Cat

RHONJ: Teresa should no longer be given a free pass about turning against Margaret. This is NOT a case of Teresa trusting the wrong people. Teresa may not be able to articulate herself, but she knows Danielle is poison, the black widow of Jersey [(c) Joe Gorga ]. IMO Teresa sees that Margaret is getting popular, and she feels threatened. It fits her agenda to side with Danielle and Jennifer. And I say this as a solid Teresa supporter during those Gorga Seasons. I did like the scene between Teresa and Marge back in Jersey, though. Dolores about to go Paterson on Jennifer's ass -- NJ almost turned into Mob Wives. I liked seeing this Dolores, though. Dolores can call Teresa out on her BS, but they've known each other so long that Teresa doesn't sweat it. That gala was probably the nicest gala I have ever seen filmed on NJ. I must say in this episode everybody looked glitzy and spectacular, and so did the locations. I can't express enough my love for the Husbands. Joe & Joe are super-cute together -- and they are even the same height! Bill was a revelation this episode. Whether it was the look on his face when Jennifer told him she smashed the wine glass at Melissa, or his general joking around with the hubbies, I have a newfound appreciation for him. He's hilarious and he talks sense.

All i could think when i read that headline was "18 years! 18 years! She got one of your kids, she got you for 18 years!" Hmmm. Michael was so adamant about not wanting kids with Ashley and not really trusting her. I wonder what changed his mind.

Thank you for putting it so clearly and succinctly. I find it very hard to believe that Nene had the idea for a bar in WeHo. Not least because she had just moved to LA (and lived there only on a part time basis!) and was desperately trying to establish herself as a jobbing, respected actress. Not to mention the gaping lack of financing for such a project. Was Greg going to tend bar? Bryson work the door? Nene has always disliked LVP, not least because Nene is tight with Kyle, and feels incredibly threatened by anyone she perceives as more successful than herself.

Nene, who has never owned a bar or restaurant, gave LVP --who has owned and run several -- the idea to open Pump? In LA, where she has lived for decades and already has two eatablishments? Get out of here. I believe Nene about KZB stealing her best ideas, but I don't believe her about this. It's open season on LVP. Ramona was having a go yesterday at LVP for not showing up to Andy's party. Ramona is one of my faves, and Im pretty sure LVP was making a point by not participating. But Ramona also needs to hop off of Andy's dick for a minute. She's so afraid that Bethenny/Bravo will cut her from RHONY that she's been sucking that thing maniacally the last 3 years. And it's really obvious, awkward and hilarious when Ramona tries to get on somebody's good side.

The Andy Cohen baby shower/Housewives meetup was a dream come true for anybody who loves cross-show interaction, lol. Andy really is an OG housewife himself, as much as Vicki Gunvalson or Nene Leakes are. However, Rinna has been bugging me the last few years and I can't warm to her shtick the same way. I loved her Billie Reed on Days, enjoyed her outsized personality on Soap Talk, thought she was a great pot-stirring addition on BH. But much like Rinna when she sees Yolanda's Instagram pics of Yo, Brandi & Kim, I'm not feeling it anymore. When she extorted the other HWs to dance for Andy because he "paid for your lives!" --- yes, it's true, yes, it's amusing, if a little 'dance for your master, monkeys!' It's also playing to Andy's huge ego. Rinna is such an effing kiss-ass. OK, so I can't say I didn't enjoy how she basically hijacked Kyle's role as hostess, lol. At the same time, her posturing felt contrived and obviously has a wider agenda -- which is to have Andy's ear the way Kyle does. RHONJ: This last episode was SO GOOD. I really enjoy the natural chemistry between all the women. The cast has diverse personalities that somehow manage to complement each other. Dolores, for example, is often cited as the 'boring one,' but I loved her Greek Chorus during the fights, and the way she, Marge and Jackie bonded over she and Jackie's shared struggles with eating disorders. Jennifer may be tacky (and Jersey) as hell, but I enjoyed every blow-up, every failed hair-tossing walk-off-in-a-huff. I am starting to hope that Jennifer gets a second season! Marge vs Danielle was as messily magnificent as the previews promised. I was so Team Marge this episode. The way she rounded that table to have a second go at Danielle was amazing -- not too hasty, but purposeful lol. This rivalry is off the chain and v watchable. BTW Danielle's filler in her cheeks is out-of-control. Melissa has been improving the last few seasons (though I still feel the way she sold out the Gorga family to get on RHONJ was deplorable). She is definitely coming across as mature and the voice of reason -- though with Teresa in the same room, that is an easy feat to accomplish.

LOL just messing with you. I often forget people when I do the multi @ thing.

