully matured adult, because I am not one,” his statement read. “[I]t is currently my first week of high school and, instead of enjoying it like most kids at my school, I have to deal with being attacked on social media.”
The California native noted that he “did not sign up for this show, nor do I have anything to do with the show’s drama.”
“I just want to be a normal kid,” he begged, explaining his social media was for his peers and “not for publicity nor the public’s gaze.”
He continued: “However, middle-aged women spamming me with racist and crude comments about my family is not what I expected for my first week of high school.”
Jax ended his statement by noting that he would be making his Instagram account private moving forward and thanked supportive fans.
Following the news, Bravo issued a statement in support of its talent. “We are shocked and appalled at the social comments directed at Garcelle’s son,” the network wrote in graphic via Instagram on Wednesday. “We urge our viewers and social media followers to refrain from targeting our cast and their families with harmful rhetoric.”
Rinna’s husband, Harry Hamlin, with whom she shares her two daughters, also spoke out in the aftermath, sharing the statement from Bravo and giving fans an “important” message.
“RHOBH is a TV show. All cast members know it’s a TV show and it’s [sic] main purpose is to entertain the audience,” the Mad Men actor, 70, captioned the post. “Attacking the cast or their children is inappropriate. Please enjoy the show and leave the participants alone. The negative editorializing can be very dangerous and we all hope it will stop. Love please! ❤️❤️❤️.”
Moreover, the rest of the RHOBH cast — and more Housewives — jumped on the bandwagon to try and stop hateful comments, with some reposting the statement from Bravo in support and others sharing their own words.
Scroll down to see how the drama played out and what Bravolebrities have responded: