RW Homecoming: New Orleans (2022)

[Asp Burger]

22 minutes ago, ljenkins782 said:

And it still blows my mind that they got Kelley and Danny to do a challenge.

It doesn't blow my mind so much that they did one, but that they made it to the end and shared in the grand prize. I'll never forget Kelley outperforming every girl and every guy on either team in that "Vertical Limit" challenge with the ropes, while Lenny Kravitz sang "Dig In." The only person who was even close to getting as high as she did was Dan from Road Rules Northern Trail (who smoked the Miz head to head).  

I'd have guessed Kelley to be the pretty girl who doesn't get very far.

But then, she was the rare bird who wanted to be on Road Rules and was disappointed to get Real World. Usually it was the other way around.

[choclatechip45]

32 minutes ago, ljenkins782 said:

I forgot about Coral replacing Lori! Man, what a totally different season that would have been without the Coral/Miz storyline. And it still blows my mind that they got Kelley and Danny to do a challenge. I wouldn't have guessed this would be a season with 100% cast member participation in challenges, everyone's done at least one.

I don't remember anything about Danny's ex-girlfriend and I don't think I followed the news back then so I think the first episode reveal was a surprise to me. 

Danny did a bunch of podcasts during the summer of 2020 and he seemed angry some random person on Reddit said he couldn't do a challenge because of his HIV Status. I was expecting to see him on All-Stars rather than RW Homecoming. 

 

8 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

It doesn't blow my mind so much that they did one, but that they made it to the end and shared in the grand prize. I'll never forget Kelley outperforming every girl and every guy on either team in that "Vertical Limit" challenge with the ropes, while Lenny Kravitz sang "Dig In." The only person who was even close to getting as high as she did was Dan from Road Rules Northern Trail (who smoked the Miz head to head).  

I'd have guessed Kelley to be the pretty girl who doesn't get very far.

But then, she was the rare bird who wanted to be on Road Rules and was disappointed to get Real World. Usually it was the other way around.

Funny both Danny and Melissa were asked to be on Road Rules and they both said no and were put on Real World. I figured Msada would have been in Melissa's place (besides both being black they both seemed like normal people who did the show because they were fans).  I couldn't figure out who they would have replaced Danny with, maybe Theo?

[BelleBrit]

I'm not sure what to think of Tokyo's persona, but I'm enjoying him so far. The editing of him with Yoshima Battles the Pink Robots was brilliant. I'm beginning to think that Julie's husband gave her a hall pass for her time in New Orleans?? I loved Tokyo's reaction to Julie suggesting they take a bath (!) or shower in their bathing suits. "You are asking me to take a shower? In my trunks? With you? You're married. Are you not seeing that optic?"

Melissa does talk like someone who has received a lot of therapy, but, despite Julie's claim that she's gotten therapy, her apologies still seem insincere. I do think that she is truly regretful that the consequences of her actions got back to her, but she does not come off as taking any responsibility. And it looks like she will continue to refuse to take responsibility for her actions ("Tokyo f-ing manhandled me!").

I was willing to give Matt a chance, but he's continuing to annoy. The insistence that Danny and Julie "hug", and he definitely decided not to go to the drag show because of his own hangups, not because of his Facetime date with his wife.

Edited April 27, 2022 by BelleBrit

[choclatechip45]

Julie is a hot mess. It's clear she thought this would be more of "The Challenge" atmosphere and doesn't seem to get that her roommates minus Matt did the whole party thing 21 years ago and might not want to get out of control drunk again. Since most of them are married and Kelley/Melissa both have teenagers. I could not believe she asked Tokyo to shower with her! Production would be silly not to put her on All-Stars 4 she is checking all the boxes! 

Danny made me cry. I can't imagine how hard everything was for him back then. Not surprising he looks back on it now and thinks how dangerous the whole thing was. I loved how Kelley was there for him! You can see the familiarity between the two of them. 

I loved Jamie this episode. The scene with him and Melissa was very sweet. It reminded me of when he was her nature sensai. I also loved Jamie going into dad mode calling Julie, Juliet.

Matt bugged me with forcing Danny/Julie to hug. I'm not a huggy person in general so it made me uncomfortable. I don't know what to make of Matt yet. Danny, Melissa and Kelley were all guests on Kate Casey's podcast and I thought it was interesting how different Danny/Melissa's impressions of Matt were, Danny thinks Matt tries to have it both ways tries to appear to be open minded, but then won't act on that open mindedness while Melissa said she felt like she got to know Matt this time around talking about homeschooling (she did zoom school during the pandemic, the part religion plays in both of their lives (she converted to Judaism but sees it as more of a cultural thing), parenting in general. 

I thought the Julie/Melissa scene was alright. I just found Julie very fake and I don't think she believes she did anything wrong. I do get Melissa's perspective I remember people back in the day when RW No was marathoning saying they wished Melissa would forgive Julie, but it was really Julie who messed up that friendship.

[Asp Burger]

I agree, @BelleBrit, on the "hug" command. Matt was being very camp counselor there, and it wasn't his place. But on not going to the drag show, I was fine with him. In the words of Tokyo circa 2000 re: the Mardi Gras parade, "It's not my scene, woo woo." If the others wanted to do something and it just wasn't something he thought he would enjoy, I support his skipping it. That's better than going along, looking miserable, and then making negative comments in interviews.

