S06.E18: Something To Sing About

[Duke2801]

Josh Taekman is a dick.

 

 

I agree with pretty much your entire post, ghoulina, but the sentence above really gets to the heart of the matter. And yes, Kristen was whiny and annoying, which was also unpleasant.  These two just seem to be at the point where they are bringing out the absolute worst in each other.  Unless they are both willing to make some fundamental changes in how they communicate, that relationship is certainly doomed. 

 

Did Carole even mention anything about Googling Munchausens? It's not like it's some completely obscure disease. I could have whipped that out at the dinner table myself.

 

 

I could be totally wrong, but for some reason in that flashback, I thought that she said (to whomever she was talking to) something along the lines of ... "She has Munchausen's -- google it."  As in, google it to find out more about it and see that Aviva has all the symptoms. 

 

And for something totally random ....  every time I see the title of this episode, I feel like I need to go and watch "Once More, With Feeling" from Buffy tVS season 6!

Edited July 9, 2014 by Duke2801

[zoeysmom]

LuAnn was scheduled and promoted to sing and backed out.  There isn't enough comic relief to listen to her sing.  According to Luann she sang after the cameras were no longer there to film her.  LuAnn does not like to expose anything unpleasant about her.  Loved how she lost it on Ramona. 

 

What I gathered from what Josh and Kristen were saying during one of the rounds of the argument is Josh loses track of time.  So in the heat of the conference call he is not looking at his watch -he is lost in the task at hand.  I doubt he started the phone call with the mindset- I need to be out of here in 15 minutes to rush home to my wife and family. Being on the receiving end of someone's constant tardiness is never fun and good luck trying to change that behavior.  I doubt his business behavior is all that different.  Would a text, an e-mail have satisfied Kristen-I doubt it. She would have text back-why and 'you are ruining dinner'.  Kristen wants a commitment from Josh to being on time and nothing less will satisfy her.  Was I the only one appalled that Kristen could not figure how to wash lettuce?  Or was it she didn't know how to wash lettuce without a salad spinner? 

 

According to Kristen she and Josh are in communication throughout the day-could she really be that far removed from his business and what it entails?

[Baltimore Betty]

One more scene with Sonja trying to fish a compliment out of Harry this time rambling on about how she needed a slip under her dress which forced him to say and very underwhelming "oh wow" about her dress. 

 

One more scene with Sonja interviewing yet another intern (who looked like she could not keep a straight face thru that scene). 

In the coming attractions Harry is giving a huge ring to Sonja, (it looks so cheap/fake), it seems like Harry is on the money train with Bravo and this will ensure another few paychecks for him, does Sonja not see that?

Mario's singing sounded like some wounded animal but kudooz to Ramona for supporting him even though he was rude to her before he went on no matter how awkward and twitchy she was being.

 

What goes on with Heather and her clothing, has she not found the right undergarments or foundation to wear? She looked like a sequined bag of Russet potatoes with earrings. Ironic ain't it?

Luann and Jacque on a rock in the park with dogs, being photographed, will this be the cover of her next album?

It occurred to me that outside of my first wedding and the kids Bar and Bat I have never hired a photographer for vanity shoots in a park or anywhere for that matter, must put on my list of things to do.

 

Carol and her name dropping was crazy funny because that intern seemed to have no idea who any of those people were.

 

 

 

[twilightzone]

Josh can be a jerk - no question - but he was all of 20 mins late.  He was ok when Kristen first called him, but then she kept at it - and at it - and eventually made it a much bigger deal than it was.  Kristen doesn't know when to pick her battles.

[mwell345]

 

Mario's singing sounded like some wounded animal but kudooz to Ramona for supporting him even though he was rude to her before he went on no matter how awkward and twitchy she was being.

 

I wish Bravo would stop airing flashbacks of happier Ramona/Mario.  We all know they have problems.  I thought his singing was awful but good for him for doing what I would never do (sign in public).

 

Ramona knows exactly what buttons of Luann's to push. I don't think Ramona cared if LuAnn sung or not, she was trying to get a reaction and she did.

 

Sonja - we get that you have interns (apparently one to read email, one to plan and one to travel with her).  What exactly does Sonja do all day?  I am so bored with her.  The interns/I Love Sex story lines are getting boring.

 

Nice bit of Name Dropping from Carole.   I was waiting to hear "Caroline Kennedy - yes, let me send her my book too.  And my mother in law - Jackie's sister, her too".

[ghoulina]

I could be totally wrong, but for some reason in that flashback, I thought that she said (to whomever she was talking to) something along the lines of ... "She has Munchausen's -- google it."  As in, google it to find out more about it and see that Aviva has all the symptoms.

 

Now that makes a lot more sense. But when has Aviva ever made sense? It seems SHE was the one who needed to Google it. I really don't get how she could make the leap from that statement to Carole needing to Google everything in order to write her books. She is crazy.

Josh can be a jerk - no question - but he was all of 20 mins late.

 

I thought Kristen said he was 45 minutes late? And I thought she was being a bit generous, or rounding down. Because he was supposed to be home at 6:00 and it showed 6:55 on the clock when they were arguing in the kitchen. Or maybe by that point he had been home 10 minutes? Either way, 20 minutes....45 minutes....I think her point was that he didn't let her know. He had previously told her that he WOULD be home at 6:00, and then didn't call/text/email when things changed. Which forced HER to have to call, to figure out what was going on, and then he explodes on her. I just think his entire attitude about his family shows a real lack of respect. He'll breeze in and out as he pleases and they all just need to deal with it. 

