RW Homecoming: New Orleans (2022)

[choclatechip45]

2 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

Yes, that was a delightful bit of shade from that production person to point out that about Terrycloth Matt, who clearly thought he was this machiavellian genius pulling everyone's strings.

But I don't know what the BMP stance is these days, reality TV has changed so much in the years since those early seasons, so the reality TV producers of today may well welcome shit-stirring like Julie. And I don't think she was "caught" on the phone, I thought she wanted that conversation overheard.

Oh totally, Melissa was like "let me drop this GIANT clue in your stunted-growth, no social grace-having ass's lap, Julie, and let you know that we're grown ups now, we won't be lingering and giggling like 12 year olds." 

Does anyone else think Danny had a much easier time closing that door with Paul when he showed up with that unattractive 70s gigolo look, lol? The open fly collar, the jewelry, the waved hair...it was all very cruise ship, lounge lizard and he now looks about 20 years older than Danny. 

I'm glad she did, but I wondered why she didn't say anything when Julie came into the room where she and Danny were and asked if those bruises were from Tokyo. That seemed like the ideal moment to say, hey, you face planted on the concrete and you also walked into a tree so any bruises you have are likely from that. 

But I guess the wild card is when that overheard conversation happened. Because it seems like some of Melissa's reticence is due to not wanting to play into Julie's TV-making hands. Julie is just WAY to interested in being the talk of the town. Her shit-eating grin when Jamie told her Tokyo wanted to change room was telling, she was so pumped. I do like Tokyo's tone with her, he's very...professional, for lack of a better word. 

I also thought Jamie should have said something in the car, the more they let her vent and spin her narrative about being manhandled, the more she feels validated. 

Tokyo and Melissa's relationship this time around has been a really nice closure and a turnaround from 20 years ago. My favorite convo of theirs was the exchanged "Hmmms and mmmmhmmmms" in the kitchen while Julie was doing her performance yoga in the living room. And then at the coffee shop when Melissa was laughing at him for "stewing" and he was all "mmmmmhhmmmm" again. 

My new game for watching this show is going to be watching for little Kelley moments (like the abrupt heel turn when she saw Julie with Danny), this time she saw Jamie approach Julie about Tokyo switching rooms, she physically took 3 steps back. She is REALLY committed to not being in the thick of anything, lol.

ETA: Julie still arguing that Tokyo put those scratches on her and also saying her mom "investigated and found out the Melissa story isn't true." This woman is beyond help...

Now I'm super curious the age difference between Danny and Paul. I thought they were near the same age. 

I'm not surprised Julie is doubling down. I think something is wrong with her mental psych. I feel bad for her children. 

[racked]

How did Julie’s husband hear her nonchalantly talk about flirting with other guys in the house and not say “wtf?” Like all of us, I’ve watched a lot of reality tv and seen a lot of thirst buckets but I’ve never seen someone quite like Julie. She did not do a cost-benefit analysis to being the villain on this reunion. But what a shame that she also is ruining what could have been a poignant time for the other cast members. 

Tokyo was a saint to her and she stabbed him in the back. I hope he’s feeling the love of the viewing public. 

[choclatechip45]

You know you have watched too much of this franchise when you recognize one of the EP guys from the Road Rules episode when Abram and Donnell fought.

[Asp Burger]

Danny's 44; Paul's early fifties. Per Paul's Facebook, he currently lives in Seattle (he's a native of Washington state). So, there was a lot of producer intervention to make him part of the season. Even when I was watching the scene, I wasn't buying those onscreen texts, with Paul's response something like "Sure! I can be there tomorrow," as if he were across town. He might have been across town...in whatever hotel they were putting him up in. 

I thought their conversation was okay. Paul was clearly still less comfortable talking about personal things on camera than Danny was, and there were a lot of edits. Overall, they just seemed like long-ago exes who can be around each other. 

Even though I like Danny, I don't want to make one of them the good guy and the other the villain in a long relationship about which I'm mostly getting one perspective. Danny wasn't a model significant other in New Orleans, hooking up with the guy in the confessional and then going into his penitence routine when the alcohol haze started to lift and he remembered the cameras. Temptation to cheat (and ultimately doing it, to an extent) was such a big part of his story.

However, the bits we've heard from Danny do put Paul's forgiving nature back then in a different light. Maybe he was dealing with similar temptations, successfully or otherwise, wherever he was. 