He's going to have (apparently) two weeks with them, so he'll see a lot of them. 

Tokyo obviously has done a turnaround on alcohol. He didn't touch it in 2000. He even had a big fight with Melissa about it. 

Kelley is really moving the merch! Melissa was wearing a "Finding Love Over Worry" sweatshirt, and Tokyo has one on in the trailer. 

Danny's testimonials about his difficult experiences post-RW are simple, heartfelt, and touching. I loved the friendship between him and Kelley in 2000, on The Challenge a couple years after, and still. The night out at the bar, when he was having a good time, hugging that fan and smiling, was the first time I've seen the old Danny's sparkle so far on Homecoming. 

Julie...oh, my Latter-Day Saints, where I do begin? It's as if she lives a little bit of her young adulthood out at a time whenever she's on a Bunim/Murray television series, and then she goes into a cryogenic freeze when the cameras go away, so she's still stuck at, like, 22. A young 22, but in a 42-year-old body.

She's my least favorite personality of the seven by far, but at the same time, I'm glad she's there. She's bringing compelling drama, for sure.

I've dealt with drunk friends like her at bars (though, fortunately, not in quite a while), and I thought I was having my own "CPTSD" watching those scenes. 

I thought Melissa and Danny continued to handle her overly performative and overly wordy mea culpa routine pretty well. They see what's up, but they're not going to let her desire for "forgiveness" and their withholding of it be the story of the entire reunion. 

Something interesting: Even the flashbacks to scenes that aren't "never before seen" have lines we didn't get in the original versions. One example is the conversation between Melissa and Danny in which he shows her the picture of Paul and points out the uniform. I just watched that episode the other day, and there was more dialogue in this version about the risk Paul would be taking if exposed on television. In the version of 2000, it jumps straight to Melissa saying something like "That still isn't a secret. A secret would be, like, 'I have one testicle'." (No, Melissa, they were saving that for the next season!) 

Edited April 27, 2022 by Asp Burger

[choclatechip45]

7 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

I agree, @BelleBrit, on the "hug" command. Matt was being very camp counselor there, and it wasn't his place. But on not going to the drag show, I was fine with him. In the words of Tokyo circa 2000 re: the Mardi Gras parade, "It's not my scene, woo woo." If the others wanted to do something and it just wasn't something he thought he would enjoy, I support his skipping it. That's better than going along, looking miserable, and then making negative comments in interviews.

He's going to have (apparently) two weeks with them, so he'll see a lot of them. 

Tokyo obviously has done a turnaround on alcohol. He didn't touch it in 2000. He even had a big fight with Melissa about it. 

Kelley is really moving the merch! Melissa was wearing a "Finding Love Over Worry" sweatshirt, and Tokyo has one on in the trailer. 

Danny's testimonials about his difficult experiences post-RW are simple, heartfelt, and touching. I loved the friendship between him and Kelley in 2000, on The Challenge a couple years after, and still. The night out at the bar, when he was having a good time, hugging that fan and smiling, was the first time I've seen the old Danny's sparkle so far on Homecoming. 

Julie...oh, my Latter-Day Saints, where I do begin? It's as if she lives a little bit of her young adulthood out at a time whenever she's on a Bunim/Murray television series, and then she goes into a cryogenic freeze when the cameras go away, so she's still stuck at, like, 22. A young 22, but in a 42-year-old body.

She's my least favorite personality of the seven by far, but at the same time, I'm glad she's there. She's bringing compelling drama, for sure.

I've dealt with drunk friends like her at bars (though, fortunately, not in quite a while), and I thought I was having my own "CPTSD" watching those scenes. 

I thought Melissa and Danny continued to handle her overly performative and overly wordy mea culpa routine pretty well. They see what's up, but they're not going to let her desire for "forgiveness" and their withholding of it be the story of the entire reunion. 

Something interesting: Even the flashbacks to scenes that aren't "never before seen" have lines we didn't get in the original versions. One example is the conversation between Melissa and Danny in which he shows her the picture of Paul and points out the uniform. I just watched that episode the other day, and there was more dialogue in this version about the risk Paul would be taking if exposed on television. In the "canon" version of 2000, it just jumps to Melissa saying something like "That still isn't a secret. A secret would be, like, 'I have one testicle'." (No, Melissa, they were saving that for the next season!) 

I thought all the behind the scene stuff with Paul was very interesting with Danny asking about blurring his face. I've always wondered if he asked that or production just did it because they didn't want to ruin Paul's life and have people not being so open on future seasons.

[Asp Burger]

BTW, I noticed early in the episode, Kelley was leafing through Unmasked: The Real World New Orleans. I was expecting more drama to come out of that, like the housemates reading out of it to each other. New Orleans wasn't the most conflict-heavy season, and that book caught several of them at a low point in their relationships. The Melissa/Jamie and Danny/Kelley duos did a lot of shit-talking about each other.

Melissa disavowed the book when she was posting at Mighty Big TV. She actually advised people not to buy it, and to get the Real World You Never Saw video instead. She said the way she talked about people in it had nothing to do with the way her relationships with them were now (late 2000). 

