Season 2 Discussion

[Brooklynista]

What is it Dani expects to get out of marriage to Mo?

OK, you're married and now what? He's not going to have sex with her. I mean maybe he'll be able to stuff his junk in one of her rolls of fat at best, but that's all she's gonna get. He's not going to be her Plus 1 at weddings. Not gonna take her to the movies. Not gonna take her to a steak house, hell not even Sizzlers. Not gonna call her and ask how her day is going. Ain't gonna rotate the tires on her car.

So what does she want?? Is all of this just so she can say I have a sexy husband? Nevermind that you don't ever see us in the same place at the same time. Forget alla that. I have a sexy bought and paid for (actually making payments on) husband.

[merylinkid]

 

But I look at the house and I don’t see much there. Where the heck is she spending cash?

 

She was only working a low paying job before she got fired.   Most of her money was probably just going to pay the rent.    With not a lot left over, you wind up doing stupid stuff like putting the groceries on the credit card figuring you will pay it off "next month."    Except you don't have enough then either.   And then it just keeps rolling up.   Remember, she also has 3 kids still at home.   For some odd reason kids expect to eat every day and have clothes.   Selfish of them I know, but you gotta pay for these things.   Out comes the credit card again.   Eventually, you are shorting the cell phone bill in order to make the minimum on the credit card, etc.   And before you know it, you are in so deep, that looking up from the bottom of the debt hole you can't even see daylight.

[sleepyjean]

So then you think "hey! why not import another mouth to feed!"

[Iwadre]

If Danny's dad wants to be at the wedding events maybe he should keep his mouth shut. I don't understand how people can just sit there and smile when he says such racist stuff. 

[realitytvsucker]

Finally able to watch the episode, after reading all the posts here. Lol. This site is more interesting than the show itself.

Dani/Mo--- TLC, pls give her some psychiatric help after the show. I have a feeling she is really unstable.

Amy, you are so sweet and pretty, you definitely deserve someone better.

Jason, OMG! You are a jerk! This the very first time that I genuinely feel bad for Cassia. I still dont like her though. But Jason, yes you! You are so insensitive and dumb.

Evelin/justin, Daya/Liverlips----you two couples are boring. But wait, the hot air surprise earns Justin, 1 point from me today.

I dont care about Chelsea but that short clip @ TLC website of Yamir on that ride (country fair, I am not sure what that ride called). It was freaking hilarious! I LMAO.

[IvySpice]

For some odd reason kids expect to eat every day and have clothes. Selfish of them I know, but you gotta pay for these things. Out comes the credit card again. Eventually, you are shorting the cell phone bill in order to make the minimum on the credit card, etc. And before you know it, you are in so deep, that looking up from the bottom of the debt hole you can't even see daylight.

merylinkid, you are spot on. I would add that your teenage daughters ask you for a couple hundred dollars so they can get a band uniform or go on the class trip to Chicago, and you're telling them no because you spent thousands on your destructive romantic fantasy with a complete stranger. Which means that the girls are denied even the few opportunities for enrichment available in that dead-end town.

Edited December 10, 2014 by cooksdelight
Ignoring earlier mod warnings

[demarti]

Dani and Mo:  They need to stop whining about not having any money. They are both being paid to be on this show, right? It may not be much compared to other reality shows, however I'm sure enough to pay off her debt and give them a decent start. I'm sure TLC paid for her hideous wedding dress as well. So Mo needs to STFU about how Dani duped him. I'm pretty much sick of his innocent act bullshit.

Edited December 10, 2014 by demarti

[IvySpice]

 

Only a tiny girl can wear that style. Why didn't her kids tell her the truth?

Her kids share her fashion sense. So do 90% of America's fat brides, who all want the same strapless fantasy. Honestly, "I look gorgeous in this dress" is a much more realistic delusion for her than "I'm having a love affair with Mohammed."

 

I agree with others who said that Danny's dad actually thought that he was being careful and politically correct for the cameras, and his real opinions are a lot worse.

[cooksdelight]

TLC doesn't pay for anything, which is why you will see a wide variance in the types of weddings and wedding attire on this show. They pay the people a fee for appearing, they sign a huge contract, end of the fairytale.

[sleepyjean]

Dani and Mo:  They need to stop whining about not having any money

 

To be fair, I don't think I've seen either of them whining about being broke. Danielle has said a couple of times they don't have a lot of money for things like wedding gown, venue, etc, and doesn't know where she'll get money to pay for his immigration stuff, but she's just stated it as fact.  I don't think I've ever heard her complain about it. Mohamed was very upset that she lied, and clearly thinks she is irresponsible with money, but hasn't bitched about how poor they are. In my opinion, Mohamed does have a legit right to be upset about her deception since the minute he marries her, it becomes his debt too.

