amarante

The writers have essentially decided to write whatever crap is easiest. The only reason I continue to watch is because it is somehow soporific. The Henry storyline was ridiculous. Any defense lawyer (or prosecutor or plaintiff's attorney) has prepared every witness by asking them the questions they would be asked on the stand. They don't have someone go on blind. Why would Erin - who is theoretically a top DA be prosecuting a petty misdemeanor especially when it involves the police department. It would never be assigned. The kidney story was ridiculous. Starting with the premise that someone arrested for that kind of petty crime in New York would have been out on own recognizance in term for the operation. Another boring story about how the Commissioners have to take a "bold" stance against a mayor who has to balance competing issues among the population. I am reasonably certain advance teams would have arranged the services so they weren't competing against each other.

Slade worked in the mortgage business and was definitely involved in the shady financing of that time but I don't know if he worked for Countrywide or another of the sleazy companies. Jo said she worked with Ryan and I don't know if Jo worked with Slade or just in the same business.

Sometimes people will get immunity who aren't guilty of anything as an extra precaution against something coming back to bite them. I have no opinion on Ryan's guilt although I do think he knew there was something not quite on the up and up The guy was employed on some level at Countrywide Mortage for god's sake which was one of the worst of the mortgage companies that were responsible for the financial crisis of 2008. Nobody working at that company had clean hands. They chiefly did subprime loans to unqualified buyers with no risk assessment - the NINJA loans and also exploited gullible mortgage seekers by giving them high interest junk mortgages when they probably could have gotten standard loans. Am I the only one who assume that engagement ring was fake. When you get a diamond that size it isn't believable unless you are Kim Kardashian who could believably afford a million dollar or more ring and is vulgar enough to actually wear it.

What kind of adult acts like that about their birthday? Once you are out of the elementary school age, it tends to be more or less another day and no one I hang out with acts as if their birthday is some kind of epic event in their life or the lives or anyone else. Especially at the dinner table. That is beyond repulsive

I didn't find it negative but just an example of her being aware of playing up to a certain image because I don't think the Jenna not being filmed shleps her diamonds to a casual weekend in the Hamptons.

I had no idea that Pavlova's had become a thing but I guess it fits with retro trends in food. My friend was doing some errands and decided she needed some sustenance so she dashed into the Beverly Hills hotel and ordered a Baked Alaska which is from the same era. Pavlova was named after Anna Pavlova the prima ballerina from the early 20th Century - Ballet Russes. Peach Melba was named after the Nellie Melba and created by Escoffier to honor her visit to London in the late 19th Century - I don't think that dessert has become trendy yet. Why would Jenna bring all of those diamonds to a weekend trip to the Hamptons? On the one hand, it seems like part of her style persona to mix extreme casual with luxury - i.e. diamonds with jeans. Ubah is as tiresome in her own way as Brynn. Her cousin Chanel on Dubai does narcissistic over the topness in a much more fun way so she isn't annoying because I don't get the sense she is taking it seriously. With Ubah I do feel that she is exactly as self centered and annoying in real life and lacks some element of self awareness or charm. With the exception of Jenna, this cast isn't working for me at all. They are all to performative and so what is shown on screen is pretty boring and/or makes little sense. And some are boring and loathsome like Minkoff and Erin

I am 100% sure that Bronwyn and her daughter discussed having the situation on television extensively. Bronwyn pretty much stated that she made sure that her daughter heard about the airport thing and the grandparents in a safe place. I also suspect that Lisa had talked to Bronwyn off camera and so the scene with Lisa occurred after Bronwyn had discussed it with her daughter and Lisa and Bronwyn had probably agreed how Lisa should alert the grandparents to the connection and the show. I feel sorry for the teenage Bronwyn although it appears that her parents didn't reject her but offered support although obviously they weren't thrilled. However the adult Bronwyn has really become a strong person. Her daughter appears to be an articulate intelligent woman - with emotional perception. Kudos to Bronwyn. And it does explain the dynamics of her marriage to some extent. And then there is Britani - oy vey - the emotional intelligence of a 13 year old. But what can you expect from someone with that name to start who then has the twee spelling. I am surprised she doesn't dot the i's with hearts.

I think reliable drugstore brands are safe - or as safe as any other brand. Often the quality is very high as well and they are often made in the same labs as higher priced stuff - especially the smaller labels. The big difference is packaging and colors although there can also be differences in formulas which impact how color goes on and how longevity. But you would have to be "crazy" to buy cosmetics from Alibbaba which is essentially what some of these no-name or celebrity brands do. It is also why I avoid buying cosmetics from amazon or eBay because of the high levels of countefeiting. It is one thing to buy a counterfeit purse since it won't kill you but another thing to buy counterfeit eyeshadow which could cause an infection which could damage your eyesight. Kim Zolziak had a makeup line and I got one of her eyeshadow palettes in a beauty subscription box. I tossed that thing immediately because I assumed it was a cheap Alibaba import. I wouldn't even give it away which is what I did what a lot of the stuff I received that I couldn't use.

