Taylor Armstrong

Taylor Armstrong (born Shana Lynette Hughes; June 10, 1971) is an American television personality and socialite who appeared in the first three seasons of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, starting in 2010. In 2019, a screen-capture image from Armstrong's time on the program became an Internet meme after it was placed alongside a photograph of a cat. That meme, often called "woman yelling at [a] cat," gained widespread viral popularity.[1][2]

Taylor Armstrong
Armstrong at the 2012 GQ Men of the Year Awards
Born
Shana Lynette Hughes

(1971-06-10) June 10, 1971
Independence, Kansas, U.S.
Other namesShana Taylor, Shana Ford, Taylor Ford
OccupationTelevision personality
Years active2010–2016
Known forThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Spouse(s)
Russell Armstrong
​
​
(m. 2005; died 2011)​
John Bluher
​
(m. 2014)​
Children1

Biography

Armstrong was born Shana Lynette Hughes in Independence, Kansas, on June 10, 1971.[3][4] Her family later left Kansas for Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Armstrong attended Union High School and was a cheerleader. She graduated in 1989.[5] She later changed her name to Taylor Ford and moved to Beverly Hills, California, after starting her own e-commerce business. She met her future husband, venture capitalist Russell Armstrong, at a local restaurant in Beverly Hills while waiting to be seated.[6] The two married less than a year later and their only child, a daughter named Kennedy Caroline Russell, was born in 2006.

Armstrong first appeared in the public spotlight in 2010, as part of the cast of the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.[7] During the series' run, Armstrong's appearance on the show was plagued by rumors of financial issues and domestic violence, and she later confirmed that she had been physically abused by Russell Armstrong and had to undergo reconstructive surgery for an orbital fracture after being hit by him.[7][8] A discussion of the alleged abuse resulted in an on-camera altercation with other cast members that would, years later, become part of a popular internet meme, commonly called "woman yelling at [a] cat" or simply "the cat meme."[1][9][2]

In July 2011, after the filming of the second season of Real Housewives, she filed for divorce, citing verbal and physical abuse. The next month, her estranged husband committed suicide; she found his body on August 15, 2011, dead from an apparent hanging, at a home he rented on Mulholland Drive following their separation.[10][7][11]

Armstrong is currently married to John Bluher, an attorney, whom she wed on April 4, 2014 in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.[12]

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2008 The Hills Herself Episode: "While Lauren's Away..."
2010–2016 The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Herself Series Regular (Season 1–3)
Guest (Season 4–6)
2014 Couples Therapy Herself

See also

References
  1. Amanda Mitchell (November 8, 2019). "What is The Cat Meme, and Why Is That Woman Yelling?". Oprah Magazine. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  2. Soen, Hayley (November 11, 2019). "The story behind the woman yelling at the cat meme is actually pretty dark". The Tab UK. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  3. "Taylor Armstrong Biography". Us Weekly. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  4. Poole, Tiffany M. (April 6, 2012). "Beverly Hills 'Housewife' Taylor Armstrong returns to Oklahoma". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  5. "Husband of Tulsa native and 'Real Housewives' star dies". Tulsa World. August 16, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  6. Dawson, Steve (September 12, 2017). "What Happened to Taylor Armstrong – What's The Real Housewives Star Doing Now?". Gazette Review. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  7. Yvonne Villarreal, "Taylor Armstrong's search for safety". Los Angeles Times. February 14, 2012.
  8. "Taylor Armstrong Denies Russell's Sister's Claims That Abuse Never Happened On 'Watch What Happens Live'". The Huffington Post. February 8, 2012.
  9. "RHOBH Alum Taylor Armstrong Reacts to Being Turned into a Meme". Bravo TV Official Site. October 29, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  10. "Taylor Armstrong, My Story". taylorarmstrong.com. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  11. "RHOBH's Taylor Armstrong Reveals What Her Daughter Thinks of Dad Russell 8 Years After Suicide". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  12. "Taylor Armstrong Marries John Bluher". People. April 4, 2014.
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