 

 

People have been comparing them to the Beadors on OC and I can see that Kristen is quite the nag. I don't know if she is AS bad as Shannon. I can only recall her nagging Josh about his tardiness and presence with the family, the way he treats her (abandoning her at the mud run), keeping his word, etc. But Shannon nags David about incredibly mundane things like having water before bed or chips before dinner. It's like she nags just to nag, while Kristen (who definitely needs to learn when to let things go) seems to have legitimate gripes. 

 

And I don't think I would compare David to Josh. Obviously we are not privy to everything, and David does have the DV past, but I haven't really seen him disrespect Shannon on camera the way I have with Josh. 

[sistermagpie]

I can just imagine an attorney running over in closing argument and stopping to text home.  I am surprised Josh is expected to get out of the office by 5 pm.

 

 

I can't believe he did expect to get out by 5. Nobody schedules a conference call that close to when they've said they're going to be somewhere and actually expects to be on time. (Also isn't sending a text totally easy during a conference call? He kept talking about "stepping out" when the other person isn't even in the room to begin with.) Whether or not Kristin would or wouldn't have been satisfied with a text, he didn't do it. I know she can be grating, but her whining seems like it's just annoying but basically has no power. Where as every single time he shows up he's getting his way and putting her down. It's like he's got this one narrative that he's always pushing, which is that he is the professional, rational, important man and she is the unprofessional, irrational, hysterical, silly woman. Everything he does comes down to his big important business that she doesn't understand--that's why he can't be expected to even half pay attention to anything in his life involving her or the kids. And when Kristin was the one at work making that video he cleared his whole schedule just so he could hang around and push that narrative again, bonding with the other "professional" men making the video by making jokes about how Kristin was useless and a big fake.

 

This guy just seems to never miss a chance to try to impress on her that she's nothing. Unfortunately, instead of responding to that in a strong way by just not accepting it and potentially leaving, she just ineffectually lashes out in pointless ways. 

 

Thanks for the info about Aviva's inhaler. I wished somebody would explain to her that she's proved herself completely untrustworthy when it comes to her many illnesses, despite the missing leg, so naturally no one takes her seriously. She had phobias that needed attention that came and went when convenient for her and now she's claiming she has 50% lung capacity that's also apparently never interfered with her life. Plus she seems to use her standard just-in-case medication more to make a point than to help her breathe. 

[jennylauren123]

HunterHunted, thank you for a much-needed morning laugh! The visual is perfect.

 

Dr. Sonja thinks that the larger the inhaler the more severe the asthma. I predict that next time Aviva shows up with a bellows tucked into her purse.

 

I guess Dr. Sonja doesn't realize that asthma inhalers have metered doses. Only a certain amount is delivered with each puff. And Aviva, you're doing it all wrong. Sure, sure, you can raise your pinky while using the inhaler to keep things "klassy," but you must exhale completely, put the inhaler to your mouth, inhale quickly and deeply, and then hold your breath as long as you can.

 

Signed,

Dr. jennylauren123

[zoeysmom]

I can't believe he did expect to get out by 5. Nobody schedules a conference call that close to when they've said they're going to be somewhere and actually expects to be on time. (Also isn't sending a text totally easy during a conference call? He kept talking about "stepping out" when the other person isn't even in the room to begin with.) Whether or not Kristin would or wouldn't have been satisfied with a text, he didn't do it. I know she can be grating, but her whining seems like it's just annoying but basically has no power. Where as every single time he shows up he's getting his way and putting her down. It's like he's got this one narrative that he's always pushing, which is that he is the professional, rational, important man and she is the unprofessional, irrational, hysterical, silly woman. Everything he does comes down to his big important business that she doesn't understand--that's why he can't be expected to even half pay attention to anything in his life involving her or the kids. And when Kristin was the one at work making that video he cleared his whole schedule just so he could hang around and push that narrative again, bonding with the other "professional" men making the video by making jokes about how Kristin was useless and a big fake.

 

This guy just seems to never miss a chance to try to impress on her that she's nothing. Unfortunately, instead of responding to that in a strong way by just not accepting it and potentially leaving, she just ineffectually lashes out in pointless ways. 

 

Thanks for the info about Aviva's inhaler. I wished somebody would explain to her that she's proved herself completely untrustworthy when it comes to her many illnesses, despite the missing leg, so naturally no one takes her seriously. She had phobias that needed attention that came and went when convenient for her and now she's claiming she has 50% lung capacity that's also apparently never interfered with her life. Plus she seems to use her standard just-in-case medication more to make a point than to help her breathe. 

I think what is being missed is not the mechanics of sending a text or e-mail but the fact that Josh is engrossed in the matter at hand and doesn't think about the time.  In other words  he is engaged in the meeting or the conference call he is not watching the clock counting down the moments until he is suppose to be with Kristen.  It is irritating to be in a meeting and have someone keep checking the time.

 

I will say as I had my dog out this morning I thought Kristen needs to employ a simple dog training rule-if  a dog runs off and you finally get the animal to come back to you after repeatedly commanding the dog to "come"-you don't beat the dog when it returns.  It is truly a mixed message.  I do delight in the fact Josh is going bald because you just know Kristen and Josh have made a lot of bald and short jokes in their lives.  How will Kristen live with someone who is both tardy and bald?

Edited July 9, 2014 by zoeysmom

[tvfanatic13]

Kristen may not be able to let things go, but IMO Josh is just a huge douchecanoe!

 

Thank you editors for the Ramona/Mario montage, the Harry hulk-eating cut-ins, the Lu/Jacques scene and Aviva just being an ass.

