Cat

S9 was a great season with variety and both newbies worked well. But for whatever reason, Tamra lobbied hard for Lizzie to be dropped and production acquiesced, even though Tamra vs Lizzie was good drama. She even released Lizzie's home address on social media to some of her rabid fans, which tells you a lot about how vicious Tamra is. S10 didn't quite work for me. Meghan talked about cancer the whole time and so did everyone else. It was a toxic, exhausting season to watch. I still cannot stand snotty Meghan because of it. The only bright spot for me was Jim Edmonds whose disdain of his wife was entertaining in a Jim Bellino way. But overall... OC never really got over this season. It is only this last season (14) that I felt the show truly managed to extricate itself from S10's toxic shadow.

http://news.lalate.com/2020/01/28/vanderpump-rules-firing-fears-amid-7-mil-talent-budget-exclusive/

Bernie's followers are braying for a witch-hunt over who is to blame for this (read: Dem hierarchy). It's a bad day for Dems all around. State of the Union tonight (and I'm sure DT will go wildly off-script in order to lay into his opponents), while Gallup has just farted up the Dear Leader's poll ratings for January, which were the highest they have ever been -- admittedly at a mediocre 49%. https://news.gallup.com/poll/284156/trump-job-approval-personal-best.aspx

No more math m'kay?

Mess. Overly complicated and prone-to-failure voting techniques don't help. I mean, there was a 'voting app' and it crashed repeatedly. Should've just had people mark an X on a paper ballot and called it a day.

I understand your POV. There have been elections where I did not vote either, either because of apathy or fatalist feelings. It is only after Brexit and Trump that I realise what a fragile thing democracy is, and how much I would miss it if it were gone. I would always regret not having tried to keep its small flame burning if it were ever snuffed out. Also, I have friends who have grown up or lived in autocracies or dictatorships and they have talked about how places like that impose a sort of 'prison of the mind' on people. People learn early on to second-guess their words, their jokes, their creative endeavours, so as to avoid trouble with the authorities. The state essentially installs enough fear in people that they start to police/censure themselves. I don't think I could live that way. VICE has a show called States of Undress; one time the show went to China to look at its fast-growing fashion industry. One avant garde fashion designer designed an all-white collection, but as the models walked the runaway with white umbrellas, a red rain came down on their clothes, purposely staining them. This was part of the designer's concept: he was trying to make an environmental point about state destruction of natural habitats in China and the death it brings. He was arrested -- for 5 months. Ostensibly because the use of umbrellas made reference to Hong Kong's umbrella protest movement of 2014. When he came back to fashion, his next collection was a bunch of conservative day suits. When I think that designer's creative impulses and ideas reduced to this, it makes me want to cry.

It is way too early to call it, but if Bernie wins Iowa (likely) and NH (also likely) and the momentum starts to escalate on his behalf... I think there will be very little to stop him getting the nom. Unless his health seriously worsens. Yeah, I think Klobuchar will get a decent score in Iowa but she is helped by being from a next-door state.

No RHOA for second week in a row. To tide us over (luckily it returns next Sunday), here is the interview Kenya gave ET recently. It's a good one too. Kenya was in reflective mood. https://www.etonline.com/why-kenya-moore-is-optimistic-about-saving-her-marriage-to-marc-daly-exclusive-140676

I've been hearing that Amy Klobuchar is building a fair amount of support in Iowa. She also has a moderate stance -- might she eat into Biden's caucus vote? @Khan Thanks for the reminder. I need to re-register -- as a US voter living abroad it sometimes is more difficult for us to register. Especially if we don't have 'property' in the US (sorry, I'm not a millionaire). P.S.: What is your new avatar pic going to be?

