The home of Bob and Kira Lorsch was featured on Bravo’s “Interior Therapy” with Jeff Lewis, something that just didn’t make any sense to me. As its’ CEO, Mr. Lorsch has been the very vocal leader in the companies’ civil suit against another Bravolebrity, Taylor Armstrong. Maybe it’s just me, but this seemed like some version of “Sleeping With the Enemy”. What made this even more strange is the fact that Lorsch has had a long and lucrative relationship with the entertainment industry, including Bravo’s parent company, NBC. I watched it and then I got it.
Beginning in the 1980’s, Lorsch founded and ran the Lorsch Creative Network, which specialized in advertising, marketing and sale promotions for a number of top companies. Their client list included Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Campbell’s Soup, MacDonald’s and all three of the major television networks. After resigning as CEO, Lorsch founded the RHL Group which is described as a business management and investment holding corporation. RHL has very diverse interests including e-commerce, entertainment production and pet foods.
His wife of three years, Kira Reed Lorsch, is the President of RHL. She also lists reality programming production as one of her accomplishments. The definition of reality in Mrs. Lorsch’s case would be as a reporter for PlayboyTV as well as producing and acting in erotic roles for Playboy. Presently, she is spokesperson for RHL, a writer and producer for E! and a backstage host for the Daytime Emmy Awards. This is certainly the resume one would expect of a president of a major corporations. Her qualifications, I believe, are obvious.
Bob Lorsch is also known for his generosity and charitable involvement with a number of organizations, particularly those involving children and animals. He has been honored for his philanthropic work on behalf of groups such as the D.A.R.E. program, the MDA, the Starlight Foundation and the Wildlife WayStation. The list of community involvement is even more extensive, and he is as well-known for these efforts as for his business acumen. Some of this work was discussed during this episode of “Interior Therapy”. His home is, from all appearances, a museum dedicated to the awards and honors bestowed him, as well as a collection of gifts and pieces of art he has collected for nearly forty years.
His wife is not quite as sentimental, or maybe not as emotionally involved, as her husband is with the the sheer volume of items in their home. It looks like clutter and Bob looks like a hoarder. He has a story for each and every object he owns, some of which bring him to the brink of tears. He wants to keep everything, from a stuffed elephant to a huge bronze sculpture of the abduction of Persephone, which sat amid some trash cans near the driveway. Much like an episode of “Hoarders”, it was Jeff and Jenni’s job to help Bob part with some of his belongings as well as turning a junk room into an art gallery so that the pieces could be displayed, enjoyed or auctioned off for charity.
The project was a success for the Lewis team and for Bob and his wife. That was only part of what I saw watching this episode, and the process of Bob making some difficult decisions. I saw a man who had worked for each and every bit of what he had acquired. He has been building successful companies since he was in his twenties, and all of the things he had meant something to him. He didn’t appear to be a prideful man, but he was proud of what he had done. Those objects really meant something to him, and a little bit of him went out with each piece he donated or threw away.
Aside from his legal matters between his company and the Armstrongs, Lorsch is also fighting claims made against him and the Wildlife WayStation, a non-profit wildlife sanctuary based in Los Angeles, by the USDA. Government inspectors have made the sanctuary a target by demanding costly and unnecessary measures under the guise of protecting the animals. Lorsch and the foundation have been cleared by the courts each and every time, but the USDA keeps pursuing them – for 9 years now. The WayStation is on the verge of bankruptcy because of the cost of the litigation and the resulting decline in donations.
I think I understand why Mr. Lorsch is pursuing his own claims against the Armstrongs. It isn’t about the money. He could cover his losses with the sale of one painting. I think Bob Lorsch believes that people should do the right thing. The judge in the USDA case against the wildlife sanctuary commented in his ruling “In many ways, the government’s case against Lorsch illustrates the maxim that ‘no good deed goes unpunished’. He was trying to help an organization he had supported for some years to be able to continue its worthwhile function as a sanctuary for animals who generally had no other places to go”.
So, this is why I understand his wanting justice for MMR Global and the investors who trusted the Armstrongs with their money. He doesn’t mind spending what he needs to in order for Taylor to answer for her malice and greed. He wants someone to tell her that she and her husband and whoever else went along with this scheme were wrong, and that they had no right to take something that was given in trust. That he used Bravo to show the measure of his own character was just a stroke of brilliance.
Empress
realhousewifeofaiken 
Once again, Empress, you’ve hit one out of the ballpark. This is an aspect of the story that will not be told anywhere else and, even if it was, it would not be told we such deftness. Thoroughly enjoyable and far more interesting than anything else I’ve read about this story of the company and the man. It sounds like Mr. Lorsch is a decent man with solid values, who was grifted by some upstart nobodies, and that wrong needs to be righted. And now that I’ve seen the human face of the story I’m far more interested in a positive outcome for MMR and Mr. Lorsch.
