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@Chris B I think you might mean @carolineg ? She defended Brandi in her post above. (Haven't watched RHUGT2 yet).

For sure. I think it's interesting that Andy chose to believe Heather over Tamra. He knows Tamra has been doing this podcast for a while and seemed to have no issue with it until now. As for your tea about Nicole -- 100% agree that the Dubrows made Nicole disappear after two episodes -- just as her story was taking off! Production obviously acquiesced quickly to their demands, but what is notable is that production did not leak to the press at the time about the escándalo. That would have put Heather & Terry under pressure throughout filming with rumors flying around, but instead Evolution let it all go. That's not how production has handled other offscreen dust-ups (LVP & LucyLucyAppleJuice, for example). Production likes to leak when it suits them to build momentum regarding the show. So maybe producers really are afraid of the Dubrows.

Thank you for the tea! That's very interesting what you say about Tamra having to play nice with Heather to get back on the show. On her podcast generally, Tamra has been ultra diplomatic on many RH topics, pulling her punches when her natural instinct might be to go in. That really struck me, and I imagine it's because she wants to prep her return to OC without pissing off Bravo or castmates. The gloves came off [(c) Vicki Gunvalson] to an extent when Heather's betrayal surfaced, but even in this interview, Tamra laid out her facts without going postal -- she basically teed it up for Kelly Dodd to hit it. The fact that, according to Jeff Lewis, Andy came on his show and said the Two Ts podcast was a behind the scenes podcast suggests that 1. Andy/Bravo do not like RH adjacent enterprises they cannot control, and 2. he is lowkey pissed at Tamra and not 100% willing to have her back. That worries me because OC has been in its flop era since S11 or S12, and subsequent casts have really not gelled. Especially without the OGs. If Tamra and thirsty Noella do not return, that would be too bad from an entertainment POV. It would also illustrate just how much power Heather wields. Nevertheless, no HW has true sustained power, as we know (Nene, LVP, Vicki, etc). What Bravo giveth, Bravo can snatch away.

He also spelt 'Erica's' name wrong lol. Thiis came up on my YT timeline yesterday and I listened to it. Great glimpse into OC behind the scenes this past season. I believe Tamra and Kelly's story -- too many other people involved to corroborate. I think the Dubrows are control freaks and went apeshit on Thomas Kelly. As we know, the Dubrows aren't nearly as gracious they like to pretend, and both have a mean streak when they don't get their way. I always thought it was interesting that Andy seems to have detested Terry (and his show Botched) from the get -- wonder what that was about. I think Thomas Kelly was also fired because of ratings and this last seaon having been panned. What's crazy to me is Heather blocking an ally, Tamra, from coming back to the show when she could use one. They had each other's back for many seasons and never really threw each other under the bus. She needlessly pissed off her ally who is now gunning for her on various podcasts and other media. Kelly Dodd and Tamra being new allies in the Fight Against Heather surprised me. Tamra, of course, has made no secret of her desire to return to RHOC. Thirsty Kelly also wants to come back -- the income has dried up elsewhere. I don't want Kelly back (even though that was a funny Gina impression). I'd much rather Tamra, Vicki (yes, Vicki!), Alexis Bellino and maybe even Gretchen returned. Interesting that Jeff Lewis is so into the RHs. He's a good radio host -- asks the questions but lets the guest speak. He and Andy had a famous falling out some years back, no?

Don't tease us like that Bethenny!!!! (This better be on RHONY Legacy is all I'm saying. I would LIVE if they reconciled). Meanwhile on the West Coast...

It worked, and I was able to enjoy the article. Thank you!

@DramatistDreamer @Vee Thank you!

Unfortunately, I get a paywall with the NYT, but am following this story on The Guardian site. These two grifters always raiding taxpayer money/government patronage like their own personal candy store. (The Times of London is owned by News UK, in turn owned by News Corp, in turn owned by Rupert Murdoch, of course). Everything about this story highlights not only Johnson's (and Symonds') personal greed and corruption, but also his enduring cowardice. He seems afraid of her and has constantly lobbied for a taxpayer-funded salary/position for her in order to placate and occupy her.

