Cat

Michael and Ashley's mom are the same age, apparently. Also: did anybody notice that Gizelle's text declined the France invite for herself and her puppet Robyn? And when Robyn was asked at the end, she turned to Giz for permission and had to ask "Gizelle?"

Potomac I feel like I already watched half this episode because Bravo leaked so many scenes onto YouTube. With that said, Karen schooled Gizelle's nasty, jealous ass, and she was wearing the world's best wig to boot. Gizelle stays being a miserable, jealous beyotch. Monique should have smacked her dentures out when she told Monique that she would only be hanging with Robyn and Ashley on the Cannes trip. If I were Monique, I would have told Production to leave Jizz & Rob 'Em's bitter asses at home! Candy-ass ( copyright @DaytimeFan and I can't read her name as anything other than that) and Chris at the pre-nupt lawyer's office -- um, what assets do these penniless fools have to protect? The only thing more ridiculous would have been if Robyn & Juan had shown up for a pre-nupt meeting! I loved Monique with her sweet kids making the invites. As DaytimeFan said, the South of France is truly one of the most breath-taking, ravishing places on earth. Ashley's mom pushing her way to sit beside Michael... lol! Was she trying to silent-shame him into paying her rent? I am more and more convinced that Ashley's mom pressured her into covering her expenses, and that's why Ashley reunited with Michael. And Michael knows this all too well. He is totally checked out of that marriage and is biding his time to make it official.

Nope, I thought she came out fine! She is very consistent in how she comes across, and this is still the same Gina as we knew her in previous seasons. There is always a fear that a fave like Gina will be hit by the season two curse, and just when I think she might be staring into the curse's abyss, she manages to pull back and remind me why I enjoy her so much. Her personality, her wit, her smarts, her impassioned outbursts, her entire look -- she is the show. But just like the others, she is human and has her flaws. Still love her though! Hope you get a chance to watch it -- it is literally only 12 episodes long and IMO it was the most quietly enjoyable season of the lot.

Agreed on both counts. Season 4 was fantastic, on a par with S3 NYC, while Kim Fields' season (S7? S8?) was the best of the more recent seasons. I liked some of the sweetness she brought to the show and felt she was 100% authentic. Kim Fields' Year also had coked-up Tammy and the aggressive guy who tried to attack Kenya in Miami. And Porsha trying to straddle Cynthia in order to punch her and Cynthia donkey-kicking her away! 100% agree regarding Melbourne. I don't think it should be considered a show apart just because it is international -- I enjoy it as much as I enjoy the US-based RH shows. In fact, I just finished watching Season 4 of Melbourne and IMO this was its best season yet! I would agree with your rankings in that OC, Melbourne, NYC and Potomac are among the most consistently entertaining of the RH shows. Though I tuned out of OC last year, this has not dimmed my excitement for the new season. I'm so relieved Meghan is finally gone, for a start! The same cannot be said of BH which I used to adore but which badly needs a revamp and multiple firings. People who refuse to play the game should be let go. Shout out to Auckland which shone brightly its first season but will likely never return. Back to Melbourne, I was glad Pettifleur left as she was exhausting. The jury is still out on whether Sally and Venus are great additions -- Gamble Breaux, they ain't -- but they are better than Petty Complaints. Venus was clearly put in there to be Gina's minion, the new Gamble, but she doesn't have Gamble's quick wit. Still, I thought there was a niceness underneath it all and that is a breath of fresh air on a show where the HWs DO. NOT. PLAY. Sally was a stuck-up snob, but wow did she ever trigger Gina! She reminded me of Andrea in that sense but without the poisonous disdain towards 'ordinary working mums' (a phrase I hope to never hear again). The group is clearly split in two, and I can see good and bad points of both sides. I never feel like Production is trying to make me root for one group over the other (the same cannot be said for ATL, BH and NYC in recent times). I will always love Gina because even when I don't agree with her, she argues her case succinctly and I understand where she is coming from. Her alliance with Lydia confounds me given the way Lydia betrayed her in S1; I guess it is down to the fact that they are both second generation Italians who grew up knowing each other. Lydia remains the dumbest villainess that ever plotted, and that tickles me. She is very childlike in her meanness, thanks to her stunning lack of smarts, and I'm ok with that.! I've always liked the relationship between Jackie and Gina even though they are often on opposite sides; Jackie was better this season than in seasons past imo when she was pushing her wine (I hope we never hear of La Mascara again!) and trying to be the Ellen of Australia. Gamble says so much stupid sh*t but she always wins me over with her fragile bird aura and her whip-sharp sense of humor. Janet I also love as well, although her gossiping behind people's backs continues to get her in hot water. Not sure if her and Jackie's friendship can withstand Lydia's allusion that Janet has been talking out of turn. And finally Alex Perry, born Alexandros Pertsindis, is my favourite Reunion host ever! YES I DID SEE THAT AND IT WAS THE BEST THING IN THE TRAILER!!! I know this is sacrilege to say, but imo the Dallas tv series of the 80s lacked a strong matriarch/strong daughter dynamic like Dee and D'Andra Simmons.There is no way Dina Mergeron isn't driving into that parking lot every day at 7.59am to let herself into the office, rummage through the paperwork on Ashley's desk and break into into her computer. I'm willing to bet that the glorious old lady chemists in the lab are keeping her abreast of things too!