2 hours ago, DearEvette said:

It is a shame because she could have been a New York Julie.  But she decided to be a New York Becky.  Actually she has out-Beckied Becky.

Yeah, Julie is breaking new ground on Homecoming. I never felt Becky was being something other than who she really was (travel boasting and all). I think she really did come to New York expecting to have some other kind of experience; she wasn't screwing with the rest of her cast to make a certain kind of show and pull focus. And when she was crying, I thought she was really upset. Julie has been fake from the moment she walked in.

Edited May 5, 2022 by Asp Burger

[choclatechip45]

19 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

Danny's 44; Paul's early fifties. Per Paul's Facebook, he currently lives in Seattle (he's a native of Washington state). So, there was a lot of producer intervention to make him part of the season. Even when I was watching the scene, I wasn't buying those onscreen texts, with Paul's response something like "Sure! I can be there tomorrow," as if he were across town. He might have been across town...in whatever hotel they were putting him up in. 

I thought their conversation was okay. Paul was clearly still less comfortable talking about personal things on camera than Danny was, and there were a lot of edits. Overall, they just seemed like long-ago exes who can be around each other. 

Even though I like Danny, I don't want to make one of them the good guy and the other the villain in a long relationship about which I'm mostly getting one perspective. Danny wasn't a model significant other in New Orleans, hooking up with the guy in the confessional and then going into his penitence routine when the alcohol haze started to lift and he remembered the cameras. Temptation to cheat (and ultimately doing it, to an extent) was such a big part of his story.

However, the bits we've heard from Danny do put Paul's forgiving nature back then in a different light. Maybe he was dealing with similar temptations, successfully or otherwise, wherever he was. 

Yeah, Julie is breaking new ground on Homecoming. I never felt Becky was being something other than who she really was (travel boasting and all). I think she really did come to New York expecting to have some other kind of experience; she wasn't screwing with the rest of her cast to make a certain kind of show and pull focus. And when she was crying, I thought she was really upset. Julie has been fake from the moment she walked in.

We also know Danny cheated on Paul during the one challenge he did when he hooked up with a Road Ruler who use to date Trishelle. 

Becky was bad, but I agree I felt like we saw who Becky really was while with Julie I'm starting to doubt everything about her including the fact she never went on a plane until her first audition for the show. 

 

[txhorns79]

4 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

And I don't think she was "caught" on the phone, I thought she wanted that conversation overheard.

Yeah, it's hard to keep the line between what is reality and what is staged to look like reality on this show. 

[Asp Burger]

Tokyo was wise to get himself out of that room. He must have been thinking about that "Take a shower with me" offer, and what Stoffer Productions might have been storyboarding in the event he had said yes.

I know there are cameras all over the house, but we all know the score on that. Things have always had a way of falling into the gaps on these shows, and there were still incidents that came down to one person's word against another's. 

[1011101010001]

On 4/30/2022 at 8:08 PM, txhorns79 said:

band leader jacket just seems so extra.

I just hear Sgt. Pepper in my head every time he wears that.

[1011101010001]

14 hours ago, Legalbeagle421 said:

And of course Jamie, who I assume is married doesn’t want to room with her either. Makes sense. 

Especially if Tokyo told him that Julie wanted to shower together.

[1011101010001]

6 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

Does anyone else think Danny had a much easier time closing that door with Paul when he showed up with that unattractive 70s gigolo look, lol? The open fly collar, the jewelry, the waved hair...it was all very cruise ship, lounge lizard and he now looks about 20 years older than Danny. 

It was like if John Waters and Steve Buscemi had a baby.  Time has not been kind.

[Asp Burger]

Paul's still a handsome, fit guy; I just don't like the styling. Maybe he could get away with the loud clothes, the wavy hair, or the very long and heavy 'stache, but all three together are too much.

But, like Tokyo in his Sgt. Woo Woo get-ups, he's doin' him. 

[mandymax]

I liked Melissa in the original season, don't get me wrong, but I was never as gung-ho about her as the rest of the world seemed to be; I felt like the volume was turned up on her personality to make sure everyone paid attention to her.  This time around, though, I see a woman totally comfortable in her own skin, and I love it, her, the running commentary, everything.

