[S11.E15: Life is Not a Cabaret]

Sonja is so full of shit. She was acting as if she were an innocent young thing who was suffering so at the discovery that others suffer in the world. Bring on the vapors. Meanwhile she lives in Manhattan. It doesn't matter what neighborhood you live in Manhattan - you're going to see homeless people, people with substance abuse issues, and people with mental health issues - on the regular. And it's not just when you take the subway. You would have to be willfully ignorant not to see it. Then she muses "What can I do? I can't invite them to live in my townhouse." Well no, no one is expecting you to do that, Sonja. In fact, I wouldn't even expect her to become involved in any social causes. But to use other people's problems as a showcase to prove your delicate sensibilities and to get attention? Wow.

[S11.E15: Life is Not a Cabaret]

I was really disgusted at how the "ladies" completely dismissed Barbara's quite accurate observation that they were ignoring her. Somehow they managed to both deny that this was happening and yet also blame her "negative energy" for this thing that never happened. Completely gaslighted her. Plus Luann, who clearly views Barbara as having out-lived her usefulness, joins in without a second thought. And then Bethenny, in typical Bethenny fashion, later acts as if she's her confidante, "Don't leave!". Just despicable behavior all around.

[Pose in the Media]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/how-pose-a-groundbreaker-is-changing-awards-season-red-carpets-1215084

Quote

Stars Billy Porter, Mj Rodriguez and Indya Moore tell The Hollywood Reporter why they aren't taking anything for granted as their FX drama racks up accolades.....

The hour features Billy Porter's Pray Tell organizing a cabaret for the AIDS ward at the hospital where his boyfriend is a patient, and an emotional performance of the song "Home" by Porter and co-star Mj Rodriguez. The episode marks the directorial debut of activist, author and Pose writer Janet Mock, who told The Hollywood Reporter on the pink carpet beforehand that she never tires of discussing the episode.

"We knew that we were writing a memorial to all those who left us, but also all those who were left behind in this in this epidemic. And so, for me, 'Love Is the Message,' I just want everyone to see it. Of course I think it's so powerful," she said. "One of my favorite moments directing will always be the moment when Blanca sings 'Home,' and she almost can't get through. And then one of the loves of her life comes up and supports her and says that 'you can get through.' That's the DNA of our show. That's the message: that love and support and family will always get you through."

7 more days...So looking forward to this show's return.

[S11.E11: Upstate Girls]

The thing that gets to me about Luann's house is that it doesn't look like a million dollar house, especially since the area, Port Ewen, isn't an especially expensive place to live (assuming the article below is correct about the location). I think for that kind of money she could have found a more impressive home on the Hudson River. This one has a very awkward layout, it's not that spacious, and overall has a dated look. I forget which housewife compared it to a Frank Lloyd Wright - but that was quite a stretch. I wonder if Luann snapped up this one as an impulse/manic purchase to console herself because she couldn't buy the 6 million dollar house.

https://realityblurb.com/2018/11/13/photos-rhonys-luann-de-lesseps-drops-1-million-on-waterfront-home-in-upstate-new-york-see-the-pics/

[S11.E07: It's Kind of a Phone-y Story]

Here's my take on Bethenny. At her dinner party she was badgering Tinsley to open up under the guise that true friends tell each other everything. But in reality she wants to make Tinsley feel vulnerable, to break her down, and make her cry. So then Bethenny can step in and play her self-appointed role as the strong compassionate woman/wise therapist. It's the worst kind of pseudo-analysis - all in the service of control and hostility. How many times are you going to tell someone - out of the blue, at a party - that they don't seem happy and their relationship isn't healthy? And then act as if this is what a good friend does? Bethenny is the master of head games.

[S11.E04: Making Up Is Hard to Do]

23 minutes ago, Juneau Gal said:

I was really confused about the whole Dorinda apartment business. I thought she bought a new place to move into to start afresh and was thinking about renting out her old place for income. Then when Barbara came over, I assumed it was to the new place, she was talking about not wanting to do things because it was a rental. Is she living in a rental herself,  did not buy the apartment? 