[SFoster21]

Why was Josh Flagg there?  Did anyone say anything about that?  It was fun to see him.   Guess he does leave Beverly Hills now and then.

[sistermagpie]

I think was is being missed is not the mechanics of sending a text or e-mail but the fact that Josh is engrossed in the matter at hand and doesn't think about the time.  In other words  he is engaged in the meeting or the conference call he is not watching the clock counting down the moments until he is suppose to be with Kristen.  It is irritating to be in a meeting and have someone keep checking the time.

 

 

He didn't really have to keep checking the time, imo. He scheduled his conference call at a time when he was obviously not going to make it and could have texted beforehand to just say he was doing this call and he'd text when he was done or whatever. Having seen Josh over and over and heard about the way he's operated in the past anyway, this isn't about him getting engrossed in other things and losing track of time, it's about him making it clear that whatever he wants to do is always the only thing that matters. He never thinks about Kristin or the kids at all. Of course it wouldn't occur to him to think about having promised to get home at five during the conference call--or before the conference call, or after the conference call. Any more than he'd consider his wife and kids when changing his business or moving to another coast. 

 

And yes, it's somewhat of a mixed message for her to be angry at him when he gets home in that it makes him not want to be home. But that kind of assumes that Josh needs some sort of reward for coming home at all. I mean, he was giving just as mixed messages by complaining that he doesn't want to come home because there's no dinner waiting for him and then insisting on playing games with the time he's coming home. Since he's far more demanding than Kristin it's just hard to think of him as a beaten dog. He was screaming at her almost immediately when she asked if he could let her know if he was going to be late.

[TomGirl]

"She looked like a sequined bag of Russet potatoes with earrings."

Hilarious, Betty! I actually thought she looked pretty good, but your comment still cracked me up.

[MMLEsq]

So much to say about this episode...

 

I forgot about that, but having read the Widow's Guide I was assuming Carole's had based the book on her "dating"  Clooney. Ralph Fiennes is so much more interesting. He was so hot back in the day. Now, eh.  

I thought she said -- as an aside almost to her assistant -- that quite a few stories from The Widow's Guide... were about Ralph.  It was a bit hard to hear her because I believe the General Contractor was also talking at the same time about the window/air conditioning unit. 

 

Oh for Pete's sake on Aviva's "inhaler". "Did you see the size of that thing?" "It could blow the back of her head off." :paraphrased. That was an Advair Diskus which I have had when I have had bronchitis but it's also given with other COPD's (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). It's not large because it's under any kind of pressure and it certainly won't blow the back of anything out. IIRC, it's like you huff the medication back, it's not *shot* down your lungs. It's a very common medication. The diagnosis of asthma can be completely subjectively determined. A practitioner does not have to hear wheezing. All you REALLY have to do is tell a Dr. you are short of breath, and even if they can't find any physical signs, they will probably treat you for asthma because if someone really has it, and you didn't treat them and they had a BAD attack like that kills them, there's your lawsuit.

Yes, I had asthma as a kid and I get bronchitis every winter now....my pulmonologist prescribes a "preventive" inhaler (which contains steriods, I believe) and an "emergency" inhaler (for when I'm having trouble breathing).  For most people, it's not a big deal..... certainly nothing as dire as Aviva is making it out to be.

 

Gawd Luann is such a bad singer.  Heather and Mario were both painful as well.

I am a horrible singer (I know this about myself).  I agree that Luann is not a good singer.  I thought Mario was good -- not great, but good.  I don't think he embarassed himself with his performance.  I actually thought Heather was really good (again, maybe not great, but really good).  I was impressed by her (especially if she was originally only supposed to be Luann's backup singer).

 

I thought the scene with Carole and her assistant was an interesting contrast to the scene with Sonja and her interviewee.  Carole was informative and friendly while discussing marketing her new book, while Sonja was humorless and self-important while discussing all the ways her assistants have to cater to her.  And for what, exactly?

 

I really like Carole, and I like that we got a look at an author in her NY apartment getting ready for a book tour.  Scenes like that make this my favorite franchise.

I like Carole too!  She may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think she's lived a really interesting life and I'm tempted to get The Widow's Guide.  Has anyone here read it?

 

Yes. Josh's job is stressful, but I've worked a boatload of jobs that have a limited amount of accessibility. He's full of it. I've practiced in a law firm, worked in hospitals, worked in the legislative branch and slept at my desk for days during a filibuster, private industry, and a government agency. I've never had a job were I couldn't surreptitiously sneak a text to let folks know that plans were shot. I would love to figure out how different Josh's job is to every job that I can conceive of.

I'm an attorney and worked for 8 years in the NYC office of an international law firm that had 100s of attorneys.  I can appreciate that there are times when you're stuck in a conference room and cannot escape (I'm thinking of one time in particular when I was stuck in a conference room for hours and I was breastfeeding at the time and couldn't even leave to pump...OMG, it was painful).  However, most of the time you can send an e-mail or IM your assistant and ask them to let someone know you're running late.  My guess is that Josh feels like he doesn't need to inform Kristen of anything -- if he's late, then she has to deal with it.  I think if they both were a little bit more considerate, they'd be a lot happier:  he needs to clue her in when his schedule changes or when he's making life-altering decisions, and she needs to let things go.  I think it would have gone a long way if he had just acted apologetic about being late, but clearly Josh feels like he doesn't need to apologize for anything.  I thought it was interesting that he basically ignored one point that Kristen was trying to make:  if he got stuck on a call or in a meeting and he was going to be late for a business appointment, he would find a way to let the person know. He apparently doesn't feel that he owes the same consideration to Kristen.

