Thicker Than Water - General Discussion

[beesknees]

Decided to watch tonight's episode because I was waiting for RHOA Reunion Part II.  Man, do NOT tell me Ben Tankard (is that the father's name?) is going the "Prince" route a la Phaedra Parks when addressing children (or as Mr. Tankard refers to them - the juveniles).  Prince Micah? when referring to the new baby over and over again?  For the love of God and all that is holy don't do it to us viewers. Noooooo.  Phaedra already makes me weary with the Prince Ayden, Mr. President crap.  It's stupid.  Then referring to the house as the Tankard palace?  The house wasn't a palace last year, why is it a palace now?  Brooklyn referring to herself as a Queen saying she moved out and is now in her own palace?  The king's "Crown" cake at the baby's dedication party.  Why are the doing this?  Man, if I had to take a sip of an alcoholic beverage every time this cast referenced royalty during this one-hour show I'd be drunk off my butt.

 

 

 

 

Brooklyn was also on WWHL tonight (behind the bar) and she was talking kind of inappropriately to Andy.  Saying Andy was her baby daddy and he needed to pay child support and she could give him a second child, etc.  It was a little odd.  At first Andy was laughing along, sort of going with it, then it got awkward?  Just me? I thought Brooklyn was a preacher's daughter.  Her father must be so proud.

Edited March 28, 2016 by beesknees

[drivethroo]

Brooklyn ran a brothel.  I doubt seriously Ben is shocked by anything she does these days.

 

And as Cyrene proves, preacher's kids turn up once they get turned loose.  There's no real difference between Brooklyn turning up back in the day and Cyrene turning up now besides Brooklyn doing something illegal...and Cyrene drinking and puffing underage is illegal too so maybe I should say Brooklyn got arrested while Cyrene hasn't.

 

You can't hold kids to this extra high standard and shelter them from the world because you're a preacher or very religious.  Then you end up like Josh Duggar, exploring stuff you shouldn't be exploring and dabbling in the forbidden.  It's not healthy.

 

Cyrene shouldn't have been allowed to go back to Howard (on Ben's dime).  They should've made her transfer to a school closer to home.  Even if she stopped the weed and alcohol and whatever else she was doing, she still has a medical condition where if she doesn't take care of herself, her parents have got to drive/fly hours to get to her.  Nope, you need to transfer to some school in TN for a fresh start.

 

Marcus gave Cyrene some sound advice, especially in this day and age of social media: you might leave your memories at college/workplace/etc but your reputation follows you.

[Lucygirl2]

I don't know why I was so excited when I saw this show was returning (maybe absence made my brain forget how annoying these people are) it only took the first "juveniles" to remind me but this entire family is ridiculous. UGH!

[DrivingSideways]

Well, it looks like the two of us that watch this show will be talking amongst ourselves this season!

 

There is something about this dumb, dumb family that intrigues me.  Their pompous, entitled attitudes paired with their, well, stupidity, makes them reality gold for me.  Except for the one that ran a brothel - I always kind of liked her.

 

I could never keep the juvenile's names straight.  Hearing everybody say 'juveniles' is like nails on a chalkboard.  Cyrene is really irritating.

[drivethroo]

Juveniles:

Marcus, oldest one, zesty, product of Ben & college FWB. Raised by grandmother. Ben didn't know he existed until he was at least 7. Married to Tish. Has baby son, Micah.


Brooklyn, oldest daughter. Busty. Hustler. Ran a brothel. Had a daughter at 15, 16 (Diamond). Now runs a weave line & aspires to be a singer. Product of Ben & Wife 1 or 2.

Britney, youngest daughter. Lost a lot of weight. Into fitness. Was busted with Brooklyn in the brothel (she was the bartender). Had a problem with Marcus due to some abuse she & her siblings experienced. Full sibling of Brooklyn.

Benji, youngest son. DJ. Skinny. Married to Shanira & expecting a child (I personally think it's a girl). Recently moved out. Full sibling of Brooklyn & Britney.

Cyrene, Jewel's daughter. Spoiled & sheltered. Turnt up in college with drinking, smoking weed, whoever knows what else. Was hospitalized & left school second semester. Trying to break out of family jail again to return to school.

Edited March 29, 2016 by drivethroo

[DrivingSideways]

Juveniles:

Marcus, oldest one, zesty, product of Ben & college FWB. Raised by grandmother. Ben didn't know he existed until he was at least 7. Married to Tish. Has baby son, Micah.

Brooklyn, oldest daughter. Busty. Hustler. Ran a brothel. Had a daughter at 15, 16 (Diamond). Now runs a weave line & aspires to be a singer. Product of Ben & Wife 1 or 2.

Britney, youngest daughter. Lost a lot of weight. Into fitness. Was busted with Brooklyn in the brothel (she was the bartender). Had a problem with Marcus due to done abuse she & her siblings experienced. Full sibling of Brooklyn.

Benji, youngest Don. DJ. Skinny. Married to Shanira & expecting a child (I personally think it's a girl). Recently moved out. Full sibling of Brooklyn & Britney.

Cyrene, Jewel's daughter. Spoiled & sheltered. Turnt up in college with drinking, smoking weed, whoever knows what else. Was hospitalized & left school second semester. Trying to break out of family jail again to return to school.

 

Thanks drivethroo!  I appreciate the breakdown!  Yes, Britney and Brooklyn are the ones that I kinda dig.  Cyrene texting through the dedication ceremony was so rude.  The way she delivers her lines so haughty shows she's a chip off the old block with Jewel.  These women are CONVINCED they are the ish.

 

I love the scene at the end that showed their cars all fanned out in their driveway of their 'palace'.  I especially love that they are still driving one of those ridiculous Hummer type trucks that looks like the cab of a tractor trailer... because that's so elegant and fuel efficient.

 

These people!!!!!

[DCC]

Are we supposed to believe that Cyrene lost it in college?Girrrrl please. The "Lemme ask my mom all about sex" storyline last season was so unbelievably fake. I can believe she waited until college to smoke and drink because that's harder to cover up than sex. Her and her mom are aggy.

Marcus is gay. Which isn't a bad thing, but he's involved this beautiful lady to cover it up. Good thing she's a quiet one.

Brooklyn is the best.

[drivethroo]

Then you have other assorted characters:

 

Junetta, Jewel's younger sister.  Lives in Baltimore.  Married to George.  Likes to flash big house and new cars. Is Jewel's gang member against little sister Junice.

 

Junice, Jewel's youngest sister.  Bitter.  Has issues with Jewel.  Lives in TX. Married to Rock. Got her water cut off. Going to school for advanced studies. Family thinks she's bitter and distancing herself because she's jealous that she has a lack of materials and they have a bunch of materials.  Was not seen on the Season 3 premiere.

 

The 3 J's parents. Shows up at most of the family functions.  Don't say too much.

 

The 3 B's mom.  Was only seen once, in season 1 at Benji & Shanira's wedding.

 

Diamond, Brooklyn's daughter.  Teen. Doesn't say too much. Ben offered to take Diamond off Brooklyn's hand and raise her since he doesn't really trust Brooklyn to raise her right.

 

Phaedra from RHOA.  Showed up last season to give Cyrene a pep talk about remaining a good Christian young lady. .  And also prosperity.

[drivethroo]

Cyrene needs to watch her attitude. If I wasted $40K in non refundable tuition, room & board so I could drink, smoke weed, party and spend second semester recovering from the aftereffects, my parents wouldn't have let me go back to school.  I would've been jamming to the Hamburger Helper mix tape while working a lowly paid clerical job trying to pay my parents back.

[Tallulahbaby]

Cyrene is a nasty piece of work. Ungrateful and spoiled. Her ass would be in community college.

[DrivingSideways]

Cyrene - your attitude sucks, and you are not that cute.  You've quickly become my least favorite JUVENILE of the bunch.

[drivethroo]

Cyrene needs to calm her little stank attitude right on down.  If I had that attitude I would be packed up from Howard in the middle of the semester, brought home, told I could enroll in Murfreesboro Community College and get a job at Burger King while I'm at it.  Everyone else was taking in Jewel's life story except her.  All she did was roll her eyes and scoff at Jewel/Junetta's family home.