[choclatechip45]

2 minutes ago, funnygirl said:

It's funny you say that because I listened to some of Derrick's Challenge Mania podcast with Julie (ugh, I know) and she had said something about training for months to be on Challenge All Stars but then Real World Homecoming came about and the filming schedule coincided with All Stars. She even admits that she wanted to do the Challenge first or would have rather done that than Homecoming. 

In any case, I guess we can expect her to show up on All Stars at some point. 

She's such a spaz. 

Yeah I heard her on another podcast saying the same thing. I know they contacted Melissa for the first two seasons and Danny for the second one.  It's clear if she goes on that show she will be a hot mess. Maybe the main show is more her speed these days. I also thought the whole glasses scene was weird. 

13 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

I agree, @BelleBrit, on the "hug" command. Matt was being very camp counselor there, and it wasn't his place. But on not going to the drag show, I was fine with him. In the words of Tokyo circa 2000 re: the Mardi Gras parade, "It's not my scene, woo woo." If the others wanted to do something and it just wasn't something he thought he would enjoy, I support his skipping it. That's better than going along, looking miserable, and then making negative comments in interviews.

He's going to have (apparently) two weeks with them, so he'll see a lot of them. 

Tokyo obviously has done a turnaround on alcohol. He didn't touch it in 2000. He even had a big fight with Melissa about it. 

Kelley is really moving the merch! Melissa was wearing a "Finding Love Over Worry" sweatshirt, and Tokyo has one on in the trailer. 

Danny's testimonials about his difficult experiences post-RW are simple, heartfelt, and touching. I loved the friendship between him and Kelley in 2000, on The Challenge a couple years after, and still. The night out at the bar, when he was having a good time, hugging that fan and smiling, was the first time I've seen the old Danny's sparkle so far on Homecoming. 

Julie...oh, my Latter-Day Saints, where I do begin? It's as if she lives a little bit of her young adulthood out at a time whenever she's on a Bunim/Murray television series, and then she goes into a cryogenic freeze when the cameras go away, so she's still stuck at, like, 22. A young 22, but in a 42-year-old body.

She's my least favorite personality of the seven by far, but at the same time, I'm glad she's there. She's bringing compelling drama, for sure.

I've dealt with drunk friends like her at bars (though, fortunately, not in quite a while), and I thought I was having my own "CPTSD" watching those scenes. 

I thought Melissa and Danny continued to handle her overly performative and overly wordy mea culpa routine pretty well. They see what's up, but they're not going to let her desire for "forgiveness" and their withholding of it be the story of the entire reunion. 

Something interesting: Even the flashbacks to scenes that aren't "never before seen" have lines we didn't get in the original versions. One example is the conversation between Melissa and Danny in which he shows her the picture of Paul and points out the uniform. I just watched that episode the other day, and there was more dialogue in this version about the risk Paul would be taking if exposed on television. In the "canon" version of 2000, it just jumps to Melissa saying something like "That still isn't a secret. A secret would be, like, 'I have one testicle'." (No, Melissa, they were saving that for the next season!) 

I agree about Danny's sparkle. It was so nice to see that smile come back and him looking relaxed. 

Just now, Asp Burger said:

BTW, I noticed early in the episode, Kelley was leafing through Unmasked: The Real World New Orleans. I was expecting more drama to come out of that, like the housemates reading out of it to each other. New Orleans wasn't the most conflict-heavy season, and that book caught several of them at a low point in their relationships. The Melissa/Jamie and Danny/Kelley duos did a lot of shit-talking about each other.

Melissa disavowed the book when she was posting at Mighty Big TV. She actually advised people not to buy it, and to get the Real World You Never Saw video instead. She said the way she talked about people in it had nothing to do with the way her relationships with them were now (late 2000). 

My guess is they have seen each other since the book was published at least at the reunion they did. Those books use to come out during the season right?

[seltzer3]

Its interesting that there has been talks about Julie being fake or having a persona.  But for me it just seems that Julie seems to be socially unaware of things. I wonder if her upbringing has essentially stunted her.  Especially this episode where it seems like she feels like she missed her 20s, and wants to relive it now in her 40s. 

Sometimes it does feel like at times she truly is unaware of how she's coming off.  But then when you combine it with her actually doing shady things, I wonder if Danny, Melissa and others (like Coral) just feel like she's always manipulative.  It reminds me of the inferno, when RW were trying to do the strategy of knocking RR people off their ropes so they get DQ's....and the Julie really took it to a whole new level with her whole idea with Veronica.

I did crack up at Matt, saying "I wished I would have gone. It seems wholesome." when him and Kelly got the group photo texts.  And then it cuts to everyone drinking shots.

Also, does anyone have Tokyo's youtube page?  

Edited April 27, 2022 by seltzer3

[Asp Burger]

14 minutes ago, choclatechip45 said:

My guess is they have seen each other since the book was published at least at the reunion they did. Those books use to come out during the season right?

The books always came out as the last few episodes were airing, and the interviews for them were close to the end of taping time and very soon after. (Melissa does reference that she's had a few conversations with Kelley post Belfort and that Kelley is nicer.) 

So, yeah. The books were a snapshot, just like the series. I always found them fun to read, but not the last word.

Since I've warmed to the topic, Julie alleges in the book that Jamie came home drunk one night and got in bed with her and was trying to kiss her. She presents it in kind of a lighthearted way; she just told him, "Go away," and he went away. I believe her; she's just mentioning it as one of many things in the Julie/Jamie flirtation. I feel as though today, there would be an entire episode structured around that incident, and people would be having conversations about assault and consent. Different world in reality TV circa 2000. 

