Small Talk: The Polygamous Cul-de-Sac

[MrSmith]

20 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

I can't stand her, and that's but one reason.  But, I don't want to hurt her "fillins", ;)

It's a toss-up for me as to who is worse, Robyn or Meri.  Kody is worse than either both of them, though.

Sorry. I couldn't help it. I tried to resist for as long as I could. I just couldn't get it out of my mind. Please don't hate me! :)

[toodles]

Just now, AZChristian said:

I don't see those episodes on my TV guide.  If you watch the investors episode, could you make note of the names of the "venture capitalists"?  I know that at least one of them (cleavage lady) is on IMDB as an actress.

My DVR picked it up.  Stan Watkins and Amy are the "good friends/investors", the " investors " are ecasi consulting llc, Stephanie k is the lady.

[TurtlePower]

I recorded them but have not had a chance to see them yet, and probably won't until tomorrow (making prickly pear cactus jelly today, takes up the whole damn day)  

[AZChristian]

15 minutes ago, toodles said:

My DVR picked it up.  Stan Watkins and Amy are the "good friends/investors", the " investors " are ecasi consulting llc, Stephanie k is the lady.

Yep, it appears to be a fake company that may have been created just for TLC.  Color me not surprised.

[xwordfanatik]

1 hour ago, MrSmith said:

Sorry. I couldn't help it. I tried to resist for as long as I could. I just couldn't get it out of my mind. Please don't hate me! :)

@MrSmith, no hate here!  I like your posts.  I have those impulses, too, and I don't mind.

[Meowwww]

Watching the reruns now.  What strikes me?  They used to seem happy!  

Meri's boo hoo over the whole catfish thing really stunk up last season. 

[TurtlePower]

Finally watching the dress debacle episode. Meri wants "edgy different."  She got Worst Bridesmaid Dress EVER.  

[TurtlePower]

I didn't know where to put this so here seemed appropriate: watching the episode where they go back to the Lehi house and I so got the pronunciation of that place wrong! They say "Lee-high". I assumed it was "Leh-hee". 

Geez. English is hard. Certainly doesn't fit with most other linguistic pronunciations. 

[TurtlePower]

One more thing--Nathan Collier is so much more likable than K-dog. He has some sense of responsibility in his relationships with his wives whereas K-dog is like, "it's their problem." 

Go Nathan. 

[toodles]

Today's rerun is the divorce.  Meri looked heartbroken.  Legal reshuffling my ass.  

We all know how this story ends.

[TurtlePower]

6 hours ago, toodles said:

Today's rerun is the divorce.  Meri looked heartbroken.  Legal reshuffling my ass.  

We all know how this story ends.

That's why I wish she'd get the nerve to just leave! One of the things that bugs me about Meri is you see it written all over her body language yet she does nothing about it. Instead, she plays games. 

She can either pursue happiness or be miserable.both are entertaining but it would be more entertaining if she just left em all behind. 

Sure hope this doesn't post multiple times! 

Edited to add--duh, she try to pursue happiness with the catfish and she is trying with her LLR trips (til they get sued to death). Still I wish she'd upset the apple cart. 

Edited August 29, 2017 by TurtlePower
Duh moment!

[Kohola3]

Let's see:

• be miserable and act the martyr all over the small screen for money.
• leave and try and make a living with no talents, skill, training, or ambition.

Hmmmmm......

[TurtlePower]

Watching an older episode and wondering, why on earth did Mariah mess with her perfect, naturally blonde hair?!? It suited her. That dark mess she has now does her no favors. 

[toodles]

51 minutes ago, TurtlePower said:

Watching an older episode and wondering, why on earth did Mariah mess with her perfect, naturally blonde hair?!? It suited her. That dark mess she has now does her no favors. 

It would be one thing if looked natural, but yeah, no.  WAY too dark.