Didn't mean to imply in my previous post that the pandemic was the only factor behind this result -- rather the drop which overflows the cup for many people. The levels of inequality are massive in Colombia and the rest of the region, entrenched for centuries/generations through slavery, repression and civil war. In that context, Márquez Mina's win is all the more impressive.

Thanks for your shout-out! I cannot add too much to what you and @DramatistDreamer have contributed here. As you guys already noted, the triangulation of French politics continues. The results are largely in line with presidential voting preferences a month or so ago, so the National Assembly will be fairly representative of how French people actually vote -- for better or for worse. That is always the risk in democracies -- as we know all too well. 54% abstention rate -- oy. Better than 57% in 2017, but still not great. Sometimes I wish we could do what Australia does which is make people to do their civic duty. Some French people feel disenfranchised that they'd rather stay away. France also has a tradition of "voter blanc" where they vote blank or spoil their ballot in order to register discontent. Here are some of the results: Head of Ipsos polling was on France 24 (English-language French cable news) last night. He said a few interesting things: -Le Pen's Rassemblement National outperformed polls and came in with more seats than expected. This is usual. Le Pen supporters tend to be suspicious of pollsters/don't like to say publicly that they will vote for them. -Macron's party Ensemble! outperformed the polls. Ipsos was expecting less seats for them (around 220). Nevertheless, they did not get their majority, and as far as everyone is concerned, that is a big loss for the party. They also lost key members of Macron's cabinet in this election. Some voters polled hid the fact that they would vote for Marcon's party, perhaps out of embarrassment. This suggests, of course, that Macron himself is not popular. -Mélenchon's NUPES came second in terms of largest grouping (as expected) but underperformed in terms of number of seats. Some voters maybe changed their mind at the last minute, or didn't go to vote at all (usually younger voters, and poorer ones fit that latter category). -Les Républicains, the traditional centre-right, came fourth and that was better than they expected. They will likely be Macron's party's coalition partners to vote in certain parts of his agenda -- but they will demand something in return. So Mélenchon's Nouvelle Union Populaire is officially the opposition, but he will be lowkey pissed that he didn't get the chance to be prime minister. This union will do its best to make things uncomfortable for Macron's government. It's not at all clear if this union can hold, though. Mélenchon is far-left (I would even say extreme-left) and some of the Greens and Socialists in his union are not. They disagree on climate policy and European Union, which are pretty important subjects. They're not too crazy about him either. He is also rather pro-Putin, which makes France's policy towards the war in Ukraine kind of up in the air. As for Macron, his arrogance and assumptions cost him dear. After a close-run presidential election, he should have been humbled and hit the campaign trail. He didn't really show up to shake hands in the provinces in the final days of campaigning, which he should have. Instead, he flew to Kyiv this weekend to meet Zelenskyy in hopes it would burnish his credentials. After running to and from the Kremlin in the run-up to this war, Macron kind of burned some bridges with a few of his Western/NATO allies, so this was an attempt to be on-side. But it didn't work in terms of the legislative elections. People were preoccupied with poor (or shut down) public services, Paris wealth centralisation, and inflation. They don't like his glossy Parisian image or his top-down kingly style. He will have to show humility while still retaining his leader qualities -- I'm not sure he knows how to do that. On my side, I voted tactically in both rounds -- each time for Macron's party. I have always been pretty centrist and fearful of polarising extremes on both sides. Tactically, because my view on Macron has definitely waned over the years. I once thought his idea of bringing Putin/Russia in from the Cold and into the European fold was bold -- in more recent times, belatedly, I realize that he (and I!) were fools to even think that. Also, his policies tend to be surface and superficial. It is frustrating because the Presidency has (had?) a lot of power to implement its agenda, but Macron is more concerned with how he appears than actual outcomes. He also cannot quite grasp the idea of a dispossessed France with access to few resources, working two jobs in a gig economy, and disrupted/divided/let down by technology, to various extents. Not everything can be automated and solved by going online -- sometimes citizens need a human on the other side of that call to public services. --------------- As for Colombia and LatAm (I hope you don't mind me talking about this too, I am really interested in the region and do some work on it as part of my job) -- there is a leftwards move in the region as a whole for sure. Even though inflation is high (and most central banks in Latin American have exercised rather prudent, independent monetary policies since June 2021 in an effort to tame it), Covid left a lot of people completely battered and hopeless. If not dead. LatAm had some horrific death rates. People there want better quality of life and more spending on public services, many of which are in ruins. Painful racial and social divisions became too much to bear during the pandemic. The risk with some left-leaning governments is inflationary economic policies and the real risk of violence or military coups coming from the right-wing. I'd like to think military coups are a thing of the past in LatAm, but you never know. In the West, it feels like the 1970s all over again sometimes... well, the 1970s were an exceptionally horrific and dark time for most of Latin America. Finally: Biden will have to work with these governments, autocratic or not. He really mishandled that Summit of the Americas a week or so ago.