Edited April 27, 2022 by Asp Burger

[seltzer3]

I will say the gifs for New Orleans are hilarious.  There needs to be one for Tokyo's facial reaction when drunk Julie took his water bottle away.

[choclatechip45]

18 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

The books always came out as the last few episodes were airing, and the interviews for them were close to the end of taping time and very soon after. (Melissa does reference that she's had a few conversations with Kelley post Belfort and that Kelley is nicer.) 

So, yeah. The books were a snapshot, just like the series. I always found them fun to read, but not the last word.

Since I've warmed to the topic, Julie alleges in the book that Jamie came home drunk one night and got in bed with her and was trying to kiss her. She presents it in kind of a lighthearted way; she just told him, "Go away," and he went away. I believe her; she's just mentioning it as one of many things in the Julie/Jamie flirtation. I feel as though today, there would be an entire episode structured around that incident, and people would be having conversations about assault and consent. Different world in reality TV circa 2000. 

 I love Melissa, but her treatment of Jamie would be part of that conversation!

[Tatum]

28 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

Since I've warmed to the topic, Julie alleges in the book that Jamie came home drunk one night and got in bed with her and was trying to kiss her. She presents it in kind of a lighthearted way; she just told him, "Go away," and he went away. I believe her; she's just mentioning it as one of many things in the Julie/Jamie flirtation. I feel as though today, there would be an entire episode structured around that incident, and people would be having conversations about assault and consent. Different world in reality TV circa 2000. 

I agree, but I am glad for it. Also, was there a running Julie/Jamie flirtation? I vaguely remember one episode where they kissed, but it didn't seem to be a running theme through the series that I remembered. I thought it was more Jamie/Kelley and Jamie/Melissa. But I didn't watch that closely.

 

ETA: I watched the original premier of New Orleans and Julie just seems so likeable. It's hard to reconcile episode 1 of Julie with how she acted in subsequent Challenge appearances. I mean, she was wholly obnoxious on ALL of them.

Edited April 27, 2022 by Tatum

[Asp Burger]

1 minute ago, Tatum said:

I agree, but I am glad for it. Also, was there a running Julie/Jamie flirtation? I vaguely remember one episode where they kissed, but it didn't seem to be a running theme through the series that I remembered. I thought it was more Jamie/Kelley and Jamie/Melissa. But I didn't watch that closely.

There was only one episode with a lot of Julie/Jamie together, kissing and jogging and mud-wrestling and acting like the new Real World couple out of nowhere. It was the one about Jamie's spiritual inclinations. But according to Julie in the book, there was more of an ongoing thing. She says they kissed several times, and on the last night in the house, they started up again and he got too handsy for her taste. (That's separate from the other thing mentioned earlier.)

She says she wasn't seriously attracted to him at all and that she ultimately found him gross. But then, this season, she wanted to room with him and felt they had "unfinished business." So...Julie. 

[Tatum]

9 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

She says she wasn't seriously attracted to him at all and that she ultimately found him gross. But then, this season, she wanted to room with him and felt they had "unfinished business." So...Julie. 

Interesting. I wonder if she meant she found him gross as far as some of the comments he made about women, which I would have to agree were off putting, or she means he was physically a turn-off to her. I thought Jamie in 2000 was pretty good looking, but I remember a lot of people on the forums didn't care for him.

 

ETA: Also, has it been the case with previous Homecoming casts that they have to share rooms? Acceptable in my 20s, but now, on the cusp of 40, I would share a room with no one that I wasn't related to by blood or marriage (my own, and even then it's dicey) and certainly not with a man I haven't seen in 20 years. Julie is weird.

Edited April 27, 2022 by Tatum

[choclatechip45]

34 minutes ago, Tatum said:

Interesting. I wonder if she meant she found him gross as far as some of the comments he made about women, which I would have to agree were off putting, or she means he was physically a turn-off to her. I thought Jamie in 2000 was pretty good looking, but I remember a lot of people on the forums didn't care for him.

 

ETA: Also, has it been the case with previous Homecoming casts that they have to share rooms? Acceptable in my 20s, but now, on the cusp of 40, I would share a room with no one that I wasn't related to by blood or marriage (my own, and even then it's dicey) and certainly not with a man I haven't seen in 20 years. Julie is weird.

Yes I imagine Danny/Melissa/Kelley worked it out ahead of time they would all room together so Melissa wouldn't be stuck with Julie or one of the other guys. 

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by choclatechip45

[BelleBrit]

I still want to know about Julie's theory re: that she thinks there is another reason why Melissa has a beef with her that she didn't want to talk about on that podcast. Danny has made a few references to narcissists and people who get too caught up in a facade in his press for Homecoming , and it seems that he is referring to Julie.

I was always surprised that there was care to blur Paul's face, but there was not discussion of him being identified via his voice?

[choclatechip45]

29 minutes ago, BelleBrit said:

I still want to know about Julie's theory re: that she thinks there is another reason why Melissa has a beef with her that she didn't want to talk about on that podcast. Danny has made a few references to narcissists and people who get too caught up in a facade in his press for Homecoming , and it seems that he is referring to Julie.

