S10.E14: A Storm Is Coming

[WireWrap]

Briana took the break up hard and no one and I mean no one would have ever known of what happened to Colby had Vicki not decided to make public, via her blog, that Colby had married and Briana ended up on a business trip with Vicki-here is the story seventh paragraph  http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/season-6/blogs/vicki-gunvalson/my-people

Apparently Briana was miserable then feeling there were no good dating candidates on the state of California. Could it possibly be Briana is just unhappy?

This is another example of why I believe that Vicki will use any and all in her quest to keep her Orange, including her daughters heartbreak/pain!

[Shelby]

I think a tornado would be an extremely rare occurrence in southern CA. But didn't Vicki grow up in IL? Tornadoes are pretty common there I believe. She acted last season when they first moved to OK that tornados were a foreign concept to her and she had no idea what to do if one was possibly on the way.

In the Chicago area in the time when Vicki was a child, grade schools required tornado drills. She's heard the sirens and has practiced what to do.

It was all a show for the cameras, and a chance for her to bring up her mother again.

She's exhausting.

I know it's wrong, bht I would laugh it turned out to be cancerous but everyone thought she was being a "copy cat".

I'd laugh because Jim traded in two wives for younger models and I'm sure breast cancer, or any female health problem, is the last thing he wants to deal with. She's probably halfway to the curb in his mind now that she found a lump.

[Shelby]

I think Vicki would be hysterical without her family or Brooks involved.

I've always thought the reason Vicki works so hard is because if she didn't have money, she wouldn't have anyone in her life. If she lived a middle-class lifestyle and acted the way she does, she'd be all alone. Even with her money and fame, she's driven away her husband and son.

[Olive]

Granted, and very reasonable logic IF that were Brianna's angle. Brianna has made it clear why she doesn't want her kids around him. Because she thinks he's a bad influence, a bad man, bad for her mom, Etc. etc. etc. As far as I can tell, in all these seasons, the biggest gripe all these people have with Brooks is that THEY DON'T TRUST HIM. And I have yet to see anything concrete to back this overwhelming display of ridiculousness. They haven't shown one thing in this man's past that has me completely turned all "the power of Christ compels you" on him. What's worse is that this dislike for this man, right on my TV screen, slowly turned into this campaign to prove him to be some really "dangerous" person with A LOT of stretching and screaming and accusations, yada, yada, yada and yet all the stuff that has "come out" about him has never registered anything higher than a raised eyebrow on my "protect all that is good and holy" meter. To me the whole thing about Brooks all these seasons falls into a very asinine category that's lacks intelligence on their parts. I mean they trip all over themselves and stumble around just to have their say about the man. Give me a break already.

I haven't read through the entire thread, so forgive me if this has been covered.  But I'm pretty sure the fact that Brooks told Brianna's husband to keep her in line by getting physical with her is a valid reason for her to never want to be around him again.

[Snarky McSnarky]

Briana took the break up hard and no one and I mean no one would have ever known of what happened to Colby had Vicki not decided to make public, via her blog, that Colby had married and Briana ended up on a business trip with Vicki.

Colby dodged a bullet when he moved on to someone else.  I remember Vicky looking down her nose at his aspiration to become a firefighter (because commission-hungry insurance peddlers are held in such high esteem compared to people who just save lives for a living).  Having Vicky as a MIL would put way too much stress on any marriage.  "I bought your wife a new SUV because you don't make enough money -- don't worry about that little old string that's attached to the rear bumper."

[SFoster21]

Vicki is not yet sixty; she will probably live another 25 to 30 years. So Ryan's "con" is a really long one.

Not to mention that he makes his dislike of her very obvious.

Maybe he and Brianna care for each other and are just very occupied with two small children and their own lives. Can't find anything sinister in that. But YMMV.

[Ubiquitous]

That's definitely not true of all of the south. I was born and raised in Georgia and currently live in Alabama. The vast majority of people I know in both places have basements. Conversely, I lived in in the SF Bay Area for a while and cant't recall anyone I knew having a basement.

We have basenents here in northern Florida. I figured the water table wouldn't be a problem in OK.

Brianna did associate with Donn AFTER the break up of Vicki's and Donn's marriage.

I always wondered about that...

Has it been proven that he doesn't have cancer? (Not counting Tamra and Meghan's opinions).

What the pyschic telling them he didn't sense cancer wasn't proof enough? Ha ha

[Sincerely Yours]

I'm a feminist who's also around a lot of guys with crude senses of humor. Couple a bad joke with too much to drink, and it happens. I'd bet anything that it was not meant literally, and it's been made into such a huge deal that it's caused years of stress and heartache for all involved.

 

Regarding the house versus hotel thing, a lot of family and friends *insist* you stay with them, even if you'd rather not. (I like and need my own space.) But I don't for one minute think that's Brianna's issue. She's just fine with "the family home." It's all about sticking it to her mother over Brooks again, and her arbitrary rule of not sharing oxygen with him.

I know and I love how whenever the topic comes up its done in such a disturbing way like everyone in the room shifts into PTSD mode over the incident. It's just too much and it always makes my hands get slappy. I'm always thinking to myself well if I were talking about Brianna I'd probably suggest a slap or two myself just cause the idea of hearing the clap of my hand across her face sounds like such a fun time...

 

Agreed about the hotel thing. This isn't about "A mother has the right to..." if that were the case then fine whatever but let's call it what it is. Brianna wants to make it clear that things are to be done her way and since her mother has decided to go against her wishes then she's gonna make sure Vicki is gonna feel the repercussions of her decision to go against her daughters wishes and she's using the biggest weapon in her arsenal which is herself and her children. Vicki may be a bitch, a pain in the ass and all that but watching Brianna purposely torture Vicki just because Vicki didn't do what she wanted her to do and then using such hurtful tactics to me goes above and beyond anything Vicki has done. Vicki may be overbearing and needy but one thing no one can EVER doubt is that she really and truly loves her family and I think it's fucked up that Brianna treats her like that using her OWN kids to boot. YUCK!!!

Edited September 10, 2015 by Sincerely Yours

[Bebecat]

Icky's love comes with too great a price, even for her kids. Or especially for her kids. It is all about being slobberingly grateful to her. That is not love, it is all about Icky's neediness and ego. Brianna has had to deal with it all of her life, so I can't blame her for any of her reactions.

