RHoBH in the Media

[walnutqueen]

56 minutes ago, Jextella said:

Do Brandi and Kim have friend status?

Say it ain't so!

[OldButHappy]

Yikes! I was just coming to revisit this forum because I've been watching seasons one and two while I work around the house.  

Brandy wasn't too bad, initially, and the Richards sisters were unrepentantly cruel to her.  Kim was high as a kite most of the time and Kyle was SO co-dependent.  Lisa and Adrienne brought the "Beverly Hills glamour" -tacky and over the top and so much fun to watch (am currently watching the "Spa Day" at Adriennes; she has $500K worth of built-in professional spa equipment and a staff of ten spa therapists at her house).  Ha!

Not to mention the memorable $50k birthday party that Taylor held for her 4 year old daughter, Kennedy, during which Russ glared sullenly and Kennedy cried and hid.  Good times.

The current cast of grifters and hustlers leave me cold. And I lost all interest in Kim and Brandy many dog bites, arrests, and lawsuits ago.  I won't be watching.

(I will, of course, continue to read the snark from y'all!)

Edited to add: OMG- am just watching Kim's creepy cokehead boyfriend, Ken, who sniffs through all his scenes - I had wiped him from my memory!  Also, what ever happened to $25K sunglasses Dana?  Anyone know?

Edited December 20, 2019 by OldButHappy

[HunterHunted]

21 hours ago, OldButHappy said:

Also, what ever happened to $25K sunglasses Dana?  Anyone know?

Federal fraud charges, 10 years probation, split from her fiance, and her child no longer speaks Thai. 

[OldButHappy]

3 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

Federal fraud charges, 10 years probation, split from her fiance, and her child no longer speaks Thai. 

Sounds about right... thanks!

[SuprSuprElevated]

I don't know from this MTO site, so not endorsing the legitimacy of ^info.

 

[Mindthinkr]

5 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

I don't know from this MTO site, so not endorsing the legitimacy of ^info.

 

Brandi must be taking lessons from Kelly Dodd and improving her low blow skills. 

[Starlight925]

I posted something last year about my feeling that Aaron gave me a Dirty John vibe.  

Hope that's not true, and that whatever Brandi dug up will be disputed.  I so want to like him, and them together.

Especially with the young special needs daughter that Denise adopted, as she needs all the positive influence she can get.

But there's always been something very off to me about Aaron, so I do hope that I'm wrong.

[SuprSuprElevated]

5 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

Brandi must be taking lessons from Kelly Dodd and improving her low blow skills. 

Always felt that lowing and blowing were her special talents. 🤭

[The Ringo Kidd]

I don’t know. Brandi is not so bad.

I enjoyed her new Christmas music video “I caught Mommy blowing Santa Claus.”

[Jextella]

I thought Brandi and Denise were friends?  

[ivygirl]

10 hours ago, Jextella said:

I thought Brandi and Denise were friends?  

To be honest I thought that being friends with someone never stopped Brandi from dealing low blows before... 

[RealHousewife]

9 minutes ago, ivygirl said:

To be honest I thought that being friends with someone never stopped Brandi from dealing low blows before... 

On all the RH shows I've watched, Brandi hits below the belt more than any of the women. I recently posted that Kameron on Dallas gives feel good vibes when I watch her. Brandi is the opposite. If I were one of the other BH ladies, I'd have such anxiety working with such a woman. 

[princelina]

10 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

On all the RH shows I've watched, Brandi hits below the belt more than any of the women. I recently posted that Kameron on Dallas gives feel good vibes when I watch her. Brandi is the opposite. If I were one of the other BH ladies, I'd have such anxiety working with such a woman. 

This is why I wish they'd get rid of her for good.  She's not fun to watch, she's just awful.

[Starlight925]

On 12/23/2019 at 1:17 AM, RealHousewife said:

On all the RH shows I've watched, Brandi hits below the belt more than any of the women. I recently posted that Kameron on Dallas gives feel good vibes when I watch her. Brandi is the opposite. If I were one of the other BH ladies, I'd have such anxiety working with such a woman. 

