S02.E05: Shep-Istotle

[scrb]

But when they go clubbing, the girls they meet aren't necessarily part of the higher society.

 

They may know that Shep has family money but are people going to clubs to meet potential husbands or just looking to hook up?

 

Obviously Shep and Craig are not looking to meet girlfriends when they go out.  So their status or job really shouldn't matter, as long as they can afford the bar bills.

 

Unless the women at these bars think they're going to land a catch at these places, though with the supposed mismatch (10 women to one eligible man is an exaggerated ratio but supposedly still way more single women than men in Charleston?) maybe they're looking everywhere.

 

Other than Shep coming from an affluent family, you have to be skeptical that these people would be part of the same social circle.  There is no reason the younger cast members would be hobnobbing with the middle aged ones.  When they all come together, it seems to be at these contrived or semi-contrived events for the show, like the second christening, the fashion show, etc.

 

Maybe Whitney knew all these people and presented them all as a package to Bravo or he knew some and Bravo found others.  It wouldn't be surprising if the latter was how the show came together.

[Lola16]

Finally got caught up. The vocabulary on this show! Precipitous, bucolic...there was one other one too. Do you think any of the housewives know what the word bucolic means?? I don't think so...

Yolanda (RHoBH) would ask if it was a Chinese vegetable.

[RedHawk]

But when they go clubbing, the girls they meet aren't necessarily part of the higher society.

They may know that Shep has family money but are people going to clubs to meet potential husbands or just looking to hook up?

 

 

Going to bars and clubs isn't all they do. Craig mentioned going "yachting". Just because a girl is from a wealthy family, it doesn't mean she isn't in the clubs. And maybe it isn't a great idea to meet your future spouse in a club, but it does happen. Craig was interested in Kathryn, and she was a Charleston "bar star".

Edited April 16, 2015 by RedHawk

[JenE4]

Unless the women at these bars think they're going to land a catch at these places, though with the supposed mismatch (10 women to one eligible man is an exaggerated ratio but supposedly still way more single women than men in Charleston?) maybe they're looking everywhere.

I cracked up when Whitney said the 10:1 was an exaggeration, as if he was justifying against an unsaid assumption that with ALL of these women in Charleston, he still can't find a single one to date him and has to go all the way to Germany to find a girlfriend.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Say what you will about TRav, at least he thought to personally notify Cameran that her services were no longer required.  

 

Shep is kidding himself if he thinks he knows when to call it quits.  For now, he is most definitely the voice of reason compared to the Craigmess, though.  

 

I truly do not understand TRav's being so quick to sell the awesome place he already had downtown, and his now willingness to pay an inflated price for another downtown property.  There is a lot more to this than we will ever know.  Placating Kathryn at THAT cost?  No way.  

 

I'll never understand how a lady looking to fit in, like a Cameran, would show up to an event champing on gum.  It does not get more déclassé than that.

[cooksdelight]

Say what you will about TRav, at least he thought to personally notify Cameran that her services were no longer required.

He still could have given her some commission. Even if the listing wasn't hers, he could have called her and told her the property he was interested in, she then calls the listing agent and they split the commission. I did marketing/advertising for a real estate firm, and that happened all the time. As nice and supportive as Cameran has been to Kathryn, it was the least he could do.

Someone posted (possibly in Thomas' thread) that he needed to sell the house on King St. for a specific reason, but I can't remember what it was.

[pasdetrois]

Tax lien.

[wovenloaf]

He still could have given her some commission. Even if the listing wasn't hers, he could have called her and told her the property he was interested in, she then calls the listing agent and they split the commission. I did marketing/advertising for a real estate firm, and that happened all the time. As nice and supportive as Cameran has been to Kathryn, it was the least he could do.

He told Cameran that he was buying it from his friend, so there may not have been a listing agent. I got the impression it just kind of worked out that his friend was selling the place and so now it's a "direct by owner" sale or whatever they are called, versus Thomas having searched for it and used an agent and all that. Though it is entirely possible he just made it sound that way to get out of chucking a few dollars Cameran's way!