 

But he's not very smart when it comes to this con. The only leverage he has is the threat of walking away. When they were behind closed doors, that was his opportunity to demand that she be 100% honest, or the wedding would not happen. Instead, he let her put him off again. And once they're married, what motivation does she have to be forthcoming? If she throws away all of her statements (which she probably does), he has no way of finding out what's going on unless he intercepts all the mail before it gets to her.  As someone said above, it's a game of chicken. She won't tell until they're married. He won't marry her until she tells. But dumbass Mohamed he gave in. Game over. Danielle wins.

Edited December 10, 2014 by sleepyjean

[cooksdelight]

Remember me asking you all not to speculate about people's sexual orientation on this show?

I guess not.

[TonyasBlueEyeshado]

Why is my post gone when I was denouncing the OP'S assertion about the daughter's sexuality.

I do enjoy this forum, but there is a lot of creativity in the moderation.

[demarti]

To be fair, I don't think I've seen either of them whining about being broke. Danielle has said a couple of times they don't have a lot of money for things like wedding gown, venue, etc, and doesn't know where she'll get money to pay for his immigration stuff, but she's just stated it as fact. I don't think I've ever heard her complain about it. Mohamed was very upset that she lied, and clearly thinks she is irresponsible with money, but hasn't bitched about how poor they are. In my opinion, Mohamed does have a legit right to be upset about her deception since the minute he marries her, it becomes his debt too.

Then he shouldn't marry her. Edited December 11, 2014 by cooksdelight
Spoiler information

[cooksdelight]

Why is my post gone when I was denouncing the OP'S assertion about the daughter's sexuality.

I do enjoy this forum, but there is a lot of creativity in the moderation.

Because when the original post is deleted, anything referring to it goes along with it.

If you have any further questions, feel free to PM me and I'll answer them if I can.

[Adeejay]

I believe that while Danielle is uneducated, she is far from stupid.  I am starting to notice a pattern.  Whenever she senses that she is in deep trouble with Mo, she deftly changes the subject to his visa.  All of a sudden Mo goes from railing at her to wondering how they can fix the problem.  Smart lady!

[silverspoons]

I don't think any of these couples are getting rich from TLC. I have spent too much time researching TLC contracts and they pay lousy. The pay gets better if you have a long standing series but more of the income even for those individuals are in the free perks not salary. My guess is that each couple got 10k to spilt. 10k is enough to help Daya get into a standard apartment complex and out from under the roommates. I would assume it would be a nice start for Danny and Amy. I somehow doubt 10k (or 5k each in their case since I doubt money will be communal) would pay off Dani's debt. I saw that bedroom set and though Ashley furniture's no payments till...and it probably cost her 3-4k. I could see her having other easy to add up debts like fingerhut, store credit cards and just being 30-60-90 days behind on general bills.

 

What I would like to know is what Happened with Dani/Mo between days 80-wedding day. All the other couples we have seen bits and pieces of the 90 days counting down. A big chunk of Dani/Mo is missing. Their story starts at the airport and the first 2-3 days of meeting people and then bamm we are at the wedding. I kind of feel Mo might have lived elsewhere for 2 months or travelled. He could tell Dani since he could not work and didn't want to sit in the crowded apartment , he wanted to visit NYC or some larger city with more people of his faith or whatever his excuse would be. I just think something is missing. I hope TLC will have some unaired footage special after the season is over. I would much rather seee that then some holi-day-athon of Teresea or couponing.

[funky-rat]

Justin and, especially, Evelin, need to run far away. The thing is, the manipulation and brave motherly tears and supplications won't stop with the wedding. If they have kids, the MIL/BIL/SIL will be butting in constantly. Any time that anything happens in that family, Evelin will be expected to cater to her MIL and be the problem-solver, just as she is now. Justin's mother is an emotional vampire who will suck her family dry. In my own case, I stay as far away as possible, but my SIL did manage to ruin my wedding that my MIL invited her to (that's right; I had no say, despite being the bride). That day still represents such a nightmarish scenario to me that I don't even display my wedding photos; I don't want to remember it. I fear a similar outcome for these two. So Evelin, listen to Justin (this one time only)!

I don't show my wedding photos to people either.  I broke out right in the church, and you can tell I was crying in half of them because MIL sat in the back of the church and gave me filthy looks.

 

She also brought a friend she met in the mental hospital along.  She decided that this woman was now her mother.  She demanded we put her in family photos.  She demanded we call her "grandma".  I feel your pain.  I really really do.