So David Beador asked his girlfriend to marry him. His mullet tho

Oh for sure! You could stick Ramona, Sonja, Luann, Dorinda and Tinsley in a car to the Hamptons (along with a cute chauffeur for Ramona and Sonja to paw over, before Luann steals him from under their noses), and that whole 4-hour journey would be gold. Brandi's tweet is trash basically. A poor attempt at titillation and so very thirsty for a spot on the show. I can see her sweaty desperation from London. I wonder how a lesbian/bi viewer might feel about that crude little bash? I don't care how many women Brandi has slept with, that tweet exposes her as sniggeringly prurient -- weird for someone who claims to be a free spirit and friend to the gay community. And yet we have known Brandi and Denise to be about that life for years -- open relationships, constant cheating, swapping partners. Denise was married to Heidi Fleiss's biggest client! Why is this shocking now? This is production-scripted click-bait, and by the time Bravo gets around to screening BH (I assumed late-February; now probably March), we will have had the entire season laid out for us, who we should be 'rooting for,' who we should be hating.

And this is why I love Ramona. "Nevermind losing your job, what about me? Did they mention me?" Tamra kicked twice in one week! Last season I speculated that Ramona might be given the chop because she really didn't give a [!@#$%^&*] last year. She left events early to attend fancy parties WITHOUT A BRAVO CAMERA CREW. She was obviously doing some major social climbing! It would have been fascinating to watch her penetrate a new swanky clique. I love that Ramona just lives her life regardless of whether the cameras are there or not. Still, that kind of flippancy is dangerous for a RH ! I would be devastated if Ramona were fired. Ramona is the cat with nine lives. She perpetually lands on her feet and reinvents herself, seeing off Jill Zarin and Bethenny in terms of longevity. I get such a kick out of her and still enjoy watching her after all these years. With Bethenny having left so suddenly, I do think she is safe. For now.

Oh me too. But so much talk out there has been about Bethenny leaving and how that's the death knell of the show, plus the fact that we haven't really heard about filming. It got me worried that people are writing off the show before it even airs. NJ: I'm starting to warm to Jackie. Even if she is smug. Jennifer picking a fight was so contrived, and everyone knew it. I did enjoy Frank getting involved over the phone though. He is such a wannabe HW! Also liked the Feank and Two Joe's scene at the bar.

@Chris B I am so ready for NYC, even without its Energizer bunny Bethenny. I feel like it has been on hiatus for YEARS and have heard absolutely zero gossip about S12 filming! Hope that's not a bad thing. I am definitely looking forward to my faves Ramona, Sonja, Lu and Dorinda stepping it up this year. And Tinsley is a FOOL for giving up TV money to placate the Coupon King. Potomac cannot start soon enough for me. That drama is off the chain. Speaking of off-the-chain, I am also ready to hate-watch BH and this producer-mandated 'scandal' between Brandi and Denise. I am still not sure I believe they bumped uglies.

I haven't seen the ad but is it along the lines of "hummus brings famb'ly back togetha" ? Would love Caroline Manzo back on NJ. She can be a grumpy know-it-all, but the reads she would put on Danielle, Tre, Melissa and others would be worth it IMO. Sometimes she really is that dumb. That's why I was shocked by how she handled Marge in the Hamptons. She mostly avoided passive-aggressive BS and sounded reasonable at points. I almost feel like Production took her aside and laid out her talking points for her.

I guess I wouldn't put it past Bravo to bring Leeanne back to RHOD for drama. We'd get a few episodes of the new season cast hobnobbing around Dallas. And then, right at the end of ep. 5 (at some dog event, probably): a door opens. The camera follows somebody's beheeled feet into the room... the camera pans slowly up a black, witchy pantsuit... cut to Brandi's face transforming slo-mo from a smile into a silent scream... Stephanie's look of shock... D'Andra looking like Mama Dee having a stroke... Kameron busting out a grin... and then panning to Leeanne's face for a close-up. "Ah'm baaaack. Did y'all MI-ISS ME?" In reality, though, I could see Brandi, D'Andra and Stephanie outright refusing to film with her.

