Cat

RHONY got toxic in its third season and went really hardcore in S4. The thing about RHONY was that most of the women were legit friends in S1-S3. Ramona and Jill knew each other for at least a decade, Jill and Luann got close, Jill and Bethenny got REALLY close, Ramona and Sonja were longtime pals. The fact that these were real relationships resonated -- although that is not to say that Jill Zarin and others weren't strategizing and self-producing for the show, trying to win the audience on their side, because they were. It's why their RL relationships couldn't be sustained, because Jill was briefing Page Six against Ramona, and vice versa. With SLC, as Meredith referred to Jennie in her statement, these are 'co-workers.' The toxicity feels different as a result (and even contrived), and this has an impact on our investment in this cast.

Ugh, I feared WWHL would blow this. After all, the episode was taped last Wednesday, before this mess took a life of its own. But Andy and Lisa kept saying on Twitter "It will get addressed on Sunday's WWHL." I thought, given the gagging of the cast, that maybe Bravo was waiting for this moment to make a definitive announcement. It was worse than I feared -- Andy didn't even say anything on behalf of Bravo. Lisa simpered some empty words about "doing better." Andy has lost touch with the mood of the audience. Surely he saw the situation building with Tweets he was receiving Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Many of the Tweets were crying out for Bravo to break its silence -- which the network still has not done. I'll give it to Jen Shah, Heather, Whitney and Meredith -- they understood before Andy did that the audience wanted clarity. Meredith was prevented from talking from the jump. Her eventual statement was very clear on where she stands. It is telling that these women broke ranks with Bravo to issue statements, maybe to force Bravo's hand? Only Bravo (and Andy) do not want to make a move one way or another. This is an awful look for the network.

Rumor is Andy is going to talk about this tonight. Better not be a 10-second "We just want to reiterate that Bravo does not condone racism. And now it's time to play Gucci or Garbage!" https://twitter.com/ActressCRSmith/status/1485267321044221956

Finally watched RHOM, and it was a packed episode. First off, I agree that the women have plenty going on in their own lives that they don't need to be thrown together every episode for manufactured drama. I love seeing Guerdy doing her event planning, and Alexia basically breathing drama. She is a Bravo producer's dream in terms of her real life and her willingness to hold her own with the other women. She is the Alpha Dog. Secondly, I was ready to put Nicole in the one-and-done category, but she stepped it up this episode. First of all, the confrontation with her clearly-drunk dad which likely did not go the way she envisioned and was all the more organic because of it. Second, Nicole finally leaned into her inner Cubana -- you could hear it in her accent and greater use of Spanish with Alexia. I feel like this gave her toughness and allowed her to take on four women coming for her all dinner long. Now, do I think Marysol brought this up to thirstily keep the drama going and finally claim that mojito? Yes I do. Marysol is that HW. However, I 100% agree with you that Baby Nicole made a classic rookie mistake. She got involved in someone else's drama. And she talked out of turn about the women while Marysol took notes. She handled herself well but damage was done. Nicole did strike back with that 'Alexia talking about Marysol behind her back' comment. We will see how that shakes out next week, because Marysol looked like she believed it for a minute. Speaking of trying to land that mojito -- Adriana in the bath. Lord! And Julia soaping her back and ogling. I'm starting to think that Julia may not be very bright, although I did like her Voice of Reason throughout the dinner. Alexia spoke the Lord's Truth about Lisa bringing glam to the house. WTF? For a clambake where she wore jeans and a tank top? I love glamour and fashion and all that, but glam-with-no-place-to-go has completely overtaken these shows in lieu of actual SLs, and it is completely ridiculous. I love that Alexia and Marysol did their own looks together and we got to see it. And this just echoes what an empty vessel Lisa is. All looks and fillers and nothing else. At least Larsa has a jewellery line to promote. The only thing I disagree on with you is Kiki. I love her fashion and hair looks. But she is like a ghost floating through this pack of women. When she said she needed to "caca," literally nobody reacted and I was like 'Do they not see her standing right there?'

