Cat

8 hours ago, Faulkner said:

I mean, she couldn’t talk when she stuck her finger in Cynthia’s face on the boat and got karate-kicked in the gut. She’s been a hypocrite for years now.

She deserved that karate-kick! Porsha leaned over somebody lying on a deck-chair and tried to straddle/stomp Cynthia in the stomach!

Then charged for a second try!

She dragged Kenya across the studio floor way back then... but Kenya was hated by the viewers at the time so Bravo let it go. Then she got violent with Cynthia -- Cynthia who literally wouldn't raise a hand to a fly. Both times, Carlos King carried Porsha away like she was a little fragile sparrow who injured her wing! She also beat her assistant's ass in an alleyway. Both she and Phaedra should have been fired after last year's debacle, but I guess it pays to be sucking somebody's d*ck at Bravo! Allegedly. 

1 hour ago, WTGH said:

OC DRAMA!

 

Apparently, Kelly and Vicki are on the outs-- Vicki  played matchmaker to Kelly's ex. 

 

If this is true, it's going to get ugly. Kelly is VICIOUS. 

 

Kelly is vicious. But if Shannon can't get the better of Vicki, what makes DrunkenLips think she will?

Shouldn't Kelly be thanking Vicki for getting Controlling Michael off her back and happy to sign the divorce papers and alimony settlement? She's been itching to get out of that marriage for years.

Not looking forward to seeing more of Vicki's BF Steve Lodge. He puts me to sleep whenever he hovers in the background.

P.S.: The Page Six article is an interview with Steve Lodge where he brags about being close friends with Michael Dodd and introducing him to his new GF. So technically Vicki didn't set up that love match.

P.P.S.: OC is currently filming. I think somebody wants to drum up hype for the new season after last year's disastrous mess -- and to keep her orange.

Susan Lucci is a class act. Proof that you don't have to vote down party lines 100% of the time in some kind of rabid, cult-like trance (ahem Alabama Reps who still voted for Ray Moore).

Watching Dana Loesch and Wayne LaPierre scream in barely-concealed rage about how guns don't kill people -- but also threatening blood-swept violence and civil war if their assault-weapon penis extensions are taken away from them. Isn't that inciting violence?

15 hours ago, Antoyne said:

Kristen was inoffensive to me and she did actually stand up for herself most of the time. She fit better than Jules, who was...I dunno just not the best fit.

14 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

I was surprised that Kristen/Brandi were such long time friends because the two were as different as night and day until I realized that Kristen married and lived on the East coast with her husband... plus her young daughter had medical issues.. and I think all of that has to change someone.  Plus, it was the one time that I thought Brandi was likable because she was with someone that loved and accepted her for her long before either one of them got into the Bravo cameras.

I like Brandi with Kristen, too, especially explaining Kristen's Elvis fetish in Vegas!

Kristen stood up to Ramona who was especially badly behaved in S6, and she got a plastic wine glass in the face for her trouble. She wasn't a wimp, had authentic friendships with Heather and Carole, and had a douchebag husband her criticized her parenting and home-making skills all the while spending his 'busy' work time trawling the Ashley Madison website! For that alone, Kristen should have been back in S8, but Bethenny basically blanked her in S7 and she was replaced by Jules. Too bad! I enjoyed her.

9 hours ago, Taoboi said:

As for Kyle/LVP, is that not what makes their dynamic so interesting...if somewhat tiring? The different ways of thinking. 

Absolutely. As an American who went to British school for a while as a kid, it bothered me how teachers there would ignore bullies picking on other kids. If the kid complained to the teacher about the bullies, the teacher would get annoyed. Like, why are you whining? Toughen up and keep your head down. If you didn't make yourself such a victim, they wouldn't target you! Things have improved since those Dark Ages, but LVP has definitely been moulded by this keep-it-moving attitude.

By contrast, Kyle -- ignored by Big Kathy (who she inexplicably idolizes) in favour of the other two money-making daughters -- desperately needs constant positive reinforcement and validation of her pain. This is a very California-guru approach to mental health. She and LVP probably had very similar childhoods in the sense that they felt ignored and searched for love & security outside the family. However, their way of dealing with their emotional scars is very different. LVP doesn't want to pick the Kyle-LVP scab; in yesterday's episode, she literally tried to hug it away with Kyle, to the point of almost smothering her. Kyle wants to pick pick pick because only by confronting the pain can you come out the other side healed, etc, etc!