[suomi]

1 hour ago, TurtlePower said:

Watching an older episode and wondering, why on earth did Mariah mess with her perfect, naturally blonde hair?!? It suited her. That dark mess she has now does her no favors. 

In my experience, people do better when they keep or return to their childhood hair color. The skin remembers.

[Meowwww]

Meri divorced cuz she had a sure thing in fake Sam.  

The reruns are eye opening.  They all looked 20 years younger and happier.  

[DakotaJustice]

1 hour ago, Meowwww said:

Meri divorced cuz she had a sure thing in fake Sam.  

The reruns are eye opening.  They all looked 20 years younger and happier.  

The divorce was well before Sam/JO came into the picture, which was approximately Jan 2015.  Divorce was in 2014.

[TurtlePower]

11 hours ago, suomi said:

In my experience, people do better when they keep or return to their childhood hair color. The skin remembers.

I agree mostly. I've noticed that dark haired women can get away with a certain level of blonde highlights by a pro but blonde women who go with a straight brunette with no high/low lights--especially if they do it themselves--almost never works. 

Low-lights professionally done probably would have been fine on Mykelti. Her skin tone looks sallow with dark hair and the hair itself is lifeless in appearance. 

[TurtlePower]

8 hours ago, DakotaJustice said:

The divorce was well before Sam/JO came into the picture, which was approximately Jan 2015.  Divorce was in 2014.

The divorce probably made it easier for her to engage with "Sam" more freely. 

I know Meri is at fault for that choice but Kody is a dismissive, blank-faced Neanderthal whose only genuine emotion seems to be annoyance and anger (Kody smash!). 

Aside from being warned "Sam" was fake, who could blame her for wanting attention from someone willing to give it to her. But yeah, warning signs, she fell hard for it. 

Edited August 31, 2017 by TurtlePower

[toodles]

As many of you know, I live in Vegas.  I just wanted to let you know my family and I are all safe and sound.  My sister is visiting and we were down on the strip for my birthday dinner.  We were at the bellagio and left about 8:30.  Bellagio is north of Mandalay bay.  The strip was relatively quiet last night.  My son is a cab driver and he was working last night.  He is home safe and sound.  

I don't even know what to say.  Thank god for Facebook and its checkin feature.  All my friends are safe too.  My heart is pounding and I'm just stunned.  I'm praying for all the people involved.

[AZChristian]

17 minutes ago, toodles said:

As many of you know, I live in Vegas.  I just wanted to let you know my family and I are all safe and sound.  My sister is visiting and we were down on the strip for my birthday dinner.  We were at the bellagio and left about 8:30.  Bellagio is north of Mandalay bay.  The strip was relatively quiet last night.  My son is a cab driver and he was working last night.  He is home safe and sound.  

I don't even know what to say.  Thank god for Facebook and its checkin feature.  All my friends are safe too.  My heart is pounding and I'm just stunned.  I'm praying for all the people involved.

So glad you and your loved ones are okay.  I have another friend who lives there as well, and it appears that many of you are being kind enough to alert people via social media that they're okay.  

I'm beginning to envision metal detectors that all luggage will have to go through at hotels in places like Las Vegas, Times Square, etc.  Every time something like this happens, I think, "Well, it can't get much worse."  And then it does.

[Snarklepuss]

1 hour ago, toodles said:

As many of you know, I live in Vegas.  I just wanted to let you know my family and I are all safe and sound.  My sister is visiting and we were down on the strip for my birthday dinner.  We were at the bellagio and left about 8:30.  Bellagio is north of Mandalay bay.  The strip was relatively quiet last night.  My son is a cab driver and he was working last night.  He is home safe and sound.  

I don't even know what to say.  Thank god for Facebook and its checkin feature.  All my friends are safe too.  My heart is pounding and I'm just stunned.  I'm praying for all the people involved.

Toodles, good to know you and yours are OK, thanks for letting us know.  I saw a woman on a stretcher on TV that looked a lot like Janelle and it made me hope the Browns are OK.  There are so many of them, you never know if one or some of them were there!

