Everybody knows that reality TV is my vice of choice. There’s nothing quite like middle-aged women getting into physical fights over the pettiest shit imaginable. It’s ridiculous, and mind-numbingly stupid, but I eat it up regardless. The Real Housewives franchise is one of the top tier reality shows out there, and the newest edition, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is nothing short of a masterpiece. At the forefront of the drama of this series is Jen Shah, the mormon turned muslim wife of a collegiate football coach. Jen puts the toxic in Botox and seems like a genuinely unlikeable person, which makes her a great candidate for reality TV fodder. In the first season, Shah threw a fit after being told she “smelled like hospital,” if that’s any indication of her emotional intelligence. Shah was fun to watch, if only for her outsized personality and crying-faces that could rival only those of Kim Kardashian. However, in 2021, it was revealed that she and her assistant—commonly referred to throughout the series as “stu-chains”—knowingly took part in a long-running telemarketing scheme to defraud innocent victims out of their money.
Shah and her assistant were allegedly scamming vulnerable, elderly people by giving lists of names to fraudulent companies that would then take their money. Shah originally pleaded not guilty in March of last year, but has since changed her plea to guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Her sentencing was set for November of 2022 but later postponed. There is no way Shah and her team will be able to snake their way out of this scandal, try as they might. As fervent a housewives fan as I am, I am certainly no supporter of Jen Shah and believe that she should serve time in prison for her actions.
The initial scene of Shah’s impending arrest was actually captured in the first episode of season two. Subsequent drama surrounding Shah’s misdeeds have characterized the series since. The other cast members, who have their own questionable behaviors to account for, go back and forth between supporting Jen and villainizing her. Hordes of obsessive fans on Housewives Twitter have even attempted to make light of the situation, making memes and pleading for President Biden to pardon Shah. If there is one thing reality television loves, it’s a grifter, but there is something deeply disturbing about the franchise’s attempts to gloss over Shah’s crimes. Jen Shah is not a mastermind, a girl boss, or a woman in business. She is a cold, hard, criminal.
The leading ladies of The Real Housewives enjoy a life of luxury thanks to famous spouses, childhood stardom, or successful business ventures. On the show, Shah would frequently host elaborate parties at her “Shah Chalet.” Shah is clearly no stranger to expensive cosmetic procedures or designer brands. If anyone were to question how she was able to finance her lavish way of life, they need look no further than her husband’s coaching career or her purported investments. It is now apparent that Shah and her good for nothing assistant were in the business of exploiting peoples’ Mimis and Pops out of their lives’ savings. That is reprehensible behavior that must be brought to justice.
Another reason to denounce Shah is the lack of remorse she’s shown for her actions. Each housewife gets her own tagline in the title sequence of every episode, and one of Shah’s was “The only thing I’m guilty of is being Shah-mazing,” which would be funny if not for the fact that she literally is a criminal. I’m sure the families of the victims you defrauded are very impressed with you, Jen.
The Real Housewives franchise has never claimed to be a bastion of morality, but it is discomforting that someone like Shah continues to be granted airtime. I am unsympathetic to her cause. If you are going to be a grifter, do it well! Here’s to hoping that Shah looks as good in an orange jumpsuit as she does gracing the television screen every Wednesday.