Surely Bravo is not so stupid as to keep this newbie non-entity in the face of audience and cast disgust?? Bravo knows that keeping and coddling Brandi Redmond for the whole season was absolutely the worst decision it made in terms of RHOD. It killed the show, and was only one in a series of shaky decisions about race that Bravo made last year, even as it tried to embrace more diversity. Jennie just isn't important to the show like the S1 cast are and can be quickly dispensed with. I think Bravo is hastily trying to film the fallout from this week, whereupon Jennie will be exiled from 'the group.' That's my speculation. There will be lingering repercussions, of course, namely Lisa's flimsy condemnation of Jennie compared with Jen and Heather. My question is, what happens with the rest of this current season? Not to mention Reunion which will probably feature Jennie quite a bit. Without Mary there, she likely controlled the narrative when it came to their beef. Is Bravo re-editing to minimize her role, or will they be front-loading Jennie attacking Mary so as to reinforce what an awful person she is? Honestly, Bravo just needs to film Jennie being dropped from the group, and maybe pause production for a few weeks while it assesses some newbies and gets its act together. (P.S.: Speaking of RHOD, would love to see Tiffany and D'Andra pop up in SLC. For some reason, I think they'd be a good fit).

WTF?? I am no fan of Jen Shah, but her statement was absolutely spot-on! She didn't denigrate Jennie personally, except to say that her apology was disingenuous (which it was), and instead focused on the impact on her husband and sons. I thought it was the best thing Jen has ever said publicly. Bravo is punishing the wrong person here. Why are they bending over backwards to protect Jennie anyway?? She's a newbie, practically a FOH compared to the rest of the cast. And this is all publicity for a show which still has fledgling ratings. Turn on your [!@#$%^&*] cameras and milk this like the soulless money-makers that you are, Bravo!

Meat Loaf was a legend. Sad loss for such a strong, fun, irreverent spirit. Love that he told Andrew where to go! Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) and Bat Out of Hell!

Taking the Buffy residuals money? That would be karma.

@Chris B Peacock already posted the latest Miami episode?? @Taoboi Yes, that was a truly lovely moment, and Andy seemed touched by it. Mama Elsa was such a great presence on OG Miami! I loved Marysol saying she always had a sense of humor, but that was never really focused on in the early seasons. I do remember instances where Marysol gave some great quips. This gem was from S2: "Karent the carrier pigeon comes swooping in. I unroll the message from her leg. And it reads: ‘You’re in trouble for wearing fur’. ” And then this one from S3 at Adriana's wedding: "When [Lisa] first comes in, she's like--" (snootily) " 'Helloooo Marysolllllllll.' And I was like, Oh, we're going to do that? Come on. Pour a cocky and get over it." Oh! ETA: a Mama Elsa memory. At S2 reunion, Mama Elsa told Joanna "I'm a very good friend, but a very bad enemy." Karent tried to pipe up in defense, and Mama Elsa turns to her and growls: "I'm not talking to you, Number Three!"

I wouldn't put it past Bravo to sweep everything under the rug! *cough*RHOBH*cough* However, hearing that RHOSLC started filming this week, it does make me wonder if they are filming the fallout right now, and that's why there is a moratorium on the cast talking. Once that is filmed, then maybe the other HWs can finally speak. I honestly cannot see many of the other women aligning with Jennie after the stuff that has come up. I don't believe Heather or Jen Shah or Meredith are Trumpers (anymore) (unlike, say, most of the cast of OC last season). From a self-preservation POV, I cannot see they or Whitney or Lisa Barlow wanting to be associated with that mess. And there are still rumors that Mary will return in S3. Maybe Bravo is trying like crazy right now to make that happen.

The internet rescued one picture of her dressed up as Insurrectionist Barbie with long nails and a sub-machine gun. She must have thought she was a bad b!tch! Really gross. Glad you stood your ground on Twitter. I am ashamed to say that I liked Jennie at the beginning, and a lot of that was to do with her early-life story in Vietnam and her little girl, Karlyn. Obviously I want her gone from the show completely now. Bravo obvs forced her to post that formulaic BS apology, but it flopped big-time. I think Bravo will have no choice, as with Kelly Dodd, but to fire her asap. Not just that, but I read on Twitter that the SLC cast already started filming this week. If that is true, the cameras are there to witness the fallout and, perhaps, Jennie's rapid departure from the show. People went after Meredith last week about not sanctioning Mary for her comments towards Jennie. However, I like Meredith, and I think she has her heart in the right place and does stand up for what she believes. I think she will say something as soon as she can, and will not want anything to do with Jennie.

