“Vanderpump Rules” has a competitor. E!, the cable channel, today announced that it will launch “The Abbey Diaries.” The reality TV show will be focused on the eponymous world famous gay bar and restaurant on Robertson Boulevard south of Santa Monica Boulevard.
In its announcement, E! describes the series as follows: “The staffers wrangle VIP guests and celebrities while dealing with relationship drama, diverse sexuality and the pursuit of their individual Hollywood dreams, all set in an exciting backdrop that is quintessentially Los Angeles. ”
A reality TV show set at The Abbey has been long rumored. TMZ reported last year that the West Hollywood restaurant and bar had a production company at work on a show, and that the production company has lined up a network for it. Employees at The Abbey have told WEHOville they signed up to audition. “The Abbey Diaries” is a working title and a date hasn’t yet been set to air the series
A few hundred feet south on Robertson is the site of another reality TV show, “Vanderpump Rules.” The Bravo series is focused on the fights and sexual tangles among the staff overseen by Lisa Vanderpump, who also is in Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” Then there’s P.U.M.P., another Vanderpump restaurant.
E! is a network of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. David Cooley, founder of The Abbey, which this month celebrates its 25th anniversary, sold the show to E!. The show is produced by Banijay Studios North America. Executive producers are David Goldberg, Caroline Baumgard Ray Giuliani and Cooley,
Puh-sleeze!
It’s hardly a gay bar. It’s a drunk girl bar.
Because you can’t spell “cheap” or “bored” without an E!
Hoping the Abbey’s new addition, the Chapel, will be what the original Abbey was…great bakery, good coffee, nice place to hang…without cameras and more gays.
They need to do something because the food sucks and so does the service. It’s not a place you take a date. It’s a place you go when you’re desperate. forget about the Abby not being gay. West Hollywood is losing it’s gay status very quickly. Many of gays are moving to Hollywood or DTLA. All it takes is one good gay bar with good food and good service in Hollywood and Weho as a gay town will be a thing of the past. It is obvious that even Coolley has decided that the future of Weho is straight.
“Desperation Diaries” brought to you by the pathetically self involved who think that others will pay to see the desperate lives of folks with too much time on their hands. There is absolutely no “there” there. LOL! Get a real job!
Please stop referring to the The Abbey as a gay bar. It lost that status eons ago. It’s now simply a very popular bar and restaurant.. The “reality” show while most likely inticing more people to patronize this establishment, further diminishes its status, or what’s left of it. Lisa Vanderpump sold her soul to be on both those Bravo over produced and manufactured programs. I fear David is following her down that pathetic path.
Waiting for RAGE, MICKEY’S and FLAMING SADDLES shows next!!!! Shame STUDIO ONE is long gone, I can tell you stories about…..well, it’ll be in my book someday.