I was always surprised that there was care to blur Paul's face, but there was not discussion of him being identified via his voice?

Julie has also said in that press that the only reason the rest of the cast dislikes is because of Melissa which shows she doesn't seem to get that she hurt Danny as well.

Oh I never thought about that re Paul's voice. 

[mandymax]

2 hours ago, seltzer3 said:

Its interesting that there has been talks about Julie being fake or having a persona.  But for me it just seems that Julie seems to be socially unaware of things. I wonder if her upbringing has essentially stunted her.  Especially this episode where it seems like she feels like she missed her 20s, and wants to relive it now in her 40s. 

Sometimes it does feel like at times she truly is unaware of how she's coming off.  But then when you combine it with her actually doing shady things, I wonder if Danny, Melissa and others (like Coral) just feel like she's always manipulative. 

I was kind of thinking this same thing.  She strikes me now as she struck me then - as the odd one out simply because her background isn't exactly mainstream, so thoughts and ways of doing things that are common sense for most other people aren't even on her radar.  And maybe she's just a sloppy drunk, regardless.

I'd be really interested to learn what Julie's relationship with her father is now, given how contentious it was then and how she ultimately left the Mormon church.

And I'd also be interested to learn what Danny's relationship with HIS parents is now, too - I remember both his parents being so uncomfortable with his having come out, and it was actually kind of touching how they tried to overcome that when they visited the Belfort and Paul was there.  You could tell they were struggling, but they were really trying, for Danny's sake.  I hope they're all good today.

[snarts]

3 hours ago, funnygirl said:

It's funny you say that because I listened to some of Derrick's Challenge Mania podcast with Julie (ugh, I know) and she had said something about training for months to be on Challenge All Stars but then Real World Homecoming came about and the filming schedule coincided with All Stars. She even admits that she wanted to do the Challenge first or would have rather done that than Homecoming. 

Is that why she's always in athleisurewear?  Did she get confused on where she was going? I mean, I love my new WFH wardrobe of comfy, stretchy stuff too. But if I were going to a televised reunion, I'd manage to pack some decent clothes as well. I just find her so disingenuous and emotionally exhausting to watch. 

Demanding that I hug someone is right up there with group prayer for me. Matt would've received a hard no and an evil death stare for that suggestion.  Also, wasn't he a no-touch person when they originally filmed? 

Jamie & Tokyo were way more helpful and patient that I would've been at the bar.  I would've left her ass there. Let production/security deal with her. 

[choclatechip45]

23 minutes ago, snarts said:

Is that why she's always in athleisurewear?  Did she get confused on where she was going? I mean, I love my new WFH wardrobe of comfy, stretchy stuff too. But if I were going to a televised reunion, I'd manage to pack some decent clothes as well. I just find her so disingenuous and emotionally exhausting to watch. 

Demanding that I hug someone is right up there with group prayer for me. Matt would've received a hard no and an evil death stare for that suggestion.  Also, wasn't he a no-touch person when they originally filmed? 

Jamie & Tokyo were way more helpful and patient that I would've been at the bar.  I would've left her ass there. Let production/security deal with her. 

Melissa mentioned on a podcast that Tokyo didn't realize the homecoming was just for the New Orleans cast he thought it would be more like The Challenge until she explained the format. Now I have an image of Julie thinking she was also confused about were she was going. 

[1011101010001]

They are acting like this is the big reveal of Paul’s face but they did a special in 2004 where that was done.

[shantown]

4 hours ago, choclatechip45 said:

Julie is a hot mess. It's clear she thought this would be more of "The Challenge" atmosphere and doesn't seem to get that her roommates minus Matt did the whole party thing 21 years ago and might not want to get out of control drunk again.

Julie is still trying way too hard and is just frantic in her mannerism and conversation attempts. It's really unfortunate. I do think she imagines she's coming off very well - as this fun, forgiving, cool person - but it's just so far off from reality.
 

4 hours ago, funnygirl said:

She even admits that she wanted to do the Challenge first or would have rather done that than Homecoming. 

I wonder if this change came about after her Homecoming season didn't go well.

 

Danny (and Melissa) talking about becoming being followed, etc was so scary. Parasocial relationships are a real thing and it must be so weird for them to have people interact like they know you because they saw your life on tape.

And then the pressure of being back into the actual real world and dealing not only with newfound celebrity but also being propelled into being an activist and the "poster child" for who they are and becoming the face of a social issue... oof. I never really understood just how deeply this show changed some of their lives - not always for the positive.

[choclatechip45]

14 minutes ago, MrBuhBye said:

They are acting like this is the big reveal of Paul’s face but they did a special in 2004 where that was done.

I was thinking the same thing. I remember watching that special. I know Danny mentioned it in an interview that his face has been revealed before. 

[choclatechip45]

20 minutes ago, shantown said:

Julie is still trying way too hard and is just frantic in her mannerism and conversation attempts. It's really unfortunate. I do think she imagines she's coming off very well - as this fun, forgiving, cool person - but it's just so far off from reality.
 

I wonder if this change came about after her Homecoming season didn't go well.

 

Danny (and Melissa) talking about becoming being followed, etc was so scary. Parasocial relationships are a real thing and it must be so weird for them to have people interact like they know you because they saw your life on tape.

