S07.E09: Birthday In The Berks

[SistaLadybug]

Again, mileage.  I'm just not a "Sit and pay attention" person.  I wouldn't be at a table of family, friends, co-workers, or strangers.  Unless it was a formal presentation being given, I'd talk to whoever I chose.

 

This is a true personality clash and for me it's the most interesting thing that's happened on RHONY in a long time.  Because I don't think either of the women is out to "get" the other.  They're just oil and water.  Watching how two adult, kinda overly dramatic, highly successful and in charge women deal with this is fascinating and cringeworthy.  It's also making me consider how I deal with folks I meet who similarly rub me the wrong way.  Makes you think about how to respond with compassion.

[hoodooznoodooz]

I liked when Dorinda said, "This is my bedroom, where I do all my sleeping..."

Scene with Kristen, Ramona and Dorinda: Heather walks into the room and asks what's going on. Ramona says something like, "We're going to dance. We're going to boogie. We're going to touch bodies," as she's dancing against Dorinda. Then Ramona bends at the waist and starts moving her arms, hands, as if she polishing a coffee table or smoothing out a tablecloth. What was that? A dance move?

[quaintirene]

I think Bethenny has been on the reality tv circuit a lot longer than Heather and it shows.  I'm guessing what Bethenny was prepared for when she fetched-up at the party was social chit-chat and a couple of barbed 1-liners followed by an even more barbed TH in which she deplored Dorinda's decor, LuAnn's necklace and whatever else.  Job done.  Out.  However Auntie Heather moved in on her.  Now how much of what happened next was genuine on Bethenny's part and how much was play-acting I'm not sure.  But either way it delivered one of those situations that gets a 'to be continued' tag.  And I'll bet the producers love that.  And Bethenny is well-aware of it and knows how these kinds of scenes can play which is why she behaved the way she did.  Heather walked into a gift-wrapped bad edit there in my opinion.  

[Trooper York]

I know right! She slid under the radar. Especially when she trolled the internet for dirt on other peoples dates. She just lost the ability to protest any dirt that is thrown on chef boy.

We need to keep our eye on the ball!

Maybe we can concentrate on how horrible Carole is when she takes her husbands ashes on the Circle Line in the next episode!

[JAYJAY1979]

To me..bethanny pulled out the tears as a cheap way to.win since heather is a worthy opponent..IMHO

http://www.chicagonow.com/confessions-coffeeholic/2015/06/the-group-teen-mom-golden-girls/

[pbutler111]

AFTER making Sonja cry (which I completely understood). And when she was being all nice to Sonja there was a lot of her own weepy history incorporated into that whole exchange. As for her interactions with Carol... All about her.... And Carole RECEIVES Beth which is what Beth likes. I'll also add that she did have a very nice interaction with Lu in one of the earlier episodes but that's about it.

 

In other words, you hate Bethenny and it doesn't really matter what she does or says, or why, you'll never think it's good or justified.

[ScoobieDoobs]

I would say Ramona cried crocodile tears in the Berkshires last season while in the forest which reminded her of her youth so she can make her private plane flight that she has scheduled just that morning back to NY and to a party later that evening with Molly Sims in the Hamptons..

 

Bingo!  I was wondering what Kristen was referring to when she said Moaner cried crocodile tears & that was it.  One thing about Kristen, she's a pretty keen observer & not a bullshitter -- at least that I can remember.  I knew she had to be referring to a particular instance, but I forgot what.

 

I don't think Bethenny is getting a good edit at all.

 

But they can only work with what she's giving.  If all she's giving is whining & crying, then what else can they show of her?

[Sincerely Yours]

Again, mileage.  I'm just not a "Sit and pay attention" person.  I wouldn't be at a table of family, friends, co-workers, or strangers.  Unless it was a formal presentation being given, I'd talk to whoever I chose.

 

This is a true personality clash and for me it's the most interesting thing that's happened on RHONY in a long time.  Because I don't think either of the women is out to "get" the other.  They're just oil and water.  Watching how two adult, kinda overly dramatic, highly successful and in charge women deal with this is fascinating and cringeworthy.  It's also making me consider how I deal with folks I meet who similarly rub me the wrong way.  Makes you think about how to respond with compassion.

I'm disruptive as all get out when I'm with my peeps but in mixed company like at that table it doesn't seem too far fetched to have some level of respect for the table and keep frat mode in check. Time and place and all that I guess.

[Boofish]

It's right there in what you said--Heather whispered to Carole. You could actually hear Sonja and Bethenny cackling as Ramona's date was talking. That wasn't just a side conversation.

 

 

But other people were having a conversation so by Heather's rule, everyone should stop talking and listen to the main conversation? And by main conversation it's whichever one she deems important. My personal opinion is it's more rude to whisper in a group setting

[pbutler111]

To me..bethanny pulled out the tears as a cheap way to.win since heather is a worthy opponent..IMHO

http://www.chicagonow.com/confessions-coffeeholic/2015/06/the-group-teen-mom-golden-girls/

 

I can see where you might think that if this season of RHONYC is the first time you've ever seen Bethenny. But if you've been watching Bethenny since the beginning, you should know that crying is absolutely not her go-to way to win any situation.  Bethenny's very quick, both mentally and verbally, and she doesn't need to resort to crying to get around someone like Heather.  As for being a "worthy opponent", why does Heather keep setting herself in opposition to Bethenny?  Is this the only way Heather feels she can stay relevant on this show?  She did it last season with Kristen, and now she's doing it with Bethenny, who's currently more vulnerable than we've ever seen her before.  If Heather keeps on being this desperate for attention, I wouldn't be surprised if the season finale has her taking off her own leg and throwing it across a restaurant.

Edited June 4, 2015 by pbutler111

[Sincerely Yours]

In other words, you hate Bethenny and it doesn't really matter what she does or says, or why, you'll never think it's good or justified.

You forgot to mention that I think Beth's mother wears combat boots. ;-)

[beaker73]

I think Heather should just back off Bethenny (and I don't even care for BF). They can just be cordial. Right now they are new acquaintances. New co-workers.

 

Not that Bethenny is blameless at all. She has the resources to accept the custody decision that seems to rip her to shreds. As would it so many of us. But one needs to adapt. She seems able to date again and also sign up for the show again. 

 

And not share personal issues to groups in general that are not your friends. 

 

Another topic - I can't remember any get together Kristin has hosted yet she is all WE invite her here, there.....

Maybe she has hosted events, but because Beth hasn't shown up they don't make the show? 

 

Yes, Heather tried to get Bethenny to talk about it at the birthday gathering at the restaurant, and at Carole's apartment.  As for the dinner and Heather trying to take Bethenny away, that was probably one of the more outrageous moves Heather made.  She's browbeaten Bethenny to tears because she just can't keep her nose out of other people's business and then, when Bethenny is at her breaking point, Heather marches over like a school marm and attempts to pull Bethenny out of her chair and make her leave the table, as though she were a child having a tantrum.  Heather's behavior was OUTRAGEOUS.  If I'd been in that situation and Heather had put her hand on my shoulder, she could've retrieved that hand from the other side of the room.

I don't recall the birthday dinner, but the scene at Carole's showed a two way conversation between them.  I don't recall Heather browbeating Beth to discuss anything.  Beth was casually leaning back with her arm across the back of her chair and certainly didn't look tense or aggravated or annoyed.  

[pbutler111]

You forgot to mention that I think Beth's mother wears combat boots. ;-)

 

Bethenny might agree with you on that.  But, seriously -- she can't win with some people, and I'm happy she doesn't try.

[autumnh]

I think we also fail to remember that all of what we see for the most part is producer/show driven. 

 

They WANT them to fight at every gathering, or be inappropriate when it is a bad time...what fun would it be or how would it get any ratings if each one of them were not directed in some form or another as to what to bring up to who and where...

 

I don't like Heather either but I have no doubt that a voice whispered in her ear that it might be "good" to be a hair confrontational or nosy to Bethenny because it sure seems that they execs know how to get B either worked up or upset at every turn of the corner.

[ScoobieDoobs]

In other words, you hate Bethenny and it doesn't really matter what she does or says, or why, you'll never think it's good or justified.

 

I think this goes back to the self-satisfied comments by both Satan Andy & Bethenny on WWHL that she is "polarizing" -- which I now take to mean that they think you can either love or hate Bethenny.  I disagree with this strenuously.  I neither love nor hate Bethenny.  And I've always felt this way about her.  I think many viewers feel the same way.  Sometimes I like her & find her funny & sometimes I find her annoying & extraordinarily nasty & absolutely draining & exhausting.  

 

But it's an easy way for the Bethenny uber-fans to discount & dismiss any criticism of Bethenny, by saying it's from a hater.  Way too easy, and usually off-base & just plain limiting.

[beaker73]

In other words, you hate Bethenny and it doesn't really matter what she does or says, or why, you'll never think it's good or justified.

By the same token someone who loves a particular housewife can think everything they do is wonderful and fabulous. It's just how each of us perceives a scene based on who we like and dislike.  

[SFoster21]

But other people were having a conversation so by Heather's rule, everyone should stop talking and listen to the main conversation? And by main conversation it's whichever one she deems important. My personal opinion is it's more rude to whisper in a group setting

Not to mention that B and S were sitting next to the hostess, who saw no need to intervene. Heather was just pissed that they weren't watching her "take-down" of R's date, in itself the rudest move on display.

[quaintirene]

 

But it's an easy way for the Bethenny uber-fans to discount & dismiss any criticism of Bethenny, by saying it's from a hater.  Way too easy, and usually off-base & just plain limiting.

ITA.  And I'm a Bethenny supporter.  

 

One thing I love about these shows is the opportunity to be a Mean Girl which I never really was in school.  Here I get to support my on-air 'pal' and gang-up on the girls I don't like and get off some 1-liners of my own while doing so.  So it's all good.  But it's not good, in my opinion, to get over-invested and over-protective.  Bethenny can take care of herself.  She really doesn't need me to explain and excuse her every move.  And I don't think it's appropriate to berate other posters with different likes and dislikes.  I love that we're allowed so much more latitude here than on TWoP where I was never certain from minute to minute exactly what 'boards on boards' meant.  But let's lighten-up a little, can we?  These bitches get paid big bucks to take hits from each other but no one pays us a dime!

[SistaLadybug]

Damn right.  None of us should be taking this personally.  Not ne'er one of these chicks is our play cousin.

[pbutler111]

Maybe she has hosted events, but because Beth hasn't shown up they don't make the show? 

 

I don't recall the birthday dinner, but the scene at Carole's showed a two way conversation between them.  I don't recall Heather browbeating Beth to discuss anything.  Beth was casually leaning back with her arm across the back of her chair and certainly didn't look tense or aggravated or annoyed.  

 

If by two-way conversation you mean that Bethenny didn't silently get up and walk away when Heather started asking her about her custody situation, then, yes.  But.... no.

[ScoobieDoobs]

ITA.  And I'm a Bethenny supporter.

 

Doesn't it get hard to be one all the time?  I mean sometimes she just gets so unlikeable.  Look at the way she was in this ep.  I'd have told Heather to go fuck off too.  But Bethenny's reaction was way over the top.  She sounded like she was ready to be carted off to a loony bin.  Is she being overly dramatic & just working the cameras, so Bravo would be getting their million bucks worth?  It wasn't necessary.  All she had to do was tell Heather to back the fuck off, without the crazy dramatics.  But noooo.

[Trooper York]

If you are a Bethenny supporter does that mean you get off of her jock?

Maybe Heather can put it in her line and they can finally bond!

[quaintirene]

 

Doesn't it get hard to be one all the time?  I mean sometimes she just gets so unlikeable.

