[Christine Brown Woolley: Nacho Sister Wife Anymore]

Caleb looks like he has some top hair in that Waffle House photo. I only comment on it, because in recent years, whenever we've caught brief sight of him, he's either been wearing a baseball cap, or he's been bald. 

Compare this photo from Christine's wedding to the Waffle House photo. (He maybe shaved his head for Christine's wedding. I can't tell.) There's visible hair under the crown.

[Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears]

I watched a replay of Meri's 1/29/24 "Friday with Friends," on Instagram. She had on Jenn, Zona (Meri's new dog), and Amos. As always with Meri and Jenn, there was a lot of laughter.

Amos seem seems good natured and laughed a lot, too. He did not seem love-bomby or like a showoff. When asked, he admitted to Jenn that he's a little shy, but Jenn said they'd "fix" that.

Here is a recap.

It is not word for word. Sometimes I (loosely) quote, but other times, I put things in the 3rd person. I'm sorry I wasn't consistent about that, but I didn't want to spend any more time on it. Also, I skipped stuff.

 

__________

 

Jenn appeared to be there in her capacity as staunch BFF, to defend Meri (and Amos, really) to the death or at least to the pain. (This wasn't said. It was the vibe.)

Zona was super affectionate with Amos and Meri. Meri said whenever she and Amos kiss, Zona wants in on the "party." Jenn cracked, "It's just called 'polygamy', right?" Amos laughed, then said, "No."

Meri said that would be weird, because Zona is kind of like her daughter, to which Jenn added, "We don't go weird." 🔥

After more silliness, Meri read out a viewer comment: "No more polygamy for Meri." Meri added, "I'm right there with you, Crystal." 🥳 🎉 🍾 👏

Jenn gave Meri and Amos the couple/mashup name of "Merimos" or "Meramos" -- the end of Merimos sounds more like the end of "Christmas" -- not so much of a long "O" sound -- more of a schwa).

Jenn read a viewer comment: "Meri, I don't mean to alarm you, but there's a man sitting beside you," to which Meri cracked that she's not used to that.

Adopting the persona of a newscaster, Jenn set up the next segment:

"Amos, first, I would like to officially welcome you to the land of no privacy where anything that is said, thought, assumed, or insinuated about you can and will be held against you in the court of public opinion and may be highlighted on social media and in poorly written articles full of half truths, lies, and straight up bullshit. Hope you’re ready!"

Jenn read from a previously compiled list of questions for Amos. What follows are approximations. I didn't aim to be exact.

JENN: Amos are you related to Kody?

AMOS: First he laughed, then he said, "No. I am not related to Kody in any way."

Meri gestured and added, "... shape, or form." She noted that just because two guys have facial hair doesn't mean they are related or resemble each other beyond that.

JENN: Amos, how tall are you?

AMOS: "I'm not 6'6" (laughs); I'm 5'9"."

JENN: And Meri, why the fuck does 6'6" matter? (verbatim)

MERI: A dear friend has a husband who is 6'6"... He's really fun to hug. 

Jenn teased Meri about Meri previously thinking she was 6'. Meri said she's never thought she was 6', but she used to be/or used to think she was 5'9", then, at a recent doctor's appointment, found out she shrunk to 5'7.5". 

There was silliness, as you'd expect from Meri and from Jenn, who then asked...

JENN: So the "hugging" is good? (Jenn paused after "hugging" and gave a couple of exaggerated winks for bawdy effect, after.)

MERI: The hugging is good. (Meri then asked Amos, "Can I share?" He told her to share whatever she likes, then added, "Well, not everything — sorry.")

MERI: The first night we went out, he hugged me and honestly, it was like the best hug. I just stood there and let him keep hugging me. It was just a really, really, very safe safe hug.

NOTE: I think that means we drink twice. I did not expect "safe" to crop up here.

JENN: So Amos, are you a pilot? 

AMOS: (Laughing) I am not a pilot. 

JENN: Meri -- what's up with (a guy) being a pilot?

MERI: Meri travels a lot. She does road trips, but when she flies, she often thinks how nice it would be if she had a pilot who could fly them wherever they wanted to fly. 

JENN: Amos, how many speeding tickets have you had? (Meri feigned shock and horror -- it must have been reported somewhere.)

BOTH: Amos got a ticket a few weeks ago on his way to see Meri. Meri got a ticket once, when she was 17.

JENN: Amos and Meri, at the same time, how many bankruptcies have you had?

AMOS: One.

MERI: One. Meri said they're not a big deal, then asked Amos how long ago his was. He laughed and said, "25 years ago," to which Meri said, "Mine, too."