 

Jewel knew she was a fast tail, silly 19 year old hanging with the drug dealers because they had money, hanging with the wrong crowd and she doesn't want Cyrene going down the same path.  But Cyrene has a hard head so she will have to get put out of Howard or get pregnant with the local DC player's baby before she learns her lesson.  SMH.

 

Ok, Jewel runs Ben's checkbook. Everybody in the family knows that.  Jewel seems the type to count every single penny (and seeing the story of what happened to her family last night, I completely understand why).

 

Jewel told Brooklyn that she was writing the $2200 child support checks to Brooklyn/Britney/Benji every two weeks.  That's $4400/month for child support.

 

Yet Brooklyn told Jewel she and her siblings were going without winter coats because they weren't getting the child support.  What happened to the child support money? Was the 3B's mom using it for baby momma support? I don't see any reason for Jewel to lie about sending the checks...it probably hurt her to her heart she had to send out almost $5000 a month (not to mention whatever Marcus' child support check was).    What happened to the money?

Edited April 18, 2016 by drivethroo

[DrivingSideways]

Juveniles:

Marcus, oldest one, zesty, product of Ben & college FWB. Raised by grandmother. Ben didn't know he existed until he was at least 7. Married to Tish. Has baby son, Micah.

 

 

OMG... zesty... somehow I missed this the first time around... this is the best.  Tish seems very sweet and is just beautiful.  Why exactly is she with Marcus?  He seems like good people, but... not a hottie.  And zesty.  I guess she wants those Tankard thousands.

 

My mind wandered for a few minutes and suddenly Jewel was hosting a talk show.  What the F?  The set wasn't half bad either!

 

I think I know what it is about this show that keeps me coming back.  It's boring, the people are vacuous and obsessed with material wealth while pretending they are Godly... but they do seem like essentially nice people.  

[Lucygirl2]

That Cyrene has to be one of the most ungrateful pieces of work I've seen in a long time... She makes my palms itch with the need to smack that stank attitude right out of her. "So do you regret having children now?" Yes, as a matter of fact I'm sure she does, Cyrene!

 

And I was cleaning while watching but did I hear correctly & I am hoping I didn't... Did Brooklyn say Jewel rides her daddy's *bleep*? Who thinks about something like that?

[drivethroo]

 

And I was cleaning while watching but did I hear correctly & I am hoping I didn't... Did Brooklyn say Jewel rides her daddy's *bleep*? Who thinks about something like that?

 

People who run brothels.

 

 

Why exactly is she with Marcus?  He seems like good people, but... not a hottie.  And zesty.  I guess she wants those Tankard thousands.

 

Could be a church arranged marriage, or Marcus could be a really nice person and that appealed to Tish.  Of the 4 Tankard siblings, I see Marcus needing to depend on Ben & Jewel the least.  I think he's the most independent and level headed of Ben's kids and he'll find a way to make his own money.  I think he's trying to use the show as a stepping stone to forming his own church or foundation.

[Tallulahbaby]

God, Cyrene needs to be smacked. Hard.

Zesty? Oh my....

[drivethroo]

Alright, I'm seeing the complete picture here of the dynamics:

Ben Sr.: Ain't sh*t, crappy dad, thinks because he throws money at the juveniles & is there NOW, that all should be forgotten & forgiven

Marcus: Truth-teller, doesn't want to be like Ben, so he goes in the opposite direction

Brooklyn: Truth-teller, ain't sh*t, doesn't want to be like Ben, wants to be in Cyrene's position

Britney & Benji: The Get Along Gang

Cyrene: Spoiled princess, wants to be in Brooklyn's position

Jewel: Didn't want Ben to be an ain't sh*t dad to Cyrene, pushed him to stop being a crappy dad to the others, grew up having materials & seeing those materials being taken away from her parents & doesn't want the same thing to happen to Cyrene

Tish & Shanira: Their husbands' inner voices

 

Marcus can tell Ben that he was a crappy dad & Ben can't really reproach Marcus because Marcus has been Mr. Do-Right (and for this reason IMO Ben respects Marcus the most out of all of his children).  But when BROOKLYN tells Ben that he's been a crappy dad, he's not going to take that from her because she's the child most like him...i.e. ain't sh*t.  Britney & Benji will go along to get along; Britney is his favorite bio-child because she's willing to forget the ain't sh*tness to have a good relationship with her dad.  I think Benji has ain't sh*t tendencies but is trying to get himself together.

Brooklyn wants to be in Cyrene's position because she sees Cyrene being smart mouthed, getting in troubled, spoiled, etc. and Ben doesn't hold that over Cyrene's head.  Yet anytime Brooklyn gets in trouble, he holds that over Brooklyn's head years and years later.  He's basically punishing Brooklyn because Brooklyn is just like him (he's punishing himself).

Cyrene wants to be in Brooklyn's position because Brooklyn can mess up, and Jewel is more understanding with Brooklyn than she'd be with Cyrene.  But that's because Jewel sees Cyrene following in her footsteps of fast times, parties, easy money and baby out of wedlock.

 

Tish & Shanira are just saying/doing what their husbands want to say but can't.  Tish does not trust Brooklyn, Britney or Benji around Micah, and that's probably from things MARCUS has said about them.  I don't think Tish has a problem with other people in general holding the baby because we've seen her let Jewel hold the baby and we've seen her let Ben drive the cart with the baby in the cart.

 

In order for Brooklyn & Ben to truly heal, Ben is going to have to stop punishing Brooklyn for being just like him. And Brooklyn is going to have to learn to go forward whether she has Ben's blessings or not.

[ZaldamoWilder]

{{taps mic}} this thing still on?

I really disliked the few episodes of this show I caught last season.   So I don't know if they calmed down or my nonsense tolerance levels improved but I stuck with the last couple episodes.   I haven't yet figured out if Marcus is gay or just extremely nonmasculine but when he gets upset? Klawd, that is a hilarious thing to watch.  To Benji's wife: "I took something you brought up too far?"  lol!  Yes bruh, you did.   I love how damb dramatic Tisha became at Benji's claim that she said Micah was safer in the chair than in his arms.  "I did not say that!"  boohoo hoo hoo hoo, followed by footage of her saying it verbatim.   What does each of them do that they've got time to smother that baby like that? Already he cries at being put down somewhere.  Oh Houston, if that ain't finna be a problem.   The best was when he was sleeping in Ontee Brooklyn's arms and Tisha comes along with this fairy tale:  he keeps waking up because it's so loud in here.   Which A.  the child never even fluttered an eyelid.  and B.  she scooped him up to have a seat in the same (loud) room.   They look crazy. 

drivethroo, I need to know what exactly Brooklyn wants Ben to do that he hasn't already?  Didn't they have a cumbaya moment last season where he grabs his children's hands and looks into their eyes and sincerely apologizes for having been a shiddy absent father?  I haven't watched enough but does it seem like he's legit not as involved with his 4 as he is with Cyrene or is that their perception?

I thought Britney was adorable and had some common sense until she came up with single motherhood as a hobby.  Isn't she like 28 or something?  Girl g'awn somedambwhere.   She need to keep Micah for a weekend.

p.s. I'm gonna need to find out where Brooklyn gets these cooter tight lycra outfits, I'd like to wear one before I die.

[drivethroo]

ZaldamoWilder, I really think Tish has a problem with Brooklyn/Britney/Benji holding the baby and not anyone else because she let Ben Sr. drive the golf cart with the baby on his lap and I personally would have more of a problem with that than Benji bouncing the baby or Brooklyn holding him.  There's something going on with those 3 that Tish/Marcus isn't being honest about namely because if Tish/Marcus WAS honest about the real reason they don't want the 3 Bs around their kid there would be a lot more hurt feelings than there are now.

 

I think Brooklyn wants Ben to stop reminding her that she ain't about shit and to support her like he does Cyrene.  Like if Cyrene came up with the idea of a weave line, Ben would be like "You can do it, honey!"  But when Brooklyn came up with the idea of doing a weave line, it was like "oh this ain't gone work." 