Confused! 

The apartment we saw Dorinda in this last episode is the same one that she's been living in since she started the show. It seems her realtor friend was the one who originally sold it to her. In fact, they were talking about that long ago transaction but the details are blurry to me as I was too distracted by the realtor's appearance. I got the impression that the years 1967 to 1972 had been very good to her, and she is going to do everything she can to hold on to that look - age be damned. Anyway, I digress. So yes, Dorinda does own that apartment and if she is unable to sell it she plans to rent it out. I always thought it looked pretty dismal. Apparently she had hired a designer for her house in the Berkshires but I suspect the apartment's decor is all her own doing. https://townvibe.com/drama-queen/

[The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley]

I don't know which is scarier: that Holmes is a despicable POS who masqueraded as a hard working/ genius/saint, or that there were a lot of people in powerful positions who fell for her shtick.

Another thing that struck me is how Tyler Schultz's lawyers charged his parents between $400,000 to $500,00 to represent him, while Erika Cheung simply was told by "a lawyer" that - as a whistle blower talking to a regulatory agency - she was protected!  Makes me wonder why Tyler Scultz's lawyers didn't take that route. Hmm.

One more thing - I think the dry, haphazardly arranged hair was all part of her "I'm just a humble hard working Einstein too busy to care about superficial things" routine.

[Unpopular Opinions]

Speaking of impressive Steve Martin performances.... In "All of Me" (1984), his character, a lawyer, spent most of the movie with his right side inhabited by the soul of Lily Tomlin's character, a self-centered, recently deceased millionaire. And he pulled it off! He was great in it and received a couple of prestigious awards for his performance. But I always thought he should have at least been nominated for an Academy award. Comedic performances - especially when it's physical comedy - seem to be generally overlooked by the Academy. Guess they're afraid of not looking classy. Lol

[Pet Peeves: The Holy Trinity and Beyond]

On 2/17/2019 at 10:51 PM, auntjess said:

Speaking of carpeting, here's one of those time-capsule houses, posted to FB.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/537-Rogers-Ave-West-Springfield-MA-01089/56241116_zpid/?fbclid=IwAR0BbaJhp0T96u3LZypxA6tCjnq5I8IbEO0HShf8foK-1kHKcrB7nXoAHQY

Thanks for posting this, Auntjess. If this house isn't an object lesson on why one shouldn't blindly follow decorating trends of the moment - I don't know what is! Lol

[Ramona Singer: The Turtle Time Walk of Shame]

1 hour ago, HunterHunted said:

I can't figure out if it is classism or bigotry.

And let's not forget the driving force behind all these "housewives": narcissism.

[Season 8: Speculation and Spoilers Discussion]

This is somewhat off-topic - but for those of you who are interested in knowing more about George R.R. Martin - he's going to be on tonight's episode of Finding Your Roots on PBS (8PM EST). I just starting watching Game of Thrones so I'm only up to Season 4, but I'm obsessed with it. While I'm obviously not ready to start speculating on Season 8, I am looking forward to finding out more about the writer of the original novels. All I know about him is from Wikipedia, and so far I just find it endlessly amusing that he was born and raised in Bayonne, NJ of all places. I mean I can understand JK Rowling having Edinburgh to inspire her. But Bayonne? The man has my undying respect.

[My Lottery Dream Home - General Discussion]

42 minutes ago, debraran said:

I've seen a lot of articles on his tattoos and there is meaning (for him) for them all. Some of his past depression might be another reason. He hasn't had a drama free life.

MICKEY was a shock though, I never saw Mickey on his arm!

https://www.lifeandstylemag.com/posts/my-lottery-dream-home-host-153744/

Good Lawd! David's got tattoo fever and he's got it bad: multiple Mickey Mouse tattoos, tribal tattoos, just about everything but the kitchen sink. His skin is starting to look cluttered.