Jenn pointed out that shit happens over the course of 50 or more years of living. Meri agreed (and talked about how people lost homes during the mortgage crisis).

Meri talked about how her "brand" is about not letting your past dictate your present/future (in so many words).

NOTE: Meri and Amos were both wearing her black "Worthy Up" hoodies. 

 

 

JENN: "So you mean you guys are human and have had a past, like every other fucking human?" (Maybe not fully verbatim, but Jenn did drop the F-bomb there -- that's not editorializing from me.)

MERI: Yeah.

JENN: "Just wanted to make sure." (At this point, it seemed obvious to me that Jenn's hackles were up, where tabloids and the fandom are concerned).

Amos commented that he didn't realize they could swear in the live.

JENN: Meri, what is Amos's favorite sport? 

MERI: Hockey.

AMOS: Correct.

JENN: Amos, what is Meri's favorite sport?

Meri lost her breath laughing at this question. Amos sort of cracked up before he answered, too. I feel like Jenn was asking a coded naughty question, but I don't know.

AMOS: Um... basketball.

MERI: It's a toss-up between basketball and baseball.

JENN: There's a lot of speculation about how good of friends you guys are. Care to fill us in, Meri? 

MERI: (laughs, then said) "I mean, I like baseball." (Meri and Amos thought this was a hilarious response. They're being cheeky.)

JENN: Which base is your favorite? Have you been through all the bases? Has there been a home run? (Fresh girl)

MERI: I thought first base was the only one that mattered.

JENN: (After actually cackling) Well, the last 10 years could have done that to ya. 🔥

Meri: It's all I'm used to so... 🔥

(Amos laughed at this.)

JENN: But not anymore, right? Are there like a lot of home runs? Is there like a wave*? (Amos sort of ducked his head out of view at this point.)

* At "wave" Jenn raised her hands in the air, like when the crowd does "the wave" at ball games.

MERI: I mean there is a potential. Oh my goodness. Can we stop? 

AMOS: (Nodding) "Yes." (I think his yes to was to Jenn's question, not Meri's request to stop, but that's just an impression.)

JENN: This is so fun for me. Look -- out of the park.

MERI: Okay then.

JENN: Amos, what is your favorite color?

AMOS: Green -- like a forest green.

JENN: (teasing) Meri, we know yours is pink, so it doesn't matter. (Meri cracked up.) Amos, what's your favorite shape?

AMOS: Uh, circle.

 

🚨🚨🚨 THESE ARE THE LIGHTS OF DON'T MISS THIS PART

Meri whipped her head around to look at him, then kind of grabbed his head with one hand and put her other hand over his mouth, much like Robyn did to Kody in the Christine/David Wedding episode, then said, "Shhh. We're not saying that," 🔥 in an intentionally overly-dramatic voice, obviously meaning to mock Robyn. Jenn was laughing so hard, I think it caused her pain.

Meri then started making out with Amos in an exaggerated way that was also obviously meant to be a sendup of Robyn's behavior in the wedding special. Jenn dissolved into hysterics. Meri said something to Amos I couldn't make out, then added (again, in the overly-dramatic voice), "We don't say things like that." 

Jenn was breathless and pink in this face from laughing too hard. Meri and Amos were laughing, too.

Jenn and Meri had a hard time recovering from the laughter. Jenn started having a coughing fit from it.

AMOS: I don't know what's going on right now. 

JENN: It's fine. Ow. My arm hurts. I think I'm going to have a heart attack. (More laughter. The dog popped back into view at all the silliness). Jenn added, "I can't believe you. I can't believe you. I love you so much," clearly meant as approval for Meri's mimicry of Robyn. 

MERI: (again, exaggerated) "We do not say such things!"

END OF THE DON'T MISS THIS PART 🚨🚨🚨

 

After taking quite a bit of time to stop laughing, the questions resumed.

JENN: Amos, how many ex-wives do you have?

AMOS: Three. 

MERI: "What?" (She was making light of the situation with her "What?") "I sort of have three ex-sister wives and an ex-husband. I beat you."

NOTE: All three dissolved into laughter.

AMOS: Okay, so...

JENN: Okay, so Amos has had three ex-wives. Meri has had three ex-wives and an ex-husband. So, so far, we're doing pretty good. 

NOTE: During this, Amos was shaking his head with a smile on his face.

JENN: Okay, Amos. What's your favorite snack food? 

NOTE: Jenn had a mischievous grin on her face, and she and Meri were trying not to laugh. I had thought she was hoping to set him up to say, "Rice Krispies Treats." I sold Jenn way short here. Keep reading.

AMOS: Oh, um, that's a good question. Snack food. 

MERI: (Trying to help him out.) Cashews. Honey roasted cashews. They're in his cupboard.

AMOS: That's probably one.

MERI: (looking at Jenn) So, not TOP RAMEN? 🔥🔥🔥

NOTE: All three of them laughed, and after a second of thinking "Top Ramen" was a weird suggestion, Amos maybe twigged to the fact that Meri was needling Kody. I'm not sure. He might have just laughed because they were being silly.

 

🚨🚨🚨JENN: How about your favorite food — IS IT MERI'S TURKEY? 🚨🚨🚨

 

NOTE: Meri and Jenn absolutely cracked up. Amos kind of winced, so I thought he got the joke, but later Meri indicated he didn't know about that, and she didn't know if she'd fill him in. ANYHOW, Meri covered his mouth with her hand and playfully pushed him down on the couch. Jenn's voice was just squeals by this point, as was Meri's. Zona came back into view. It's clear she had no idea why her mommy seemed to be dying. 

MERI: Oh gosh (trying to regain her composure). 

JENN: (still struggling to breathe) People kept asking. I had to add it. I'm sorry. (Jenn was crying with laughter at this point, and had to wipe at her eyes for more than a moment.)

NOTE: Meri teased Jenn about succumbing to peer pressure, when they're supposed to be best friends, then said she was taking applications for a new best friend. (She rescinded this by the end of the Live.) 

JENN: Okay, Amos. On a scale of 1-to-Meri, with "Meri" being infinity, how much do you love cheese balls?

AMOS: Uh... halfway to infinity.

More chat about cheese balls -- Meri and Jenn are both big fans.

At first, I thought they meant the orange colored puffed corn snack, like these

rather than the sort of cheese ball you'd put out at a party.

 

At the end of the live, Jenn said something about garlic cheese balls, and it made me think they meant something more like (what I've seen called) "cheese bombs."

 

JENN: Who reached out first to get this whole shebang (the Meri/Amos relationship) going? 

MERI: That would be me. I reached out first. (Jenn said how much she loves that Meri did that.)

JENN: Both of you. Favorite date so far?

MERI: First date was pretty awesome, but her favorite was when they went to see the lights (Christmas). She then said something about liking to see the dogs or docks. I couldn't make it out.

AMOS: (Said something I didn't hear, and Meri said that was a good one, too.)

MERI: (Explaining) He took her to a Celtic Women concert. 

BOTH: They both love Christmas though so seeing the Christmas lights at Thanksgiving Point was awesome. 

JENN: "You plan really good dates, Amos." (Meri agrees.)

AMOS: "Oh, thank you."

NOTE: Amos also took Meri to see the Ice Castles attraction in Midway, Utah. They stopped at some cheese shop on the way. Meri and Amos then started talking about taking a burrata making class. Jenn looked like she was going to tear up with happiness for her friend.

JENN: Tell me a highlight of one of your first conversations -- something that stands out.

MERI: Said she often asks people what they would do (like for work, or a passion project) if there was nothing (people/money, etc.) that would stand in the way. Amos told her something about property (that Meri didn't elaborate on) and that he would have some baby goats. That kind of won Meri over really early on, because she loves goats.

After more goat talk, Meri asked Amos which of their early conversations stood out to him.

AMOS: Ooh. Probably...

MERI: Keep it appropriate! (They all laughed.)

JENN: No. Do not. Do not listen to her. She's a buzzkill. Shut up, Meri. 

AMOS: We talked so much. We talked a lot. Um, you always gave me crap about wanting to be friends.

MERI: Because that's all you wanted -- to be friends.

AMOS: "Yeah, because I said that's really important, so that stuck out. And? I wasn't a pilot. I wasn't 6'6"." (They all laugh.) "That one stuck, because I gave her a hard time."

NOTE: It's obvious he means "tease" by "crap" and "hard time."

MERI: "We teased each other a lot. We still do, sometimes, like 'Well you wanted a pilot'. 'Well you only wanted to be a friend, soooo' and here we are."

JENN: "Amos, what is your favorite thing to quote me saying?"

AMOS: (Seems confused at first, then hesitant, but after Meri tells him to just say it, he quotes Jenn...) "What the fuck?"

JENN: (Cracking up) Says something like she's only laughing because Amos is so well behaved. "I told you we'd fix that."

MERI: "It's Jenn's favorite quote." (There's laughter and general agreement here.)

JENN: In a new relationship, one should always be on the lookout for red flags. Can you tell me if Meri being an ex-polygamist, in the public eye, on a television show, raised any red flags?

AMOS: (Cracks up and wipes his eyes.)