Coming for Cary Deuber?? Wtf did she ever do to them? The fact is, Cary has always known what ALL the women are capable of. She was wary of Leeanne S2 for a reason. She certainly does not trust Brandi after S2. Shame Stephanie jumped on the bandwagon. But I guess when your show is in danger of cancellation, you do what you can to create some buzz. Leeanne is wisely keeping a low profile, but if I were her PR adviser, I would book her on a TV show for a full apology. Maybe it would be a local Texas morning show; maybe something on Televisa/Univision, maybe something national. Wendy Williams might be too messy, and I don't trust WW to ask the right questions or just let Leeanne talk! And LA would have to unreservedly apologise for everything that transpired this season. No excuses about being drunk and badly edited. Sure, she can say that she and Kary were oil & water, that she was hurt and lashed out unthinkingly, ignorantly. That she let the TV hype go to her head; she thought she could call all the shots, and it turned her into a monster. For Leeanne, at this point, it is not so much about saving her position on RHOD because I think that is GONE. It is about saving her reputation as a human being, if she wants to build a life for herself after Bravo. You must have missed Frankie FaceTiming his mom last episode, which he very sportingly did shirtless. He really is a fine-looking man. I thank him for his service to the Bravo audience. And My Dolores continues speaking truth to power (Marge, Teresa) and generally anchoring this show. I ❤️ her. Teresa really... improved this episode. I too love seeing her with family -- they are the biggest reason I enjoy NJ. But I must admit: Tree showed up at the Hamptons and came straight out with her grievance against Marge. She explained herself well when she said the exclusion from the Mother's Day brunch hurt because she also lost her mother. She sat down with Marge to tell her she appreciated the friendship they had formed from Day One, and when she felt herself getting angry, she withdrew from the situation. I honestly cannot fault her for the way she handled herself this episode.

It's clear Tamra and Vicki may have lasted long past their sell-by dates. But I am reminded of this year's cast trip. While Kelly, Emily and Brown Wind bemoaned the Tres Amigas, the TAs were busy getting wasted, skinny dipping in the resort pool, and running away when the police were called, prompting Vicki to turn her ankle in those wedge heels. No question which was more fun to watch! I hope we won't be regretting Tamra's departure when Brown Wind is doing another deep dive on her awful mom/threesomes/37 children. ETA: Sorry, that was perhaps unnecessarily pessimistic. I can see the need to evolve the OC, and get a new dynamic in place. For a while there, RHOC was like the Survivor of the RH shows, with somebody getting picked off every season as Tamra and Vicki (and Shannon) manoeuvred and strategized. Kelly and Vicki have basically alternated as walking targets since S10.

The Tamra comeuppance is a long time coming. I felt for a long while that Tamra was necessary to the OC -- the evil one, the pot-stirrer who had no problems getting her hands dirty. And she had an incredible ability to duck all accountability and deflect the blame onto someone else. This season, though, there was desperation in her game. It was as if she guessed that the audience had stopped being outraged by her and were just over her. I am still not 100% sure the OC won't suffer without the terrible twosome. Sorry, I don't find Kelly to be the 'new Queen' of the franchise, and her home life is not all that interesting. And Shannon can quickly swing from compelling and relatable to insufferable and playing to the cameras. Omg yes now THERE is a revamp I can get behind. I still say Kathy Hilton was a missed opportunity this year.

I came on here to post something else, but wow. I am shocked at the Vicki news. I assumed she would basically do this show for free!@Antoyne I agree that if she hadn't showed out at reunion and just patiently sat back, she would have been asked back next season with an orange. I too am sad the last memory we have of her is her losing her [!@#$%^&*] behind the scenes and wasting her venom on BrownWind (of all people) in a homophobic rant. She was more than just those final minutes. She really WAS the OC for 15 years. No matter how much Tamra schemes, she will never be associated with this franchise in the same way. Kenya and her Brooklyn

