Lady Grump

Also, I snark-respected the subtle camera / editing shade perfectly set in motion by Jules. At one point, she mentioned that the first step in combating an eating disorder is recognizing and admitting it (so true, for any addiction). Then the cameras quickly cut to Carole's and Beth's faces. Subtle shade for days! I did notice. I'm tellin' ya', I'm definitely curious to see what tact Carole will choose, starting now.

First things first: Dorinda reigned in Part 2. She was channeling QE I -- or something. Quoting Maya Angelou, Herculean loyalty, shutting Carole down....bra-va! This topic is fascinating. Puh-LEASE, people in the publishing biz -- give us your opinions! Ghostwriter-gate is so much more interesting than the other sub-plots. It needs to be the next "Serial" topic. I would be all OVAH it.... How crazy would it be if Aviva turned out to be right!? I think Carole must make a decision, and soon. She could, possibly, turn things around if she admits, "Wow, after absorbing [because that's a word Carole would use in this situation] this season, I didn't like what I saw. I didn't like me." And from there, we could get a redemptive arc going -- which could be...dare I say...inspiring (in the only way reality shows can be inspiring -- Lifetime-Movie-esque; something only your Inner-Cheese can appreciate...in private...without ever telling a soul......but I digress, I've already said to much). I watched her talk show exactly one time. A Black female entrepreneur happened to be the guest. During the woman's segment, apropos of nothing, Beth blurted out something to the effect of, "See! And she's not even looking for a handout!" Out. Of. Nowhere. I remember thinking, "Oh, OK. So that's who you are. Got it."

Agreed. And I'll take it one step further: I'm 100% out of fucks to give for Vicki. She is a casually racist narcissist without an ounce of self-awareness. Is she alive? Good. Fine. Other than that, don't care.

I used to enjoy RHOC for their fun, light approach. But all this, "OMG, Meghan's awful for not going to visit Vicki!" -- Um, NO. It feels too....scripted, or something. Look, I know all of these shows are scripted -- but sometimes the producers reach, and I'm unwilling to extend my go-go-gadet care.

Egh, whatever people want to call themselves is of no matter to me -- it's how they act. Sure, Lu was pretentious her first season -- but she's come a long way on that front. Her "brand" is "The Countess" -- and as a human living in the 21st century, I ain't got no beef about that. Carole and Beth are as pretentious as the Pope is religious. So, Lu gushes about her mid-life marriage -- who cares. Good for her. Beth and Carole pulling some puritanical -- and hypocritical -- shame tact? THAT is problematic.

HAHAHAHAHA! Typo and it's staying! lol! :-)

Fist pump for Tama! It seems improbable, right? Well, when we lived in Manhattan, there was a Townhouse with a Chicken Coup a block over. The SMELL!!!! OMG....deadly!

Not really. In Manhattan, coke is as common as concrete...mostly a white collar drug. Finance folks, especially. I'd be more surprised to learn that one of the housewives doesn't indulge. Plus, the majority of them were in their 20s in the 80s -- idolizing Darien Taylor, no doubt. To me, the likelihood of any of them being "drug free" seems highly improbable. In other news, Bethenny was reminiscent of a prancing, evil Tolkien troll. Damn, woman -- get your therapist on, will ya!? Do something, because Lu was right -- you're actually an evil person. You may even be here to help Damien - (It's all for you, ANDY!).

Lu spinning it to blame Tom's indiscretion on the woman? SHAME! [rings bell]

Me too please! Where can one binge? This franchise is true trashy smut! Just discovered and can't stop laughing.....at them. It's reality smut gold.