And I love how ALL of them - with the obvious exception - are just being themselves and coming together with twenty-some-odd years of maturity and experience to accept one another and become the kind of friends they maybe didn't get to be the first time.  THIS is why I watch this show!

[Bastet]

10 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

Maybe he could get away with the loud clothes, the wavy hair, or the very long and heavy 'stache, but all three together are too much.

Don't forget the chains.  Plural.

Yeah, it's the combination; he looked like he was on his way to a '70s-themed costume party.  But as you also said, he's doing him, and rock on with your bad self, Paul.  I'm just gonna sit here munching popcorn and re-watching Danny's "Wow, you look different" reaction.

[Keywestclubkid]

Good god Julie … I just can’t you literally blacked out and fell on your fucking face … Tokyo grabbed you to hard? And now it was ALL for the show? So you didn’t come to be authentic you came to be “good” tv? Gross 

Edited May 5, 2022 by Keywestclubkid

[shantown]

As soon as Julie started talking at the cafe about how Tokyo physically hurt her I started fast forwarding. Unfortunately I still caught her staged phone call from the hot tub later. And then acting confused why no one wanted to room with her. She's fake and a liar so the less said about her the better.

Melissa is still so hilarious. "Don't scroll on my phone, I'm away from my husband." She's also incredibly aware of not only what role she was "cast" for on the original season but also the dynamics of both the real world and the Real World. She's funny, but also you can clearly see how much she cares about her roommates when she's talking to them.

In general, everyone* hanging out and having conversations and catching up on their lives is so nice to see. Even in their talking heads talking about how much the others have positively changed is very heartwarming. I don't know these people at all, but I appreciate these Homecoming seasons for a chance to catch up with them after so many years!

*Not counting the one who isn't here for anything but promoting herself
 

[MicheleinPhilly]

Oh fuck you, Julie. I really hope this isn't going to be the "Julie show" for the duration of the season or I'm going to have to send that sociopath an invoice for $9.99. 

Even when she was sitting there listening to Danny talk about his daughter and Paul, she had the most disingenous look on her face. Does she do anything other than appear on tv to make a living? And why would she think the club situation was going to be sexual??? Honey, you're married and trust me, no one is interested. 

Speaking of occupations, is Matt a life coach or a marriage counselor or something? He just randomly pops up during situations, says "Kumbaya" and then fades into the background again. 

Thanks to Paul for providing some comic relief this episode. Good lord man, look in a mirror. 

[1011101010001]

35 minutes ago, MicheleinPhilly said:

And why would she think the club situation was going to be sexual???

She confuses gay bars with gay bathhouses lol.

36 minutes ago, MicheleinPhilly said:

Speaking of occupations, is Matt a life coach or a marriage counselor or something? He just randomly pops up during situations, says "Kumbaya" and then fades into the background again. 

I think someone said he is a preacher?

[Guest]

59 minutes ago, MrBuhBye said:

I think someone said he is a preacher?

He owns a design agency. I think the preacher comment was just in reference to how he acts. 

[Asp Burger]

2 hours ago, MicheleinPhilly said:

He just randomly pops up during situations, says "Kumbaya" and then fades into the background again.

Matt was pretty marginal in the original season too. He didn't like to do a lot of things the others did, He claims in the book to have gone to church five times a week (except when they were in South Africa), and Bunim-Murray wasn't going to make an episode out of that. We never saw any visiting member of his family, and he didn't seem to have any drama back home. He wasn't into Julie as more than a friend, to her disappointment. I suspect this also surprised the producers, who may have thought it was an obvious showmance when they put them both there.

So, aside from a couple non-sexual get-togethers with young women from outside the house, he was mostly shown reacting to/commenting on the others.

So far, the "power rankings" of Homecoming are very close to what the original season was. A lot of Julie and Danny, with Tokyo and Melissa next most featured. Kelley's role is mostly being Danny's friend. Matt abstains and offers commentary. Jamie...fills out the group. (I try to think of what he's done in the first three episodes, and I just remember him yelling "Wow!" and "Yass queen!" and bringing the game Melissa played.) 

[choclatechip45]

1 hour ago, Asp Burger said:

Matt was pretty marginal in the original season too. He didn't like to do a lot of things the others did, He claims in the book to have gone to church five times a week (except when they were in South Africa), and Bunim-Murray wasn't going to make an episode out of that. We never saw any visiting member of his family, and he didn't seem to have any drama back home. He wasn't into Julie as more than a friend, to her disappointment. I suspect this also surprised the producers, who may have thought it was an obvious showmance when they put them both there.

