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I think Douglas got a ton of help with favorable scoring through Nationals and Trials. That beam has been jittery the whole time, they seemed to constantly miss short handstands & missed connections on bars and I'm still wondering how she was pulling off her FX scores in relation to what others competed. To be honest I think Maggie is probably the one who got hosed. Supposedly Marta Karyoli instructed her to do an easier vault which held down her AA score and Vt placement. I think with another month's time she would be right where we need her and capable of being inserted in all 4 lineups. No way Gabby should have been only 2 tenths less on FX. While I feel poorly for Skinner I understand how her strengths/weaknesses were difficult to plug in. With Kocian/Locklear necessary for an UB score and neither that great on beam and all the bubble girls putting up similar floor scores we had a funky scenario where the #4 girl actually became a bit of a specialist as well. Eveyone is close enough on floor that it came down to whether they needed a UB worker more than another vaulter. My only gripe is as I said above- Douglas was being held up on UB and I think they were slightly stingy with Skinner on VT. As much as that supposed tweet from Skinner is no bueno for me Team Douglas has also been shady as hell the last couple of years. The real competition now becomes who makes it out of deathcamp in one piece. I cannot think of another national team that routinely mangles its athletes so thoroughly in the lead up to championships.

I was just reading all the shade Beth was throwing at Luann's engagement and it reinforces how hungry for attention she has always been. One of my friends did a stint in 'recovery' last year and shared various insight into what amounts to reprogramming during rehab/12 step programs and a big thing is not to gossip/not to take other people's inventory/not to constantly engage. I think the whole divorce fiasco, need to be the definitive answer on everything and holding onto every single grudge- ever- just show that either Bethenney never moved an inch past her parents addictions/abuse/mental issues or that she is choosing to wallow in her own. A little subtle snark is always appreciated but the down in the mud variety just doesn't play well from a 45 year old who is supposedly a queen of industry. But god help us if Lulu returns to her former status as the HW with the biggest deal husband. Beth will be on the warpath. If Lu invites Jill to the wedding and makes her/Beth share a table I will nominate her for HW of the century.

Finding out about Sonja and the Gay Marraige March leaves me split- part wants to call her out for the biotch move & another part wants to ask why the eff she still tried to pretend to be friends with Ramona/Sonja who obviously had no use for her. I really think Sonja's undoing was that she found herself much more attractive to 40/50 year olds than whe was to 20/30 year olds in her early NY days and being with moe powerful guys gave her a certain amount of rank/cache. Now she is 50 herself, the prospects have dried up and she really never developped past the point of name dropping and rank pulling. Its interesting that Luann is the only one of these broads capable of moving past a failed relationship.

Hmm- is it possible she thinks her brand is virgin because it has saved its 'special' place by sticking with oral & anal???? I agree with whoever said Sonja should go down market. She would be a great person to do a bawdy stint on HSN and sell some trinkets while waxing poetic about yachts, St Tropez & entertaining in a townhouse. Speaking of which, for the type of entertaining she seems to claim wouldn't a more open floor plan or series of rooms be preferable to a multiple floors in a townhouse with rooms that are barely 13' wide? As much as she dogged on Dorinda and Lu earlier in the season (I guess really in the blog) they have both shown themselves to have great summer/weekend houses worthy of a good time with two totally different settings/styles/sizes. And neither are killing themselves keeping up a pile in fricking NYC. After seeing Dorinda's house this last episode it really makes her comment about their downsizing/lack of real estate acumen seem off key.

Jenner is definitely styles similar to Luann. And heaven knows the photoshop ferries have sprinkled som dust on each. But the pose reminds me more of this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/48220121@N06/4417025810/ Supposedly the photographer posed her like this to hide the needle tracks on her arms. One thing I don't like about the Jenner shoot is that instead of embracing anything approaching a more diverse aesthetic for women- they posed/clothes/teased/made up/lit (and photoshopped) the images to look like 952 other photo shoots. Others obviously disagree. This side trip also reminds me how this supposedly diverse/cultured/accepting group of women like to go right to man/tranny jokes to cut someone down to size. I've never been a fan of that or the line of thought that referencing a man in female terms is the ultimate insult.