 

Just curious, is Birdland very famous?  Do other New Yorkers know it?  Cuz I've lived in Manhattan for 20 years & don't know it at all.  But I know nothing about & couldn't care less about jazz -- so maybe that's why?

Yes, I know it.  My law firm had a party there once.  (I also know very little about and don't really care for jazz, so I never went back.)

 

But I really am fascinated by Sonja's intern interview.  I am still trying to decode what was going on.  We've all been speculating about how she manages to get free intern labor for her household when large companies like Conde Nast and Hearst are eliminating or curbing their internship programs after legal problems.  The government is really tightening up on this and penalizing the employers for getting improper free labor.

 

She says all her interns leave after they get their credits.  That implied they were students getting credit under a traditional model.  But what college would give credit for working at Sonja's Grey Gardens?  Lingerie Conservation 101?  Advanced Toilet Repair?

 

She says the interns are people she gets through friends.  That makes more sense in that people here have speculated that they are actually boarders helping her with rent. 

 

Maybe it is a combo of both, but it appears that Sonja has a racket going. 

 

She said she wanted the intern to be compulsive about detail (as she clearly is not).  The interviewee seemed a bit long in the tooth for that type of job, but she seemed desperate to get it.  Now here is the real mystery:  Sonja wanted her to help maintain her "schedule of appearances" and inform her immediately by text of the most important offers.  What--is Sonja now paid a couple of hundred dollars to show up at the opening of a paper bag?

This scene was hysterical.  I have to give it to the candidate, she pretty much kept a straight face while listening to Sonja talk about how important she is and how busy her schedule is....meanwhile her "right hand man" is named Pickles.  (Poor Pickles......  I wonder how much she loves that people on the street are probably recognizing her and calling her that now.)  Re: Conde Nast:  "The Fox Searchlight and Condé Nast cases are just two in a rash of more than a half dozen recent suits brought by plaintiffs in creative fields like publishing, fashion and film, who point to a six-part test laid out by the Labor Department following a Supreme court case in the 1940s. Under the test, an unpaid internship is legitimate if the employer “derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded.” It also says, “The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.” In other words, the internship’s goal should be to train and teach the intern, rather than to provide free labor for the employer. If the employer doesn’t meet the six criteria, it is supposed to pay minimum wage or better."  I would say in Sonja's case, she's definitely looking for free labor and the "experience" of interning for Sonja is not for the benefit of the intern (as much as Sonja tries to spin how much worldly experience they're gaining from working -- oops, I mean interning -- for her). 

 

See, now if I were a parent of a kid in college, this would really, really infuriate me.  OK, let's figure this one out, shall we?  So Sonja wants us to believe that a kid "interning" for her -- who is basically running her personal errands -- maybe dusting or doing her laundry -- which we know can ONLY be done in cold water since she can't afford any hot water -- will be doing this for college credits.  OK, would that be the equivalent of maybe 1 or 2 courses -- or even more?  So what exactly would parents be expecting to be spending for this?  Maybe 8 to 10 thousand?  Or more?  To fucking wash Sonja's dirtied up panties in cold water in her crumbling dump next to a 24/7 parking garage?  Like I said, if I was a parent of a kid roped into being Sonja's unpaid slave & I was paying 10 thou for the so-called privilege of doing that, I'd be really fucking pissed AND there's no way in hell I'd ever allow it.

I heard -- I believe on WWHL once -- that she lowered the temperature on the hot water heater (I'm completely non-technical, but I believe that was the explanation) as a safety measure to prevent her young daughter from getting scalded by hot water, and they've kept it that way ever since (maybe for financial reasons...that wasn't really explained).  I wash everything in cold water (by choice), but that's just me.

 

I guess Dr. Sonja doesn't realize that asthma inhalers have metered doses. Only a certain amount is delivered with each puff. And Aviva, you're doing it all wrong. Sure, sure, you can raise your pinky while using the inhaler to keep things "klassy," but you must exhale completely, put the inhaler to your mouth, inhale quickly and deeply, and then hold your breath as long as you can.

 

Signed,

Dr. jennylauren123

Yes, yes!  Thank you Dr. jennylauren 123....it's bugged me every time they've shown Aviva using one of her inhalers.

 

ETA:  fixing nits plus this:  Forgot to mention this:  I've never been in couples therapy, but if both spouses are going into it with the idea that they just want the therapist to confirm they're 100% right and the other person is 100% wrong, I'm not sure they're going into it with the best attitude.   

Edited July 9, 2014 by MMLEsq

[watcherwoman]

I agree Josh is an ass, but Kristin is a dog with a bone. She gives me a headache when she argues. Maybe Josh didn't send a text because he knew she wouldn't let it go and he didn't want to deal with a bunch of unhappy texts from Kristin making her point over and over and over.

Kristin, your husband is an ass, but he made it home by seven, and I've seen you on dates with him. Don't get me started on my life when my husband was starting a business. I wanted my husband home by 9pm most nights and sometimes I wouldn't see him until the following week. That still goes on after 37 years together, that's the nature of his work. Of course my husband wasn't and isn't an ass, so there's that.

I wonder if Sonja and Harry did end up in the bathroom? Maybe that's why he was so ravenous during Mario's song? Effortless indeed, a good title for Sonja.

Luann and Jacque, insults sound so pretty in French. He's an ass too.

Sonja, with all that cosmetic help you get, if Harry is the top of the mountain, I'd say, let yourself go and give up. So depressing!

