DaytimeFan

WHOA. Amazing episode. As far as I'm concerned the best season finale of the Real Housewives franchise, bar none. I'm going to tackle this by approaching each lady... Camille: I felt oddly sympathetic for her. It stunned me that I felt a little bad, but damn is Kelsey Grammar a sleaze or what? Make no mistake, Camille deserves all of this crap happening to her, but to have a doorman check your ID because you don't look like your husband's mistress. Damn. Payback's a bitch. Adrienne: She is fabulous. I love how tough and strong and ballsy and fair she is. There is a lot to like about Adrienne. She and Paul are adorable, he lavishes attention on her like a queen. It is a treat. She handled everything with Kim as well as anyone else could. She gets major props for that and for staying above the fray throughout the season. She really gave it a go with being peacemaker and the voice of reason. Admirable. Now, if only she could do something about her hair! Lisa: She is terrific. Lisa is a straight shooter who likes to drop bon mots wherever she goes. It was interesting to see her interact with Kim, Lisa was far more sensitive to her than she has been in the past. If there's one thing Lisa doesn't like, it's weakness and that's Kim to a T. I could not believe that Lisa's suggestion to settle all the bullsh*t between Kim and Taylor erupted like it did. My only critique of La Lisa is that she was, at times, patronizing. But then, I'm that way too, nobody perfect! Taylor: After this episode, I feel she is the vilest person on the show. She is truly, a horrible person. She launched into an attack on Kim without a second thought and was proved to be a massive liar thanks to video flashback. Interesting that Taylor thought she could go toe to toe with Kim, it just wasn't going to go her way. Kim might be a mess, but she has a memory like a steel trap (that's an actress for you). Taylor is a social climber of the worst kind, she resents the hell out of Lisa for calling her on her bullsh*t. I think what bothers Taylor so much when it comes to Lisa is that Lisa has her number and for a con like Taylor (real name Shana Hughes) that's a cold slap in the face. Oh and Russell's birthday speech was bizarre and just what she deserved. Kyle: She snapped. Simple as that. She's probably been cleaning up Kim's messes for decades. It's been a long and winding road. It was low to blow the lid off of Kim's alcoholism (not that it wasn't apparent) but I can see how it happens. Kim's lashing out about a house and then having Kyle bring it down to the mat regarding Mauricio acting as Kim's protector (and financial supporter from the sounds of it) was ugly. But, actions speak louder than words. Kim: She cracked. Addiction is bad. Anxiety is horrible. Kim is a wreck. She hasn't gotten over the last few decades. She's just too destroyed, she's been gutted like a fish. But like any addict in a codependent relationship Kim goes back to reliable mix of emotional outbursts, resentments and excuses. I feel sorry for both of them. Overall, it was riveting, I look forward to the reunion.

Andy dodged Barbara's questions on the The View. I get the impression that DC is dead and that there is little interest, on BRAVO's part, to bring it back. Much as I despise them, the Salahi's were the big draw for that show...what would the reunion have been without them?

I'm betting Lisa's husband is speaking of Cedric. The highest rated episode was the latest episode of RHofBH. I feel Kandi's career is going nowhere because she hasn't had a hit in years. Yes, she's financially secure thanks to her brilliant writing career...but the focus of Kandi's current activities, at least so far as we see on the show, is her solo career which hasn't happened for her while Kim, with minimal effort, has a hit.

Well, rolling her eyes wasn't a good reaction. She needs a little help. What you hate about Kim is the point of Kim. She's a terrible singer, isn't getting any better and yet can release a song (her newest, 'Google Me' was done without Kandi's help) and make some money. She's never going to be a big star, it's clear to me she gets that. She puts in zero effort yet makes a splash. That's down to charisma and plain dumb luck. And really, people can call Kim a slut and whatever, but she's hardly alone in how she conducts herself. Many a socialite in Beverly Hills got there the same way (take a bow Camille Grammer!) and they're not all bad people. Nene doesn't have her own show. She hosts segments. And she works for the Atlanta NBC affiliate. BRAVO is also owned by NBC. Think that's any coincidence? I love Nene, I think she's hilarious and ballsy, but she should realise that Kim is more useful to her as an ally. They should not be rivals. It just doesn't work. If anyone should be jealous of Kim, it's Kandi. That poor bitch works her ass off and gets nowhere! Nene will be the David Caruso of the RH franchise if she leaves. She'll be crushed.