Brandi exhibits such a sad display of desperation.  The saddest thing is, she alienates herself from the very people with whom she wants to be closest, and who could really help her in life, i.e. Vanderpump.

She's one of those mean girls who thinks she'll get in with the more popular girls by digging up dirt on someone, but she just digs herself into a hole.

If she's truly as good of friends with Denise as it appears, then whatever information she comes out with will surely ruin that friendship.  Which will be unfortunate, because if it's as damaging as she says it is, then Denise will need all the friends she can get.  Shame on Brandi for even putting this out there as a "hint".  Trying to stay relevant indeed.

[RealHousewife]

12 hours ago, Sterling said:

Brandi exhibits such a sad display of desperation.  The saddest thing is, she alienates herself from the very people with whom she wants to be closest, and who could really help her in life, i.e. Vanderpump.

She's one of those mean girls who thinks she'll get in with the more popular girls by digging up dirt on someone, but she just digs herself into a hole.

If she's truly as good of friends with Denise as it appears, then whatever information she comes out with will surely ruin that friendship.  Which will be unfortunate, because if it's as damaging as she says it is, then Denise will need all the friends she can get.  Shame on Brandi for even putting this out there as a "hint".  Trying to stay relevant indeed.

Brandi's been nasty to Vanderpump, the Richards sisters, Joyce, Eileen, Adrienne, the list is endless. I was hoping she'd learn her lesson that by being so mean she ends up with no one to shoot the show with. At least that way she'd ease up on the other ladies even if only for selfish reasons.  

Edited December 26, 2019 by RealHousewife

[Hiyo]

Quote

Brandi must be taking lessons from Kelly Dodd and improving her low blow skills. 

Plus, didn't we go through this already in season 3 with Adrienne and the surrogate?

[KungFuBunny]

54 minutes ago, Hiyo said:

Plus, didn't we go through this already in season 3 with Adrienne and the surrogate?

What did Brandi say about Aaron?

[Hiyo]

I guess we'll know once it airs and/or someone reveals it via a leak before that...

[The Ringo Kidd]

I heard that she is claiming he had a penis transplant.

[goofygirl]

Girl's gotta do what she can to remain relevant AND make some $$$.  All that plastic in her face ain't cheap!

[ww92]

On 12/28/2019 at 7:47 AM, Hiyo said:

Plus, didn't we go through this already in season 3 with Adrienne and the surrogate?

I have a love-hate relationship with Brandi but I'd never want her to know anything I wanted to keep private. No idea what she claims to have on Aaron but spilling the surrogate info on Adrienne was flat out wrong. That had nothing to do with Brandi at all. Not her place to decide it should be made public, especially when Adrienne's own children didn't even know.

[SuprSuprElevated]

4 hours ago, ww92 said:

I have a love-hate relationship with Brandi

Me too, minus the love part.  Brandi was hired to be a hitwoman, and she did it well.  I think that Bravo was completely on board with the outing of Adrienne's & Paul's surrogacy, but the viewer outrage was more than their legal department planned on.  If she's to be signed for another stint, the corporate minds of NBC must believe that enough time has passed and that all is forgiven.  I haven't watched this franchise for several years, and her addition certainly won't lure me back.  It will have the opposite effect.  Doubt I'm the target demographic, so they won't care.

[RealHousewife]

Y’all see this? 

https://people.com/tv/lisa-vanderpump-and-ken-todd-accused-in-class-action-lawsuit-of-not-paying-their-eateries-employees/

[The Ringo Kidd]

Restaurants get sued all the time because of their policies. Working off the books is rampant and there is no such thing as a minimum wage or overtime. You get shift pay which can be as little as$20 a shift. You make up for it in tips. A hotspot like SUR could let you walk away with $300 a night. That’s why most don’t upset the apple cart.

I don’t doubt that Lisa follows industry practices. 

[Door County Cherry]

Yes, restaurants are well known for being one of the industries with more than its share of toxic workplaces. Sexual harassment, bullying bosses and wage theft are more common than they should be.

But that doesn't make it right.  If what the employees allege is true, it's against the law and the VDPs are facing penalties, fines and settlements.   

[The Ringo Kidd]

Yes if it is true. I would think that once they went high profile they cleaned up their act.