Picking up the off-topic issue form a page ago. I cannot figure out why they never show Heather's apartment. Can it really be that bad? Supposedly Heathers Berkshire's house was supposed to be the guest house so maybe her husband's career stalled out with the recession & their residence is one step behind Ho-Wi status. I'm not judging since I think he a commercial realtor. I work in architecture/construction/took & took a drubbing myself. I know Aviva supposedly rented that townhouse because their co-op/condo would not allow filming in the building. Ramona and Jill's condo's would not allow them to show the exterior so Bravo always had to use false exteriors for their buildings. This is why everyone thought Ramona was on Park Avenue a couple of season's ago & the NYC posters were always bemoaning the real building for looking like a college dorm. Maybe Heather is in a similar spot- but it seems kinda odd for them to bring someone on the show who can't play the game. Although they never have shown Luann's NYC apartment event though she has shot photos there for various magazines so everyone can see it with a quick google search. And Kadooz for calling out the Moaner's shit stirring. She has always been the queen of that game. At some point I came to begrudgingly respect that skill. Although it does wreak of passive aggression & addict tendencies. YMMV. While I think Beth does get a better edit, I also think she knows how to read a room/adapt/engage/disengage much more skillfully. How Heather thought she wasn't giving them every ounce of what they would need to slay her is beyond me. Although truth be told it might simply be a case of removing Aviva and lessening Sonya causing Heather's faults to be more glaring.

Well to continue the baseball sequeway- I'll bat clean-up. Carole had written at one point that her and her husband sold one of JFK's chairs to get a down payment on the loft. If they had any real $ that would not have happened. When Beth filmed the first two seasons there were a lot more scenes of the Ho wives with friends & family and then only meeting for various get togethers. Season three was completely set up to launch Beth's spin-off. So I'm not sure its so much a matter of her skirting responsibility as coming back to a job that has changed in the interim. IIRC there was also a lot of complaining in Carole/Heather/Aviva's first season that filming was taking forever because they were not producing film worthy moments. In that regard Beth is probably like the old SNL Sinatra sketch- come in, blast away 1.5 takes of a song and yell cut. Holding Kristin's hand to pull decent TV out od a bore is not her gig. And since when does someone Ramona's age require that darned much attention for a birthday that does not end in a 5 or a 0. Then again this is the woman who celebrated her 17th wedding anniversary with a giant vow renewal and moved her kids B-day up 6 months to throw a party on Bravo's tab. FWIW- I think Lu would definitely tap a twenty something but not actually date one. And definitely not one who has any close relation to her family/friends/coworkers.

In context that is not really what she did. She bought jewelry from the wife and was invited to visit/have shots with them as a couple. That's when she brought up the magazine spread. It was never determined if she wanted the dress for keeps or just as a loaner for a photo shoot. Even Alex who is no great Luann apologist said that it was SOP for the H'wives to get dresses for special appearances in return for the publicity. She said they all do it. I think Carole knew that but also knew Luann wouldn't break the third wall by explaining the real situation. Carole- much like Ramona- is pretty crafty at wedging the other housewives between reality/show practice and for the most part none other than Beth are adept enough to explain themselves in a way that makes sense on both TV & real life. And ugh with the Aviva reference. That reminds me of just how many of these women have addicts in the family (Ramona, Aviva, Beth, Carole if you count drug use alone, probably Alex and Sonja herself) or major parent issues (Jill, Ramona, Beth, Aviva, Heather.) It really goes a long way in explaining why these women either lack filters or go from 'zero to Mother Fucker' on a dime. Or play doormat/codependent/passive-aggressive observer. I really think they should offer this show on DVD free for people at the brink of an intervention with the assertion that they can get help or turn the children into these banshees. And I have to thank whoever coined 'zero to Mother Fucker.' I fully intend to incorporate this into my repertoire.

That would be nice if she would also refrain from tearing others down. And after three seasons her little jabs, backhanded comments and accompanying chuckle just drive me up a wall. Thankfully its not a Connecticut wall... or a non size 0 wall. I've said it before but she like half the women on this show really do remind me of people who grow up in families with addicts. It's something about that need to always put people in their place.

What annoys me about Carole is that her identity can never be just about her. She feels she is physically attractive & vital at 50 but still takes the time to snark on Ramona's size, Luann's voice, etc. She has professional accomplishments but someone else who has other accomplishments is 'nothing.' And the whole I am a serious journalist/am I part of the one percent; I'm active/I am on a cucumber and vodka diet; these people are frivolous/I follow a 20 year old eating gummies of unknown origins dichotomies are mind numbing. And I don't think its just a defensive mechanism to losing many personal opportunities to her husband's illness & death. $5 says if she had kids & no career she would be one of those obnoxious women who lord that as the only important thing/all that really matters over the head of anyone in a different situation. I'd also cut her more slack on the physical appearance front if she hadn't emptied what looks like two tube of caulk into her face. Or didn't make such ridiculous comments about diet, nutrition, etc.