Quote

The popular host has plenty of ink all over his body. He has a chest tattoo that reads "Limited Edition," a tribal tattoo on his right shoulder, and a full-sleeve on his left arm, which features several different images of Mickey Mouse. "First round of Mickey Mouse tatts are down," he captioned a recent photo of his tattoo collection. "7 hours of pure pain has turned into a lifetime of smiles! A lot more work to be done but I’m so pleased with it!"

Debraran, I'm wondering if you had any more background on his not-drama-free life. The little I could find online seemed pretty rosy. I'm intrigued. At least it might explain why his choice of "tatts" come across like a cry for help. Lol

[Escape at Dannemora in the Media]

Here are the links. Among other tidbits, Tilly says she's writing a book. Someone should let her know that there's a Son of Sam law in NYS that prevents criminals from profiting from their crimes. Tilly's probably envisioning her book becoming a best-seller, to be made into a movie with a still slim Charlize Theron playing her. Lol

https://nypost.com/2018/12/22/joyce-mitchell-rips-ben-stiller-over-escape-at-dannemora/

https://nypost.com/2018/12/24/ben-stiller-fires-back-after-shawskank-calls-him-a-liar/

[Get A Room With Carson And Thom - General Discussion]

Still love Thom and Carson, but all the blue paint in that historic Bronxville house- on the stairs, the trim, the fireplace, the radiator, the wall sconces - almost made me want to cry. And what was that humongous, 5 foot, streaky brown vase thing next to the fireplace?  It didn't seem to serve any purpose except take up space. It all reminded me of being young during the 1970's, moving into that first affordable apartment, and wondering what the previous tenant was thinking.  Except this was no tenement apartment where the previous tenants were stoners. I can't believe that with $100,000 to spend that this was the one time they ran over budget!

I thought the $12,000 re-do in Edgewater was much more chic. I also liked the couple and enjoyed the husband's low key sense of humor.

[General True Crime Shows]

1 hour ago, Pebble Puppy said:

Bubble? Just from watching the show, it's apparent that cops of all races have to utilize their weapons  because of suspects of all races. In fact, an African American cop got shot by an African American suspect. Where's the outrage about that? Maybe the media only reports what they believe will cause good ratings and we need to realize there are two sides to the story. Im not living in a bubble. I just don't think being a cop is easy and it's easy to judge when we've never done it. If a cop kills anyone other than African American, it's not likely reported. Or, maybe the media shouldn't specify race at all and stick to facts and report all killings by cops. Why does it matter what color anyone's skin is in 2018 ? Do they report and specify when an African American suspect kills a white woman? Not unless they put his picture up and they don't say she's white.

 

Currently there is no nationwide governmental database that accurately compiles the number of people who annually get shot by the police in the United States. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/mar/04/police-killed-people-fbi-data-justifiable-homicides

But there are groups who are trying to figure out the data from various sources. This link above will take you to an interesting analysis of this data. https://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/09/04/the-real-story-of-race-and-police-killings/?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article&region=Footer

The general conclusion is that racial disparities are evident. African Americans are shot in disproportionate numbers by police officers. One could also argue that even if the police officer doing the shooting is African American: the quickness to shoot a black person can still be the result of a systemic racism in which black people are viewed as being more dangerous.

In fact, racial profiling can even start in preschool:  https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/09/opinion/racial-profiling-in-preschool.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=Moth-Visible&moduleDetail=inside-nyt-region-1&module=inside-nyt-region&region=inside-nyt-region&WT.nav=inside-nyt-region

So sadly, one's skin color does matter - even though it's 2018. As for the news media - I can think of quite a few stories where the person shot by a police officer was white. Now that everyone has a video in their phones, and cameras are on so many building: police shootings are probably bigger news than ever.

