Cat

No thoughts... just two furry hugs. Sometimes when life gets on top of you, it's nice to be reminded of something as 'basic' and as comforting as this. Corny as that sounds.

@Soaplovers @NothinButAttitudeCaroline Stanbury is/was the initial draw for viewers of Dubai. Nevertheless, given that Ladies of London never had a huge viewership to begin with, ratings were not going to be that high here. Was Caroline the Queen Bee on LOL? Yes, absolutely, but that was a different group dynamic. In the early Dubai episodes, I felt she was complacent about being the centre of the show, and it turned some viewers off. She has picked up the baton since then, and the last episode or two were good at showcasing Stanbury and her circle. I still find Ayan entertaining, but I've had a hard time warming to Lesa all season. She has her moments, but im always surprised when she refers to herself in Queen/Boss terms. Yes, most of the cast are calling themselves that as they vie for top spot, but with Lesa (and one or two others), i wish she'd show me rather than tell me. She thinks she's a Gizelle, but maybe she's more like a Robyn than she'd care to admit, next to Ayan and Brooks. I don't think the show is necessarily a flop -- the ratings aren't great, but S1 Potomac also started lowkey and had to find its groove. The less said about the disaster that was S1 Dallas, the better. But maybe US viewers just aren't interested in a faraway (and sometimes problematic) location, or in its multinational cast? I enjoy what Nina and Sara have been bringing to the show, as they balance out the louder voices, but stronger personalities draw the attention and sell a show, I guess. Or maybe we're all a little meh on Bravo/RH so far this year.

RHOA It seems to me like Marlo is on the verge of losing her peach. That contrived nonsense in Blue Ridge and then sending everyone home? She was looking for her moment. And the stuff with her nephews is shady. She just happens to have a compliant sister living nearby who can put the nephews up? Sounds to me like the nephews live there full-time and Marlo trots them out once in a while for filming purposes. Drew is hella contrived too but it's entertaining. When the women brought up the bones, it's like they were saying 'OK Drew. You're trying!" She also managed to light a fire under Sheree, who really should take business advice from Kandi. I'm not sure Sheree really wants to put in the work to make these joggers happen. The Kamdi-Todd-Riley-Kaela succession scene was fascinating. RHODubai: @Taoboi I really loved your write-up. I adored this episode, and it was great to see the LOL peeps pop up. I didn't even mind seeing Juliet. I kind of wish they were on this show more regularly. Luke would be great addition. Sophie too. They did put their finger on the Caroline issue: she has to be Queen Bee and everybody needs to dial it back to allow her to be so. But none of these Alpha Dubai ladies are ready to do that and hand her a crown just for showing up. Slightly uncool that Brooks and Lesa refused to go to the wedding. Ayan, I can understand. Still it looked like a great wedding and Caroline & HW Sergio looked genuinely blissed out. I understand more where Brooks is coming from after seeing her with her mom -- something pretty bad must have happened with her husband. Still, I think her anger at Sara is OTT. Next week: the souk!

Ahmahgah!! Brandi and Phaedra to be cast somewhere soon -- mark my words.

RHOBH I am only 3 minutes into this episode, and have now clocked why BudgetGhislaine would ever subject herself to the close scrutiny of reality TV viewers. Of course. The sperm donor wants a singing career! Constantine Maroulis's less charismatic cousin has a voice that drove Kathy to tears, Rinna to call him "magical" (after pocketing BudgetGhislaine's cheque), and Erika to squawk like a wounded hen in back-up. You know Erika was looking at him and thinking 'This was me before Bravo and a $20mn transfer to my account.' Because for all of Diana's alleged pimp money, she couldn't buy her toyboy fame or a platform, until now. As usual, the Bravo editors deserve an award for this comedic tour-de-force. The whole thing reminded me of a low-budget version of when Yolanda & David had Andrea Bocelli sing for the women. Now THAT was truly A-list.

I lived in Mass in middle school. I enjoyed it a lot (it's a beautiful state) but I feel you. People there tend to 'nest' and are very reserved.

