Bravo's The Real Housewives of....

[Taoboi]

ALL STARS

 

I can't believe I am going to say this, but...I am actually liking Melissa and Kyle on this.

 

Melissa actually seems like a fun girl here, and not a mean girl. Meanwhile, Kyle actually seem normal and real versus what she THINKS is her being normal and real. Her comforting Kenya over the divorce from Marc was an awwww moment and she seem so genuine. Meanwhile I laughed at her poking fun at herself and what happened with LVP and 'GOOD BYE KYLE.'

But that has been the best thing about this. We have had reality tv around for decades now. And the ladies of all the franchises have learned how to suck up to producers, show only what they want to show, and pretend the outside world does not exist for the most part. BUT HERE? Here they can talk about the outside world and social media and being on the show and how it influences their lives. And I've found their perspective really insightful. Standouts for me was Teresa talking about being happy with her man...ironically given what is currently going on NJ and yes I am behind. lol. Kyle talking about being a friend and her friendship with LVP. Lu and Tom and finding out what he did by Bethanny. Things we saw on air, but not completely from their point of views. Honorable mention to Lu bringing up Bolo to Kenya and Cynthia. lol. 

 

That does bring me to again...the growing rift between Kenya and Cynthia. Le sigh. I cannot believe that Cynthia feels like she's looking for a moment and cannot see that Kenya was actually in pain. It makes me think of Nene's wedding special when her and Marlo fell out because Nene felt Marlo was doing too much. And that caused a rift. 

 

I had a long day and dozed off sadly, but I really, really enjoying it besides. 

[Soaplovers]

OC:

Heather isn't perfect, in fact, she's probably the most insecure housewife I've ever seen. And she covers her insecurities by looking down on others. She isn't any better than Ryne.

And I wonder if Ryne shuts down because of the way his wife drinks.  She seems emotionally abusive and holds her profession/education over his head.  If the roles were reversed, people would be all on her side.  Double standard.

NJ

Can I say team no one?  I wouldn't be friends with any of them....well except Jackie (only to see Evan in a swimsuit).

[Cat]

The Kenya-Cynthia rift actually makes me emotional. They really were good friends outside of the show, and to have it just wither away like that during RHUGT made me quite sad. Sad for Cynthia especially because I think Kenya can shrug this friendship away more easily than Cynthia. Cynthia was on WWHL last night discussing this and other things, and honestly, I am going to miss Cynthia on RHOA. I think she may have been let go too hastily. JMO. 

Glad you are enjoying RHUGT. I too enjoyed the behind-the-scenes glimpse into how these women act outside the show. I think I pretty much gained a new appreciation of everyone on the cast... but you may find as you keep watching that the old, manipulative, looking-for-an-opportunity Kyle does reappear!

[Cheap21]

RHOM 

The story of what happened with Julia's baby....WOW.  That was a soap plot if I ever heard one. Young Julia gets involved with an ultra rich well connected European and finds herself pregnant. They split and she gives birth to his son. The ex's secretary suggests she get a nanny and 2 weeks later some Bulgarian woman shows up and gets hired. The baby dies and the nanny mysteriously disappears. Months later the ex's current girlfriend tracks Julia down for a meeting and lies about who she is. She asks Julia that if she tells her if she is still sleeping with the ex, she'll tell her the truth about what happened to her baby. She doesnt actually reveal anything but months later the girlfriend shoots the ex and kills him after they have sex. If this were a soap opera, we'd be having the son mysteriously alive 21 years later, having been kidnaped and raised by the girlfiend in some revenge plot against Julia. Why was none of this brought up on the show? All we got was the baby died but none of these details.

Adriana is a hating ass b-tch. Team Larsa!

Im so sick of seeing Marysol with that cup. The ran that joke into the ground

[Cheap21]

More on Julia and this All my Children plotline

Not all of Stern's romantic entanglements were so easy to unwind. In 1997, Stern began carrying on a passionate affair in Paris with a Russian woman named Julia Lemigova. The daughter of a Red Army colonel, she was a former Miss Soviet Union. The two shared a passion for guns and practiced together at shooting ranges. Reportedly, Stern discussed marriage with her several times, but would always back off. Once, he allegedly even had his psychoanalyst meet her for breakfast in order to determine if she would make a suitable wife. Supposedly, the psychoanalyst told him no.