I tend to lean towards the American way instead of sweeping it under the carpet. However, in the case of yesterday's episode, I understand LVP. Kyle directed her ire at LVP. She 100% played the victim, which I can only imagine must have got her attention when she was a small child. LVP tried to say the words Kyle wants to hear but she speaks a different language. And LVP is also over this nothingburger of an 'issue' --- as we all are! She knows the fight was just an excuse for these women to scratch. They need a reason to emote at Reunion! 

IMO this 'looking for a contrived fight' has been a big problem, not just for BH, but for the RH franchise as a whole the last two years. I think it is killing the franchise tbh. It is not organic. 

32 minutes ago, Gray Bunny said:

 

Ha! Yep, Mean Girls gone menopausal. 

 

+1 on Heather vs. Tinsley. 

 

What if we all had the choice of Tinsley, Jules, or Kristen Taekman returning...?  Oh hell, let's throw in Cindy Barshop too. 

 

I'd take Kristen. Unpopular choice I know.

12 hours ago, Taoboi said:

I definitely look forward to your observation of the scene since you are on point with the Kyle/LVP than I am...as well as Teddi trying to meditate between them...

Well, I did end up watching. I felt like Rinna in the episode, utterly bored, looking for cocktails and then a cab to whisk her to that drab, grey hotel!

The whole thing felt like people talking in circles in order to avoid dealing with the issues at hand.

Watching Dorit 'explain' things was like Kelly Conway discussing #alternativefacts. Dorit is a horror show.

Kyle is so needy and so... comfortable playing the victim that it is exhausting, even though she was justified in confronting Dorit. LVP tried in her British way to make amends and show her love but it wasn't enough. And it will never be enough for Kyle who wants Californian proclamations of devotion.

Teddi was the only clear head in the group. Erika, Teddi, LVP and Kyle chatting as they were about to leave the bar was the only moment I thought everybody's energy and chemistry clicked. I liked that foursome.

I can't make out if this SL is as wearying as pantygate last year. It is certainly close.

1 hour ago, Antoyne said:

Heather left to protect her brand right? 

Yep, and her marriage which was going through a difficult patch.

1 hour ago, Gray Bunny said:

Meh, I liked Heather but I don't miss her. One, she represents the shaky period of the show (Seasons 5 and 6) and two, she comes off as too sanctimonious and loved to have the last word, even in simple celebratory occasions ("A toast to Avonlea!" someone says, to which Heather blurts, "Yeah mama, a toast indeed!") as if her word is final and sums up what the other minions are saying. I don't even get that feeling from Bethenny when she's spouting off her know-it-all stuff at rapid speed. 

 

I will say though that if she returned nowadays, the Heather-Carole-Bethenny BFF dynamics would be quite a sight to see. Carole worships the toilet paper Bethenny craps on, whereas Carole and Heather were equals. Heather and Bethenny fought as alpha dogs, but Bethenny was an OG of NYC. You could always sense Heather felt threatened and would become exasperated trying to keep up with Bethenny's words. 

 

(P.S. Kudos to anyone who got my random-ass Anne of Green Gables nod)

Of course I got your Anne of Avonlea reference! I treasured those books and loved the Tv mini series too. Gilbert Blythe !  Swoon.

P.s.: totally agree on your assessment of the Heather/Carole/Bethenny friendships. Heather and Carole were equals and I really dug their friendship. It is still ongoing! With Bethenny, I get the impression Bethenny needs an outlet to vent constantly. Whenever we see them together, the topic of conversation remains resolutely Bethenny. B rarely asked Carole what was going on with her, unless it related to Man-Bun (Adam). 

ETA: I don't consider seasons 5 and 6 shaky... I enjoyed them and felt they were necessary evolutions. The seasons I thought were lacking were 8 and 9 to a certain extent -- I know I'm alone in that opinion lol!