[izabella]

I thought it was interesting that he basically ignored one point that Kristen was trying to make:  if he got stuck on a call or in a meeting and he was going to be late for a business appointment, he would find a way to let the person know. He apparently doesn't feel that he owes the same consideration to Kristen.

Yes, Josh completely ignored that truth.  He just wanted her to shut up.

 

If Josh listened to his clients' concerns as well as he listens to Kristen's, then his business would fail.  He shouldn't be the least bit surprised if his marriage fails.

[movingtargetgal]

Remember from the season previews there was a shot of Aviva's fake leg on the floor.  I am now convinced that Aviva will have a tantrum regarding her asthma and will fling her leg unto the floor to "prove" to the other housewives that she is indeed an amputee. 

[shoegal]

I found it really interesting that when Josh/Kristen and Heather/Jonathan met for dinner, Heather and Josh kissed hello on the mouth.  Kristen's response was for Josh to "wipe his mouth" when he sat down.  My hubby and I have great couple friends that we've known for ages, and we hug hello....I understand a hello hug and a cheek kiss (or two, which gets so fucking annoying IMO) but never a kiss on the mouth to a friend when one or both of you are married.  I find that odd.

 

There is no way that Josh can convince me that he didn't have time to "step away" and send a text, I don't for one second believe that he didn't have his phone within arms reach for a minute during that very important conference call that Kristen will never understand because she is not an "entrepreneur" and has no idea how to run a business.  I can understand the employee that doesn't want to get caught texting during a meeting/call, but isn't Josh the fucking boss?  and isn't he great at multitasking??  He can give his full attention to his daughters physical therapy and text at the same time, but he can't participate in a conversation and text at the same time?  Sorry, not buying it.  The issue is that Josh is an entitled asshole with no respect for his wife, not that he's a super busy "entrepreneur". 

 

On a side note, it really bugs the shit out of me to hear people describe themselves as an "entrepreneur".  Maybe it's because I worked for an asshole who was constantly touting himself as an "entrepreneur" (instead of just discussing the business he started) and it really bugged when Heather was getting in on the act.  It kind of confirms my belief that people who constantly refer to themselves as "entrepreneurs" are really just people with a mix of asshole and inflated ego. 

Edited July 9, 2014 by shoegal

[Teddybear]

 

What goes on with Heather and her clothing, has she not found the right undergarments or foundation to wear? She looked like a sequined bag of Russet potatoes with earrings. Ironic ain't it?

OMG too funny.  She was hawking Yummie stuff on HSN the other night and looked horrible!! She wore a tight tight tight spandex-y skirt with rouching (I'm assuming Yummie) and a tank top.  She's got a great body, but her choices just aren't flattering at all (especially that shiny pink number at Ramona's intervention).  

 

Re: Josh Flagg being at the jazz club.  Someone mentioned that Sonja's rental in the Hamptons was one of Josh Flagg's, so I'm sure they have some type of relationship.  

 

Can you really get your belly lasered off?   I'll always remember Kim Z. doing that while eating pizza.  

[Souvlaki]

Josh says Kristin doesn't understand why he goes out every night. He had a marketing agency and dropped it for his new company without telling her. They live in LA for two years. He comes home one day and announces they're moving back to NYC. No discussion about possible plans with Kristin. Heather and Josh write that off as having the mind of an entrepreneur. No wonder Kristin's so angry and whiny. Josh has no respect or regard for her feelings.

Wow. That's the backstory?

The only one I would give such treatment to is my dog, and I love my little dog so much that if she could talk Human I'd ask how she felt about it. You know, it's just something you'd talk about with the one you love and respect as an equal. You don't cart your wife from shore to shore like a Military Stepfather. I must concede though, that she had...still has, a voice and a choice but an unfair amount of pressure was put upon her. I did read he gave them only like 10 days to ship out, set up plans for THEM unbeknownst to HER at the time, so he communicated nothing of his work and told her AFTER the fact.) Did I get that straight? (Manipulative Ass.)

Edited July 9, 2014 by Souvlaki

[tvfanatic13]

This from Lu's blog:

 

Things between Jacques and myself have been getting tense lately. We have been bickering a lot more recently. We are working on improving that, and I hope that it will. Jacques and I both love each other very much, but I'm wondering if we can go the distance? We are just at different places in our lives for the moment, so it's hard!

 

 

She does know that we know that they are no longer together and were not when they filmed either, right?

 

This from Sonia's blog:

 

I've broken up with my boyfriend of three years, Brian,

 

 

What in the what? Who the hell is that?

Edited July 9, 2014 by tvfanatic13

[izabella]

This from Sonia's blog:

I've broken up with my boyfriend of three years, Brian,

 

What in the what? Who the hell is that?

 

Her gay boyfriend?

 

Sonja has never once mentioned a boyfriend, and if she had one, he wasn't boyfriend enough to care about the pirate or her walk of shame on camera.  She is delusional.

[Rhetorica]

watcherwoman,

Effortless indeed, a good title for Sonja.

Best song description ev-ver!

[Lakewood27]

Carol and her name dropping was crazy funny because that intern seemed to have no idea who any of those people were.

 

The intern likely only knows Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort, not from his heyday in The English Patient.

 

Can you really get your belly lasered off? I'll always remember Kim Z. doing that while eating pizza.

 

Heh, I remember Kim stuffing her face during her procedure. If you're firming up or just trying to relieve some bloat, it does work. They can also freeze the area and you just pee the fat out.