If Cyrene came home from break and said she wanted to start up a singing career, Ben would be like "That's great, honey! Let's go to the studio."

But when Brooklyn said she wanted to start up a singing career and Ben was like "Ok whatever."

 

In defense of Ben, I think Brooklyn was still getting into trouble up to when the show first started airing so maybe he's finding it hard to believe she's turning herself around.  Also, her brothel escapades dragged Britney & Benji down with her.  But Ben was writing her off when she was 14 and pregnant with Diamond.  If Cyrene came home pregnant from Howard today, no way would Ben turn his back on Cyrene like he did with Brooklyn.

 

Basically Brooklyn would like the support Ben gives to Cyrene but she will need to realize that she will NEVER get that support from Ben because he thinks she ain't sh*t, he thinks that way because she's the child most like him (i.e. ain't sh*t) and she's not afraid to tell him that he ain't sh*t.

 

An ain't sh*t person is not going to tolerate being told they ain't sh*t by another ain't sh*t person.  Ben will take it from Marcus because Marcus is about something and of the 4 bio kids, the most likely to be like "Boy bye" and leave, and for that Ben (IMO) has more respect for Marcus than the others.

 

Brooklyn needs to learn to follow and realize her dreams WITHOUT Ben's approval.  If she lives her life for anyone's approval, live it for DIAMOND's approval, not Ben's.

 

Ben is closer and a better father to Cyrene than his bio-kids and that's due to Jewel...she wasn't going to have Ben treat Cyrene like he treated his own kids.

[Easyspreestep]

Quote

If Cyrene came home from break and said she wanted to start up a singing career, Ben would be like "That's great, honey! Let's go to the studio."

Actually Cyrene and Ben both said that Cyrene also wanted to sing on the choir and Ben told the choir director to reject Cyrene as well.  Cyrene also said she has requested to sing back up on Ben's albums and Ben said no.  Ben stated his reason for turning both down was to see them put some effort into it and not just rely on him to get into the music industry.

Brooklyn is being a brat, she states that she wants Ben to love her unconditionally now, but I'm not sure what she wants from Ben that he is not doing.  He is showing up to her events and giving her feedback.  If she would like him not to make any comments then that is silly.  He is allowed to say what he feels.  Unconditional love is not a yes person.  Actually Brooklyn has unconditional love, because for all her talk her father has been there for her when she needed him.  He bailed her out of jail took care of her daughter when she was not able to and when she first started her business and had to do late nights, Ben and Jewel picked up the slack.  Brooklyn is upset about the past treatment from her father and can't forgive or forget, but simultaneously wants her past forgotten.  

[ZaldamoWilder]

On 5/2/2016 at 10:31 AM, drivethroo said:

ZaldamoWilder, I really think Tish has a problem with Brooklyn/Britney/Benji holding the baby and not anyone else because she let Ben Sr. drive the golf cart with the baby on his lap and I personally would have more of a problem with that than Benji bouncing the baby or Brooklyn holding him.  There's something going on with those 3 that Tish/Marcus isn't being honest about namely because if Tish/Marcus WAS honest about the real reason they don't want the 3 Bs around their kid there would be a lot more hurt feelings than there are now.

 

I think Brooklyn wants Ben to stop reminding her that she ain't about shit and to support her like he does Cyrene.  Like if Cyrene came up with the idea of a weave line, Ben would be like "You can do it, honey!"  But when Brooklyn came up with the idea of doing a weave line, it was like "oh this ain't gone work." 

If Cyrene came home from break and said she wanted to start up a singing career, Ben would be like "That's great, honey! Let's go to the studio."

But when Brooklyn said she wanted to start up a singing career and Ben was like "Ok whatever."

 

In defense of Ben, I think Brooklyn was still getting into trouble up to when the show first started airing so maybe he's finding it hard to believe she's turning herself around.  Also, her brothel escapades dragged Britney & Benji down with her.  But Ben was writing her off when she was 14 and pregnant with Diamond.  If Cyrene came home pregnant from Howard today, no way would Ben turn his back on Cyrene like he did with Brooklyn.

 

Basically Brooklyn would like the support Ben gives to Cyrene but she will need to realize that she will NEVER get that support from Ben because he thinks she ain't sh*t, he thinks that way because she's the child most like him (i.e. ain't sh*t) and she's not afraid to tell him that he ain't sh*t.

 

An ain't sh*t person is not going to tolerate being told they ain't sh*t by another ain't sh*t person.  Ben will take it from Marcus because Marcus is about something and of the 4 bio kids, the most likely to be like "Boy bye" and leave, and for that Ben (IMO) has more respect for Marcus than the others.

 

Brooklyn needs to learn to follow and realize her dreams WITHOUT Ben's approval.  If she lives her life for anyone's approval, live it for DIAMOND's approval, not Ben's.

 

Ben is closer and a better father to Cyrene than his bio-kids and that's due to Jewel...she wasn't going to have Ben treat Cyrene like he treated his own kids.

Damn this forum's format.  Good posts just sitting around going to waste, didn't even know it was here.

So? Whatcha think is the real reason Marcus ain't bout the 3 Bs?

Ben/Brooklyn.  I think I can see it from both sides but man I don't wanna say this even though I think it's true.  She and Cyrene are 10 years apart.  If you're gonna be pat on the head indulgent to anyone it makes sense that's it's the 18 year old baby of the family.   If I went to my father at 30 years old and said I was starting a weave line then put on some bootleg hair show, he'd be obligated to giggle.  I don't think they need to get over it, but Brooklyn does need to listen to Marcus about this.  She was in the room but not hearing him say if there's change, their father isn't going to be the one to do it and she needs to be okay with that possibility.  She wants to redo the past and it's not healthy.   I don't think he minds being told he wasn't shit, he actually agrees with it.  He's more like, you're absolutely right, I wasn't shit. I'm sorry, what can I do about it now.  Brooklyn don't like his version.  Hell I was gonna be the next Spinderella when I was 17.  Your family needs to be able to tell you the truth without it being about ever-a-thing that's ever been wrong with your relationship.

By the way, what has Ben said especially about how he abandoned Brooklyn when he found out she was pregnant? Then what, who did she and Diamond live with and when did that change?

You know, I *should* like Jewel.  She seems like the kinda girl I'd get along with in real life.  But I just don't and don't know why.

[DrivingSideways]

Drivethroo and Zaldamo...  you two are the best, and since only 4 of us apparently watch this show, I get all of your magic to myself in this thread. 

I felt for Brooklyn, but she is my favorite person in this family.  I feel like Ben missed the point... Brooklyn has said she is willing to forget the past and move forward, but Ben isn't supportive.  Then all he could say was that she embarrassed him in his favorite restaurant.  Ass.

Was there no Cyrene in this episode?  Must be why I enjoyed it that much.

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

 

[drivethroo]

I think the point is Ben appears much more supportive of all the others EXCEPT Brooklyn and Brooklyn wants the same coddling Ben gives Cyrene when Cyrene messes up.  Unfortunately for Brooklyn, Ben doesn't trust her, and you're not going to be all that supportive of someone you don't trust.

 

Marcus knows Ben does not trust and will never trust Brooklyn and is trying to tell her Ben's not going to change his attitude towards her, so if she wants the relationship to change, SHE will have to do the changing.

 

Brooklyn was getting into legal trouble up until the show first started airing so there is no real reason for Ben to trust her (which is probably why Marcus & Tish don't trust her*). Still, Brooklyn still carries the 14 year old girl who got pregnant & was kicked out of her father's home  and wants to know why SHE was booted out when everyone knows if Cyrene came home pregnant today Ben would not kick Cyrene out and would be much more supportive of Cyrene & her out of wedlock pregnancy than he was of Brooklyn & HER out of wedlock pregnancy.

 

Cyrene will be back and running her smart mouth about things she knows nothing of next week.

 

Apparently the 3 Bs were living with Ben when Brooklyn got pregnant at 14; Ben dumped her off at her mother's house.  Why the 3Bs mom didn't have them to begin with is unclear.