What was Nene's reaction to that suggestion? I think Nene really needs to get a grip on herself, I love her but her anger just explodes out of her when she's pushed and it's dangerous, her blood pressure will be insane and she'll end up with a stroke. Kim isn't a hot head, nor is a she a dumb blond, girlfriend is laughing all the way to the bank. Kim is totally superficial, but in this odd way, I find it authentic. The thing with Kim is that I firmly believe she's in on the joke that is her. She's just smart enough to exploit the potential.

I think Susannah York would have been marvellous, but very different, as Sable. I think Beacham was the best possible casting but York would have made the character into her own creation. She would have played the hell out of Francesca Colby, a role that Katharine Ross just destroyed. Linda Evans chose to leave the show, she was not pushed out like Joan was. 'Dynasty' was just on a total downward spiral. Robert Iger wanted the show gone, he didn't think it was the right fit for NBC anymore.

The axe will fall on DC. OC this season, from what Andy Cohen says, is going to be amazing and very heated.

Hasn't been announced yet, but it will be. Last week's episode surged BRAVO to it's highest ratings of the season and created a superb lead in for Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.

Tough day for Joan, Susannah York was a very good friend of hers since the 1970s when the two starred in a televised adaptation of the Noel Coward play 'Fallen Angels'...Susannah said this of Joan: "Joan is a superb light comedienne, it is a pity that through her career producers tend to think of her as a sultry sex symbol." Not for nothing, but Susannah auditioned for the role of Sable Colby with Joan backing her. Rest in peace Miss York.

That's the interesting part. Joan's reduced role in the final season of 'Dynasty' was not her doing. She was FURIOUS about it. The show's budget had exploded and the Shapiro's felt that Alexis' role could be downsized. Joan didn't appear in 9 episodes that season. At the time, Joan was the highest paid actress on television at $120,000 an episode, so those 9 episodes had to hurt. Joan is a worker. That said, she had told Spelling she wouldn't return if there was a tenth season because she felt the network had slapped her in the face. Yes, they lived in the same building on Shoreham Drive. Aaron especially enjoyed the shine Joan took to his daughter Tori. Joan and Tori are apparently quite friendly all these years later.

Joan was 'Fantasy Island' in the 70s, she played Cleopatra. It was that role which inspired Spelling to hire Joan as Alexis. Aside from that and an appearance on 'The Love Boat' after she'd started on 'Dynasty,' Joan never worked on a Spelling project. Joan knew Aaron through her friend Carolyn Jones (with whom she'd done an MGM musical, 'The Opposite Sex'), who was Aaron's first wife, who he remained tremendous friends with until her untimely death. Joan knew Aaron socially and I think that's why they worked, they were friends first and in a business relationship second. I actually think the 60s adaptation will flop if it does get made. I just don't see the point of it, 'Dynasty' was good because it featured adults with adult toys and adult problems. Do I really care to see Chris Pine suffer? Why should Gemma Arterton be a tremendously fun bitch when she's barely 20? To basically take Blake and Alexis and transplant their personalities into younger bodies will betray the integrity of the show, insofar as the character motivations go. It'll be ludicrous to have the audience under the impression that Alexis was always a bitch, when it was clear from day one that it simply wasn't the case. To me, there is no 'Dynasty' without Joan Collins. I think 'Dynasty' translates in the foreign market so much better because the glamour it represented is still very aspirational overseas. For better or for worse, it defines the American 'success story' for the world. It highlights money, greed, power...perhaps it was a little too close for comfort in the long run once the Go Go 80s were over and the bottom fell out of the market. Not for nothing, but I think it also helped that Spelling sent cast members on foreign press tours all the time. Joan Collins was sent across the damn globe to promote the show. She was savvy at what she did. I think Joan, especially, saw 'Dynasty' as the career opportunity of a lifetime. Those first few years on the show, she hustled. She did every magazine, every television show (from the Barbara Walters Special to Good Morning Albuquerque), every appearance she possibly could to drive up her visibility. She branded everything she could. She worked, worked, worked. Often when other people thought she was playing.