Lately, I've been trying hard to find a point of empathy with Carole -- but she lost me tonight with her grapefruit flirting stirring. Come on, now, Carole. Really? Nah -- you were just making fun of Ramona without her realizing it. (Which, please, poke at Ramona! But don't be patronizingly messy about it. Not a good look on you.) The whole thing kinda reminded me of an early season Mad Men episode, "Meditations in an Emergency" -- when Don goes to a party at his paramour's apartment. I see Carole and her cadre of quinoa-popping, statement-hat-wearing, Jared-Leto-stanning Brooklynites convening -- (cackling with condescension)-- to watch Carole's show...ironically. (An acoustic guitar -- if only for show -- special-snowflake art, and palliative back-patting about their *ethical* superiority are definitely involved. )

[Warning: unpopular (possibly self-righteous) opinion is crash landing in 3.....2....] Jules is awesome. I do think she's quite bright, but is just one of those people who flusters easily when talking with people. Homegirl has clearly been married to a shady, assy troll for years; and clearly she had major suspicions that her babies' daddy was catching some strange. And she's STILL the kindest person on this show. Go Jules. Personally, I love that she is so open about her ED. People hide too much shit for the sake of appearances. And wouldn't the world be so much better if people were open and honest about their various differences and struggles? It's not like she WANTS to have an ED. But she has one, and she's open about it. Again, Go Jules. You got my vote. And what the fuck is up with this shamming her for her troll's OBVIOUS nonsense? Nah. Oh, and I want to hear every little last detail about growing up with a Chinese mom and Jewish dad. I want to know how her parents blended their two cultures; I want to know if her mom converted; I want to know what her Chinese grandparents thought of her Bat Mitzvah and if she incorporated any Chinese traditions into her wedding -- I want to know it all! It's different, it's not the same old, same old UES wannabe, status jockeying (which, granted, can have its smutty charms). But yes, please, I also want to hear about being an Asian Jew between the Dynasty redux drams.

A D? No way. Homegirl was rocking at LEAST a G. Yup. But, (and maybe I am just too soft when it comes to Sonja), Sonja seems to have some awareness that she's not really upset with Lu, just more self-reflective about it all -- and sure, she's playing it up for the cameras, but homegirl knows Lu hasn't done anything wrong. It's fucking Ramona who is clinging to the teenage drama. Fucking Ramona. I really need Avery to Christina Crawford Ramona in about 10 years. Puh-LEASE! Has anyone else noticed that on the Bravo blog page, Beth's is set apart in a red box. Obvious favoritism is obvious. I just assume they're all doing blow. They're a menagerie of 80s excess, clinging to the keeping up with the Jonses bullshit. (Erving Goffman would have had a field day with this crew!)

I feel like it was pretty obvious what Meghan's mom meant. How many people have been at THEIR CHILD'S conception of a grandchild? Not complicated. Nothing to snark about, IMO.

Got it. Thanks for the correction deeply shallow!

I like Meghan -- and I don't think her marriage is a traditional one. Meghan and Jimmy seem to have more of an arrangement. She enjoys a certain lifestyle, and he has a certain type of woman on his arm for industry events. I think they're probably friends who were drawn to the practical aspects of being "husband and wife," for financial reasons and, unfortunately, for "professional" reasons (the baseball establishment is still pretty old fashioned...). As far as the baby goes -- I think Jimmy is fine with it, because Meghan does want a kid, and they will probably be married for a long time, because they both went into it with their eyes wide open. That's just the sense I get.....

Ahhhh yes, the "oops baby"....which several years later Heather admitted was conceived through IVF. Phony snob. Personally, I don't believe squat that comes out of Heather's or Terry's mouths. I'd bet cash money that they're "behind closed doors" life isn't a 1/4 as idyllic as she'd have us believe. Gross pretentiousness and status obsession are at the top of my "Nope, cannot tolerate you," list -- which is why I gotta agree with Jeff Lewis. I also can't stand how people praise her for being "smart." I mean, she's not dumb; but she's also not noticeably brilliant. Her ego may insist, "I'm a GENIUS!", but Heather seems of average intelligence, to me.

I have to disagree. If you're in your 50s / 60s, and surround yourself with 18-year-old slaves interns all day long, there is something bigger behind that. It's not like she's a music manager who's required to be intimate with youth culture. (Talking about Sonja here.)