And then the pressure of being back into the actual real world and dealing not only with newfound celebrity but also being propelled into being an activist and the "poster child" for who they are and becoming the face of a social issue... oof. I never really understood just how deeply this show changed some of their lives - not always for the positive.

Me neither. I always find it interesting how the show has changed some of the cast members lives. Obviously some have suffered from addiction while others have adjusted really well (Kameelah comes to mind). Listening to some of Melissa's interviews have been very interesting how she couldn't get a normal job while someone like Colie from Denver has had a successful business after some less than stellar behavior on her season. It's all very interesting and how reality tv has evolved over the years. 

Edited April 27, 2022 by choclatechip45

[1011101010001]

27 minutes ago, choclatechip45 said:

I was thinking the same thing. I remember watching that special. I know Danny mentioned it in an interview that his face has been revealed before. 

Yeah I thought he meant like in a magazine article because I had forgotten about the special too.

43 minutes ago, shantown said:

Danny (and Melissa) talking about becoming being followed, etc was so scary. Parasocial relationships are a real thing and it must be so weird for them to have people interact like they know you because they saw your life on tape.

It probably would have been much worse if social media had been a thing then.

Edited April 27, 2022 by MrBuhBye

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, snarts said:

I just find her so disingenuous and emotionally exhausting to watch. 

Demanding that I hug someone is right up there with group prayer for me. Matt would've received a hard no and an evil death stare for that suggestion.  Also, wasn't he a no-touch person when they originally filmed? 

Jamie & Tokyo were way more helpful and patient that I would've been at the bar.  I would've left her ass there. Let production/security deal with her. 

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.

[1011101010001]

21 minutes ago, Bastet said:

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.

Yeah wasn’t this shot at the height of Omicron and Louisiana always had bad infection numbers.

[starri]

Did Danny make me ugly cry?  Yes.

[choclatechip45]

41 minutes ago, MrBuhBye said:

Yeah wasn’t this shot at the height of Omicron and Louisiana always had bad infection numbers.

Late October/Early November. They wrapped before Thanksgiving. I don’t think I heard about Omicron until thanksgiving time.

[1011101010001]

13 minutes ago, choclatechip45 said:

Late October/Early November. They wrapped before Thanksgiving. I don’t think I heard about Omicron until thanksgiving time.

Still Delta then.

[Keywestclubkid]

me legit crying on this episode with them showing Danny being so terrified for his Bfs safety and career cause he was military  and the bf being just has terrified being there but wanting to be together like any other couple would be able to 

I mean going from that to kids today not even knowing why I would be a blubbering mess watching it remembering exactly how real that fear and anxiety was … and kinda kinda glad they wouldn’t 

Edited April 27, 2022 by Keywestclubkid

[starri]

1 hour ago, Keywestclubkid said:

me legit crying on this episode with them showing Danny being so terrified for his Bfs safety and career cause he was military  and the bf being just has terrified being there but wanting to be together like any other couple would be able to 

Danny is about a year older than me, and it wasn't like I wasn't aware of DADT and all the problems it created, but I don't think it quite registered for me until we saw the behind-the-scenes footage just how scared they both were, and also how goddamn brave.

I TRULY give MTV and Bunim-Murray more than a little credit for the advancement of the the acceptance of LGBTQ people in society over the last thirty years.  Norm, and Beth S, and Dan, and Genesis...all put a face on queer people, Pedro put a face on HIV, and Danny and Paul put a face on DADT.  The real world (lower case) is better because of them.  

For as much as the trauma still clearly haunts Danny, I'm glad there were people at the bar that night telling him the same thing.  

And all of the just somehow makes Julie's actions even worse.

[choclatechip45]

12 minutes ago, starri said:

Danny is about a year older than me, and it wasn't like I wasn't aware of DADT and all the problems it created, but I don't think it quite registered for me until we saw the behind-the-scenes footage just how scared they both were, and also how goddamn brave.

I TRULY give MTV and Bunim-Murray more than a little credit for the advancement of the the acceptance of LGBTQ people in society over the last thirty years.  Norm, and Beth S, and Dan, and Genesis...all put a face on queer people, Pedro put a face on HIV, and Danny and Paul put a face on DADT.  The real world (lower case) is better because of them.  

For as much as the trauma still clearly haunts Danny, I'm glad there were people at the bar that night telling him the same thing.  

And all of the just somehow makes Julie's actions even worse.

100% this. 

I was talking about this with one of my friends the other day and we were too young for Norm, Beth, Pedro Dan, Genesis and even Danny to be our role models. For him as young closeted black middle schooler, Karamo was the first gay black guy he saw on tv and could relate to especially coming from a Caribbean family like Karamo did. 

 

 

[DearEvette]

Man, Julie is exhausting. On every level.  I don't expect you you be some fuddy in your 40s. I am not.  And yeah it is fun to go out and drink and let out some steam.  But she was out of control.  Not just at the bar, but even during her THs and at the house. Every reaction -- smile, laugh, conversation -- just felt exaggerated and affected.  During the whole bar thing as they were trying to get her to leave, I got second hand embarrassment watching her.

