Parents' Guide to Hollywood Exes

TV VH1 Reality TV 2012
Hollywood Exes Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Ex-wives complain, drink, curse ... and support each other.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

HOLLYWOOD EXES follows five women who've been divorced from a celebrity and are working on living a life outside of their former husbands' shadow. It stars dancer Andrea Kelly, former wife of R. Kelly; Nicole Murphy, former wife of Eddie Murphy; and Sheree Fletcher, Will Smith's ex-wife. Rounding out the group are Prince's ex-wife, Mayte Garcia, and Jessica Canseco, former wife of controversial baseball player Jose Canseco. From adjusting to having less money to restarting their careers in an effort to redefine themselves, these women try to support one another as they create a new life for themselves and their families.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

Hollywood Exes highlights some of the adjustments that women divorced from rich and famous singers, actors, and athletes must make when they embark on a single life, including readjusting their spending habits to dealing with everyday issues like paying bills and cooking and cleaning for their families. They also reveal some of ways that these women lost their sense of self thanks to being overshadowed by their partner's career and celebrity status.

While Hollywood Exes is milder than most reality shows of this kind thanks to the maturity of most of the featured women, it still features some mildly catty behavior. And some folks might be surprised by their lifestyles, which often seem much more luxurious than that of the average person. You have to wonder why these women are appearing on a show that's defining them by their former celebrity relationship. But there's some insight here, and the messages the show sends about women supporting each other is ultimately a positive one.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about reality shows. Why do you think these women agreed to appear on this show? Are they successfully reinventing themselves by being on this show? What do these women stand to gain or lose from it?

  • How does divorce change people's lives? Is divorce ever a good thing? Do you think the way media portrays relationships, especially among celebrities, offers a real picture of what goes on in a marriage?

  • Are these women supportive of each other? Do you think they'd be hanging out with one another if they weren't on a TV show together? What feels authentic, and what feels forced?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

Hollywood Exes Poster Image

What to Watch Next

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate