S07.E03: Battle Of The Brunches

[Grneyedldy]

Well, for myself, I wasn't questioning that at all.  That's not even an interesting question.  A zillion successful women could quit working & don't.  I just wanna know what the heck she's actually doing with the SG brand.  Doesn't seem like much, if she can use a limo stuck in traffic all day as her office.  If she's really that busy, she'd find office space & get to work.  Honestly, Idk what's going on here, cuz B is so full of crap, it's hard to weed out the truth from the bullshit she spouts.  

 

Last month, when I was at TJ Maxx, I saw a ton of different strange-looking SkinnyGirl food products in paper-packaging, which I don't even see on her site.  Does she come up with the ideas for these different SG products herself?  Do these different SG products come & go, depending on whether they sell or not?  Or is this all done for her & her name & insignia is just slapped on the various SG products & she pretty much has nothing to do with any of this?  Like I said, it's a mystery.  Is she merely a spokesperson at this point & just letting the Jim Beam/SG dough roll in by the cart-loads?  Seems a likely scenario to me.

 

I suspect B has some sort of "back-end" deal, where she gets more dough, the more her crap sells.  So it would certainly motivate her to stay somehow involved with the SG brand (no matter how exactly that is).

  

And if you ask me, cuz I know him, he's fully in it.  He gets off on showing women at their worst.  That these women are willing participants, doesn't make it cute or adorable.  He is exploiting these women, whether they're in it & paid decently doesn't matter.  He's still exploiting them, for his own profitable gain.  I could name a zillion examples of this.  But let's take one from this ep.  Idiot Kelly was absolutely being used here by Satan Andy.  She was too dumb to realize it & she (like Jill) is desperate to be back on the show, cuz she's a moron & a fool.  But if Satan Andy had his way & his "plan" had worked, B & Kelly would have had some sorta ugly confrontation.  The only reason it didn't happen was cuz B wasn't having it.

 

Moron Kelly should be grateful to B she didn't take the bait.

 

 

It does seem very random.  At first, I was totally puzzled by the SG blenders.  OK, now I get that it's for mixed drinks, but I'm still puzzled.  Her drink is already mixed, so why the need for a blender?  And this is an appliance -- a completely different type of product than liquor/mixed-drinks & food.  I'm not following the thinking here at all.

I think Jim Beam only deals with the liquor. All this other SkinnyGirl crap is Bethenny. I can see making the blender tie in work. It's food/diet related. I'm sure she has or will have SkinnyGirl smoothies and shakes. I remember seeing protein bars in the past. What doesn't make sense is skin care, lip gloss and such. Where's the connection?

As for what is doing all day? I'm thinking she's working on how to get her logo on crap (all of it) from China.

  

Dad. Was that an intended pun? Her Dad was obsessed with his work and wildly successful and brilliant at it. YMMV I think she's trying to bypass his success to prove a point, and secondary to have enough money to never rely on anyone thanks to her feelings abut her alleged rough upbringing.

Just like Kim Richards not getting sober til she clears out the Big Kathy cobwebs in her psyche, I don't think Bethenny will quit until she similarly clears out the cobwebs of her childhood feelings of abandonment, neglect, etc.

Lol. I don't know if I'm to blame or that damn Otto Korecht.

[ancslove]

Bethenny can bundle weight-loss, skin care, and makeup together as Self-Care/Health and Beauty.  It's a stretch, but doable - it would fit as an extension of her Naturally Thin book, just like a lot of Beauty books have a chapter on exercise and nutrition.  (Other) Ways to Look and Feel Better.  She's got a website, and if she started blogging about her skin routine and favorite beauty products, it's a fairly natural progression to have her own cosmetics line.  She wouldn't be the first to follow that path.

 

Actually, I'm a bit surprised that none of the Housewives have put out at least their own perfume.  All celebs seem to have that!

 

(Hey, if B follows my advice, do you think she'll give me a car?)

[Sage47]

How come when Carole says one of her "witticisms" (mean observations really) in her THs, she does that weird "I'm so clever" laugh where she kind of huffs through her overbite? She is seriously gratingly annoying. I've said it a million times but...YOU ARE NOT ALL THAT CAROLE. Far from it.

[candall]

Teen daughter.  Want her?  She slams the car door if you are 6 minutes late {after the bell rings} picking her up from school.  Such a joy.  "I just wish I had a responsible parent that picked me up on time."  

How much to have an ejector seat installed?

[izabella]

How come when Carole says one of her "witticisms" (mean observations really) in her THs, she does that weird "I'm so clever" laugh where she kind of huffs through her overbite? She is seriously gratingly annoying. I've said it a million times but...YOU ARE NOT ALL THAT CAROLE. Far from it.