Phew. I’m glad you watched that, Empress, and did the research. I was afraid to watch – well, that and Jeff Lewis kind of bores me. Bravo is boring. Anyway, i tend to agree with your assessment of Mr. Lorsch, in that, personally, it’s up to me to conduct myself w/o harming others (financially or otherwise) b/c I was raised on “do onto others.” Period.
Money has a direct correlation in some of the stuff I’ve been dealing w/ concerning an expensive hobby of mine. I’ve had to remind (a couple of people) that, in pursing legal means to rectify the situation, etc. that I’m not interested in the money; I’m interested in accountability. There are two people who have started to pay me back, of their own accord, in non-interest bearing, easy-to-afford, monthly payments. The one person who has not elected to do so – well, let’s just say I will spare no expense to nail them, with interest, for every little thing they did wrong. For me, it’s the principle.
Diva knows this, but that same person has gone on to rip off other people, whom he should not, in any circumstances, be tangling with. Not everyone respects the law when you rip them off; many take matters into their own hands. I have a feeling 2012 is going to be a bad year for this person… and I hope it turns into the same kind of nightmare for Taylor.
Neither will ever learn their lesson, but the fallout of not taking responsibility is WAY worse than any money they’re trying to hang onto. 😀
I don’t watch Bravo anymore either, but couldn’t sleep last night, so I dove in. It was nice to see a fun show. You could tell Jeff and Jenny enjoyed their time with the Lorsch’s and it was a refreshing change from anything housewives.
I might have to watch his series on late night tv.
Hello, little KLMH!
❤
Great blog, Empress
AWESOME EMPRESS…. As parents , we try to instill values and morals into the upbringing of our children..We lead by example… We pray that THEY GET IT..Some do..some don’t..some also GET IT later in life…
I think that Bob was raised with those values and morals. To him , it’s not about the money…Like you said…It’s about doing the right thing… and that important thing that SO MANY PEOPLE VIOLATE…. TRUST……
I feel that when someone violates TRUST …it’s about the worse thing you can do….Once that happens the damage is done…Hard to repair…
I beleive that TIT was not raised with values and morals…To her IT IS ABOUT MONEY…. It always has been…and look it where it got her……
Hats off to the Lorsch Family…May they continue to prosper and shine…
And I hope that MMR is successful in holding TIT accountable for what has transpired….
What struck me watching the episode was the contrast between Bob and Taylor. Here is a man who has spent a good part of his life giving back to his community, the State of California and the country, simply because it is a good thing to do. Taylor, on the other hand, wants us to know, on TV, on a red carpet, in her book, that she is saving the world, one woman at a time.
People who do good work for good causes are like people who have earned a lot of money the right way – they don’t expect anything back and they don’t flaunt it.
I agree with you completely. Mr Lorsch seems to be a wonderful gentleman who gives, wants and expects honesty in his business dealings. He obviously didn’t get that with the Armstrongs.
My question is, when was this filmed? Certainly it was before Russell’s suicide. Do you happen to know when? Its hard to tell in California when everything seems to remain in bloom or there are still leaves on the trees. I guess Im wondering when the red flag went up for him to begin to be suspicious of these thieves…
From what I could find, “Interior Therapy” began filming in September 2011, and Russell died in August, 2011.
To answer your question about the shady dealings, Lorsch has said that he was suspicious of the Armstrongs as far back as February, 2007. MMR had been in litigation with Russell and Taylor before Russell killed himself, and the company subsequently amended their action, naming Taylor as the defendant.
POST TOASTIES AGAIN !!!!
Diva
How is Nuclear man this a.m. I HOP I HOP I HOP !!!!
He is positively glowing – thank you for asking. It’s all good. 🙂
klmh…. they started filming jeffs new show about 6 months ago..so that would put it after the suicide… dont forget..the lawsuit was filed close to a year ago…as a breach of contract…
Back a few months ago I had done a break down research of Bob and MMR and found the same things that Empress wrote about…. I always wondered about the NBC connection and how soon would that connection be known..Spoke to V5 about it….LOL
we kinda laughed…. and then BINGO..Here’s BOB on BRAVO….
And how weird that Andy is on vaca this week…winks
Thanks Empress and Diva.
I haven’t watched this episode yet. I do love Jeff in that his self admitted damaged but still an assh*le way of his – sort of like the male Bethenny.
Mr Lorsch – God speed to him in the Taylor trial. This grappling with the Armtrongs has been going on for years hasn’t it? Is this not the second time Lorch has had to pursue her?
She reneged on the earlier aettlement she signed. Because she was suffering from PTSD or was held in a flying saucer or something.