[Babyfoot]

I got the impression it's just a rental, too. I love Cameran but the whole house buying storyline with T-Rav felt really contrived.

I love Cooper and his Little Lord Fauntleroy meets Paul Revere aesthetic. His clothing is a tad foppish but it's kinda cool at the same time. I really felt for those models in velvet (velvet!) in the Charleston humidity. I still prefer him over Landon as a full cast member.

[cooksdelight]

I moved posts regarding the previews to the Spoilers thread, since some people don't want to know ahead of time. :)

[glowlights]

Holy ice mallets, y'all, is there room for one more on the hot mess express? Because THIS is the reality show I've been looking for! No nasty, trashy, vile behavior that makes me need a shower when the ep is done (see: Real Housewives of Everywhere), just good honest hilarity, a soupcon of skullduggery, a little real estate porn, a little clothes porn, cast members who I can believe would socialize with each other, not to mention who know how to behave in public like civilized human beings, and witty THs. The stuff that seems rigged for the show (e.g. campaign ads, second christening) is relatively harmless. Even the resident slimeball is mainly tolerable, and the sorta-sad situation with wee Kensie is not too depressing.

 

Anyway, this ep brought the revelation from Cameran that Shep is very well-read, and I swooned, because could Shep get any better? He seemed so happy to share with the others about the cannonball that's lodged in the roof next door to Palmer house, like boozing and fashion shows are all fine and dandy but yay local heritage and history. And then I had an after-swoon because Cameran showed genuine appreciation for that trait, and it's like waking from an Andy Cohen nightmare to see that yes, Virginia, there is a reality show featuring people who have seen the inside of a library.

 

Landon has a great figure and I have no idea whose boat she's living on. Her accent distracts me from any potential Landon story. What did she do in L.A. and why was she so over-qualified to work Cooper's show? Why would she move to Charleston if she wants a career in fashion? Who knows, my ears turn off when her mouth turns on.

 

If Katrhyn really truly wanted to be Mrs. Thomas Ravenel she would have put on a proper frock and acted like a gracious hostess at Thomas's campaign open house. Not sure whether to call b.s. on their entire relationship sl, or just the campaign. Is she taking a few too many mother's little helpers, or has she always been a bit... sedated?

 

Craig, meh. He's a bachelor in his mid-20s, so what if his room is messy and he likes to party. So what if he doesn't pass the bar this year. He'll figure it out.

 

Patsy is clearly hamming it up for her son's show and I don't for a second believe any of this butler nonsense, but damned if it isn't fun to watch her indulge in a "dressing drink" and have her shoes delivered on a silver platter. I've been in her corner ever since she ditched the 100F christening and stayed inside to drink bespoke martinis. My kind of gal! Even if I have no idea why she smirks about someone not having a Huguenot name... (um, neither does she).

 

Thomas's campaign manager is hilariously over-earnest and intense for this little sideshow.

 

edited for line breaks, derp

Edited April 18, 2015 by glowlights

[KnoxForPres]

Say what you will about TRav, at least he thought to personally notify Cameran that her services were no longer required.

Shep is kidding himself if he thinks he knows when to call it quits. For now, he is most definitely the voice of reason compared to the Craigmess, though.

I truly do not understand TRav's being so quick to sell the awesome place he already had downtown, and his now willingness to pay an inflated price for another downtown property. There is a lot more to this than we will ever know. Placating Kathryn at THAT cost? No way.

I'll never understand how a lady looking to fit in, like a Cameran, would show up to an event champing on gum. It does not get more déclassé than that.

[KnoxForPres]

Say what you will about TRav, at least he thought to personally notify Cameran that her services were no longer required.

Shep is kidding himself if he thinks he knows when to call it quits. For now, he is most definitely the voice of reason compared to the Craigmess, though.