Her kids share her fashion sense. So do 90% of America's fat brides, who all want the same strapless fantasy. Honestly, "I look gorgeous in this dress" is a much more realistic delusion for her than "I'm having a love affair with Mohammed."

Actually, "fat" brides are hard pressed to find a nice wedding gown that isn't strapless or spaghetti strapped.  Watch any wedding dress show.  I ended up having mine made.  I refused to go strapless, and my only other option was a polyester mumu looking thing.  I need to learn how to sew and go into business making nice dresses that flatter us fuller figured gals.

[deltaburkefan]

Heh, my Lithuanian family is prevented from visiting (by Lithuania) due to having good jobs.  One is a pediatric epidemiologist the other is a...guess you'd call him a game warden and master carpenter.  They will only allow them to visit separately and not as a couple, for fear they won't come back.  

 

I'm deaf, used to be hearing.  Sometimes when I watch tv i make up voices in my head.  Dani's is just perpetual whine.

I think it has to do with whether you could get a better job if you stayed in the US. I know a professor who was turned down for a visa because they told her she was a risk since she had a US PhD and could get a better job at a US university (which she actually did eventually do). A pediatric epidemiologist would make better money in the US. But a family from Capetown that has enough money to send over 20 family members just to go to a wedding probably wouldn't have a more advantageous situation in the US than they do in SA. Plus rich people are welcome anywhere. 

[DakotaJustice]

I believe that while Danielle is uneducated, she is far from stupid.  I am starting to notice a pattern.  Whenever she senses that she is in deep trouble with Mo, she deftly changes the subject to his visa.  All of a sudden Mo goes from railing at her to wondering how they can fix the problem.  Smart lady!

of course the question arises, if she's NOT stupid, then why did she lose her job, have her utilities turned off, and facing eviction?

Constantly bringing up the green card isn't showing that she's smart, it's the only card she has to play to keep him.

 

Silverspoons, I would LOVE to see your TLC contract research.  I've always been fascinated by the way they keep the money changing hands a secret.  One of my best friends reviews reality TV shows, and the DVDs she gets from HBO, Bravo, etc are beautifully packaged while the TLC ones are basically just a burnt copy on a blank DVD with the show title written on using a Sharpie.  Cheap.

[IvySpice]

 

if she's NOT stupid, then why did she lose her job, have her utilities turned off, and facing eviction?

There are reasons these can happen besides stupidity. However, believing anything that she hears from a young, handsome, visa-seeking stranger can only be explained by stupidity.

[IvySpice]

I thought Danielle actually looked better in the cheaper dress, because it had straps and a waist at her narrowest point.

[TonyasBlueEyeshado]

I thought Danielle actually looked better in the cheaper dress, because it had straps and a waist at her narrowest point.

The one she had at home? It was strapless and blaaaaaah! Gauze de Chine

[QueBueno]

If you have larger upper arms it can be difficult finding a dress that doesn't fit tight in the sleeves or shoulders.  That may be why strapless is the lesser of the unattractive evils.  I guess you could have a dress that was sleeveless but not strapless, but I would think those are hard to find.

[Adeejay]

However, believing anything that she hears from a young, handsome, visa-seeking stranger can only be explained by stupidity.

 

Based on the attractive and seemingly intelligent women who've been taken by handsome, visa seeking strangers, there seems to be more factors at work here than just plain stupidity.   

[IvySpice]

No, it had spaghetti straps. You can see them if you zoom in here: http://media.tumblr.com/7e69010c0dd0b1547cc43080652bfc3a/tumblr_inline_newlc4CfKj1t4iy7j.jpg

 

To be clear, I think it was the best of a bunch of bad options.

[Drogo]

Danielle might have a subscription to a Dating-on-Death-Row site, too. I could see it. More men who can't leave her.

[kelm]

Danielle might have a subscription to a Dating-on-Death-Row site, too. I could see it. More men who can't leave her.

LOL at least they wouldn't have to suffer through her constant attempted molestions and arm humping.

[sunrisepink]

I am so addicted to this show, and so glad that the second season has attracted some of the more..unconventional participants. I know that they're already recruiting for the season 3 cast, but does that mean for sure that the show has been renewed? Does anyone have ratings statistics? I tried to catch a re-run of the most recent episode to show my fiance but it wasn't being replayed at all, so that usually doesn't bode well for future seasons.

[sleepyjean]

LOL at least they wouldn't have to suffer through her constant attempted molestions and arm humping.

