There’s a common theme in this never-ending string of reality shows centered on wives…most of these chicks aren’t married.

I’ve sat through The Real Housewives franchise, and Basketball Wives franchise and Love & Hip-Hop and where are the wives? Yes, a few are married but most aren’t. And some never have been. The shows are stacked with groupies and gold diggers who’ve made a name for themselves bedding married men, so why are they on the show? Is there a shortage of real wives? Or could it be that any married woman with any sense at all wouldn’t be caught dead on one of these shows or associating with these women?

Although entertaining (everyone loves a train wreck), aren’t these shows sending the wrong message to young women? They’re basically being told that if you want to be famous you can skip the hard work and just get knocked up by a rapper or pro-athlete, married or single. Or you can dye your hair blonde, get giant breast implants and land yourself a sugar daddy.

And even funnier than the shows themselves are the people who created them. Shaunie O’Neal, the ex-wife of baller Shaquille O’Neal is the mastermind behind the Basketball Wives franchise. A woman, a mother, a wife (well she use to be one) created this mess. O’Neal, who has been at the center of scandals herself surrounding her ex-husband’s infidelities, created a show that showcases opportunist. The entire show acts as a how-to guide to land a man with money. Now Andy Cohen’s Real Housewives franchise is a little different. Most of these woman are married or have been, but the series, no matter what city it’s in, is nothing more than a shameless display of excess, and usually at someone else’s expense. The show wants us to think these women are fantastic and to envy their lifestyles. We’re supposed to ignore the fact that every week a different cast member is in the news for a foreclosure or something being repossessed or getting divorced. Possibly because they put money before substance?

To me these women aren’t real housewives. They aren’t really anything, maybe really annoying. A real housewife is my mom and your mom, women who worked and bust their ass to take care of her kids. Real housewives are women that rather spend more time with their families than they do in the club. Where are the shows about these women? There aren’t any, because they wouldn’t be as entertaining or profitable.

The aforementioned shows were made to sell excess. To sell you on a fantasy life that you’re suppose to want and aspire to, but I don’t think real women aspire to sleep with men with money to get ahead. I don’t think real women aspire to be bitchy and catty and start fights in clubs while wearing last season’s Versace.

I know these shows aren’t going away. They’re going to multiply. Soon we’ll have Football Wives and Soccer Wives. And the “real” housewives will be at home, taking care of their families, watching these shows and laughing at these women.