Taylor Armstrong Hasn't Told Her Daughter About Husband's Suicide

Tonight, "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Taylor Armstrong will speak out about the abuse she says she endured at the hands of her late husband Russell Armstrong.

In the exclusive interview with "Entertainment Tonight", the 40-year-old also explains how she broke the news of Russell's death to her 5-year-old daughter Kennedy.

According to Us Weekly, Armstrong told her daughter that Russell got sick and died, and that they could pick a star from the sky that could be her father and Kennedy could talk to him every night.

The magazine reports that in tonight's interview with "ET" Taylor will go into detail about the abusive marriage she was trying to escape.

"He grabbed me by the neck and shoved me against the wall and he said, 'If you ever make my children a pizza without a vegetable again, I'll kill you," she recalled of one violent incident.

Disturbing photos of Taylor with a brutal black eye surfaced last week, but Russell's lawyer Ronald Richard, is claiming his late client had nothing to do with them.

According to TMZ, Richards says the photos of Taylor are either from her recovering from plastic surgery or from an accident involving a football to the face.

TMZ reports that sources close to reality star insist the photos are real and caused by domestic violence, also claiming Taylor never reported the abuse because she was under too much pressure to keep up appearances for the show.

Comments

[terradale]

08:48 PM on 09/20/2011

Unbelievable that so many people are falling for her story. I guess that means she's good. This women has been scamming people for close to a decade now. They were caught funneling investor money to themselves, a lawsuit has been filed seeking millions, their off-shore money is lock down because of the lawsuit. Whose filers indicate her fingerprints are all over the scams.

Once the money is gone. She files for divorce taking the only paycheck coming into the household with her. (Bravo's contracts are w/the housewives only.)

Not to mention to she was a volunteer counselor for an abuse center in LA that had many celebrity donors (she's not listed as one). Whose story is she telling - hers or theirs?

She threw her husband under the bus for story line on a reality TV show. Who in addition to their daughter (5yo) has two sons who are preteen. What about the abuse they're going to take for this alleged story being broadcast by the highest bidder.

[Karl Skudlarek]

10:28 AM on 09/21/2011

no kidding...i cant believe anyone believes anything she says...i mean look at her...everything is fake about her and then the pictures how she cries and how she had to be carried out etc...fake fake fake

[Wistfulslinking]

11:41 AM on 09/22/2011

F & F

[sparkygirl91]

08:10 PM on 09/20/2011

K. I give up on this topic. Too many people who cannot read this article and comment objectively. Hot topic or not, one must retain their objectivity. Once you cannot, time to move on to another topic. And one of my key posts just doesn't want to get posted so.....10/4 over and out.

[Wistfulslinking]

11:42 AM on 09/22/2011

Too true. Some are too myopic to see the topic isn't about them or abuse in general.

[sparkygirl91]

02:39 PM on 09/22/2011

Yup, and FINALLY my original reply to ?????1958az got posted. I don't know what it is but somehow my comments tend to start a big 'ol thing- lol. On to the next topic. Take care

[FOXYROSE]

07:54 PM on 09/20/2011

Unfortunately, Russel isn't here to defend or reply. She should just concentrate on getting her head on straight and taking care of her little girl.

[kmcv]

10:44 AM on 09/21/2011

He's on record as having responded to abuse allegations by saying that he behaved out of character for himself during stressful times in the marriage, and they he did shove her and slap her. If you know anything about abuse, that sort of minimization of physical abuse is common. When a man acknowledges shoving, or "open hand slapping", as Armstrong has, it is a virtual certainty that it was far worse than portrayed.

[Wistfulslinking]

11:44 AM on 09/22/2011

Or she put him million of dollars in debt and he lost everything and snapped, before killing himself.

[lajoan47]

07:22 PM on 09/20/2011

Just because the coward killed himself doesn't change what his actions were nor does it mean his behavior didn't happen or that it should be excused. Many wonder where the "Real" is in these shows and then when the "Real" happens very few accept it and the rest want reality swept under the carpet. Who cares if the story and pictures were sold for a price? The issue is spousal abuse, plain and simple.