 

People who are high often think they're funny.  To me, it seems like Carole has been high every time we've seen her.  Am I imagining this? 

Edited April 27, 2015 by izabella

[ScoobieDoobs]

Upon watching the episode again, I realized that no one actually ate at the brunch. What a waste of the food it appeared Bethenny was making. There was a shot of about a dozen eggs in a bowl so I assumed the brunch was to include more than drinks.

 

 

I'm getting the rather horrible impression, especially this season,  the running  . . . er, "joke" from Carole (& the rest of 'em) is how Carole doesn't eat -- um, ever.  And that's also why she has no use for a kitchen in her apartment.  Funny?  Oh yeah, eating disorders are really hysterical, eh?  

 

OK, Idk if Carole has eating disorders, but I'm getting the icky feeling here this is being heavily implied -- and I'm really creeped out that it's actually seen as something funny -- by Carole or the rest of the cast or Satan Andy.  Ew.

 

I can see making the blender tie in work. It's food/diet related.

 

 

I can vaguely see it from a consumer standpoint.  What I don't see, is from her standpoint as a brand/company.  It's not exactly like you can manufacture blenders, & food & drink products, from the same place.  Is she stamping her name on ready-made products -- like Gretchen & her makeup line & plastic tacky bags?  Did she just do that with the blender & maybe the beauty products, but is coming up with the ideas for the food & drink products?  

 

Honestly, I'm puzzled by the strange assortment of unappealing-looking food products available on several Skinnygirl sites.  And why so many Skinnygirl sites?  Maybe cuz Jim Beam owns the drinks & B is trying to work anything else stamped with SG.  Except from a consumer standpoint, it's pretty darn confusing.  

 

Hmmmm, so I googled SG and look at what I found -- the reason why Bethenny is so bugged by Heather.  She got her own line of shapewear so now she's in direct competition with Heather.

 

http://www.skinnygirlshapers.com/

Edited April 27, 2015 by ScoobieDoobs

[Almost 3000]

Bethenny has had her shapers for awhile. In fact it was one of the first SG products I remember seeing, maybe even before the JBeam sale. She had an episode on BEA where she made her staff model them. When Heather became a housewife I thought it was interesting that she had an up and going seemingly successful product and Jill Z and BF had only just started shape wear lines. Shape or athletic wear seem to go hand in hand with celebrity perfume lines.

[ScoobieDoobs]

And handbag & jewelry lines.  Will that be next for SG?  Um, an SG statement necklace maybe?  How bout linens?  Why stop at blenders -- or toaster ovens?  Er, was she kidding or serious on that one?  How bout every kitchen appliance out there?  Dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, sinks?  What about SG plates & pots & pans?  What about SG jeans?  Guess the possibilities are endless what she could stamp SG on.

Edited April 27, 2015 by ScoobieDoobs

[ryebread]

People who are high often think they're funny.  To me, it seems like Carole has been high every time we've seen her.  Am I imagining this? 

 

She reminds me of a stoner I once knew.  Back in high school.  TBH, I don't think she's high on camera, but her THs always seem so rehearsed and over modulated.  Like, she practiced her funny lines in the mirror so many times that they've lost the natural edge and she's merely delivering lines. Her eyes do this thing like she's searching the audience for someone who thinks she's clever.  And then she finishes with the huffy laugh that Sage47 described so perfectly upthread.

 

What about SG jeans?  

 

Heather would have a cow.  She debuted a stretchy jean line last summer.

[jaync]

I'm not a prude and even use the word fuck, etc. occassionally.  But Bethenny? Get off my jock! I put the cock in cocktail, braiding one's pussy hair? Disgusting

I don't mind the crudeness so much as the lameness. Like, "braiding each other's hair" would've sufficed just fine, whereas adding the "pussy" was pointless, and sounded stupid. If there's some great sharpness and wit that Bethenny supposedly possesses, then I'm not seeing it.

 

I imagine Heather's shapewear stands on its own, and doubt she gives two shits about whatever product of the week Bethenny is trying to hawk.

[Sincerely Yours]

 

Except Kelly was the one who made an issue about food, not Bethenny. Bethenny only made the snarky comment about the gummy bears when Kelly was picking at everyone else for eating unhealthy/claiming she only eats healthy food... as she was proclaiming the virtues of gummy bears.

 

And Kelly was the one on Scary Island who wouldn't let anything drop. "You're a cook not a chef," anyone?

 

Look, I have no doubt Bethenny can be her own brand of mean in real life, but on Scary Island, it was all Kelly (whether it be drugs, a mental disorder, or just being a mean person). She was gunning for Bethenny from the moment they landed on the island with repeated, failed attempts at getting in digs. Except I think she failed to comprehend that the Skinnygirl has a much quicker wit and the fighting instincts of a bulldog (and not just the jaws), so trying to go verbally toe-to-toe with B was always going to be a losing battle.