So, aside from a couple non-sexual get-togethers with young women from outside the house, he was mostly shown reacting to/commenting on the others.

So far, the "power rankings" of Homecoming are very close to what the original season was. A lot of Julie and Danny, with Tokyo and Melissa next most featured. Kelley's role is mostly being Danny's friend. Matt abstains and offers commentary. Jamie...fills out the group. (I try to think of what he's done in the first three episodes, and I just remember him yelling "Wow!" and "Yass queen!" and bringing the game Melissa played.) 

Melissa talked about in a podcast interview that she really got to know Matt this time around and enjoyed spending time with him, they had a lot of thoughtful conversations about home schooling (she did zoom school during the pandemic), religion (why she converted to judaism and the role religion plays in both their lives) and parenting. Since there is no drama I doubt they would show those conversations. I would like to see snippets since it shows a different side to Matt. Plus I like the fact those two got to know each other 22 years later in a positive way even if they don't leave the house being best friends. 

[Hiyo]

Quote

those two got to know each other 22 years later in a positive way even if they don't leave the house being best friends. 

Julie aside, it seems like that could be applied to pretty much all of them with regards to other people in the house that they weren't close to, no? Which is actually good to know.

[MicheleinPhilly]

3 hours ago, Hiyo said:

Julie aside, it seems like that could be applied to pretty much all of them with regards to other people in the house that they weren't close to, no? Which is actually good to know.

Whoever mentioned Julie's arrested development (whether it was in this thread or the original show's thread) was spot on. Whereas everyone else acts like a 40-something adult that has grown and matured and gained some perspective (you know, like normal people do), Julie is still acting like she is 20 years old. I wouldn't want anything to do with her either. 

#getoffmylawn 

[Hiyo]

Julie is either acting like a 20 year old or she seems to think this type of drama makes for good TV so she is more than happy to play that role. Or both. Either way, it's not a good look for her at all. 

[Asp Burger]

11 minutes ago, Hiyo said:

Julie is either acting like a 20 year old or she seems to think this type of drama makes for good TV so she is more than happy to play that role. Or both. Either way, it's not a good look for her at all. 

It's the latter, I think. My suspicion is that the Julie we're seeing on Homecoming has little to do with Julie, wife of a prominent Wisconsin ophthalmologist and mother of three. She might be authentically awful in other ways, but this is just so...manufactured and strained. She's pursuing very hoary notions of what she thinks the people watching want (like, Inferno era), and it's painfully out of sync with everyone else in the group.

[Keywestclubkid]

12 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

It's the latter, I think. My suspicion is that the Julie we're seeing on Homecoming has little to do with Julie, wife of a prominent Wisconsin ophthalmologist and mother of three. She might be authentically awful in other ways, but this is just so...manufactured and strained. She's pursuing very hoary notions of what she thinks the people watching want (like, Inferno era), and it's painfully out of sync with everyone else in the group.

How embarrassing for her children and spouse to act this way ... 

[DearEvette]

The thing is... she doesn't need to manufacture drama.  MTV has been in this business a LONG time they know how to manufacture drama without any help from the peanut gallery.

In the NY & LA seasons they showed provocative and often controversial clips to the housemates to get the conversations started.  Becky's behavior stemmed out of those conversations and the way people reacted to her and the fact that she didn't evolve in the way, say Kevin or Julie evolved.  So they got their drama without anyone play acting it. But even absent Becky it was great to see how both Julie and Kevin changed and the hear about all the stuff Eric went through.

Same with LA, although I only made it through 2 episodes of that homecoming season because I thought that cast was incredibly dysfunctional and sad to watch.

[BelleBrit]

 

Julie still acting toxic and combative AF (and of course, everything is Melissa's fault). Like others, I was disappointed that the other roommates who went out weren't defending Tokyo, especially Jamie. Also wish that someone would have brought up Julie slapping Jamie.

Edited May 6, 2022 by BelleBrit

[1011101010001]

49 minutes ago, BelleBrit said:

 

Julie still acting toxic and combative AF (and of course, everything is Melissa's fault). Like others, I was disappointed that the other roommates who went out weren't defending Tokyo, especially Jamie. Also wish that someone would have brought up Julie slapping Jamie.