[AZChristian]

1 minute ago, Snarklepuss said:

Toodles, good to know you and yours are OK, thanks for letting us know.  I saw a woman on a stretcher on TV that looked a lot like Janelle and it made me hope the Browns are OK.  There are so many of them, you never know if one or some of them were there!

Kody posted on Twitter earlier this morning. They are all fine. None of them were at this concert.

[Jellybeans]

So many hurt and injured.  Glad you are ok toodles.

[Natalie68]

I am glad those living in Vegas are ok.  I was stunned when I woke up.  It is scary to think about.  I manage a concert venue and my husband does security.  It is a tad unsettling.  I don't think I know anyone there but spoke with a student I work with and one of his friends was shot but is ok.  RANT ahead (I am not anti gun, just pro common sense):  I do NOT understand why guns and ammunition can be purchased so easily.  I had to do more to be licensed to do hair then these people have to go through to get a firearm.  So tragic.

[toodles]

4 hours ago, Jellybeans said:

So many hurt and injured.  Glad you are ok toodles.

Thank you, everyone, for your good wishes.  It really means a lot to me.  So many people lost their loved Ines last night.  Our community is really pulling together.  Lines around the block at the blood banks and our congressman is pulling out all the stops to help where he can.  

I feel so blessed today.  The families of my friends are all safe too.  My heart is heavy today.

[TurtlePower]

I wasn't there but know some who were, they're all ok. 

Its coming out that the shooter was surly and miserable. Why couldn't he just jump off the Hoover Dam bypass bridge like everyone else, he had to take a bunch of innocent folks out, too? I'm at a loss. Just, why. Why harm other people. 

[MrSmith]

OK. I have to post this here. This is so fraggin hilarious. It's great. Enjoy!
 

[xwordfanatik]

LOL, snarking on the "famous" first episode!

Wow, Janelle was HUGE then.  She's not tiny now, but she's smaller.  I think Janelle & Christine have improved with age.  Meri & Robyn have NOT.

Kody looked crappy then, and he's worse now.  

"Bye kids, I'm off to go fuck another woman."  Hahahahaha!

[MrSmith]

I loved the part when the one Irish person asked "When does this become a cult?" LOL! Too perfect!

[Wings]

Has there been any news of another season?  It has been awhile, yes?   Love the video! 

[TurtlePower]

On 10/11/2017 at 8:00 AM, wings707 said:

Has there been any news of another season?  It has been awhile, yes?   Love the video! 

It's been pretty quiet in here. I keep checking to see if they've been renewed or have been filming; haven't heard a peep.  

[MrSmith]

Yeah, I haven't heard anything, either.

[Punkadoo]

I am noticing My Five Wives reruns have started running late at night. Testing the waters for a replacement? Personally I would be fine with alternating seasons of Sister Wives and My Five Wives

[auntiemel]

I actually miss My Five Wives. Very different vibe, and I liked discussing them. And they had a sarcastic son I f'loved. So, yeah, I'd be great with them bringing that gang back and alternating seasons.

[lookeyloo]

Son and daughter in law have three kids and dog.  the dog rotates which kid he sleeps with every night.  The kids keep track.  Daughter in law watches Sister Wives and I told her they should change the dog's name to Kody Brown.  We all had a big laugh over that.  But, dog is much better looking.

 

And I liked My Five Wives too.  Although the wives all seemed so sad.

[Kohola3]

Quote

But, dog is much better looking.

Hee!

34 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

Although the wives all seemed so sad.

I think you'd have to be on some kind of medication or be downright insane to be in a polygamist situation as a woman.  What's to be happy about?

[MrSmith]

On 12/9/2017 at 6:35 PM, Kohola3 said:

I think you'd have to be on some kind of medication or be downright insane to be in a polygamist situation as a woman.  What's to be happy about?