MERI: (pantomiming waving two flags) "Red flags! Red flags!"

AMOS: "Yes. I will be— it was a little.... Yeah." He looks at Meri, then adds, "Yeah? It was a little."

JENN: When did she tell you?

AMOS: I think the second time (they talked). 

MERI: Can I say why?

AMOS: Yeah.

MERI: "He said, 'I'm a really private person. Like I'm not on social media. I'm just a really private person. I don't let a lot of people in my life'. And I'm like, 'Oh, so how private are you -- really'? And so we talked about that for a bit." 

NOTE: The short of it is, he doesn't have that luxury anymore. They then paused to wish Jenn's grandma a happy birthday, because she'd just joined the Live.

JENN: Meri, tell me some of the things that he does, that make you smile, that you're just like, "Oh! I love this." 

MERI: "He just looks at me. He just looks at me and when — and he's got really, really like." (She looks at him while she's talking and gets flustered.) "Stop it!"

MERI: Like, he's got the sweetest eyes, and when he smiles they crinkle. They're happy and they just make me happy. And if I'm stressed out -- like I was stressed out the other day, he's like, "Stop, just let me hold you for a second. Just breathe." 

NOTE: The sound was bad here. Her overall point is he notices stuff and does sweet little things, like he notices her Yeti (water tumbler) needs to be refilled and refills it.

JENN: When Meri had a bad migraine the day after Jenn almost died (Jenn had a severe allergic reaction to medicine), Amos dropped what he was doing and went to Jenn's to get anti-nausea meds for Meri.

(The fluffing of Amos continues for a while.)

JENN: When you started dating Meri did you realize you'd be subject to constant chaos, ridiculousness,  and swear words, mostly provided by me, and sometimes by Meri?

MERI: And are you okay with this continuing, because she's a constant? Can you handle my constant?

AMOS: Yes, I can handle it. I'm okay with it.

NOTE: In some jumbled crosstalk, Meri and Jenn reveal that Jenn banished Meri in her own house, so she could interrogate (my word) Amos. Jenn did an in-depth online search on Amos, after Meri told her about him, but everything Jenn found, Meri already knew and had already told Jenn, because Amos had already told Meri. Jenn thanked Amos for being so open and honest.

JENN: Next asked Amos to confirm that Meri is not drunk and not drinking anything but water. Often, during their Fridays with Friends, people accuse them of being drunk, when they're just drinking water (or in Jenn's case, I think it's this probiotic soda). 

JENN: Final question -- what are the dinner plans for tonight, and who's making it? 

BOTH: They haven't talked about it, but the last time he cooked (fish -- cod for him, salmon for Meri). Meri mentioned having it with asparagus and "cheese balls," then Jenn noted her own preference for garlic "cheese balls" which is what makes me think they mean cheese bombs.

JENN: Any parting words for us, Amos and Meri? 

They didn't have anything, except that they are happy and like each other "a lot a lot." 

Finally, Jenn confirmed that she has met Amos in person many times. 

[Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears]

I am more likely to be swayed by any rescue dog's opinion of a man, than I am by any of the OG3's opinions about a man.

[Christine Brown Woolley: Nacho Sister Wife Anymore]

Oh, I was afraid it was yet another murder. That's the one from 2019.

Here's the Sun article URL: https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/10119809/sister-wives-christine-brown-husband-niece-children-murdered-mexico/

There's a Wikipedia page on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBarón_and_Langford_families_massacre

 

[Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears]

11 hours ago, Elizzikra said:

I'm just one person, not an entire life lesson, but FWIW, I am my husband's fourth wife. We have been together almost a decade and are very happy in our marriage. So sometimes it does work out, despite the odds.

I say Go Meri! There could be red flags, sure, but he's not Kody and at least for now, she's not marrying him. So have fun. As long as he's good to Zona, that's all that matters!

 

I had a family member who married too young and divorced the first time, stayed married until his wife passed the second time, briefly married an ex-nun/then schoolteacher (who'd never been married before) the third time, and she went totally crazy weeks into the marriage (stalked other family members, flipped out on his small grandkids). It was not him. It was her.

He would have been fine to be married to (well, after he grew up — like Meri, he was way too young that first time he married, and was not a good husband back then). I know it can happen. 

I am glad it happened to you. 💟

11 hours ago, Quof said:

Ross Geller voice "Four divorces!!!"

Ross has been on repeat in my head since I read that InTouch thing.

[Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears]

It doesn't have to be TLC that leaks to Kody. Figure 8 Films makes the show and sells it to TLC. So it could be Tim Gibbons or Christopher Poole, or someone like that, and not a Discovery/TLC exec. 

