Snark Should Be Multiplied, Not Divided: General Show Discussion

[Absolom]

Perhaps that is a credit to Janelle's mothering that she taught them to still respect Meri.  I think Logan has a pretty good idea of what has happened in the past.

[wrestlesflamingos]

Madison is the most vocal monogamist. That's probably not coincidence. Logan and Hunter probably have opinions too but they are rarely asked on camera. I do think that Jenelle has been careful to not allow the marital issues to contaminate the kids BUT we almost never see kids at her house. We see mixtures of kids at Christine's. Only Christine's house.

[RedheadZombie]

We have seen Paedon at Janelle's house, but it's probably because he's Christine's only boy.  I would rather hang at Christine's too.  She would feed me and make me laugh.  I don't think I'd get either of those things at Janelle's. 

[wrestlesflamingos]

Agree! It suggest that Jenelle runs her home with a stronger touch. My sense is that Meri is unsocial, Robyn expects a lot of favors, Christine is party host, and Jenelle is strict.

[purpleflowers]

Agree! It suggest that Jenelle runs her home with a stronger touch. My sense is that Meri is unsocial, Robyn expects a lot of favors, Christine is party host, and Jenelle is strict.

 

This makes sense. But wait, there must be some mistake! If Christine is hostess, where is her wet bar?!

[Zahdii]

Agree! It suggest that Jenelle runs her home with a stronger touch. My sense is that Meri is unsocial, Robyn expects a lot of favors, Christine is party host, and Jenelle is strict.

 

 

This makes sense. But wait, there must be some mistake! If Christine is hostess, where is her wet bar?!

 

I thought of that, too.  I remember the nonstop fit Meri threw because she needed a home as large or larger than the other wives, and one of the things she claimed was that she was going to be the 'hostess' for the group.  In her mind, whenever the families got together, it would be at her house, complete with wet bar for her famous pastries.

[ghoulina]

I think Meri likes to host actual parties and celebrations, and Christine's is probably more of a gathering place for daily hanging out and playing together.

[DakotaJustice]

Okay so I had this thought last night while taking a bath.

 

It's clear, to me anyway, that the Browns/TLC/F8F are bullshitting their viewers by creating these fictionalized situations just for the show.

 

Kind of reminds me of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.  The Nelsons were a real family, in a fictionalized version of their lives.  However the differences were 1) the viewing audience was aware of that fact; 2) Ozzie Nelson had more business acumen in his fingernail than Kody has in his entire body; 3) the Nelsons as a family were more talented and better actors than the Browns can ever hope to be.

[jellywager]

Ok, the title of this thread made me cackle.

 

 

Does anyone know how many wives Christine's father has/had? I know her own mother left but I assumed there were multiple other wives considering how Christine is regarded as polyg. royalty...but I may be mistaken. I just find it fascinating that that the wife who seems to be the biggest advocate for polygamy is the one wife with a parent who left it.

 

I think Christine had an aunt that also left polygamy, wasn't she the one who brought the anti-pologymist speakers to the college debate. You know the one where Robyn twisted their words and took offense at everything. Oh, and the wives had to surround Christine b/c she needed to use the restroom and her aunt was using it first. 

[wrestlesflamingos]

Wow.  That's a great observation.  Christine is the go to person for faux-physical drama.  Makes the last stunt even more suspicious.

[mythoughtis]

Trying to wrap my head around the fact that the Browns actually admit they need the money from the MSWC 'business' for income, yet have made so few sales.    Is it 500 total or an average of 500 per month?  If it is 500 total, how can they even think they will get money from investers?  How can Robyn keep a straight face regarding being 'so busy'?  If it is 500 average monthly, that is still not enough to keep 22 people with 4 hours afloat. 

[Featherhat]

Maybe her mother and Aunt leaving is one of the reasons she's politically/socially motivated with polygamy, she feels like she has to defend her staying in polygamy, to the world and even from her own family. It might also be a case of that creating doubts about her life and so she "doubled down" on the defensive, which is why we get nonsense about monogamy being boring, even though they only get 1/5 of available "fun", supposedly no joint fun (sorry) and their family time seems somewhat strained when it happens. And they live in 4 separate houses.

[Ladystardust]

Trying to wrap my head around the fact that the Browns actually admit they need the money from the MSWC 'business' for income, yet have made so few sales.    Is it 500 total or an average of 500 per month?  If it is 500 total, how can they even think they will get money from investers?  How can Robyn keep a straight face regarding being 'so busy'?  If it is 500 average monthly, that is still not enough to keep 22 people with 4 hours afloat. 