 

*Brooklyn was still getting in trouble up to the show first airing, Britney is lovable but seems a bit dim and Benji appears like he was a weed head.  And he's a bit too playful.  Like I said, I think Tish's distrust of people holding the baby is limited to the 3 Bs because she had no problem letting Ben take the baby and drive around the yard in the golf cart.

[drivethroo]

Family Meeting

Cyrene, Marcus, Tish, Diamond, Britney & the baby should not have been there, unless they were also going to discuss:

• Marcus & Tish not really wanting anyone to keep the baby
• Cyrene's funky attitude

Otherwise, that was a situation just between Ben & Brooklyn with Jewel as mediator.  It just sets up a situation where people who want to chime in and jump on the bandwagon do so (see below paragraph):

 

Speaking of Cyrene's funky attitude, this little girl is a prime example of a donkey, just braying to be heard.  If she was in Washington DC when the situation between Brooklyn & Ben went down in Tennessee, why is she opening her mouth & giving her opinion about the situation? Cyrene is 10x more disrespectful to Jewel than Brooklyn ever was to Ben in that diner.  Cyrene needs to shut it but I think life will bust her upside her empty head.

 

Britney's Baby Plans

Britney, if you're asking about Flintstones vitamins in connection with pregnancy, you don't need to be having a baby.  Actually I think Britney is feeling left out and kind of ignored because she doesn't really have anything of her own going on.  Marcus/Tish get attention because of the baby, Benji/Shanira get attention because of the baby, Brooklyn gets attention because she's screaming for it and Cyrene gets attention because she is a baby.  Britney wants attention too & thinks if she has a baby she'll finally get it.

[ZaldamoWilder]

6 minutes ago, drivethroo said:

Family Meeting

Otherwise, that was a situation just between Ben & Brooklyn with Jewel as mediator.  It just sets up a situation where people who want to chime in and jump on the bandwagon do so (see below paragraph):

Speaking of Cyrene's funky attitude, this little girl is a prime example of a donkey, just braying to be heard.  If she was in Washington DC when the situation between Brooklyn & Ben went down in Tennessee, why is she opening her mouth & giving her opinion about the situation? Cyrene is 10x more disrespectful to Jewel than Brooklyn ever was to Ben in that diner.  Cyrene needs to shut it but I think life will bust her upside her empty head.

If there were a feature that allowed users to toggle between smellivision and physical interactivity, I would've had to turn off my sniffer and turn on my reach through the screen to snatch this girl bald.  A.  Why are you talking?   B.  Real and actual grown people are having this conversation, you're here as a formality, shut the hell up.  C.  Wait a minute, do I detect some hateration, holleration in your spirit?  You know that the person sitting to my left is a full human who I raised, right?  D.  You weren't there, so please refer to C.  E.  Don't neva, eva, start a sentence with me tambout I would never talk to daddy like that when the man sitting next to you is far and a WAYS an altogether different dude than man who wasn't there to raise me.   Shush and hush.  You and Micah go find some leggos or some shit.  Brooklyn was super patient.  I still think she wants a relationship redo with Ben as opposed to a from this point on, but I understand her a little bit better.

 

6 minutes ago, drivethroo said:

Britney's Baby Plans

Britney, if you're asking about Flintstones vitamins in connection with pregnancy, you don't need to be having a baby.  Actually I think Britney is feeling left out and kind of ignored because she doesn't really have anything of her own going on.  Marcus/Tish get attention because of the baby, Benji/Shanira get attention because of the baby, Brooklyn gets attention because she's screaming for it and Cyrene gets attention because she is a baby.  Britney wants attention too & thinks if she has a baby she'll finally get it.

Girl please say this was just about clowning on tv.   That doctor necksnapped so fast lol!  I was really waiting for the laugh track to start.  How about as a precursor to parenting classes, we disqualify anyone who doesn't know what prenatal means?   All that tearing and carrying on when Brooklyn was like oh you were serious about that?  Look.  If the mere suggestion about your whack ass intentions makes you teary, you aren't built for this, shut the project down to-day.   When she said I have the time and the money, I promise I mccauley caulkin'ed my face.   The money? the money?  LMAO.  You live with a roommate.   Good night, God Bless, thanks for coming out.

[Lucygirl2]

AMEN to you all regarding pretty much everything!  But WTF is up with the walls in Benji & Shanira's nursery? Is that a baby's room or is Benji throwing raves for extra income? Hot pink room with what looks like a black glitter wall LMAO

[Easyspreestep]

4 hours ago, ZaldamoWilder said:

If there were a feature that allowed users to toggle between smellivision and physical interactivity, I would've had to turn off my sniffer and turn on my reach through the screen to snatch this girl bald.  A.  Why are you talking?   B.  Real and actual grown people are having this conversation, you're here as a formality, shut the hell up.  C.  Wait a minute, do I detect some hateration, holleration in your spirit?  You know that the person sitting to my left is a full human who I raised, right?  D.  You weren't there, so please refer to C.  E.  Don't neva, eva, start a sentence with me tambout I would never talk to daddy like that when the man sitting next to you is far and a WAYS an altogether different dude than man who wasn't there to raise me.   Shush and hush.  You and Micah go find some leggos or some shit.  Brooklyn was super patient.  I still think she wants a relationship redo with Ben as opposed to a from this point on, but I understand her a little bit better.

 

Girl please say this was just about clowning on tv.   That doctor necksnapped so fast lol!  I was really waiting for the laugh track to start.  How about as a precursor to parenting classes, we disqualify anyone who doesn't know what prenatal means?   All that tearing and carrying on when Brooklyn was like oh you were serious about that?  Look.  If the mere suggestion about your whack ass intentions makes you teary, you aren't built for this, shut the project down to-day.   When she said I have the time and the money, I promise I mccauley caulkin'ed my face.   The money? the money?  LMAO.  You live with a roommate.   Good night, God Bless, thanks for coming out.

See I read this different on Brooklyn's part, BK spent the entire episode and season being made at Ben for not loving her unconditionally.  What BK is upset about is Ben laughing at her 1st fashion show and not supporting her singing.  This episode we see BK doing the exact same thing to her sister laughing at something she wants to do, BK that is not unconditional love. 

[ZaldamoWilder]

Aaah.  now that's an interesting point.  maybe she doesn't view a sibling's responsibility the same way she does a parent's.   Like it makes no sense to me for whomever was mad at Marcus for not [was it protecting?] them when he himself was a. a child and b. their brother, what was he supposed to do that an adult wasn't?  I digress, my point here is the difference for Brooklyn might be in the responsibility attributable to the relationship between parent and child and child to child.  That and the fact that her sister's idea is actually very ill advised.  Brooklyn's raised a baby alone, so to her Britney's plan sounds flat the hell out ridiculous.

[bichonblitz]

On 5/5/2016 at 10:28 PM, DrivingSideways said:

Drivethroo and Zaldamo...  you two are the best, and since only 4 of us apparently watch this show, I get all of your magic to myself in this thread. 

 

I watch this shit show,too. It just usually leaves me speechless! 

That hissy fit Brooklyn had in the restaurant was all kinds of cringe worthy.Then stomping out to the car. Use your words, girl, and stop with the hysterics. Men are simple creatures and just don't know how to react when we pull that shit. 

Anybody know any fathers out there that would encourage their single daughter to have a baby because they are obviously bored with their life and have nothing else going on? Stupid Ben. 

Marcus and his bow tie line. I don't know a man alive that wears bow ties on the regular except Marcus. No,honey, you are not going to make a "couple of hundred thousand" to put your kid through college selling those things. Nice try,though. 

Edited May 10, 2016 by bichonblitz

[DrivingSideways]

9 minutes ago, bichonblitz said:

I watch this shit show,too. It just usually leaves me speechless! 

That hissy fit Brooklyn had in the restaurant was all kinds of cringe worthy.Then stomping out to the car. Use your words, girl, and stop with the hysterics. Men are simple creatures and just don't know how to react when we pull that shit. 

Anybody know any fathers out there that would encourage their single daughter to have a baby because they are obviously bored with their life and have nothing else going on? Stupid Ben. 

Marcus and his bow tie line. I don't know a man alive that wears bow ties on the regular except Marcus. No,honey, you are not going to make a "couple of hundred thousand" to put your kid through college selling those things. Nice try,though. 