 

51 minutes ago, kimaken said:

I find it suspect that the only details being mentioned are those that throw a bad light on Meri's new beau. We know nothing else, like where's he from, what does he do for a living, does he have a family, how did they meet, etc. Personally--my opinion only--I wouldn't put it past Kody to demand TLC production to tell him the guy's name, then pass that info on to contacts at InTouch to dig up all the dirt. I think Kody views all his wives as his property, even if he is done with 3 of them, and he can't stand to see his property being happy without him, especially finding love with someone else.

Also, there's no reason to think that Meri's announcement about Amos means they'll soon be getting engaged (didn't Christine and David take 4 months from dating to engagement?), just that he's become more than a casual date. Still, that could change in a few months or so, so if he's the one, I hope Meri will be happy and that Kody will leave them alone.

 

I'm sure the details on Amos were not leaked for pure reasons.

Still, on the face of it, I wouldn't want to get involved with a four-times divorced guy, and I'd advise a friend or relative to run in the other direction.

And that would probably be bad advice occasionally, but it would be good advice more often than not.

 

43 minutes ago, Roslyn said:

In reference to the 6' 6" tall pilot...

Yes, Sam the catfish man was supposedly a tall pilot as well as a multi-millionaire, owned his own plane and routinely flew Lindsey, his sidekick back to Australia for her to renew her citizenship each year (is that even an actual thing!!??)

 

I know voting is compulsory in Australia (but I don't know if that stands for citizens who are outside of the country). I don't know about anything beyond that, though.

Oh my word. I started to Google, and then realized that what I really need is to have my head examined.

It's not like Sam and Lindsay were real. 

[Spoiler, Speculation and Social Media]

I'm right there with you, @HoneyBeach. After I posted in the Meri thread on the same topic, it occurred to me that Meri's brother died back in October, which is supposedly when she started up with this Amos.

I wonder if she connected or reconnected with him at events surrounding Adam's passing. I'm thinking that had to be a pretty vulnerable time for her.

My hope is that he just helps her get good and divorced according to Robyn's standards, and then maybe she can trade up. (That sounds so mean, but the last thing Meri needs is another Kody Brown.)

[Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears]

50 minutes ago, Kellyee said:

I can tell you from experience that at Meri's age, dating is an interesting situation. You definitely have to lower the standards you had at 25 years old or so. I guess that's why I'm single like Janelle 😉.

Meri's only child is grown and they won't be having kids, so if Amos is nice, it makes sense for her to give him a chance. Hopefully she doesn't move him in to her house super fast or give him any access to her money though.

 

In theory, I'm with you, but I don't know about this guy. When I started reading the article, I thought, "Oh well all his divorces were a long time ago. Maybe he's gotten massive therapy and grown up in the interim," but his most recent divorce was in 2021.

From InTouch:

Quote

Amos’ first marriage was to Tracey Ann Smith Lang, whom he divorced in 1998, according to online records viewed by In Touch. He went on to marry Shannon Marie Martin, though their romance didn’t last long and they divorced in 2000. His third marriage was to Christine Andrews, whom he divorced in 2004. Amos’ fourth marriage was to Jennifer Carol Andrews, whom he married in 2016 and divorced in 2021.

 

I wonder if the first three marriages could have been polygamous, and if, as one wife left Amos, he married the next one with "dibs" at the legal rights.

For example, let's pretend Meri had legally divorced and left Kody back in 1995, and so he and Janelle made their marriage legal, and then she divorced him 1997, so he legally married Christine, then she divorced him... etc.

I'm kind of crossing my fingers that that's the case. Somehow, if he escaped polygamy (and whatever marriages he racked up while he was in it), that rapid succession of the first three divorces would "count less" to me.

I still see a bazillion red flags, though. I look at that marriage and divorce history, and I see either another love bomber, or (and this is a best case scenario) someone with just piss poor judgment.

Meri, do some more therapy, girl. Don't make any rash decisions. If you do make rash decisions, GET A PRENUP.

[Thrive Without Janelle: The Accountability Group]

They're so lucky to have you. Even though they're yours to keep, I just wish you could get some respite sometimes, like when you're dealing with pain, or when you'd like to visit family or friends. 💟

[Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears]

It looks like Meri and Amos were at a diner. It's likely there were more men there in baseball caps than bare-headed. I hate hats on men indoors too, but they really don't stand out in casual settings anymore.

[S18.E24: Christine & David's Wedding Special (Part 2)]

10 minutes ago, salvame said:

As far as David's (?) Mom wearing something under her dress, she is perhaps not comfortable with a lot of skin showing through lace. I'm not sure how much knowledge any of these generations of Mormons has about dressing to flatter your best features.