I think the same is true even for men. The only upside is you are allowed to have sex with multiple different women, and even that upside is limited and short-lived. It's not like you'll be having sex with a wild, 22-year-old college student every night. The downsides are that you get bossed around by multiple women instead of just one. (Happy wife, happy life, right? I'm perfectly happy being bossed around by one woman. :D ) You also are expected to carve out time during each day to connect with them and with all the children. So you end up with -8 hours of free time every day and the odds are you're exceedingly short on sleep. I am definitely not the person you want to be around when I'm short on sleep! LOL Not only will I bite your head off for the slightest infraction, I'll probably delight in the act.

We all know there isn't a real connection between Kody and most of his wives. I don't know how there could possibly ever be. That requires communication and spending time together, neither of which really happens in a polygamous relationship. As far as the sex goes, without some kind of a connection, there's no way I'd be able to get in the frame of mind to get it on with Janelle and probably not with Meri, either. Christine is kind of cute in spite of her weight (she seems to have a nice personality, which does actually count for something) and, of course, Robyn's the one who's been around the shortest time, which makes it easy to get with her. (Though, I think after a few more years of the insanity of being in the Brown family, she'll be looking a bit unfortunate in the same ways that Meri does).

[Galloway Cave]

1 hour ago, MrSmith said:

You also are expected to carve out time during each day to connect with them and with all the children. So you end up with -8 hours of free time every day and the odds are you're exceedingly short on sleep.

Well, the way it appeared to work in the town I lived in, the patriarchs did what they wanted during the day, then went to the designated wife's home or apartment that night. The head patriarch of the town had his own suite of rooms in the compound. He spent time during the day with the various kids, took them camping on the weekend, maybe interacted with wives if they were around, but kept the one-on-one with them confined to their nights. There were stories that he would summon various wives to his rooms for quickies during the day. If he didn't want to see a wife at night, he didn't. He was always adding in new wives (the youngest was 12 but he didn't sleep with her until she was 15, the bastard). Wives would leave. He had 20 at one time. Seven stayed from beginning to his death. The wives themselves lived their lives, had their jobs, took care of the kids and homes. They worshipped the patriarch and the very limited time they had with him. From what I could tell talking with some of them, they gave their all and he just showed up. Seems like his only connection was with his kids. The other patriarchs I met were all alpha males that tried to bulldoze little ol' me in our interactions but that didn't happen (retired cop here). I'm sure that was their attitude at home too. It was an.....interesting place to live. 

[MrSmith]

@Galloway Cave I forgot you lived in such a place once. Thank you for sharing what you observed. I especially cannot imagine engaging in polygamy as it is practiced where you live. I think the Browns' version of it is horrible enough. I can't imagine being a man of any age and having sex with a 15 year old girl - to say nothing about "marrying" her!

[Roslyn]

1 hour ago, MrSmith said:

Robyn's the one who's been around the shortest time, which makes it easy to get with her. (Though, I think after a few more years of the insanity of being in the Brown family, she'll be looking a bit unfortunate in the same ways that Meri does).

In the beginning of Robyn it was obvious that Kody had the hot HOTS for her just by the look on his face.  I always saw it as a mid life crisis kind of thing when a man decides he can't have his hum drum life/wife/car anymore and doesn't want to face his own aging and thinks that getting a hot car and a young woman will somehow make him young again.  Instead of the merry go round relationship he has, he wants that butterflies in the belly and roller coaster that falling in love (and hot sex) brings.

The MOST telling episode of their show was the Honeymoon special.  You could see their sexual connection clearly and the interviews with the "wives left at home" was probably the most honest we have ever seen them on camera.  I really think the wives watching that episode and seeing that obvious roller coaster connection between Kody and Robyn led to a lot of their issues within the family from there on. From early on Meri demanded NO public affection etc between Kody and the wives to spare her sensibilities and so seeing that could not have been easy on any of them.