Or, it could be a situation where Jagger, a little boy who was promised lots of time with daddy during the week (finally!), got his hopes dashed because daddy is a selfish piece of shit. Agree 100% with your statement, but I don't think it applies to Sonja. IDK, I just don't see Sonja as a confident, sexually liberated woman with both hands firmly on life's steering wheel. To me, she seems insatiably needy and has a serious case of clinging to the past. (Relatable; been there.) I don't think she sleeps around because she enjoys it; I think she uses it as a way to feel loved and closer to people -- not that she is necessarily aware of it. (Though, like others have said, I think she is starting to recognize her issues and is making positive changes, like drinking less.) Rooting for her. Exactly. There's something just so endearing about Sonja. Her whole internship program is almost offensively insane; but I see her incredible loneliness; she's the kind of person who needs people around, on a near constant basis (probably because it helps her get out of her own head). Which, for me, is sad, not worthy of contempt. Ramona is the personification of Elaine Benes' dancing. Ramona. Ya know, I can forgive a lot. Self-centeredness, hyper-sexuality, over-sharing, bragging -- because 9 times out of 10 there's a more sympathetic root reason for the behavior. But my compassion line is drawn just short of folks like Ramona, because she is FULL of contempt for people she deems "below" her -- and is astoundingly rude about it. No thank you, ma'am! If she owned it, acknowledged it, and tamped down the status bullshit, I'd be all about Ramona -- but no, I just can't with her the way she is now.

I so agree with the folks up-thread -- Adam is straight-up dreary. Personally, I think he’s got a side chick. That, or he cheats on the regular. Yeah, there's just something about that grungy whippersnapper that awakens my "self-serving user" alarm. Some extremely insecure people can present as overly confident and use pettiness as a shield. Maybe Carole? Come to think of it...naming her dog baby, the boyfriend situation, throwing herself a shower for her book (I've never understood the appeal of showers (the party kind), personally). I mean, sure, it's all harmless, but all together it's a clue about Carole's internal world. Externally, she's going for Carrie Bradshaw, hipster edition; but on the inside, she may be regretful and bitter about her husband's death and not being able to have a child with him (which may have been something that she, personally, wanted with him). Maybe it's all led to an insidious gender-role insecurity that she's subconsciously internalized, which culminates in...what we're watching play out...the nasty, stuck-up-seeming Regina George who wields insults cloaked in concern, as an erratic reaction to her own life's hurts and disappointments. If so, I have sympathy for that. To the person who will try to drag me for implying that women without children are filled with regret - No. That is not what I am saying at all. I've chosen cats over kids, and don't regret the decision.

Beth has to be suffering from extreme low self-esteem, and it's presenting as narcissism, right? I have to think that somewhere, deep down, she's realized that she is a lonely, mean person, with very few friends, who has hurt a lot of people, and it's largely her fault -- but she doesn't know how to deal with her realizations and resulting emotions. Maybe she even fears it's too late to change and build friendships (it's never too late!)? I also think there is a disconnect between Beth, the business woman, and Beth. To some degree, Beth's success was partly luck, and her business doesn't necessarily take mega-intelligence, but it does take loads of hustle -- which is great. No shame in that. Please, I could use a healthy dose of hustle (and a healthy dose of intelligence, for that matter!). But, I think her fans have put her on a pedestal: "Wow! She's SOOOOOO Smart!" (just because she made a lot of money). But Beth knows the truth deep down - that she is of average intelligence with a biting sense of humor. Nothing wrong with that; but it doesn't match her public persona. Could she be feeling like a phony, and that's manifesting itself in ways that present as self-absorbing, when really it's her awkwardly trying to mold to some smart, sassy role ... and failing? I'm trying to be generous, because I just don't understand how someone could be as pathologically solipsistic as Beth appears to be without an underlying, more sympathetic root reason. Is she so jumbled and scared that her self-absorption is almost an instinctual defense mechanism?

Yes. I remember liking Carole so much the first season, in part because of a single -- at the time apropos -- comment to Ramona. The two women were at some cafe. Ramona, per usual, was bitching about someone, and Carole calmly said, "Well, Ramona -- she is who she is and you are who you are -- it's fine." It was so refreshing, at the time, to have one of the Housewives respond that way. Now, three years later, Carole has Kafka'd herself into a catty monster.

That's too bad that she gave into popular opinion.

Adore Kelly and her openness. So freaking refreshing. So many people are so guarded about what they say around other people -- for appearances' sake. Love that she owns her unconventional marriage / relationship and isn't afraid to talk about it.

Lady Lyanna's face when negotiating with Ramsay was everything.