S15.E08: The Calm Before the Storm

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

On their last day in Palm Springs, Gina, Emily and Shannon are busy trying to untangle Elizabeth's ever-changing stories.

Ah, the tales of Elizabeth.  She slept with Jimmy until he found out she is married or she has never slept with Jimmy.  She has plenty of money or she needs to keep fighting.  She wants a divorce or she wants her ex back.  Regardless, she is exhausting.  Not Shannon sucks-all-the-life-out-of-every-room-she's-in Beador levels of exhausting, but exhausting nonetheless.

What other excitement will occur before the housewives leave the sanctity of Palm Springs?  Will Kelly retrieve more things from Dr. Deb's hair?  Will Brown Wind remind us again that she's sober now? Will Sean learn he needs neck surgery from the stress caused the weight of his statement necklaces? Will Gina continue to be the voice of reason?  Will Emilzzzzzzzzzzz . . . sorry, nodded off for a moment.  

Original air date 2020.12.02

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Remember, episodes happen in episode time.  Do not bring any future information into this thread.  Go to media or the individual character threads if you would like to discuss social media or news stories about them.

Covid will likely be discussed on the show.  That does not open the door to debating covid protocols and the like.  Let's keep it about the glorious ladies of RHOC and the people sucked into their orbits. 

[whydoievencare]

Elizabeth needs to STFU - with her it IS all about the money.  And I don't like how she practically laughs every single time she says anything - it's weird.  I am so enjoying Gina this season - she seems so rational and reasonable and I like how kind she is being to Braunwyn.  She looks so put together and polished in her TH with the shorter hair.

[bosawks]

Odds that Shannon will care more about this debutante ball than is emotionally healthy....

[JD5166]

One month in, and BW is the soberest sober person to ever sober. She’s exhausting....and having a “mother” who is a “doctor” she knows all the buzzwords for the shrink. I know I am supposed to feel moved and sorry for her but I just don’t care. Any attention is good attention, she cannot get off my tv fast enough. 

Are Debutante Balls still a thing? I can’t. Time for bed.......

[Bronzedog]

Why is this the Brownstone show?  Enough!  And, get her son off my tv!

[Kiss my mutt]

And Sophie’s rehearsed speech on what a debutante ball is and how maybe someday she’ll have a daughter who’s a debutante had my eyes rolling and then Cut to that smug ass kid getting his makeup done with Brownie center stage just seemed performative to me. 
Elizabeth is Mexican? Huh? She is so low rent even with money. She’s all affronted by them questioning her about her motives and choices but she won’t stop talking about it. She needs to be one and done. 
Don’t get me started on the dowager Shannon.  Everything that comes out of her mouth sounds so sour, bitter and annoying. She doesn’t do anything but complain in her “put upon” voice. Sure, Jan, I totally believe you were a surfer chick. 

[Bronzedog]

Elizabeth - I don’t like talking about money or my divorce because I’m getting divorced from someone who has a lot of money and therefore I have a lot of money but not as much money as I used to because I’m divorcing someone who has a phenomenal amount of money but now I’m getting divorced.  It will affect how much money I have but not all that much because I’m getting a lot of money from the person I’m divorcing who has a lot of money.

Side note to Shannon- you can use rags and other things if you run out of paper towels.  It’s not the end of the world.

[Hangin Out]

8 minutes ago, JD5166 said:

One month in, and BW is the soberest sober person to ever sober. She’s exhausting....and having a “mother” who is a “doctor” she knows all the buzzwords for the shrink. I know I am supposed to feel moved and sorry for her but I just don’t care. Any attention is good attention, she cannot get off my tv fast enough. 

Are Debutante Balls still a thing? I can’t. Time for bed.......

As if we don’t have enough of Brownstone, now she’s in most of the thinking heads.  I’m with you.

[Wicked]

I need to find an Italian market, stat!

[Kiss my mutt]

Shannon with her “I get my meat everyday!!!”  Yeah, I doubt it, at least not with John. Can you imagine being quarantined with her? She loses her damn mind over everything. And her going on about not being in a rush to get married, um, I think John is right there with ya, girl. 
Then when she’s talking to Kelly, she says well, I don’t want to make is about me and as soon as she gets off the phone Kelly is like, everything IS about you! She couldn’t get off the phone fast enough. 