The family adviser confirms a story that circulated at the time: Julia, now 32, became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy in 1999. She told Stern it was his, and he accepted responsibility, visiting the infant daily and paying for an Eastern European nanny. When Stern told van Riel what had happened, van Riel suggested they administer a paternity test.

Van Riel launched a private investigation that established not only that Stern was just one of three men Julia was then sleeping with—throwing his paternity into doubt— but that she had relocated to New York's Pierre hotel, where she fell into the arms of a certain paper-industry magnate. When van Riel showed him photographs to prove it, Stern angrily threw them aside. He cut Julia off.

Amid these developments, however, the baby was suddenly rushed to a Paris emergency room. It died soon after. According to the family adviser, an autopsy confirmed that the infant had died from a brain injury, apparently caused by excessive shaking. Julia was detained, then released. The nanny, a Bulgarian woman, disappeared; the crime, if there was one, was never solved. After Stern's death, Lemigova wondered to the press whether someone had paid the nanny to murder her baby.

 

Between she and Alexia, they have SOOOO much drama surrounding their personal lives. They have stories to tell and thats only touching the surface

Edited March 3, 2022 by Cheap21

[DaytimeFan]

NJ

I am not viewing this season as team vs team because I think although there are overlapping issues, there are individual distinctions:

Teresa: truly, one of the dumbest hypocrites on television. Teresa actually said that no one should be judged based on their past...yet she hung Danielle Staub's past over her head for a decade. Teresa demands blind loyalty but is loyal to one but herself. Luis loves the camera and he's put on that mic pack, so for Teresa to try and insulate him is hypocrisy at its finest. 

Jennifer is hurt and humiliated but the psychology of Bill cheating has not been fully resolved for her. She identifies Margaret as 'the other woman'...but she's not. As Margaret herself said, she's not the other woman, she's Bill. That is probably where some of Jennifer's anger comes from and she hasn't figured it out yet. 

Dolores wants to get along with everyone, and generally succeeds in doing so but she plays all sides to keep her own personal peace. That said, that's what adults do when a fight has nothing to do with them. She has a real friendship with Teresa and a real friendship with Margaret. I think she can find Jennifer and Melissa amusing and she tolerates Jackie. 

Jackie sort of wants to be the big dog in a fight, but she's ultimately not cut out for that kind of confrontation and really should stay well out of it. 

Margaret has no problem just blurting things out and being confrontational. The producers would love that. However, I do think when it came to Luis that she's doing good Housewifery and making sure that his insane video is addressed on camera. She is also not afraid to let it all hang out to an extent, which makes her harder to attack, which infuriates Teresa because Margaret is much quicker than she is.

Melissa and Joe could have (and should have) let the 'crook' comment go and it would have died a long time ago. But I think they realize it's part of their storyline and Melissa has never liked Jennifer, so it's convenient to have conflict with her. What Melissa and Joe aren't wrong about is Teresa does not back them up when she expects them to back up Luis. 

I am enjoying this season immensely because there's a lot of different angles to the conflict and I think there's still a lot of genuine fondness between this cast. 

[Taoboi]

WOW. And isn't that around the time or end of AMC Erica's baby switch with Maria aka Baby Sonya.

Yeah, if anything...this proves without a shadow of a doubt that the Lu on camera and off camera is one and the same. And outside of her classist issues...which makes me scare to do a full NY binge though I am happy she has grown funnier as time passes...I love her all the more for it. 

 

As for Kyle I wouldn't mind that. I have always in my viewing of BH loved it when Kyle allows her claws to come out...usually with Brandi...rather than being/acting a victim. It was when she was her most real in my eyes. Where's the Season 1 Kyle who went toe to toe with Camille and was not afraid to get dusty a la her Season 1 tagline? But...will do!!! 

 

 

[Taoboi]

NJ

 

Well, playing a game of catch up and watched Episode 3. 

 

I thought it was pretty good. I was surprised that we only got a little bit of Teresa. How often do we get that as viewers since she is the center of the show? And we got to see some resolution with Teresa's kids vs Joey Gorga. However, he really needs to learn to STFU if he wants to do what's best for them.

 

Meanwhile....that meant that the other cast member had to make do for themselves. I thought they did good for the most part. After all seeing Frankie is always fun.

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  But I thought it was telling that without someone to bully/harrass, there was not much going on. It was a nice breathing room, but still...