LVP and Ken are a lot of things but one thing they are not is stupid.

[Hiyo]

Quote

If what the employees allege is true, it's against the law and the VDPs are facing penalties, fines and settlements.   

How much could we be talking here?

[KungFuBunny]

18 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

Y’all see this? 

https://people.com/tv/lisa-vanderpump-and-ken-todd-accused-in-class-action-lawsuit-of-not-paying-their-eateries-employees/

 

9 hours ago, Door County Cherry said:

Yes, restaurants are well known for being one of the industries with more than its share of toxic workplaces. Sexual harassment, bullying bosses and wage theft are more common than they should be.

But that doesn't make it right.  If what the employees allege is true, it's against the law and the VDPs are facing penalties, fines and settlements.   

I know they lost the case involving the workers (mainly the cooks/dish washers) - unfair wages/working conditions and outright racism

The tabloids really hate her guts, they always go to one of her more hideous looks - it's the Vampire Brothel  Madame

[Hiyo]

 

Quote

The tabloids really hate her guts, they always go to one of her more hideous looks - it's the Vampire Brothel  Madame

I thought that look was only for private sexy fun time with Ken...

[The Ringo Kidd]

The fact is that restaurants always operate on the slimmest of margins and have to make employees depend on tips to survive. That is why when increased minimum wage laws are passed thousands of restaurants close. You have been seeing it in Seattle, San Francisco and New York the last few years.

I am sure that Lisa used the prevailing practices but should have been aware that she is under a microscope because of her notoriety. I don’t think she is dumb enough to not realize that but anything is possible.

[Hiyo]

Quote

That is why when increased minimum wage laws are passed thousands of restaurants close. You have been seeing it in Seattle, San Francisco and New York the last few years.

I thought that was due to gentrification more than anything else.

I worked as a waiter in a restaurant, and while it wasn't in a major city on the level of NYC or SF, we still clocked in and out and were paid for each hour we were there and took our tips home with us. Good thing our our boss wasn't an asshole...

Edited January 11, 2020 by Hiyo

[kokapetl]

12 hours ago, The Ringo Kidd said:

The fact is that restaurants always operate on the slimmest of margins and have to make employees depend on tips to survive. That is why when increased minimum wage laws are passed thousands of restaurants close. You have been seeing it in Seattle, San Francisco and New York the last few years.

I am sure that Lisa used the prevailing practices but should have been aware that she is under a microscope because of her notoriety. I don’t think she is dumb enough to not realize that but anything is possible.

Ken and Lisa made tens of millions of dollars in this industry. I always found that suspicious, a bit of a red flag. 

Edited January 11, 2020 by kokapetl

[RealHousewife]

11 hours ago, kokapetl said:

Ken and Lisa made tens of millions of dollars in this industry. I always found that suspicious, a bit of a red flag. 

I give all the cast members the benefit of the doubt with their many lawsuits, but I always found this strange as well. It's not an industry I have firsthand experience in though. Are there many other restaurant/bar owners as wealthy as they are? I've known successful business people who have a lot of integrity and treat their people well. I've also seen the other side of it-people who make loads of money and overwork and underpay their employees while they live lavishly. There was this company in particular I worked for that was just terrible about this. I always wondered how the higher ups were able to sleep at night. 

[Hiyo]

Didn't Ken also have some nightclubs in the past? Some good money there.

[KungFuBunny]

49 minutes ago, RealHousewife said:

I give all the cast members the benefit of the doubt with their many lawsuits, but I always found this strange as well. It's not an industry I have firsthand experience in though. Are there many other restaurant/bar owners as wealthy as they are? I've known successful business people who have a lot of integrity and treat their people well. I've also seen the other side of it-people who make loads of money and overwork and underpay their employees while they live lavishly. There was this company in particular I worked for that was just terrible about this. I always wondered how the higher ups were able to sleep at night. 

 

46 minutes ago, Hiyo said:

Didn't Ken also have some nightclubs in the past? Some good money there.