RHUGT 2 was very enjoyable, and it felt like visiting with old friends. I would not mind this same cast to come back together again at some point down the line. Maybe in an Andy-hosted reunion. The fact that it was held at Bluestone Manor, which meant cameras were even in the bedrooms, grounded the viewer in that pleasantly familiar vibe. It may also have gone some way to explaining Dorinda's behavior. I may have called Brandi a 'natural heroine' on this show. It is certainly a slightly odd statement considering Brandi's past with the RHs, and she is definitely thirsty to return. Nevertheless, in the context of RHUGT 2 by itself, I felt she was bringing me along with her emotions and story, and I felt for her. Maybe 'anti-heroine' is a better term for her. Like a true Scorpio, her bedroom looked like a hurricane had been through it. Her burgeoning friendship with Tamra and Vicki was nice to see, because they used to hate each other for years. Imagine if Brandi, Vicki, Tamra and Taylor all went to RHOC to join Heather and Shannon? That would actually be a pretty solid cast with plenty of history. Like you, I really enjoyed Phaedra, but her obfuscation when it came to talking about her marriage and why she left RHOA was evident. It got to the point where it felt like Phaedra lies very easily -- she lies as she breathes, and for no real reason that I can understand. It underscores how shady she is, and towards the end of the RHUGT run, I wondered if everything she had said was just words. Dorinda. This show really exposed all her faults. I'm not sure if the past two years she has done any self-reflection on why the RHONY fans turned on her. Like you, though, I think she has a heart, but we are seeing all facets to Dorinda, and not all of them are perfect. Taylor fizzled. And Jill struggled to stand out. I thought it was very Jill when she narcissistically complained that no-one chose her to sleep with among the group.

Prediction: Rinna is going to save her spot on this show, just from this second-half villainy. And so will Kyle, because she is bringing the sister drama and that's the foundation of BH. As for Sutton's 'Ah rilly LACK you' to Erika, sigh... I'm giving her some grace. Sutton's worked hard to stand up to the Coven this season, so by this point she's tired and wants to make some amends. IMO, she should stand tough all the way through to reunion and not care one jot what these women think of her. The Coven will never take her seriously and will continue to target her if she sends these mixed signals about wanting to be pals. Also, I don't want her abandoning Garcelle for the nasty Faux Force Five. Nevertheless, when it comes to Kyle and Erika, I understand why Sutton is reaching across the aisle. First of all, she and Kyle are very alike -- needy, insecure, very social, wanting to be the life of the party. They just manifest it in different ways. Sutton is a lot more open with her anxieties. Kyle has cleaved to her because she feels Sutton IS her and she can control that (I'm not sure Kyle can, actually). With Erika, I think they have this Georgia 'understanding', although I don't think either truly care about the other. This 'like you' is just for the show. RHOBH episode: Jamie Lee Curtis is a lovely person and the true Queen of this episode. Can we have her on all the time?? I just adore her and loved her banter with Sutton and Sheree. In case anybody thinks JLC was in any way mad at Sutton, this was the photo they all took at the lunch. Dorit working overtime to get in there with JLC! Kyle is very controlling of JLC and Sutton. We are really seeing Producer Kyle this season. BudgetGhislaine's house is a cold, lifeless concrete block -- bought to impress people and decorated by somebody else cuz she couldn't be bothered. I felt a bit bad for her talking about the miscarriage, though. That's all I've got. Regarding Erika. In the words of Kelly Bensimon: "I don’t think you’re charming. I don’t think you’re funny. We're not friends." She thinks she's a YASSS KWEEN and 'giving life to the fans' with this BS attitude. No, you're not. Mikey needs to stop gassing her up about this. I don't even buy that she is drunk. I think this is just for SL and a distraction from the legal stuff nailing Tom and her to the wall.

And surely the Kremlin's pick for Prime Minister of the UK.