[MMLEsq]

I guess Josh has never heard the old adage, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."  If he's complaining on the one hand that Kristen doesn't cook enough, he shouldn't complain, on the other hand, about her cooking when she does.  You can't have it both ways.  She's probably not a great cook (okay, she's obviously not...I mean, who doesn't know -- or can't figure out -- how to wash and dry lettuce?), but if she got more encouragement and positive reinforcement, she would probably want to cook more, which would likely improve her cooking.  It's almost a self-fulfilling prophecy ("Josh likes when I cook, therefore I will cook more, and as a result I will become a good cook").  If, however, she's criticized for her cooking skills, she'll want to cook less to avoid being ridiculed.   

[MyAimIsTrue]

In the coming attractions Harry is giving a huge ring to Sonja, (it looks so cheap/fake), it seems like Harry is on the money train with Bravo and this will ensure another few paychecks for him, does Sonja not see that?

 

 

There is absolutely no chemistry between Sonja and Harry but we all know how desperate Ms. Morgan is to get laid and to land a wallet so if this "relationship" is actually real she probably wouldn't care.

[slade3]

Harry eating that chicken wing while Mario was singing was hilarious! Kristen was also eating ravenously during the song. I wonder what they were trying to say with that edit, or if they just found it funny that the cast was eating like pigs while Mario was singing such a heavily romantic song.

 

Ramona never ceases to shock the hell out of me. I find her to be so gross and offensive, I'm pretty sure I'd leave a room whenever she walked into it. I'm tempted to buy the earlier seasons I missed just to see if she's always been this way. Mario seems to be disgusted by her and I wonder how he's managed to be around her so long. When she was going after Luann, I thought Luann should have just ignored her and let her yell at the back of Luann's head until she tired out, or someone shushed her. 

 

I recognized Josh Flagg immediately, even though I don't watch his show. So weird to see him at the next table.

 

My gut feeling is that Kristen should start closing herself off from Josh emotionally and plan a get away like Katie Holmes did to Tom Cruise. I don't know what her financial situation is, but if she isn't dependent on her husband, she should consider leaving him. She says he's the love of her life, but what we see on the show is so depressing. Maybe a better man would help her act/be more mature in the way she handles things? Making a salad isn't so stressful, but Kristen may just be that type who doesn't want or like to prepare food. If she had a man who dotes on her and doesn't want her pretty hands to even touch food unless to eat it, maybe the whining would disappear. I don't mean this facetiously. Josh seems to bring out the worst in her and he seems like a really unlikable guy.

[sheetmoss]

 

The part about google is just so weird. In her long, venomous rant, it doesn't even occur to her that Carole might have known what Münchausen syndrome was without looking it up. I did, and I'm no Rhodes scholar (but at least I'm preeeettty! Kidding!)

 

Aviva is still casting shade. Carol worked on 20/20 and ABC News-- reports/stories on  Munchausen  are not  uncommon.

 

As for  the  'gay husband' phenomenom, maybe we should go back the more genteel term of 'walkers'. ;-)

[Primetimer]

One is a wide-eyed she-beast and the other has her own toaster oven line. (Obviously.)

Read the story

[Almost 3000]

Her gay boyfriend?

 

Sonja has never once mentioned a boyfriend, and if she had one, he wasn't boyfriend enough to care about the pirate or her walk of shame on camera.  She is delusional.

Fuck Buddy?

[janeyma]

Could Josh have been on his cell phone for the conference call?  I rarely use my cell phone but can you send a text message if you are speaking on the phone?

 

Have been watching previous seasons of this show which I have on DVD.  I think the problem with the current version and cast is that there is no "center" around which everything, whether good or bad, revolves.  Love her or hate her, Jill served as the center for the first four seasons.  Heather doesn't get so involved in other people's lives and Sonja, Ramona and Aviva are too crazy to fill this spot.  Carole is largely absent and Kristen is only about herself. Also, her perpetual whining disqualifies her.  It's not a natural spot for LuAnn either.  Also, early seasons often showcased the ladies jobs like Ramona's business, Zarin fabrics, Bethenny's adventures and models who actually worked a bit.  These jobs were easy to show on TV.  I don't know whether heather wants the cameras hanging around her office.  The other jobs - like being an author- are not spectator sports.  I'm really glad Bethenny is gone.  With the benefit of hindsight ( seeing how she treated her husband) one can see what a pill she is.

[kassa]

Kristin's marriage is over.  Oh, they may not formally separate for a while, but he’s done and she’ll get there sooner or later.  Her nagging and not letting go of anything are the death cries of trying to make him different from what he is.  Once she accepts that he is not going to change and she can do better, she’ll be out of there.  Or he’ll dump her for a mistress first.  Hard to say.

 

I thought it was interesting that he basically ignored one point that Kristen was trying to make:  if he got stuck on a call or in a meeting and he was going to be late for a business appointment, he would find a way to let the person know. He apparently doesn't feel that he owes the same consideration to Kristen.

 

 

Precisely – if he had a separate appointment at 6 pm with a different important client, would he manage somehow, despite the overwhelming and impossible odds that only entrepreneurs can possibly comprehend, to relay the message to his 6 pm appt that he would be late or a complete no show?   He would.  We all know he would.  So does she.

 

If they actually wanted this marriage to work, there are simple things they could do like oh, say, never expect him home before 7 pm.  Most people I know with 9-5 jobs don’t get home until 7 because of their commutes.  For his part, he could not schedule routine calls/meetings after 4 pm at least a couple of days a week.  Yes, things come up, and there may be time zone issues, but despite not being an entrepreneur and therefore incapable of understanding these things, I doubt that he is on the phone/holding monumentally important meetings every moment from 9 am to 6 pm.  For one thing, I don’t think he’s going to the gym after work.