Yes, it was a very gracious, thoughtful, kind thing of Aaron Spelling to do. From what I understand, that's just who he was. Now, that isn't to say he was some pushover (he was a nightmare if you crossed him)...but if you were there for Aaron, Aaron was there for you. I think 'Dynasty' was the pinnacle of Aaron's career and I think his long standing friendship with Joan (they'd known each other since the 50s) was kismet. They did not sign away their royalties for the reunion mini-series (they all took paycuts instead, Joan only made $200,000 for the thing!) or CBS reunion (which paid so bad Diahann Carroll refused to do it, Joan was paid the best at $55,000, her buddy Henry Winkler was the producer, surprise surprise). I feel the same way you do about Joan. I'd hate to see her lowered, financially or otherwise, simply because she survived the business so long and only tasted real success in her late 40s. She hung in there, she deserved it. That said, Joan Collins is expensive to run. Four homes, three children, three grandchildren, constant travelling, trainers, clothes, costume jewels...the lifestyle is expensive, hence she works. She's not doing 5 weeks of pantomime for nothing!

No, I have it on very good authority that the clause is in effect for perpetuity. The Shapiro's have worked out a deal with Joan that financially compensates her. This puts Joan in a good mood, she takes to her Twitter to boost the movie a little. Very Hollywood .

LOL. In all fairness, Aaron hired Joan for 'Pacific Palisades' because of her battle with Random House that drained her cash flow, no other reason, he simply wanted to help out a friend. He paid her $75,000 an episode. She did seven, those couple of months grossed a tidy $525,000 for Joan, right when she needed it most. Joan has always struck me as the type who lives high, regardless of whether the money is there or not. I am aware, however, that post Random House, Joan smartened up, paid off her mortgages and has since managed her money herself in an ultra conservative manner designed by her pal Jimmy Goldsmith. And yes, nobody from the Aaron Spelling universe makes residuals, aside from a handful who got producer credits on his shows (Heather Locklear was a co-producer for the last few seasons of 'Melrose Place' for instance). Otherwise, nobody has residuals from the Spelling shows. Joan has said that they were all convinced that 'Dynasty' would not sell well in syndication because it was a serial and therefore couldn't be stripped as easily. Domestically, this proved totally true. However, the foreign residuals have been massive money makers. The DVD sales couldn't hurt either. As well, the deals the majority got were substantial. $1.5 million was nearly a year's salary for Joan and it was CASH, it's what she used to buy her villa in the south of France (a place that now would be worth $30 million, if not more, for the land alone). Nolan had the gall to use fake chinchilla for Linda Evans in the reunion on CBS because the outfit he did for Linda was specifically for that show. Everyone else, Joan included, wore their own clothes. Nolan has been dealing with lung cancer since 2006. He looked terribly ill in 2007 and 2008, but he was photographed with Ann-Margret at an event in Beverly Hills last May and he looked great, his hair is white now and his tan has faded, but he looked like himself and was no longer gaunt, he looked good. I hope he is in full remission. He never smoked and he's always seemed like a really affable straight shooter. You can watch recent videos of him on QVC's website, he has a jewellery line there. I found it interesting that in the HELLO! layout of Joan's London home, one of the only non-family members who is in photographs with Joan (in silver picture frames, naturally) is Nolan. She and Nolan are BFF. Regardless of what's going on with him, I am confident that Joan has a watchful eye on him.

Joan's contracts were negotiated with Aaron Spelling directly, Esther Shapiro never had any say in regards to contracts...perhaps it was Spelling's way of protecting Joan, Aaron had a funny way of looking out for some of his stars: he bought out Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson's share of 'Charlie's Angels' residuals and signed them over to Jaclyn Smith as he felt she'd earned them since she stayed with the series from beginning to end. Interestingly, he did the exact opposite to the 'Dynasty' cast, he bought each and every one of them out of their residuals, which royally screwed all of them. Joan's residual deal was worth $1.5 million back in 1988...a lot of money at the time...but had she retained her residuals, she likely would have made $25 million at this point, considering how well the show has continued to sell.