Brooks has been a slow burn but last week's episode when she went off on Sara and her friends -- I wasn't sure if she was looking for her thirsty moment or really bringing the drama. Nevertheless, it upped the intensity on a show which is more Ladies of London than RH. Plus it played on a theme which has been unfurling, which is lovely Sara beinga bit too preachy and in love with her own kindness. I love her, don't get me wrong -- like you, I like all the women -- but she is hyper-aware of her own 'evolved' state next to these women. Chanel telling her "you are like Jesus" -- I laughed. God, I love Chanel Ayan. Also think it is interesting that as much as Brooks dotes on her son, she wants to send him to boarding school. Versus Stanbury firmly coming out and saying boarding school completely messed her up. Haven't seen yesterday's episode yet but im excited for the wedding (with some Ladies of London guests). Re: RHOA, personally for me this season, I've grown to appreciate the OGs more - especially Kandi, who was never my personal fave, but also Kenya and Sheree. And yeah, dorky Drew is growing on me. What I am missing is (and I never thought I'd say this, because I disliked her for a LONG time) Porsha! Last year's Aunties vs Nieces vibe on the Isle of Palms, I really enjoyed. Porsha Queen Bee-ing her posse. Of course, it all went a little left after Bolo and the spit-swapping, but IMO RHOA this season was robbed a SL: that of Porsha's carefully crafted saintly image coming undone. I guess Porsha did not want Kenya and Kandi doing the unraveling, and would rather implode on her new spin-off surrounded by close family. I also would have liked to see Falynn this season, aka Simon's ex and the most stunning woman ever to appear on a RH franchise. But that's just my personal wishlist. Stories of RHOA demise on social media are greatly exaggerated-- I think they've been started by Lisa Rinna actually, lol, who has been lowkey targeting the show for a couple of years now!

YASSS The Judge is back and drama is in session! I love Tamra. I used to hate her but she grew on me. She should never have been fired in the first place.

Maybe it's because I've been missing my fave franchise Potomac but.... I think I'm liking Candiace these days? That may change when she and Brown D!ck reunite on screen, but I am looking forward to RHUGT 3 and her and Porsha as a pairing. Also peeping Gizelle and Alexia together. ❤ RHOA IA with @Taoboi this has been an easy watch of a season. The show hasn't sparkled like in the killer earlier seasons, but it is harking back to the golden olden days with letting the women's individual stories play out organically. Kenya and Kandi reinforcing their friendship, and Kenya a natural anti-heroine because Marlo now is the villain. Not sure how I feel about Sanya. The collective sigh when Sanya appeared at dinner echoed mine. RHODubai: I know people here and elsewhere think the show is a bore, but I am really hooked. Even though I hate that Caroline takes Sergio to all the women's gatherings (echoes of Alex & Simon!), she is finally coming into her own on this show. Especially talking about her upbringing and boarding school. I'm glad Lesa finally told her that telling her to suck Sergio's d!ck was unacceptable, though. Nina, Ayan and Sara, I love. Brooks is the antagonist. On the fence about Lesa.

Rinna feels that production should have featured her and Lois more.. Shame on everybody! This latest tantrum didn't make sense to me until I realized that Rinna is not at BravoCon this year (was her invitation rescinded?) PLUS she doesn't seem to be featured on the new BH After Show. And neither is Diana: (Fashion aside: Garcelle is killing it in that jewel-tone dress! I love Crystal's wardrobe, always. Yes, Sutton looks like static clung two dresses together, but I love it, too. Dorit is giving me schoolgirl anime. Erika is giving me 'Casablanca -- starring Blanche Devereux.' And Kyle is dressed like an MC at a talent show in Tampa in 1972). All this to say that this (below) is the best Tweet in reaction to Rinna's complaint I have ever seen: "Erika sings Amazing Grace"

"accidentally" RE: OC. In addition to Tamra (echoing @Gray Bunny -- she never should have been let go), I'd be cool with Alexis, Gretchen, Alexis, Lizzie AND Noella. Noella was thirstay and self-scripted (but so was everyone last season). Anyway, she wasn't unentertaining the way she got under Heather Dubrow's skin. If that means a cast of 8 or 9, then so be it.

Thank you for that. This 'apology' is worse on second viewing. Her hand gestures, her face -- she is SO irritated to be having to say this publicly. She's doing it because she knows Garcelle is popular and, I imagine, it must be impinging on business. Why else would she be apologizing in the middle of her Amazon Live. I saw the boohoos. The Coven are literally in a panic. First Chris Cullen, now Baskin. Who will protect their asses now? To be fair to Baskin, I heard pretty positive things about his tenure at Evolution. I also recall seeing him as EP on other RH shows, probably OC. Wonder if he is heading to Netflix also?

