S01.E11: Salty Waters

[formerlyfreedom]

The weekend at Nurai Island comes to an end; Ayan and Caroline Stanbury's relationship is tested; Lesa confronts Nina about her friendship with Stanbury; Ayan reveals a painful truth about her past.

Airing Wednesday, August 17, 2022.

[Arynm]

Well, Shit. I had an idea that Chanel being Somali might have a female circumcision in her past but damn! 4 years old is... I don't even know what to say. Can I hope that at her young age maybe things are not as developed and just maybe the damage is less? I have no idea and probably should not speculate on things I am not educated about. I think she has been through more than anyone should have to and she could do a lot in the world if she chose to.

On a lighter note, I thought that Stanbury has finally showed up. I think she is pulling her weight and maybe it really was the wedding that was taking all her energy. I like her and she seems softer than I remember her from LOL. 

Pretty good episode, heavy, but it was worth watching.

[Pi237]

So much respect for Chanel talking about her circumcision. This still goes on today, and her being brave enough to talk about it on television will help other girls who have gone through it. Breaks my heart that anyone would have that done to them.

Hate when boyfriends/husbands show up on a girls night/weekend. Totally changes the dynamic. And wow, he is so immature. I don’t see them having much in common for the long run. 

I don’t think this show needs another season. It’s a snoozer and way too produced. Reunion should be about 15 minutes long. What’s there to discuss?

[bichonblitz]

Chanel's story is heartbreaking. How do you grow up in a situation like that with a father like that and come out "normal". It's not possible.  I 100% get why she is the way she is. I hope she's getting the intensive therapy she needs. I'm amazed she has a loving relationship with her husband and son. 

Sergio is such a boy child. Does he have any life, a job, other interests or just wants to follow Stanbury around like a lovesick puppy? Are his parents financing him? She's going to grow tired of that. Maybe her ex paid her no attention so she's enjoying it for now but he's a real pain in the ass and not very intelligent at all. Does he really need the baby making process explained or is this an act for camera time? 

[sugarbaker design]

3 hours ago, Pi237 said:

I don’t think this show needs another season.

I do, I enjoy it.

3 hours ago, Pi237 said:

It’s a snoozer and way too produced.

Hasn't stopped Real Housewives of Atlanta!

[MaggieG]

Gotta love a shady editor pulling out the receipts when Caroline said Ayan never thanked her for the weekend only to see footage of Ayan thanking her two separate times

[Tyler1992]

Sergio is intensely annoying.

[JAYJAY1979]

Aylan and Stansbury are too alike to truly appreciate the positive qualities in one another.  Neither listens and both think they're too good for others.

Plus, both would be exhausting to be around.  And I think Aylan doesn't like Sara when Sara lectures is because Aylan also does that.

While some think it's boring...I think it's kind of organic.

Lastly, Stansbury will be annoyed with Sergio's clingy tendencies like she was about Juliet's neediness on LOL.  Mark my words.

[SemiCharmedLife]

I really feel sympathy for what Ayan has gone through in her life.  Sharing her experience of female circumcision as a young child was so brave and just broke my heart.  I would love to see her use her celebrity status/ wealth to work with an organization to bring awareness to this issue and bring an end to it.  This might help in her healing process, too.  Despite her outward confidence, she seems to filled with insecurities, which is now very understandable.

[tvfanatic13]

23 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:

I do, I enjoy it.

Hasn't stopped Real Housewives of Atlanta!

Mr too Sugarbaker....

I REALLY hope that Sergio appearing was pre-determined because if not, that would be a game ender for me.

[sugarbaker design]

10 minutes ago, tvfanatic13 said:

I REALLY hope that Sergio appearing was pre-determined because if not, that would be a game ender for me.

Pre-determined?  Fate?  Kismet?  I don't understand.

[TV Diva Queen]

3 hours ago, tvfanatic13 said:

Mr too Sugarbaker....

I REALLY hope that Sergio appearing was pre-determined because if not, that would be a game ender for me.

I think it was - the way Stansbury turned around when she heard the jet ski looked planned to me.

[Baltimore Betty]

3 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

I think it was - the way Stansbury turned around when she heard the jet ski looked planned to me.

Well it was after she called him and made weird grunting noise and he thought it was crying so he got on his noble steed to rescue her, pre planned. 

Remember when Ramona when nuts when Simon came along to Jill's for the ladies night dinner party or when Ashley had Michael come to the women's weekend beach get away...that is what this reminds of.