Not to mention it's not like they sit and actually make the jewelry. They sort of half-ass "design" stuff, then send it out. The finished product gets sent right to them. Basically ALL they have to do is package stuff up and ship it out. I know people who work full time and run side businesses where they actually hand make stuff and sell it online. And they don't have 4 other adults plus kids to help. Is there a reason the older or middle aged kids can't help some? Robyn's oldest daughter is certainly old enough to help package stuff or slap mailing labels on a couple hours a week. 

 

But yeah, either way there is almost no way it's a full time job for 5 people. At least half of these idiots need to go back to work full-time. Leave Robyn and Christine home to watch the kids and work on jewelry sales. 

 

I'm also still confused as to how the investor money was going to enable Robyn to have another kid. 

[4leafclover]

 

Is it 500 total or an average of 500 per month?

 

From what the "investor" said, I got the impression it was 500 total!  That's why she was asking why so many hits and so few sales (or "sels"). 

[riverblue22]

 

I'm also still confused as to how the investor money was going to enable Robyn to have another kid.

 

 

Robyn wanted money to hire someone to do her job.  She said she needed an assistant.  I guess a nanny isn't enough.  She probably also needs a housekeeper.

 

I am reminded of my sister.  She does not have much of an income, but she always has to have a lawn service, a cleaning service, frequent hair and nail appointments.  She's always telling me how broke she is.

[LuckyBitch]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they said it was a total of 500 sales. I can't remember if they said what the total sales revenue was though. Does anyone know?

Edited August 1, 2014 by LuckyBitch

[SometimesBites]

Robyn wanted money to hire someone to do her job.  She said she needed an assistant.  I guess a nanny isn't enough.  She probably also needs a housekeeper.

 

I am reminded of my sister.  She does not have much of an income, but she always has to have a lawn service, a cleaning service, frequent hair and nail appointments.  She's always telling me how broke she is.

Riverblue, honey, are we related? Your sister sound exactly like my sister-in-law.

 

I think Sobbin Robyn is desperate to never go back to the world of the workaday, trailer park life, and has convinced herself that it is a crazy-successful online jewelry/scarf/watch/CD/apron business that will save not only her, but the whole fam-damily when they're given the TLC boot. The biggest drawback to being on TV, for all the Brown adults, is that it has fed their ingrained tendency to believe that the world owes them something, 'cause they're SO SPECIAL.

[Galloway Cave]

 

I can't remember if they said what the total sales revenue was though. Does anyone know?

I just went back to the episode thread and Kody said they made $45,000 the first year and $180,000 the second year. But last season, when they were sitting around the kitchen table at one of the rental houses, Robyn talked about only clearing $500 the first year (after "minusing out" all the costs). So I don't know where Kody was getting his numbers and what they really represent. 

[LuckyBitch]

Thanks for looking that up, @Galloway Cave . I find it very hard to believe they grossed a total of $225,000 in two years. If they sold only 500 items, that's an average sales price of $450.

 

So, yeah, they're full of crap once again. 

[DakotaJustice]

Thanks for looking that up, @Galloway Cave . I find it very hard to believe they grossed a total of $225,000 in two years. If they sold only 500 items, that's an average sales price of $450.

 

So, yeah, they're full of crap once again. 

 

I think they were talking about Jamaican dollars.  $125k in JMD is about $1110.15 in USD.  that sounds about right!

[jellywager]

  How can Robyn keep a straight face regarding being 'so busy'?  If it is 500 average monthly, that is still not enough to keep 22 people with 4 hours afloat.

Maybe busy means getting down with Kody to make more Browns, and trying to hog all his time so the other wives and kids don't get to see him. Ew I just used brain bleach instead of creamer in my coffee to erase the former image.

[Oldernowiser]

Thanks for looking that up, @Galloway Cave . I find it very hard to believe they grossed a total of $225,000 in two years. If they sold only 500 items, that's an average sales price of $450.

 

So, yeah, they're full of crap once again.

Given the Kody Brown School of Finance, wouldn't surprise me if he's magically including their TLC income when pitching the "investors," while Robyn, assuming she can "minus" correctly, is more accurately portraying the actual income from just the Closet. Given Kody's preference for the grandiose over the truth, this makes the most sense.

Or he's just a flaming liar and is pulling numbers out of his ass.

[mbutterfly]

I am wondering whether sometimes they are talking about their "juice" pyramid business. Somehow they are fairly silent about that business on the show. Does anyone know whether they are still selling that stuff?