I think Linda probably avoids being catty if she can at all help it. She seems genuinely nice and not shallow. She appeared on season 2 BH in Brandi's Beach House party episode, which ended up showcasing an altercation between Taylor and Camille's best friend DeeDee. Linda tried to talk to Taylor about being the bigger person, but that was never going to fly on BH. 😆 Linda T sounds like someone who has been to therapy and tried to accept others for who they are, while making better choices for herself. Maybe her marriage to Foster prompted her to go on that journey? She also appeared on The Hills reboot counselling her son, Brody Jenner. She was a zen voice of calm and understanding. I loved her scenes. She seems like a pretty great person with a lot of empathy for people, and a lot of wisdom. The fact that you told me she wrote I Have Nothing (top tier Gold Standard ballad for the ages!), that she once dated Elvis, that she is a bit of a song-writing legend herself? Makes me respect her even more.

This is why I can't wait for season 2 Miami! I actually think Nicole vs Marysol is a lightly petty, gemeration-gap rivalry I can enjoy. Let no-one be fooled by David Foster's A-List-lite snootiness! He loves Reality TV, has pushed his children, stepchildren and then-wives to pursue Reality TV stardom, because it helps boost his own brand. Not surprised to hear about him holding onto Linda's co-writing talents. A lot of his output has a feminine touch and it's only in recent times when I looked into a couple of his songs that I realised DF's best work was usually with female songwriters -- he knew to work with some of the best.

You know what? I think Kandi's interview where she tears Marlo a new one (and rightfully so) went viral, and more people remembered to check out the episode. I thought Kandi's interview was pretty epic. The episode was also great! It deserves those ratings finally. Marlo is doing the most to get these rivalries going and the pot stirring! It's like she's Kyle Richards, with an understanding of what works on screen. And when Sheree was agreeing with Marlo on her remarks regarding Kandi and Kenya? Taoboi, like you, all I could think was 'Oh Sheree. Still picking the Kim Zolciaks when you could have picked Nene.' Sheree is going to pay for that "Preach" regarding Marlo's comment about Kandi's 'bad kitty-cat.' I actually gasped when Marlo said that, because it was so mean. Marlo really goes low with the low-blows. And I have to imagine its because she's jealous. Jealous that Kandi and Kenya haven't pulled her into the Team OG fold, so she's got to make alliances with Sheree and *Drew* of all people. Jealous that Sanya is making a play for Kandi's friendship circle. She's not wrong about that, by the way. Sanya sensee that Drew was the punching bag of the group and has dropped her like a hot potato. As a result, Drew is starting to come across as a little more human and relatable. I agree that this is the most authentic Sheree has ever come across. Interested to see what Kandi's next moves will be. She's already had enough of Marlo on the show thus far. Marlo has lit a fire under some of these girl's asses, and I'm ok with that. Friday was a clusterfuck on the 'RH racisty tweeting' front. I couldn't believe some of the sh!t I was coming across.