[Sincerely Yours]

I have listened to that recording and never heard him say anything about "slapping her to keep her in her place." The thing I heard was a garbled sound of Ryan laughing with lots of clicks on the audio, and then Brooks exclaiming "I would kick her ass." Then, there were more garbled sounds, then Ryan laughingly says "that's not right." And then Brooks says "It's not? What's not?" Then, there were more garbled sounds and clicks and Brooks says, "that's how we do it in the South?" Then, there is garbled conversation where Brooks is thanking Ryan for helping him up the stairs and Ryan is telling Brooks to just sleep it off. Then, there were more garbled sounds. Then there were some clicks and another conversation that sounds like it was recorded on the phone versus in person where Brooks says that he is being read the Riot Act for being drunk and Ryan keeps saying "Riot act? Isn't that a police thing?"  Then, Brooks tries to drunkenly and incoherently explain what Riot Act means only to confuse himself in the process.

 

Brooks never said he was joking because he most likely has no memory at all of the conversation. That doesn't excuse Brooks at all! I just don't think that it proves anything either. Ryan was clearly willing to not only befriend Brooks and record him, he was willing to string many partial conversations together in order to "prove" that Vicki should not have a relationship with Brooks.

 

For me, and I realize it is just my opinion, Ryan's behavior during these multiple recordings was much more suspect than anything Brooks incoherently spewed out during those conversations. Especially, if you count how many different conversations it took for Ryan to come up with anything remotely substantial and Brooks was incoherently drunk during each one. To me, those recordings sound like Ryan making sure Brooks was shit faced (whether by habit or Ryan's design) and then only recording and/or discarding the parts he knew would make Brooks sound bad.

 

And the thing that irks me is that Ryan didn't need to make Brooks sound bad. Brooks was sleazy enough all on his own. If Briana, Ryan, and Tamra had just accepted that Brooks was dating Vicki and there was no drama to be had there, Vicki would have dumped Brooks long long ago. But, Vicki has shown us that she is extremely stubborn (like a 13 year old) and she refused to "lose" to the naysayers. Seriously, the public backlash against Brooks alone would have been enough for Vicki to dump him if her costars hadn't started chiming in. 

See I personally can't understand how anyone can form an opinion about that specific topic and Brooks based on such pathetic and obvious manipulation.

 

Also how is it so easy to clutch pearls over that "proof" and yet not one person has the sense or straight up intelligence to give a serious side eye to Ryan for even doing that? I just don't get it.

[tabloidlover]

I think Brianna is just an extremely unhappy person in general.  Added to that, she is suffering repercussions from her decision to "stick it" to her mom by marrying Ryan.   She married him to piss Vicki off (in addition to thinking she loved him, she had just gone thru serious health issues).  Her pride is keeping her in a shitty situation as she does NOT want to hear Vicki say  "I TOLD YOU SO".   It's stubborn pride, just like her mother.  It's really sad, imo.  No one should live like that, but the worst part is putting her kids thru it.   

[talula]

When you're dealing with a world-class narcissist such as Vicki, the plan might be that after a day or two, Brooks just shows up there with an excuse why he has to be "home" now. Briana already told her mother that she would never want to throw a sick person out of their bed, so it wouldn't surprise me a bit if Vicki had in mind to pull such a number. With Bri and the kids all settled in,Vicki would use it to try to shame Briana into not making poor Brooks leave again, in hopes for her daughter to solve her predicament by just putting up with it.

ITA Anne Thrax. This is exactly what would have flashed before my mind if I was Briana. Vicki would get Briana's family settled in and one morning Brooks would show up asking to stay. In that case Briana would have to say no therefore her worst fears would come true...keeping a sick person from his bed. She knows she cannot trust Vicki when it comes to Brooks...Vicki is totally co-dependent on him. She also realized it is not out of the realm of possibility when her mom is filming RHOC to do exactly that to create drama during filming.

Edited September 10, 2015 by talula

[Sincerely Yours]

ITA Anne Thrax. This is exactly what would have flashed before my mind if I was Briana. Vicki would get Briana's family settled in and one morning Brooks would show up asking to stay. In that case Briana would have to say no therefore her worst fears would come true...keeping a sick person from his bed. She knows she cannot trust Vicki when it comes to Brooks...Vicki is totally co-dependent on him. She also realized it is not out of the realm of possibility when her mom is filming RHOC to do exactly that to create drama during filming.

I doubt Vicki would ever push it that far. She already knows she's on thin ice on this subject. I think it's ridiculous to even think Vicki would be that stupid. I mean Vicki is Vicki and all that but Vicki's already expressed the helplessness of the situation and how much control she doesn't have so I don't see her jeopardizing the little bit of ground she's gained by doing something as outrageous and detrimental to their progress as that. No way in hell can I see that being the case.

[Sage47]

Replace Vicki w/Ryan in the 'family van' and I don't think there would be laughing at his meltdown, Ryan had a meltdoen over what Judy did and hurting her fe-fe's and some people wanted him drummed out of the Marines.

 

Ryan gets hit with he's abusing Briana.and she's afraid not to do what he says.

  Did anybody ever say maybe Vicki is abusing Donn and he's afraid of her?

Nope

Just a few posts back there was speculation about Briana not getting a housekeeper because Ryan is so controlling.

I honestly don't see a correlation between Vicki yelling that they sent a "FAMILY VAAAN"  and Ryan's terrifying treatment of Judy. He was shaking with rage and in people's faces. Didn't he also cock his arm back like he was going to punch someone-maybe Billy? It was a very disturbing scene, esp. considering what set it off, ie: someone's mom (NOT elderly however as some have said) putting her feet up on the couch to take a peaceful break. Not even wearing shoes for God's sake. What the hell is wrong with Ryan?! Creepy, raging asshole. Vicki's brother Billy also said something along the lines of, "you do this EVERY time Ryan!" and told him to calm the fuck down in different words.

 

Not sure why you are hell-bent on defending his atrocious behavior Sheetmoss. And come on, saying that Vicki is just as abusive and probably abused Donn is just laughable. Vicki can act like a crazy, yelling loon but it is different. Totally different. No one ever feels physically in danger around Vicki! If you can't see the difference between Ryan's rage and Vicki's angry outbursts I am utterly astounded.

 

I was disgusted how Brianna defended him after Couchgate. She'll feel a bit different when his rage turns on her and the kids if it hasn't already. I'm sure it has started oozing out....