I just read the interview (sorry, reposting a recent status update because I didn't see this thread). He shouldn't have bothered. That was an absolutely terrible interview and the non-apology-apology equivalent of "I'm sorry if you think I did something bad." I cannot believe he said that English wasn't Gal Gadot's "first language" and therefore that's why she 'misunderstood' his threat to destroy her career! Ray Fisher "a bad actor in both senses" -- wtf? And Charisma Carpenter "Most of my experiences with Charisma were delightful and charming. She struggled sometimes with her lines..." He's trying to make sure both of them have a rep in Hollywood as unprofessional/poor in their work. The very LEAST he could have done with Charisma is apologise for the years of mental suffering (and lost job opportunities) she experienced because of him. He is an awful, awful person. Truly that was the "I couldn't help myself! All these women in short skirts!" defense of rapists. Michelle Trachtenberg, who was 13, was so shaken by her 'one-on-one' experience with him that her parents insisted she could never be in a room with him ALONE again. I remember these breathless puff pieces back in the day, and the inference that SMG was a snooty snob who didn't want to 'hang with the group' after work. Now it seems she didn't want to be anywhere near JW except on-set with lots of cast and crew around. It must be painful for her to field Buffy questions from fans knowing their experience and her experience of the show are diametrically opposed. These awful people seem to have no shortage of candidates throwing themselves at them! What am I doing wrong?! LOL. And why do I have a feeling he married a fan who worships at his feet?

Just saw it, thanks to your link, and DaytimeFan's. The memes are shocking and pedal a lot of lies when it comes to BLM protesters and the vaccine. I am stunned Bravo didn't do basic due diligence with their background check. This seems to have been easily unearthed by fans. Like you, I wish this would have come out much earlier, so we could have seen her confronted about it on the show or at reunion. But yeah.... this may explain her sudden hostility towards Mary. Honestly, some of these memes make Kelly Dodd's Twitter feed look like child's play.

She sure is!

OC Midseason Trailer

Fighting over the money train that Rosemary Cosby built. When Rosemary (Mary's grandmother) died, Mary's mother must have felt that the church (and its funds) were her birth-right. But Grandpappy Husband guessed that Young Mary would be more easily manipulated -- as well as a more stimulating and youthful church leader. So he groomed (yes, I use that word on purpose -- Mary was basically a child) and wooed her with expensive gifts like a car, then married her, and she became the face of Faith Temple, with him pulling the strings. And Mary's mother was ousted. Mary's mother sounds bitter-- but only about the money. In the clips I saw, she hardly expressed any concern about her daughter's wellbeing. And that's why I'm sad for Mary, because it is all so dark and twisted. As awful as she can be to her congregation, I think she has been used, abused and low-key traumatized by her circumstances. And then I see her reading the true motivations of the women in this cast so lucidly... I lowkey love her ability to sniff out any and all BS and fakery (except perhaps some of her own!). She seems clear-eyed about people who swerve and manipulate to get what they want. I imagine she learned about people like that very young.

I saw clips of the interview with Mary's parents. Snap judgement: that entire family is awful. The parents, Grandpappy husband.... all they care about is money. No wonder Mary is the way she is, hoarding her Gucci bags and clothes: this is what she was taught to value. She seems to love possessions over people, and this may explain why she comes off as fragilised and 'off' sometimes. I actually feel sorry for her. And with the church folded (i assume to avoid some kind of state or Fed investigation?), Mary's going to need a new revenue stream. I'm not surprised she's making overtures to Andy, and unlike with other HWs, Andy seems open to it. I still say she'll be back in S3.