[amarante]

Very illuminating interview with Chanel - explains quite a bit about what is going on in terms of the *real* relationships of the housewives

https://www.vulture.com/article/chanel-ayan-real-housewives-of-dubai-interview.html#_ga=2.65549614.1834480821.1660960508-2029832861.1656437511

Coming out of this you have issues with both Carolines. What do you think was the biggest cause of the shift?
For me, before we started filming, Caroline Stanbury called me for an hour and said to me, “This is not for you. It’s for me and my friends.” Me and her share a best friend, so I think she knew that I was very outspoken, so she was trying to discourage me from being part of the show. That’s where our problems started. She has an ego — I’ve been in a show in England, I’m famous, I’m better, I’m this and that. But I’m a Black woman from Africa; it doesn’t mean anything to me. I feel powerful on my own whether I’m on TV or not.

Brooks is a very sad situation because it’s so hard when you see another Black girl trying to put other Black girls down just to feel accepted by the “queen of England,” basically being the minion of Stanbury. Me and Lesa really supported her a lot in recent episodes; we’re always on her side trying to make her feel good, but she just backstabs us and puts me down. That kind of situation just makes it so hard to trust her. And then she just lies a lot. Literally, 95 percent of the stuff she said on the show.

People who followed Stanbury from Ladies of London were surprised by her demeanor in general. She seemed disengaged if she wasn’t the focus of attention.
She didn’t want to film with me most of the time. She just wanted it to be all about her. It didn’t work out because I would have loved to film with her more, and the moments I filmed with her I actually enjoyed it, so I just feel like there was a lot of missed opportunity. But the ego took over her.

Their recapper (not the interview) also analyses it as series of micro-aggressions by Stanbury who either consciously or unconsciously is a bit of a racist. No surprise there really as even on the original Ladies of London she was an insufferable snob.

https://www.vulture.com/article/the-real-housewives-of-dubai-season-1-episode-11-recap-salty-waters.html#comments

[princelina]

On 8/18/2022 at 12:45 PM, bichonblitz said:

Sergio is such a boy child. Does he have any life, a job, other interests or just wants to follow Stanbury around like a lovesick puppy? Are his parents financing him? She's going to grow tired of that. Maybe her ex paid her no attention so she's enjoying it for now but he's a real pain in the ass and not very intelligent at all. Does he really need the baby making process explained or is this an act for camera time? 

I don't know - on LoL she was married to an adult with a job, but she was accompanied everywhere by her male makeup artist - he shared her bed on away trips and often was included in the ladies' meals.  Whenever she wasn't accompanied by him was when she had issues/had to leave early/etc.  And he was the one two whom she gossiped and whined about the others.  Now she's got Sergio - he's been to all the other events whether other men were there or not.  She just seems to me to have a problem being without a guy (HER guy) around.

Poor Ayan.  She is the one whose back story has me most curious - I hope we will hear more about how she met her husband.

[JAYJAY1979]

38 minutes ago, amarante said:

Very illuminating interview with Chanel - explains quite a bit about what is going on in terms of the *real* relationships of the housewives

https://www.vulture.com/article/chanel-ayan-real-housewives-of-dubai-interview.html#_ga=2.65549614.1834480821.1660960508-2029832861.1656437511

Coming out of this you have issues with both Carolines. What do you think was the biggest cause of the shift?
For me, before we started filming, Caroline Stanbury called me for an hour and said to me, “This is not for you. It’s for me and my friends.” Me and her share a best friend, so I think she knew that I was very outspoken, so she was trying to discourage me from being part of the show. That’s where our problems started. She has an ego — I’ve been in a show in England, I’m famous, I’m better, I’m this and that. But I’m a Black woman from Africa; it doesn’t mean anything to me. I feel powerful on my own whether I’m on TV or not.

Brooks is a very sad situation because it’s so hard when you see another Black girl trying to put other Black girls down just to feel accepted by the “queen of England,” basically being the minion of Stanbury. Me and Lesa really supported her a lot in recent episodes; we’re always on her side trying to make her feel good, but she just backstabs us and puts me down. That kind of situation just makes it so hard to trust her. And then she just lies a lot. Literally, 95 percent of the stuff she said on the show.

People who followed Stanbury from Ladies of London were surprised by her demeanor in general. She seemed disengaged if she wasn’t the focus of attention.
She didn’t want to film with me most of the time. She just wanted it to be all about her. It didn’t work out because I would have loved to film with her more, and the moments I filmed with her I actually enjoyed it, so I just feel like there was a lot of missed opportunity. But the ego took over her.