Ugh, let me rant a little!! FlopGhislaine is so basic and so bored with herself! This chick is in a stupor and can barely sustain an original thought. How is she still upright?? The producers feed her her every talking point. In her VTs, when a producer asks "Tell us about your glamorous lifestyle throwing parties for all your famous friends, Diana!" She gulps, swallows heavily, licks that lower lip and says "Uhhh whad do you wanna know? I have very GLEMorous lifestyle throwing parties for famous friends." She licks her lips precisely for the reason you state. They are numbed with lip filler and her tongue is not used to their size. She's doing what everyone in Hollywood does now: imitating the Kardashians. Like them, she loves an over-priced sweatshirt. Only she doesn't wear them like couture items -- she wears them like you and me in our Target sweats. And so they look basic and wrinkled even though they probably cost Yeezy prices. Then there is her ugly McMansion of nothingness built on a basic plot of land somewhere in California. It could be anywhere. It could be nowhere. Resembling a beige Kardashian monastery bereft of humanity. Jesus, at least Yolanda gave us an infinity pool, lemon groves, Gigi, and a spotless glass fridge. Re: The Coven. Totally. Garcelle is their end-game. Sutton is just a means to an end because Garcelle has her back, and Sutton is doing the most and actually carrying this show. Garcelle deftly dealt with both Erotika (who I still think had a facetious, sarcastic undertone in her apology) and Eye-Roll McSplits. It's clear that Bravo LOVE Garcelle and are using her in a lot of their official promo, and I bet the Coven dos not like that one bit. Look at who is headlining the next BravoCon -- and who isn't. I'm sure Rinna will say Bravo didn't offer her enough!

I heard that rumor too. What surprises me is that Tinsley would go to RHONY Legacy with Dorinda on it. The other rumor about RHONY Legacy is no Ramona apparently.

I am an episode behind you but I concur. Against my will, I am liking Brandi A LOT and feel she is the breakout star of the show. Happy to hear her growth and maturity in this upcoming episode -- she was only speaking Truth with a capital T in what you quoted. Maybe because some of this pertained to her BH situation, too. Dorinda has been off RHONY for 2 years but has done no self-refection in those 2 years as to why she was 'paused.' She refuses to accept she might have been in the wrong and went off the rails. She is where Jill Zarin was about a year after getting kicked off RHONY. She may have bought into her own hype. I think Dorinda has kindness and soul deep down, so I hope she returns to those traits which once defined her. I don't think the drinking is helping her judgment, but even without the drinking, Dorinda is bitter about a lot of things and seems unable to get out of that mindset.

I wish i could find the clip I saw yesterday of Kyle's Amazon Live (filmed in what looked like a barge??) where she says she is not watching BH right now (bc she can't handle Production not covering for her), and that she and Mauricio contacted Garcelle to apologise for their comments. She sounded irritated that she even had to do the latter. Kathy is back next week, so I predict Kyle will soon pivot into victim-sister mode in a bid to make this first half of the season go away. The Coven bending over backwards to back FlopGhislaine against Sutton & Garcelle. What an epic miscalculation on their part. Time to break The Coven up. Half can go because they just sit there wearing make-up like that's the extent of their job. I semi-like Crystal on her own, but did she even appear this episode? Rinna and Hamlin pretending their NotHadid offspring are making a name for themselves in modeling. Keep banging that drum, maybe someone will eventually believe it. FlopGhislaine is the biggest flop on BH. Not even Carlton, Eden, or Terri Firedcamp can compare. Her backstory is interesting (in more ways than one), but whining over Sutton for 5 episodes straight? It's not working. Her energy is that of a sloth taking a nap. Kathy back next week so maybe that means less of NotKathy.

Just saw the news about Biden’s executive orders. This is great news.! My question is whether these orders can override total bans in place on the state level, or the threat to track against her will and prosecute women who travel out of state for safe, legal abortions.

Damn. I honestly thought messy Noella was staying. I guess Heather got her way.

