S04.E10: Mormons Get a Bad Rap

[ladle]

On 11/14/2023 at 9:05 PM, Straycat80 said:

Lisa. That. Was. Cringe. 
I feel most of this episode was an advertisement to sell Heathers book. Did it really do so well that she has to write another one? 
 

 

On 11/14/2023 at 11:31 PM, princelina said:

Anyone who believes Heather actually did a book reading before hundreds of people raise your hand!  Yeah, me neither 😄.

I can't vouch for the quality of Heather's book because I -- like everyone else in the cast, evidently! -- have not read it. But, it was a legit New York Times bestseller. I believe that in a major city, Heather could command an audience of a couple of hundred people, between friends of hers, family members, RHW superfans, and ex-Mormons. 

[ladle]

On 11/14/2023 at 10:26 PM, Pi237 said:

Who would listen to mush mouth Meredith and her Greasy husband talk about Anything let alone their weirdo marriage? 

You. Can. LEAVE. 

 

On 11/15/2023 at 11:21 AM, rlc said:

My only take away from this episode is that none of these women wash the fruit they put on their endless charcuterie boards.

I guess unwashed fruit is okay if you never actually eat. 

 

On 11/16/2023 at 12:09 PM, Crazydoxielady said:

I am on the fence about Monica. Is she good TV?

No. 

[ladle]

On 11/16/2023 at 1:25 AM, ZettaK said:

The only reason she has a book is because she is on the show. And she now wants to "write" more books.

I will say this... There's a frustrated middle-schooler desperate for acceptance stuck inside of Heather. And, while I think she would probably own that critique, that middle-school part of her is still too loud and exhausting. And she has zero right to tell anyone else how they can practice their religion, and whether their religion should accept how they practice it. I'm not rah rah Mormonism (for many of the same reasons as Heather!) but what Heather is doing with Lisa is honestly offensive. And that's before we even get into the irony of Heather shaming Lisa for not being a "good" Mormon.

This is all to say: I'm very aware that Heather has her flaws. 

That said, Heather has always sounded reasonably intelligent to me in her talking heads. Certainly more intelligent and witty than the average RHW -- though, yes, that bar is about a centimeter off of the floor. So, while I haven't read her book, I'd think if any of them could write a book that's worth reading, she'd be at the top of the list. 

[heatherchandler]

On 11/16/2023 at 12:25 AM, ZettaK said:

The only reason she has a book is because she is on the show. And she now wants to "write" more books.

Her book only sold because she’s a housewife and people want to read juicy gossip.  It’s laughable, and kind of embarrassing.. she thinks she’s a real writer.

 

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by heatherchandler

[Salacious Kitty]

14 minutes ago, heatherchandler said:

Her book only sold because she’s a housewife and people want to read juicy gossip.  It’s laughable, and kind of embarrassing.. she thinks she’s a real writer.

 

 

Wasn't her book a memoir written with a ghostwriter? Those can be written in a casual tone that doesn't require much, if any, literary skills. 

I'm sure that's how her book read. Something you could read on the beach and not give ant thought to later. 

[ladle]

You guys, I binged the last few episodes of this yesterday and now I’m getting sponsored ads for charcuterie. 
 

I know correlation isn’t causation, but…

[ZettaK]

9 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Wasn't her book a memoir written with a ghostwriter? Those can be written in a casual tone that doesn't require much, if any, literary skills. 

I'm sure that's how her book read. Something you could read on the beach and not give ant thought to later. 

All these books by A to Z celebrities are written by ghostwriters. They are normally autobiographical. And then the celebrities are so proud of themselves for achieving decent sales and getting into the New York Times best selling list. They believe their own hype, and they think they are AUTHORS. Teresa Giudice is one- she can't stop saying she is a New York Times best selling author. She has at least 4-5 books, and they were all on the list!  

Edited November 19, 2023 by ZettaK

[pasdetrois]

Quote

And then the celebrities are so proud of themselves for achieving decent sales and getting into the New York Times best selling list.

About two years ago The Washington Post corrected its method for determining "best seller" status. I can't remember the full details, but it had to do with the trend for assembly line hacks/celebrity ghostwritten/online sales. Also it was explained that many publishers buy their way into best seller status by ordering large numbers of a book from stores that report their sales. Different lists use different data, so the best seller lists vary.

From a discussion I read: "Buying your way onto the New York Times best-seller list is not all that difficult, although it is...basically cheating.’”

[Sweet-tea]

On 11/14/2023 at 7:20 PM, Straycat80 said:

I feel every interaction scene between Mary and anyone else on this show is fake and producer driven. And how does she get away with insulting someone by calling them ‘inbred’? I want to see her call Monica or  her mother that. 

I couldn't believe it when Heather asked Mary if she really thought that and she replied, "Yes, I did." Mary is so mean. 

I was so distracted by Angie and Lisa's dueling top lips in their scene. Angie's is bigger but Lisa's look like it's almost touching her nose. Ladies, easy off the filler. 

Quote

Can someone explain Meredith's speech and vocal patterns to me?  There is something that sounds so strange to me about the way she speaks.  Is she faking it? Trying to make some sort of impression with it?  Or is it just the way she speaks naturally? For some reason it doesn't sound natural to my ears, but I'm open to being wrong.

To me Meredith sounds drunk or on benzos or some other kind of downer. 

Quote

Lisa has really become insufferable this season. Her talking heads of superiority and derision are too much. Does she really think this is going to make people take “her side”? She’s almost as bad as Olivia in Bachelor in Paradise.

Yep. At least Olivia has the excuse of being only 24, so perhaps she's clueless. 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Sweet-tea
Pi237 beat me to the benzos.

[b2H]

11 hours ago, ladle said:

now I’m getting sponsored ads for charcuterie. 

Charcuterie is only a tacit admission that there is no bread in the house.

[politichick]

On 11/18/2023 at 11:43 PM, Salacious Kitty said:

Wasn't her book a memoir written with a ghostwriter? Those can be written in a casual tone that doesn't require much, if any, literary skills. 

I'm sure that's how her book read. Something you could read on the beach and not give ant thought to later. 

I think Heather probably offered a lot of input. She seems intelligent enough. She could try her hand at writing chapters that are then refined by the ghostwriter.

[SemiCharmedLife]

On 11/15/2023 at 12:46 PM, MaggieG said:

I continue to be baffled that anyone wants to spend any time with Mary. Heather must have been forced by production to go. The absolute hilarity of Mary saying she's not bougie while sitting in those Willy Wonka chairs.

Mary updated her kitchen after the first season.  She added that Tiffany blue color and the multicolored thrones.  Most of her house tends toward "gaudy," but I think she was going for whimsical with her kitchen update.