Not sure how Tokyo putting her in a bear hug would scratch her back.  And men usually don’t have  nails that would inflict much of a scratch regardless.

[choclatechip45]

5 hours ago, Hiyo said:

Julie aside, it seems like that could be applied to pretty much all of them with regards to other people in the house that they weren't close to, no? Which is actually good to know.

Yup absolutely, but definitely seems Melissa left the house closer to Danny and Kelley. 

[Keywestclubkid]

1 hour ago, BelleBrit said:

 

Julie still acting toxic and combative AF (and of course, everything is Melissa's fault). Like others, I was disappointed that the other roommates who went out weren't defending Tokyo, especially Jamie. Also wish that someone would have brought up Julie slapping Jamie.

She’s a freaking monster… 

[racked]

What does she get out of arguing about this after the fact? I agree that she’s manufacturing drama and thinks that’s good tv, but I also think there’s a lot of her true personality in there. Otherwise she wouldn’t still be trying to defend herself. I wonder if some of that convo with her husband wasn’t part of that, her trying to pretend her obscene behavior was an act. Because she genuinely was that drunk, she wasn’t faking the puking. 

I also hate how much I’m even thinking about her. I would prefer to see the quiet conversations others are having learning about each other. The people watching this homecoming are around the same age as the cast, and I don’t think we have any interest in this show being what Julie is trying to make it. 

[MicheleinPhilly]

7 minutes ago, racked said:

The people watching this homecoming are around the same age as the cast, and I don’t think we have any interest in this show being what Julie is trying to make it. 

Exactly. I can't remember if it was Danny or Melissa saying they are 44 years old and too old for something but I was like, "THANK YOU!" 

Hell, I was still in my 20s when the Vegas season aired and that was when I tapped out. 

[Natalie68]

On 4/27/2022 at 2:44 PM, Bastet said:

I feel the same way about all those things.  Julie is a phony, manipulative asshole and I get angry just looking at her.  Her "apology" is still of the "I'm sorry you were hurt" variety, and she's never going to admit, "I'm sorry my mom and I did a bunch of shady shit to you."

And this upcoming nonsense where she's going to claim in the sober light of day that David was too rough in dragging her drunk ass out of the bar?  Ooh, I hate this woman.

(She's also just straight-up wacko.  The shower thing, and getting annoyed that everyone goes to bed early?  Can she not do anything by herself?)

And Matt.  Oh, where to begin with Matt.  "It's more wholesome than I thought, I should have gone."  What, exactly, did you think people would be doing in front of/to you just by virtue of being drag queens, that you had to sit home in fear of the evil?

That "I'm a dad, so this has to end with a hug" bullshit?  Look, it's bad enough if you're forcing your kids to hug it out, but at least those are kids in your home.  These are grown people; quit demanding behaviors out of them!

I am so not down with being unmasked indoors with strangers, so the scenes at the bar made me a bit uncomfortable, but once I set that aside, it was lovely to see Danny able to relax and have a good time.  Until Julie got sloppy wasted and belligerent, it was a nice night out.

I am LOATHING Julie like the rest of you all.  They should have left her in the club.  Watching her try and run away from them made me realize she is THAT GIRL you never want to party with.  Just gross.  Let the bouncers deal with her.

[Natalie68]

6 hours ago, DearEvette said:

The thing is... she doesn't need to manufacture drama.  MTV has been in this business a LONG time they know how to manufacture drama without any help from the peanut gallery.

In the NY & LA seasons they showed provocative and often controversial clips to the housemates to get the conversations started.  Becky's behavior stemmed out of those conversations and the way people reacted to her and the fact that she didn't evolve in the way, say Kevin or Julie evolved.  So they got their drama without anyone play acting it. But even absent Becky it was great to see how both Julie and Kevin changed and the hear about all the stuff Eric went through.

Same with LA, although I only made it through 2 episodes of that homecoming season because I thought that cast was incredibly dysfunctional and sad to watch.

I HATED the LA Homecoming and only watched the 1st one.  I did like the NY one and this one is great. I am going to rewatch the original season

[EdnasEdibles]

I'm going to play armchair therapist on Julie for a bit but that is one unhappy woman. Years ago when I was at my lowest I got as drunk as she did that night (at roughly the same age) and my friends were not having it. Not at all. And fortunately for me it was my sign to grow the fuck up and get my life on track and after a lot of therapy and a divorce, I've grown up.