Sonja's house has a bit of an odd layout. Typically you enter a townhouse by walking up a half flight of stairs to a stoop and entry hall that is on the 1st floor (which is really the second floor above ground with the ground level floor being considered a garden or basement level.) Sonja's house instead has a step down from the side yard to a little court then a step down into an open loggia (which I imagine was once enclosed space) and then enters into a ground level entry. So I am assuming that open loggia is what Heather means by foyer. That layout might work better for entertaining since a crowd of people who are being met at the door spill into a covered area instead of a stoop or sidewalk and the entry, living room and rear yard are all on one level which is not typical. But its also wonky since you enter on one level and go up a level to the kitchen the yard is adjacent to the most formal area. And on that note- I find it bizarre Sonja can't keep at least the entry, living room and half bath that comprise the entirety of the first floor clean. What would the Rockerfellers say?

Very off topic- but beejeebus the folks in that firm went to some low caliber law schools. I think I counted at least 3 or 4 from the same school as Craig on Southern Charm and atleast two from the lower ranked Georgia schools. I knew KBB vacationed on Kiawah some and seeing that the brother lives in upstate SC it makes sense now since that is only a 3 1/2 hour drive from Spartanburg.

Could some of you ladies explain this to me- is a 30 year old semi-employed hipster chef really worth all this attention??? And is he really that attractive? To be honest he reminds me of a lot of women who attract older men, much of their attractiveness is youth. Either he has the facial muscles of a pit bull, a cock like Ron Jeremy or these ladies lost their shame. Just puttin' it out there... And not that either looks good but this escapade is really zoning me in on something I do not like about Carole. Her preferred insults & back handed witticisms sure seem to be anti-woman. Ramona is fat, Aviva is nothing for being a SAHM, Lu sleeps around/has a mans voice, etc. Plus her choice of the word 'girl' which reeks of issues with women's age & actually embracing intelligence, experiences, position gained with either age or independence. Then again I once cheered on Ivanka frickin Trump for cutting some broad down to size for using feminine wording as a way to demean men. Its just so weird to see Ms. Serious Journalist play completely of her lack of direction, who she dates and how painfully thin she is as her ID.

Alex revealed in one of her recaps for that off-brand site that Bravo sets up the car service 90% of the time. It lets them control who arrives when and in what order. It actually starts to explain a lot of things including Kelly leaving Bethenney waiting at a club for 2 hours and the Ramona showed up late for something and had the spazzed out answere about not knowing if it was at Jill's work or apartment. I know think either Bravo set it up so they could have one person ticked in the Beth-KBB instance or insure plenty of time for the Beth-KBB awkward interaction in another. It also allows them to film the immediate after comments of the 'teams' after they leave a group gathering. And avoid turning these broads loose in their own cars after an evening of drinking, ho-wifing and possibly gummies.

I think Bethenney needs to quit her therapist and fins AL Anon. She really has the whole cycle of behavior and drive people away before they can leave things down pat. I found it pretty interesting that she is realizing what a bi*** she has come across as so far this season and that she specifically tried to moderate her behavior in the Sonja business meeting. So maybe she is gaining some self awareness. I remember in an earlier season after a huge fight she pretty much commented that someone had made her rip their head off. The gust of the comment sounded like some guy in a Hanes tank top being put into the back of the car on cops. Someone had made her- as if she had no control over her response. I am a little surprised that we are seeing that switch flip in regard to what happens/how you react. It could prove interesting. (this was more of a response to Humble Pi before the post after it posted.)

I actually understand what (I think) Ramona meant. She has already achieved/established the major things one does in their late 20s/30s/40s and probably does not want to go back through those same experiences. And while Mario was her age & pretty attractive I think part of his allure was that he had a viable career/financial stability from the family business. Ramona built her own business & continued it after marriage. So the idea of getting with some guy trying to hop to a higher level job, land a promotion, build a business is not what she wants in a relationship. I think the others are more interested in a younger guy because they (including Carole) were with me who were pretty much set in terms of career/finance when their relationships began. I think Luann in particular was more attracted to the excitement if the Count's lifestyle (skiing, boating, trips to the desert, racing) than his actual wealth. Although a poor man would obviously not afford those particular hobbies or the big trips. If I bet money on who she would actually marry I think Luann will end up with someone no more than 5 years younger up to 10 years older if he is active. She told Beth as much in the first or second ep. As annoying as I find Carole I think she specifically dates men who are truly not available. Because that means she never fails those relationships- they are simply flings or non committal or open... In other words no deadlines for work, no cooking to eat, no actual relationship. She fails at nothing! And more annoyingly she is pretty much becoming that girl that changes personality with every man. Sonja goes with young guys probably for image- or because it makes her seem more important in the relationship. Its pretty noticeable that Carole and Sonja go out with guys they probably would not have dated at the actual age the guys are now. And the guys do not have the most stable/upwardly mobile employement. No offense to Chez Luann (ok- plenty of offense to Chez Luann) but cooking for Howives and their nieces is not a long term employment stratefy. Maybe he figures to earn a check as a Bravo regular. Seemed to work for Brooks and the ATL husbands. Atleast Jacques had a business that he worked hard to develop and stood on its own beyond the Bravo cameras.