I agree that the pattern is generally being made a friend of - I think most recently Angie The Greek on Salt Lake was elevated. However Alexis could have been a virtual housewife since she had appeared in every episode until London and I think she was genuinely shocked that the producers had decided she didn't make the cut and wasn't going to London because that signified she was "out". And she knew it was a production decision because they could have arranged the overseas trip to so that she went along. And of course it was a financial hit since she lost all the money she would have been paid for the rest of the episodes.

This also true of the makeup and skin care products - and not just by housewives. During the pandemic I started subscribing to a lot of the beauty "subscription" boxes to have some amusement each month when the boxes arrived. Some of the stuff was valid actual product lines seeking promotional distribution or getting rid of overstock. But a lot of the items were from "obscure" lines that were never actually sold and they would have wildly inflated retail prices so that the "value" of the the boxes would be increased. Add to that level of deception the reality that no one with a brain wants to use products on their face or body without having a reliable manufacturer. There was one HUGE scandal because there was a no name brand of skin cream which claimed to have a retail value of $250 for a small jar and someone found the same product - same jar - on Alibaba for literally a $1.00 for a jar. It was tracked down to a shady women whose business address was in New Jersey.

Friends can be upgraded to orange holders if they create a "splash" Also friends are paid only for episodes they appear in so not appearing in the London episodes probably cost her a significant amount, Going on a trip as a housewife is free and offers the closest thing to "celebrity" treatment that this women will experience. On the most basic level they are being comped the best rooms in a posh London hotel. And of course there was the reality that she wasn't being upgraded to an orange holder when she got the text because she knew production had the ability to have her on the London trip. And it does surprise me that there are "fans" who actually think that the "hostess" pays for these trips. Are there people who are so naive as to think that someone would pay for overseas lavish trips for six women? Aside from the reality that most of them couldn't afford to do the idea that they would want to "treat" their co-workers is ludicrous. Inviting them to their vacation home is about is credible - flying them first class to stay at the Penthouse suites in London - not so much.

I don't understand why anyone would call this a scam It is how many makeup artists work. You go for a session and you do half your face so you can duplicate it. I can't believe they are flying people from LA so I assume that they are just hiring makeup and hair people locally. Still isn't cheap to have it done. The irony is that the ones who do their own look just as good as the glam squad people. The only time it is noticeably different is when the hair would be impossible to do on your own. Erika Jayne used to have looks that could only be done by a third party because it would have been physically impossible to style the hair on your own.

It is the ridiculous blonde extensions. It is mutton dressed as lamb Oddly I have the same issue with differentiating ubiquitous white middle aged middle class men in the British mystery shows that I watch regularly on Acorn and Britbox. Often it makes it difficult for me to understand a plot because the men look the same

I thought Bronwyn's rebuttal of her being a gold digger was odd in terms of her stating there was no prenup since it was ass backwards. Having no prenup is a benefit to the poorer spouse (Bronwyn) since the assets are not protected. A gold digger would NOT want a prenup. If she had said there IS a prenup, then it would have bolstered her claim of it being a "love match".

There was a similar "scandal" on Real Housewives of Atlanta when She by Sherree was selling Shein leggings for wildly inflated prices. I assume anything peddled by the housewives is crap except for possibly for the businesses that existed prior to their being on the show. But I am probably the antithesis of a "fan" as I have less than zero interest in purchasing celebrity merchandise. If I like their music or admire their acting ability I would purchase the music or go to a show - but it stops there. Why would I want to pay any amount of money for leggings with She By Sherree Logo - let along $150

The ability to buy, sell and transfer bitcoins without normal safeguards is precisely why it is used for money laundering and other nefarious financial transactions. But I got the sense that Abe had to liquidate assets in order to cover what their living expenses are. And as others have mentioned, the recent suicide of Brandon Miller immediately came to mind as an instagram perfect socialite couple living wildly behind their means. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/08/nyregion/brandon-miller-suicide-debt.html

The issue isn't whether or not Shannon is an alcoholic and continues to drink because she thinks she can control it. The issue is the difference in the way they handled their DUI incident. Shannon admitted she was drunk and didn't make any excuses for her behavior by blaming stress. She didn't claim she couldn't talk about it with the implication that she really hadn't been DUI. So far Karen hasn't not actually admitted culpability in terms of DUI but has continued to attempt to excuse the behavior by citing "issues" like the death of her parents SIX YEARS AGO or issues in the marriage when "the streets" all know her marriage with Ray has been a marriage of convenience for many years. Karen's has the same wealth and ability to have attorneys negotiate a favorable deal as Shannon so I think the argument that one has "privilege" and the other doesn't is ridiculous.