Most restaurants and bars I know of in NY - pay their front staff - minimum wage. There is a work around - say a Scheana or Katie make 300 in cash tips on one night - on their taxes they only claim to have made 50. They can't do anything about the tips on credit cards because there is a paper trail so they should be claiming 100% of those. HOWEVER, I do question how long it takes the Vanderpumps to pay them and I also wonder if they don't tell them about some. I don't know if each waiter/waitress keeps track of every credit card tip amount they accrue in one night.

I have also always been suspect of LVP whenever she has said we've opened over 35 restaurant bars. Why did they close? Why did they leave England? If they were so successful - why not still own a few of them and place a general manager in charge for an additional revenue stream? Why do they rent all of those properties and not own them outright?

My biggest question is Villa Vomit. It's been a money pit since before RHOBH filmed. It has about the same traffic as their Vegas location. Are they in a 20 year lease? Even if they were in a 20 year lease - they could have totally remodeled and made that into TomTom or something other than the Money Pit it is. Is it a way for Ken to launder money?

[The Ringo Kidd]

You can make millions in the bar business by having two sets of books and using the cash you skim to buy real estate. Everyone and I mean everyone in the restaurant business does it and if they say the don’t they are lying.

I kinda knew the two knuckleheads that owned Studio 54 back in the day. They both skimmed. Both got caught and went to the pokey. Rubell opened the Palladium and died of Aids. Ian Schrager switched to hotels and made a mint in places like the Royalton on 45th Street. He later bought a pardon from President Obama.

So can make millions and if you fly under the radar you can walk away or buy your way out of trouble. It is determined how tough minded you are and I think Ken is pretty tough.
 

[The Ringo Kidd]

2 minutes ago, KungFuBunny said:

My biggest question is Villa Vomit. It's been a money pit since before RHOBH filmed. It has about the same traffic as their Vegas location. Are they in a 20 year lease? Even if they were in a 20 year lease - they could have totally remodeled and made that into TomTom or something other than the Money Pit it is. Is it a way for Ken to launder money?

You put your finger on it. I bet he laundered a bunch of money there.

I am sure they sold or closed their English joints because they know they would get robbed if they were not hands on. That’s why they show up at their restaurants all the time. You can’t be a passive investor in a restaurant if you want to make money. 

[Happy Camper]

13 minutes ago, The Ringo Kidd said:

I kinda knew the two knuckleheads that owned Studio 54 back in the day.

What?????!!!! We need a whole new thread for this!!! Meet us in the Cabana!

 

[RealHousewife]

You guys are talking about Villa Blanca, right? I thought they were going to close this restaurant years ago. In pictures it looks beautiful and elegant. The prices aren't crazy either. I looked up some of the negative reviews. They critique the service a lot, the food being so-so, and the condition of the bathrooms. I saw some reviews by people who are fans of Lisa's and had positive experiences at her other businesses. Maybe they need to run Villa Blanca a bit more like Sur and Pump? I wonder if they're as careful with the selection and training of the employees  and maintenance of VB as they are of the more successful establishments. I plan on going to LA this year, and it would be cool to check out at least one of the restaurants. I'd probably pick whichever has the most vegan food. 

I'd also love some Studio 54 tea! lol

[The Ringo Kidd]

No can do. Sorry for the diversion.

Lets stick to topic. Do you do think Denise and Brandi are into scissoring or plain old fashioned muff diving? I know that they were hanging out a lot.

That’s how Brandi found out that Aaron had a penis transplant. They used a baby elephants trunk. Very impressive. Brandi found out when they went to the Dodgers game and he kept stuffing  peanuts up his ass.
 

[KungFuBunny]

There was someone injured and hospitalized after the crash

https://ktla.com/2020/01/05/1-hospitalized-after-ferrari-crashes-into-west-hollywood-restaurant/

If it was someone inside Pump - I see another lawsuit for the the Todds. The person will be suing both the driver and the restaurant/bar and they will win

 

 

[SuprSuprElevated]

I don't have firsthand knowledge of the dining/bar biz either, but seems like one is either madly successful or just eeking out a living.  Randy Gerber (Cindy Crawford's husband) has made a fortune in owning several places, and I know there are restauranteurs in Chicago, New York and elsewhere that do well.  It is hard to imagine how they could support that lifestyle, yet be competitive in a very busy area.  Ken was wealthy before Lisa married him so, I guess they've invested well.