[Hangin Out]

30 minutes ago, Bronzedog said:

Why is this the Brownstone show?  Enough!  And, get her son off my tv!

I never thought I’d say this but I think I’d rather have Vickie and Tamra back.  Enough of Brownstone, her kids, her husband, her mother, and Shannon screaming.  The only tolerable one at this point is Gina.

[Bronzedog]

Jesus,  Brownstone again.  Did someone ask her to have 698 kids she really doesn’t want to be with?  Her daughter is talking about her Covid concerns, mother of the year interrupts to talk about her drinking and then she’s yelling about no one listening to her.  Someone shoot her with a tranquilizer dart!

I watch a whole lot of crappy tv but I can’t take much more of her.  If you lose me because the show’s too crappy, it’s really a crappy show.

[Pondlass1]

I’m done with Brawny.  Imagine being locked up with her. Imagine being locked up with any of these high strung, self absorbed loonies.

[Hangin Out]

2 minutes ago, Bronzedog said:

Jesus,  Brownstone again.  Did someone ask her to have 698 kids she really doesn’t want to be with?  Her daughter is talking about her Covid concerns, mother of the year interrupts to talk about her drinking and then she’s yelling about no one listening to her.  Someone shoot her with a tranquilizer dart!

I watch a whole lot of crappy tv but I can’t take much more of her.  If you lose me because the show’s too crappy, it’s really a crappy show.

My husband just said “ boy, Brownstone looks pretty good for having seven kids”.  I almost threw my hot coffee at him.  

[LibertarianSlut]

24 minutes ago, whydoievencare said:

Elizabeth needs to STFU [...] I don't like how she practically laughs every single time she says anything - it's weird. 

This is what has been bothering me about her too, but I couldn’t put my finger on it!  I can’t stand the laugh at the end of every sentiment.  Reminds me of Carole on RHNYC.  I think it’s a subtle way of conveying that they’re above the fray, but, by virtue of being on this show, they are so not above the fray.  

Elizabeth’s apparently a giant liar too.  Who at Bravo is responsible for this casting?  The same person who casted Danielle, the one who was cut after filming all of season nine?  Wouldn’t surprise me.  

And Elizabeth was poor growing up!  She’s getting divorced!  And she used to fly her friends around in private jets!!!!  Who knew?!?

14 minutes ago, JD5166 said:

One month in, and BW is the soberest sober person to ever sober. She’s exhausting....and having a “mother” who is a “doctor” she knows all the buzzwords for the shrink. I know I am supposed to feel moved and sorry for her but I just don’t care. Any attention is good attention, she cannot get off my tv fast enough. 

Braunwyn is such a horrid woman.  When speaking to that therapist, she was way too familiar with her own story.  I don’t doubt that it’s true, but it sounds very self-centered to have every single detail of her life—dates, places and times—down pat.  I think Braunwyn spends a lot more time thinking about Braunwyn than she does thinking about anything or anyone else.  That’s why each season she highlights one kid—last season it was Rowan, this season it’s Jacob—because it seems almost like she just realized they’re there and they can serve her purpose of a storyline.  She probably spent de minimus time raising them before that. 

I still remember Kelly going in on Vicki for being uneducated at the season 13 reunion, which I thought was in poor taste, because so many people are uneducated.  Go in on Vicki for...being Vicki, no?  So I thought it was funny when Kelly told Elizabeth that the other girls were “weary” or her, instead of “wary.”  Like, does Elizabeth’s presence make the ladies want to fall asleep?  I thought that was Emily’s job. 

It’s so interesting that Kelly says Shannon gets drunk and goes off on people (which is, of course, true), but Kelly is the freaking queen of that, so, pot calling kettle.  