This is 100% why I can't warm to Jen. The screaming and poking fingers in people's faces is abusive and, as you say, intimidatory. She appears to be a step away from losing it, but she won't. Because Jen is fully in control and knows not to completely mess up her chance on the show. The point of the screaming is to instill fear and keep the other women in check. Are there times when I enjoy Jen? Sure. Drunken Jen stepping on the float in the pool and doing a bed breakdance for the cameraman is entertaining. But I'm always aware of how controlled she is, even in her anger and upset, and how easily she can toss out a lie. Also noteworthy: Jen's mother gives her her life savings and suddenly Jen is back to bringing glam with her on trips. Ok. I too don't understand the coddling. Is Jen somewhat more fun to watch than Erika? Sure. But her crimes are somewhat more serious. As fairweather a friend as Lisa is, I can understand why she doesn't want to get too close to that. The instigators of this coddling are Bad Weather, and they have their own agenda. Part of it is they want to gang up with Jen to go after the people they dislike in the group. So now we have this ridiculous assertion that Meredith and/or Mary 'tipped off' the Feds. Please! The Feds built their own case against Jen Shah, likely through wire taps and witness statements from victims and intimidated employees. Little Girl boohooing about Mary not wanting to be her fwend was hilariously insincere, and Mary rightly paid her dust. Meanwhile, Heather wants to be seen to be Jen's ride-or-die at all costs, for her own reasons. She is very much enjoying the breakdown in Jen's other friendships. Meredith needs to watch it with ultimatums about not inviting Shahmazing where she is. She's going to invite herself right out of a job. I can't even remember what it is she's traumatised about. However, I do appreciate that she is the only one who stands up to Jen's screaming and finger poking. @DaytimeFan I read about Mary's church getting boarded up. Faith (Temple) No More! And the cash is probably long gone, too. This is likely the main reason Mary didn't show at reunion.

Miami Agree with @Soaplovers: the pajama party was painfully contrived. Larsa couldn't even be bothered to show. Since the whole thing was basically an ad for Faena and its show, they could have kept it as all the women go out to dinner, see the show, and call it a night. Lisa is realising that she needs to actually do something this season, so she's decided to steal Adriana's kissing-Julia SL. Lisa also clearly spends very little time with her children. She probably had nannies working around the clock, because when she is with them, she comes off as stiff and has no clue how to get them through feeding times like lunch. Nicole seems nice, but if this were Bravo, I'm not sure Nicole would ever be chosen as a RH. She is just too normal. For three episodes straight, the key takeaway from her scenes has been "we are foodies." The arrival of her clearly-drunk dad may shake up her SL a little. SLC Star of the episode was Seth, for perhaps all the wrong reasons. The boob obsession seems a bit much. I feel like Seth & Meredith are about to induct Little Girl & Justin and Jennie & Duy into their exclusive swingers club. Kevin and his Black Van are back! Black Van needs to be featured with its own tagine in the opening credits at this point. I see Jen Shah is screaming abuse and jabbing her acrylic nails in another woman's face again. And had to be forcibly restrained by a female producer. Is anyone going to call her out her behavior? Certainly not Heather and Little Girl, who seem to crucify anybody who doesn't invite Jen to their events. This is why!

Wait -- my pot-stirring drama queen got an individual guest spot on WWHL?! I must watch immediately! I hope this means that Bravo/Peacock are going to give Adriana a mojito next season. And yes, I am desperately hoping for a S5 of RHOMiami by Peacock. It has been so good! (I have no idea what the streaming numbers look like, though 😥). Reunion looks for SLC. Honestly, Heather looks by far the best. That dress, the cut, the navy velvet, is perfection on her. Meredith looks the worst. Brooks needs to stop dressing her because this is giving me Kermit vibes.

Yep. If they spoke on NYE about this, then AC knew that she would probably not show for reunion. Sounds like Bravo might have been hoping she would reconsider for S3. I think Andy and the network realizes that Jen Shah and Mary M Cosby effortlessly bring the drama. And it sounds like Mary REALLY did not want to face questions about racism/ignorance, Faith Temple, and Cameron.

Who is that? I thought it was Karen Huger for a second. Is that....Phaedra?

oh wow! That's too bad. Wonder WTH the writers were thinking.

LOL. He could have joined GH's cast of thousands (not that I would mind him on there either).