I truly do not understand TRav's being so quick to sell the awesome place he already had downtown, and his now willingness to pay an inflated price for another downtown property. There is a lot more to this than we will ever know. Placating Kathryn at THAT cost? No way.

I'll never understand how a lady looking to fit in, like a Cameran, would show up to an event champing on gum. It does not get more déclassé than that.

Yeah the love train on Cameran is intense. My thing, and I've felt this way for a while is she is playing a role.

Remember in There's Something About Mary and (gorgeous) Cameron Diaz says she just wants a guy who golfs, eats hot dogs, and drinks real beer (paraphrased)? I kinda wanted to roll around on the ground tucked in fetal position with laughter at that scene. Not because I think that's crazy, hell I'm dating that guy, but because it was such an in your face "wow, this is the PERFECT" female specimen in a mans perspective. I feel that way about dear Cameran. I think she's like that too often and its wearing thin with me.

[Sage47]

LOVE your commentary glowlights!! Welcome!!

 

Cameran IS too perfect and is starting to annoy me even though I like her in general. But she's not as sugar-sweet as I once thought. She does a lot of eye rolling at people behind their backs and then greets them with a warm smile and hug. Kind of like last season when she said Southern people will be as nice as pie to your face and turn around and stab you in the back. At the time she said, "sorry Southern people." Turns out that she truly is one through and through.

 

Kathryn does seem sedated. She always has a straight face and looks annoyed or mad. Why would T-Rav be eager to put a ring on it?? She's a total buzzkill...except when she's getting buzzed I guess.

[izabella]

Now that you mention it, I'm having a really hard time picturing Kathryn smiling or happy.  Have we seen her smiling?  Maybe in that scene with Kensington?

[fliptopbox]

What is a Huguenot and why is it so important to be related to one?

 

Craig's bedroom reminds me of a former roommate's. I dunno what it is with some people, but they just leave a tornado of stuff in their wake and have no idea how to stay tidy. And anytime I would try to clean up (common areas, not the girl's bedroom) I'd get scolded for moving her stuff, cos now she wouldn't remember where she put it. She was famously bad with her art supplies - even though she had a whole room dedicated to her art, which was bigger than our bedrooms combined. That room looked like a trash heap too..

 

I don't miss living with messy people.

[cooksdelight]

Fliptopbox I hear ya about messy people. :)

Here's a bit of history about the Huguenots:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huguenot

I know there were a lot of descendants of them where I lived in Richmond, there is a bridge named Huguenot. I think that constitutes being "somebody." But I'm not sure where it falls in the hierarchy of the Mayflower descendants, or other groups.

[NYCFree]

I think the thing with Craig's wallet is that he knows others will buy him drinks. I've heard/read about various celebrities who've had drinking problems talk about how everyone wants to buy them a drink. I wonder if Craig is a big enough fish, in a small enough pond, to be That Guy at the local bar.

[Sun-Bun]

I think the thing with Craig's wallet is that he knows others will buy him drinks. I've heard/read about various celebrities who've had drinking problems talk about how everyone wants to buy them a drink. I wonder if Craig is a big enough fish, in a small enough pond, to be That Guy at the local bar.

Definitely: I think Craig has become quite the local "bar star" that Kathryn once was. And given all the thirsty young females that outnumber the males in that city, I'm sure many are more than willing to take care of him for a piece of his cool "local celeb" pie. He probably gets swarmed at some of his fave bars, no doubt, which is probably why a lot of this fame/modeling bullshit has seemingly gone to his head.

[JenE4]

I kind of got the impression that Shep was asking Craig to buy him a drink and Craig didn't have money to do so. But if that was the case then I also assumed that Shep likely often bought Craig drinks in the past (maybe vice versa as friends do, but probably heavier on Shep's end). But this was all because Shep was sitting down with some girls and didn't want to get up, while Craig was right there by the bar. And I think I remember learning about the Huguenots in grade school--not that I recall who they are, but I guess if they made it into history books, that's something. Then again, Hitler did, too, lol.