I think Julie thought she'd be more famous than she is and resents the fact that she isn't. She very likely has no self-esteem about what she can contribute to this world other than reality TV drama while also being hyper aware of the fact that the clock is ticking and there aren't many places for middle aged ladies in the reality world kingdom. Not to mention I'm sure she has unresolved religious trauma. But happy people don't drink that much and happy people don't act like that. I'm not saying that to give her sympathy because girl, grow the fuck up.

I just think when you look at Melissa and you look at Kelly, those women seem very in tune with who they are and where they are in life and they just seem happy. Julie seems like the exact opposite. 

[Bastet]

Let's say for argument's sake Tokyo did unintentionally leave a mark on Julie in the course of helping her -- complaining about it afterward would be like collapsing, getting CPR, waking up in the hospital safe and healthy, hearing the story of how you were in trouble last night and someone saved you, and having your only response be to rant about the bruised ribs you got from the CPR.

(Also, she went on and on about how she went dead-weight limp in response to being picked up, so even if his grip did result in excess pressure on her body at some point, that would be why.  Or, as someone astutely noted below, her wiggling caused the buttons on his jacket to scratch the skin uncovered by her shirt.  Either way, it would mean he used only the minimum force necessary to move her, and her maneuvers changed things.)

She's trying to frame this in terms of non-consensual touching, but this wasn't horseplay - and certainly not manhandling - this was protection, and her telling him to put her down is not like Tami telling David to stop when he was trying to pull the blanket off her.  Julie was drunk out of her mind -- incapable of assessing the situation, as evidenced by her belligerent verbal responses to being told security and production want her to leave.  What was left but to physically remove her?  Someone was going to.  Tokyo stepped in - he's strong, and he's someone she knows and, he thought, trusts, so he can help.  And it's right there on tape how he did it, perfectly reasonably and respectfully, with no excessive force.

That this was the thanks he got the next day was bad enough, but that she's still peddling this narrative after watching the episodes, seeing all the things she didn't remember, especially how well he, and he alone, took care of her that night, and how she also faceplanted out of a car and walked into a tree, is disgusting.

As is the fact she listens to Tokyo and Melissa painstakingly explain the larger problem with a white person framing events this way, and it's nothing but defensive denial.  "#notracial"?  Fool, miss me with this hashtag white fragility shit.  She has outBeckyed Becky.

If they'd done what she claimed they should have done, and just left her belligerent drunk ass there and gone home without her, she'd have spent the next week complaining about how awful they were to do that when she was incapable of taking care of herself, that she came in hoping to be friends with these people, but they just straight-up endangered her.

I feel the same dilemma Melissa expressed -- when I talk about this, I'm giving Julie exactly what she wants, which is attention that will make reality show producers want to cast her in things because she creates drama, but if I ignore her, I let her false narrative float out there uncontested.  She's a manipulative monster, and it's hard to find the balance in responding to her.

Edited May 7, 2022 by Bastet

[choclatechip45]

I'm starting to wonder if Julie was even drunk or it was an act by her. The next morning she seemed a little to fine for someone acted like she did the night before .

[1011101010001]

59 minutes ago, choclatechip45 said:

I'm starting to wonder if Julie was even drunk or it was an act by her. The next morning she seemed a little to fine for someone acted like she did the night before .

Yeah although sometimes if someone pukes out the liquor before it gets absorbed they don’t have much of a hangover.

[Cherry Cola]

7 hours ago, MrBuhBye said:

Not sure how Tokyo putting her in a bear hug would scratch her back.  And men usually don’t have  nails that would inflict much of a scratch regardless.

Yes!! I was thinking this the whole time! Why did she just automatically assume the scratches came from the men.  She did ask Danny first if he did that to her.  She is exhausting. 

I didn't like Melissa the first time around, but she seems like someone I would have fun with now. Tokyo has matured and didn't deserve the crap Julie is cooking up.  That's so not fair. I don't put things into race categories like they do lots on these shows, but I can see why Mel and Tokyo are not standing for Julie's crap.  Also, if she is doing it just for tv...even worse. 

Danny's reaction to Paul was hilarious.  What a look.  