Nope.  I like her.  Always have.  Especially compared to the other witches.  But then I like Teresa Giudice as well.  I have a soft spot for hard-working women and those 2 are hard-working women.  I think that's why they've both made money at this.  Of course Tre has probably lost all of hers to the Feds but them's the breaks.

[SFoster21]

People have breaking points; right now, the word "kitchen" sends me into total hysterics (boring to explain). To an on-looker, I would seem totally over the top, but the anguish is real for me. So I take B's anguish to be real and based in something that is real for her. If I suddenly disappear from this board, it will be because kitchen has finally done for me. I truly feel like I may not survive. And I have survived some real shit, as we all have.

When something you wanted and actually laid your hands on turns to total excrement, your world view becomes precarious.

[ScoobieDoobs]

OK, so ratings are in, and Bethenny should have just said nothing about them in her Bravo blog, cuz guess what?  They're down again.  And they're not good.  1.18 mil viewers.  Guess it's a good thing Satan Andy didn't take a fancy-shmancy vacay with Kelly Ripa or Anderson Cooper after all.  Maybe he's busy right this second filming more TH's to make Bethenny more likeable?  Good luck with that, Satan Andy.

 

Not only haven't the ratings improved from last season, they're even lower.  Oy.  It'll be interesting to see if they plummet further.

[LotusFlower]

Bethenny might agree with you on that.  But, seriously -- she can't win with some people, and I'm happy she doesn't try.

Oh but she does try. It's the very reason she came back on the show. Her public stock was falling, and she needs to fix that - I'm sure for personal reasons (self-validation, ego), but mostly for professional reasons. It's why Skinnygirl products are "placed" everywhere.

Want proof she cares? Read her blog: "The show is good. The ratings are up, #theBisback!" She's almost desperate for viewers, and she didn't return to the show to be disliked.

[BeachyMum]

IMO, during the dinner was first time Heather was rude to B, even though it was well deserved.  Heather did tweet how embarrassed she was about her behavior and took ownership, Beth has NEVER done this.  Beth wasn't having a private conversation with Sonja..she was mocking them and laughing at  the other guests-NOT NICE.

[beaker73]

If by two-way conversation you mean that Bethenny didn't silently get up and walk away when Heather started asking her about her custody situation, then, yes.  But.... no.

No. I mean that the fact Heather repeated back something that Beth had said to her or thought she had said to her (the 6 day thing) says to me they were having a conversation about it.  

[Duke2801]

Doesn't it get hard to be one all the time?  I mean sometimes she just gets so unlikeable.  Look at the way she was in this ep.  I'd have told Heather to go fuck off too.  But Bethenny's reaction was way over the top.  She sounded like she was ready to be carted off to a loony bin.  Is she being overly dramatic & just working the cameras, so Bravo would be getting their million bucks worth?  It wasn't necessary.  All she had to do was tell Heather to back the fuck off, without the crazy dramatics.  But noooo.

 

Ha ha.  I was reading the comments under Mary's recap at Reality Tea, and somebody said something like "Maybe everybody needs to get off Bethenny's jock because she's such a dick."  Ok I think it was more clever the way that poster wrote it, but you get the gist.

 

But, to be fair, they all can be dicks at times.  Some people, like Ramona in past seasons and Bethenny in this one, just seem to be doing it a lot more than others.

Oh but she does try. It's the very reason she came back on the show. Her public stock was falling, and she needs to fix that - I'm sure for personal reasons (self-validation, ego), but mostly for professional reasons. It's why Skinnygirl products are "placed" everywhere.

Want proof she cares? Read her blog: "The show is good. The ratings are up, #theBisback!" She's almost desperate for viewers, and she didn't return to the show to be disliked.

 

Fix that? FIX THAT??!  How DARE you??  (Eileen D voice, natch)

 

;)

[suzeecat]

Bethenny is not that good an actress to show the raw emotion she did at Dorinda's dinner.  She really appeared to be one blink short of backing into a corner and pointing a steak knife at anyone who came near.  I don't like her, but I do feel sorry for her and a little embarrassed at seeing her reveal her dirty little secrets (growing up) and break down on national television.  I think of her as a poor little rich girl. 