[SweetCaroline]

I  And I think I remember learning about the Huguenots in grade school--not that I recall who they are, but I guess if they made it into history books, that's something.

So basically the deal with Huguenots around here is that they're just really old families. Lots of them can trace their families back to the 1680-90's in South Carolina. Since they were sent to America by King William of Orange and King Charles II they didn't arrive in as unfortunate circumstances as say, the Italians or Irish. They set up and made lots of money as merchants and planters. Lots of money=they had a say in the political and civil development of South Carolina/Charleston. Now there's lots of stuff around with old Huguenot family names on it; Legare, Huger, Gaillard, Bonneau, etc. So, for some people around here being/having a Huguenot descendant is a very big deal. For most of us though, not so much.

[izabella]

Were the Huguenots also slave owners?  I imagine so if they owned plantations back then.  The population of South Carolina was pretty much all slaves with some slave owners, right?  That's where the slaves were brought first thing after Africa?

 

So, a question for those who know - when all the "old family lineage" descendants speak with such pride of their colonial ancestors, do they just ignore what those ancestors were actually doing when they got here?  Do they just hand-wave it away as "hey, the colonies were founded as businesses that grow crops to make money for the British, so we don't feel any shame that they were slave owners?"

 

I guess it just seems odd to be all prideful of ancestors that considered other humans not to be human, to the point of wanting to marry only descendants of "old family names."

Edited April 20, 2015 by izabella

[cooksdelight]

Ask Ben Affleck, he's upset that people found out his ancestors were slave owners.

If you come from the South, and have a long family lineage here, chances are your family owned slaves at some point. My family came from England over to Virginia in 1630. I am a member of the DAR and DoC, and yes, my family owned slaves at one time. It's a fact, I don't try to hide from it. I know one actress with the same last name as mine whose ancestors likely took the family name when they were once slaves. It's not something I'm proud of, but if people ask me about it, I'm honest. It's the way life was back then, it's a sad portion of our history, but it's there.

I doubt we'll hear Thomas or Kathyrn pointing any of that out when speaking of their historical lineage.

[SweetCaroline]

Were the Huguenots also slave owners?  I imagine so if they owned plantations back then.  The population of South Carolina was pretty much all slaves with some slave owners, right?  That's where the slaves were brought first thing after Africa?

 

So, a question for those who know - when all the "old family lineage" descendants speak with such pride of their colonial ancestors, do they just ignore what those ancestors were actually doing when they got here?  Do they just hand-wave it away as "hey, the colonies were founded as businesses that grow crops to make money for the British, so we don't feel any shame that they were slave owners?"

 

I guess it just seems odd to be all prideful of ancestors that considered other humans not to be human, to the point of wanting to marry only descendants of "old family names."

Given the history I think it would be safe to assume that if their ancestors were planters and plantation owners that they did indeed own slaves. Approximately 40% of slaves who were brought to America came in through the Port of Charleston. By the late 1700's about 65% of the population were African-American slaves.

 

I think that Charlestonians are very aware of the slave-owning history of the city. I don't think they wave it away but realize that issues of slavery, especially in areas where it was ingrained for centuries, are ones that have to be handled with tact and sensitivity. Honestly, outside of academic and scholarly forums I've never heard it discussed. It's not exactly a cocktail party topic.

 

Historically, marrying into other old, wealthy families was a way to increase the wealth and social standing of your own family. I have no idea why it's still important to some people. I think that attitude is dying out though.

[RedHawk]

So basically the deal with Huguenots around here is that they're just really old families.

 

 

I always smile a little at the "old family" terminology. I say, if you're here on Earth, you're from an "old family". But I know it's short for "family that's been in this (or any) country for many generations, has a famous name or vast wealth, etc.". 

 

I'm from an old family and although I have no evidence that my ancestors once owned slaves, it's highly likely that they did. No, it's not cocktail party conversation because, well, what can I do about it other than acknowledge it?