 

My point was always that someone in her family should have told her to have the topped lined. Whether it is her Temple garment or a self-selected bit of modesty clothing showing through, if someone had lined the lace top with dark blue, the modesty problem would have been solved and/or the garment would have been fully covered.

I don't think she was wrong for being modest. I think her family should have showed her how to accommodate her goal to be modest without detracting from her elegant look.

[Thrive Without Janelle: The Accountability Group]

2 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

This Winter so far, and there is a long way to go yet, is the first one I wish I had been able to pack up and go to my kids and be a "snow bird".....problem is can't take 30 cats with me!

Gram, I'm so sorry about everything you're going through with your health, with your house, and with the cats.

I missed the beginning of your cat stories. I've always taken it that there's a feral colony on your property that you care for. Is that basically the gist?

I remember reading something you posted a while ago that gave me the idea that some sort of rescue or humane org. helps you out. Is that right? Is there no one to whom you can pass the torch.

I love that you care so much for these kitties. I've watched as you've prepared the shelters from cooler, and all the other work you've done. I just worry about you. One person cannot take care of 30 cats, during the depths of winter in Montana. And you ought to be able to leave and visit your family. You deserve to live your life.

[Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears]

46 minutes ago, Teri313 said:

So what do you all think? Was the guy in the restaurant Amos? Looks to me like it could have been.

Yeah, I think that's Amos in the restaurant photo.

[S18.E24: Christine & David's Wedding Special (Part 2)]

11 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Actually, knowing that her gown was custom made makes me see it as even more of a travesty.  I get wanting a little breathing room, but that means she didn't pick the right style of gown for her. [...]

 So I've seen a LOT of gowns and there are many different styles she could have gone for that would have given her a little more room without looking like it was poorly fitted to her.

Then again, I look at it this way - it was light years better than her first wedding gown, which was absolutely, hands down the WORST wedding gown I have ever seen in my entire 65 years.  And I don't think even she would argue with that.  And ironically it also suffered from being too loose in the mid section, although it was SO loose it looked like a sack of potatoes on her and made her look HUGE.  So because of that I am in a way not surprised that this gown didn't fit her quite right.  I do understand that the circumstances of the first gown were different, but it's beyond me how anyone could agree to wear a gown that looked that bad....

 

I largely agree, but I don't think I feel as strongly, if you know what I mean.

I think Christine looked lovely at her wedding to David, in no small part because she looked so truly happy.

I don't think anything about her look was a travesty. Still, had I been Queen of Christine's wedding, I would've chosen a style of gown I found more flattering to her figure, too.

She did actually glow, and she looked comfortable in her own skin, so in that sense, I think she chose well. What Christine chose made her feel beautiful, made her feel bridal, and let her dance. David seemed to love it on her, so mission accomplished, no matter what we think.

My guess is that watching Maddie, Mykelti, Logan's Michelle, and whatever other young non-cult brides she knows, gave her bridal envy, but since they're all young, the inspiration she got from them could have done with a maturity tweak.

I agree that the gown's fit is more of a problem, if/since it was custom made. To be fair to Christine (and the dress shop), it could be that Mykelti doesn't have the vocabulary or precision of language to describe the made-to-order process common to the bridal gown business, and conflated it with a truly custom gown.

Anyhow, I also agree that Christine could have chosen a better shape for her figure, especially considering she wanted some room. Seeing how she currently dresses (in Instagram photos, etc.), I think she's still looking for the sweet spot in translating her fantasy vision into styles that suit her in reality. She does well in many of her casual looks, but when she has to dress up, she still has a way to go.

She never got to enjoy her young hottie years, so she's kind of working through all that in the public eye. She's probably reacting to/deconstructing 40-something years of cult programming on modesty. I think she is still rebelling against it too (note her penchant for one-shouldered gowns that really do her bust a disservice). 

Also though, it can be harder to find a more flowing gown that doesn't look either juvenile (too much tulle!), or like it was made for the mother of the bride. This, of course, is the challenge for a midlife wedding, if you want to go the whole white wedding way.

I'm finding my 50s (and my budget) a challenge for dressing, too. I don't want to look like grandma yet, but I'd be mutton dressed as lamb, if I looked to my long, lean 20-something kid for inspo. I'm grateful I didn't have my church on my case for the first 40-whatever years of my life, messing with whatever little sense of personal style I have.

[S18.E24: Christine & David's Wedding Special (Part 2)]

5 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I agree. I really liked the style- I thought it fit the venue, her shape and personal style, but it looked as if it was straight from the warehouse and hadn’t been altered yet. She looked gorgeous of course but from an aesthetic point of view that was the only thing that missed the mark. 
 