LOL I don't usually care for cast pics one way or another, but this one was perfectly styled. And putting Luann -- in a cherry-red va-va-voom dress (by JOVANI?) -- right in the centre must be Bravo's way of acknowledging what the Countess has brought to the show in terms of free publicity. I'm surprised Bethenny allowed it to happen.

I just realised there was no @Cat Antoyne how could you.

Lord. Looks like fun but... all looks a little performative too. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtM09hfAVt I absolutely LOVE this photo. It's the best I've seen of the RHONY cast, if not of all the RH franchises. Everybody has their own unique style and yet there is visual cohesion. This has to be the best I have ever seen Dorinda look, and I love Sonja's outfit. Luann in the centre looks incredible too, even with the wild hair.

I'm willing to give NYC leeway because of the HWs chemistry with each other and with the audience. More than any other franchise, I feel like I *know* these women. It is probably my favourite franchise for this very reason. But IA Barbara did not pop, and Bethenny telling Luann (with fabulous longer hair) that she is insufferable was some MAJOR pot-kettle-black. Still, it looks like a fun romp, and FWIW I am looking forward to Ramona snacking on Mario and Harry Dubin, lol. Last year NYC and Potomac started within a few days of each other, on the very first week of April. Hopefully we get a Potomac trailer soon. The only possible glitch in that plan is BH, which is starting two months later than normal this year. I don't think that should affect Potomac, though, which is likely to air on Sundays after ATL finishes its season.

I'm sure she will let us know on Twitter that she was too busy working to attend. Because she has a REAL JOB. Or maybe she was afraid Ramona would try and poison her by serving her shellfish hors d'oeuvres.

Agreed. Marge is my fave on NJ this season and imo is the breakout star of the show. Danielle and Jennifer came across so poorly this Cabo episode. You hit the nail on the head regarding Teresa. It's almost like she is incapable of having a moral compass. This may explain in part why she 'went away' and yet cannot acknowledge that she did something wrong. ALL THIS. Look at Kyle and Rinna guarding Andy and making sure no-one but them gets close! Ramona sure as hell tried to worm her way in there though! Yet one more reason I love Ramona. But yes I don't see Princess Bethenny, nor LVP. I'm sure Kyle invited B but I'm not so sure LVP was on the list! Anyway Andy probably was coked up to the gills for saying Every Housewife was there. Otherwise we'd be seeing DeShawn Snow and Carlton Gebbia trying to get a look-in. And where is Wigs n Cigs??

This is what I mean about Rinna doing victory laps around Twitter and Instagram before this season has even aired. She thinks she has this season on lock and that LVP is leaving Bravo in disgrace. Even those deeply lukewarm to LVP would rather make up their own minds once S9 airs. Rinna is so obsessed with getting rid of LVP. Jill Zarin was the same way about getting rid of Bethenny and Ramona. And we all know how that played out. And what the heck is Rinna offering the BH audience exactly? Potshots on Twitter? She's too cowardly to get involved in the show itself. If she were a true contender, she would SHOW us that she, Erika at al., are worthy of carrying RHOBH forward without LVP. Instead of telling fans we ought to hate her.

Tom Girardi is actually one of my fave RH husbands, and I wish we saw more of him on the show. But it's clear he's not there to get involved (as Nene would say) in women's business. I also suspect that he and Erika are living separate lives now and married in name only. She's basically living in WeHo and Mikey is her constant companion. This financial situation must have been coming down the pipe for a while, because there were whispers of this when BH aired last season. Rumor had it that after that season wrapped, Tom cut WAY back on Erika's glam squad expenses. She doesn't have a full team around her anymore, basically it's Mikey and likely a makeup artist on retainer. That's prob why she was in such a pissy mood at Reunion last year! I'd be surprised if Tom was using the loan specifically to support Erika's career, though. That would be so, SO dumb. The loan must be for business expenses but the business has not generated enough profit to pay back the loan. He (and Erika) will no doubt want this suit settled quickly and quietly. I wonder if any of this will be hinted at or featured in BH this season. Because I have a feeling Dorit & PK's grifter problems might be. The Kemsleys are in hock to a bunch of mega Vegas casinos to the tune of millions, not to mention some of their Beverly Beach financing partners. Not to mention the UK where he skipped out on creditors after his massively indebted property empire collapsed in 2008.

That's the moment I was thinking of. Skilfully done by Jennifer. I was almost impressed!