[DakotaJustice]

I am wondering whether sometimes they are talking about their "juice" pyramid business. Somehow they are fairly silent about that business on the show. Does anyone know whether they are still selling that stuff?

The way to really make money (and I'm using that loosely) isn't to sell the green crap but to sign up other people under them.  They used to tweet about LIV parties, but it's been some time since I've seen anyone mention a party or what have you.  I'm guessing they're probably still listed as consultants but they aren't active in it anymore, or at least at the moment.  

[mythoughtis]

I think that Janelle may actually be able to keep her house, because I think she understands the concept of a mortgage payment.  If she can actually make her payments for 3 years, and show an income, she might actually be able to get a real  loan.  Of course, having her name on the Lehi house mortgage might be an issue.   She will have to move Christine's brood into her home.

 

Meri, with only Mariah, might also be able to make her mortgage payments.  Her and Kody's names are also on the Lehi house mortgage.  Meri's problem is going to be the same as it always has been... too much emphasis on vacations with Kody, too much spoiling of Mariah, not enough financial planning.  There is also the fact that she and Kody were the last to get these house loans approved.  Hope Meri realizes her craft room will be Robyn's bedroom. 

 

Robyn and Christine have no hope of being able to get a mortgage in 3 years.  No real income, no real concept of making payments. Christine had trouble with these last loans because she hadn't bothered to pay her utility bills on time.  Robyn had trouble because she can't seem to remember what her last name is on any financial paperwork.  Remember the visit with the credit counselor?

[Rhondinella]

Heh.  I kinda hope they do have to move back into the Lehi house just from the show standpoint. I mean, how amazing would it be to watch them all have to share one house again?  That's probably the only way this show could get interesting again: find a way to get Robyn and her kids in the house as well.  Make Meri and Robyn share a kitchen.  Heck make all of them share a kitchen.

 

Just sayin' I'd totally start watching again if that happened, or, rather, I would start actually paying attention when watching.  After four years or whatever of doing this show together and all the resentment that has built up over it, would it not be amazing to see Robyn have to live in the same house with the other three? :-)  Yes, I'm evil.

[Galloway Cave]

Since Robyn has never had to live in a polygamous marriage with ANY women, it WOULD be amazing to see her in the Lehi house with the others. She might change her tune about how wonderful polygamy is and how blessed she is to be in that particular family. Kody would not be able to hide out at Robyn's section (house) like he allegedly does now, they would have to find one big wall to display all those stupid inspirational plaques and Meri will have to go back to the old white fold-out table until she has a wetbar special-built (on Christine's Home Depot card).

[ghoulina]

At least we know Robyn wouldn't have to suffer the abuse of sharing a kitchen. Since she's "too pretty" to cook and all. 

[purpleflowers]

It would be rather interesting to see them share a house again. What I find odd is the evolution of their relationships with one another. As I look back I realize Meri initially had said Janelle and Christine were her best friends and that they "get her". Then after Robyn enters the scene, Meri's view suddnely changes to the assertion that she has never had a close connection with her sister wives until Robyn. So either she was putting on a show before or something drastically changed.

[DakotaJustice]

IMO for the sake of the longevity of the show, they should've stayed in the Lehi home.  They could've spent YEARS on the remodel - adding on a section for Robyn's family, and renovating the rest of the house - new kitchens, appliances, kids all pitching in to paint...even watching them go through the permit process would be far more compelling viewing than 99.8% of the drek we've endured this season.

[technorebel]

IMO for the sake of the longevity of the show, they should've stayed in the Lehi home. They could've spent YEARS on the remodel - adding on a section for Robyn's family, and renovating the rest of the house - new kitchens, appliances, kids all pitching in to paint...even watching them go through the permit process would be far more compelling viewing than 99.8% of the drek we've endured this season.

That's the thing I wonder about. We know the story about having to leave Utah for fear of prosecution was baloney. So why did Kody have such an intense desire to live in Las Vegas? That's a heck of a lot of people to uproot.

Maybe Vegas is sort of a Mecca for fundamentalist Mormons, and we just don't know about it.

Now I'm picturing Kody in an Elvis jumpsuit singing Viva Las Vegas!

Edited August 5, 2014 by technorebel

[4leafclover]

 

Now I'm picturing Kody in an Elvis jumpsuit singing Viva Las Vegas!

 

Pass the eye bleach, please!