That's not to say that a police officer's job is easy. I sure couldn't do it. In fact, I just heard a segment on NPR the other day about how a lot of police departments are having difficulty finding qualified applicants. People just aren't choosing it as a career option the way they used to. So there are a lot of issues at play here. But the first step to solving a problem is admitting it exists.

[S01.E04: Part 4]

Tilly reminds me of a few women I've met over the course of my life. Sure, she comes across as pathetic at first, enough to elicit sympathy. But scratch the surface and underneath all that self-pity there's a self-centered sociopath, with no true sense of right and wrong. I don't feel sorry for her one bit.

[Pet Peeves: The Holy Trinity and Beyond]

On 11/28/2018 at 6:43 PM, Booklady1017 said:

Right, have a certain of kitchen because it's the style you like not because it's trendy and its what you think you must have.

The funny thing is that a lot of the people on these shows don't seem to realize that the reason they may like a style is because it's trendy. They act as if they came up with these choices on their own, as in "I like dark wood floors! It's just something I instinctively like because I have taste!" Nothing wrong with liking a trend but they don't even seem cognizant that this is a trend. And of course they have to act act completely flummoxed that the previous owners had different tastes or needs - like the need to for separate rooms. I have to laugh when I hear the potential buyers and realtor marvel at how a house  was "chopped up" - with rooms. That's another thing - if something isn't on trend then it has to be spoken of in a disparaging tone. Wood floors aren't dark enough? Guess that means you're living in "a bowling alley". Lol

[Get A Room With Carson And Thom - General Discussion]

45 minutes ago, 2727 said:

Thanks for the report! After Lori mentioned that her clients are mostly theater folks, I wondered just how their underwear requirements differ from mine. How did you hear about the store? I can't imagine how someone would build up an appointment-only business now, never mind in the years before social media and pop-up stores.

How long are the appointments? Were they booked up so that you had to wait a while?

I went to a boutique lingerie store (just once!) and ended up with two $150 bras. Even with that kind of markup, selling a handful a day doesn't seem like a sustainable business in NYC. Maybe Broadway costume managers buy in bulk. I'm curious how it all works! Same with that odd cupcake shop we saw.

I was told about the place by a co-worker who was always impeccably dressed. She must have taken pity on me. LOL  I don't recall how long the wait was for the appointment, but I seem to remember that the appointment was for an hour, and in that hour I bought 6 bras at around $65 a pop. Mind you, up till then I had buying all my bras at discount stores like TJMaxx. So I really went bra-crazy while I was there - the fit was that good. Also, they sold some British brands I had never tried before, and they were perfect for me. I also later ordered some from them over the phone and they mailed them to me. So I'm thinking that after an initial appointment for a fitting they must generate a lot of sales through the mail. They also sell other items like shapewear, hosiery, etc. I can see how those items could be in ongoing demand especially for women working in the many nearby theaters. Plus, they have more than a few famous clients. Those customers are probably like the casino equivalent of a high-roller.

Yeah, in general I don't know how a lot of these businesses make it, mainly because the commercial rents in NYC are astronomical. Even though the store wasn't on street level, the rent couldn't be cheap. Unless, maybe they were lucky enough to sign a long-term lease when they first started out. But even then things were expensive.

[Get A Room With Carson And Thom - General Discussion]

7 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I am someone who wears cute underwear and lingerie (no matter what my relationship status, heh), so I know my way around a lingerie shop. The bra bar before was the sort of place that I would go in just to get a basic bra and leave - I wouldn't stay and browse because it just wasn't that welcoming. It was dark and cluttered.

The baby living in a closet didn't bother me (I mean, it's illegal, but meh) - very NYC, as space is at a premium. But the bare nakedness of it at first was driving me nuts. I know the German husband hated color (which: boo), but babies need color! I hated the glowing V, but I guess they had to keep it.