 

We certainly didn't see much of that this last episode, did we?  I guess Mohamed found the one way to get her off of him: piss her off by threatening her little romantic fairy tale. I will be really interested to see how the kiss at the end of the ceremony goes in next week's ceremony. I wonder if her relatives will do that thing where they tap on their glasses to get the bride and groom to kiss. Oh wait a minute, they have no money for a reception. If there are any beverages, no doubt they will be served in red Solo cups.

 

Oh, wait another minute. I'm sure he'll tell her in his culture they don't kiss at weddings and it would be inappropriate to be so vulgar in public.

Edited December 11, 2014 by sleepyjean

[IvySpice]

You know, if you're broke and have three kids to support, it's possible to just go down to the courthouse and get married. You can rent a dress (or wear jeans) and get a grocery store cake to share with your kids if you want a little party at home. The idea of throwing a reception when you can't afford to keep a roof over your children's heads is symptomatic of the fantasy world Dani is living in.

 

Just to clarify the debt issue: debt that exists before the marriage does not become Mohamed's personal debt as a matter of law. As a matter of practice, if they're living together and she's supporting him, then her debts are marital debts. But if he walked away, creditors couldn't go after him. Debts accumulated during the marriage are a different story. Those generally are shared debt even if just one party signs.

[IvySpice]

 

you can tell that no matter how much people try to use reason and logic with her, she's just set on doing what she wants to do.  Children, job, finances, family, integrity and self respect be damned.

Exactly! Her infatuation with Mohamed and the handsome prince dream knows no reason. She'd do anything and hurt anyone to be with him.

[Eater of Worlds]

I think it has to do with whether you could get a better job if you stayed in the US. I know a professor who was turned down for a visa because they told her she was a risk since she had a US PhD and could get a better job at a US university (which she actually did eventually do). A pediatric epidemiologist would make better money in the US. But a family from Capetown that has enough money to send over 20 family members just to go to a wedding probably wouldn't have a more advantageous situation in the US than they do in SA. Plus rich people are welcome anywhere. 

 

They don't speak English, for one.  For two, doctors can't just pick up and move to another country and start practicing medicine.  There's a lot involved, and she was already in her mid-fifties when they were asking to visit, and she had minor children who were tying her to the country.  There was practically no way she'd stay in the US.  Also, her children earned more money working at a resort for the summer in the US than she earned in a year as a doctor.  What a lot of doctors in her situation would do would come to the US for the summer and work in private home nursing as they'd get more money from that than being a doctor in Lithuania at the time.  Their reasoning was just so screwed up for my family.  Now that they are in retirement age they STILL are not allowed to visit together, even though she's not working as a doctor anymore.  That's veering way too off topic and I'll stop there.

 

I find that I can't watch the entire show.  Cassia and Jason buck the ever living shit out of me.  Both of them are dumb, but Cassia's is just young adult stupidity and that has the possibility to change.  Jason's stupidity is forever embedded in him.  My dog's balls are smarter than he is.

 

I have a request.  Everyone is mentioning Chelsea's vocal fry.  I'm deaf but I used to be hearing.  Can someone describe to me what vocal fry is, using examples, not just the definition?  I'm trying to understand what it is that makes it so annoying (and I've seen it mentioned in many places online that it's annoying). PMs are fine for this!  You can use normal hearing references (as in, it sounds like this) because I will understand them.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Eater of Worlds

[Neurochick]

Their daughter is marrying a black woman. Love it.

 

 

I had to read that twice, whoa, their daughter is marrying a black woman.  Awesome!

 

I wonder if Danny's father is religious at all?  He mentioned he got married by a judge, and it seems Danny at most of his siblings don't live in Texas.  Maybe Dad got disfellowshipped or something.

[Hero]

We certainly didn't see much of that this last episode, did we? I guess Mohamed found the one way to get her off of him: piss her off by threatening her little romantic fairy tale. I will be really interested to see how the kiss at the end of the ceremony goes in next week's ceremony. I wonder if her relatives will do that thing where they tap on their glasses to get the bride and groom to kiss. Oh wait a minute, they have no money for a reception. If there are any beverages, no doubt they will be served in red Solo cups.

Oh, wait another minute. I'm sure he'll tell her in his culture they don't kiss at weddings and it would be inappropriate to be so vulgar in public.

Lol! Muslim's also don't kiss at weddings, except when a groom kisses the brides forhead. But I'm sure Mohammed won't do that either.

[TonyasBlueEyeshado]

Lol! Muslim's also don't kiss at weddings, except when a groom kisses the brides forhead. But I'm sure Mohammed won't do that either.

Suzy, you're skeeving me out, and I was about to go to lunch..

[tortuga]

The more I think about it, the more Dani reminds me of something you'd see on My Big Fat Gypsy wedding.  I don't think she's "rummney", but she ain't 100% gorger either.