[Asp Burger]

5 hours ago, racked said:

I would prefer to see the quiet conversations others are having learning about each other. The people watching this homecoming are around the same age as the cast, and I don’t think we have any interest in this show being what Julie is trying to make it. 

Same. Those low-key moments have been some of my favorites. Melissa and Kelley looking at pictures of each other's kids and having different policies on scrolling. Tokyo being master chef (and those songs from his YouTube channel, which are really cute and catchy). Just the initial reactions to seeing each other for the first time in years.

Regarding Julie, the best things I can say are that she participated, so they didn't skip the season, and Melissa and Danny got to lay out their cases against her face to face. But now she can leave anytime, and I never need to see her on television again.

[choclatechip45]

I hope we get to see more of what everyone else has been up too. They've covered Danny and Tokyo so far. It seems like besides Kelley they did film them all at home. Kelley looked like she packing up her stuff in a hotel room. 

Edited May 7, 2022 by choclatechip45

[Guest]

9 hours ago, MrBuhBye said:

Not sure how Tokyo putting her in a bear hug would scratch her back.  And men usually don’t have  nails that would inflict much of a scratch regardless.

I’m a little bit in awe that she can continue trying to create this narrative when everyone watched her walk into a tree. 

Once again the harder someone tries to convince me there absolutely not racist just  convinces that they absolutely are racist. 

[Asp Burger]

9 hours ago, MrBuhBye said:

Not sure how Tokyo putting her in a bear hug would scratch her back.  

That part is plausible. In the club scene, Tokyo is wearing a vest with a lot of buttons and studs on it, and Julie is constantly wriggling and resisting while he's holding her from behind. The friction of her bare skin against that could have given her scratches. Or it could have been the tree.   

But if all she had the next day after a night like that was superficial scratches, she should count herself lucky. It's ridiculous that she's even talking about it. While I think she was "method acting" a wild night out (intentionally getting drunk to the point of vomiting, but always with some self-awareness), she still fell on the damn concrete.

[Cherry Cola]

11 hours ago, Dani said:

I’m a little bit in awe that she can continue trying to create this narrative when everyone watched her walk into a tree. 

Once again the harder someone tries to convince me there absolutely not racist just  convinces that they absolutely are racist. 

I have heard, that what you suppress in your life comes out when you are drunk.  Sounds like Julie is angry to me. 

[1011101010001]

2 hours ago, Cherry Cola said:

I have heard, that what you suppress in your life comes out when you are drunk.  Sounds like Julie is angry to me. 

I do think people will say things that they really feel because inhibitions are removed.  Then the next day they try to blame the booze lol.

[vezione]

It's interesting reading the comments here because I feel like there's a part of Julie that most people don't really have insight into (not that I do) which is the Mormon aspect. I'll say now that I'm no fan of Julie but her behavior isn't all that surprising to me. I grew up in Utah and have spent a lot of time around people who grew up in the church and eventually leave it. For a chunk of these folks, it is like a stunted adolescence (for lack of a better word) they live where they can't shake that religious naivety and never really process how they're religion ultimately harmed them because they were curious and open and excited for life and were punished for it. That said, it's also a culture rich in feelings of persecution. I see that when Julie is confronted and she makes it about why she's being ganged up on. Because of all this, I have a hard time believing she's as convincing and maniacal as some people think because the fact is she's just simple. Unfortunately, the way to deal with that is not how the roommates deal with it and I don't blame them. They're exhausted from having to deal with her and people like her all their lives. It's not an excuse for her behavior. She can do a lot better and could potentially take in the lessons they want to teach with her doe-eyed, head in the clouds self. She lives in her own world and most of us do to to some extent. Is she actually capable of real self reflection? I don't know. 

All that said, I did not like how the club scene went down. They're all adults. I don't get why they couldn't just leave her. I know I wouldn't wait around too long before realizing it wasn't worth my energy watching over her. I don't think anybody should've been trying to physically remove her from the building so was sympathetic to her telling Tokyo he should've just left her. In her reality, that's the way it should've been so in that case, what happened wasn't cool. That can be true and they can also have a chat about the history of white women "feeling threatened" by black men. Both those things can be true and weird vibes don't have to come from it. 

But I'm just a dude on a couch. I really wouldn't put too much stock in my options. 