Hey Bichon!  Didn't mean to leave you out... you are a TTW VIP as well!

I didn't mind Brooklyn's hissy fit... I thought she was telling some truth that Ben doesn't want revealed on the show.  However, as annoying as Jewel is, Cyrene was being a complete c-word and really needs to be smacked.

Britney - I like you, but here's a hint - if you have to use a whiny baby voice because your daddy doesn't want you to have a baby - then maybe you aren't mature enough to be a parent.  Just my thoughts. 

[drivethroo]

Quote

Marcus and his bow tie line. I don't know a man alive that wears bow ties on the regular except Marcus.

My boyfriend loves wearing bow ties on the regular...

I totally could see Marcus' bow tie line doing well with the CIAA type crowd, along with the people who wear Steve Harvey suits and Stacy Adams shoes.

Quote

Anybody know any fathers out there that would encourage their single daughter to have a baby because they are obviously bored with their life and have nothing else going on? Stupid Ben. 

I'm thinking Britney might already be pregnant and you can't put the genie back in the bottle so they came up with this storyline to explain her pregnancy.

Quote

BK spent the entire episode and season being made at Ben for not loving her unconditionally.

Both Marcus & Britney have told Brooklyn that's not going to happen so she needs to work with what she's got. She wants to go back in time and have a re-do and that's not going to happen.

 

They actually need to discuss what happened to the child support money.  I believe Jewel when she says she was sending the child support checks, because she knew the exact amount she had to send every pay period.  Jewel is all about keeping her eye on the money.

 

But I also believe Brooklyn when she says the 3Bs went without winter coats and basic necessities.  I think part of their resentment stems from Daddy spending the money on New Wife & New Kid but New Wife can provide him a service we can't, so...

 

Did MARCUS get the child support money that was due HIM? Because if Jewel was writing child support checks to Marcus' gramma and the 3Bs mom, Marcus got his materials paid for from the child support but the 3Bs went without, then the problem with the child support wasn't Ben, it was the 3Bs' mom and they need to point their child support anger in her direction instead of Ben's.

 

We know at some point the 3Bs (and Marcus) were living under Ben's custody so he wouldn't have been paying child support to the mothers when he had the kids.  We know this because Britney was mad at Marcus for getting snatched out of the abusive situation by his gramma and leaving them behind and Brooklyn was upset that when she got pregnant Ben kicked her out and dumped her at her mother's house.

 

They need to get down to the bottom of the missing child support because I think that's a big piece of the puzzle.

[ZaldamoWilder]

My dude wears bow ties too but only when he's being extra Nigerian, it's not his everyday look.   Would he buy as many of those as regular ties?  I don't think so.  It might be more of a niche market, but as long as Marcus does it well, I could see it being successful.   And by well, I mean good materials and tasteful designs.  It's shocking how difficult it is to find a bowtie that's not made entirely of polyester and isn't loud or Easterish. 

18 minutes ago, drivethroo said:

They actually need to discuss what happened to the child support money.  I believe Jewel when she says she was sending the child support checks, because she knew the exact amount she had to send every pay period.  Jewel is all about keeping her eye on the money.

 

But I also believe Brooklyn when she says the 3Bs went without winter coats and basic necessities.  I think part of their resentment stems from Daddy spending the money on New Wife & New Kid but New Wife can provide him a service we can't, so...

 

Did MARCUS get the child support money that was due HIM? Because if Jewel was writing child support checks to Marcus' gramma and the 3Bs mom, Marcus got his materials paid for from the child support but the 3Bs went without, then the problem with the child support wasn't Ben, it was the 3Bs' mom and they need to point their child support anger in her direction instead of Ben's.

 

We know at some point the 3Bs (and Marcus) were living under Ben's custody so he wouldn't have been paying child support to the mothers when he had the kids.  We know this because Britney was mad at Marcus for getting snatched out of the abusive situation by his gramma and leaving them behind and Brooklyn was upset that when she got pregnant Ben kicked her out and dumped her at her mother's house.

 

They need to get down to the bottom of the missing child support because I think that's a big piece of the puzzle.

This.  The problem was the 3Bs mom.  None of the axes Marcus has to grind seem to have anything to do with childhood deprivation or a deep (is it seated or seeded?) resentment toward whatever spoils Jewel was getting vs. his own suffering.  Just to clarify, the support obligation wouldn'tve changed just because he took the kids, they could've come to that arrangement outside court.  He would've had to file for joint custody and/or a modification of child support for the payment structure to change.  Which, if I were a betting woman, I'd say he did not formally do because one of you mentions summers and holidays and at some point during their littlehood, he went back on the road.  If full time physical custody was granted to momses, yeah he never stopped cutting those checks.   Further evidence (to me) that the bees mama might deserve the sideye is that by contrast Marcus' mom's mom had the resources to go get and keep him for her.    See Brooklyn's thing is you abandoned me when I was 14 and pregnant but this does not acknowledge that she had a remaining parent at home.  If the checks were getting cut, and like you, I believe that Jewel has the receipts, then we can remove the mommy worked 3 jobs to support us narrative.   Pardon how it sounds but I can hear from the way they speak, she didn't spend the money on private education.  What was their mother out doing with triplicate child support checks but they don't have winter coats AND her 12 year old daughter is having sex?   This ain't entirely Ben's fault so while Brooklyn is about shaming the devil, she gone have to start telling some mama truths.

If this was addressed before can somebody please help?  I understand this line of reasoning as a child.  But does Britney believe this even today?  Has she said this to Marcus and and if so what did he say?

[Tallulahbaby]

My take with Ben's attitude with Brooklyn's frequent endeavors, is because she seems like the type to start something and not finish. So maybe after the 80th business or hobby, the fambam is weary?

Oooh whoever said Marcus is zesty , needs to be on time out.  Not only are Tish and him super clingy with the baby, they probably only posts pics of Micah on social media.  You all know what type of people I'm talking about!

Cyrene is damn lucky she ain't mine. Babygirl thinks Jewell is in her bidness? Shit, she would be enrolled in community college and have  a job at Jamba Juice, I was her mama.And no fresh weaves either. Ungrateful heifer.

Edited May 10, 2016 by Tallulahbaby

[ZaldamoWilder]

16 hours ago, Tallulahbaby said:

My take with Ben's attitude with Brooklyn's frequent endeavors, is because she seems like the type to start something and not finish. So maybe after the 80th business or hobby, the fambam is weary?

 

Thank you.   Pimpstress, Dudley School Weaveologist, Singer...?  Pick something and land the damn plane already.  It has to be frustrating af taking somebody seriously when they come up with a new career every 8 months.   She's 30.  C'mon man.

16 hours ago, Tallulahbaby said:

Cyrene is damn lucky she ain't mine. Babygirl thinks Jewell is in her bidness? Shit, she would be enrolled in community college and have  a job at Jamba Juice, I was her mama.And no fresh weaves either. Ungrateful heifer.

 

I thought it was just me, Cyrene bout 8 years too old to be a brat.  LMAO!!!!!  @ fresh weaves!  ahhhhh lawd.  Lol.      Yesterday my kid asked if she could get braces*and I was like sure, when you're an adult and wanna spend the 7 grand to pay for em.  I cover school and emergencies. 

*ain't nothing crooked bout them teeth, her 3 closest bffs have braces.

[drivethroo]

Quote

If this was addressed before can somebody please help?  I understand this line of reasoning as a child.  But does Britney believe this even today?  Has she said this to Marcus and and if so what did he say?

They discussed this last season.  Marcus had to explain to Britney that he was a child himself when the abuse was going on, so how was he going to protect her when he couldn't even protect himself?  They made up and all is seemingly good.

 

But again, not being rescued from the abuse is on the 3Bs mom.  Obviously Marcus' mother wasn't on the up and up either, which is why his grandmother was taking care of him*.  But Granny had the wherewithal to snatch Marcus up out of that situation.  Where was the 3B's mom and why didn't SHE snatch her kids up out of that situation?