[Andrews m]

Please don't shoot me, but I think Danielle looks kind of nice in the dress.

[heythere]

I have a request.  Everyone is mentioning Chelsea's vocal fry.  I'm deaf but I used to be hearing.  Can someone describe to me what vocal fry is, using examples, not just the definition?  I'm trying to understand what it is that makes it so annoying (and I've seen it mentioned in many places online that it's annoying). PMs are fine for this!  You can use normal hearing references (as in, it sounds like this) because I will understand them.

 

I'm not sure how long ago you became deaf so I'm trying to think of some older examples but everything I look up seems to be saying it's a recent phenomenon. This article describes Mae West and Maya Angelou as examples. It's like the end of certain words are drawn out in a raspy way. It almost sounds, to me, like the person doing it doesn't feel well, they are sick and about to crawl back in bed. Or I also tend to associate it with that know-it-all female friend who is chronically unimpressed with everything.

Edited December 11, 2014 by heythere

[VillaVillekulla]

Yeah, it's hard for me to think of a "sounds like" for vocal fry, especially since I'm not sure how long ago you became deaf. But if you ever watched the cartoon Daria, the way Daria's friend Jane Lane speaks involves a lot of vocal fry. It's kind of raspy and creaky (it's also called creaky voice) and happens most often on drawn-out words.

[funky-rat]

To me, someone with vocal fry sounds like they're getting over a bad cold that had them coughing a lot.  Sort of froggy, but like they're trying to sound sexy while they're froggy.  Her voice isn't smooth - it's difficult to explain.  She also has an odd inflection.  She pronounces some words like the Canadians do (ie: about = a-boat) and she has some almost Valley Girl/Clueless inflections too.  I don't know where she gets it from.  Sometimes it sounds like she has marbles in her mouth.

[funky-rat]

Please don't shoot me, but I think Danielle looks kind of nice in the dress.

She looks ok.  I think it was the best option for her body type, given what's available.  It looks like she at least tried a little.

[Hero]

Suzy, you're skeeving me out, and I was about to go to lunch..

Lol! Sorry! Dani and Mohammed weird me out whenever I watch them.

[Eater of Worlds]

Clueless references I get, Daria I don't, mostly because there's no mouths to match up to what sounds I could hear at the time.    I appreciate everyone's explanation, all of you  helped me piece an idea together in my head that I can now refer to when someone mentions vocal fry.

[ChristmasJones]

The way I think of vocal fry is when someone is talking normally, but then their voice shifts down into a lower register, with a scratchy quality to it. One article I remember reading mentioned how vocal fry might occur because of young women trying to sound more authoritative, and so their voice shifts to a lower register like men.

[cooksdelight]

Mohamed has a choice to make; Cassia confronts Jason's brother when meeting his family.

[locomoco]

Maybe Dad got disfellowshipped or something.

He was deemed too radical by the other members of the Westboro Babtist Church and was asked to leave...

[Eater of Worlds]

Ok, last thing on vocal fry.  I found this blog and http://beyondthefourthfloorblog.com/2014/06/06/vocal-fry-hireability/  It has a line that they encourage you to say that creates natural vocal fry (apparently everyone does it, but Chelsea is following the new trend of fake vocal fry, or exaggerated I should say).  So now I have a full understanding of what it is.  According to what someone here has said, she doesn't do it when she speaks Spanish.   I wonder if Yamir would get irritated if she did try it in spanish?

 

I'm really curious how much these couples got paid to do this.

[Raja]

The whole focus on Amy and Danny being virgins thing freaks me out. I have zero issue with waiting until marriage, but the way they focus on it is just bizarre. It is almost like I can picture their guests waiting outside the door to listen in on when the virginity loss happens because they harp on it so much. I don't know. And they discuss it all on camera. Ugh.

 

That is the role the Evangelical couple were cast in just like the Mormon couple in the first season. However the family seems to be into Christian music performing so are more likely to talk on camera. Everybody knew that they were to be Kardashians while many of the first season couples thought they were making a documentary.

 

 That daddy turned out to be Archie Bunker was an added bonus. It does strike me that with Arabs, Latinos and Filipinos there is not the drama that comes in with the single drop rule put on known African ancestry.

[Kiss my mutt]

Poor Yamir will learn English with a vocal fry. I'd rather hear Chelsea speak Spanish.

[schaudenfreude]

KMM, I don't notice Chelsea's vocal frydom as much when she speaks Spanish? Maybe just wishful thinking. I don't know how Yamir, as a musician, stands those sharps and flats in Chelsea's labored speech.