[LuckyBitch]

I have to admit that before I started watching this show, (when they were building the houses in Las Vegas), I had only heard bits and pieces of things and I actually didn't question the claim that they left Utah because they were going to be prosecuted after going public on the show. I didn't  pay much attention to them back then, so I didn't really think about it enough to question it. Even after I started watching the show, I didn't question it until I checked out blogs and message boards.

[MaryMitch]

I have to admit that before I started watching this show, (when they were building the houses in Las Vegas), I had only heard bits and pieces of things and I actually didn't question the claim that they left Utah because they were going to be prosecuted after going public on the show. I didn't  pay much attention to them back then, so I didn't really think about it enough to question it. Even after I started watching the show, I didn't question it until I checked out blogs and message boards.

They will NEVER admit that they were in no "danger" in Levi. They will NEVER admit on camera that the various adults have all gone through bankruptcies. They think the people who watch their show will save them from financial ruin by buying their jewelry.

 

They are delusional.

[LuckyBitch]

They will NEVER admit that they were in no "danger" in Levi. They will NEVER admit on camera that the various adults have all gone through bankruptcies. They think the people who watch their show will save them from financial ruin by buying their jewelry.

 

They are delusional.

 

I think they get away with it because there are a lot of people who watch these reality shows but never read anything about them online. I know people who watch Sister Wives and the RHofNJ and only know what's shown on the episodes. I try to tell them some of what I've learned from reading here and different articles online. Sometimes they're interested, but sometimes they'd rather not think about it and just casually watch whatever's presented. But, some of us don't like being duped. 

[Kohola3]

I guess if it's just casual watching you wouldn't put too much thought into anything but there are so many enormous incongruities that even an idiot would have to question some of them.  Even a kid with minimal math skills should be able to cry foul on the fake figures they throw around regarding their business.  500 sales?  Clearing over 100 thou?  Doesn't begin to add up in any universe.  Well, maybe on that celestial planet....

[technorebel]

I guess if it's just casual watching you wouldn't put too much thought into anything but there are so many enormous incongruities that even an idiot would have to question some of them. Even a kid with minimal math skills should be able to cry foul on the fake figures they throw around regarding their business. 500 sales? Clearing over 100 thou? Doesn't begin to add up in any universe. Well, maybe on that celestial planet....

They do math differently on Kolob, doncha know!

[ginger90]

They do math differently on Kolob, doncha know!

They get the adding and multiplying part, dividing and subtracting escape them.

[Galloway Cave]

 

subtracting

AKA minusing out.

[AZChristian]

Any chance we'd be lucky enough that they'd move back there and get off our TV sets?

[Galloway Cave]

Well, their attorney DID say they are now free to return back to Utah (like they couldn't do that before). I'm sure the other 38,000 polygamous folks in Utah are glad they didn't choose to flee the state to avoid persecution. Saved them a bunch in moving costs.

[maraleia]

I'm glad that they moved to Vegas for the kids sake. Since they had to go to public school the kids got exposed to other kinds of people and it's opened up their minds to the various opportunities out there. I'm not sure if that would've happened had they stayed in Utah. I'm so happy that Logan, Mariah, Maddie, Aspyn and Mykelti are all going to college and pursuing their dreams.

[ginger90]

It's all over the internet.  The Browns won part of their lawsuit and can now be legally polygamous in Utah.

What was the other part of the suit?

[LuckyBitch]

Judge finalizes ‘Sister Wives’ ruling as both sides prepare for appeals

Courts » He also says Utah County attorney violated the Brown family’s rights during investigation.

 

By Nate Carlisle | The Salt Lake Tribune
First Published Aug 27 2014 05:44 pm • Last Updated Aug 28 2014 07:59 am

 

A federal judge on Wednesday finalized the order striking part of Utah’s bigamy law and gave one more victory to the family from the television show "Sister Wives."

 

The long legal battle over polygamy in Utah now appears headed to the appeals courts. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes has said he would appeal the federal court ruling when it became final. Kody Brown and his four wives, too, have been prepared for more rounds in the courts.

 

Jonathan Turley, the attorney for the Brown family, encouraged Reyes to reconsider his plan to appeal.

 

"Attorney General Reyes takes an oath to protect the Constitution and that is exactly what this decision does," Turley said in an interview Wednesday. "For the state of Utah to appeal this case, it will have to go to [the appeals court in] Denver and argue against the freedom of religion."

 

A statement from Reyes’ office on Wednesday said attorneys are reviewing the decision.

 

Federal Judge Clark Waddoups in December struck the section of Utah’s bigamy statute that can be applied when someone "cohabits with another person" to whom they are not legally married. Utah law made such a union a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Waddoups said the ban violated the First and 14th amendments to the Constitution.