Sophie, despite who her mom is, is one of the best adult children to come out of this franchise.  There is a sweetness to her.  In the past, the teenaged girls on this show were a bunch of sluts, plus the Debbie Downer who was Brianna.  I like the twins too, just because they’re so pretty and they act their age, not like a bunch of 35 year olds who pretend they know everything, like some of the older kids on other franchises.  I can’t believe how skinny Shannon used to be 20 years ago!  I shiver to imagine what kind of starving, raging bitch Shannon was on her wedding day.  

[65mickey]

I really felt for Braunwyn's daughter having to listen to her mother screaming that no one was letting her talk. Her daughter was sitting there not saying a word. That poor child showed so much more maturity and compassion for those suffering from Covid than her mother who came right out and said that she was going be stuck at home with 7 kids and she was worried about getting bored.  She knows that child suffers from some emotional disorder and Braunwyn yells at her to stop being obsessed about the virus. She is a hateful woman.

[LibertarianSlut]

There’s no there there with this show.  I must have been completely high last week when I speculated that the cast hanging around the pool in Palm Springs was “a watershed moment.”  This show is just flat and boring.  

When things like Kelly saying “toe-let” and me wondering what Gina’s maiden name is, because “Kerschenheiter” doesn’t sound Italian to me, and I’m noticing how much Gina’s accent varies depending on who she is speaking to, there is a problem with the show.  

I think it’s starting to get super creepy how Braunwyn tries to coerce people into going to AA meetings with her.  I know all about open meetings—I know it’s allowed.  I also know that it’s supposed to be a program of attraction, not promotion, and ain’t nothing attractive about Braunwyn hassling everyone in sight to join her.  It’s manipulative.  

I never thought I would drop a Housewives franchise—I prided myself on watching each and every one—but I dropped Atlanta, and I feel great about it.  This one may very well be next.  Nothing about it moves me anymore.  

[Hangin Out]

33 minutes ago, Wicked said:

I need to find an Italian market, stat!

Come to Long Island.  One on every block.

[Steph J]

32 minutes ago, Bronzedog said:

Elizabeth - I don’t like talking about money or my divorce because I’m getting divorced from someone who has a lot of money and therefore I have a lot of money but not as much money as I used to because I’m divorcing someone who has a phenomenal amount of money but now I’m getting divorced.  It will affect how much money I have but not all that much because I’m getting a lot of money from the person I’m divorcing who has a lot of money.

Seriously. If you can afford to spend $2 million just in legal fees, then I don't want to hear you complain about money.  Elizabeth acknowledged in a previous ep that she already has more than enough money to maintain a lifestyle that includes spending $30k a month just on clothes through the rest of her days, so hearing her whine about having to come up with half a million in cash to pay for the trial made my eye twitch.  Why are you even going to trial over this?  After a certain point the difference between X amount of wealth and Y amount of wealth is negligible.  Just walk away and save yourself the stress and legal fees.  You'll be fine.

[JAYJAY1979]

And to think all 8 episodes were just from the 1st 5 weeks of filming.

Sophie seems sweet, with a hint of sarcasm.  I still recall her in season 9 rolling her eyes at her mother as Shannon was listing all the remedies and pills she was packing.

[Wicked]

12 minutes ago, Silver Bells said:

Come to Long Island.  One on every block.

I'm in Maine, I may be out of luck

[Marley]

Elizabeth is so annoying. We get it you are getting money in your divorce. Move on pls.

I don’t know how but Gina is my fave character this season. She cracks me up in her talking heads and there’s just something about her I enjoy this season.

Braunwyn just shut up pls you are so annoying and make everything about yourself. Her and her family can go away. It’s always about her drinking ugh.

 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Marley

[Bronzedog]

17 minutes ago, LibertarianSlut said:

 

When things like Kelly saying “toe-let” and me wondering what Gina’s maiden name is, because “Kerschenheiter” doesn’t sound Italian to me, and I’m noticing how much Gina’s accent varies depending on who she is speaking to, there is a problem with the show.  

 

HaHa!  Yes.  I think this is the ultimate sign that the show is boring.

[UsernameFatigue]

They should have named this episode "The Real Braunwyn of OC". What a distasteful person she is. Brauny tells her therapist that she has been with her hubby since she was 18, she has 7 kids, and she has never had any adult responsibilities. Now most people would consider 7 kids to be adult responsibilities on steroids. Not Brauny. She just pops them out, it is someone else's problem to raise them.