Against senior citizens (I thought they were part of his core fanbase!). Against anti-corruption efforts. This wig-wearing fool! He's def against improving education standards -- god forbid we have an edumacated electorate instead of the current slack-jawed nitwits accepting his every spit-speckled invective as God's Law.

If you'd asked me back when ATL went to South Africa, or watching Nene's wedding special, I would have screamed SIGN THAT TED TURNER-BLOWING HOOCHIE UP! However, the peach-baiting has now atrophied into sweaty, rancid desperation. Her comment last season about Kenya's mom? That's all I needed to know about Marlo. She is an amoral, soulless ghoul who would sell her unborn babies for Bravo. Non merci. We already have a surplus of those. Are those the rumors re: Dallas? I too hope to see that shark-eyed trashbox Brandy finally account for her sins!

Didn't Milo Yawnalotalis or whatever that spiteful little turd's name is, say recently “I can’t wait for the vigilante squads to start gunning journalists down on sight" ? My hatred for these unhinged fascist buffoons burns exponentially hotter with each passing day. They are literally inciting their followers to civil war. LOL meanwhile this happened on Faux. This is like the agenda of my dreams!

BTW, we've been talking about rewatching NYC and enjoying past seasons that were initially disparaged. Well, I've been rewatching past seasons of ATL. Let me preface this by saying that S1-4 are PURE GOLD, especially S3 and 4 when everybody hit their stride. Not many of the other franchises can top what ATL was giving me those seasons. However, I am having a tough time making it through S5. I don't remember having this hard a time when I first watched. This was Kenya's first season, and at the beginning, Lazy-Ass Cigs walked off the show. Anguilla was great. But after Anguilla... oy. They padded out that season like crazy. I feel like the slow decline of ATL began here. The quality of newbies thereafter went wayyyyy down. Kenya was way too extra with all her "I AM QUEEN" nonsense, though I appreciate her playing villain. Porsha was a dumb bore who later became a dumb hor. I never fully warmed to her. Today we are faced with the prospect of Eva and Marlo becoming season regulars and... ugh... I can't with either. Eva is giving me zero. Marlo has been thirsting for that peach since the iceberg sunk the Titanic. It's getting old.

Yes, there is! D'Andra and her momma Dee FOR SURE. Watching them develop a new cosmetics product last year was like watching a real-life Jabot back in the William J. Bell days. Dee looks like Tammy Faye Bakker and is a true-blue Texas matriarch. I loved D'Andra, voice of reason, last year (hoping she does not get hit by the second-season blues). Her silver foxy hubby was also easy on the eye. While I'm at it.... Cary Deuber. Yes, I know everybody here hates her. Yes, she is snide. Yes, she is a gossip. Yes, she hates Leeanne (a cardinal sin on this show). And yet, I like her icy, snarky, kooky self. Underneath the better-than-you exterior, she is nerdy and slightly awkward. I can't help but like her even when she is being a hypocrite. Thanks @Nothin'ButAttitude for the trailer. I did enjoy it but didn't connect to it the way I connected to Potomac or NY's pre-season trailers. I'm not sure why. I will be watching, though, and hope it is a good season. @Taoboi Sorry for this oversight, darling!

omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I usually hate Bethenny's VTs 'hilariously' attacking the other HWs with zero consequences, but that impression of Ramona flirting was OFF THE CHAIN!!! Ramona in a wheelchair with a cast on her foot going to the club was equally epic! I am so ready for that boat ride lol. One of the things I love about ATL currently is Kandi and Kenya's quiet alliance/friendship tbh. *whispers* I actually feel Bethenny is better this season than the last two seasons. Seasons 8 + 9 utterly ruined Brand Bethenny for me. I am still not over it, tbh. She used her power behind-the-scenes to try and fire/ruin people while playing poor widdle victim on camera. Bethenny, thy name is Jill Zarin. Is she so far up her own ass that she is unable to read a room? Yep -- and that is pivotal for somebody who claims to be Voice of the Audience. Is she trying to look like the victim in this Carole fight? For sure. However, I don't think she is entirely in the wrong in this Carole fight. And I think she is genuinely, humanly hurt that Carole has icily moved on and jumped to another friend. She should be, but I think her image has taken a hint from these Gay Pride reports. IA she should be on her best behaviour through at least the next year tbh. This is meant to be The New Lu.

Page Six is saying Countess Luann was difficult, micro-managing, and [!@#$%^&*]-faced. I'm assuming since you didn't mention it in your post, that you didn't see much evidence of that? Anyway, here is the article: https://pagesix.com/2018/06/25/luann-de-lesseps-acted-like-the-biggest-diva-during-pride-parade/

For any beauty junkies (and possibly @DaytimeFan for his dermatological insight lol), Carole did a Top Shelf for Into The Gloss: https://intothegloss.com/2018/06/carole-radziwill-beauty-routine/

This in a nutshell. It is a little scary how empty and soulless Gizelle is. As you say, Karen is no saintly heroine but there is a certain crazy, OTT, emotional authenticity to her. When she confronts Gizelle, she asks the question any of us would: why on earth are you doing this? The fact is, Gizelle has no specific reason. She's doing this because she can. Because she's the kind of person who kicks a dog when it is down. Because she's a RH and that is what RHs do! Because she is so focused on her outer appearance, she has no time to cultivate personality or warmth, and that's why she has to rehearse: to give an illusion of personality. It's weird because she doesn't seem like a bimbo. She's got a brain, she's got some cunning, but there is nothing else there. No emotion or kindness. In this season's preview, Bravo bookended the teaser with Gizelle in full Sunday church regalia, as she aped some kind of church sermon. "There is no loooooooove... in the journey." I didn't know what she was droning about then, and when the scene finally aired, I still don't know what she was talking about. She was basically saying a bunch of phrases in her best rolling, dramatic church voice, but they were meaningless. The scene summed up her rehearsed self to a tee.

And this is why I love Karen. 1. Finally a good wig. I don't wear wigs but I LOVE this one. 2. "Robyn is not the topic under discussion, you are." In one succinct line, Karen not only schooled Gizelle but also exposed her attacks on Karen as based on NOTHING. Just pettiness and jealousy. Jealousy that KERN may just be that little bit more liked by the RHOP audience than Gizelle who, like Kyle Richards before her, blithely assumed she would be the franchise's OG. FYI, Gizelle, that's not a clown, that's a mime. Typical of this needy, insecure, controlling man to invoke religion in order to 'justify' his own selfishness. Ironic how many men like this are in positions of power across the world! Remember back to the Alexis Couture days when Alexis decided to hack off the sleeve of a dress? Her poor seamstress was totally bereft seeing Alexis destroy her work. Alexis was literally breathless with triumph in her VT, gasping "I showed her who was boss!" This is what Alexis thought power was: debasing another person, usually someone who had a talent they lacked. I'm pretty sure that was learned behaviour from Jim Bellino. Needless to say, I am totally Team Alexis on this and hope he loses the spousal support bid. I don't even care if she cheated. He is a pig who treated her like he owned her. I always wondered why she was with him. As a trophy wife, Alexis could have done so much better, handsomer, kinder.