[clematisvine]

06:55 PM on 09/20/2011

Can these Housewives keep anything to themselves? Taylor, heal yourelf, take care of your daughter and stay away from these people who don't care about you or your daughter - they care only about ratings. Hasn't Taylor learned anything from the grave effects of TV?

[Wistfulslinking]

07:16 PM on 09/20/2011

100k for the tabloid interview.

[sparkygirl91]

07:42 PM on 09/20/2011

And Dr. Phil's interviewing her Thursday which I won't watch. More ??? probably.

[ladyrider1958az]

07:58 PM on 09/20/2011

And???? What's your point? I guess you missed the part that the abuser left her with NOTHING? Huh? So what if she gets paid for her interviews? She was left with HIS debts from HIS failed businesses yet she is supposed to be a pauper because you think she shouldn't profit? WOW - why don't you send her some money so she can take care of her child? He only took care of his OTHER child in his will and insurance policy so the first wife will profit too. Is that not wrong?

[Apple Baek]

06:45 PM on 09/20/2011

The mom did not lie, she told the little girl the truth just in a way that a child so young could process the information. The childs father was sick (mentally) and as a result he died. All of the gorey details of suicide need not be revealed to a child at such a young age.

[sparkygirl91]

07:08 PM on 09/20/2011

Now THIS comment I agree with.

[Wistfulslinking]

07:16 PM on 09/20/2011

Of course, THAT she did right.

[spongeworthy06]

06:18 PM on 09/20/2011

I thought maybe she waited to get the moment on tape for the show.

[hiacynth32]

06:17 PM on 09/20/2011

Whatever the truth is little Kennedy is missing her Dad. Pehaps she should be shielded from the truth about his death until she's older and can handle it. In the meantime, Taylor looks awful, she is definitely suffering and Russell may have suffered horrible depression that resulted in the abuse , if indeed he was abusive, which led to suicide. Perhaps everyone should pray for the respose of his soul. Maybe his guilt was more than he could handle but we don't know if he repented before he took his life. Let's pray for Taylor too. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

[Wistfulslinking]

07:17 PM on 09/20/2011

He also had 3 teen sons to whom she is causing undue harm, for no reason other than money and publicity.

[hiacynth32]

11:03 AM on 09/22/2011

I don't think it's well known that Russell had three sons from another marriage. I think Kennedy is the only child he had with Taylor. Of course I could be wrong. I do think that this sort of tragedy should be a private matter and airing these accusations about Russell can only do more harm. It's a shame that money and publicity take precedence over the golden rule in our culture.

[Katya300]

06:14 PM on 09/20/2011

$100,000 for the tabloid cover story, which her rep shopped to several tabloids this week

http://www.realitytea.com/tag/taylor-armstrong-before-photos.

[sparkygirl91]

05:57 PM on 09/20/2011

Why isn't my original reply to ladyrider1958 not getting posted?

[CAMEOCAT]

04:56 PM on 09/20/2011

Long after this is over and people have forgotten who she is, this interview will live on for her daughter to Google and find out things that she just shouldn't find out from the internet. SMH...

[sschwert]

04:50 PM on 09/20/2011

Such haters..... It doesnt sound like most of you understand how difficult it is to "get out" of as many of you say, an abusive relationship... It not only involves physical abuse but mental and emotional as well. Who are any of you to judge Taylor... So much speculation and gossip has been swirling around this tragic event and I think until she comes out and says "..xyz.." then she will never be able to heal and move on. If that means coming out and explaining her "side" of the story now, so as to shut up stupid gossipmongers, then I support her 110%. Russell effectively gave up ANY right he had to come out and tell his side when he chose a cowards solution. Ultimately it is up to Taylor to do what SHE thinks is best for her little girl. And when she is old enough to hear the the whole story then I pray Taylor shares it with her... She did not lie, Russell was sick, and he did die..the hows and whys are not relevant to that little precious girl at this point in her life... God bless you, Taylor

[Thomas Macso]

03:40 PM on 09/20/2011

It has nothing to do with fame, she's already famous. It's despicable for anyone to condone the actions of that man. Yes it's sad that he's gone, it's doubly sad for the children. But if it helps just one female by listening to this story, it's worth telling. As to the lawyer, he represents the family, he wasn't there, like so many other lawyers, it's NOT about the truth.