I was especially interested in this episode because, after decades of only buying bras on sale, I had decided a few years ago to treat myself and shop at Bratenders. I haven't been back lately because having to make an appointment and then brave the hustle and bustle of the Theater District during rush hours, are both major deterrents for me. That said, it's a great store. Once you're there you're the only customer in the store. You tell the saleswoman what you want, she brings you into a roomy, comfortable dressing room (with curtained windows), and keeps bringing in items for you to try on. The saleswoman I had was as nice as could be, and was fantastic at figuring out the right size and brands for me. She didn't even measure me - she just eye balled me. What a pro! Of course, it turned out I was wearing the wrong size. Alas, I had to pay full price there, but now at least I know the size and brands to buy. It was definitely worth the trip.

Anyway, while it needed some decluttering - I kind of liked the quirkiness of the store's original layout. It reminded me of a lot of Mom and Pop stores from bygone eras. Also, they didn't show the dressing room but it had a very nice, homey feel to it. Now, as they said, it looks like a department store. Apparently the owner likes it, and it was a good deal for the cost. But the end result seemed too sterile and small to me. I would have preferred if they had not divided the room up to hide the inventory. And while browsing through the display items wasn't necessary for me - it was nice to have that as a ready option. Sometimes you just want to go exploring without having to ask. It also would have been fitting to see some sort of subtle homage to the Theater District since the bulk of their clients are involved in the performing arts. I guess I'm just kind of tired of the slick sameness of so many stores. But, who knows. To me the original store looked better in real life, so maybe the final product looks better too.

Now as for that cute little baby who is currently sleeping in a fancy closet - I hope they have some sort of good air ventilation system in there. Or else that poor baby is going to be breathing in stale air. Not to mention diaper changing time......Also, where did the TV in the living room go? It had a prominent place on the wall, but I didn't see it after the redo. I wish they would film the before-and-after shots of the rooms at a more leisurely pace and give us more camera angles. As it is, I keep having to rewind and freeze the shots, and I'm still not getting all my nosy questions answered! Lol

[General True Crime Shows]

On 11/23/2018 at 2:33 PM, walnutqueen said:

 

Yeah, no - I am not buying the "it was Satan, not the perp" BS the "pastor" was trying to sell.  Also, he showed so much compassion and so many tears for his murderous friend, but did he even show an iota of emotion for the innocent victim? I might have missed it in my state of outrage ...

So true....Something was very off about that pastor. Only a narcissist would take down a poster of a missing person so they could "remember to pray for her" later on. Buddy, that's not why that poster was placed there. He must have thought his prayers were extra, extra special.

[LuAnn de Lesseps: No Longer a Countess, Still Never a Princess]

I wasn't raised in, nor have I ever followed, any particular religion. But even I was offended by Luann's post. As humor it doesn't work for me, because I suspect that deep down inside Luann really expects people to worship and adore her. To me that post is the equivalent of a visual Freudian slip and a not so subtle one at that. Lol

[Get A Room With Carson And Thom - General Discussion]

10 hours ago, breezy424 said:

Another fun episode tonight.  However, I hated that fish wallpaper.  Neither client was my taste and I gasped when Carson was painting the antique chairs white.  Nope.  You don't do that with real antiques and those chairs didn't look cheap.  Sorry Carson, you don't paint really good furniture white.  That really depreciates their value.

I too felt sad for those poor chairs. But the fact is that most antiques have been steadily losing their value over the past decade or two. Beautiful wood pieces are now disparagingly referred to as "brown furniture" because TPTB tell us that the goal now is to make your home look like a high-end hotel. So there's a surplus of gorgeous, well-made pieces that don't fit into the new "life-style" design trends. Personally, I can't see painting over high quality wood. But design trends are inevitable as long as people want  their homes to look "fresh" and "different".

I wonder if Carson ever wishes he could re-style and re-dress the home owners the way he used to on Queer Eye? Or better yet, have Kyan Douglas show up. That wife's face reminded me of the Situation from Jersey Shore. Nothing the right make-up couldn't fix.....I'll show myself out now. ;-)

[Get A Room With Carson And Thom - General Discussion]

A few random comments.