 

Dorinda's house - wow.  There was so much to see, and I kinda did a double take at the room she put the Countess in.  The walls appeared to be painted with glossy paint and she had dead fish mounted.  Strange décor compared to the rest of the house.  But I guess the whole theme was supposed to be eclectic, so she was successful there.

 

OK, so I missed several seasons and I'm embarrassed to have wondered about this for so long and not ask sooner, but can someone tell me what "Turtle Time" actually means????  TIA

[ScoobieDoobs]

I have a soft spot for hard-working women

 

Me too.  And I really admire her relentless ambition & sense of humor & her smarts.  But she way too often loses me with her nastiness, her mean streak & her now endless whining & crying & poor widdle me routine.  I'm also not crazy about her constant claims of being honest, while casually bullshitting up a storm about her background -- as well as other various stuff.  

 

Carole was dead on about her being "tightly wound".  I was wondering why she makes me so anxious watching her.  That's it.  It's that tightly wound shit.  I couldn't be anywhere near her.  Her aura -- she just makes me nervous as fuck.  Shrugging hard.  Doesn't mean I hate her -- or like her.  But I know I sure wouldn't wanna be around her.

 

I do agree with what Bethenny said on WWHL, that she has fans who will defend her passionately no matter what.  If it's found out she's actually a mass murderer & there's vids of her murdering thousands, I'm sure these uber fans would still support her.  I can't understand this loony level of fandom.  Seems warped to me, but whatevs.

Edited June 4, 2015 by ScoobieDoobs

[Duke2801]

IMO, during the dinner was first time Heather was rude to B, even though it was well deserved.  Heather did tweet how embarrassed she was about her behavior and took ownership, Beth has NEVER done this.  Beth wasn't having a private conversation with Sonja..she was mocking them and laughing at  the other guests-NOT NICE.

 

I totally agree.  Heather was far, far nicer to Bethenny after the whole "pretending to fall asleep" dinner than I would have ever been.  Hell, even after the "shut her down" brunch. 

Edited June 4, 2015 by Duke2801

[LotusFlower]

 

Fix that? FIX THAT??!  How DARE you??  (Eileen D voice, natch)

 

Yes, fix is in my vocabulary! (Well, I am a Heather fan...). And ironically, it's in Bethenny's, as well. The two of them really are a lot alike!

[quaintirene]

 

I do agree with what Bethenny said on WWHL, that she has fans who will defend her passionately no matter what.  If it's found out she's actually a mass murderer & there's vids of her murdering thousands, I'm sure these uber fans would still support her.  I can't understand this loony level of fandom.  Seems warped to me, but whatevs.

Yeah but I think that's true of a number of those ladies.  Tre and Nene come to mind.  Loony fans gonna loony fan no matter what the object of their affection.  The Reality people probably get more of that because people can think of them as 'real' and so more touchable than movie stars or whatever.  But that level of fandom is not what I was talking about earlier.  In any case we can agree to disagree like grown-ups which is great!  If we were on the show we would feel duty-bound to take this discussion and turn it into a full-blown screamerama in the name of ratings and drama!

Edited June 4, 2015 by quaintirene

[slitz]

In other words, you hate Bethenny and it doesn't really matter what she does or says, or why, you'll never think it's good or justified.

 

The same can be said for those who dislike ANY of the other housewives.

[Rahul]

Do I think Heather was consciously being an ass then?  No.  I think she was embarrassed and frustrated.  She'd just been told she was disliked and unwanted, in front of an entire table of people.  She lashed out.  In that moment, a take-charge woman thinks, "We're being silly.  I'm gonna take charge.  I will take Bethenny by the hand and we will go in the other room and hash this out like adults."  That was her intention.  But it looked like a mom stomping over to a naughty child to take her out of the room for a "talking to".  That's how I would have received it, too.  But being an outside observer, I can see that it wasn't with malicious intent.  Heather thought this would help.  But she'd just been TOLD that Bethenny didn't want her overtures.  She should've heard that and accepted it.  Again ... frustration.  Embarrassment.  Confusion.  Thus, Heather's tears.  And Bethenny wound up the center of attention on a day when she didn't want any at all and was teetering on the edge.  Thus, Bethenny's tears.