Then Brauny tells Rowan that now that she is sober, she can be there for Rowan as she battles her anxiety and OCD. Then when Rowan relates how worried she is about the elderly getting sick, Brauny tells her that it is her anxiety and OCD talking, and to just shut up. Apparently that will make those disorders go away. Who knew? 

Brauny then, rather than be there for her daughter, makes it all about herself once again, and has a melt down when Sean dares to interject a comment during Brauny's story. The editors must just love Brauny. I don't think they realize though that most of us hate her. And not in a love to hate way, but a hate to hate way. Oh, and she thinks she has 9 kids, and she is worried about being stuck at home with them. Hard to believe she is sober, when she doesn't even know how many kids she gave birth to. 

Elizabeth has turned out to be such a dud. She keeps talking about how successful she has been. Was she successful before she married money, or is she successful because she married money? I have thought the latter, but maybe I have missed what she did with her life before she married rich. How sad that she is in the middle of a horrible divorce where she will have enough money to live on for the rest of her life. 

Honestly this episode felt like 2 hours rather than one. I actually cheered at the end when they put up the notice that production had halted. Literally cheered. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by UsernameFatigue

[ladypoodle]

no more long walks just talking, no more gym sessions, no more talking to relatives on the phone, no more therapist visits. Need rich and clueless house and lifestyle porn, asap.

[njbchlover]

1 hour ago, Silver Bells said:

Come to Long Island.  One on every block.

Almost the same here, in my part of New Jersey - there is at least one in every town.  I'm sooo grateful, because they are all wonderful!!  

[njbchlover]

I was not a fan of Braunwyn last season, and now, I really cannot stand this woman!  I felt so bad for her daughter!!  This poor girl, who apparently struggles with anxiety and OCD, was trying to express her feelings and worries about Covid on national television, (probably strongly encouraged to do so by her parents), and her narcissitic mother shuts her down, in order to tell her own daughter that, basically, being shut in their 8,000 sq.ft. (or however big it is) house with Rowan and siblings will be a horrible experience.  

Braunwyn is a horrible excuse for a mother - I could not believe what I was seeing!!  

Your daughter is having a minor anxiety attack, worrying about getting food, worrying about the elderly, worrying about people around her getting sick, and all you can do, as a MOM, is to cavalierly tell her to basically shut the fuck up and let me speak about my sobriety, my trip to an AA meeting with sweet old people, my concern that YOU and your brothers and sisters are going to make me take a drink??  Way to go, Mom Braunwyn....let's sign you up for Mother of Year award!!!  Nice way to deal with your daughter's anxiety!  

And, if that's not bad enough, I think that Braunwyn and Sean are brainwashing these kids to put themselves out there, just for the sake of a storyline, in what the kids may have wanted to be personal or private journeys through their discoveries of their own lives.  These are young kids struggling with their own identities, issues and problems.  They should not be forced to portray these situations on television for the viewing public.  

Braunwyn is so completely wrapped up in portraying her own possibly made-up issues for public consumption that she cannot even help her own daughter.  What a lowlife.  And, color me skeptical over ALL of what Braunwyn said to that therapist.  It all sounded like something she lifted from a self-written book about alcoholism.  Too clear and concise in the details and descriptives.  If she was so black-out drunk for days on end, she wouldn't be able to recall with such clarity all of those details.

I've been disgusted in the past by many things on housewives shows, but tonight hit a new low for me.  I honestly think I am done with this franchise.  

Edited December 3, 2020 by njbchlover

[mbaywife123]

Shannon is just so insufferable this season. I enjoyed her in the past but this season NOPE!

Brauwyn and her beard Sean need to be off tv. Disfunction junction to the max and it appears they are trying to angle for spin off about their circus family. Please take your 16 kids and kook of a mom off of my tv screen.

Kelly is still just Kelly, dumb as a box of hair but occasionally is astute about the other cast members.

Gina is really growing on me, her TH's are really funny and on point.