I love how Thom and Carson criticize each others driving but can still laugh about it.

The couple from Teaneck was probably Orthodox and the wife was in all likelihood wearing a wig. I used to work in a health clinic that had a special program for Orthdox Jews, so I speak from experience. Seems silly to hide your own hair out of modesty, then cover your head with a wig made from someone else's hair. But then I'm not a fan of all the man-made rules that tend to come with organized religions.

That custom table made from flooring was listed as costing $8,000! (And the chairs cost an additional $3,100.)

Spraying that chandelier with white spray paint seemed like a questionable choice to me. But I have to admit the final product looked appropriate for the overall redesign.

Thom sure loves to place fake plants on boxy white plant stands.

Maybe because I fall into this age group and gender category, I must take umbrage at Carson's justification for the 80's style wallpaper: "When you've got this all kind of old ladyish trim, you've got to do something really cool for your walls." So now trim is dated and loud wallpaper is back? And why is anything that's considered dated referred to as being "old-lady" or "grandma"? My grandmother had fantastic, timeless taste.

For someone who makes "luxury hair accessories", the wife from Teaneck was wearing some really crappy pieces. That first one looked like two weirdly giant crisscrossed bobby pins.

But for all my nitpicking I'm really enjoying this show. Even if I wouldn't want the end result for myself, I appreciate witnessing the creative process. And I love the playful chemistry between Thom and Carson.

[My Lottery Dream Home - General Discussion]

I just started watching this show about a month ago. So I've been marathon watching all of the repeats. Nothing like watching one episode after another to catch onto the show's formula. Lol Anyway, I agree with all of you who find David to be quite unctuous. Yet, for some reason, I find his predictably over the top, completely insincere reactions to be rather amusing.

Anyway, assuming that the home buyers already bought their houses, I'm kind of amazed at the general quality of acting and ad-libbing made by these everyday folks. I know I wouldn't be able to pull it off. Every now and then you get people who seem wooden, but overall they're completely into their roles. Now why they would want to go on this show is a mystery to me - unless they're just looking to continue their 15 minutes of fame. Maybe the initial hoopla about their lottery win didn't last long enough for them?

So last night I was thrilled to recognize one of the three homes the two guys from New Jersey were looking at. First the upstairs library looked familiar. Then when they showed the ice skating rink, I knew I had been there for an estate sale a few years ago (looking for bargains in knickknacks ). So whoever bought the home then didn't stay long. I can't imagine what the taxes and the upkeep must cost. It's a money pit. I've seen comparable homes like that in North Jersey where the annual taxes were around $50,000. Those two guys who, were splitting $1000 a day for life, would have been spending about a quarter of their net income just on real estate taxes. It's crazy how much money it takes to be really rich - especially when you're living near NYC.

[Jersey Shore - General Discussion]

On 10/12/2018 at 11:30 AM, Lusterleaf said:

In case anyone wants to check out Mike and Laurens wedding registry: https://www.crateandbarrel.com/gift-registry/lauren-pesce-and-michael-sorrentino/r5872988

Also, looks like they are getting married Thursday Nov 1.

That wedding registry eliminated any feelings of romance I had about their wedding. LOL Not that they would care, but it's a pet peeve of mine when engaged people register for huge quantities of overpriced cooking and dining items. How much formal entertaining do they plan on doing? They probably won't use most of it on a regular basis - if at all. And why load yourselves down with a shitload of stuff when you're just starting out as a couple?  I mean, I know Mike likes to eat but do they really need a $380 dutch oven? A $600 mixer? A $699.99 blender? (Okay, it's on  special for $549.99 - but still.) All of which makes me think they also plan to spend quite a bit on the wedding. If they're thinking the Jersey Shore money is going to be around forever, then Mike didn't learn much from his previous spending sprees. And if they actually do use all the stuff they're asking for on the regular, then Mike must be planning on turning himself into a perfect human sphere. Oh well.....Rant over. I'll just go back to minding my own business. LOL