 

*Marcus' zest is probably because he was raised by an old black Southern grandmother, not necessarily because he's gay.  And if he is, that's between him and Tish.  If she likes it, I loves it.

[ZaldamoWilder]

On 5/11/2016 at 10:12 AM, drivethroo said:

They discussed this last season.  Marcus had to explain to Britney that he was a child himself when the abuse was going on, so how was he going to protect her when he couldn't even protect himself?  They made up and all is seemingly good.

 

But again, not being rescued from the abuse is on the 3Bs mom.  Obviously Marcus' mother wasn't on the up and up either, which is why his grandmother was taking care of him*.  But Granny had the wherewithal to snatch Marcus up out of that situation.  Where was the 3B's mom and why didn't SHE snatch her kids up out of that situation?

 

*Marcus' zest is probably because he was raised by an old black Southern grandmother, not necessarily because he's gay.  And if he is, that's between him and Tish.  If she likes it, I loves it.

Which means she was still walking around as a grown woman with this belief, knowing Marcus is chronologically what 5 years older than she is?  Jesus.  Chile, don't have no baby.

Hmmm.   Ben referred to Jewel as having a ghetto side.  He might have a type.  Project bootys have slain many a dragon lol.   The bees mama is highly questionable, let's just g'awn ahead and acknowledge that.  Because even if you don't know before, one of your other babies has made you aware that Marcus just got rescued.  You're not curious as to why?  Ya'll this is sounding more and more crackish the longer we talk about it. 

Marcus is delivert.  Or very expressive, one.  All I know is when he shows up, I want to find my tambourine.

Edited May 12, 2016 by ZaldamoWilder
because the past tense of slay is not slayed.

[DrivingSideways]

4 hours ago, ZaldamoWilder said:

Which means she was still walking around as a grown woman with this belief, knowing Marcus is chronologically what 5 years older than she is?  Jesus.  Chile, don't have no baby.

Hmmm.   Ben referred to Jewel as having a ghetto side.  He might have a type.  Project bootys have slayed many a dragon lol.   The bees mama is highly questionable, let's just g'awn ahead and acknowledge that.  Because even if you don't know before, one of your other babies has made you aware that Marcus just got rescued.  You're not curious as to why?  Ya'll this is sounding more and more crackish the longer we talk about it. 

Marcus is delivert.  Or very expressive, one.  All I know is when he shows up, I want to find my tambourine.

OK... I hate to just come in and post "OMG LOL"... but really what can I say... yall in this thread have said it all better than I ever could.  Can you all just start a blog so I don't have to search all over Previously.tv for your golden nuggets?  Talking to everybody posting in this thread... the Tankards attract some quality comedy. <3

[drivethroo]

Britney is too immature to have a baby, because she's running around seeking everyone's approval for it.  Why would her father, a pastor, approve of her having babies out of wedlock? Even though he did it himself, he knows the problems it brings.  Why would he want his daughter going through that?  Why would Brooklyn, a single mom, approve of Britney trying to become a single mother? Of all people, why would Brooklyn say hey, that's  a good idea?

 

More evidence Tish's distrust is limited to the 3Bs: Cyrene was holding the baby quite a bit.

 

Speaking of Cyrene, we get down to why she's had such a nasty attitude (especially with her mom) this season: she done had a little sex, her little breasticles & little booty got her feeling some power, she a Woman(tm) now like her momma and she can go toe to toe with Jewel.  Nope, little girl, nope!  You're just a little girl having sex and it's going to be the consequences of thinking you grown that will make you grow up, whether that's a broken heart, a pregnancy, STD, getting turnt out and dissed, etc.  I'm not saying sex = bad but I don't think Cyrene is having sex because she's in a relationship or mutual agreement.  She's having it so she can prove she's grown too and not a little girl anymore.  Dudes can smell little freshman girls trying to be grown from miles away and pounce on that, especially a little girl who thinks she's cute like Cyrene.  Jewel is trying to prevent her from going down that path because Jewel went down that path but Cyrene is hardheaded and will have to learn the hard way.

[ZaldamoWilder]

Ya'll here? lol.  morning.

So...they just not ever finna put Micah down huh?  At all, ever.    One of my concerns to the pediatrician when Little was a little was:  doctor I think something might be wrong with her knees (she was 8 months old and not crawling yet).   Doc say is your mom alive?  I said yeah.  She said how often does she see the baby?  I said near bout every day.   Doc nodded and wrote something down on her pad.  Gave it to me.  Prescription said:  put her fat butt down. 

I'm sorry, I laughed HARD when the baby started crying at Brooklyn's pajama hood.   I said no gawd, they are raising a precious young man.  It ain't like she left the room to go put on a costume head.  LOL!!    Somebody tell me why Tish was wearing a ziplining helmet?   I want to find this cute:  I wanna hold him for 5 minutes when he first wakes up.  Marcus:  well what if his father wants to hold him for 5 minutes when he first wakes up?  There isn't any way in the entire world Tish can look back at this footage and still deny being baby stingy.  And that's fine but quit throwing lowkey shade talking about it in the car like Brooklyn and (Benji's wife) made that up.

Benji and wife.  What did they come up there for again?   Benji tambout I don't want to be up that mountain and her water breaks and a head pops out.  Lol.  Yeah except that's not really how fast labor takes hold boo.  Those stories about women having babies in cars and whatnot leave out that they've been in labor for hours already.

I'm gone need Cyrene to get off my last slick nerve (™Jewel Tankard).   She behaves as though it's a personal favor to be around people who are nothing but loving and supportive to her and it's making me wanna snatch her ungrateful ass up and out of their world to see how she does on her own with $100 and a metrocard.

Marcus.  Why ain'tchyall tell me he was a pastor?  Ok see, now alllllll the rest makes perfect sense lol.

Britney sit your ass down somewhere.   The ONE hour you were watching Micah sent you careening towards your car the minute his parents came home.   'cho immature ass.

It sounds corny because I don't know enough to know if they're scam artists or holy rollers or what but I love how Jewel and Ben feel about and look at each other.

[Zeebreezy]

Hey everyone!! long time lurker that's going to put in my two cents in regards to baby Micah.  I don't fault Tish (I think that's her name) because as a first time mom you don't trust ANYONE!!! At least that's how it was for me.  I remember when my daughter was born and my parents kept asking to let her spend the night without me.  I looked at my mama like she was crazy!! When my daughter was like 3 or 4 months old I finally let her stay from Thursday - Sunday but came by everyday to see her because I couldn't NOT see her. You feel like no one knows your baby like you do and something, anything can happen that wouldn't have happened had you, the baby's mother been there.  Not all first time moms are like this but I was so I think I understand where Tish is coming from. 

In regards to Cyrene, I can not stand her. But the funny thing is, is that I was just like her at that age.  She doesn't know struggle and she is spoiled rotten.  I too went to an expensive college on my fathers dime and essentially wasted 4 years of his money.  I did go back years later and paid for school myself. But Cyrene she is a brat and is so rude and disrespectful I cringe watching her. Not sure if its because I'm appalled at how I used to act so entitled.

Brooklyn is my fave.  I think its because she is so cool.  Its crazy how children in the same family react to the same situation.  Britney has obviously moved past the hurt their father caused with his absence but Brooklyn hasn't. And truthfully, she will never get over it until she learns to let go.  My ex husband's parents  moved and left him and his sister back in Jamaica when he was 5-10 years old so that they can settle in America.  My ex STILL harbors that resentment at 41 years old despite the fact that they didn't leave him to abandon him but to give him a better life than the one they had in Jamaica.  His sister doesn't feel the way he does AT ALL and no matter how many times its explained to him why they did it, he still feels like he was abandoned. I said all that to say, no matter what Ben does or how many times he apologizes it will never be good enough for Brooklyn.  She needs to get into some therapy and learn to forgive him even if he may not deserve it.

[ZaldamoWilder]

Welcome outta lurkdom Zee!

Girl you got me giggling at the image of the lady who raised you, having to pry little breezy out of your grip.  Lol!!   Different strokes for real, I could not WAIT for an infant slumber party so I could get some sleep.