WW announced today that she is going on a 3-week hiatus from her show, effective immediately. She said it is a recurrence of her thyroid/Graves issues, but I imagine the stress of her husband cheating on her, coupled with the medua scrutiny and maybe other... things, is not helping. She was apparently almost in tears today. It must be hard to have to leave the show so suddenly. I hope she gets the medical and emotional care she needs right now. She's not been right in some time.

Oh and she also said she made up with R Kelly??? Wtf? 

1 hour ago, Soaplovers said:

 

Heather and Bethenny had an interesting dynamic.  Once Heather realized Bethenny didn't like her, she moved on..then Bethenny whined that Heather w asnt trying to be down to her.

 

They were alike yet different.  Bethenny was funnier then Heather...but Heather was warmer then Bethenny

The Heather-Bethenny dynamic was interesting. Part of it was hidden jealousy on Bethenny's part as here was another woman heading up a viable, growing business. These two women were just too different to be friends. Bethenny is fast with the wise-cracks and cynical; Heather gives most people the benefit of the doubt until proved otherwise (Sonja, Aviva), but can also preach lessons a bit.

I miss Heather's warmth. Even with Dorinda there, who I consider a 'warm' person, Heather was good at rallying the group together and getting to the point of things.

3 minutes ago, Taoboi said:

I definitely look forward to your observation of the scene since you are on point with the Kyle/LVP than I am...as well as Teddi trying to meditate between them...

I don't know about that... these fights feel so contrived and ridiculous that I'm not sure what to think about any of these women.  Kyle and LVP acting like a couple of 8th graders. Dorit showing her grifter ass. Erika trying painfully hard to be the coolest girl in school. I do like Teddi a lot though, especially after last week and her most recent blog. She is no bull but also quite human and not afraid to be vulnerable on camera.

11 hours ago, MrPrezident said:

I'd still switch out Tinsley for Heather Thomson. Tinsley can stay on as a friend.

Agree so much with this! I don't mind Tinsley but she's not that interesting. Her mother Dayyyyyle would be a better fit with this group imo. Tinsley lucked out because it was slim pickings last year after Bethenny and Carole got Jules fired.

Would love Heather back! She was awesome. She and Carole had the best, most real, friendship, too. Her return would drive Bethenny batsh*t! 

10 minutes ago, Taoboi said:

No...that's next week per that Bethanny clip above...not helped by Lips 'maybe' jumping on the bandwagon...if you believe her talking head.

 

It haven't seen the scene in the context of the whole show but Kyle was upset by something Dorit said that involved LVP and was just losing it. LVP tried to smooth it over, but Dorit and Erika were not helping. I will say Teddi was being a good friend at least. But just them all on a bus yelling...*shivers*

I hope LVP snaps back that they need to pluck the hair on their chins lolol *GASP*

Just now, Taoboi said:

Ugh. It was the tail end of the episode and just seem like an 'let's attack LVP' moment to me.

As usual.  LVP is the Bond villain of the franchise, according to the others. Lisa VanderBlofeld! She manipulates others into saying and doing awful things by pure osmosis!

23 minutes ago, Taoboi said:

Lord...just walked in from work and it's the Ireland bus all over again on BH...

Omg what happened?! Haven't watched yet.

6 hours ago, MrPrezident said:

Bethenny VS LVP!

 

 

Kyle is a coward. She has no problem confronting Dorit by herself, but she can never go for LVP without someone else backing her up or doing her dirty work. And from what I understand, she was within her right to confront LVP directly about siding with that lying alley cat Dorit!

And can we stop with the Bethenny overkill? She is in every show on Bravo. Bethenny & Frederick, Bethenny is a Shark (not a Bravo show, I know), Bethenny Gives You Advice Whether You Like It Or Not... Even RHONY is now The Bethenny Show. She is the new Patti Stanger who thinks she knows everything about everybody. I am not looking forward to her in RHONY sneering at Luann's public embarrassment, i can tell you.

9 hours ago, Antoyne said:

I'm guessing Atlanta was another dud.

8 hours ago, ChitHappens said:

 

Ding ding ding!  I think I'm done!  I will wait for RHOP.  

8 hours ago, Taoboi said:

I wouldn't say that. The start of their trip was fun. The shade was definitely there, but light. And now the start of Kim v Nene begins.

