RedHawk

I know rich Republicans who are just as bad today. Not exaggerating. The result of inherited wealth and privilege through generations, just as it was in England. She explained it herself: $$$$$$$$$ This is the entire setup of the show and the Grantham's marriage. It happened many times in those days. Attractive young ladies with "new money" from the New World married into the cash-strapped aristocracy for a title and the aristocracy got to keep their grand estates. The aristos were willing to ignore a little matter like having a Jewish father as long as the deposit cleared. Goodness knows what they're going to pull out next! Much more exciting than guessing whether Bates will swing. Selling those Faberge eggs would have kept Robert from going down the mines at least. Actually, I know of a small historic hotel, originally a mansion built in the 1830s, where in the early 1980s a new ownership group discovered an amazing 1890s silver and crystal table (large enough to seat 20) in the basement, along with a huge number of other antiques. No one had known they were there. At the time the value of the find was estimated at $2.5 MILLION. Found. in. the. basement.

Kim did look lost in that crowd. She needs a new set of (sober) friends, preferably ones who get her humor and quirky personality and will be genuinely supportive while also calling her on her shit. Sometimes that can make such a difference in a person's life.

Brandi just seems like a big zero, laying around on her bed cackling with her odd assortment of friends at her ex-husband's lame show. Kim looked out of place and desperate really. Kim did look lost in that crowd. She needs a new set of (sober) friends, preferably ones who get her humor and quirky personality and will be genuinely supportive while also calling her on her shit. Sometimes that can make such a difference in a person's life.

I'll take kids, house porn, family vacations, pleasant dinners, and whatnot over screaming drunken fights and nitpicking over who owes who an apology for something that happened 4 seasons ago. Just word up on all of this. I love astronomy and go to AZ once a year for stargazing. Definitely think that Kyle hit the jackpot on her husband and I, too, would be worried about infidelity, especially in the world they live in. I can see Kyle being as much if not more of a mess than Kim if she hadn't met Mo.

Another comment on the $1,800 a month: I know for a fact that plenty of well-to-do parents have their college kids charge nearly everything and then pay the bill for them at the end of the month. They are also pretty liberal with dropping cash in the bank whenever the kid asks for it. Not that I'm saying that's the "right" way, just that K & M seem to be somewhere in the middle when it comes to how they handle their college kid's finances.

I didn't see it that way, but then I also don't think $1,800 is such a huge amount. To me it seemed like a real discussion, although it was funny that Kyle couldn't think of anything besides "having her nails done" that would be an extra for Alexia to pay for, in addition to food! (How about soap, toilet paper, cleaning products, shampoo, etc.?) If Alexia has a car then there's gas money. That little discussion may also have been more for the cameras, because I hope they would have already had it and then talked with Alexia about what they would pay (tuition, books, rent, car insurance, travel expenses home) and what they expected her to pay (utilities, food, personal stuff, perhaps her own credit card). She needs to learn to budget, pay bills on time, etc. If they're not making her pay some recurring bills and manage her money, then they aren't doing her any favors. Lisa shares TMI about Max's problems and Yolanda downplays Bella's. I would not have known the details of Bella's arrest (or that she already had a suspended license) just from watching the show, so I think Yolanda is making a calculated move in that a large number of viewers aren't digging into Bella's life via the tabloids and judge only on what they see each week. The "one glass of wine" story sounds like bunk, but bunk from a mother who doesn't want to put a spotlight on her daughter's mistake. I know friends and family who similarly downplayed their children's mistakes and misdeeds. It's a natural reaction to protect your child's reputation, even if you the parent are on reality TV.

I get the question because I've also asked why a person who works (worked?) with addicts trying to recover is the BFF of a heavy drinker like Brandi. Makes no sense to me unless the answer involves the word "fame whore".

Yes! I have noticed for weeks that they actually don't look bad at all. After all these years of hearing about how she "ruined" her face by getting huge lips, I think she looks fine. Hehehe! Sad entourage aside, I actually liked the scene of Brandi watching LeAnn and Eddie's show and snarking on it. If they truly spent that much time saying her name and making her the -- haha! -- "unpaid star" of their show, then the joke's on them. Is Brandi really all they have to talk about? I also have never liked the way Lisa V. talks about Max, but geez, that kid was annoying tonight! He's clearly challenging her and Ken. I liked that Ken said he wouldn't discuss giving Max a better job or sending him to a school until he got his car inspected and registered. I have a feeling Max has some problems such as ADD or just spoiled rich kid syndrome. Dating a much older woman when he's not even mature enough to act his own age is also a red flag. Max seems to want to take the easy way out and I think Lisa and Ken will be supporting him all his life.

Kyle lamenting she didn't go to college and become a lawyer... newsflash, you can still go to college if you want to! Just like my mom did in 1985, when it wasn't typical for older women to do so. She started when was 50 and she got a B.A. and then an M.A. and taught at a university for a few years. Dear Kyle, your life isn't over just because your kids grow up. Best to figure that out now, before Portia leaves home in 12 years.

Loved it when Pops and Diane were next to each other on the couch and both smiled at the same time. Same gap in their front teeth, both wearing glasses. I said, "Ha, she could be his granddaughter!"

"Crazy" is the least offensive word they could have used, in my opinion. In Brandi's case it's like shorthand for "She's a huge mess and dangerous, stay as far from her as possible." I really admired Eileen in the apology scenes. She kept her cool and showed her class, all the while making it clear that she and Brandi won't be pinky swearing anytime soon.