I got Covid. Had it for 11 days. Today is the first day I've tested negative. Mild symptoms on the whole -- so very grateful for having been jabbed 3 times. 🙏 I can't imagine how scared I would have gotten if this got serious and tried to shut down lung capacity. I'm not sure how things are going to look later this year when immunity ebbs. Can they keep vaccinating us? Is this in the hands of Paxlovid and Merck's medication now? Even though I was wearing a mask for 7 hours while travelling, delays and mega crowds of people meant I still got this. I'm pretty sure I got one of the Omicron sub variants currently around. Anyway, it still exists, and in the US and UK, looks like we are seeing a summer surge, so be careful and mask up if/where you can. Hope Dr. Fauci recovers quickly and well. 🙏

Oh wow! Yes I've heard that Yolanda's King has a demanding attitude and has always had a bad attitude when he goes out. Part of it is being such a mega hitmaker all these decades. He is truly up there in terms of famous songwriters. He also raises tons of money for his charities. He was married to Linda Thompson (formerly Bruce Jenner's wife) and is credited with raising Bruce Jenner's boys as his own -- while Bruce was too busy getting in with the Kardashians. Heatd that Linda Thompson is a pretty beloved person in those BH, Kardashian, Malibu circles, and was by many accounts a great wife to David Foster. She is also good friends with Taylor Armstrong and appeared in RHOBH's incredible Season 2. And as much as David raised the Jenner boys, is a musical talent, and does great charity work -- he also has a massive, massive ego. Loves blondes mostly, and once he tires if his current wife, he's looking for the next jump-off. The wife must devote herself entirely to his comfort and happiness. I think it must have been exhausting for Linda, Yolanda and his other wives! Pretty Corrupt Podcast (the guy behind the fake Donn Gunvalson and fake Lee Radziwill Twitter handles) once did a deep dive podcast on David Foster, his many marriages, and his Six Degrees of Separation with the reality TV and music worlds. If you're into podcasts, might be worth a listen. Sometimes I wish Yolanda was back on BH, LOL.

I may have to watch this! Started watching Y&R in 1987 or thereabouts and have always had a soft spot for the Abbott sisters. Also I'm a sucker for some Bell era flashbacks

delete - double post

I am working my way through Season 7 still, so I am assuming your issue with Jackie is her holier-than-though attitude as the Moral Adjudicator of the group -- and the way she threw Mariah under the bus and gave her zero support, helping to usher her off the show. BTW, Carlos King interviewed Mariah on his podcast recently. She talked about being creator, EP and cast member on M2M and it was pretty interesting. Both Mariah and Carlos said that Quad was necessary to the show in terms of stirring up the other women, getting people talking about her -- and, I assume, polarizing the audience. Every time Quad opens her mouth, I feel like she's selling me a Ponzi scheme. Everything feels insincere and over-dramatic and a hustle. Not a fan of the fake churchy phrases or the talk about "growing as a person" because LAST YEAR (she's been saying LAST YEAR for +5 years now) LAST YEAR was so DIFFICULT for her. Yeah, collecting alimony and that Bravo cheque must be tough. Wonder if she's managed to hook another sucker after Dr. Greg? Oooooo Buffie exposes Simone? Can't wait to see that. I love Toya, even when I don't agree with her. Toya is completely comfortable with and true to herself. Should I skip Season 8 (aka Covid season) or stick with it?

