Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Cat]

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.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Cat

[Antoyne]

I’m really not shocked at all tbh. 

[Antoyne]

Have we ever had a stateside Housewives franchise get this toxic in only their second season?

[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.

Edited January 25, 2022 by Cat

[Cat]

 

[Cat]

On a lighter note -- RHONJ. Melissa & Joe are building a new McMansion to replace their old McMansion. I wonder if this will be Melissa's SL this season? After 'marriage problems' and 'possible secret half-sister.'

 

Remember when the real estate agent took clients through their old place, and they discovered that the bathroom 'marble' was actually wood?

[Chris B]

Meredith’s comments and Bravo’s silence make me think they’re trying to create a world where Jennie can stay and have a Brandi Redmond-esque redemption season. I think that’s why she’s going so hard to avoid that from happening. Who wants to be part of a hardcore racists apology tour?!

 

This House looks hideous and *so* Jersey. 

[Cat]

 

I don't know... Is Jennie Nguyen worth the effort for Bravo? A Brandi Redmond season-long redemption arc? I do not understand it. What Jennie is bringing to the table here compared with the other 6 women? Bravo would be dumb AF to throw its support behind this easily-replaceable FOH.

Judging by Andy's radio comments, I think it sounds like Bravo may now be trying to plan her exit. That false-advertising WWHL episode was NOT well-received at all. I cannot see Bravo keeping her on after the backlash of the last few days -- and people threatening to boycott Bravo completely.

 

I know it's a skeleton at the moment, but Melissa's new house is def making space for a bunch of chateau windows and turrets of different shapes and sizes.

 

Edited January 25, 2022 by Cat

[Taoboi]

Does RH of Vancouver count? 

[Chris B]

Finally! The fans putting pressure on them is what made this happen. 

[Cat]

 

The backlash must have been FIERCE because the network is pretty much acknowledging that its due diligence procedures are sub-par.

[Antoyne]

About damn time.

[Cheap21]

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[Antoyne]

All the Mary themes have me dying.

[DaytimeFan]

Once I read Heather's statement and Meredith's second statement, it seemed clear to me that Jennie was out. Neither one was going to cooperate with her and the backlash was sufficient that Bravo bailed.