[kathlyn100]

03:32 PM on 09/20/2011

Taylor wouldn't have had a say in reporting a DV act, any EMT, Doctor, Nurse or Counselor would have reported it immediately to law enforcement. Where is the police report?

I viewed those pictures of her bruised face, but they looked like pictures from a few years ago, as she looks much younger in them. No neck marks or bruising at all.

If the injury was from an accident of some type, there wouldn't be any DV report.

They sepnt much of their married life scamming people for money to finance their lifestyle. What makes us think she isn't still scamming us?

Someone will come out with the truth.

[sparkygirl91]

03:29 PM on 09/20/2011

Physical abuse is never okay, by either man or woman, but to go public so soon after the death of her husband, her child's father, is beyond good taste and respect. I've no doubt things were not right in that relationship, however, there are two sides, sometimes 3 or 4, and I'm not sure about her side. Russell cannot tell his. And, what kind of woman stays in an abusive relationship if, in fact, there was one, because of pressure she was feeling to "keep up appearances" for a television show? And how will she justify staying in this type of relationship to her daughter when she's old enough to really ask questions. Though her daughter is young, believe me, children know when things are not right and it's these types of situations that begin the process of damage caused to their little pysches which stays with them for a lifetime.

[ladyrider1958az]

04:18 PM on 09/20/2011

Obviously you have never been in an abusive relationship. I have. Most the abuse didn't start just during the TV show. Do you think every woman just up and leaves an abuser the first time they get hit? No they don't. They stay for various reasons. They stay because the abuser swears he loves her and will change. She stays because the abuser has beaten her verbally so far down that she is convinced no one else will ever love her or want her. I was 100 pounds and 5'5" and I got told every day (with every slap of his hand or hit with his fist) that I was stupid, fat, ugly and worthless. Just because you are too ignorant to realize how badly a woman's mind can get warped and twisted please don't make them out to be the bad guys ok? I finally got away from it and in the 30 years since then if one red flag of violence or temper flared up I was OUTTA there but not so when it happened to me the first and only time

[Wistfulslinking]

04:43 PM on 09/20/2011

Biased and myopic.

[sparkygirl91]

04:47 PM on 09/20/2011

First, I'm sorry for the abusive situation you were in for so long and glad you're free of it. Second, you don't know my own situation so before you make a comment that I've never been in an abusive relataionship, you better make sure you're correct. Third, I know all too well the mind, pysche and reasons a woman stays in an abusive situation and am far from "ignorant". And fourth, my comment is based on what the article says, and on this woman's own words - that she didn't do anything cause of the "pressure" she felt in "keeping up appearances" (for the t.v. show). Would you have stayed in your abusive situation to keep up appearances for a t.v. show? Would any woman? I don't think so, I know I wouldn't. As I said, abuse is never okay, and the reasons why a person stays in one are very complex and not to be treated lightly. I understand this topic is a hot one for many, just as Russell's suicide was for me. I'm sure there is no way you would allow anyone to abuse you, physically, emotionally, verbally, anymore and I'm glad for you. However, please do not criticize me and assume you know me based on a comment I made based on this article based on a stupid thing this woman said.

[Sheila Caldwell Rushing]

05:12 PM on 09/20/2011

She may have stayed because he not oly physically abused her but mentaly as well, and sometimes mental abuse is worse because people don't see the physical bruses and don't believe that "Mr. perfect" could be capable of doing any kind of abuse. If he in fact, did this to her, then I think she is very fortunate that he commited sucide before he killed her. I'm only here today because of a miracle, because of the several times my ex-pulled a gun on me and threatned me. One time he put a 22 rifle down my throat the gun jamed and didn't go off. He was so mad that he went outside and shot at a tree and it went off. Why it didn't go off at that moment was in my mind a miracle. I worked in a public place and because I didn't have any physical brused where it would show no one would believe me. Finally my dad and my older brothers started believing me and helped me get away. It's been more than 20 years ago and I still look over my shoulder. Abuse is something you never forget. If her going public will help someone else that is suffering from abuse, than I'm all for her going public.

[Wistfulslinking]

05:45 PM on 09/20/2011

Your life is not related to the housewife in any way.