RHoBH: WHOA. Camille and Kelsey. Freaky. Deaky. Those two deserve each other. Jackie Collins is right, if she wrote what actually goes down, she'd be laughed off the page! I just adore Lisa. What she said to Kyle about Taylor ("I'm very straightforward I don't have time for bullsh*t") and then how she called Taylor out on her 'put on a happy face' routine was gold. I loved Farrah's university graduation, Kyle and the whole family was just...wonderful. Have to wonder what was up with Rick and Kathy and their children...kind of seemed like a slap in the face for them to head to the south of France the day before Farrah graduated. And those flowers were horrendous. I cannot wait till next week. Kim made a fatal error with pulling Lisa into the mix. She is NOT going to back down. And how everything is going to implode in the limo home between Kyle and Kim...about damn time! Loving Adrienne and Paul. RHoATL: I loved the episode. I knew Phaedra and Kim would get along once the cards were on the table. That sip and see was hilarious. I love how Sheree is, all of a sudden, the sane one! Nene continues to be fabulous. Her tags for 11 ALIVE were terrific! I HATED that jerk Kandi had on tour, what a diva. Kim's no angel, but geeeeez he was too much. Next week is going to be off the hook with Nene v Kim. Cannot. Wait. Peter and Cynthia should just call it off now. Those two won't make it to their 3rd anniversary. He is an angry prick.

They're going to hit a bit of a hiccup courtesy of Joan Collins... In Joan's renegotiated contract of 1985 she had it artfully written into her deal that no actress could ever assume the role of Alexis, regardless of the medium or time frame in the storyline in perpetuity. Joan established ownership over the character. Why she did this remains a bit of a mystery to me, nobody watched for 'Alexis'...they watched for Joan Collins AS Alexis. Now, either the Shapiros have negotiated a financial deal with Joan or they are about to get a really nasty surprise from her lawyers. There is no movie if there isn't Alexis.

Bitch is evil. That's a great magazine cover. Totally accurate.

My heart be still. There's no way Jackie Collins would be on BH (no husband and she's kept her children and grandchildren totally out of the spotlight)...but Joan...for the right price...she would be sensational. I can only imagine her at the Dinner Party From Hell. She would have literally slapped Camille and DD and Alison. I think she'd get along best with the 3 Winners (Kyle, Lisa and Adrienne), she'd eat Kim for breakfast, dismiss Taylor as the loser she is and loathe Camille with strategic withering put downs. That said, I just don't see it happening. Joan is 77 going on 78...she has resisted all forms of reality television (and she's been offered big bucks to do a ton of shows) and from what I can gather she's actually busy with work this year (2 movies plus a book).

I've been watching all day! Happy New Year everyone! Like Andy Cohen would say, Mazel!

Yeah, Faye is kind of trashy, without question, but I find that fun and refreshing and bullshit free. She just is who she is and honey, she'll just click/clack in her high heels away from whoever has a problem with her and snap a bejewelled finger at anyone who gets in her way. Television Without Pity is hilarious.

I don't think Lisa was amused, right at the end of the party we saw, for the first time, Lisa crack a little under pressure and lose her cool, just a tiny bit. I know beneath the champagne kisses and caviar dreams, Lisa has fire in her. I didn't think Adrienne was petrified, I think she was disgusted, she's above it all and she knows it. Camille is evil. I really mean that. From my first impression of her, I like Faye Resnick. She tells it like it is. She isn't necessarily the epitome of class, but she seems like a fun broad. Why not pleasantly surprised regarding her friendship with Kyle? Why does Camille hate her? Why does Camille hate everyone? She's a narcissistic pig.

Wow, that Allison Dubois chick was white trash and just a gutter snipe. What's that phrase Melissa Rivers coined? Whore Pit Viper, that's it. That's Allison Dubois. Camille is so disgusting, ditto her lap dog DD. Lisa seemed mortified. Adrienne looked more like a mafia wife who was *not* amused.

Aren't they amazing? I love Lisa. Cedric is the ideal partner in crime.

Just wait till you're done. Kelly cracks. In a big, messy, crazy, way.