 

I don't know how accurate this explanation is, but Mykelti said Christine had her dress custom made, however she wanted it to be a little loose in the middle for comfort (which I do get -- she's had six babies, and no matter how much weight you lose, as you go through menopause, your waist isn't what it once was), and then she (Christine) lost some more weight, after the final fitting.

Quote

I LOVED how all of the kids (David’s and the Browns) dressed to match the theme.

Me too!

I think this is something the Browns have (sometimes) tried to keep in mind for some of their planned family photos. They're not all in the same color, but it often looks like they tried to coordinate their outfits, with many of them are wearing an accent color in common, or something along those lines. I always thought that was a great idea for such a large family.

I had other photo examples, but the files were too big and I was too lazy to resize them.

 

 

 

[Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears]

2 hours ago, xwordfanatik said:

Mr. X thinks the only way this show's going to continue is if Kootie gets another wife.  I disagree, but how I wish he would do exactly that.  Crybrows deserves to be humbled, big time.

 

Oh, tell that sweet summer child that the show will continue as long as it continues to make the right people the right amount of money. It's not like Discovery/TLC, Figure 8, or the Brown family have a deep commitment to storytelling with integrity.

I haven't followed the ratings, but from what I've seen discussed, they're supposedly the highest they have been in years. That's all Discovery/TLC care about.

Christine, Janelle, and Meri all seem to make a living parting fools from their money with their MLMs, but the production has demanded so very little of them (and Kody and Robyn) for so long, Sister Wives is likely the easiest money they'll ever make. They had years where they didn't have enough money to put a decent meal on the table. I figure they'll stick around until the money becomes too little compensation for the work time they put in or the negative attention they garner. 

Figure 8 Films (the production company) might honestly grow tired before anyone else, but I'm sure at this point, the show probably nearly makes itself. If the current offscreen talent moves on, they can just hire new (and probably cheaper) crew members.

It has to become more trouble than it is worth for one of these three groups of people, before it goes away.

[S18.E24: Christine & David's Wedding Special (Part 2)]

About how David and Christine met:

Some of the problem with this is the editing.

From what I've been able to piece together. Kati heard Christine was single and told her father, David, he should date her, so everyone jokes that she "manifested" it -- like magic, you know?

Meanwhile, Christine went to a matchmaker. She also registered with an online dating site. She connected with David via the online dating site. 

I think fandom has just gotten the story twisted, because the editors suck.

 

On 1/15/2024 at 2:56 PM, BnJJ said:

On another note, "I seen" and "should of" will never be correct to my ears.  What kind of primary schools did people go to where they learned that "should of" is correct??  Gah!

 

Spoken aloud, what most people say in place of "should have" is the contraction "should've." There is nothing wrong with "should've," in spoken English. What makes me nuts is all the people who don't know that what they're saying is not "should of," and write out (type out) "should of." It makes my eyes bleed.

[Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears]

Meri posted some news on her Instagram and Facebook accounts. I think it counts as a spoiler, so I put the links and screenshots in this post in the spoiler thread. 

If you normally avoid the spoiler thread, and just click on that link, it should take you directly to her news.

(I don't think there are any big spoiler things for the whole series that don't already get discussed pretty much everywhere, but I know some people like to avoid them.)

EDIT:

Oops. @Absolom, I should have refreshed and looked at your post before I posted. 

[Spoiler, Speculation and Social Media]

Meri says she has been dating a man named Amos, since October. She posted about him on her blue check verified Facebook (<-link) and Instagram (<- link) accounts.

Her Facebook post reads: 

Birthday #53 is looking a bit different for me this year, and might I say, I like how it looks!

Meet Amos, the good looking guy I've been dating since October!

He's not 6 foot 6, nor is he a pilot, but he loves Christmas almost as much as I do, and we laugh a lot together, both of which are important elements to a relationship!

Also, Zona absolutely loves him (be sure to swipe to see the cutest picture!)

I've been keeping this kind of close to me as we've been enjoying the last few months of dating and getting to know each other. As I've considered when and how I wanted to share this fun news and share him with the world (jk, not really sharing, I'm keeping him to myself ) I knew I wanted to celebrate my birthday in a special way and let you celebrate this with me!

I feel like I'm getting this year off to a great start, and I can't wait to share more with you as the year moves forward!

#WorthyUp

#HappyBirthdayToMe

#Morein2024

From a quick skim, I think the text of the Instagram post says the same thing. I didn't use the quote font, because it hides most of the post, and I wanted to make sure people who use text reader software got to read it.