 

 

Insightful analysis, SistaLadyBug. I think being heavily scrutinized by the media also had a role compounding Bethenny's situation and emotions. Ordinarily Bethenny wouldn't fly off the handle and be reduced to tears when offered a meatball, but right now she's made it abundantly clear she does not want any unwarranted attention.

 

This was filmed in the midst of a protracted and nasty public divorce. The press has not painted B in the most favorable light. In fact, most periodicals made Bethenny out to be this incorrigible blood thirsty harpy after she filed for sole custody of her daughter. The vitriolic comments on other message boards was quite unbelievable. She has been constantly crucified for everything from the dissolution of her talk show and the way it was handled to vacationing with her billionaire boyfriend at the time while in the middle of divorce proceedings. I can't imagine all that negative attention would be easy to handle.

 

I completely agree with everyone saying Heather was out of line here. Granted, I am a Bethenny fan, but before this season I was also a Heather fan. I think my issue here is that Heather needs to know when it's inappropriate for her to insert herself into a situation, and she needs to accept when people tell her to back off and let them deal with things on their own. From what I see, Heather involves herself in every altercation and always feels the need to give her two cents. It even happened earlier in the episode when Kristen and Dorinda were fighting. Why was she getting involved? Dorinda and Kristen are two grown women who can deal with their own conflict without Heather mediating or involving herself. It's just ridiculous to me. I think she's seeking more camera time, attention, and wants her position on the show to elevate so she's creating fights and manufacturing drama. I think Heather is pissed that Bethenny is back, because that means she is no longer the "successful business woman boss lady" role on the show-B is.

 

 

Heather is a busybody and buttinsky by nature. I imagine she constantly meddles in the affairs of others in her real life, perhaps with the best of intentions, even when the cameras are not rolling. The fact that throwing her spoon into someone else's pot brings more screen time her way probably acts as positive reinforcement for a behavior that is already ingrained within her. 

[quaintirene]

 

The fact that throwing her spoon into someone else's pot brings more screen time her way probably acts as positive reinforcement for a behavior that is already ingrained within her.

A kochleffel!  That's a Yiddish word Heather might do well to learn!

 

http://www.jewish-languages.org/jewish-english-lexicon/words/1537

[lunastartron]

I actually find Heather's fandom much more devoted and ready to whitewash/retcon (see, for one example: the notion that Heather politely and even lovingly asked Jonathan to not involve himself on her behalf when she was screaming at Amanda and Aviva) but that's just my perspective. Although I've never found Bethenny wholly sympathetic, likable, or even consistently defensible (everything everyone says about her romanticization of and hunger for discontent is true, imo), I do find her more relatable than Heather in this situation. To wit, I really do not feel like I watched the same broadcast vis-a-vis Bethenny's "over the top" response to Heather this episode; she *did* repeatedly ask Heather to refrain from involving herself and told her "I'm good, I'm good" well before any pyrotechnic histrionics commenced. Was she clipped? Sure. But Heather continued to aggressively engage Bethenny when Bethenny wasn't even addressing Heather before Bethenny started the tears. Heather refers to her own "frustration" in her blog; well, how is it not frustrating for someone to pointedly and intentionally refuse to desist after you've made it clear that you don't want, need, and/ot appreciate their solicitousness? And, with respect to the pearl-clutching-worthy rudeness of Sonja and Bethenny's laughter, Heather notes that she came across aggressively toward Ramona's date . . . but it was just a joke, y'all! Yet Heather feels it appropriate to lecture forty- and fifty-something women on how to behave at a dinner that she's not even hosting - but then tells them they need to lighten up when they aren't chastened by her edicts (and why is that a problem? I thought "true New Yorkers never backed down.")? The selective application of standards has become almost like a Tourette's-like compulsion for Heather at this point, in my opinion; it's like last season when she was horrified to the point of a hushed voice that Aviva "talks" to people in a certain way and calls them "alcoholics" during a blowup, but it's totally commensurate with Emily Post to start dropping the "fuckings" and " motherfuckers" when things aren't even that turned up.