The 'breadwinner' who got the family evicted, forcing Alexis to cling onto that Fox 5 guest spot in order to bring in some money ! Jim Bellino is a slug in human form. A slug with hair plugs. I wouldn't be surprised if this pathologically superficial turd was trading in the Alexisbot for a newer model.

Maybe not for her, but...

Last I heard he was supposedly raking in $$$ with the trampoline parks? I guess Alexis Couture must be selling like hotcakes!

Guys. Love is dead. Somewhere in heaven the angels are weeping. http://www.realitytea.com/2018/06/21/jim-alexis-bellino-divorce-filed/

My question exactly ! Thanks. I think you are right about Aviva being out of place as the current group stands. She would try too hard to make drama and vicious fights happen, like @Faulkner said. However, like @Chris B, I loved S5 and grew to love S6, I thought Heather, Aviva and Carole added a very authentic New Yorker dynamic which I really enjoyed. The S5 toxicity needed to be radically altered (something BH really needs to do today). Ramona, Sonja and Luann all needed to be kept on their toes by the three newbies, and Heather, Aviva and Carole needed the crazy old guard to deflate their priggishness and bring them down to earth from their lofty pedestals. For example, I have always enjoyed Ramona. By S5, though, she was at her very Pinot worst. She needed Heather to cut her down to size a bit. WE needed it. And we also needed to see her confrontation with Aviva to appreciate Ramona all over again! Also: that St Barts getaway was TV GOLD. Second only to Scary Island in terms of greatest RH vacation trips.

Ah ok thanks for letting me know. Aviva started in S5 while Bethenny left after S3 so I wondered how on earth she had a hand in her hiring. How weird to think Aviva was considered for S3. As it turned out, Sonja was a perfect addition to S3 (she really was the voice of reason on Scary Island), but Aviva in S4 instead of Cindy Harshface? Hmmm... we will never know. Woulod you ever want Aviva to come back? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

I struggle with Ashley. OTOH, I don't like her new alliance with the green eyed losers, becoming their little sycophant and making it her business to 'expose' the other HWs. OTO, she is extremely smart and erudite. She has come a long way, from being raised by her grandparents without a lot of material wealth, to going the pageant route. Now she is, as her uncle pointed out, a 'trophy wife.' It is an easy and secure way out from an impoverished past. But in some ways Ashley is too intelligent to be just arm candy. Working at Oz, winning over the employees, taking on their feedback, implementing changes and fighting her husband over those changes, validated Ashley. She was seeing rewards from her own hard work. She took an opportunity to run a restaurant and ran with it. I don't think Michael liked that she had a new purpose in her life, or her independence of thought when it came to the restaurant. He kind of wants Ashley to remain a trophy wife and dependent on him, but at the same time he is resentful of the fact that she DOES depend financially on him, and so does her mom. Ashley seems to be struggling with whether being a trophy wife can ultimately satisfy her.

The queen has spoken? So what is she saying? Is she in or is she out? It is completely -- and purposely -- unclear from her message and this random film! I want Kenya back next season, but it sounds to me like she is either still negotiating her position on the show... OR she was offered FOH and she said No and is now appealing to fans to get her peach back. Actually, I don't know wtf she is saying, but she definitely wants to remind Bravo of her contribution to ATL.

I can't believe it either. Onew is almost 30? He looks 20. BTW thank you for posting that song. I really, REALLY like it. Makes me want to check out the full album (or at least what is out so far). Love the choreo of their live performance too.

Hello @Cheap21. Yes, it's a girl group, but I can't get this song by Blackpink out of my head! It has a slight 2NE1 feel.

Bethenny, founder of Skinnygirl Booze which she shoves down everybody's throat every damn episode, is claiming that Aviva's remarks are a "flat out falsehood." Kiss ass. And how is she responsible for Aviva getting on RHONY? She had left the show two years before!