 

Looking forward to next week and Poorsha and Marlo next week. And darn TOyota, I would think you would have learned to not stand over someone given how Cynthia reacted that one time.

 

 

ETA: But it does seem that the rest of you all are officially over ATL for this year barring a miracle. And that's sad since I know we were all super excited a few months ago.

 I have tried to stick with it but... I couldn't finish Sunday's episode. I feel disconnected from this show and the women, and they feel disconnected from each other.

I don't think the editing helps. It is too jumpy and fast. I can't really settle on any one issue on the show because my eye is distracted, and then before we can linger on the reactions, we have jumped to something else. Everything feels like a series of scenes strung together where random sh!t happens... and that's it.

Poorsha and Marlo are hogging airtime -- these are not the people I tune in for! The show keeps trying and failing to make Shamea happen. Whenever the jumpy camera settles on her, it takes me a few seconds to realise who that is. 

Kim still trying to insert herself in this mess from another continent, even though she is too lazy to show up for the trip. And holding onto the roach film for weeks until she could drop it? I hate this b!tch.

4 hours ago, DaytimeFan said:

 

Luann and Sonja both left early and are currently in the Hamptons. Luann had to leave early because of court. 

 

They would be INSANE to not have Lu as a main housewife. She is the #1 draw for me with this upcoming season. 

Well, I'm glad they avoided the boat mess! And IA, I cannot fathom Luann not being a main HW this season. She may miss 1 or 2 episodes, but that just saves Bravo having to pay her salary on those few epis. She is driving a lot of story and it would be insane to drop her to FOH just so we can see Bethenny emasculating Frederik or Tinsley going to her therapist (please, no, to either of those).

I am a bit worried about Michael Beck's stewardship. I hope the other EPs have worked on NY a long time and rein him in. In fact, I just checked on IMDB, and Lisa Shannon and Barrie Bernstein (who have been with the show since 2008 up until 2017) will hopefully remain on the show as co-EPs. Looks like NY sticks with a production crew that has been with the show for years.

Mariah's moment with Jackie and Toya telling them that she has been where Jackie is with her husband (and then going back and telling Ayden she told them), seriously makes me wonder, yet again, why Mariah is not in the main cast. She has so much history and connection with the other women and brings so much to the show. Her words were not contrived or SL-dictated, it wasn't about being messy, it was about one person helping another out and telling them she should make whatever decision she wants about her marriage without bowing to outside pressure. 

I feel bad for both Simone and Cecil; it's too bad their marriage hasn't worked out.

Quad, meh. She's so precious and self-obsessed. 

Jenna Elfman, whose Wikipedia entry begins "an actress best known for Dharma and Greg..." I know she was cast in other things both on TV and in film, but they never really seemed to stick. I never got the hype around her tbh.

Would Tracy Middendorf be considered as someone tv tried to make happen? I remember her popping up as a Carrie Brady recast on Days for a brief time in the 90s, and a guest spot on 90210 and other shows, but for some reason she never clicked with the audience. I always found her a little mealey-mouthed in the roles I did see her in.

Re: Nancy Travis, I don't think I've ever seen her tv work. But in the very early 90s she was up-and-coming in a few big movies, like Three Men and a Baby, and my personal favourite Internal Affairs where she played Andy Garcia's wife as he pursues crooked cop Richard Gere. A really good film actually,. Mike Figgis directed it, but it reminded me of some of Michael Mann's movies.

5 hours ago, Antoyne said:

I don’t care about Rinna staying out of the drama this season. She was an as shole for years and I personally as a viewer have a long memory. Besides I’ve never cared for her quite frankly bland looking daughters and always found them to be brats, so doubling down on featuring them again is doing nothing but giving me a reason to be annoyed by Rinna.

 

Honestly the only Housewife I ever have really disliked but they completely turned it around was Camille. Any Housewife trying to repair their image needs to consult whatever PR firm helped Camille all those years ago, and that includes Bethenny who I saw straight through last season.

Preach! And 100% agree. I'm not fooled by Rinna keeping a low profile (and make no mistake, LVP is still her target).. And I still don't think her girls are model material, even though I am warming towards Amelia (the younger one) and Lola the dog. 