AND...something big happened between Kody and Robyn around the time of the real divorce and her getting pregnant with the current baby.  Their body language changed significantly and honestly all the photos she really looks just as miserable as the rest of them.  I think she is already at the "looking a bit unfortunate" right now.

[Galloway Cave]

3 minutes ago, MrSmith said:

I can't imagine being a man of any age and having sex with a 15 year old girl - to say nothing about "marrying" her!

He waited until she turned 18 to marry her. I think the Browns practiced a more traditional version of polygamy prior to the show. Kody did his own thing during the day then went to his designated apartment at night. He was barely connected to those wives (still isn't) and definitely wasn't connected to the kids. Once they got the show, the producers made them interact more, forced them to participate in staged events together and had the wives interacting more. They had Kody and each wife acting like their marriages were monogamous for public consumption (made it easier to sell on TV that they "weren't like the FLDS" even though the AUB is almost as bad). Robyn was brought in, who had only been in a monogamous marriage and had no idea how to act in a plyg marriage.

For the first few seasons they were able to pull it off with no problems, but then the original wives started to buy into the hype of monogamous marriages with Kody and Robyn decided she liked the image of Wife #1 in a plyg marriage, rather than wife #4 sucking hind teat. Kody decided he wanted things the way they used to be, with him being the Patriarch King and all wives back in their place. He also wanted to enjoy wife #4 like he was supposed to, on his own timeline. This is when we started to see everything implode with the family. The producers took advantage of it with plotlines, making everything worse, because Kody is too self-involved to realize what is happening. He wanted the money, the wives wanted the McMansions and they all wanted their D-List and Insta-fame. And behind the scenes there is a total trainwreck happening that leaks onto the TV screen. They should have quit five years ago and moved back to Utah to figure out how to live again. Hopefully they are done filming now.

[MrSmith]

1 minute ago, Galloway Cave said:

Hopefully they are done filming now.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! I want to watch the train wreck unfold. Errr, well .... only to a point. I don't actually want their family life to crumble in such a way as to make their lives even shittier than they are now. Maybe there's no way to avoid that happening. If that's the case, then you're right: Hopefully they are done filming now. Watching that, for me, would be like watching people club seals or kill puppies on TV. I do like people, too, after all and really do have some compassion for them.

[Galloway Cave]

I wouldn't mind a special update every once in a while, especially just to see how the kids are doing. Seems like we can just go to Twitter or Insta to see how things are going for the adults (MLM woes, horrible Kody Hair pics, etc). We can have a new thread here- Social Media Blah Blah, and those who follow can post updates. I'm just tired of the same ol' crap from them, the eye booger pick-inspect-wipe, the sad-sack THs, the Kody Shark Eye Interviews, Robyn taking over the interviews and mostly, knowing that 85% of everything out of their mouths is basically lies.

[TurtlePower]

2 hours ago, Galloway Cave said:

He waited until she turned 18 to marry her. I think the Browns practiced a more traditional version of polygamy prior to the show. Kody did his own thing during the day then went to his designated apartment at night. He was barely connected to those wives (still isn't) and definitely wasn't connected to the kids. Once they got the show, the producers made them interact more, forced them to participate in staged events together and had the wives interacting more. They had Kody and each wife acting like their marriages were monogamous for public consumption (made it easier to sell on TV that they "weren't like the FLDS" even though the AUB is almost as bad). Robyn was brought in, who had only been in a monogamous marriage and had no idea how to act in a plyg marriage.

For the first few seasons they were able to pull it off with no problems, but then the original wives started to buy into the hype of monogamous marriages with Kody and Robyn decided she liked the image of Wife #1 in a plyg marriage, rather than wife #4 sucking hind teat. Kody decided he wanted things the way they used to be, with him being the Patriarch King and all wives back in their place. He also wanted to enjoy wife #4 like he was supposed to, on his own timeline. This is when we started to see everything implode with the family. The producers took advantage of it with plotlines, making everything worse, because Kody is too self-involved to realize what is happening. He wanted the money, the wives wanted the McMansions and they all wanted their D-List and Insta-fame. And behind the scenes there is a total trainwreck happening that leaks onto the TV screen. They should have quit five years ago and moved back to Utah to figure out how to live again. Hopefully they are done filming now.