I've watched Somewhere Street! And Kabuki Kool. And myriad shows celebrating Japan's food and landscape. During Covid when I couldn't travel.... NHK World traveled for me. Your friend's dissertation must have been a fascinating, if heartbreaking, read. These women were also shamed by their own governments to stay silent (until it suited that government to take up their cause) and were denied acknowledgement of the trauma they suffered. People are asserting their hyphenated selves more and more. It was already starting before Covid (and Trump n Boris likely played a part in that) but Covid and the BLM protests triggered something where people felt they didn't want to subdue entire identities of themselves anymore. As an economic analyst, I'd be interested in hearing more of this. These global supply chain bottlenecks started as economies slowly climbed out of Covid; in October, Putin started putting the squeeze on gas supplies as a taster of what was to come after February 24, 2022. His blockade of Ukrainian ports hasn't helped. And of course Shanghai's wholesale lockdown for almost 3 months. Nevertheless, it did make me wonder why the globe was unable to dig itself out of some of these supply chain issues which have entered a second straight year. Had global trade really collapsed? Are these bottlenecks really structural and entrenched? And who stands to benefit from putting the break on our economies? Because the rush to tighten monetary policy has become a domino effect -- and now everyone is suddenly talking about the risk of a recession in 2023. Wow, you really have encountered the world in your work! It would be interesting to hear your Japanese friends' view on Abe. Though right now they must be in total shock and disbelief.

OMG! I watch NHK World (which has English-language news). Outside of the news, I find its shows about Japan very relaxing in an old-fashioned, comforting way, but the news is notable for its scrupulous 'just the facts' coverage and no apparent editorializing or It's Just MY Opinion stuff. They also have journalists spread across the world, and so a breadth of coverage on little-covered countries like Cambodia or Bangladesh, for example. I cannot believe I didn't think about its news stream earlier. Abe was polarising and controversial as you say for his more assertive stance on all things related to military and Japan's atrocities during WW2 and its empire-building era. The Comfort Women issue related to Korea and China will always be a sore spot between all 4 nations, because Japan absolutely refuses to acknowledge its crimes in this era (apart from offering the women themselves some backdoor pay-offs over the years, which many refused). Until this is resolved, I don't know if these 4 countries (NK and SK both have beef with Japan about this) can ever go forward together. The issue runs deep because I know young Koreans and Chinese mention this a lot when talking about Japan. I think Abe might have felt his stance on Japan re-militarizing was the right one. The US is still Japan's #1 ally, but there is a feeling that the bond has weakened. The is a small flicker of distrust over whether the US, post-Iraq, post-Afghanistan and post-Trump, would swoop in militarily if China were to actually invade Taiwan or NK were to launch a rocket aimed at a Japanese city. The feeling Abe and his cohorts would have is 'Better to be prepared in case Plan A falls through.' Abe definitely felt the rise of an all-powerful China was bad for the region and bad for Japan unless Japan asserted its own power also. The perpetrator having military training is very interesting. It begs the question what his beef with Abe actually was if it wasn't related to his policies/political direction. I can only imagine how traumatic that incident must have been if you blocked it out for decades! 😥 I'm sorry you and your Bangladeshi housemate were confronted with such aggression. I have seen incidents transpire on public transport here that have been absolutely shocking over the years, and people would just look straight ahead and pretend it's not happening. It is only more recently that other people step in and put a stop to it -- most of those that tend to be young people, to their credit, a lot of whom actually do want to change the world for the better. That post-war mentality you talk about is embedded so deep. I call it post-Empire, because there is a similar thing going on in France and other countries. The UK never confronted its colonial past. The 'colonies' devolved into 'commonwealth' and while most people felt that was a sop to the UK's declining power in the world, it helped to prop up nationalist pride and the feeling of 'we are still better than them! We used to kick em around.' Now, of course, rising powers of black and brown excellence across the world are kicking the UK around on the economic front. I honestly don't know what the solution is. Having witnessed the collective self-suicide of Brexit, where poor white voters (pauperized by a decade of crippling austerity imposed by the Tory government) decided to punish "foreign workers" instead whilst simultaneously doffing their hats to their Tory 'betters' and giving Boris Johnson a massive mandate... I lost confidence in people and their propensity for rationality.