This is why I am glad Danny treated her the way he did in the beginning.  He was having a good time talking to Matt, Jamie and Tokyo and here she comes to drag the conversation down and insist she atone.  I liked his whole approach, he accepted her apology in the moment but he reserves judgement to make sure she walks the walk.  He is right to feel like her apology and her need for forgiveness is about her and not about him.  It felt very performative to me, imo.  Especially given how she reacted to both Tokyo and Jamie at the bar.  Screaming at them, saying "I hate you" while all they were trying to do was get her out and back home safely. She feels like a walking case of severely arrested development. And that is why I think under certain circumstances she would turn on Danny in a dime again.

I am enjoying Tokyo a lot.  I am surprised because I didn't like David in the original.  But he really feels like someone who has grown and has gotten very reflective.  And I like the way he expresses himself.  In a way he is reminding me a lot of Kevin Powell from the the NYC reunion. 

Danny and Melissa are still my hands down faves.  Melissa is just effortlessly witty.  I love her Talking Heads.

It is interesting hear the southern accent when he was younger and compare to how it is completely gone now.

Kelly is falling into her old pattern of fading into the background a bit.  I will say I got a laugh when she went out to the patio and saw Julie talking to Danny and she backed right the hell up and turned around LOL.

Matt and the hug thing is ...ugh.  Just, Nope. 

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, starri said:

Norm, and Beth S, and Dan, and Genesis...all put a face on queer people,

Beth A. (which of course you know, I'm just point it out in case you're fussy like me about going back and editing mistakes).

23 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

I don't expect you you be some fuddy in your 40s. I am not.  And yeah it is fun to go out and drink and let out some steam.  But she was out of control. 

Exactly.  I don't remember if Tokyo got good and buzzed, but Danny was drunk and Jamie was toasting to enjoying a responsibility-free evening (Melissa was passing the shots on to other people and I think just enjoying a couple of cocktails), and all of that is just fine at any age.  But they all knew when to say when, while Julie was messy and mean; if you know you get that way when you're well and truly blasted, 40-something is old enough to know, okay, you can't get blasted.  I know she started drinking later in life than the average person, but she's still had plenty of time to learn her limits.

If she was "Oh, jeez, that's so embarrassing and I'm sorry y'all had to take care of me" about it the next day, I'd still hate her, because she's awful, but I would never think another thing about that night.  What the promo for the next episode indicates she does instead, however, is why I fucking hate just looking at her.

[Asp Burger]

Julie also thinks she's always the topic of conversation. She had to ask Tokyo if they were talking about her during dinner ("No. We were eating"). Then she thought Danny, Matt, and Tokyo were talking about her. She isn't joking. 

8 hours ago, snarts said:

Demanding that I hug someone is right up there with group prayer for me. Matt would've received a hard no and an evil death stare for that suggestion.  Also, wasn't he a no-touch person when they originally filmed? 

No, they were all a pretty huggy bunch. Tokyo and Julie were the first arrivals to the Belfort, and Tokyo had gone for the hug on first seeing Julie on the streetcar (and then more times when they were running around the house gawking at the furniture/gadgets). Matt and Kelley were the next arrivals, and there were hello hugs all around. Then, rinse and repeat when Melissa and Danny showed up. Kim of MBTV/TWoP commented in her recap of that premiere, "I must be a huge prude, because I'm really not comfortable hugging people I just met. Clearly, these folks don't have that problem."

[Asp Burger]

A Tokyo interview about events of episodes 2-3. It doesn't spoil anything that wasn't in the previews for next week. "If I go out of my way to make sure you're okay, and the best thing that you can think of is the worst, then we're not connecting. If I'm literally taking you out of harm's way, and the only thing you can come back with is, 'Oh, you did this to me,' come on. Are you serious? Really? I talked to your husband at 3 o'clock in the morning to let him know that everything was okay. I stayed up till 4 a.m., literally on the floor next to her, just in case she had to vomit. And the only thing [she] could think of is a negative — that's not a good space to live in."

https://ew.com/tv/real-world-homecoming-new-orleans-david-tokyo-interview/

[DearEvette]

 

5 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

A Tokyo interview about events of episodes 2-3.

https://ew.com/tv/real-world-homecoming-new-orleans-david-tokyo-interview/

I liked reading this.  Also this part when he talks about not wanting to try to resolve things in just two weeks or just right now (referencing Julie)

Quote

Here's the thing, though: That's not what a reality show is looking for. They don't want you to talk about it later. "No, we want that on camera." And when you don't, then what'll happen is they'll constantly, incessantly ask you [about it], because they have the right to. Like, "Why can't you talk about this? Why won't you talk about this?" What happens is your mood becomes irritated. So when you say it's a very healthy way of thinking, it's a constant fight. It's a constant fight, and sometimes I am not nice. I allow myself to not be nice.

Also him ghostwriting porn and this line had me cracking up:

 

Quote

  I have to say [the lines] out loud to make sure they work! Adult movies, they're getting sophisticated. They're really sophisticated now. They have budgets. I thought I was going to be [writing stuff] like, "Hey, want some pizza?" "No." But no, [these movies] have, like, deep conversations and stuff.

 

[Bastet]

That was a good interview, and the reason I'm enjoying Tokyo so much this time around is how clearly this shines through:

Quote

Well, I made a conscious effort to accept them. Remember how I said I can just forget things? Like, poof, gone? Well, I did that before and I missed out on six amazing kindred spirits. So now what I'm going to do is I'm going to take them with me. I didn't give them anything last time — so literally just saying hello [to them] is like a whole different, other-side-of-the-pillow experience.