Bethenny's PR-mandated turnaround last year didn't fool me either, especially because Ramona had to be thrown under the bus to make it happen. Bethenny cannot conceive of herself as anything other than victimised, and so she always has to make someone the villain. Jill, Jason, Heather, Luann, Ramona....

Camille's PR turnaround did not involve throwing anybody under the bus (well, except for Kelsey, though the douchebag did it to himself). The reason Camille's worked is that i believe her transformation. The divorce chastened her, and I buy that IRL Camille is a caring, nice person. She can also be shady and deliciously bitchy and that's cool too. None of us are one dimensional.  

1 hour ago, Gray Bunny said:

Loved that shot of Camille and Dorit walking through the hallway, Camille sashaying her way ahead and throwing shade like only Miss Donatacci-Grammer can do.  I hope this continues and we get to see a lot of her at the reunion, as we saw a lot of Danielle on NJ's. 

 

I hate that Kyle spoke over LVP's admission that she doesn't like the indication that LVP was doing some sort of sneaky, calculated maneuver. Instead, Kyle does her dumb "you were just mad that it wasn't all about you!" No, you fool. You were once again making those Bobby Fischer inferences and that struck a cord with LVP.  Hence, the walkout. 

 

While ATL tries desperately to repair Dodge Omni's image, BH's Lisa Rinna is working her Rinna magic just by being her fabulous self in her own footage with the kids and family. I love seeing her come into the group after the petty Dorit drama, and she smirks and bats her eyes. 

TRUTH to all this! 

Camille actually bumped Dorit in that hallway with her shoulder, sashayed past while tossing out "Tattletale" and "By the way, I didn't appreciate you calling me a C*** in front of my boyfriend."  Tee hee!!

The word Kyle used was plotting, as in "I thought you and Dorit were plotting against me." She also has Mauricio now doing her LVP shade too, I've noticed.

Re: Rinna, I am telling you, Rinna and Erika probably made a pact to lure Dorit out into the open, giving her just enough rope to hang herself with. Erika is pretending to be Dorit's friend so she can get all the dirt from her and turn it against her; Rinna is avoiding any pot-stirring so that the focus is squarely on Dorit doing it alone. You bet at Reunion Rinna is going to bat those big beautiful cow eyes before going right in on Dorit.

I still am turned off by Erika's behavior towards Teddi this episode. She was so rude and cold to her, a woman who hosted her kindly. She acted like she was too good for Teddi's beach house (which is nicely sized by any standard -- it's just not some big, gaudy Dubai hotel) and too good for this group of women as a whole. If she hates them so much, she should leave the show and try to pitch a spinoff with her & Mikey or something.

I've had the good fortune to visit places which are not as well-off as the west, but where the kindness of the locals was better than any paid welcome at some fancy hotel. If somebody had acted like Erika had, I would have been embarrassed for them forgetting where they came from and their manners.

EXO's Kai released some pics from his family's vacation to Hawaii (fans had been asking), and one of the pics is this one:

Is... is that Y&R playing in the background?? Kpop and soaps finally meet! 

On 12/02/2018 at 3:56 PM, Faulkner said:

Very cool. I’m a Kpop neophyte, but I like what I’ve been hearing so far. Lots of experimentation and a maximinalist approach to pop (sort of like PC Music). It’s a good change of pace from the monotonous bass drops and trap beats of most top 40 pop these days. I’m used to listening to songs in languages I don’t understand, so that’s not a problem.

I love a lot of the arrangements and experimentation in kpop, and also notice that some songs have a 80s or 90s edge to them lately, which is a sound I like.

@Nothin'ButAttitude @ChitHappens @Antoyne agree about RHOA. None of the women really want to be there. And Production is doing a poor job. The show is not being edited and put together with any wit or humor or understanding of these women. Carlos King, for all his faults (and lord knows he fed Phaedra that gossip about Kandi) had been working on ATL since S1. Michael Beck doesn't appear to have watched RHOA. His production only perks up when Kim Zolciak slimes her way onscreen -- and then the show starts feeling like Tardy For The Party. But when she's not on, it is just a collection of contrived scenes about not much. I mean, Porsha's veganism is a central storyline. Are Kandi and Kenya even on this show anymore? They are halfway out the door. Nene feels like a FOH. Sheree feels like a FOH who happens to be mute.

