Real Housewives: Jeanna's Husband, 6 Months in Jailhouse

Real life means jail time for one of the reality "stars" of the Real Housewives of Orange County.

Jeanna's soon to be ex-husband, Matt Keough, was sentenced to six months in jail and had his probation reinstated. Judge Thomas Borris had the discretion to sentence Keough to up to 5 years in prison for violating the terms of his parole. The site, The Insider, has more.

An ex-all star pitcher for the Oakland A's, Keough's troubles with the bottle has been a taboo topic on the popular Bravo TV reality series, Real Housewives of Orange County.

Keough, rarely seen during the series' first two seasons, was battling his own demons, that of probation officers, rehabs, and attempts to curb binge drinking.

This season on Real Housewives has Jeanna dealing with the breakup of her marriage with Matt. The reasons given didn't include Matt serving a seven week sentence in the Newport Beach City Jail.

Matt had been released less than a week earlier from the Newport Jail. His parole was based on an incident in 2005 where Keough's life began to spiral further out of control after getting convicted of DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.

Keough checked himself into the Betty Ford Clinic for a month plus a five months' stint at Sober Living by the Sea, a Newport Beach outpatient program. Matt's absences from the show were explained as "Dad's away working."

Keough was arrested on December 18th after spending "several" days binge drinking at a local hotel. This violated the terms of the 2005 incident and incurred the wrath of the judge who ordered Keough to remain in jail until the January 11th decision by Judge Borris. Borris told Keough that this was his "last chance."

Keough's attorney, Joseph McGinley, said his client was committed to getting the help he needs.

Keough's life wasn't always a grim fight with alcohol and irate judges. He was named to the All-Star Team his rookie season in 1978 with the Athletics with an ERA of 3.24 and a 8-15 won-loss record.

Matt's success was up and down. The next season his pitching was dismal, but by the next year he had a resurgence. He married Jeanna, a former Playboy centerfold, in 1980. By 1983 he was traded to the Yankees and struggled with a rotator cuff injury which placed him on the disabled list.

In 1984 his career landed in the minors. He went over to Japan in 1987 where he pitched for the Hanshin Tigers until 1990.

Matt tried out with the 91' Angels and failed to make the cut. The following year he was in the process of trying out once again for the Angels when he was hit by a foul ball while sitting in the dugout.

In 1992, Keough was nearly killed when he was hit in the head by a line drive while sitting in the dugout during an Anaheim Angels exhibition game at spring training in Arizona.

"We're convinced that this (drinking) is related to the brain injury that he suffered," Keough's attorney, Dan Grigsby, said Friday.

Grigsby said. "I've known him since high school and he hasn't been the same since."
Source - SFGate

The ball struck him in the right temple. His injury, life threatening, was the final blow to his career.

Matt worked as a minor league scout for the Angels from 92 to 99. He went to work for the General Manager of the Oakland A's, then alcohol came into play.

In April of 2005:

Keough, 52, spent three months behind bars after pleading guilty to drunken driving for a 2005 accident. Authorities said Keough was driving to his home in Coto de Caza when his sport utility vehicle rear-ended another SUV at a red light in Rancho Santa Margarita. The other car was pushed into a man who was pushing a bicycle across the street. The man was briefly hospitalized for a knee injury.

The incident occurred after a family fight and Keough's blood-alcohol level was found to be 2 1/2 times the legal limit, authorities said. Source - SFGate

One month earlier, the hit Reality series, Real Housewives of Orange County made its premier.

The Real Housewives of Orange County" will follow five sophisticated women and their families who lead glamorous lives in a picturesque Southern California gated community where the average home has a $1.6 million price tag and residents include CEOs and retired professional athletes. Orange County "housewives" Kimberly, Jeana, Vicki, Lauri and Jo are used to the good life and will do everything they can to hang on to it. The women each have their own personal story to share, and they've granted Bravo an all-access pass into their lives, families, friendships, careers, and homes. From diamond parties to Botox sessions to the stress of having a high-powered career, the women take viewers along for the ride and into their real-life dramas that show how life isn't always perfect behind the gates. Just what lies beneath the surface of this "perfect" community? Source - Reality TV

Image - Bravo

Meet Jeanna:

Full name is Jeana Keough.
40-something.
Former Playboy Playmate and actress.
Wife of Matt Keough, a former major league baseball star.
Mother of three teenagers.
Sells real estate "for fun."
Source - About.com

Jeanna and Matt's problem with alcoholism are no different than millions of other Americans.

According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, almost 18 million Americans abuse alcohol. Each year more than 100,000 Americans die of alcohol-related causes. Alcohol is a factor in nearly half of all U.S. traffic deaths.

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse cause major social, economic and public health problems. Various treatments are available, and self-help groups can provide ongoing support for people recovering from alcoholism. Source - Mayo Clinic

The Judge's sentence was Matt's second strike but it might also save his life. As for Jeanna, perhaps her life is the most "real" of the Real Housewives, her recent success grounded by the sobering reality of Matt's struggle with alcohol, their problems, too taboo for even the "reality" of Real Housewives.

By LBG
Image - SMH
Source - The Crime Scene
Image - Keough - Image - Matt Keough [Andy Templeton, For The Orange County Register]
Source - Baseball Reference.com