[MatildaMoody]

On 1/11/2020 at 3:40 AM, kokapetl said:

Ken and Lisa made tens of millions of dollars in this industry. I always found that suspicious, a bit of a red flag. 

Ken was already wealthy when he met Lisa. There is also a difference between earning money from night clubs and earning money through restaurants. There is nothing to suggest that all of their wealth came strictly from restaurants. Although, opening and selling restaurants can also be lucrative, it doesn't mean that is where all of their money came from.

[DawnDavenport]

7 hours ago, MatildaMoody said:

Ken was already wealthy when he met Lisa. There is also a difference between earning money from night clubs and earning money through restaurants. There is nothing to suggest that all of their wealth came strictly from restaurants. Although, opening and selling restaurants can also be lucrative, it doesn't mean that is where all of their money came from.

Someone might know more than me but my understanding is that Ken made his fortune( around  $100 million?) in the textile/fashion industry before he met Lisa in the 70s/80s. I think the restaurant/bar thing came after that so some of that money was probably used to open those

I would never assume that they made their wealth by skirting law/regulations and mistreating employees. I think these are probably mostly hobby/investment opportunities for them and they could probably live off on their wealth without lifting a finger.

Don't they partner with others to start these businesses? I get the impression they are not 100% owners in any of their restaurants/bars (I remember Camille trying to bait Lisa in Season 3 about not outright owning SUR as if it was a negative thing).

They probably engage in less shady business practices than Mauricio. The last few seasons he comes off as a bloated/greasy high-used car salesman who has used every opportunity on the show to promote his business. 

[Hiyo]

Quote

Randy Gerber (Cindy Crawford's husband) has made a fortune in owning several places, and I know there are restauranteurs in Chicago, New York and elsewhere that do well. 

I think he does nightclubs too, not restaurants.

Quote

it doesn't mean that is where all of their money came from.

And yes, it seems he did...something in the textile industry, then moved on to the restaurant and bar industry. But he started dabbling in restobars since the early 1980s, so I'm guessing that is a decent part of their net worth.

As far shady practices...maybe LVP and Ken thought they could beat the system without anyone finding out. Oh well.

 

[Door County Cherry]

On 1/12/2020 at 7:54 PM, DawnDavenport said:

They probably engage in less shady business practices than Mauricio. The last few seasons he comes off as a bloated/greasy high-used car salesman who has used every opportunity on the show to promote his business. 

I don't know. Mauricio's alleged crimes are probably bigger in terms of money but the employees Lisa & Ken are allegedly screwing over probably need the money more. 

[Hiyo]

Quote

who has used every opportunity on the show to promote his business. 

Which...makes him no different from anyone else on this show?

[mertensia]

On 1/11/2020 at 2:06 PM, The Ringo Kidd said:

You can make millions in the bar business by having two sets of books and using the cash you skim to buy real estate. Everyone and I mean everyone in the restaurant business does it and if they say the don’t they are lying.

I kinda knew the two knuckleheads that owned Studio 54 back in the day. They both skimmed. Both got caught and went to the pokey. Rubell opened the Palladium and died of Aids. Ian Schrager switched to hotels and made a mint in places like the Royalton on 45th Street. He later bought a pardon from President Obama.

So can make millions and if you fly under the radar you can walk away or buy your way out of trouble. It is determined how tough minded you are and I think Ken is pretty tough.
 

That's a bit extreme. Bob's Chicken Inn in rural America is not doing business that way; they live year to year and hope they make enough to stay open.

Why would Pump and the Vanderpumps be sued over the car crash? I didn't see any indication that they'd served the driver. 

[KungFuBunny]

On 1/14/2020 at 1:48 AM, Hiyo said:

Which...makes him no different from anyone else on this show?

Are you talking about the video after the car crash where Ken is heard saying we're going to get as much publicity out of this as we can?

The injured party is female - she was in Pump when the car crashed into it. I don't know if she is staff or a patron but she was hospitalized due to cuts from flying debris and glass.

LVP and company are trying to out a id on this - will probably settle out of court to hush her up

 

[Hiyo]

Was referring to Mauricio.