 

I understand he has PTSD but I also think he is just a controlling, angry creep by nature. Remember his smirk when they told Vicki they had eloped? EW.

[jennylauren123]

I can live without ever hearing Meghan say "Cant-sir" EVER EVER AGAIN!

 

OMG! This is one of those things that, once you hear it, you can never unhear it. Playing it back in memory, this is so right. Oy!

 

What's the dealio Meghan? 

 

I get the feeling that she has what I like to call SSS: Special Snowflake Syndrome. Too many people, for too much of her life, have told her that she's just the best evah! at anything that she does. So she goes around inflicting her dumbass opinions on the masses.

[islandgal140]

What? LOL Briana did not ask for anything, a new SUV, housekeeper, babysitter...well anything. Posters here thought Vicki could have hired a housekeeper instead of buying Briana a new car because she, Briana, looks tired/worn out. LOL

 

True. However, Brianna did say that her mother helps her but not in the way she needs help or words to that affect. This leaves some wondering and speculating as to what Brianna needs help with. She says she has money so what is it that she needs help with? It is what was left unsaid that is intriguing. 

 

For me, and I realize it is just my opinion, Ryan's behavior during these multiple recordings was much more suspect than anything Brooks incoherently spewed out during those conversations. Especially, if you count how many different conversations it took for Ryan to come up with anything remotely substantial and Brooks was incoherently drunk during each one. To me, those recordings sound like Ryan making sure Brooks was shit faced (whether by habit or Ryan's design) and then only recording and/or discarding the parts he knew would make Brooks sound bad.

 

And the thing that irks me is that Ryan didn't need to make Brooks sound bad. Brooks was sleazy enough all on his own. If Briana, Ryan, and Tamra had just accepted that Brooks was dating Vicki and there was no drama to be had there, Vicki would have dumped Brooks long long ago. But, Vicki has shown us that she is extremely stubborn (like a 13 year old) and she refused to "lose" to the naysayers. Seriously, the public backlash against Brooks alone would have been enough for Vicki to dump him if her costars hadn't started chiming in. 

 

This situation reminded me of the whole Linda Tripp/Monica Lewinsky situation. Tripp who secretly recorded Monica's confidences was pretty much vilified for her actions. 

 

 

I think Brianna is just an extremely unhappy person in general.  Added to that, she is suffering repercussions from her decision to "stick it" to her mom by marrying Ryan.   She married him to piss Vicki off (in addition to thinking she loved him, she had just gone thru serious health issues).  Her pride is keeping her in a shitty situation as she does NOT want to hear Vicki say  "I TOLD YOU SO".   It's stubborn pride, just like her mother.  It's really sad, imo.  No one should live like that, but the worst part is putting her kids thru it.   

 

I think Ryan more than being something to 'stick it' to Vicki was/is her caped crusader and escape plan from Vicki. Remember when Brianna wanted to move out of state and Vicki wasn't having it? Brianna stayed her ass in the OC. Remember when she wanted to join the military? Vicki said no and lost her shit? Brianna didn't join the military. I think Brianna always felt trapped and suffocated by her mom (rightly so) and wasn't strong willed enough to defy Vicki on her own. Because really, Brianna was grown at the time, freshly graduated from nursing school and could do as she pleased. Vicki could scream, cry and moan all she wanted to but in the end if Bri were truly she would have to deal or lock Brianna in a basement somewhere. Well Brianna got married on the spur of the moment, got knocked up and moved far away.

 

For some reason, Brianna wasn't able to build the wall around herself that her brother Michael has. Brianna's wall is Ryan.  In Ryan I think she thought she found someone strong willed, no nonsense, direct and wouldn't take any of Vicki's shit. Unfortunately, those strengths aren't always used for good and right now Brianna seems to be getting hoisted by her own petard. 

[ghoulina]

ITA Anne Thrax. This is exactly what would have flashed before my mind if I was Briana. Vicki would get Briana's family settled in and one morning Brooks would show up asking to stay. In that case Briana would have to say no therefore her worst fears would come true...keeping a sick person from his bed. She knows she cannot trust Vicki when it comes to Brooks...Vicki is totally co-dependent on him. She also realized it is not out of the realm of possibility when her mom is filming RHOC to do exactly that to create drama during filming.

 

Absolutely. I could see Vicki trying to pull that. And Brianna is already worried about her mom trying to portray HER as the bad guy in the situation, thus her TH about how if Brianna stayed in the house and Brooks stayed elsewhere, it would make Brooks out to be the bad guy. 

 

I really do think Brianna was trying to be nice and respectful about it. She didn't even initially bring up Brooks as her reason for staying elsewhere. She was trying to be all, "Well, we have the kids and so much stuff". Vicki was really the one who made it into an issue, IMO. 

[ButterQueen]

Brianna did say that Vicki helps her in places she doesn't need the help, or something to that effect. I thought the same thing you did when I watched. My first thought was, they have vehicles, why does Vicki think giving them a new car is helping, what about a housekeeper?

Brianna doesn't seem to have a problem speaking her mind. She didn't have to pick a car. She could have suggested other things she needed help with. I worked with 2 young children and didn't need help with cleaning, but I would have loved a new car at the time.

[talula]

I doubt Vicki would ever push it that far. She already knows she's on thin ice on this subject. I think it's ridiculous to even think Vicki would be that stupid. I mean Vicki is Vicki and all that but Vicki's already expressed the helplessness of the situation and how much control she doesn't have so I don't see her jeopardizing the little bit of ground she's gained by doing something as outrageous and detrimental to their progress as that. No way in hell can I see that being the case.

I wouldn't put anything past Vickie to keep her orange. Need I say more than the phone call that her mom passed away...made for TV! Who does that??? Looks like we disagree...it's OK with me. :)

[WireWrap]

True. However, Brianna did say that her mother helps her but not in the way she needs help or words to that affect. This leaves some wondering and speculating as to what Brianna needs help with. She says she has money so what is it that she needs help with? It is what was left unsaid that is intriguing. 

 

Yes, Briana did say that and IMO, she meant that Vicki never asks what she wants/needs. The SUV gift was not about what Briana wanted/needed, it was about Vicki's wants/needs when she is visiting Briana.

[talula]

OMG! This is one of those things that, once you hear it, you can never unhear it. Playing it back in memory, this is so right. Oy!

What's the dealio Meghan?