The only people who seem somewhat invested in being onscreen are Porsha (Bravo still trying and failing to make her happen), Marlo (nasty), Kim (NO) and Mama Joyce (ditto). Add Cynthia and that is quite the motley crew to base a show around. 

Like @Nothin'ButAttitude I really worry for Beck's production on RHONY. I don't think Tardy For The Party is adequate work experience for ATL, let alone NYC.

RHOBH:

Dorit and Erika showed their respective asses BIG TIME this episode. Dorit is a born liar desperate to impress her new buddy. She is so dumb because she doesn't realize that Erika and Rinna are playing her. Rinna is taking a purposeful step back from the theatrics, thereby forcing Dorit to stir the pot on her own. And Erika is getting closer to the fool, coaxing out the dumbassedness and giving Dorit enough rope to hang herself.

I 1,000% empathize with what Erika goes through with her lady-cycle. However, Erika's decision to stay at a hotel was because she disdains these women. She doesn't want to spend one more minute with them than absolutely necessary. Erika was a massive b!tch to Teddi who was hosting everybody with warmth and graciousness. I warmed to Teddi this episode because she is honest in her feelings without being cruel. Unlike Erika, who acted like Teddi's hand on her arm was going to give her Ebola and icily told her "I don't need to be petted." Yeah right, Erika. That's why you stormed off in a huff. Erika pretends she doesn't care but she absolutely does, very much so. I hope she gets called out at Reunion about this because she treated her hostess very badly -- much worse than Kathryn acted a few seasons ago at Erika's house.

Also, when Erika was interrogating everybody about what they had said the night before, it felt very KGB henchwoman and took me back to when Erika was Yolanda's heavy in finding out who said Munchausen. Yeesh.

Camille was great, especially when she shuffled her chair forward to call Dorit a tattletale. Get her diamond, Camille!

1 hour ago, WTGH said:

NYC: Currently shooting cast trip in Colombia (Cartagena). 

Wow. Amazing! Cartagena is meant to be stunning. 10-15 years ago it was advisable not to visit Colombia, so I'm glad they are showing another side to the country and taking viewers someplace where arguably most will not have visited themselves.

Sonja, Dorinda, Lu et al better keep their noses clean, though.  The last thing NYC needs is that kind of scandal.

Sorry, I'm behind on ATL

Haven't watched the last couple episodes but I want to get back in. Don't want to be out of the loop.

@Cheap21 Really glad you liked it! I heard it and thought you would enjoy it a lot. I think it's their best track in a couple of years, actually. The choreo is good, too, because everybody gets a twirl out in front.

BTW, EXO and CL will be performing at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics on the 25th. Would love it if they share a stage, as random as that combination would be together.

@Faulkner iKon's latest album is so good, isn't it? I have it on rotation on Spotify. I think this is the album where they really break through to the kpop mainstream.

Erika: What did they say?
Dorit: Well Kyle was very outspoken about it--

Me: JUST WATCH THE FOOTAGE WHEN IT AIRS, ERIKA! 

1 hour ago, DaytimeFan said:

 

I could accept Jill as a Friend of the Housewives like Camille is this season - but she is too fundamentally an attention whore drama queen at her core to be a Housewife who plays well with others. This last season of NYC was one of my favourites and I do not want that chemistry destroyed. 

1 hour ago, Antoyne said:

Jill with a very limited role may work, but full time again? I don't see it.

She won't be a full HW in this upcoming season as NY must have a lot of their filming already in the can. But I bet she is angling for season 11.

Speaking of this upcoming season, I am more excited for NY to air than any other franchise ever. So much has happened. So much IS happening. It is all unexpected and seemingly absolutely REAL. We'd better not have filler like Bethenny emasculating Frederik as they try to flip some SoHo real estate. We need the unprecedented moments I mentioned! We need Luann's mugshot and then Lu coming back to NYC to spa-detox with the HWs. We need her cabaret show. We need Bethenny and Jill meeting up again at Bobby's funeral. We need Ramona toasting to Mario's karmic mess in Morocco. I'm greedy! I want to see it all!