Here’s an update fresh off the schadenfreude-wire: Tareq and Michaele Salahi, a faux-socialite couple known for crashing parties, creating fake charities, and attempting to make The Real Housewives of Washington, DC a legitimately interesting reality show, are in the news again — because their vineyard is going under.
While it might just fuel their egos to recap the trainwreck that is their lives, we’ll do so to illustrate exactly why the $1.6 million Oasis Vineyards, owned by Tareq’s family and once rated as a top Virginia vineyard before Tareq ran it into the ground, will soon be sold at a foreclosure auction:
- While shooting an audition reel for The Real Housewives of Washington, DC, the Salahis infamously crashed a 2009 White House State Dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (and also chef’d by Marcus Samuelsson!). Everyone thought it was super tacky.
- Later, as the US Congress began chasing after the Salahis to fulfill some sense for public retribution, the press soon learned that the Salahis, who’d presented themselves as well-connected socialites, were not who they said they were. They were actually, as the according to the Washington Post describes, a bunch of poseurs with a “troubling trail of fractured business relationships, lawsuits and unpaid bills.” This lead to speculation that the couple had turned to reality TV in order to pay off the vineyard’s bills. Everyone was all, “We can’t stop watching, tell us more!”
- And then there was the part where Tareq thought that Michaele was kidnapped, but it turned out that she’d left him for Journey guitarist Neal Schon. As in “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Separate Ways” Neal Schon. Okay, guys, you’re really just trying too hard at this point.
Apparently they couldn’t famewhore enough, because the auction is totally taking place on May 11th. The Washington Post reports that Tareq’s mother Corinne was the one who filed for bankruptcy, leading Tareq to state that he’d try to block the sale. If anyone has $1.662 million lying around and would like to purchase a 102-acre winery with a 9,600 square foot wine cellar in order to save Tareq from himself, you know where to go in a few weeks.
Also, Tareq is running for governor of Virginia with a campaign called “Crash the Vote.” We’re done here.
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