I get the feeling that she has what I like to call SSS: Special Snowflake Syndrome. Too many people, for too much of her life, have told her that she's just the best evah! at anything that she does. So she goes around inflicting her dumbass opinions on the masses.

ITA jennylauren123. Truer words were never written. Megs has SSS, lol! Edited September 10, 2015 by talula

[Anne Thrax]

I was curious about that, too. I think that would be pretty accurate. I know quite a few nurses who work for more than one hospital because they cannot get all the hours they want at one facility, but I don't think they'd say they have two jobs.

I would say that if Briana works shifts in two different hospitals, she probably gets two separate W-2s at tax time  So it's perfectly accurate for her to say that she has two (part-time) jobs.  It's not that uncommon.

[talula]

Absolutely. I could see Vicki trying to pull that. And Brianna is already worried about her mom trying to portray HER as the bad guy in the situation, thus her TH about how if Brianna stayed in the house and Brooks stayed elsewhere, it would make Brooks out to be the bad guy. 

 

I really do think Brianna was trying to be nice and respectful about it. She didn't even initially bring up Brooks as her reason for staying elsewhere. She was trying to be all, "Well, we have the kids and so much stuff". Vicki was really the one who made it into an issue, IMO.

Thanks for agreeing with my point of view ghoulina. Briana doesn't seem to be that awful of a person...two kids, working full time is a tough row to hoe.

Regarding the new car...Vicki may (?) have inherited a few dollars when her mom passed away and decided to spend some on her kids.

[Rainny]

Just to clarify about Vicki and Briana's conversation about where she would stay in the OC, they were talking having time together and Briana said that she would be out there in a week and a half and then Vicki said that Troy would stay upstairs, etc.  Then Briana said that they don't have to stay at the house.  So, Briana was the first one to say they would be in the OC but Vicki was the first one to talk about where they would stay.

 

IMO, if Briana doesn't want to stay at her mom's, that's her decision.  Vicki has the right to say she's unhappy about it but it's Briana's call. 

 

I was reading the posts on this topic of Brianna and I had a couple of thoughts. One being her use of the term family home. Some posters were puzzled by that because Vicki's house hasn't been passed down through generations or something like that. My kids call our house our family home. In my family growing up, and now with my children it's sort of a tradition I guess that home is where mom is. That's not to say that my brother's and I don't all have our own homes, or that my children and their families won't have their own homes, it's just something that has gone down the generations of my mother's family. It's like comfort I guess, when you need a place to go, your home is where your mother is. My kids feel the same way about our home. No matter how many times we moved, whatever house we're in they call it the family home.

 

I don't know that Brianna feels that way because of her mother, or because it's a big expensive house. I honestly couldn't see her feeling that way over the double wide trailer we lived in at one point, but my children did. So maybe she just has a sense of territory about that house, I don't know. 

 

The other thing I was thinking about is the hotel situation. I have 2 sons in the Army. When they come home on leave they have sometimes chosen to stay in a hotel. This depended on their finances at the time. The first time our oldest boy decided to stay at a hotel it hurt my feelings a little so I can see why Vicki would be upset Brianna would think about doing that. But now over the years and hearing my kids talk about their life in the military I get it. They both live in the barracks and when they come home they choose to stay in hotels because it gives them some form of privacy they don't usually have. I still have 4 boys at home, and other family who come and go whenever they can so I have come to understand why they want to stay somewhere they won't have to share a bathroom, lol.

 

Again, I doubt that's why Brianna said she would stay in a hotel. I think that's more of a power play with Vicki, or just a threat to make sure Brooks does stay away while she's there possibly.

 

 In her situation though, I think I would stay in a hotel rather than with Vicki even with toddlers. Privacy and being able to do things my own way rather than have Vicki tell me how to do things is one huge factor that would have me staying at a hotel. 

[Sincerely Yours]

I wouldn't put anything past Vickie to keep her orange. Need I say more than the phone call that her mom passed away...made for TV! Who does that??? Looks like we disagree...it's OK with me. :)

Yes I guess we do. I just think that when it comes to things jeopardizing her time with the grandbabies she's waaaaaaayyyy more conscientious of the consequences and I for one feel that the consequences include punishing Vicki by way of restricting time with Brianna's children. Vicki likes her Orange and as outrageous as she is I don't believe for one second she would do something that would so obviously fuck up her limited time with them now. Besides, Vicki isn't one to pull stunts that DON'T serve her purpose and spending as much time as possible with those kids is one of her main purposes in life now so I don't see her sabotaging her own best interests with a stunt like that. One she's knows is only going to end badly and one that would give Brianna AND Ryan even more of an excuse to be restrictive of her time with their family. There just isn't any real benefit for doing that as far as I can see.

[HumblePi]

Ronald Reagan mask looked like he was driving getaway for a kidnapping or bank robbery when he was.In the van with Meghan. What a cold, detached, sleazebag.

Good for you Meghan, that your Mom had her surgery 10 years before Angelina Jolie.

I wasn't able to see the entire episode, just bits of it. I watched as Shannon and David were being served dinner by their children wearing formal evening wear. That was hokey and I changed the channel to something else until that uncomfortable scene finished. I saw a few minutes of Meghan and Jim in the car as she talked her mammogram and the lumps on her breasts and the question about being tested for the BRCA gene. Meghan felt it necessary to re-named a prophylactic double mastectomy as the 'ya know-the Angelina Jolie' surgery. (Didn't Meghan's mother have a double mastectomy due to breast cancer?) Meghan doesn't think people are smart enough to know what a prophylactic double mastectomy is so she figures we'd 'get it' if she made it clear it was the 'ya know, the Angelina Jolie' surgery. I didn't quite get the conversation in the car between Meghan and Jim Edmonds. It's simple Meghan, if you have a history of breast cancer in your family, get the blood test for the BRCA gene. It's not rocket science and you can afford the $200 co-pay for the genetic test. Meghan and Jim are a married Dumb and Dumber. "“Wowzas! The Edmunds are cray cray. Like legit cray cray."

[RedHawk]

I don't give a darn where Brianna stays when she visits the O.C. If she can't handle Brooks, then she can stay in a hotel. Like someone mentioned above, I think that she expects Vicki to pay for it, however, using the justification that she doesn't want her children around Brooks. IMO, she shouldn't expect to have it both ways, so she either pays or stays with Vicki AND Brooks if Brooks happens to be there. It's his HOME now, apparently. (Or was when filming was going on.) Brianna has a house of her own and can make her own rules there.