 

Historically, marrying into other old, wealthy families was a way to increase the wealth and social standing of your own family. I have no idea why it's still important to some people. I think that attitude is dying out though.

 

 

I'm not so sure it's dying out. Wealthy people still like their children to marry other wealthy people's children, especially ones with a known "name". It's called the "PLU" mentality, People Like Us. There's always that small percentage where it "matters" yet maybe that percentage is getting smaller. Maybe people are also a little more circumspect about it as well. I mean, don't tell me that behind closed doors the Middletons aren't totally high-fiving each other that they got their daughter into the very top of British society.

 

And finally, it sure seemed to matter to Thomas, who chose at the last moment not to marry Bev Cart Girl because she was not from the "right" sort of family.

Edited April 20, 2015 by RedHawk

[cooksdelight]

I think not a day goes by that Thomas doesn't kick himself about Bev, because I think he truly loved her.

Wealthy people still like their children to marry other wealthy people's children, especially ones with a known "name". It's called the "PLU" mentality, People Like Us.

Oh, it's alive and well, and kicking. One of my best friends who is from a very blue collar neighborhood of NY married a guy from Richmond who is from a very old family. Mine. LOL!! Well, when his parents found out my last name, they were falling all over themselves to try to change the course of what was about to happen. It was frightening that they wanted me to be a part of their family, even though we were distant cousins.

[RedHawk]

I think not a day goes by that Thomas doesn't kick himself about Bev, because I think he truly loved her.

 

 

Oh, yeah, he didn't hesitate last season to say he would want to be with her again if she were free. Interesting to think of how his life might be different if they had married. (I'm sure he's thought about it plenty.) Yet maybe he was so immature that he would have continued his partying ways while she settled down. He might have ended up divorced anyway.

 

I can't knock Shep too hard for trying to give Craig advice. It's not bad advice, and it's all for the show anyway. Shep has to do something besides hang out at the beach house with Whitney, sit at his hot dog bar, or relax among 8 ladies at Republic, so taking on the role of mentor to Craig isn't so bad. 

[foo]

Yep, it was quite apparent when, apropos of nothing, they kept having talking heads about how hot they both think the other is and how they have similar partying ways. They would make a better match (if she didn't have a child) as two young people who could go out on the town and have fun together. It's ironic because he had his "kindergarten crush" on her last season and he was the ONLY one in the group that she didn't sleep with, and then he was the one who called her out for sleeping with three people at the table. If Kathryn suddenly thinks Craig is so hot, why did she ditch him on their beach group date last season and leave with Shep? Guess her sstarry-eyed quest for "Ooooh! Thomas Raveneeeeeeel!" didn't work out so well for her. And seconding that her attitude isn't going to land her a bigger role in the campaign or an engagement ring. I would assume people would show a better self in front of the cameras, so if she's this insufferable on air, I can't imagine what she's like behind closed doors! I suppose she and T-Rav think birthing a scion of pure French Huguenot lineage is the be-all and end-all, and if it means a lifetime of absolute misery and strife, oh well, sign me up!

My guess was the money.  She's cheap and easy, but only if you're loaded (financially).

[foo]

She has a couple who both look like they're into retirement age - which makes me wonder WHY they would want that job. 

I think Patricia's butlers have landed a sweet gig.  Like someone else said, Drunkie-O doesn't seem to do much except sit or lie around and drink.  Serve up a few martinis, plop a few pairs of diamond-encrusted shoes onto silver trays, and collect a decent paycheck.  You know the maids, cook, etc. are the ones doing the real work around that house.

 

I got the impression it's just a rental, too. I love Cameran but the whole house buying storyline with T-Rav felt really contrived.

I love Cooper and his Little Lord Fauntleroy meets Paul Revere aesthetic. His clothing is a tad foppish but it's kinda cool at the same time. I really felt for those models in velvet (velvet!) in the Charleston humidity. I still prefer him over Landon as a full cast member.

 

So much YES to this!  Landon is a huge dud.  Total zero.