Yeah the last two episodes have been lulls, which makes this mini season less consistent than last year's. Watching two newbies fight who are not the calibre of a Danielle or an Aviva Drescher is dull, even though Jennifer's sh!t stirring is starting to grow on me a little. The real drama is with Margaret vs Danielle (and while I am Team Marge, I do think Danielle has been looking and dressing amazingly this season). Still, the end game is near: Reunion just filmed so we must be a few weeks away. And totally agree about Milania. That poor kid cannot rap. I hate to say it but Melissa Gorga has more chance at a rap career than Milania.

That's a good point about Teddi. She is someone who enjoys being part of a group, and therefore is more likely to follow the group direction. This push to alienate LVP has been on going for a while, certainly before Teddi started appearing on the show, so I wasn't meaning to imply that she was at the head of it.

She is? In the last WWHL of 2018, Kyle was saying how this upcoming season was all about big lies being exposed, the implication being LVP was the big liar. Basically, she, Rinna and to a lesser extent Erika have run a 5-month victory lap around Instagram, cawing with triumph, as if LVP were already gone from BH. I, too, believed the rumors that a new production team were basically ushering LVP out the door and giving her a terrible edit to boot. Imagine my surprise at the trailer, where LVP jumped out as one of the most sympathetic characters (yes, I know I am biased towards LVP, but I do try to view her somewhat fairly). And now we have this interview with LVP, which is by far her most open and emotionally honest to date. LVP is always good in her blogs at expressing things clearly, but I was still impressed at how she got to the heart of her feelings and emotions in that interview, and in such a relatable way. As @DaytimeFan said, for a British woman of her generation to open up about depression and medication is pretty huge. Until recently in Britain, those struggles were usually kept quiet. All this to say that I'm not sure how production are going to frame things with LVP in the BH universe, but it feels like something which seemed a dead cert a few months ago (LVP leaving RHOBH, possibly ignominiously) is starting to turn. The victory laps taken by Rinna, Vyle, Teddi et al seem a little premature. I cannot believe the previously empathetic Teddi of all people is leading the charge. As for Brandi returning.... Yikes. Her ego (and behaviour) would be out-of-control.

Joe Gorga: Hey Marty we were just testing you, man! Joe (VT): THAT WAS NOT A TEST! Great wedding scenes, and like everybody here, I echo the collective WTF about not giving Danielle a talking head. Her wedding planning etc., has driven most of of the season, as has the tension in the Danielle-Marge friendship (my fave on NJ until Danielle destroyed it). Even Camille got talking heads on BH last year, and she was just a FOH! Danielle deserves a say on her own Wedding By Bravo. She's doing more for RHONJ than a couple other cast members I could mention. Heck, so are Joe Gorga and Frank! Another reason I can't fully get on Team Jackie. This chick thinks she is too clever by half. Clearly this ex-Tre Superfan has been angling for a NJ spot for a while. Going for Teresa was a good move from her POV, as Teresa is no brainbox next to the 'Journalist' with Two Degrees. I'm sure at their lunch this week, Jackie will run circles around Tre in terms of rationalising what she did. However, the audience knows that she went after Teresa first with a low blow to try and bait the bear. Because she needs a SL. Not because she is 'defending my BFF Melissa'. Teresa may not be a wordsmith, but she is tough and strategic too. Jackie may say she has Teresa running scared, but Teresa seems to be biding her time. On pure history and emotion alone, I think Teresa still has many NJ fans on her side. Also Jackie going after Jennifer in an article -- if she tries to do that to the other women on the show, that tactic is going to fall flat very soon. Marge remains my fave and has avoided the second season curse thus far. I love how true she is to her feelings, and how she remains self-deprecating, natural and fun.

Thank you for the NJ tip! I had let it go in the run-up to year-end, but your post inspired me to catch up on the last 3-4 episodes, and you are right. It is a fun, fluffy ensemble show with some colorful supporting characters. IMO Jennifer has nothing to offer beyond her airs & graces and her tacky house, and will be a one-hit wonder. Jackie is much smarter, and has sniffed out an opportunity to antagonise Teresa. She has also allied herself with Melissa, acting like they are best buds when it is clear the two have barely ever interacted with one another. Jackie should be careful about Melissa alliances, though -- just ask The Wakiles and Rosie who all got iced out. Yes, I still viscerally dislike Melissa. She does try to say the right things so that she sounds like the Voice of Reason. But the fact remains that she and Joe dumped Nonno on Teresa and only ever bother with him when it is convenient for them (IOW, once every two months). Margaret continues to bring me joy, and if I am side-eyeing the Jackie-Melissa friendship, it is because I LOVE the Danielle-Margaret friendship -- before it imploded. Margaret is probably the most generous friend Danielle will ever have, but Danielle cannot keep friends to save her life. She has been a grade-A a$$hole during the wedding planning, and she deserves to lose Margaret as a result. At the same time, that Bridezilla stuff has kept my attention. I still don't understand why Danielle is only a FOH, especially as this year is the best she has ever looked or dressed. Re: your BH question, I worry and suspect that LVP will be powering this season right until the final episode. Her presence might be missing for 3 whole months, but her name will be on everybody's lips as they play the blame game. I am also curious what edit she finally gets because as you say VPR is STILL a Bravo ratings darling. The RH shows OTOH faced tough times in 2018.