 

But oh, wait! They could pick on Jennifer. I hope she is smart enough to know Marge was so trying to gaslight her. And it was not cool. Meanwhile, Dolores was sure showing off a not nice look. Granted, perhaps Jackie was being a genuine friend, but there was no need to go Patterson on her. But Jackie should have known not to get in Dolores's face. And all this over Jennifer? JENNIFER??? Is this the new Queen? Uh oh...

 

THINGS I LIKED

 

THE FAMILY STUFF. One thing that NJ does better than most is show the family. Whether it's Teresa's kids with Joey's kids or Jackie talking about her eating disorder issues with Evan to Dolores with Frankie (*swoons*) and her girl talking about Frank Sr., it is so all over everything going on. And it's relatable. Can't hate on that even I dislike some of the people. It makes them more human if anything.

 

THE MYSTERY OF JACKIE. Like I mentioned above, Jackie talking to her husband. Jackie trying to be a friend to Jennifer in like of the affair. Even Jackie clocking in to get into Dolores's face. I don't know for sure it's for real, but she's having a good season so far and is in the thick of things. Or is that her playing her cards right? Hmmm....

 

EVENTS. Say what you want? But they are giving family life AND events. And I liked Jackie explaining the genesis of the idea for the Korger. As for usual, there was Marge stirring the pot. And the awkwardness of Jennifer and Bill shined through. And...well...Patterson Dolores. lol. Speaking of...

 

SO THE PSYCHIC WAS RIGHT. So Dolores and David are done. Well...we saw that coming. Definitely explains her temperment right now. But to think of what was said that one season...wow. And now he's dating Louie's ex, too. Just wow.

 

THINGS I DID NOT LIKE.

 

SEEN BUT STAY UNHEARD.  Is it just me or is Evan's vibe turning different? Part of what made him hot...and he still is hot...was his modesty over his hotness. But it appears to be coming across very cocky all of a sudden and I saw the preview for Episode 6 where he was acting like his wife. Funny since he really stayed above women's business when it was Teresa and the rumor. I worry the show has gotten to him and he's not getting tainted. Sad.

 

JOEY GORGA. Needs to let it go. After least on camera.  

 

THAT ASSISTANT. I didn't like her last season. I like her even less this season. 

 

It was a pretty easy and breezy episode with a nice cliffhanger. 

 

 

[NothinButAttitude]

Have y'all watched the Miami reunion yet? Julia's backstory about her deceased son's dad... whoa!

 

We need a movie about this stat! That sh*t was crazy!

[Taoboi]

Cheap has!!!

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[Taoboi]

RHOM

 

Oh, you all did not mention the shade of THIS!!!

 

 

[Cat]

 

 

Wait a minute-- Julia had a baby with Edouard Stern?? OMG, the drama!

Edouard Stern came from a wealthy French banking family but really blazed a trail in the 80s and 90s with his hostile takeovers. He was ruthless and powerful business-wise.

And for Julia's baby's paternity to be under question... and a psychologist to assess whether Julia would be a 'suitable wife.' Crazy that he had her assessed and surveyed like that. And then the baby dying in mysterious circumstances and the nanny disappearing -- what on earth?? That is some Sheila Carter-level stuff. Poor Julia, it must have been completely devastating.

Stern's girlfriend showing up later and dangling the mystery of what happened to Julia's baby is just horrific. Whether that means that the girlfriend arranged the baby's death, or Stern did, or Stern knew something about what happened to the Bulgarian nanny -- all of this is completely chilling. The girlfriend, Cecile Broussard, ended up going to prison for Stern's death. Stern was found wrapped in latex -- a sex-game gone wrong, people said -- but also with bullets fired into his body. Cecile at the time of his death was on a plane, presumably to confirm her alibi, but there were suggestions that she had tied him up and left him to die of dehydration and blood loss, to make it look like an accidental death. The Stern family at the time said that she was very possessive of Stern and isolated him from his family and friends, and that it was an abusive relationship. The whole thing was very dark and suspect, and the Swiss authorities hushed up some of the details at the behest of the Stern family who were embarrassed by the whole thing. Meanwhile, the girlfriend only served 8 years in prison and is now out.

I can see why Julia wanted to get away from that whole dark, traumatic time.

Edited March 4, 2022 by Cat

[Cheap21]

There was a movie!

 

 

I dont know if  Julia factored into it but I would definitely be up for an Amerian version told from her perspective. I can imagine why se may not want to be involved with that though

[Taoboi]

OMFG AT ALL THAT TEA, @Cheap21 and @Cat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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[Taoboi]

RHOA