Lawsuits … ah yes. My husband and I were subject to 2 lawsuits by the same family who was trying to seperate us from our money in an “investment”. (Tareq Salahi-ish.) When things didn’t go their way they sued us. Twice. They didn’t get a nickel but the legal fees broke us. It is a grinding experience like no other. Three full years of our lives.
Rather like a getting a divorce from the very worst person ever – but you were never married to them in the first place.
Thanks for your blog Empress.
I’m always enchanted by your writing and choice of topics.
Sad that the ones that really made out like bandits were the lawyers. I hope the jerks that sued you paid phat legal fees too. There are times when you need a good lawyer to protect you. Then there are the times that a greedy attorney can take advantage of a situation, just to make a fistful of dollars off of naive clients. Been there, done that…and yes I’m still bitter. If I had the money, I would have sued that pos myself! There are honest, good attorneys out there (I’ve known a few) but the badasses more than make up for them. This incident occurred with a couple that were selling their property with me. They lied about some issues, then when their buyer pulled out on closing day (with good reason) they refused to return the initial deposit. Their attorney said “I’m sure I can get some of that deposit money for you.” What he really meant is “I’m sure I can get some of that money for you, and after my legal fee, you still might make a buck or two.” It was a horrible situation for all involved. Sometimes the learning curve is expensive. And yes, that particular attorney has a reputation far & wide for causing expensive legal battles. He knows just how to set them up, like a spider weaving a web. One thing I’ve learned, if someone won’t shake hands with you, you can never ever trust them. That happened months before the lawsuit, so he was already planning it out. And yes, I saw the attorneys at the court house laughing & joking. Nice piece of change for the attorneys on both sides.
Hi all, the next legal date set for Taylor Armstrong pretrial hearing on the MMR matter is July 11, in LA.
Thanks Empress. I think the fourth episode of IT featuring Ross Mathews will be worth watching. So far viewer numbers are low.
Hi there. Enjoyed your post about Robert Lorsch. I also see that you are a horse lover like myself. I happen to be friends with Mr. Lorsch, and also am associated with his company, MMRGlobal. MMRGlobal is a company that provides secure and easy-to-use online Personal Health Records (“PHRs”) and electronic safe deposit box storage solutions, serving consumers, healthcare professionals, employers, insurance companies, financial institutions, and professional organizations and affinity groups. The MyMedicalRecords PHR enables individuals and families to access their medical records and other important documents, such as birth certificates, passports, insurance policies and wills, anytime from anywhere using the Internet.
I have been initiating the idea at the company of creating personal health records for horses, specifically race horses, as I have owned and trained standardbreds for many years, and I think a personal health record for each of the 100’s or horses I have owned and trained over the years would have been and is a great idea. After all, my horses were visited by many different vets many times over the course of just one month, and having something like this would have made it so much easier to keep track of their medical history and medical schedules. Please let me know if you see a need for something like this with the types of horses you work with and any ideas you may have. And I am guessing, since Mr. Lorsch has seen and read this blog now, he will be sending you a free MMR account for you and your family. 🙂
Matt
Matt,
I know a very old horsebreeder who could use this for handing down her legacy to her family when the time comes for them to take over. If you want my email, ask Ms Aiken. The old lady rancher has been creating magnificent purebreds with a formula that might be inacessible in her memory, but with the herd she’s built, the family thinks they can continue the breeding program. The medical record for a large stable like hers would be wonderful.
Thanks,IceMeNot
Matt,
I cannot give identifying info re which breed because of confidentiality issues. But I will indicate the pgm was to create racehorses.
Icy
Excellent Diva! ask and ye shall….. I pray
Susan… WOW… your name sounds so familiar.. LIke someone I SHOULD know from Florida ??? If so let me know…
Hugs and Peace
Diva
Hi Diva!
This Matt fellow, if he really can come thru with the MMR for horse breeders, would be helping an elder who had a similar story of being ripped off by predators without consciences! What a bright spot in a dark story it would be. I like Mr Lorsch’s attitude about holding people accountable.
I hope you are keeping healthy during this long convalence of your Mr Ford.
IMN
MMR WINS ROUND ONE
JUSTICE for the GOOD GUYS
http://www.bhcourier.com/article/Local/Local/Real_Housewives_of_Beverly_Hills_Star_Taylor_Armstrong_Loses_Round_in_Court/87636
Bob is an honorable and wonderful human being.
I knew him personally 10 years ago and donated to his charities
and events.
He has been wrongly misaligned in this whole matter.
Shame on them
God bless Bob
Stuart Snyder
rss@rockstar.co
Um….Mrs Lorsch is a pornographer! HELLO
Sam… and your point IS !!!!!!!
😀 I don’t think Sam has a point. LOL!