 

I don't know if Brooks is a crook, con man, liar, person of bad character, or whatever. Vicki chose him and didn't ask Brianna's permission and Brianna went off and got married without even telling her mother first. That was such an "F. U.!" to Vicki. They manipulate each other and I detest seeing it so mostly fast forward through their dumb scenes. I have disliked Ryan since he first appeared. Brianna seemed so desperate in marrying him so quickly and then having two children, but she's made her own bed and Vicki still seems willing to buy her the sheets or an SUV, etc., so they'll be enmeshed forever I guess. 

 

Vicki's doing a great job of spoiling her grandsons, and I mean that literally.

[talula]

True. However, Brianna did say that her mother helps her but not in the way she needs help or words to that affect. This leaves some wondering and speculating as to what Brianna needs help with. She says she has money so what is it that she needs help with? It is what was left unsaid that is intriguing.

Just a stretch of a guess what Briana may have been referring to (?): If her mother would not have pursued her relationship with Brooks, Briana may have stayed in California with her family. Ryan might not have pursued getting away from Vickie and Brooks by being assigned to a base in Oklahoma. In addition, taking Brooks into her home, Vicki further exacerbates any reason for Briana and Ryan to relocate back home to Orange County.

Briana would rather raise her sons in the same community as she was with her mom and friends nearby, but as long as her mother is involved with Brooks on a day to day basis it makes it difficult, if not impossible, for Briana to keep Brooks away from her family. I see her point on reminding her mom that a car cannot possible compensate for her to ignore her mother's co-dependence on Brooks. Vicki may say her daughter and grandchildren are her life, but those are empty words to Briana. In actuality, Brooks is Vicki's life and Brianna knows it.

Edited to add: I know Brooks and Vicki have supposedly ended their relationship. Hopefully Briana and Ryan will be back in California soon.

Edited September 10, 2015 by talula

[jaync]

Funny how Heather is all for buddying up to Shannon now that the Dubrows are building a bigger house. Plus, I guess Shannon no longer seems all that crazy when one is electively walking around with maxi pads duct-taped to their scary abdomen and shitting themselves for a fast buck.

 

I feel for Ryan because I do think so many believe he is an a$$ based on last season only even though he was diagnosed with PTSD.

I don't think Ryan is an ass - I know he's one because he showed me so on national television.

 

Poor little Briannderella.

Hee. At least she and her family no longer have to ride around in that piece of shit Benz.

 

I really hope that was the last we see of that miserable cow and her prickwad hubby, but Briana is thirsty for the Bravo cameras, so probably not. I bet she had more THs in this episode than RHoNY's Heather had for an entire season.

[HumblePi]

One more thing that I forgot about this episode. Not only did Vicki buy Briana a new SUV, she had 3 delivered at the curb and Briana got to choose which of the three she liked best.  Isn't accepting an expensive gift like a $60k car like saying "okay mom, stay out of my business and get rid of Brooks but keep buying me stuff".  I know that Ryan has undergone some kind of back surgery and has had treatment for PTSD but doesn't this type of extravagances emasculate him just a bit?

[WireWrap]

Yes I guess we do. I just think that when it comes to things jeopardizing her time with the grandbabies she's waaaaaaayyyy more conscientious of the consequences and I for one feel that the consequences include punishing Vicki by way of restricting time with Brianna's children. Vicki likes her Orange and as outrageous as she is I don't believe for one second she would do something that would so obviously fuck up her limited time with them now. Besides, Vicki isn't one to pull stunts that DON'T serve her purpose and spending as much time as possible with those kids is one of her main purposes in life now so I don't see her sabotaging her own best interests with a stunt like that. One she's knows is only going to end badly and one that would give Brianna AND Ryan even more of an excuse to be restrictive of her time with their family. There just isn't any real benefit for doing that as far as I can see.

I don't know that Vicki would ever think anything she would/could do would in fact cause Briana or stop her from seeing the boys, I just don't. I don't think Briana would do it either.

[cherry slushie]

Just a stretch of a guess what Briana may have been referring to (?): If her mother would not have pursued her relationship with Brooks, Briana may have stayed in California with her family. Ryan might not have pursued getting away from Vickie and Brooks by being assigned to a base in Oklahoma. In addition, taking Brooks into her home, Vicki further exacerbates any reason for Briana and Ryan to relocate back home to Orange County.

Briana would rather raise her sons in the same community as she was with her mom and friends nearby, but as long as her mother is involved with Brooks on a day to day basis it makes it difficult, if not impossible, for Briana to keep Brooks away from her family. I see her point on reminding her mom that a car cannot possible compensate for her to ignore her mother's co-dependence on Brooks. Vicki may say her daughter and grandchildren are her life, but those are empty words to Briana. In actuality, Brooks is Vicki's life and Brianna knows it.

Edited to add: I know Brooks and Vicki have supposedly ended their relationship. Hopefully Briana and Ryan will be back in California soon.

 

It also makes it impossible because there is no way Ryan will agree to moving back to the OC since in order to control her, he has to keep her isolated.

 

He will also prevent her from making friends in Oklahoma.  If she meets and hits it off with someone, he will look for anything, even if he has to make it up, to take that person down so she ends the friendship.  He will also make that friend or friends feel uncomfortable when they come over or are at the same places he goes with Briana, so they no longer want to hang out with her because they don't want to be around him.  

 

To sum it up, he will manipulate the shit out of Briana ever having a social life because he needs to be in control 100% of the time and won't stand for anyone getting in the way of that.  I really hope Briana lets go of her pride and eventually leaves him (unless he gets the help he needs, help that isn't just 5 day hiking/meditation trips, and some serious medication).

 

I can't even imagine what it's like to constantly walk on eggshells so as not to set him off.  Even Vicki does it.

 

ETA - Ryan is also a cheater.  He cheated on his wife with the girl who filed a restraining order against him, and while he was still married and stalking his mistress, he was courting Briana via Skype and Facebook.  So, not only is he an abusive rageoholic, he's also a louse.

Edited September 10, 2015 by cherry slushie

[RedHawk]

If Meghan wanted to know if the lump was cancer, why didn't she just save time and call Tamra's medium? Not Vicki's con of a median, of course, but the true medium that Meghan had total faith in? 

