What do the House Small Business Committee and “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” have in common?
For Angie Katsanevas, it’s a chance to talk about being the founder and franchisor of Lunatic Fringe hair salons.
Katsanevas, who appears on the Bravo show and is known for her proud Greek heritage and lavish lifestyle, came to Capitol Hill on Thursday to speak in support of the franchise business model.
“You do french fries, I do franchise,” she once said in a 2025 episode. While several of her castmates own businesses, hers has multiple locations in Utah and other states.
Entering the hearing through a hallway lined with onlookers and posing for photos with dozens of congressional staffers, Katsanevas’ presence filled up a normally nondescript corner of the Rayburn Building. Known as “Angie K.” by viewers, she took the opportunity to talk up her salon.
“We sought to build … a culture where someone could walk in as an assistant or a hairdresser, and if they worked hard and learned the craft, they could eventually own their own business,” she said during the hearing, which focused on how regulations affect franchises.
“The franchise system, especially the rules around them, can be incredibly confusing, more confusing even than Lisa Barlow trying to explain how she knows Ben Affleck,” said Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., referring to another housewife.
While her time on TV is often full of confrontations or extravagant dinners, Katsanevas faced a mix of serious questions about her business and gushing from fans as she appeared on the Hill, sitting in an all-black suit alongside other witnesses.
“Ok if I call you Miss Angie K? She said all of America does, so I want to be part of all of America,” said Rep. Daniel Meuser, R-Pa.
Prior to the hearing, Republicans on the committee released a video in the style of the taglines that Katsanevas and castmates say at the start of every episode.
“They say everything is bigger in Texas, including our commitment to small businesses,” Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, said in the video.
Katsanevas spoke in support of “no tax on tips,” a provision that was included in Republicans’ recent tax and domestic policy law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill.
“You lose sleep, you lose money, you lose hair,” she said about the challenges of owning a small business.
Also testifying at the hearing were Clement Troutman, a franchisee of Tropical Smoothie Café; Tina Patel, chief financial officer of Promise Hotels; and Rico Macaraeg, chief executive officer of StriveWell.
Katsanevas is not the first Real Housewife to appear before a congressional committee. Michaele Salahi, who was on “The Real Housewives of D.C.,” testified in front of the House Homeland Security Committee in 2010 after crashing a White House state dinner. The incident led to a Secret Service investigation and the cancellation of the show after one season.
Patel and Macaraeg both spoke on Thursday about the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on their businesses, as well as their support of a bill that would clarify when a franchisor is considered a joint employer of a franchisee’s employees under the National Labor Relations Act. Katsanevas also described how certain tax policies, like write-offs for replacing depreciating equipment, are important for business owners like her.
Rep. Gil Cisneros, D-Calif., said he is a Bravo fan and has watched “Vanderpump Rules” and the various shows in Bravo’s “Below Deck” franchise, but currently only watches “The Real Housewives of Orange County.”
After today, though, he said, that may change.
“Housewives is a franchise, just so you know. You’re just watching the wrong ones,” Katsanevas said.
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