Great episode, because it focused on the women and their individual stories. You could kind of tell that some of the Ladies of London production team might be putting this together -- use of poppy music, snappy outdoor segue shots, small groups of the women together, or just them and their families. I didn't look once at the clock. Sara is a star -- our bridge between the private Emirati world and the ex-pat life. Talking about her two divorces and wanting to raise Maktoum a certain way is pretty brave considering some of the rules usually imposed on Emirati women. Sara seems so strong and fearless, I love her. Maktoum is the cutest, running to open the door to Ayan with his faux-hawk haircut. That chat with Ayan was incredible. When Ayan talked about excitedly packing her suitcase when her awful father invited her to travel with him, only for her sister to say 'I heard he might be trying to marry you off, so you'd better not go' ? 14 years old! 😥 And how her husband offered her a feeling of safety that she never felt with her dad. Did you catch Sara also mentioning that she'd been physically abused in one of her relationships? It is this kind of openness which I did not expect to see on RHODubai. I warmed to Nina this episode, even though (or maybe because) I know she might be the strategic chess-player of the group. I air-high-fived the All My Children and Like a Virgin references -- and I am lowkey waiting for Nina to adopt a little Erica Kane, you know what I mean? Also loved her husband talking about his work and their courtship. Lesa bringing out the Jamaican with her cooking, attitude and accent -- flove it. Lesa, Sara and Ayan giving me so much already. I honestly thought this was going to be the Stanbury and Brooks Show, but so far these three women are the standouts. I love how close Lesa and Ayan seem to be. Did you catch Ayan's son Taj muttering sarcastically "Sigh... Yes Queen" when Ayan told him to open her car door at Lesa's house? IA, we saw old Ladies of London Caroline Stanbury this week. Brooks is talking out of turn about the women in her VTs. She's going to feel some heat at reunion (if we get one). Honestly, I am enjoying this show a lot more than I did SLC when it first began. @NothinButAttitude She continues giving me life this week:

Even when they fight, there's a feeling of sisterhood and like most of the core ladies are part of each other's lives off-camera as well as on. I do miss Mariah's presence. Currently watching S7, and that was her final season. There was a moment in Savannah where Mariah was upset at Jackie, Heavenly and Quad -- Toya just held her, forehead to forehead, stroking her hair until Mariah calmed down. I can't explain how impactful that scene was, but you really felt the trust between those two come through the screen.

Atlanta BH Dubai RHUGT #2 That's a lot of quality Housewives on at one.

BH After watching this rather confusing episode, I went back to watch last year's episodes where Crystal vs Sutton face-off with "Tell me you're that girl who doesn't see color." At the time, Crystal pointed out the generational gap between her and Sutton when it comes to viewing race. (BTW the 'not seeing color' reference reminds me of Kristen Bell promoting those tone-deaf purple people books). Sutton talking about kids gathered around her pool was kinda awkward but it was well-meaning. Crystal highlighted her own ability to pivot and embrace the race discussion such as it is now. By contrast, Sutton was slower, in her wealth-bubble, and, I imagine, adjusting to a new reality for her. This time around, I don't know what to make of this talking-point. I want to be respectful of Crystal's experiences as an Asian American woman. But some of this feels like leveraging an issue for the purpose of going up against another HW. I'm glad Bravo showed the footage of the conversation, otherwise this entire episode would have been a mess. Crystal handled it poorly by staying silent when asked to explain further. I was surprised that Kyle, Rinna and Dorit, of all people, cautioned Crystal about tarring someone with the racism brush without receipts. I assumed they'd be eating the ambiguity up with a spoon. Sutton was p!ssed but also surprisingly controlled. The tidbit re: Crystal talking out of turn about former BFFs and aligning herself with the most powerful woman in the group was interesting. So far, Crystal has held back from cleaving to any group, really, on this show. Rinna reluctantly co-signing the rumor was interesting too. The dynamic on BH may not be as clear-cut as Team Coven vs Team Garcelle-Sutton-Crystal. ETA: This is the first real drama of the current season, and it sets the stage for the Rinna/Kathy drama later on. Interesting that both dramas have a 'she said-she said' component, and they also involve an accusation of problematic language -- in Kathy's case, a possible homophobic slur.

@NothinButAttitude Thought you'd enjoy this clip of Ayan on WWHL which made me giggle out loud a few times 🤭 "GOOD. FOR. THEM."