 

Meghan's whole entire "OMG cancer" story line is annoying the hell out of me. My new theory is that she's going after Brooks with everything she can muster because she thought CANCER would be her big attention- and sympathy-garnering story line this season. First LeeAnn's and then her own underarm lump, which she probably planned to milk for a few episodes until Jim shot that down with his hilarious "Ho-hum. What's for dinner, honey?" reaction to her initial revelation.

 

Does anyone remember the film "Terms of Endearment" with Shirley MacLaine as the mother and Deborah Winger as her daughter? Deborah's doctor finds a lump in her underarm and Shirley, even though she's really scared, blows it off by saying, "Well, I know what it is. You don't keep yourself up so your sweat glands are clogged. It's a cyst, right where your oil glands are. You never knew how to eat right and you've never learned how to wash."

 

Meghan strikes me as a woman who doesn't eat right and doesn't know how to wash after she works out. 

 

So back to my rant: Not everyone who's at higher risk chooses to get BRCA testing and it's none of Meghan's business if they do or don't. I got so angry when she kept saying, "Why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't you?" as if her way is the only way. Also Meghan, if you test that you do have the gene (or mutation) it does not mean you 100% definitely will get cancer. It means the odds are indeed higher. And no, you must not then automatically get a prophylactic double mastectomy ("ya know-'the Angelina Jolie surgery' " -- UGH!). Again, it's personal choice. If you want the information, get the test. If you choose not, or choose not to do surgery once you know, then it's none of Meghan King Edwards' damn business. I'm so completely over her. I wish Vicki could find a figurative way to slap her off the show. 

[solomonhancock]

Colby dodged a bullet when he moved on to someone else.  I remember Vicky looking down her nose at his aspiration to become a firefighter (because commission-hungry insurance peddlers are held in such high esteem compared to people who just save lives for a living).  Having Vicky as a MIL would put way too much stress on any marriage.  "I bought your wife a new SUV because you don't make enough money -- don't worry about that little old string that's attached to the rear bumper."

Lest we forget: Vicki also looked down on Colby because he's Mexican.  It's one thing for Vicki to go to Mexico and pull her ugly American act, but have one in the family?    No bueno

[freeradical]

If Meghan wanted to know if the lump was cancer, why didn't she just save time and call Tamra's medium? Not Vicki's con of a median, of course, but the true medium that Meghan had total faith in? 

 

Meghan's whole entire "OMG cancer" story line is annoying the hell out of me. My new theory is that she's going after Brooks with everything she can muster because she thought CANCER would be her big attention- and sympathy-garnering story line this season. First LeeAnn's and then her own underarm lump, which she probably planned to milk for a few episodes until Jim shot that down with his hilarious "Ho-hum. What's for dinner, honey?" reaction to her initial revelation.

 

Does anyone remember the film "Terms of Endearment" with Shirley MacLaine as the mother and Deborah Winger as her daughter? Deborah's doctor finds a lump in her underarm and Shirley, even though she's really scared, blows it off by saying, "Well, I know what it is. You don't keep yourself up so your sweat glands are clogged. It's a cyst, right where your oil glands are. You never knew how to eat right and you've never learned how to wash."

 

Meghan strikes me as a woman who doesn't eat right and doesn't know how to wash after she works out. 

 

So back to my rant: Not everyone who's at higher risk chooses to get BRCA testing and it's none of Meghan's business if they do or don't. I got so angry when she kept saying, "Why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't you?" as if her way is the only way. Also Meghan, if you test that you do have the gene (or mutation) it does not mean you 100% definitely will get cancer. It means the odds are indeed higher. And no, you must not then automatically get a prophylactic double mastectomy ("ya know-'the Angelina Jolie surgery' " -- UGH!). Again, it's personal choice. If you want the information, get the test. If you choose not, or choose not to do surgery once you know, then it's none of Meghan King Edwards' damn business. I'm so completely over her. I wish Vicki could find a figurative way to slap her off the show. 

 

I think Meghan is faking a cancer scare and talking about how she "is completely willing to make use of all resources in front of me as far as anything medical, why wouldn't you?" to passive aggressively make her point about Brooks. She's so transparent! Obviously I rewatched that scene to quote her. I'm clearly bored! :-)

Edited September 10, 2015 by freeradical

[sheetmoss]

I honestly don't see a correlation between Vicki yelling that they sent a "FAMILY VAAAN"  and Ryan's terrifying treatment of Judy. He was shaking with rage and in people's faces. Didn't he also cock his arm back like he was going to punch someone-maybe Billy? It was a very disturbing scene, esp. considering what set it off, ie: someone's mom (NOT elderly however as some have said) putting her feet up on the couch to take a peaceful break. Not even wearing shoes for God's sake. What the hell is wrong with Ryan?! Creepy, raging asshole. Vicki's brother Billy also said something along the lines of, "you do this EVERY time Ryan!" and told him to calm the fuck down in different words.

 

Not sure why you are hell-bent on defending his atrocious behavior Sheetmoss. And come on, saying that Vicki is just as abusive and probably abused Donn is just laughable. Vicki can act like a crazy, yelling loon but it is different. Totally different. No one ever feels physically in danger around Vicki! If you can't see the difference between Ryan's rage and Vicki's angry outbursts I am utterly astounded.

 

I was disgusted how Brianna defended him after Couchgate. She'll feel a bit different when his rage turns on her and the kids if it hasn't already. I'm sure it has started oozing out....

 

I understand he has PTSD but I also think he is just a controlling, angry creep by nature. Remember his smirk when they told Vicki they had eloped? EW.

 I think Ryan has an authoritarian personality which I really dislike as a personality trait and do not like or enjoy being around those people, but I'm not a fan of piling on with things like he's abusing/controlling Briana, Briama can't have a housekeeper because of him, he makes Briana work, etc. If you haven't noticed Briana has a pretty strong personality of her own having survived Vicki.

  Now you're speculating/projecting how his kids may be subject to his rage in the future....and his smirk Oy

 

Hmm, Ryan has rage, but Vicki has outbursts - do you think the people that are in Vicki's scope think it's fun when she goes off on them? 

 

I was throwing shade about Vicki abusing Donn doing what some others here have speculated about Ryan.

No I don;t think Vicki abused Donn.

 

As for Lydia's mom Judy, I thought she was a selfish, entitled princess who could do what she wanted--remember she was so into herself she smoked weed so often when Lydia was a kid she wasn't their a parent. Now that is abuse...ignoring you child!