Their recapper (not the interview) also analyses it as series of micro-aggressions by Stanbury who either consciously or unconsciously is a bit of a racist. No surprise there really as even on the original Ladies of London she was an insufferable snob.

https://www.vulture.com/article/the-real-housewives-of-dubai-season-1-episode-11-recap-salty-waters.html#comments

She's just like Stansbury as I thought.  Both have big egos, want to be in charge and dismiss others when not the center of attention.

And not even going on into her comments about Brooks.

[tvfanatic13]

10 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:

Pre-determined?  Fate?  Kismet?  I don't understand.

Planned. My bad. 

[Stats Queen]

On 8/18/2022 at 10:20 AM, Pi237 said:

ate when boyfriends/husbands show up on a girls night/weekend. Totally changes the dynamic. And wow, he is so immature. I don’t see them having much in common for the long run. 

So for the reunion will Stansbury be sitting next to a cast member on a couch or in Sergio’s lap?

Edited August 21, 2022 by Stats Queen

[SemiCharmedLife]

14 hours ago, amarante said:

Very illuminating interview with Chanel - explains quite a bit about what is going on in terms of the *real* relationships of the housewives

https://www.vulture.com/article/chanel-ayan-real-housewives-of-dubai-interview.html#_ga=2.65549614.1834480821.1660960508-2029832861.1656437511

Coming out of this you have issues with both Carolines. What do you think was the biggest cause of the shift?
For me, before we started filming, Caroline Stanbury called me for an hour and said to me, “This is not for you. It’s for me and my friends.” Me and her share a best friend, so I think she knew that I was very outspoken, so she was trying to discourage me from being part of the show. That’s where our problems started. She has an ego — I’ve been in a show in England, I’m famous, I’m better, I’m this and that. But I’m a Black woman from Africa; it doesn’t mean anything to me. I feel powerful on my own whether I’m on TV or not.

Brooks is a very sad situation because it’s so hard when you see another Black girl trying to put other Black girls down just to feel accepted by the “queen of England,” basically being the minion of Stanbury. Me and Lesa really supported her a lot in recent episodes; we’re always on her side trying to make her feel good, but she just backstabs us and puts me down. That kind of situation just makes it so hard to trust her. And then she just lies a lot. Literally, 95 percent of the stuff she said on the show.

People who followed Stanbury from Ladies of London were surprised by her demeanor in general. She seemed disengaged if she wasn’t the focus of attention.
She didn’t want to film with me most of the time. She just wanted it to be all about her. It didn’t work out because I would have loved to film with her more, and the moments I filmed with her I actually enjoyed it, so I just feel like there was a lot of missed opportunity. But the ego took over her.

Their recapper (not the interview) also analyses it as series of micro-aggressions by Stanbury who either consciously or unconsciously is a bit of a racist. No surprise there really as even on the original Ladies of London she was an insufferable snob.

https://www.vulture.com/article/the-real-housewives-of-dubai-season-1-episode-11-recap-salty-waters.html#comments

Thanks for sharing the article.  I couldn't access the second one, because I went over my free article limit of one!  This interview with Ayan has ignited a twitter storm from Stanbury.  She is calling Ayan out and being super inappropriate.

[AryasMum]

On 8/18/2022 at 1:39 PM, sugarbaker design said:

I do, I enjoy it.

Hasn't stopped Real Housewives of Atlanta!

It certainly isn’t on my must watch list, but I support another season if only for the diversity of the cast. 

[Hiyo]

Here's hoping they increase the diverse representation of Dubai by adding a South Asian woman or two if they get a second season.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Hiyo

[JAYJAY1979]

8 hours ago, SemiCharmedLife said:

Thanks for sharing the article.  I couldn't access the second one, because I went over my free article limit of one!  This interview with Ayan has ignited a twitter storm from Stanbury.  She is calling Ayan out and being super inappropriate.

Aylan has shown to misunderstand what people say and blow it out of proportion as proven throughout the season...so she deserves to be called out 

[Glama]

I'm only just watching this episode, so sorry for being late to comment. 

But please, why another sound bath? Do they not know what happens in a sound bath if you're a real housewife? You get knocked on the head by a frenemy!

I'm sure OC wasn't the only franchise with a sound bath.... But I can't remember where else they did it. 

Edit: here's another comparison to other housewives: Brooks said she's allergic to bees. She said it quite calmly. It's such a refreshing change from Kyle screaming whenever there's a bee. And I get being scared for one's life when one has bad allergies, but it was just so refreshingly new not having to listen to someone screaming. Especially when I just watched the latest episode of RHoBH where Kyle was flying to Aspen and no word about fear of flying. And yes, I know editors may have done that, but I'm also hella annoyed with Kyle about the sh*t stirring she did in the latest episode.