[parisprincess]

Everything he does comes down to his big important business that she doesn't understand--that's why he can't be expected to even half pay attention to anything in his life involving her or the kids. And when Kristin was the one at work making that video he cleared his whole schedule just so he could hang around and push that narrative again, bonding with the other "professional" men making the video by making jokes about how Kristin was useless and a big fake.

 

Ah, I had forgotten about Josh being at Kristin's video taping!  He couldn't tear himself away from his phone long enough to participate in Kingston's therapy, or take a minute to text Kristin when he was going to be late for dinner, but he had no problem hanging out at her taping, inserting himself and putting her down.  I don't find the guy attractive at all and his behavior makes him even more ugly to me.   

[tvfanatic13]

I forgot what was one of my favorite parts...when Sonja was telling Aviva that everyone was talking about her in Montana, Veevs, with the straightest face and widest smile, sincerely asked if everyone was worried about her! Self-delusional comedy gold!!

[TV Diva Queen]

Sonja was on Million Dollar Listing LA at one of Josh Flagg's open houses.  Her name/title card said "socialite".  They must be friends somehow, which sucks for me, because I love Josh Flagg and though he had better standards.

[Midnight Cheese]

Ramona is a pile of dog shit obscured by a tall grass in a park.  Utterly worthless as a friend - no, as a person.  She should be physically ejected when she starts creating a scene, because she does not bother to stop, ever.  I hope her wonderful husband gave her several intractable STDs since we know he likes to cheat condomless.  But the song, so romantic!  True love can overcome!  Aww!  So: Mario hates her.  He loves not dividing the money, but he has contempt for her even beyond getting his mistress pregnant.

Aviva is an idiot.  Munchausen's is not obscure.  She keeps returning to the well and writing in her blogs that her castmates want her to die.  I mean, I'm sure she provokes that response in lots of people - but no one has wished death on her!  Good grief.  Well, it seems if the show gets another season, she won't.

Sonja's intern situation, calling Naomi 'Pickles,' and blogging about how important high GPAs and charity work are in these 19-23 year olds is contemptible behavior, not 'zany' or 'cute.'  She is a total liar about every single thing in her life.  The "boyfriend Brian" in her blog must be the painter she dated, who painted her portrait as if she was a grey corpse.  He wasn't on last season at all, so they probably broke up between 3 and 4 years ago.  She's so desperate to give off bona fides like she's stable enough for a real long-term relationship, because that, and not working, running a business or selling houses her ex-husband bought outright and gave her outright in their divorce, is the only way she can reach the lifestyle she pissed away.  Noting that she heard Mario singing in the shower is par for the course: no decency, no loyalty, just disingenuous cuntitude.  It is very, very important - it is the only important thing in her life, much more important to her than her daughter and yes, I'm fine writing that - to demonstrate at every single moment that SHE is number-one penis-receptacle in any scenario.  Post July 4th last summer, Sonja 100% KNEW that it was VERY likely that Mario was having a fuckathon with Crazy #2 in the Hamptons, so she knew Ramona was very likely being cheated on, so why not insinuate something all winky-pantyless, as is her custom?  I love that smug and cruel Ramona's marriage is a humiliating sham for her -- but I'm not her friend!  Again, this hooker is not merely delusional.  She's a horrible, horrible woman.

 

Josh and Kristen depress me.  I don't care about her whining, quite frankly (TM almost-lawyer and scholar Aviva Drescher).  He treats her with absolutely no respect, and nobody deserves that for the minor crime of being whiny after trying to do stuff like cook for the first time, and getting work (the fitness video shoot that Josh undermined, the Yummie Tummie modeling and the RHONY gig are all work, and are 3x the number of jobs Sonja holds).  It's a ridiculous situation and Josh's inability to be civil and constant denigration of the person he chose as a life partner are disgusting.

I thought LuAnn and Jacques seemed like a good fit.  LuAnn seems to know how to level-set for herself and move on after difficulty.  I could learn that from LuAnn, along with a better fitness routine, how to pick out the best casual clothes, etc.

 

Jonathan of Heather and Jonathan is totally awesome.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Midnight Cheese

[Duke2801]

This from Lu's blog:

 

 

She does know that we know that they are no longer together and were not when they filmed either, right?

 

This from Sonia's blog:

 

 

What in the what? Who the hell is that?

 

OH the hot bald guy who she filmed with occasionally in her 2nd or 3rd season?? This Brian?? The hell?  She's still trying to say that they were together all this time??  How deep DO your delusions go, Sonja?

 

eta:  I found this article where she said they broke up after 3 years, but it was written in 2012!? 

Edited July 9, 2014 by Duke2801

[motorcitymom65]

 

Ramona never ceases to shock the hell out of me. I find her to be so gross and offensive, I'm pretty sure I'd leave a room whenever she walked into it. I'm tempted to buy the earlier seasons I missed just to see if she's always been this way. Mario seems to be disgusted by her and I wonder how he's managed to be around her so long. When she was going after Luann, I thought Luann should have just ignored her and let her yell at the back of Luann's head until she tired out, or someone shushed her. 

 

 

Ramona has been the same since pretty much the first episode. The only time she wasn't a raging lunatic was during S3, the Scary Island season. She came into the season saying she was changing her life and her attitude (I think this was the year she and Mario renewed their wedding vows - in year 17 of their marriage which continues to be one of the strangest things I have ever heard. I guess Bravo could think of no other reason to have a Season Finale Party). She started to rethink the way she had treated Alex and they became friends. She was extremely nurturing with Beth and tried to help get Beth and Jill back together again. It was the closest Ramona has ever been to tolerable or likable. She also looked fantastic - her body looked awesome that season. By S4, she was back to being the Ramona we all knew previously and have seen every since. With Ramona for a wife, of course Mario was banging someone else. 