Never said EVERY situation was cut and dry. However I will say that exchange happened after, what I think, was Kelly realizing that Bethenny was gonna be taking little shots at her the whole time (but that I admit is very much an assumption on my part).

[Giselle]

And handbag & jewelry lines.  Will that be next for SG?  Um, an SG statement necklace maybe?  How bout linens?  Why stop at blenders -- or toaster ovens?  Er, was she kidding or serious on that one?  How bout every kitchen appliance out there?  Dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, sinks?  What about SG plates & pots & pans?  What about SG jeans?  Guess the possibilities are endless what she could stamp SG on.

I think she is going for a quick buck so she has put and will continue to put her name on everything knowing a lot of stuff will fail. By putting Skinny Girl on a variety of low end lines she has already cheapened the cachet of the brand. She has gone for mass market and not carriage trade.

[BucFan]

How come when Carole says one of her "witticisms" (mean observations really) in her THs, she does that weird "I'm so clever" laugh where she kind of huffs through her overbite? She is seriously gratingly annoying. I've said it a million times but...YOU ARE NOT ALL THAT CAROLE. Far from it.

Thank You, I have been trying to figure out how to describe that annoying gesture she does. Edited April 27, 2015 by BucFan

[SCS]

I think DC only had one season, didn't it?  Ah, DC.  The forgotten franchise.

Andy needs to recruit Michale (sp? Can't recall.) for NY. She and Carol can compare notes on rock star bedmates. Then Kelly can pop in and she and Michale can talk about all the fantasies leaping about in their pinny little heads: Columbia brain, Redskins cheerleader, leaders in NY and DC social circles....

[ryebread]

Michaele can also school Kelly on the fine art of grape stomping.

 

A bag of gummy bears to whomever remembers the two scenes from their respective franchises that link these two airheads in my RH brain.  I'm ashamed that I watched, paid attention to, and enjoyed D.C.

 

Michaele and Bethenny can also bond over vagabond luxury hotel living. 

[barbedwire]

I too watched, and enjoyed, D.C.  Lolly stealing all her mom's clothes?  So much more fun than most of these fights I have to endure watching.

 

I wasn't a big fan of Bethenny's before, but I do like her now.  But quit the whinning about losing your apartment to your ex.  It happens.  It is divorce.  Winners and losers.

[aradia22]

I still don't get Carole. Her disdain for brunch wasn't actually a joke. If anything, the joke there is that she'd rather go on a boat with Adam than go to brunch because brunch involves food and Carole doesn't eat. Haha. Body shaming. 

 

Oh, nice getting in that little comment about Oscar gifting suites, Carole. After sitting through all the segments about her writing career last season I'm totally fine with Bethenny's skinny girl stuff since she actually has a brand to manage and not just a few books. 

 

The dress gossip was nonsense. And the other ladies (except Luanne) need to pipe down on analyzing Ramona and Bethenny. You are not going to win. And it's so clear that anything they do want to bring up is stuff they know from the show. It just further highlights how they're new to the cast. You are not going to take the queen down. And it's hard to be Queen Bee. Forget the throne. Just sit down and be happy you have a seat at the table.

 

Oh my God, Ramona. Verbally abusive? I can't. I love that Sonja didn't let her get away with it and asked what she said to set Bethenny off.

 

Oh I heard that "ghetto" comment, Kristen.

 

The women were a little silly for thinking they could do both brunches but then I don't think they had an obligation to go to either one. Whatever, it was stupid.

 

Why is Dorinda in that same red plaid dress? Dorinda and John's scene was weird but mildly amusing.

 

I'm not going to say I enjoy the apartment refurbishing scenes but I will say that they're more enjoyable with Bethenny than with Carole. 

 

Luanne's version of the truth with Mario's flirting makes more sense than Ramona's 'it came out of nowhere' and 'he's begging to come back.' Really?

 

Oh, no, Dorinda! He's not a waiter! That made me laugh.

 

I love how Bethenny is not willing to play ball. The way it goes on these shows is that you have to make up and she just doesn't want to. Oh, Heather you can give all the little lectures you want. I don't know how she thinks she can trick a woman who was doing this long before she was.

 

LOL. I just imagine Ramona making eye contact with men with her crazy eyes and I laugh and laugh.

 

I thought Bethenny's little lingerie top was cute. And I like that she owns that it's slutty.

[Lablover27]

Isn't "little miss lab" your dog?

LOL.  I'm all over the place like Sonja, with a J.  "Little Miss Lab" is bewitched teenage daughter.  Lab is laying by my feet.  Wish it were the opposite.