Wow, my last remark was not so much about Dubai but about my trauma with BH and Kyle.

Edit 2: Noooo Sergio did not just arrive. Ramona we need you!!!

Edit 3: Oh my word, is Caroline still actually thinking about getting pregnant for intellectually challenged Sergio?? I can not! You guys need to stop.

I'm so glad this season is coming to an end, I can't wait for this to be over. I have fond memories of starting to watch this franchise: I was visiting my old uni town, drinking some bubbly in my hotel room, needing something to watch and take my mind off things, and I wrote a lengthy message on one of the threads and later edited it to say I was sorry for the long post but had been having bubbly but I had been a good girl earlier that day, what with visiting my grandson and all. Someone replied saying 'No judgment here 😁' and I truly felt I belonged on this forum 😅   You guys rock! 

(Yes, I've had some cider tonight. No, I don't always drink while watching RH of any kind. But the way the shows are today, who could blame me??)

🤢

Edited September 3, 2022 by Glama

[Stats Queen]

6 hours ago, Glama said:

But please, why another sound bath? Do they not know what happens in a sound bath if you're a real housewife? You get knocked on the head by a frenemy!

🤣

6 hours ago, Glama said:

Wow, my last remark was not so much about Dubai but about my trauma with BH and Kyle.

My comment is not about Dubai, but trauma is right word for what I experienced with RHOBH

6 hours ago, Glama said:

Yes, I've had some cider tonight. No, I don't always drink while watching RH of any kind. But the way the shows are today, who could blame me??)

I often have a drink watching RH shows. Went and made another for RHOBH.

This season of Dubai was not very engaging but the reunion had some life.

[heatherchandler]

On 8/19/2022 at 9:04 PM, amarante said:

Brooks is a very sad situation because it’s so hard when you see another Black girl trying to put other Black girls down just to feel accepted by the “queen of England,” basically being the minion of Stanbury. Me and Lesa really supported her a lot in recent episodes; we’re always on her side trying to make her feel good, but she just backstabs us and puts me down. That kind of situation just makes it so hard to trust her. And then she just lies a lot. Literally, 95 percent of the stuff she said on the show.

I totally believe Ayan that she is a huge liar.  I get the liar vibes with Brooks.

[RealHousewife]

 

On 8/19/2022 at 11:35 AM, SemiCharmedLife said:

I really feel sympathy for what Ayan has gone through in her life.  Sharing her experience of female circumcision as a young child was so brave and just broke my heart.  I would love to see her use her celebrity status/ wealth to work with an organization to bring awareness to this issue and bring an end to it.  This might help in her healing process, too.  Despite her outward confidence, she seems to filled with insecurities, which is now very understandable.

Agree, especially with the bolded. My heart broke for Ayan. I applaud her for sharing such a painful part of her life. I wish feminists in the US spoke out more about the inhumane things that happen abroad to women and girls. 

[pasdetrois]

Illegal female circumcision happens in the US and it's extremely hard to prevent because many parents are actively complicit and it happens very fast (the surgery) to little girls (before they enter school) who are powerless and ignorant of what's happening. People do the surgery in their homes.

The international aid organizations try to educate against it, hide/shelter vulnerable women, help them get visas and sanctuary. My neighbor is one of these people. I read a very good book whose name I've forgotten that describes how hard it is to prevent. ETA the book is "Something to Hide" by Elizabeth George and takes place in London.

Not sure if it matters who tries to prevent it - feminists, religious leaders, social workers, teachers, parents...  And, at least in my community, it has been addressed in local and national media and in the local Muslim community.

Edited May 2, 2023 by pasdetrois

[Chalby]

On 8/18/2022 at 9:45 AM, bichonblitz said:

Chanel's story is heartbreaking. How do you grow up in a situation like that with a father like that and come out "normal". It's not possible.  I 100% get why she is the way she is. I hope she's getting the intensive therapy she needs. I'm amazed she has a loving relationship with her husband and son. 

I remember reading about the model, Iman, who had this done. When she was interviewed, she was asked how it impacted her psyche, love life, etc. She acknowledged the event is harder on others to hear, than on her. She knew no other way, so she had no idea what she was missing, if anything. She had two daughters, from two marriages. (Last hubby was David Bowie.)

Maybe there's no memory for some if done early enough. Although now illegal, some still get the procedure (and it's women who perform the cutting). Sheesh 

Sorry for my late forum read.