@Chris B @Taoboi There is also speculation on TT that "I quit" actually referred to her marriage with Greg. The gossip there (UNCONFIRMED) is that Greg may have knocked up his side-chick a year or two ago. And that was the main reason why Nene wasn't always so sympathetic to Greg when he went through his cancer treatment. I don't know if that is true, but I really hope that it isn't Nene's sources throwing Greg under the bus in the hopes of winning sympathy with the RHOA audience. What seems increasingly apparent is that the Leakes marriage is coming to an end, for real. I am watching the rest of this ATL season to see how Nene comes back into the game. If she is simply going through the motions, then let her go. If she really wants to return, then I don't think Bravo should be so hasty to cut ties. First of all, she is costing them millions, might as well work her. Secondly, if Vicki can get second chance after second chance to stay on RHOC even after homophobic rant/Brooks, then I think Nene deserves another second chance to remain on RHOA. If production are not utilising her, even after paying her $2.85 mil for this season, do you think it's because they want to lowball her for next season? In exchange for showing her more often?

@Chris B I love how much you support that season! I feel the same way about certain other RH seasons out there (and @Antoyne I agree that every episode of OC this year was highly watchable and a fun ride -- the best of the last 4-5 seasons for me). With regards Peggy/Lydia season, I have always been a Lydia fan and felt she should not have gone the first time after S8. However, I found it hard to connect with S12. I watched The Quiet Woman (EPIC episode), Iceland, and the overall-decent reunion episodes. Peggy's cancer story (which she clearly was still raw and processing) hit a bit too close to home at the time and one reason I pulled back from the show. Another was Megan King Edmonds. Despite a good previous season, I found her to be a humorless snot this time around. I also did not like the obvious way Tamra, Shannon and others were trying to ice Vicki out by not filming with her. I get why, but Shannon's dramatics lol

Agreed with @Cheap21.There was an awful lot of Eva and I'm just not invested in her. And I'm really not feeling Dennis either. Especially with the news we got about him cheating *again.* Fool me once.... That's the 'cull'? Only Gina? Don't get me wrong, I actually don't think OC was bad this season -- especially after the last four years we suffered through. But the consenss seemed to be that everyone wants sweeping change. (If you ask me, some of that may be misplaced projection away from BH onto OC). Andy bragged about great new auditioning HWs in the pipeline. Tamra seemed played out at reunion,, while Gina and Brown Wind don't quite fit, for different reasons. Now its like they're bringing everyone back including Quinn and her wigs!

Taking a breather before Bravo comes back with new content, lol. Is this OC HW Vicki or Tamra. The more I think about it, the more I feel it's Vicki. ATL: Porsha needs to love herself. She is funny and gorgeous and can do better than the baby daddy. NJ: A fun, uncomplicated watch, and at least the women show all their lives, the bad as well as the good. I don't know what Teresa and Dolores are injecting into their faces, but they need to stop. Dolores is stunning and doesn't need so many fillers. Not crazy about Teresa, but I love watching her family. And while I love Margaret, she's starting to play strategies and that's not a good look on her. By not inviting Teresa to her Mother's Day bash, she looks like the bad guy and now Teresa is going to cling onto that grudge all the way to reunion. Because both ladies want the crown and are jealous the other will snatch it from them.

Dallas: For once, Andy did a decent job holding someone to account. But nobody covered themselves in glory here. Sad to see Stephanie and Kameron exposed as cowardly. I cringed when Brandi stalked off in performative outrage to get the Deck Chair of Punishment. Especially given what's been leaked recently. Weirdly, D'Andra came across well in her segment regarding Mama Dee and Jeremy, and she and Leeanne almost silently bonded. Leeanne burped up weak excuse after weak excuse, which Andy quickly debunked. When she finally worked herself up into some kind of apology, it sounded empty, riddled with therapy-speak. It's something I am working on. We're all trying to become better people. I say bad things but I'm not a bad person. When the cameras followed her into her dressing room after reunion wrapped, she was like a hollow vessel instead of a human being. There was nothing left after selling her soul to reality TV. It felt sad and very final for RHOD.