PhilMarlowe2

I have always felt compassion for Ryan. I also think he's a horrible human being. But I have compassion for him at the same time. I think both things can be true at once. Re: Ryan's "resignation" from the show, Tamra might want to be careful - she could be going the way of Vicki - stable relationship, no kids/grandkids with whom to film, and not much else to offer the show other than her very familiar brand of (tired) drama.

I guess I'm in the minority because I love Ryan on this show. I don't actually like him, but I think he's a compelling TV character. He is so unhappy with himself, and such a douche, and I feel like he breathes all this dramatic life into Tamra's storylines - whether it's his fight for control with Simon, trying to fuck Gretchen when she's naked wasted, his misguided wedding plans or his Fox news insanity. I also have no problem with politics on these shows. It's what's going on in our country right now. I find it interesting to see who falls in which camp and how they handle the division. I find it much more interesting and real than, like, Gina telling Shannon that Tamra talked shit about her. I think this is going to be a great season.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I don't think Kyle has been undermined. I don't think Kyle is very articulate and what I inferred from her tweets is that she knew there was a set up once she got to VPD and they trotted out Lucy - hence, she knew "from the very beginning" or however she articulated it.

I do think they have laughs together - which is unsurprising to me since I think Kyle and Teddi have the two worst senses of humor of any Housewives of any franchise.

Denise was defending Camille up until their last group dinner. Denise was clear that they should leave Camille alone given her recent tragedies. It wasn't until Camille dropped the bomb about Dorit's finances that Denise definitively turned on her. Even then, she tried to reason with Camille at the finale party - and only got aggressive when Camille was aggressive first. Not to mention Denise clearly didn't take a liking to Camille's self-involved reaction to the fires (though she didn't dwell on it). From what I saw, Denise very much came to her own opinion of Camille.

Kim Richards missed the reunion because she was in rehab at the time. She didn't voluntarily turn down the reunion and then get her own special episode of WWHL. Two completely different situations. Brooks wasn't a cast member on the show, he had no obligation to show up at the reunion, so he received no special treatment. This example only works if, say, Vicki dodged the reunion because she didn't want to face the other cast members and then got a special WWHL interview with Andy. Which, again, would never happen. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Brooks' interview with Andy was after evidence surfaced that he had faked the medical documents he had released to "prove" his cancer diagnosis was real. So, there was topical news to address that broke after the reunion was filmed.

Regardless of whether Brandi warranted a 1-on-1, it still remains that she wasn't a cast member on the show - and LVP was a cast member on the show this season, which means she had her opportunity to come to the reunion and she turned it down. It would be an insane precedent to set that a cast member can duck a reunion but then speak their mind in an exclusive individual interview with Andy.

Similar to how the other housewives were criticized for not publicly tweeting condolences to LVP and yet they also would have been criticized for doing it for show if they did in fact tweet condolences. I guess it does indeed become a "no way to win" scenario when people are determined to see a situation one way and one way only.

I understand the distinction in Andy's mind. Brandi wasn't a cast member on Season 6, and yet the other women talked about her, which means she didn't have a chance to defend herself or clap back. Ergo, the powers that be gave Brandi an opportunity on the reunion to speak to what was said about her. LVP, on the other hand, was a cast member this season and had the opportunity to participate in the reunion. LVP turned down that opportunity. To then get rewarded with a special 1-on-1 rebuttal episode is giving her favored treatment that feels beyond the pale, IMO.

It probably wasn't that interesting if Bravo chose to leave most of it on the cutting room floor.

So, it's Lisa Rinna's (and the other women's) fault that LVP criticized Erika's condolence card?

I am honestly mystified as to what producers think Teddi brings to the table as a cast member. There is nothing fun about her.

I think LVP leaving is good for the show because I think she creates a bind within the cast. Her co-stars always end up resenting her for getting away with shit, but they mostly keep it to themselves because of viewer backlash. I really think LVP has been a huge part of why the show has been boring the past few seasons. That said, they need some new blood. Get rid of Teddi for sure, maybe Dorit and/or Erika. Or keep Erika as a friend. Bring in two new wives. Let's bring some new life to this a la Jersey last season.

Here is my question to ponder now that we know for sure that LVP is leaving: Would things have turned out differently if Kyle had not gone to Villa Rosa that day? Now, I am no huge LVP fan, but I thought Kyle totally blundered that confrontation. First of all, I am still utterly confused why Kyle was the messenger in the first place - it was Dorit's issue with LVP, let Dorit handle it. And second, why the need to tell LVP that she (Kyle) believed that she (LVP) leaked the story? Why even go there if you're trying to stay neutral? And why speak for all the other women? The whole thing escalated so quickly. But if that fight hadn't gone down - if Kyle had just relayed the news un-emotionally ("Hey, you need to talk to Dorit"), would LVP have stuck through the season? Would she still be on the show now? It's interesting to consider.