Facebook screenshots:

[S18.E24: Christine & David's Wedding Special (Part 2)]

15 minutes ago, Absolom said:

In the stills I can see it.  The dress is indeed made like mine was, but I didn't wear a tee shirt under mine.  I wonder why they don't make the garments in both nude and white?  I still like the dress.  

Oh, yeah. I loved that dress on David's mom. Her whole look was elegant. That's why I felt bad about the garment. Can't you see it peeking out of the keyhole opening in the back of her dress? I know the picture quality is bad. I took it too close to the TV, but that's not skin. It's white fabric.

EDIT:

For some reason my picture isn't showing up, but I'm getting this error message when I try to add it in:

Quote

You have used all of the attachment space you are allowed per post. Manage Attachments to free up space

 

I'm adding the picture in a new post and hoping it merges with the prior post.

 

[S18.E24: Christine & David's Wedding Special (Part 2)]

1 hour ago, Absolom said:

Her dress was made like my last MOB dress where the actual lining ends just above the bust line leaving the top of the bodice and sleeves open lace.

 David's mom's? It wasn't just that. There was white fabric under some of the lace -- up above the bust. You can see it under her short sleeves too (it's shorter than the sleeves of the dress). You can also see it peek through the back of her dress when she's dancing with David.

The pictures don't quite show it, but it's visible on the TV. It's white-fabric white, rather than old white lady-skin white. You can see the contrast between her skin and the under fabric.

 

 

[S18.E24: Christine & David's Wedding Special (Part 2)]

3 hours ago, Absolom said:

I loved David's mother's dress.  I'm glad she was happy to wear sparkle.

Did it look to anyone else like Mrs. Woolley might have been wearing the Temple garment (Mormon underwear) under her dress? There was a distinctive white shirt outline underneath the navy lace at the top of her dress, and it detracted from her otherwise elegant look.

If so, I don't fault her for following her religion. I just wish someone in her family had told her to have the top of the dress lined, so the garment wouldn't show through the lace.

[Spoiler, Speculation and Social Media]

Right, that's why part of their strategy would have to be to pressure the networks and streaming platforms not to do business with production companies that don't comply with [e.g. whatever California's protections are for child actors), regardless of where the series is shot.

[Spoiler, Speculation and Social Media]

4 hours ago, Meow Mix said:

I suspect the contract was similar to what JB Duggar did with his family.  There was an LLC that was paid by TLC then he doled out what he chose (which wasn't much) to the rest of the family.  I suspect that some of the older Brown kids refused to continue to sign on as part of the Brown LLC, so they wouldn't be obligated to be on the show if they didn't want to.  I know at least Logan and Leon avoided the cameras at Christine's wedding.

I'm not sure how it is now since Kody and Robyn created their own LLC SADKRAB (I know it's DABSARK, but SADKRAB fits better) which doesn't include anyone but them and the tenders.  It could be that Christine participates, but she doesn't have to be around Kody to do it.

You're right about the LLC. The Browns have had various ones (I think they've needed a new one in each state they lived in) since the show began. The kids were never paid (even through the LLC) for their participation, though -- not even through the LLC.

I do think Kody has been generous with them at times, but, of course, that's a form of control.

All the people whose parents made them be on their reality TV shows, when the offspring were minors, ought to start a movement to protect reality TV show kids, the way child actors are protected. Parent/managers still screw over kid actors, but it's not as bad as it was in Jackie Coogan's day.

One of the problems is that each state can have its own laws on the subject. So they'd want any movement to be such that they pressured studios and networks only to do business with production companies that comply with the protections in California state law.

Basically, the kids should get some sort of scale pay, whenever they're in an episode, and there should be a requirement that some of their earnings are protected until they become legal adults.

Seriously, the Browns, the Gosselins, the Duggars, etc., should band together, lobby Congress and their own state legislatures, and start a movement. They'd get sympathetic news coverage. There are politicians who would be empathetic to their cause, too.

I'd love to see them do something like that. It would also chap the hides of people like Kody Brown, Jim Bob Duggar, and Kate Gosselin, and who doesn't want to see that?

 

[Books and documentaries about polygamy: Let's gather them here!]

16 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

IIrc (my memory is faulty on this point), Lynn Thompson is Mitch's grandfather - possibly even his father. Thank you for posting all that! I'll be interested to see the AUB episodes in particular.

I thought Lynn was Mitch's grandfather too, but within the last couple of months I read something that made him a somewhat more distant relative. Whatever it was (I can't find it) it read as credible to me at the time, but I can't remember the details.

Then again, who knows with these people. There is so much intermarriage that even their non-blood relatives are blood relatives, if you go back a couple of generations.