Edited July 9, 2014 by motorcitymom65

[StatisticalOutlier]

I've never been in couples therapy, but if both spouses are going into it with the idea that they just want the therapist to confirm they're 100% right and the other person is 100% wrong, I'm not sure they're going into it with the best attitude.

 

That's exactly why I want to watch.

[TomGirl]

Me too, Outlier!

[Lakewood27]

disingenuous cuntitude

 

Best description of Sonja. Ever.

[motorcitymom65]

OH the hot bald guy who she filmed with occasionally in her 2nd or 3rd season?? This Brian?? The hell?  She's still trying to say that they were together all this time??  How deep DO your delusions go, Sonja?

 

eta:  I found this article where she said they broke up after 3 years, but it was written in 2012!? 

Thanks Duke for this little nugget. It sheds new light on just how crazy Sonja really is.

 

I sometimes read her blog and wonder if she even watched the show or knows what she is commenting on. I think she remembers there was camera crew around and a bunch of shit got filmed, but that was about it. She certainly has no respect for the viewers of the show. Doesn't she think we would wonder where this Brian dude has been when she was doing the Pirate out on the lawn, or taking her walk of shame, or any of the other crude stuff we have heard her talk about? Why wouldn't she have mentioned Brian before? She has truly gone off the deep end. 

[applecrisp]

I did not like Sonja, Ramona and the skin doc advising Kristen to get an eye lift.  Not necessary in my opinion, plastic surgery has really ruined some beautiful faces.

Stay away Kristen for at least 10 years and even then be prudent.  That doctor was rude and I too, would have taken offense.

[SFoster21]

First Look tomorrow 10:47.

[phoenix780]

And that's the other thing. I'm sick of his constant condescension towards Kristen in regards to her having no experience in business. So fucking what? That makes her stupid? Somehow a lesser person? And damn Heather for feeding into that shit. He moves his family across the country on a week's notice and Heather is all wistful, "ah, that's the mind of an entrepreneur".

 

This reminds me- what exactly do the husband and Heather think Kristen did as a model?  I would imagine being even modestly successful at it- enough to earn a living- requires some degree of hustle- especially if you have kind of a generic look like Kristen.  And while you have an agency to help pimp you out isn't it still pretty much on you to do enough to book the gig (and then work the gig well enough to get future ones?)?  Couldn't you in theory have a last minute opportunity that you just can't miss?  It's not exactly a conference call, but I think it's similar enough.

 

Which is to say, unless I'm totally misunderstanding Kristen's past, I'd imagine she does understand enough about being busy and busting ass to grasp what her husband is dealing with in the business world.  Modeling kind of is a business, is it not?

 

So yeah, they bugged me on that front, too.

[Carolina Girl]

Poor Ramona, she needs to realize that her tummy pooch is due to menopause and those pooches are hard to lose.

 

Yep, I can attest.  And continually drinking WINE doesn't help.  At. All.

[The Mighty Peanut]

 

And that's the other thing. I'm sick of his constant condescension towards Kristen in regards to her having no experience in business. So fucking what? That makes her stupid? Somehow a lesser person? And damn Heather for feeding into that shit. He moves his family across the country on a week's notice and Heather is all wistful, "ah, that's the mind of an entrepreneur". Oh please. At the end of the day, Kristen is his WIFE. She is supposed to be his partner. She should absolutely be involved in major household decisions.

 

Yeah, that bothered me as well, especially since IMO the only reason he puts up with her being on RHONY is so he can wear his fucking e-boost shirts on TV. If Kristen went back to school and got a job I think he'd be really upset.

 

As for Heather: from what we've seen of her relationship with Josh I think she'd definitely talk to him about making a major move -- partially because their son needs a lot of medical care and they've established relationships with NY-based physicians, partly because she understands he deserves a say. Heather is supposedly Kristen's good friend and Josh is obviously a douchebag, so it pissed me off that she didn't at least say something like "Ah, that's the mind of an entrepreneur, but being a parent and wife has definitely made me reevaluate how I approach my career."

 

If Josh decides to drop e-boost and move to L.A. again would he even consider Kingsley and Cash's needs? Kingsley's therapy is the big thing, but they're both old enough now to be affected by a change in homes and schools. Helping them with that burden would fall on Kristen's shoulders. 

Edited July 9, 2014 by The Mighty Peanut

[Eater of Worlds]

Ramona's attachment to her daughter in the preview (or was that the First Look?  I honestly can't remember) is scarying.  Lolling all over her daughter while sobbing "I don't want you to go?"  Yikes.  Her daughter, on the other hand, can't wait to leave that place.

[copacabana]

Memo to Carole -- Keep Ralph Fiennes out of it, please!  She may be the type of filly who is only really interested in name guys.  

 

There's good bad and then there's bad bad.  This episode was the second. 

 

Ramona has some real sociopathic tendencies.  Kristin and Josh and their generic apartment = instant downer.  

 

No more singing by any of these folks ever would be much appreciated. 

 

Best moment -- The Countess totally losing it and telling Ramona to "shut your face."  One of the nastiest and most vulgar ways to get that point across. 

 

This show feels like it needs to be put out of its misery.  Gone. 

[bosawks]

Yep, I can attest.  And continually drinking WINE doesn't help.  At. All.

 

Ironically, I can attest that continually drinking WINE does help with my viewing enjoyment of Ramona and her pooch.