I get Lu. I think in her world the proper person to slag is one without so much as peripheral involvement with friends/family. I am fine with that! I also think she's probably tires of Heather slamming her PirateGate and Carole's federal case out of her asking for a loaner dress & then bringing home a man for the s-e-x only to have the two of them revel in Carole's free spirited hook-up with her combo employee/family friend. Of all the HoWives we've seen on this show Lu is the only one who stands out as having on-going relationships with anyone who once worked for them. Plus- it takes some major discipline not to snark about a 50 year old woman riding on the handle bars of a bicycle while being peddled across Manhattan streets. Can you imagine the commentary if KBB had done the same.

One thing that does make sense is that if she sells the house everyone to whom she owes a dollar will come to collect. And something tells me that list is longer than we realize. I wouldn't be surprised if multiple friends and relatives had helped her out 'here and there' while she waited for various 'business or HW' checks to be sent. The thing that kills me is that she is obviously collecting major child support and makes something like $400k off RHONY. Who- short of a complete moron- cannot get their financial house in order on $500-$700k per year? Lu just pocketed as much from her downsize as Sonja owes to bankruptcy debtors. That is a pretty sharp contrast.

I hate to once again embarrass myself with my ho-ledge but... a. I believe it's Kristin who was primarily a Ct resident who took up a city pad for show purposes. There was some talk of whether or not Lu had done the same in season 1. b. We've also never seen Luann's NY apartment & I cannot figure out why since she's been photographed in it & it looks quite nice. Not at all as large as Ramona's or Sonja's but a lot of character. Speaking of Son- it would be awesome if they had her give a tour of all the property she used to 'own' but is now banned from. 'here is my country house, my Hamptons home, my French vacation home, my ski home, my yacht..' All spoken from outside locked & secured gates that she would probably try and climb. c. Luann has also played the not showing your real BF on TV game. She actually dated Jaques for season before he made his appearance. Lu and Ramona also held up the all is well appearance for at least one season as their marriages disintegrated. But I suspect that Lu & Alex were pretty much living a mutually agreed to scenario couple of years before the final blows. d. Carole seems to reinvent herself yearly and on the basis of who she is around. And oddly it always seems to be a means of differentiating herself as opposed to finding common ground. The others are common & seeking status- she'll play the role of reluctanct aristocrat who is above it. Everyone else is happy and footless- she is the career gal with serious endeavors. Everyone else starts having more recent success and BOOM- Carole is the party girl proving you never have to grow up. It is funny how everyone is great with her but disgusted with Thomas on Southern Charm. My final point of reference- Beth and Jill should have come back as a package deal. They truly deserve to have to deal with one another. I really think that they only come off well bouncing of one another. When either interacts with anyone approaching normal for too long the sight of either makes people want to bludgeon an eye or ear to escape it...

I have a feeling the $100mil deal with Beam was actually a deal worth up to $100mil. So she probably got something like 20-50% upfront and has to hit certain goals to collect the rest. Also she would have had to split portions with the original partner/backer and the later guy who helped bring it together. So to keep the $ flowing she needs to move products. And supposedly products outside of the beverage deal are hers alone. So bring on the blenders, girdles and toaster ovens! She might annoy me at times but I have to admit she did a very good job studying and emulating Martha Steward. Always have multiple streams of products & multiple ways to get them out there. And she did have a lot of success with cookbooks prior to the drink deal- so even before Beam she had set herself up decently- but definitely not Tribecca, Soho and Hampton properties simultaneously wealth. And the answer to why Beth is not happy is that she is Bethenney. She is her Mother's daughter, her Father's daughter and probably every single thing they said about her rolled into one. I'll now wave into coat-gate (as opposed to dress-gate and coatcheck-gate.) I wonder if Lu wasn't saving the jacket in question for that charity she did a collection for a few years ago that dresses women transitioning into the workforce. I imagine that is an on-going event and Lu probably wanted to kill two bird with one stone- a0 off load something she can't wear too much because it was on the show and b) use it as admittance to the cocktail party. She has said she tends to hold designer duds forever & wears a lot of downmarket brands. So parting with something with a 'it's chi-chi designer xyz ahndd I wore it on the show, daling' might take a little coordination. I have heard people leaving out sold (or not for sale) items at estate sales if they have a halo effect on the lesser goods that are still selling. My knowledge of this show is really approaching and untold level of embarrassment. Thank gawd I have you folks and can mask it from all but a select few friends.