[Grneyedldy]

But they can only work with what she's giving. If all she's giving is whining & crying, then what else can they show of her?

Yes but in all honesty dont you think there were other things filmed besides whining and crying? And that goes for all the women on all the franchises. Just because that is all Bravo shows, it doesn't mean that was all there was.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Grneyedldy

[LotusFlower]

And Bethenny wound up the center of attention on a day when she didn't want any at all and was teetering on the edge.

But do you really not want any attention at all when you show up unannounced at a big dinner party and yell "surprise!"

I think it's attention from Heather that she didn't want. Or attention about stuff she doesn't want to talk about, like her fish allergy, even though she's the one that brought it up. Passive-aggressive- table for one!

[charmed1]

Seeing the picture of Andy mowing the lawn in his banana hammock made me wonder if he defrauded anyone. I'd hate to think he caused a neighbor's divorce!

I really want him to send it to the Duggars.

[Mondrianyone]

Guess it's a good thing Satan Andy didn't take a fancy-shmancy vacay with Kelly Ripa or Anderson Cooper after all.  Maybe he's busy right this second filming more TH's to make Bethenny more likeable? 

Or maybe he's out going door-to-door in the Hamptons looking for lawns to mow.  I bet those hedge-fund billionaires pay well.

 

But do you really not want any attention at all when you show up unannounced at a big dinner party and yell "surprise!"

I think what she yelled was "Ding! Dong!"  Which made me laugh at the time, since it's the catchphrase we all associate with the Wicked Witch of the West.  (Maybe that's what she was thinking, too!  It's always good to have a sense of humor about yourself.)

[ScoobieDoobs]

Yes but in all honesty dont you think there were other things filmed besides whining and crying?

 

If there were, they were dumb not to show it.  Cuz the whining & crying act is getting so old.  I'd even rather watch her shilling her various SG products.  Yeah, believe it or not, I would.  Could be fun to snark on.  There are so many other things she could be doing, which would be entertaining for us.  I think they made a drastic error with showing all the whining & crying & I'm wondering if they turned the audience off for the season.  I mean, even showing her torturing her poor assistants (which you can be sure she's doing, given the way they ALWAYS looks so completely miserable) woulda more been more entertaining.

 

Or maybe he's out going door-to-door in the Hamptons looking for lawns to mow.  I bet those hedge-fund billionaires pay well.

 

Or maybe nakey?  Ugh, a quick look at that awful pic & he almost does look nakey.  Ew.

[jaync]

I just hope someday she uses all this ill-fitting slang around some ethnic minority who isn't okay with her misappropriation and snaps back at the bitch.

Which ethnic minority appropriated "mama"?

 

What I've learned today:  Play dates are much more serious than I even thought. 

Hee, no shit. Who knew Heather was such an evil genius, able to plot a nefarious arrangement on the fly like that?

 

More of Bethenny's pseudo-racist shit.

So that kind of comment is nothing new from her?

 

One thing I kinda was like 'ugh' about is she was introduced to Dorinda's brother and he said hello how are you and so did she and she basically turned her back on him before he could answer and was off to talking to another person.

That jumped out to me, too. So snooty. But, hey, her mommy was mean to her, so...

[Sincerely Yours]

 

 

That jumped out to me, too. So snooty. But, hey, her mommy was mean to her, so...

Love it! Hee!

[pbutler111]

But do you really not want any attention at all when you show up unannounced at a big dinner party and yell "surprise!"

I think it's attention from Heather that she didn't want. Or attention about stuff she doesn't want to talk about, like her fish allergy, even though she's the one that brought it up. Passive-aggressive- table for one!