Emily is still just blah, her hubby seems to have faded to off screen this year for the most part.

Still can't put my finger on what Elizabeth is all about and why she is even on this show.

 

[ivygirl]

Elizabeth reminds me of the Far Side “What People Say to Dogs/What Dogs Hear” cartoon, except instead of hearing “Blah blah blah Ginger blah blah Ginger blah...” she says “Divorce divorce divorce Me Me Me divorce divorce Me Me Divorce...”

I loved Gina at the market, except Mars Capone made me cringe a little 🤣

[ErikaAlyson]

I thought Braunwyn looked adorable in her green dress. I'm surprised Elizabeth is Mexican.

[JD5166]

7 hours ago, Silver Bells said:

Come to Long Island.  One on every block.

And NJ!!! I miss those.....

[ErikaAlyson]

Braunwyn was overly dramatic in the kitchen while talking to her husband and daughter. I see now why some people are saying she might be aiming for her own spin-off. Even Sean had to give her the side eye on that. Her poor daughter looked so stressed out. When isn't Braunwyn not ever talking about herself, especially to her family (Sean) lol.

..

[CrinkleCutCat]

Do we know why Elizabeth and her husband have been divorcing for 6 long years? Arguing over the $ amount of settlement? 
Elizabeth seems equal parts cocky about the $s she ‘will’ gain in her divorce settlement and what looks like panic she won’t get much (all the drama/tears/laughs/contradictions). Or does she really regret leaving him? 

[SweetieDarling]

10 hours ago, Bronzedog said:

Side note to Shannon- you can use rags and other things if you run out of paper towels.  It’s not the end of the world.

...as she wastes a paper towel to wipe tears from her face.

 

[geauxaway]

How was Braunwyn able to pour that tequila down the drain?  I thought the sight of or presence of a tequila bottle was “triggering.”  The smell would have been overwhelming.  🤮

[Hangin Out]

9 hours ago, LibertarianSlut said:

I think it’s starting to get super creepy how Braunwyn tries to coerce people into going to AA meetings with her.  I know all about open meetings—I know it’s allowed.  I also know that it’s supposed to be a program of attraction, not promotion, and ain’t nothing attractive about Braunwyn hassling everyone in sight to join her.  It’s ma

I said that before to no avail.  I think it is manipulative of her.  She wants them to seem important that she asked.  Like a “ you are my favorite buddy” move.

[SweetieDarling]

I think Borewind may actually be a worse mother than her rainbow rastafarian mother. Mommy Dearest only had 1 child that she neglected damaged, Brawnie has 7 (or maybe 9, she's not quite sure) that she ignores. I have no problem with her and Sean wanting to be the hip, cool, edgy swinging couple they think they are, that's their business...but don't bring (7!) innocent lives into your not child-friendly lifestyle.

imo, she's been using her children for the attention they can bring to her: People tend to dote over women who are pregnant or have babies, and now she's exploiting the issues caused or exacerbated by her bad parenting: Her daughter's concerns were real, and her caring about others should have been commended, rather than shut down. She should have comforted her daughter and offered words of encouragement and cautious optimism, not tell her to stop thinking like that, she'll only internalize everything. She's trying to show us what a great, supportive and cool mom she is by taking her teenage son to a makeup counter and bringing him a rack of designer dresses to wear. I don't know what kind of school he goes to, or how much times have changed, or if it being CA makes that much of a difference, but that kid would have been eaten alive at my high school once that footage hit the air.

 

[geauxaway]

14 minutes ago, Silver Bells said:

I said that before to no avail.  I think it is manipulative of her.  She wants them to seem important that she asked.  Like a “ you are my favorite buddy” move.

I think you nailed it.  Probably also wants to look popular to the AA folks (who could care less).  

[Mr. Miner]

Elizabeth wants to buy a Ferrari and donate it to charity? Just give them the fucking cash! you stupid twat!

[geauxaway]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Miner said:

Elizabeth wants to buy a Ferrari and donate it to charity? Just give them the fucking cash! you stupid twat!