Dang! I didn't DVR it because my husband was watching something and he would have made a comment about me recording that show, which he does not at all understand my watching. But I lurve Jeff Lewis and figured a show with him and Brandi would be a hot mess, but totally amusing. Does anyone else read this thread title at first glance as "Whining and Dining"? At first it was "Winning and Dining" which for some reason was even easier to mis-read as "Whining". I hadn't yet watched the episode but Brandi is such a whiner I figured that made sense.

This show has helped me in a huge way. After seeing the back of so many women's heads looking like unkempt rat's nests I now take extra care each day to brush my hair thoroughly and check the back with a mirror!

Finally watched the episode with Brooke's wedding and it was lovely. I'm glad the choice was to tastefully show only select wedding moments and focus on Kim and Monty rather than do a big WEDDING episode. Kim looked great in her mother-of-the-bride dress and her interactions with Monty were sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. Just loved the fact that they were married and had a child together when they were so young and have remained true friends all these years. How lovely that Brooke and Thayer have known each other since they were little kids. I wish them every happiness together.

It's so good that I can't imagine Fellows actually writing it. Perhaps the little actress actually called the actor (or someone on set) by that name and the cast loved it! I certainly do.

I remember her in "Ordinary People" long ago. She simpered then just as she simpers now. I did not like her at all in "Ordinary People" but I like her playing Cora, can't quite say why.

My impression is different. Although Yo is married to David Foster, she didn't grow up here and she's not in the acting world (other than being on this show). I don't see her as even "affiliated" with the industry. She didn't grow up in Hollywood or even in the U.S. so I can see how she'd think they were basically the same level of award, or just honestly confuse them. While she may have made sure to learn that he won 16 Grammys, won a Golden Globe, and was nominated for 3 Oscars, it doesn't bug me if she honestly confused one win with another, since she's simply not that bright or educated a person. And I certainly don't see David telling her, "Oh, this Golden Globe I won is a farce. It's not like I won an Oscar."

I know a couple of women who were successful models in those years. One made it quite big. She now lives in L.A. and still models while also doing some acting. She has appeared on several TV shows -- the kind like "Law & Order" where you do one appearance, no recurring roles -- and she's been in a couple of feature films. However, her acting career has never taken off and the modeling is winding down -- she now gets "attractive, mature woman" parts/shoots. I'm mentioning this because there are probably several thousand women and men like this just in L.A. alone, people who were success and had some level of "fame" when they were young and beautiful, yet now they are aging and trying to stay in the business and it's much harder. I'm not surprised that Lisa R. joined this cast. She really does hustle! And besides "Mad Men", Harry also had a small recurring role (was in 4 of 10 episodes) on "Rush" this past fall, and was in several episodes of "Shameless" in recent years. He's kept working as well, just isn't as famous as when he was young. Yes, this is why I give Kim a break on the tears. She probably got sober and now has to face the fact that she was dazed and confused for big portions of her kids' lives. Maybe a lot of the time she was functional, but she wasn't really "there" if she was, for example, getting drunk every day from 5pm onward or zoning out on pills. A very difficult thing go face, then she's also dealing with her ex-husband's serious and likely terminal illness, and a first wedding for one of her children. Lots of big events going on, and Kim is at the time of life when she may also be having mood swings due to changing hormones as well.

Seriously. Cheating happens in many, many marriages. And some couples work through it, get over it, and carry on. Brandi portrays herself as being so open and free sexually, but she doesn't seem to understand human sexuality, emotions, and attraction. Very, very immature.

At this point my personal feeling is that a Golden Globe and an Oscar are about the same thing, so I really can't blame Yo. He has won a Globe and he has been nominated for three Oscars. This would kill Yolanda: I never can remember her husband's name. After a few minutes I get "David" but then can't ever recall Foster and have to look it up. Don't have the same trouble with Ken, Mauricio, or even Eddie! That's how much of a non-entity her "king" is to me.

In her first season IIRC she mentioned growing up in a "hippie commune" or something like that, indirectly blaming her parents for her free and easy vulgar manner. Not sure what else she might have said, if anything.

If you're following Brandi's lead, you can continue well into your 90s. My stance is that once you've been out of your parents' house longer than you were in it, it's all on YOU. That means most folks in their 40s gotta stop blaming the parents or risk looking like pathetic, whiny losers. Even people who have suffered severe trauma can get therapy and take responsibility for their own choices. Most of us know someone who has, and sadly, several who have not. The "rules" vary. Nothing is set in stone. See Wikipedia, etc. I think most people got that they should donate no matter what, but it started to bug me when I saw all the ice dumping videos with no mention that a donation check had been written. In the early days people would at least mention they were donating or wave their check or something. It all started to look narcissistic, but it was still a great campaign.

More likely she confused the Golden Globe with an Oscar. I can see that happening because although I keep up with the film world, lately I've had to remind myself that it's the Golden Globe noms that have been announced already, but not the Oscars.

Well, Yo got the ice dumped on her so technically she doesn't have to donate, but let's hope she did. My first snarky thought on seeing that scene was, "The ice bucket challenge? That's so last summer." At this point she's written two books about herself, right, and not revealed any huge childhood trauma to garner our sympathy? I'm guessing the answer is "because she wants to be."

I can't castigate Lisa's kids. What they said wasn't pretty or tactful but they're teenagers and this is exactly how many teenagers and plenty of adults act. Heck, I'm over 50 and overweight myself. A few years ago my husband and I went into a McDonald's on the way to my very remote and isolated tiny hometown. When we got back in our car we both remarked on the fact that every person in there besides my husband and one other man -- and it was a big lunchtime crowd -- was obese. Even the children. I said, "I was one of the smallest women in there!" We were both sort of shocked by it, and no, we didn't censor ourselves from talking about it because it was reality. Even if we'd had kids in the car we'd have said the same things and maybe discussed why so many people in that area would be overweight.