 

Seriously?  How is it "passive aggressive" to explain your allergic to something that's being served to you?  Should she just smile, eat it and calmly call 911?  She very quietly said something that was really, really relevant.  Heather's the one that turned it into a Tennessee Williams play.

[Lone Wolf]

OK, so I missed several seasons and I'm embarrassed to have wondered about this for so long and not ask sooner, but can someone tell me what "Turtle Time" actually means????  TIA

Don't quote me, but I think it came from Ramona when they were on one of those contrived vacations that every RH franchise does at least once every season. They were on a yacht and R. wanted to go to a bar called The Turtle, or it had Turtle in its name, and she kept yelling "Turtle time!", and it became a verbal touchstone, like Family Van or Prostitution Whore.

I'm genuinely ashamed that I know that information.

 

 

This was filmed in the midst of a protracted and nasty public divorce. The press has not painted B in the most favorable light. In fact, most periodicals made Bethenny out to be this incorrigible blood thirsty harpy after she filed for sole custody of her daughter. The vitriolic comments on other message boards was quite unbelievable. She has been constantly crucified for everything from the dissolution of her talk show and the way it was handled to vacationing with her billionaire boyfriend at the time while in the middle of divorce proceedings. I can't imagine all that negative attention would be easy to handle.

Given the truth of what you say, and her tens of millions, I can't imagine why B. would sign up again for this abuse. All I can come up with is, The Hopper and both sets of attorneys took a lot and Andy Cohen threw a Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj's love child's sized butt-load of cash at her.

They kept yapping about Berkshires during this ep so much that I couldn't get a paraphrase of Sweet Baby James out of my mind, with Dorinda's birthday being covered with snow, and so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston, and the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frostin'...

Edited June 4, 2015 by Lone Wolf

[scenicbyway]

Wow.  Dorinda's house was a lot bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside.  Her boyfriend has got to go though.  Perhaps they aren't exclusive?  Maybe Dorinda doesn't mind his behavior?  It seems to me that if your friends and daughter don't like him, perhaps there's a valid reason.

 

I think Bethenny needed her own series.  She's too much for the already crowded Housewives.  I thought Dorinda was very gracious in welcoming her to the dinner when she had told her she wasn't coming.  I did think it was bizarre that she said she could only eat shellfish---is this why she's a skinny girl?

 

I think Heather was trying to be helpful.  Beth was obviously upset and not willing to eat the dinner she crashed.  Heather was trying to make it better by offering to talk to the kitchen and even take Beth out of the situation so that she could calm down.  Some one up thread said that Beth doesn't like or appreciate people who try to be kind or nurture her and I think this was the perfect example of that with her negative reaction.  Heather and Beth probably wouldn't get along anyway, but I do think her intention was to help.

[What Fresh Hell]

Haven't had a chance to read all of these pages yet but wanted to jump in quickly just to say it's so nice to watch the show and not be repulsed by anyone! I can say to myself, she shouldn't have said that or I disagree with something this one did but I'm still liking everyone. I'm thinking Heather and Bethenny will eventually work out this weirdness between them. I'm loving the communication between Lu and Ramona. I love Dorinda. I'm even enjoying Kristen. The only person who is borderline for me would be Sonja. What a difference between watching this and Beverly Hills where I got to the point that I couldn't even look at BG without feeling sickened.

Just wanted to add how I love Ramona! Honestly have loved her through everything, even when I thought she was being an asshole. This season, I think she's really trying but sometimes just can't help herself and that's okay. I still like Heather, too, though I think she's struggling with this Bethenny thing and is frustrated because it's not going how she envisioned it would. But I think they'll work it out, nothing's been done or said that's irreversible.

[Trooper York]

That is a good point. Bethenny crashed the party and then didn't want to eat what was being served. Just about your perfect house guest. Throw in laughing with the drink addled Sonja about Ramona's date who was put on the spot and you have a perfect storm of bullshit.

 

It was about as comfortable a scene as having Brandi Glanville come over to Nonnatus House to have tea with the nuns and the midwifes. Holy Uncomfortable Feeling Batman!

Edited June 4, 2015 by Trooper York