IIRC- it was Ramona who called Jill about Kelly going cuckoo. But it is still the same result- Jill hears about The Crazy going down & is too daft to realize that its not the best time for an unannounced visit and someone probably needs to walk Kelly down from the penthouse of crazy towers. Whoever said Jill could not read a room was spot on. I actually think most of these housewives have major baggage except Luann, Jennifer and probably Dorinda. Doesn't make them perfect people but I never so those three refighting past battles constantly, claiming every slight as an excuse for current poor behavior or trying to either embellish or poor mouth their past to suit their preferred image. I actually think that is why Ramona and Bethenney are so skilled at reality television- they know how to weave a tale, drop a bomb, give just the right tidbit of misdirection to build their arc. Its also why Jill, Alex and now Sonja can make watching them so uncorfortable- there is a level of desperation there that is not becoming.

Lu did text Ramona that they would be late so it was not totally unexpected. But I have no doubt the Bravo provided transportation found a 'scenic' route. And now that you mention it- I bet Beth was primed to give out the merchandise so that it would be sitting out/in use at the other HWs houses during filming. She has always known how to let others market for her. This banter is making me miss Alex's recaps. She gave some really good insight into where the editing/production monkeys were at play. And proved 5x more adept at analysis than she was at Real House Wifing.

Ehh- I really do not think Alex was treated poorly by the 'brunettes.' I think she just kept trying to insert herself where she didn't fit. Most of us have been the 3rd/5th/extra wheel at some point and simply adapt. Alex was trying way to hard to be relevant, assertive or witty. I always pictured Simon sitting in their basement lair giving her hours of coaching like an evil (not-so) genius. What was most uncomfortable for me was her continued insistence on some grand alliance with Ramona and Sonja who either didn't acknowledge her, kicked her out of their homes and basically had not fucks to throw in her direction. It was cringe worthy at best.

I don't think Heather is afraid of Bethenney's $ or connections. I think she doesn't want to be on the losing end of a tweet/internet/fan war. Because as much as B has proven to be a raging B she has some seriously dedicated, cool-aid drinking, ride or die fans. I'm sure Heather deals with wealthier people day in/day out and Beth (like Ramona) is not the hugely connected mogul one would assume. Hell, she doesn't even have a real office. She is a product spokesmodel for all practical purposes. A very successful one but... I think Ramona is a little brighter than we give her credit. Her yappy dog demeaner gets her out of a lot of blame but when she fights it is not random. She always knows exactly where the soft spot is or how to weave enough truth/believability into a comment to make it linger. Beth is also a master of this- I chalk it up to alcoholic parents. And possibly their own addictions/disorders. To me Heather is the opposite side of the coin. While B & Ro are always primed for battle Heather reminds me of someone who practices every argument, aside and quip in front of the mirror like a teenage girl. YMMV. I agree with Scoobs to a point on Kelly. I think she is really not 'bad' because she is definitely some brand of crazy. Our trains gets to the same destination but use a different tracks.

I rewatched the episode to see Coatcheckgate with fresh eyes prior to commenting. I'm here and there on whether the initial gesture was racist or simply pretty darned forward. And I say that as a white guy who apparently looks like a retail worker because I have been stopped in countless Targets, Belks (think Southern version of Dillards) and the like. But the grabbing the shirt/tie was just majorly aggressive. it almost establishes dominance. And who does that? I also think dressing like an employee- in this case shirt/tie but no jacket and in retail a colored polo or button down shirt but no jacket- makes it more likely. I think I have the exact opposite perception of a previous poster in that I think people are much less likely to perceive some a little dressed down for an employee than someone dressed more nicely. To be honest if I see someone in a tux at a restaurant I assume they work their. Blazer and jeans or suit with no tie and I think they are a fellow customer. YMMV. A second viewing also convinces me that Beth had become everything she criticized about Jill. I honestly think Beth need to skip the high end shrink and look into either Al Anon or someone to unwind her food issues. Something is just not right about her hair trigger temper, the constant need to belittle others or the need to control through any behavior/language necessary. I think she got away with it the first go round because she was truly surrounded by crazy & seemed like the underdog looking through the window. Now she is Queen B and the behavior does not wear as well.