[DrivingSideways]

19 hours ago, Zeebreezy said:

In regards to Cyrene, I can not stand her. But the funny thing is, is that I was just like her at that age.  She doesn't know struggle and she is spoiled rotten.  I too went to an expensive college on my fathers dime and essentially wasted 4 years of his money.  I did go back years later and paid for school myself. But Cyrene she is a brat and is so rude and disrespectful I cringe watching her. Not sure if its because I'm appalled at how I used to act so entitled.

 

Welcome Zeebreezy!  This is the best board.

I'm sure we were all assholes to some degree at Cyrene's age, but she's... special.  And not in the way she thinks she's special.  The way she is going in on Jewel actually makes me feel bad for Jewel, which is shocking, because I find Jewel to be a dead behind the eyes, soulless hypocrite.  But seeing her try hard to stay above the fray while Cyrene is so mean to her makes me feel bad for Jewel.

I feel for Brooklyn... my partner was raised by his single mom, in a tiny condo, she busted her ass to raise him as a teenager... and at 36, she remarried and had two kids and they live a perfect life in a beautiful suburban home.  I see how it hurts for my partner to be this family that he's part of but not fully, and contrast it to what he had growing up.  I'm sure Brooklyn feels she might not have struggled so hard if she had the stability Cyrene has.

[Zeebreezy]

Thanks guys for the warm welcome!!! :) And to you ZaldamoWilder, among some others on these boards you are HILARIOUS!!!! You have made BUST out laughing at my desk many a time.  And if im not mistaken you are a fellow New Yorker like myself.  Brooklyn here AOWWWW!!

And yes, my mother that raised me all my 37 years on this earth had to remind me of that fact when asking to let my baby spend the night.  And believe it or not, I have told my mother if something happens to my child she can get it!! I don't play about my lil Zeebreezy lol.

And yes DrivingSideways, Cyrene is something else.  I personally think that Cyrene puts on a show for the camera's for her friends/groupies.  She thinks this behavior is cute and its really not.  I too feel bad for Jewel when Cyrene is mocking her or just making her mom feel bad for caring and trying to have a close relationship with her daughter. Which I don't understand why she rejects Jewel so much. Cyrene is like my mom wants to talk to me and get to know me and love me, like how dare she??!!!  I speak to my mom erryday you hear me and for at least an hour! and God forbid we don't speak a day. My mom calls me and is like so you were too tired to call or were you busy?  I can feel the strong side eye through the phone. 

[bichonblitz]

So Cyrene has a new storyline. She was "taken advantage of". What exactly is she trying to say? 

[appledumpling]

Quote

So Cyrene has a new storyline. She was "taken advantage of". What exactly is she trying to say? 

She left a lot of details out.  She said he was a "friend".   Were they on a date?  Were they at his home?  Is he a student?  Did it happen on campus?  Did she go to the police?  If she did was he arrested and what's the status of the case?  She says she followed protocol but what does that mean?   Maybe we'll get more info in next week's episode.

Edited May 23, 2016 by appledumpling

[drivethroo]

Probably what happened was this:

• Upperclassman take note of the fresh meat freshman girls hitting campus every August
• Upperclassman guy (UCG) took note of Cyrene, started talking to her etc.
• Cyrene & friends were hitting all the cool parties every weekend & UCG was at all these parties
• Cyrene thought she was cute because some UGC was taking interest in her
• She was partying with him, went into a room alone with him
• They were making out and he took going alone in a room with him and making out with him as sexual consent and raped her

Later,

• Cyrene feels bad & tells another male friend about the incident, who is like Yo, that ain't cool and tells her to get the rape kit
• Cyrene feels guilty & confused and starts drinking, smoking & partying the pain away
• She's angry at JEWEL because she knows she went against Jewel's teachings to not be drinking, working, twerking, smoking, partying & hanging around strange men
• She's further angry at JEWEL because she feels Jewel will either say "I told you so," pull Cyrene out of Howard or become more overprotective (Jewel wouldn't have said that.  She WOULD HAVE pulled Cyrene of out Howard and become more overprotective, though).

 

Marcus looked like he was about to fight somebody when he found out.  Cyrene probably didn't want to tell the rest of them because she knew Ben, Marcus & Benji would've stormed Howard looking for that dude and beat him to the white meat, and she didn't want to be further embarassed.

 

Cyrene has been acting funky because she's feeling guilty and angry and confused over the sexual assault and nasty towards Jewel in particular because Cyrene feels she's grown and she can handle it herself without her momma's intervention.  She was so busy trying to be grown that life came at her fast and she handled it by lashing out at Jewel.  Jewel's not the enemy.  The punk who forced himself on Cyrene is the enemy. 

 

I don't know if Cyrene reported the assault to campus authorities because I think Cyrene was probably in voluntary stages of undress when the assault happened.  He may have thought, she went to the room with me, she's letting me feel her up top and bottom, she took her shirt off and let me unsnap her bra, she's down for sex.  If he is ever pulled in for questioning, that's what he's going to say and any defense attorney will point to her on film saying she was drinking, partying, wanting to have sex, pictures of her Instagram in her lingerie and dude will get off.  Cyrene knows this...it's not right, no one has the right at any time to force you to have sex.  I don't think any formal charges have been or will be filed against this guy.

 

I'm sorry she had to go through this.  If she were my child, she wouldn't be going back to Howard, she'd be transferred to whatever college is near Murfreesboro TN.  IMO Cyrene knows that if she had told Jewel at the time about her assault, Ben & Jewel wouldn't be letting her go back to Howard either and that's why she's been so nasty to Jewel.

[red12]

2 hours ago, drivethroo said:

Probably what happened was this:

• Upperclassman take note of the fresh meat freshman girls hitting campus every August
• Upperclassman guy (UCG) took note of Cyrene, started talking to her etc.
• Cyrene & friends were hitting all the cool parties every weekend & UCG was at all these parties
• Cyrene thought she was cute because some UGC was taking interest in her
• She was partying with him, went into a room alone with him
• They were making out and he took going alone in a room with him and making out with him as sexual consent and raped her

Later,

• Cyrene feels bad & tells another male friend about the incident, who is like Yo, that ain't cool and tells her to get the rape kit
• Cyrene feels guilty & confused and starts drinking, smoking & partying the pain away
• She's angry at JEWEL because she knows she went against Jewel's teachings to not be drinking, working, twerking, smoking, partying & hanging around strange men
• She's further angry at JEWEL because she feels Jewel will either say "I told you so," pull Cyrene out of Howard or become more overprotective (Jewel wouldn't have said that.  She WOULD HAVE pulled Cyrene of out Howard and become more overprotective, though).

 

Marcus looked like he was about to fight somebody when he found out.  Cyrene probably didn't want to tell the rest of them because she knew Ben, Marcus & Benji would've stormed Howard looking for that dude and beat him to the white meat, and she didn't want to be further embarassed.

 

Cyrene has been acting funky because she's feeling guilty and angry and confused over the sexual assault and nasty towards Jewel in particular because Cyrene feels she's grown and she can handle it herself without her momma's intervention.  She was so busy trying to be grown that life came at her fast and she handled it by lashing out at Jewel.  Jewel's not the enemy.  The punk who forced himself on Cyrene is the enemy. 

 

I don't know if Cyrene reported the assault to campus authorities because I think Cyrene was probably in voluntary stages of undress when the assault happened.  He may have thought, she went to the room with me, she's letting me feel her up top and bottom, she took her shirt off and let me unsnap her bra, she's down for sex.  If he is ever pulled in for questioning, that's what he's going to say and any defense attorney will point to her on film saying she was drinking, partying, wanting to have sex, pictures of her Instagram in her lingerie and dude will get off.  Cyrene knows this...it's not right, no one has the right at any time to force you to have sex.  I don't think any formal charges have been or will be filed against this guy.

 

I'm sorry she had to go through this.  If she were my child, she wouldn't be going back to Howard, she'd be transferred to whatever college is near Murfreesboro TN.  IMO Cyrene knows that if she had told Jewel at the time about her assault, Ben & Jewel wouldn't be letting her go back to Howard either and that's why she's been so nasty to Jewel.

I agree with this assessment of what probably happened.

