People don’t move to Boerne to be seen.
The affluent Texas Hill Country town north of San Antonio has become one of the most sought-after suburbs for anyone looking to live near one of America’s fastest-growing cities.
Known for its sprawling ranches, gated communities and postcard-worthy small town charm, Boerne attracts wealthy ranchers, rich retirees and even country music royalty seeking a quieter life away from the spotlight.
In some of its most exclusive neighborhoods, privacy is so highly prized that even Uber drivers and delivery services aren’t allowed past the gates.
That’s why an announcement by reality TV giant Bravo that filming is underway on a new show set in the town – one promising to reveal fly-on-the-wall ‘secrets, lies and forbidden romances’ – has caused such a firestorm among residents.
Locals have told the Daily Mail they fear the reality show is going to air ‘dirty laundry’ and bring the type of attention many move here to avoid.
In fact, an online petition opposing the series, which is tantalizingly titled Secrets, Lies, Texas Wives, launched last month and has already attracted more than 800 signatures.
‘Reality TV shows like [this] have gained notoriety for excessively amplifying personal dramas, romanticizing conflicts and projecting skewed realities to the public,’ the petition reads.
A home at the ultraexclusive Cordillera Ranch – community members are upset the show will provide a look behind the gates
Ashlee Nichols poses for a photo of her outfit; she is rumored to be part of the Bravo cast
‘While such programming may be entertaining to some, it risks damaging the very fabric of communities it chooses to portray, in this instance, the wonderful town of Boerne, Texas. We must take a stand against this misrepresentation of our beloved town.’
Bravo announced the series on May 11.
While few details have been released, the network said cameras will follow a group of ‘glamorous women as they raise families, run businesses and manage ranches in the Texas Hill Country.’
Viewers are also promised an inside look at their marriages, friendships and ‘forbidden romances.’
One woman believed to be appearing on the show, Ashlee Nichols, lives in the ultra-exclusive Cordillera Ranch community, home to the likes of country superstar George Strait.
‘The cheapest home in there is $2 million,’ one prominent mom, who asked not to be named, told the Daily Mail. ‘It’s a big deal to live there. All the moms are super upset the show is going to air their dirty laundry.’
Aaryn Williams, 35, a married mother of four, lives on a $2 million ranch in Boerne, Texas, outside of San Antonio
A house inside Cordillera Ranch. The area is so exclusive that it doesn’t allow rideshare vehicles
Residents say Cordillera Ranch is so protective of homeowners that rideshare drivers and many delivery services are not permitted beyond the main gates.
For critics of the show, that is what makes Bravo’s arrival so jarring.
‘There’s absolutely outrage that these women would go on TV,’ a Boerne insider said. ‘It’s a lot of angry rich people, but it’s also a bunch of angry country folk.’
News of the show caused such an uproar that the city was forced to put out a statement saying it had nothing to do with the production.
‘I want to acknowledge the concern we have heard from residents,’ Boerne City Manager Ben Thatcher explained in a May 13 statement. ‘We understand that concern because so little is known about the project at this time.
‘Boerne is far more than a storyline. Boerne is a real community made up of families, neighborhoods, small businesses, churches, volunteers, public servants and people who work hard every day to make this a special place.’
The reaction in online forums shows many residents agreed.
‘Instead Boerne is already full of Cowboy Cosplayers. What a s***hole it’s become,’ one local wrote.
‘The show will ruin the reputation of the town. It will not bring money. THIS will be the reputation of Boerne,’ another claimed.
A third said that ‘Boerne was done for a long time ago. Little more than a bedroom community of city people who brought us city problems.’
Pronounced Bur-nee, the town is known locally for its sprawling rustic estates and quaint Main Street cafes that honor its German heritage.
Some residents welcomed the prospect of new national attention, arguing the show could boost tourism and add to already soaring home prices.
Nichols, 40, is a mom of three with over 721,000 followers on Instagram
Aaryn Williams poses with her husband, Nate Williams
While Bravo has yet to officially announce a cast, a second woman widely believed to be participating appeared to confirm her involvement when she responded to critics on social media.
‘If I listened to what the townspeople are saying and doing, I would be miserable like they are,’ Aaryn Williams declared in a social media post.
Williams, 35, a married mother of four, lives on a $2 million ranch in Boerne.
With over 349,000 followers on Instagram, she might have to defend racist and homophobic comments she made while on a different reality show more than a decade ago.
Williams appeared in 2013 on Big Brother Season 15 under her maiden name Aaryn Gries.
‘Be careful what you say in the dark. Might not be able to see the b***h,’ she said about a black cast mate.
Referring to an Asian housemate, Williams said: ‘Shut up. Go make some rice.’
About a gay member of the cast, William stated: ‘No one’s going to vote for whoever that queer puts up.’
Williams, who went by Aaryn Gries in 2013 before she was married, reacts to the host of Big Brother asking her about racist comments made on the reality show
A view of businesses on Main Street in Boerne, Texas, where residents have pushed back after learning Bravo is filming a new reality show featuring some of their neighbors
When confronted about her comments by the show’s host during her exit interview, Williams first denied making them.
‘I do not remember saying those things,’ she said in 2013.
When the live audience laughed at her, she eventually apologized.
‘I feel horrible,’ Williams, then 22, said, acknowledging she knew she was being filmed and broadcast 24/7.
‘I feel like, in Texas, sometimes we say things that sometimes we joke and we don’t mean it. I really feel bad that this is how it’s being seen and this is how I’ve come across to people. I don’t want to seem like that person.’
Williams did not respond to the Daily Mail’s attempts to reach her.
We have also contacted Bravo and the two production companies associated with the new show for comment.