I feel a lot more connected to the women this season, like I'm revisiting old friends. Sheree, Marlo and Kenya in particular stand out. I can't get over how bad I felt for Sheree last episode, and I'm not sure in the last few seasons, that emotional pull would have been there. Kenya telling her over the phone "Oh, baby, don't cry, Sheree" also underscored the ties that bind some of these women together -- even as they are paid to playfully shade one another. It made me warm to these two even more. But as you astutely point out, that Big Impact story has yet to materialize this season. Losing Porsha's drama was a blow -- especially as we already watched that crazy mess on the recent spin-off. ATL seems to be be missing a Lightning Rod character who electrifies (and polarizes) the fans. I also lay part of the ratings problem at Bravo's door. Bravo's marketing efforts have been so piss-poor this year. I don't know whether they fired a bunch of people or what, but it's like they aren't even trying with ATL. The photo shoot that had to be re-shot with the HWs own money. No rumor mill in overdrive in the months leading up to the premiere (unlike, say, BH). A part of me wonders whether Bravo is giving the ATL women the cold shoulder this year once they got wind of Nene's lawsuit. Kind of like they wanted to put the rest of the cast in check. Thanks! I wasn't sure whether Bravo should go with RHOWinnetka or not. Winnetka would be more accurate, but 'Chicago' might allow Bravo to spread its net wide in case potential RHs in Winnetka fall short. Kind of like RHOBH encompasses not so much Beverly Hills as Encino, Sherman Oaks, snowy Pasadena and Hancock Park. I'm not super-familiar with the North Shore suburbs, but I did grow up watching John Hughes's films which were mostly filmed in the area (Glencore, Maine Township, Shermer, etc). Winnetka is home to the Home Alone house.

I watched and enjoyed the show (better than the trailer, I thought) -- but I also agree with all your differing opinions. @Faulkner Kim Zolciak definitely came to mind when I saw Caroline Stanbury. God knows Andy and Bravo have tried for years to find a vehicle for La Stanbury since she left Ladies of London. I loved her on that show, but Caroline once said that she was a superficial person and wouldn't apologise for it. That works on a show like LOL where London, aristocratic traditions and social-climbing are also the stars. When the setting is Dubai, where superficiality is raised to an art form, it gets lost in the wallpaper. The setting may be part of the problem. On one hand, you have the ex-pat community which is mostly families. They love it because it is so safe and sunny 265 days 365 days of the year! It truly is a global melting-pot. But these communities are like the OC gated communities -- not much going on culturally except a lot of expensive real estate. Property is literally king there. It's like the scene where Sara and her son looked through the frame at the New Dubai and Old Dubai. New Dubai was the ex-pat world, built in large part by global financing (and laundered money). Then we had the smaller, anonymous white houses of Old Dubai, largely populated by Emiratis. What are their stories. their lives like? Some may live very Western lives, but others hew closely to old religious traditions. This is a secret, protected world, separate from the Western other side of the Frame. I think this is why, like @Taoboi, I liked Sara so much. She might be the missing link in this franchise between the Old and New Dubai. Otherwise, this show is just going to be about McMansions, glam and shopping. Which is fine but.... it's not enough. The UAE's regressive policies may also be a problem -- or the show's inability to truly talk about them. The ruler is incredibly wealthy, powerful... and despotic. His recent divorce from Princess Haya of Jordan in the London law courts exposed a lot of dark things. Two of his daughters tried to escape his influence; they are now under house arrest in Dubai, with one reportedly on serious mind-numbing medication to keep her pliant. Having said all that... I met a group of brilliant women from UAE at a conference about 10-15 years ago. I cannot tell you how warm, kind and generous they were towards me. I still think of their unforced generosity today. Meeting them changed the way I had previously viewed that part of the world. If this show makes broad moves towards showcasing Middle Eastern females in a largely positive light, it will have done a lot, because you don't see them represented all that much over here. The global diversity of this show is definitely a strong point. But now it has to build on this first episode and not lay back on its glitzy laurels, believing its job is done.