I just wonder though, why make the girl come home? I understand what the Tankards's reasoning might be, but making a girl come home permanently after a sexual assault (against her will) sounds like punishing the victim. Sexual assault on college campuses is very high. I don't think it's less of an issue if you go to college closer to home.

 I think Cyrene's experience reinforces why parents and religious leaders should stop making virginity the ultimate sign of a girl's purity. Elizabeth Smart has even talked about her struggles with guilt and shame after being kidnapped and repeatedly raped. It's sad to see young women feel "ruined" because of something like this. 

[bichonblitz]

Yea, but was she raped or did he try to force himself on her and she managed to kick him out before anything else happened? I guess that's what I'm confused about her saying he took advantage of her.  Not that one is any better than the other but she needed to be more clear as to what happened if she's gonna put it out there on TV.

[ZaldamoWilder]

On 5/20/2016 at 11:49 AM, Zeebreezy said:

Thanks guys for the warm welcome!!! :) And to you ZaldamoWilder, among some others on these boards you are HILARIOUS!!!! You have made BUST out laughing at my desk many a time.  And if im not mistaken you are a fellow New Yorker like myself.  Brooklyn here AOWWWW!!

And yes, my mother that raised me all my 37 years on this earth had to remind me of that fact when asking to let my baby spend the night.  And believe it or not, I have told my mother if something happens to my child she can get it!! I don't play about my lil Zeebreezy lol.

And yes DrivingSideways, Cyrene is something else.  I personally think that Cyrene puts on a show for the camera's for her friends/groupies.  She thinks this behavior is cute and its really not.  I too feel bad for Jewel when Cyrene is mocking her or just making her mom feel bad for caring and trying to have a close relationship with her daughter. Which I don't understand why she rejects Jewel so much. Cyrene is like my mom wants to talk to me and get to know me and love me, like how dare she??!!!  I speak to my mom erryday you hear me and for at least an hour! and God forbid we don't speak a day. My mom calls me and is like so you were too tired to call or were you busy?  I can feel the strong side eye through the phone. 

I've spent my life wanting to scream or say ahh/ho/ow/yup in answer to:  Is Brooklyn in the house/where Brooklyn at?  AND if it counts, my dude and I have had epic battles (one wherein we were asked to leave an establishment) about whether Biggie or Eminem was the better lyricist.  Don't even.  The answer's always Christoper Wallace.  Anyhoo what's a bridge and tunnel between friends?  Jersey girl, working in Manhattan for 30 years.

Um you bout it as hell witchyo mama lol!  She can get it?  LMAO!!  Asheminaniya.  {{makes sign of the cross}}

 

9 hours ago, drivethroo said:

Probably what happened was this:

• Upperclassman take note of the fresh meat freshman girls hitting campus every August
• Upperclassman guy (UCG) took note of Cyrene, started talking to her etc.
• Cyrene & friends were hitting all the cool parties every weekend & UCG was at all these parties
• Cyrene thought she was cute because some UGC was taking interest in her
• She was partying with him, went into a room alone with him
• They were making out and he took going alone in a room with him and making out with him as sexual consent and raped her

Later,

• Cyrene feels bad & tells another male friend about the incident, who is like Yo, that ain't cool and tells her to get the rape kit
• Cyrene feels guilty & confused and starts drinking, smoking & partying the pain away
• She's angry at JEWEL because she knows she went against Jewel's teachings to not be drinking, working, twerking, smoking, partying & hanging around strange men
• She's further angry at JEWEL because she feels Jewel will either say "I told you so," pull Cyrene out of Howard or become more overprotective (Jewel wouldn't have said that.  She WOULD HAVE pulled Cyrene of out Howard and become more overprotective, though).

 

Marcus looked like he was about to fight somebody when he found out.  Cyrene probably didn't want to tell the rest of them because she knew Ben, Marcus & Benji would've stormed Howard looking for that dude and beat him to the white meat, and she didn't want to be further embarassed.

 

Cyrene has been acting funky because she's feeling guilty and angry and confused over the sexual assault and nasty towards Jewel in particular because Cyrene feels she's grown and she can handle it herself without her momma's intervention.  She was so busy trying to be grown that life came at her fast and she handled it by lashing out at Jewel.  Jewel's not the enemy.  The punk who forced himself on Cyrene is the enemy. 

 

I don't know if Cyrene reported the assault to campus authorities because I think Cyrene was probably in voluntary stages of undress when the assault happened.  He may have thought, she went to the room with me, she's letting me feel her up top and bottom, she took her shirt off and let me unsnap her bra, she's down for sex.  If he is ever pulled in for questioning, that's what he's going to say and any defense attorney will point to her on film saying she was drinking, partying, wanting to have sex, pictures of her Instagram in her lingerie and dude will get off.  Cyrene knows this...it's not right, no one has the right at any time to force you to have sex.  I don't think any formal charges have been or will be filed against this guy.

 

I'm sorry she had to go through this.  If she were my child, she wouldn't be going back to Howard, she'd be transferred to whatever college is near Murfreesboro TN.  IMO Cyrene knows that if she had told Jewel at the time about her assault, Ben & Jewel wouldn't be letting her go back to Howard either and that's why she's been so nasty to Jewel.

ROTFL!!!!  See if you meant for me to pay this the proper amount of somber homage, you never would've said this right here.  You make people giggle at a fune, don't you? 

co-signing all your theory's steps.  This is such an incredibly sad thing for her and from what I understand, an all too common and growing practice in general.  abc did a nightline special on this because something like 1 in 7 college freshman (women) have or will be sexually assaulted.  The ways in which these kids are interpreting issues like consent, refusal, force, all factors that could change from one instant to the next, is staggering ya'll.  Young men still don't know that if she can't consent because she's drunk or she changes her mind, when just moments before, it was a yes or she says nothing, that's rape.  It's frightening.  I'm glad that she came forward but was shocked frankly that this is something she wanted to discuss on camera and in a way that involves the viewing public before it did her parents.  I know by the time this episode aired, shed've told them but damn.  Take a beat to process.

4 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

Yea, but was she raped or did he try to force himself on her and she managed to kick him out before anything else happened? I guess that's what I'm confused about her saying he took advantage of her.  Not that one is any better than the other but she needed to be more clear as to what happened if she's gonna put it out there on TV.

Girl I think she was raped.   She didn't use the word but she did say that her friend encouraged her to go to the police and the hospital.  I also though I heard the word kit.  Maybe saying the word puts it in a different context for her, like she's less able to minimize it if she calls it rape.   I hope she gets some serious non family meeting type of counseling.

[drivethroo]

As far as being pulled out of college, I don't think Jewel would've pulled Cyrene out of college as a punishment for getting raped but as a precaution/overprotectiveness (which Cyrene is rebelling against).  If Jewel had known the full extent of what went down that semester and that the events of that semester is what led Cyrene to lash out and act out, no I don't think Jewel would've let her come back to Howard and Cyrene knows that.

 

She's angry at Jewel for keeping her locked up like Rapunzel & then turning her into the wild like a newborn foal but she's really angry at herself and feeling guilty that she did exactly what her mom warned her NOT to do and ended up getting raped.  I think she's lowkey blaming Jewel for getting raped and lashing out at Jewel and acting like a brat.

 

Cyrene is still very immature (and she knows this) and for that reason I don't think she should've been allowed to go halfway across the country to attend college.  She wants to have it both ways: she wants to be grown and drink, party, smoke, joke, twerk & have sex.  But all of that stuff comes with a price and you WILL pay one way or the other.  Cyrene got handed the bill and now wants to blame JEWEL for the tab she ran up.  That's not how life works.

 

It would be for that immaturity and subsequent meltdown that Cyrene should've been yanked out of Howard and transferred to a school closer to home, not for being raped.  Since Cyrene feels she was done a disservice by Jewel being released into the wild like that, Jewel should correct that by keeping Cyrene closer to home.  If Cyrene didn't like that, then she can pay her own life tab.  When you have to pay for your own life and LV bags, you might sing a different tune.

 

I also call BS on Cyrene being so sheltered she just didn't know what goes on in the big bad world.  Girl, your sister ran a brothel.  Come on, now.