I made a conscious effort to give them what they didn't get last time, because they deserve that, and I did myself a disservice by not living the experience with them. It was an amazing, amazing time for me, and to give what I didn't give last time.

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by Bastet

[funnygirl]

10 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

A Tokyo interview about events of episodes 2-3. It doesn't spoil anything that wasn't in the previews for next week. "If I go out of my way to make sure you're okay, and the best thing that you can think of is the worst, then we're not connecting. If I'm literally taking you out of harm's way, and the only thing you can come back with is, 'Oh, you did this to me,' come on. Are you serious? Really? I talked to your husband at 3 o'clock in the morning to let him know that everything was okay. I stayed up till 4 a.m., literally on the floor next to her, just in case she had to vomit. And the only thing [she] could think of is a negative — that's not a good space to live in."

https://ew.com/tv/real-world-homecoming-new-orleans-david-tokyo-interview/

Tokyo is a stand up guy.  

Julie, and possibly Matt to a degree, has not grown/evolved at all in 20 years. She's such an asshole. 

[Keywestclubkid]

The fact that dude didn’t want to go to a gay bar was fine but then when he got the text and was like oh that doesn’t look as “bad” as I thought it would … what the Fuck was that? What did he think was gonna be going on? This is the issue I have with “str8” peoples perception that we would all be fucking and naked and blah blah blah or something bad and immoral MUST be happing because gay bar  … bugged the hell out of me I’m gonna stay home a FaceTime my wife .. eyeroll jist admit you’re a homophobic bigot and be honest 

Edited April 28, 2022 by Keywestclubkid

[starri]

I mean, it's a drag show.  It's not some place called The Manhole.

[1011101010001]

8 minutes ago, starri said:

I mean, it's a drag show.  It's not some place called The Manhole.

There was a very vanilla bar in Chicago called that.  

[Keywestclubkid]

11 minutes ago, starri said:

I mean, it's a drag show.  It's not some place called The Manhole.

Jesus hung with the sinners and prostitutes … these religious folks that get all pearl clutching like they are gonna get hit on or catch the gay and try to use this holier then thou mentally just confuse me… we know your str8 we don’t want you we know what NO means 

[kimbrchick]

Julie was probably the most immoral thing at the drag queen show. Kidding. Look, people make mistakes. She's not a horrible person for drinking way too much and getting messy. She's not the first to do it and she doesn't have much experience. But, from the way she's been acting and the way it appears to go down next episode, she doesn't seem to act regretful or take responsibility. It may turn out different next week but for now she's just looking crazy.

She doesn't seem sincere with her apologies to Danny and Melissa. It comes off more as, I just don't want you to be mad at me anymore. She seems more remorseful about Danny. I was a little surprised Melissa was going to allow her to take the "I don't know what happened but I'm sorry" route. I would have thought she would want her to admit she did it.

Matt bugs me. He seems like he's just Mr. healing positive, hug it out guy. They will decide if a hug is appropriate, not you.

I got choked up watching Danny's story and all the behind the scenes. The anxiety during the show and after had to have been massive. Just for being who you are. Why is our society like this? Ugh.

New Orleans is the season where the cast is probably the closest to my age and even though that season isn't top in my mind, every time they show footage, it's like, oh yeah, I remember that.

[Bastet]

16 minutes ago, kimbrchick said:

She seems more remorseful about Danny.

I can't tell what she's admitting to when she cries about what she did to Danny.  Is she sticking with the "I told the guy in charge you were the one making fun of the kids" bullshit or has she admitted she told the people looking to book him as a high school speaker he was a morally degenerate person to whom kids shouldn't be exposed?

I think about Irene and Stephen, from the Seattle season, where that asshole fucking slapped her and MTV exploited the hell out of it (still does, in fact), yet she long ago admitted outing him on camera was one of the worst things she's ever done in her life.  What Julie did to Danny is reprehensible.  It's hard enough when he hears stuff like that from strangers who don't know him, just his sexual orientation, but for someone who knows him, someone who saw his relationship with Paul, someone who wrote a song for him to give to Paul based on him sharing intimate details with her, to write those things about him, absolutely gutted him.  It breaks my heart to ponder, it's that awful.

So if she's just saying sorry she - or her "team" - cost Danny and Melissa jobs without admitting the particular tactic she used on Danny and how blazingly hideous that was, she's every bit the asshole I believe her to be.

[snarts]

1 hour ago, kimbrchick said:

I was a little surprised Melissa was going to allow her to take the "I don't know what happened but I'm sorry" route. I would have thought she would want her to admit she did it.

Melissa is not "messing with that lady".  She wants to be civil & keep it moving so she hopes that by accepting Julie's half-assed apology, she'll stop with the full court press. Melissa is not looking to foster that relationship in any form.  

Great interview with Tokyo. I'm so glad to see him embracing the experience and out doing press. 

[Bastet]

28 minutes ago, snarts said:

Melissa is not looking to foster that relationship in any form.  

"Forgiving and becoming friends with her are two different sides of the pie.  And right now I don't want any pie."  That was great.

[1011101010001]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

but for someone who knows him, someone who saw his relationship with Paul, someone who wrote a song for him to give to Paul based on him sharing intimate details with her, to write those things about him

All for $$$ too.