Edited September 10, 2015 by sheetmoss

[solomonhancock]

Brianna doesn't seem to have a problem speaking her mind. She didn't have to pick a car. She could have suggested other things she needed help with. I worked with 2 young children and didn't need help with cleaning, but I would have loved a new car at the time.

In the situations I've seen, adult children will accept money for a new car and still treat the parent like shit.  Vicki's lucky, too bad she doesn't know it.

[motorcitymom65]

Funny how Heather is all for buddying up to Shannon now that the Dubrows are building a bigger house. 

 

Actually Heather and Terry were already building a bigger house when they met Shannon. That was how they met to begin with - the Dubrow's had hired the same builder as the Beador's and he suggested Heather visit Shannon's house to get an idea of his designs. JMO, but I always thought that Shannon and Heather would have gotten along if Tamra had not gotten involved. She got close to Shannon quickly and immediately started talking shit to her about Heather. Then of course Vicki did the exact same thing. In general, Heather seems to like most everyone (or put up with them) with the exception of Alexis. I don't think I know of another HW on any show that has gotten along so well with most of the cast for such a long period of time. Considering she has been on for 4 years, her one-on-one drama has been minimal.

[charmed1]

Regarding the house versus hotel thing, a lot of family and friends *insist* you stay with them, even if you'd rather not. (I like and need my own space.)

It's like every episode of the Golden Girls. "A hotel? Nonsense! You'll have your wedding right here on the lanai."

[talula]

It also makes it impossible because there is no way Ryan will agree to moving back to the OC since in order to control her, he has to keep her isolated.

 

He will also prevent her from making friends in Oklahoma.  If she meets or hits it off with someone, he will look for anything to take that person down so she ends the friendship.  He will also make that friend or friends feel uncomfortable when they come over or are at the same places he goes with Briana, so they no longer want to hang out with her because they don't want to be around him.  

 

To sum it up, he will manipulate the shit out of Briana ever having a social life as long as they're married, because he needs to be in control 100% of the time and won't stand for anyone getting in the way of that.  I really hope Briana lets go of her pride and eventually leaves him (unless he gets the help he needs, help that isn't just 5 day hiking/mediation trips, and some serious medication).

 

I can't even imagine what it's like to constantly walk on eggshells so as not to set him off.  Even Vicki does it.

 

ETA - Ryan is also a cheater.  He cheated on his wife with the girl who filed a restraining order against him, and while he was still married and stalking his mistress, he was courting Briana via Skype and Facebook.  So, not only is he an abusive rageoholic, he's also a louse.

Yes cherrie slushie I agree Ryan's past is very problematic. I don't see Briana putting up with it for another 10 to 15 years if he continues to be obnoxiously controlling, violent, or a compulsive cheat.

Regarding moving back to California: if Vicki and Brooks have really broken up he'd have no legitament excuse to stay away from California, especially if Vicki gives him a administrative job in her insurance agency. With a family to take care of, he might become mellow in his old age. If he gets violent with the boys or Brianna I don't see her looking the other way. With her nursing career proceeding along she won't need Ryan to support her in the event he becomes an "abusive, raging louse."

[cherry slushie]

 I think Ryan has an authoritarian personality which I really dislike as a personality trait and do not like or enjoy being around those people, but I'm not a fan of piling on with things like he's abusing/controlling Briana, Briama can't have a housekeeper because of him, he makes Briana work, etc. If you haven't noticed Briana has a pretty strong personality of her own having survived Vicki.

  Now you're speculating/projecting how his kids may be subject to his rage in the future....and his smirk Oy

 

Hmm, Ryan has rage, but Vicki has outbursts - do you think the people that are in Vicki's scope think it's fun when she goes off on them? 

 

I was throwing shade about Vicki abusing Donn doing what some others here have speculated about Ryan.

No I don;t think Vicki abused Donn.

 

As for Lydia's mom Judy, I thought she was a selfish, entitled princess who could do what she wanted--remember she was so into herself she smoked weed so often when Lydia was a kid she wasn't their a parent. Now that is abuse...ignoring you child!

 

Yeah, Briana does have a strong personality, but not with him.  Like her mother, she speaks in soft, hushed tones to him.  Something just isn't right there.

[FozzyBear]

Yes cherrie slushie I agree Ryan's past is very problematic. I don't see Briana putting up with it for another 10 to 15 years if he continues to be obnoxiously controlling, violent, or a compulsive cheat.

Regarding moving back to California: if Vicki and Brooks have really broken up he'd have no legitament excuse to stay away from California, especially if Vicki gives him a administrative job in her insurance agency. With a family to take care of, he might become mellow in his old age. If he gets violent with the boys or Brianna I don't see her looking the other way. With her nursing career proceeding along she won't need Ryan to support her in the event he becomes an "abusive, raging louse."

Moving this over to the Vicki thread so as not to take up the whole episode with Ryan/Brianna/Vicki talk

[freeradical]

One last thing about ragey Ryan. During his verbal abuse of Judy at the winter party Brianna was trying to talk Ryan down using a weird baby voice, laughing and making excuses. She clearly spends a lot of time trying to calm him down. The whole scene was weird. Vicki hugged Judy and Ryan yelled at her to stop hugging her. Billy was telling Ryan he has to stop doing this every freaking time! This is not PTSD. I personally think it's an insult to people with PTSD to blame this kind of behavior on that. I'm not saying he doesn't have it, but he sat there justifying it afterwards and maintaining he was right to treat her that way. If it was PTSD that prompted the outburst he would have been shocked at his own behavior afterwards. It's season 8 episode 19, I don't feel like there is any possible excuse for him if you've seen it recently.

Edited September 10, 2015 by freeradical

[misschung]

Just a stretch of a guess what Briana may have been referring to (?): If her mother would not have pursued her relationship with Brooks, Briana may have stayed in California with her family. Ryan might not have pursued getting away from Vickie and Brooks by being assigned to a base in Oklahoma. In addition, taking Brooks into her home, Vicki further exacerbates any reason for Briana and Ryan to relocate back home to Orange County.

Briana would rather raise her sons in the same community as she was with her mom and friends nearby, but as long as her mother is involved with Brooks on a day to day basis it makes it difficult, if not impossible, for Briana to keep Brooks away from her family. I see her point on reminding her mom that a car cannot possible compensate for her to ignore her mother's co-dependence on Brooks. Vicki may say her daughter and grandchildren are her life, but those are empty words to Briana. In actuality, Brooks is Vicki's life and Brianna knows it.