[choclatechip45]

14 hours ago, vezione said:

It's interesting reading the comments here because I feel like there's a part of Julie that most people don't really have insight into (not that I do) which is the Mormon aspect. I'll say now that I'm no fan of Julie but her behavior isn't all that surprising to me. I grew up in Utah and have spent a lot of time around people who grew up in the church and eventually leave it. For a chunk of these folks, it is like a stunted adolescence (for lack of a better word) they live where they can't shake that religious naivety and never really process how they're religion ultimately harmed them because they were curious and open and excited for life and were punished for it. That said, it's also a culture rich in feelings of persecution. I see that when Julie is confronted and she makes it about why she's being ganged up on. Because of all this, I have a hard time believing she's as convincing and maniacal as some people think because the fact is she's just simple. Unfortunately, the way to deal with that is not how the roommates deal with it and I don't blame them. They're exhausted from having to deal with her and people like her all their lives. It's not an excuse for her behavior. She can do a lot better and could potentially take in the lessons they want to teach with her doe-eyed, head in the clouds self. She lives in her own world and most of us do to to some extent. Is she actually capable of real self reflection? I don't know. 

All that said, I did not like how the club scene went down. They're all adults. I don't get why they couldn't just leave her. I know I wouldn't wait around too long before realizing it wasn't worth my energy watching over her. I don't think anybody should've been trying to physically remove her from the building so was sympathetic to her telling Tokyo he should've just left her. In her reality, that's the way it should've been so in that case, what happened wasn't cool. That can be true and they can also have a chat about the history of white women "feeling threatened" by black men. Both those things can be true and weird vibes don't have to come from it. 

But I'm just a dude on a couch. I really wouldn't put too much stock in my options. 

I read in an interview they all had to leave together which is why production got involved. I've seen them do this on The Challenge in recent seasons. 

[peachmangosteen]

12 hours ago, choclatechip45 said:

I read in an interview they all had to leave together which is why production got involved. I've seen them do this on The Challenge in recent seasons. 

That makes sense. Also, I believe Tokyo and Jamie both came out and said on the episode that Production wanted them to leave. I think they even said something about the club staff wanting them to leave.

I do think some of Julie's shit is religious trauma but I also think she's just a fucking manipulative asshole, too.

[ljenkins782]

On 5/8/2022 at 6:28 AM, vezione said:

All that said, I did not like how the club scene went down. They're all adults. I don't get why they couldn't just leave her. I know I wouldn't wait around too long before realizing it wasn't worth my energy watching over her. I don't think anybody should've been trying to physically remove her from the building so was sympathetic to her telling Tokyo he should've just left her. In her reality, that's the way it should've been so in that case, what happened wasn't cool. That can be true and they can also have a chat about the history of white women "feeling threatened" by black men. Both those things can be true and weird vibes don't have to come from it. 

Putting aside the fact that they are apparently required to travel together (which would make sense from a camera crew standpoint anyway), leaving an alcohol-naive woman who's been doing shots all night alone in a club is absolutely the worst idea ever. If Julie really thinks that being left alone and drunk among strangers was going to be the best outcome, then she's even more sheltered and stupid that I've given her credit for. 

It's one thing to get annoyed by a friend who doesn't know their limits or isn't appreciating your attempts to help them, but leaving someone on their own in that state could be legitimately dangerous. 

And most people, when confronted with video evidence of going overboard and acting like an ass, are apologetic and thankful for their friends. But Julie is doubling down on her assholery, because of course she is. Negative attention is still attention and she apparently needs it all.

[Tatum]

On 5/6/2022 at 8:57 AM, Asp Burger said:

It's the latter, I think. My suspicion is that the Julie we're seeing on Homecoming has little to do with Julie, wife of a prominent Wisconsin ophthalmologist and mother of three. She might be authentically awful in other ways, but this is just so...manufactured and strained. She's pursuing very hoary notions of what she thinks the people watching want (like, Inferno era), and it's painfully out of sync with everyone else in the group.

You definitely could be right, but does she not realize she's going to have to go home and face the mom cliques and her husband's professional contacts after looking like such an idiot on TV?

 

I know she's unsavvy enough to think she's coming off sympathetically when she's bawling over Danny and Melissa not willing to forgive her over something that happened 20+ years ago (her spin, not mine), but sloppy drunk and belligerent isn't a good look on anyone, especially someone in their 40s.