The only thing I could think of is that it would be a charity auction or raffle. Like our church used to do with a donated Ford Escort every year at the festival 🤣

[65mickey]

Probably because she doesn't have the cash to donate. Didn't she sy her hsband is paying for the car?

[Baltimore Betty]

11 hours ago, JD5166 said:

Are Debutante Balls still a thing?

I have a friend who is now 61 and she was a deb, (still has and fits in the dress she wore!), and it is a foreign to me as the Greek language.  I would have expected Shannon to want to have her daughters be debutants if they were on the east coast or in a southern state but I just do not think of LA being the place for that tradition.

Shannon's wedding dress could be altered to be a debutant dress, just add opera length pearls and over the elbow length gloves and there you have it!  How funny Shannon talks about her wedding dress, gets her daughter to put it on (omg, stand up straight girl) and her boyfriend comes in, Shannon's past marriage plays front and center and this guy is not scared, kudooz to him.

Shannon is crying over the lack of paper towel, just wait until she is on lockdown and the impending death count, that is something to cry about. Also, I thought she would be one for reuseable towels so she would not part of killing trees.

Brawny and her screaming "LISTEN TO ME," shows the tip of her iceberg.  Once again we have an on camera therapy session, why does the number of her children keep changing, tonight she has 9, is that the most recent count?  I do not need to see her son's personal journey to drag or trans, it is hard enough to do in private which makes me wonder how sincere is his exploration. 

Why would she make her husband stop giving their anxiety ridden daughter a glimmer of hope about Covid, that just seemed cruel. Watching them pour expensive tequilla down the drain instead of giving it to a neighbor or Shannon, wow, that was like throwing money down the drain. 

Everyone caught the Shotski on the bar behind Brawny and her husband, right? 

Gina knows her house is a bit tight for 6 kids, if she can keep that organized, keep up with school work and laundry she is my hero.  I am not hating her lately but I am hating her extensions.

 

[Hangin Out]

10 hours ago, Wicked said:

I'm in Maine, I may be out of luck

But you have lobster .. yum.   I told the husband, when this Covid is finished, we have to take a ride to Maine and eat lobster the whole week.

 

[suzeecat]

48 minutes ago, SweetieDarling said:

 I don't know what kind of school he goes to, or how much times have changed, or if it being CA makes that much of a difference, but that kid would have been eaten alive at my high school once that footage hit the air.

My kids are a few years out of high school (in Michigan) but stuff like that was celebrated and those were the "cool" kids.  I think the school was trying to over-compensate to avoid bullying, but flying your freak flag was encouraged. 

Braunwyn is a terrible mother but she really has/had a terrible role-model.  I'm starting to appreciate all that her husband does to keep everyone together, because as weird as he can be, he seems to be the more normal, level-headed parent. 

Edited December 3, 2020 by suzeecat
clarification

[bosawks]

It is kind of impressive how Shannon can still be completely right about COVID and I'm still like "SHUT UP!!!"

[geauxaway]

3 minutes ago, suzeecat said:

Braunwyn is a terrible mother but she really has/had a terrible role-model.  I'm starting to appreciate all that her husband does to keep everyone together, because as weird as he can be, he seems to be the more normal, level-headed parent. 

I usually laugh (as in roll my eyes and groan) at him and his necklaces, but man did I feel bad for him when she snapped at him at the end there.  

[Mu Shu]

11 hours ago, Silver Bells said:

Come to Long Island.  One on every block.

You’re from Long Island? Now I can imagine you telling all those great stories in my favorite accent. God I love long islanders. 

[Baltimore Betty]

41 minutes ago, Silver Bells said:

But you have lobster .. yum.   I told the husband, when this Covid is finished, we have to take a ride to Maine and eat lobster the whole week.

 

For my son's most recent birthday (31, oy how did that happen?) I sent him a lobster roll kit from a company in Maine, it is the next best thing to being there!

 

[Hangin Out]

2 minutes ago, Mu Shu said:

You’re from Long Island? Now I can imagine you telling all those great stories in my favorite accent. God I love long islanders. 

Yes I am.  A few towns away from Gina.  I even tawk like her.  I’m happy you didn’t jump ship .. yet.  After last night, I’m close.