The Grande Dame is ridiculous. Her parents died 6 years ago - as the editors shadily pointed out. It is well past time to stop blaming your grief for your poor decisions. My parents are both dead and so I understand grief but she is being ridiculous. Obviously not missing the non-entity that was Robyn. She lasted well beyond her expiration date with her non-stories. However I think that Bravo gave her one last season in the hope that she would produce something more than the tired excuses about Juan. They were probably itching to fire her after she monetized the Juan stuff behind a paywall instead of bringing it up during the season before. Mia's poor kids. The housewives are so ridiculous when they claim that they aren't "responsible" for certain actions. She and G did NOT need to have a discussion about the paternity test ON CAMERA. Mia brought it up by telling G that Inc wanted the test. If she was truly acting in her child's best interest she would have done it all of camera. But she deliberately chose to make it public by having the request filmed. Is there really a flourishing boutique that sells those kinds of gowns in enough quantity so that it is profitable. They weren't prom type of gowns or bridesmaids gowns. It reminds me of the Kim on RH of New Jersey who had a boutique. Obviously the football wife should theoretically have the kind of money Monique had - is Monique still married?

At the end the desk officer told Ripley that someone else had already "confessed" and the clear implication was that Sully had come in to confess. The whole premise was stupid - even more so when it was determined that Sully was going to die in a few months. He wasn't going to serve any time since the system would have no interest in taking on the hassle and expense of treating him. They would just delay proceedings and wit for him to die. Put him on house arrest

They could have been the best parents in the world and not raised her without having her learn about her Korean heritage. She was adopted in the 1980’s and there was much less advice regarding raising children of different cultures as it was assumed that the best course of would be to assimilate. Many ethnic groups assimilated or tried to until fairly recently. Adoptions were still closed for the most part. Also Atlanta especially in this time period was not exactly a cosmopolitan area and I would imagine her parents were probably very insular. Not defending her parents or how they raised her but just that it needs to be looked at with the perspective of time.

And not even a "regular" ice cream parlor. It is a "fantasy" type of destination that caters to children. Lots of birthday parties. Gift area with expensive items to come home with. No one including the staff is going to care about unsupervised children in what is probably the gift area. The better to increase profits by giving the kids something to get their parents to buy for them. No one would go there with the expectation of quiet.

It is refreshing when the actual "battles" are so clear because on franchises like BH the real issues are so hidden that the women fight endlessly over fake stuff because they generally can't discuss what is driving the fights which is money and show status. Here it was clear that Alexis lost - and major. If the producers wanted Alexis to be on the London trip, she would have been on the London trip and it might have been structured so another woman "hosted". The hosting is all fake anyway. The producers thought the best storyline was to allow Shannon to "host" and thus have a credible reason for Alexis to be dropped to maximize drama. There have been plenty of trips where feuding housewives were forced to be together because showing up for certain stuff is mandatory for the cast. The issue with sizing is real. There are stylists and wardrobe people on shows who removed size tags or sew in fake size tags to assuage the vanity of the women wearing the clothing. And while sizing is all over the place it is also true that the US has especially rampant vanity sizing. People will talk about Marilyn Monroe being a size 14 but she wasn't a modern size 14 but was probably a size 6 or 8.

I still don't have any ability to keep the new doctors' names straight. Is the hair on the black woman where half sticks out an actual style because I have never seen it anywhere but on this show? Last season I also found the hair on Derek's nephew to be bizarre with the huge slope of hair extending in the front.

The retro fitted elevators are smaller than a shower stall. They would have been installed by whoever flipped the property because otherwise a fifth floor walkup - or really any walkup would have to be sold for far less. The whole moving thing was staged because anyone buying furniture or other large items in New York needs to make specific arrangement with the delivery service unless it is delivery to a place with a large freight elevator or a single family home with normal stairs. Even then there could be issues as I live in a high rise with a large elevator and my neighbor bought a couch that couldn't fit through her front door. There are special services in New York City which divide a couch in half for delivery and then put it back together.

Erin and her family were in Serendipity which is essentially a kids' place and so kids milling around wouldn't be uncommon and they had mentioned an older child was with them. Jessel appears to have gotten overly white and large veneers during hiatus. I had most of y teeth done and deliberately chose teeth that looked like real teeth. Brynn has crossed the line where the work she is getting is detrimental to her looks. There was a Decorating Magazine in which her old apartment was shown and it was really lovely. As I recall, she couldn't film there which is not uncommon in multi-family apartments. Her shtick is getting old very quickly. Erin is awful on so many levels and there does appear to be trouble in marital "paradise".