 

Waddoups let stand the portion of the statute that prevents someone from having more than one active marriage license.

 

In the final portion of his ruling Wednesday, Waddoups found the Utah County Attorney Jeff Buhman violated the Browns’ constitutional rights when he oversaw a 2010 investigation into whether the Brown family was committing bigamy. At the time the Browns lived in Lehi. They have since moved to Nevada. Buhman eventually decided not to file criminal charges, but Waddoups said the investigation stifled the Browns’ rights to free speech, religion and equal protection.

 

Waddoups ordered Utah to pay the Browns’ attorney fees as a result of that finding.

 

In court filings and oral arguments before Waddoups, attorneys for Utah have argued polygamy is inherently harmful to woman and children and the state had an interest in deterring it.

 

The Browns filed their lawsuit in July 2011, arguing Utah’s law violated their right to privacy. The family’s argument relied primarily on the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down the Texas law banning sodomy, which was celebrated by gay rights advocates.

 

Reyes’ office is already appealing a marriage ruling that came days after the bigamy ruling. That second ruling struck down Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage.''

 

"Sister Wives" chronicles the lives of Kody, Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn Brown and their children. Utah County authorities began their investigation of the family after their show debuted.

 

Edited August 31, 2014 by LuckyBitch

[Galloway Cave]

What was the other part of the suit?

I think they wanted to be paid for the pain and suffering of having been driven from Utah, the loss of employment and general greedy money grubbing. All they were awarded was attorney fees.

[mbutterfly]

So am I correct that Utah has a law against co-habiting without a legal marriage? Does anyone know whether this applies to an unmarried but monogamous couple? Also it seems a serious invasion of privacy because, at least in theory, one might have actual just friends of the married couple living with them, a wife's sister for example. Whose business is it (other than theirs) what the particular sleeping arrangements on any given night would be? I can understand Utah has a nearly unique situation, but it still seems to invade privacy. 

[Zahdii]

As I understand it, Utah has strict cohabitation laws, but they're not enforced unless other laws are being broken.  Like a 50 year old man being 'married' to a 15 year old girl, or multiple women living together with their baby daddy and sharing their foodstamps.  Things like that.

[ghoulina]

I think they wanted to be paid for the pain and suffering of having been driven from Utah, the loss of employment and general greedy money grubbing. All they were awarded was attorney fees.

 

Excuse me while I roll my eyes out of my head. I think polygamy should be legal as long as all involved are consenting adults, but good grief - nothing but Kody's selfish delusions forced them to flee from their home. So simma down and get real jobs to pay for your stupid expenses.

[RealityCowgirl]

They will NEVER admit that they were in no "danger" in Levi. They will NEVER admit on camera that the various adults have all gone through bankruptcies. They think the people who watch their show will save them from financial ruin by buying their jewelry.

They are delusional.

A-freaking-men. I want them to HAVE to move back to Utah, with their tails between their legs, because their main source of income has been pulled from them.

I tend to fall on the other side on conversations about the role and size of government. For example, I usually support the role of public assistance in many to most cases. (Hungry, innocent children get to me.)

But these self-important asses have me screaming at the TV using words I seldom uttered before. The gall of these lazy, stupid people ranting and whining and litigating about "government" intrusion in their lives all while filing bankruptcy after bankruptcy and expecting their neighbors and other taxpayers to feed their endless parade of kids via food stamps and other GOVERNMENT programs. They'd have died of starvation and exposure without "government intrusion."

They are failures as adults, and they need to give the rest of us a break. Shut the hell up and go the hell away.

P.S. I hate what I've become because of them. ;)

Edited August 31, 2014 by RealityCowgirl

[Galloway Cave]

 

So am I correct that Utah has a law against co-habiting without a legal marriage? Does anyone know whether this applies to an unmarried but monogamous couple?

I believe the law was put in place back when Utah was trying to make polygamy illegal. They didn't think past their narrow, boxed-in religious view point of a man-married-to-a-woman world at that time. Now, of course, the law would apply to unmarried monogamous couples, gays, etc. This is why the Utah Attorney General came out with The Primer and stated in writing that the State would not prosecute on the co-habitation law alone, but WOULD prosecute for welfare fraud, child abuse and domestic violence.

 

The Browns' attorney is also an attorney for the alternative lifestyle community (my sister is the co-founder of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom and has often worked with him). This case was just another chance for him to win for alternative lifestyles and not just for the pligs. That is why he took it on for free.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Galloway Cave