Edited to add: I know Brooks and Vicki have supposedly ended their relationship. Hopefully Briana and Ryan will be back in California soon.

 

Briana is a big, fat liar.  She can't possibly suggest that her move to Oklahoma was because of Vicki and Brooks and then, in the same breath, say "well we have to move as a family because Ryan is in the military." You can't bemoan to your mother that you would never want to live in the Oklahoma version of Coto de Caza and whine about the things you didn't have as a child (a long driveway and the experience of playing with neighborhood kids) and then move into a palatial half-million dollar house and cry that you miss CA.  Which is it?  

 

Totally agree that Briana married Ryan to create a barrier between her and Vicki.  IMO she should have just gotten a pitbull.  They're a nice deterrent, but still cute and fun - unlike her husband. 

 

Lest we forget: Vicki also looked down on Colby because he's Mexican.  It's one thing for Vicki to go to Mexico and pull her ugly American act, but have one in the family?    No bueno

 

I think you're thinking of Lizzie.  I never remember her saying anything about Colby's heritage. 

 

ETA - Ryan is also a cheater.  He cheated on his wife with the girl who filed a restraining order against him, and while he was still married and stalking his mistress, he was courting Briana via Skype and Facebook.  So, not only is he an abusive rageoholic, he's also a louse.

 

 

Do you have any information about the time during which Briana was hooking this scumbag?  I know several posters have made claims about their courting online but I've never read about it anywhere. 

[AnnaMayWong]

One last thing about ragey Ryan. During his verbal abuse of Judy at the winter party Brianna was trying to talk Ryan down using a weird baby voice, laughing and making excuses. She clearly spends a lot of time trying to calm him down. The whole scene was weird. Vicki hugged Judy and Ryan yelled at her to stop hugging her. Billy was telling Ryan he has to stop doing this every freaking time! This is not PTSD. I personally think it's an insult to people with PTSD to blame this kind of behavior on that. I'm not saying he doesn't have it, but he sat there justifying it afterwards and maintaining he was right to treat her that way. If it was PTSD that prompted the outburst he would have been shocked at his own behavior afterwards. It's season 8 episode 19, I don't feel like there is any possible excuse for him if you've seen it recently.

Yes, just so. Just so.

[freeradical]

I honestly don't see a correlation between Vicki yelling that they sent a "FAMILY VAAAN" and Ryan's terrifying treatment of Judy. He was shaking with rage and in people's faces. Didn't he also cock his arm back like he was going to punch someone-maybe Billy? It was a very disturbing scene, esp. considering what set it off, ie: someone's mom (NOT elderly however as some have said) putting her feet up on the couch to take a peaceful break. Not even wearing shoes for God's sake. What the hell is wrong with Ryan?! Creepy, raging asshole. Vicki's brother Billy also said something along the lines of, "you do this EVERY time Ryan!" and told him to calm the fuck down in different words.

Not sure why you are hell-bent on defending his atrocious behavior Sheetmoss. And come on, saying that Vicki is just as abusive and probably abused Donn is just laughable. Vicki can act like a crazy, yelling loon but it is different. Totally different. No one ever feels physically in danger around Vicki! If you can't see the difference between Ryan's rage and Vicki's angry outbursts I am utterly astounded.

I was disgusted how Brianna defended him after Couchgate. She'll feel a bit different when his rage turns on her and the kids if it hasn't already. I'm sure it has started oozing out....

I understand he has PTSD but I also think he is just a controlling, angry creep by nature. Remember his smirk when they told Vicki they had eloped? EW.

I did it again! Said almost the same thing in my post a minute ago. Totally agree with this, obviously! :-) Edited September 10, 2015 by freeradical

[cherry slushie]

Briana is a big, fat liar.  She can't possibly suggest that her move to Oklahoma was because of Vicki and Brooks and then, in the same breath, say "well we have to move as a family because Ryan is in the military." You can't bemoan to your mother that you would never want to live in the Oklahoma version of Coto de Caza and whine about the things you didn't have as a child (a long driveway and the experience of playing with neighborhood kids) and then move into a palatial half-million dollar house and cry that you miss CA.  Which is it?  

 

Totally agree that Briana married Ryan to create a barrier between her and Vicki.  IMO she should have just gotten a pitbull.  They're a nice deterrent, but still cute and fun - unlike her husband. 

 

I think you're thinking of Lizzie.  I never remember her saying anything about Colby's heritage. 

 

 

Do you have any information about the time during which Briana was hooking this scumbag?  I know several posters have made claims about their courting online but I've never read about it anywhere. 

 

It looks to be 2010.  You can read about it here - http://absurdtosublime.net/2013/08/09/marine-corp-weighs-in-on-ryan-culberson-charged-with-dv-by-ex-wife/

[Sincerely Yours]

I don't know that Vicki would ever think anything she would/could do would in fact cause Briana or stop her from seeing the boys, I just don't. I don't think Briana would do it either.

I think it's the hoops that's the main factor. It's not about not letting Vicki see them it's about setting more and more conditions that they know Vicki WILL comply with so she can. She pushes the envelope and I can see them being so pissed that they would impose even more demands the centers around her visits.

[jaync]

Actually Heather and Terry were already building a bigger house when they met Shannon.

Maybe so, but until this season they didn't really have anything to show for it save a vacant lot. Heather could barely hide her bitchface last season when the gang was enjoying the Beadors' indoor basketball court, so I do think she was somewhat bent about the new HW being more of her peer monetarily.

 

I'm not saying he doesn't have it, but he sat there justifying it afterwards and maintaining he was right to treat her that way. If it was PTSD that prompted the outburst he would have been shocked at his own behavior afterwards.

Not to mention, he would've personally apologized to Judy and Lydia for his actions, and explained to them his situation. (And maybe he did, I don't know.)

[WireWrap]

I think it's the hoops that's the main factor. It's not about not letting Vicki see them it's about setting more and more conditions that they know Vicki WILL comply with so she can. She pushes the envelope and I can see them being so pissed that they would impose even more demands the centers around her visits.

What conditions have Briana/Ryan set other than NO Brooks? I have yet to see/hear of any rules or "conditions" Briana/Ryan have for any of Vicki's frequent visits or any threat of limiting her visits if she doesn't comply.