Oh, I totally agree that the other women have to own their actions. They ultimately cannot "blame" LVP for what they have done. But I also don't see this all as them simply blaming LVP. I think they ultimately just want her to take accountability for her part in things. Brandi even said, "Lisa never specifically told me to say anything," but went onto explain that there was a covert feeling of being played. If you're Lisa Rinna, and you're getting all this grief for bringing up the Munchausen thing, and meanwhile you know LVP was also taking part in it, then I get why Rinna would also want LVP held accountable. It's human. That said, yes, it is definitely not Rinna's business to take LVP down or expose her. And I do think that's where the other women get into trouble. They get pissed, and then they get reactive, and then they want LVP "exposed," and then it gets ugly. If they could remain unhooked from the drama of it all and simply own their part and also calmly draw their boundaries with LVP ("Hey, I feel like you had a part in this and it's affecting how I feel about you that you're leaving me out to take all the blame alone"), then there would be no problem. The complications arise when they're all trying to prove something about LVP, trying to out LVP, trying to make her pay. Again, I understand it from a human level, but its definitely messy.

I'm not really sure who "keeps" falling for it. Lisa Rinna never fell for it again after Season 6. Brandi never fell for it again after Season 4. I doubt Teddi would ever fall for it again. We even heard Kyle say in Season 6, "I know when LVP is up to no good and I let her know, 'If I go down, I'm taking you with me.'" LVP has a pattern of cozying up to new women whenever the tables start to turn on her and that tends to be who "falls" for it. I am not sure where this idea came from that veterans keep falling for it over and over and then complain about it again. Thank you! I see this argument so much and it is truly baffling to me. I don't despise LVP at all. I think I am less bothered by LVP herself than what I perceive as this common tendency to paint her as a completely blameless, innocent, victim who can do no wrong.

The ratings for RHoBH are actually quite strong this season, it's killing RHoNY. I don't think Lisa's options are all that strong. Lisa actually tried to branch away from Housewives/Bravo after Season 4 - the first time she got called out for her machinations. She attempted to get into scripted television (I know because she met with my TV producer friends to try to develop something). Suffice to say, nothing got even remotely close to off the ground with the many producers that she met. The industry just wasn't that interested. If she had had options back then, she would have left. LVP is really only a "Queen" in the world of Bravo. I'm not saying she couldn't get some kind of other deal for reality TV on some other network at some point, but it's far from a sure thing and there is no guarantee it would be anything close to the success she has found on Bravo. It doesn't matter if you're LVP, Nene, Bethenny (remember her doomed talk show?) or whomever - so much of these women's success does rely on the ensemble chemistry and the Bravo universe.

Like I said, it's a vibe. Do tight shirts and man make-up make someone inherently non-trustworthy? Of course not. He just reads sketchy. At least to me. Mileage obviously varies. In the words of Camille, some people make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. He's definitely one of them (for me). My friends who were with me were also shocked by what a handful he seemed. PK and Mauricio's stuff has nothing to do with the rest of the cast - neither issue was designed specifically to punish or expose a fellow cast member.

It's just a vibe. I mean, yes, his overly tight shirts unbuttoned to beneath his pecs don't exactly scream professionalism. And his pouted lips, and his excessive man make-up, and the way he struts around like he is "Somebody" - he's not too far off from Bobby Trendy (for any Anna Nicole fans out there) - he comes off like a total caricature. Certainly not someone I would hire to run my non-profit.

I agree that John Sessa is a con artist, I've thought this for a while, but I also think it speaks volumes that LVP and Ken hired him. I've seen Sessa in real life and it is plain to see that he is not what you would call a reliable character. At a certain point, you have to look at who LVP chooses to surround herself with - the likes of Cedric, Brandi, PK & Dorit, John Sessa - and start to think about what it reflects in her...

I think a key element of this story - and one of the most unforgivable things - is that Jill purposefully made it look like Bethenny ditched her during Bobby's cancer scare. Turned out there was a lot of manipulation of the "facts" by Jill and she essentially used Bobby's cancer as a way to try to make people hate Bethenny. The whole thing was very ugly.

Yes, sexual harassment was by employees. But Ken apparently destroyed video evidence. And apparently both of them sought to hush the whole thing up, so they definitely had culpability if true.

LVP has had lawsuits - that she and Ken actually lost - that were never brought up on air by the women. Lawsuits involving sexual harassment and tampering with evidence - not only were LVP and Ken found liable for damages but there were also ordered to pay plaintiff's attorney fees. LVP then lied about it in the press and said they won the case when they in fact did not.

I think that was the start of it, but it goes deeper. I think it was the huge fan backlash against her for both bringing up the Munchausen issue on camera and then also attempting to bring up LVP's part of it - while the fans meanwhile totally rallied behind LVP - and, on top of that, having to eat crow by continually apologizing/sucking up to LVP in the aftermath (while still knowing that LVP did in fact have a part in all of this) - and, on top of that, the undisguised pleasure LVP took in lording it over Rinna for at least one season afterward. This is not meant in defense of Rinna, by the way, who I do think needs to learn the value of taking the high road, but I do understand why she would have a lot of built-up frustration in this area. In Rinna's mind (and I personally believe her), LVP stirred the pot, and then not only stepped aside as others took the heat for it, but played the victim when called out on it and then delighted in punishing others for their part in the whole situation.

I am new to Schitt's Creek, binge watching it, and while I am enjoying it, I have no clue what Patrick sees in David. I know I'm in the minority, but I find their scenes so repetitive.