This trailer is a lot better than the one for last season. It helps that Bravo have essentially been trailing RHOBH via viral marketing for the past six months. But seriously, in this trailer you can pick out about 3 potentially interesting SLs. For BH, that is a LOT of story. I loved everything Lisa Vanderpump. And this year there seems to be absolutely no bullshit about her. I am still STUNNED that nobody cares a jot about Dorit dumping a puppy at some animal shelter.... but LVP talks to TMZ about it, and she's the guilty party? Amazing. I'm sure she will get pilloried for the "You know I love you... Actually I don't" remark. I loved it! What is also amazing is that Erika seems to be defending LVP or at least seeing her side of things. I had always hoped that LVP and Erika would be closer. They have a lot in common in many ways, more than Kyle and LVP. You know, despite many predicting this season will be her last, I think it might end up being the reinvigoration/reinvention of LVP on RHOBH. Kyle still the only one honking in laughter at her own jokes. Ugh. Ken sounded DONE with her. I am liking what I see of Denise Richards. If Brandi is here to bitch and moan about how LVP Jedi-mind-tricked the audience into getting her fired, she can suck it. Camille is only a FOH? How?? She gets married, her house burns down, and she's fighting with Rinna. Three wins IMO. What more do you need to hold a diamond? I don't know what to make of her Kavanaugh support (he was a mediocre choice and totally unfit IMO) but I still like Camille. Rinna and Erotika were not in the trailer as much as I expected. Hmmm. Snipers from the side? Rinna has been throwing potshots at LVP from her Instagram for months. I hope RHOBH shows the post with the pills in the cupcakes that Rinna posted on LVP's birthday. The new seasons doesn't start til FEBRUARY though!

S1 was a turn-off (the lead storyline involved poo -- never a good sign) and I don't think Dallas has ever quite shaken off that stigma. It was the same with Miami, when S1 tried to make that lost Kardashian reject and the mediocre Cuban one happen (don't get me started on them). S2 and S3 were so much better, but viewers had been turned off by that budget S1. I also think their NJ lead-in is not helping. However, both shows are getting comparatively identical numbers, so RHOD has not been bleeding the previous hour's audience. This should stand it in good stead. I have noticed a spike in the amount of comments on different sites about RHOD which outnumber those for ATL and NJ. This suggests that people are watching -- and engaged. I wish Potomac and NYC were the next franchises to follow OC and Dallas, but I don't think they will be back til early April (even though Potomac filming is probably already finished!). We have BH scheduled for a January start, but I don't know which other HW show will be paired with it. I am also wondering whether Real Housewives of San Antonio got picked up for 2019. It was supposedly in development.

Agreed, and the fact that Andy was name-checking Pine Valley and Days during reunion made my night. I loved the discussion about Dallas 'society' and the judgement and scrutiny it exacts. Dallas has been one of those soapy shows that I want to watch within 24 hours of it being televised; the impetus to watch ATL and NJ has been much less for sure. I can''t stand that we are getting Tre vs Melissa Part 1,783. Can't we bring back Siggy?? Mama Dee did not disappoint and in fact she surpassed my expectations. I thought she was coming on to demean LeeAnne on behalf of her first-born, but she was very balanced, and made a good point about how the show had changed D'Andra. In fact, what was good about this reunion is how the women broke the fourth wall a little, talking about the camera crews and some of the unfavourable aspects of joining a reality show, inluding the added pressure it puts on you psychologically. I also felt that D'Andra's past with drugs/rehab added an unexpected dimension to the woman, as well as to her relationships with her mother and LeeAnne. I hope she and LeeAnne restore their friendship, but I am not sure it is possible given some of the accusations that have been tossed around. Nobody called Brandi out on her machinations, sadly. She was screeching at all the women "OK, BIIIITCH" at the end of every sentence, and it made me cringe . Like she's trying to be so tough and thug. I can only hope some of the women call her out one day, but it seems to me like some of them are actually afraid of her, with the possible exception of Kameron.

Kenya got an exclusive in People (and not the lesser usual RH mag, Life & Style), and she's flashing a big ole ring for good measure. Congrats, Kenya! Seriously tho I wish she was showing Brookyn off on RHOA. She is really, really cute.