They all looked so much healthier in Utah. Vegas has not been kind to them, and without TLC money it'll be fun watching them try and keep up with those expenses. 

2 hours ago, MrSmith said:

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! I want to watch the train wreck unfold. Errr, well .... only to a point. I don't actually want their family life to crumble in such a way as to make their lives even shittier than they are now. Maybe there's no way to avoid that happening. If that's the case, then you're right: Hopefully they are done filming now. Watching that, for me, would be like watching people club seals or kill puppies on TV. I do like people, too, after all and really do have some compassion for them.

Me, too. But as far as their lives go, they made the choices that have led them to where they are: stuck in a cul-de-sac in Las Vegas with 4 homes and no real jobs to speak of. You'd think they'd be clamoring for another season to pay the bills. 

Edited December 11, 2017 by TurtlePower

[xwordfanatik]

I have no doubt that Mr. Ugly Mop is literally BEGGING for another season.  No idea here where the payments on the McMansions stand, but to have to work a real job after "fame," adoration(?) and sycophants galore?  Unthinkable.

Thus the stupid MLM ploys and other crap the "wives" are doing.  I doubt the "husband" is doing anything save lying on Robyn's sofa and doing a conjugal visit now and then.

[andromeda331]

On ‎12‎/‎9‎/‎2017 at 5:35 PM, Kohola3 said:

Hee!

I think you'd have to be on some kind of medication or be downright insane to be in a polygamist situation as a woman.  What's to be happy about?

Nothing, no matter how hard they try to sell it. The Browns tried in the beginning but then their book came out and it was clear none of them were happy. Meri treated Janelle and Christine like crap, Kody barely work and dated Janelle behind Meri's back, Meri would often quit her job to go off with Kody, Janelle was married to Meri's brother and left the family at one point, Christine has weird rose colored glasses towards polygamy about how great it is despite the fact her mother polygamy when she was five. My Five Wives didn't look happy either Paulie and Nonie working to get more time with Brady at the expense of the other wives, Brady had zero interesting Robyn or Rosemary, his pressuring Rhonda to quit her job despite the fact she liked it and you know they probably need the money, and Brady giving permission to who gets to be pregnant next. The only other family that's been shown was the Darger family for that one episode. I read their book they tried really hard to show in their book how happy they are. But if they are why do the wives flip out if he holds another wife's hand? Why do they need to rotate who sits next to their husband? After so many years of being married none of that should matter anymore. Why is jealousy still a problem if they are so happy? Is it really fun to be the husband? Yes, being able to sleep with more then one woman might be fun. But dealing with three to five different women, hold the wrong woman's hand and everyone else is pissed, the stress and constant issues would get old fast. Having to support so many wives and kids? Are there any polygamist families that are happy?  

[crazycatlady58]

Does anyone  know what is happening  with Cynical  Jinx?

[suomi]

Here is a good explanation of Mormons and MLM, a mindset which is not exclusive to the FLDS. It's a big damn deal in the mainstream and all of the offshoots, including the AUB. Obviously. This article is another "Oooh, we're not like Them" ploy. Um, yes, you are. If I sat and devoted time to it I think I could come up with 20 or 25 MLM schemes in my peripheral vision over the years (mainstream family and co-workers). I swear to Universe, it's like they have a divine assignment, or right, to pyramid each other. Gah! Today this article is in the first section of the Trib and it will move to the Polygamy section in a couple days. Doesn't that boggle the mind? That the largest newspaper in the state has a Polygamy section? Doesn't that sorta nullify the organized and massive practice of deflection and denial? Anyway, the article and the comments are interesting.

Though it was once banned by their prophet, multilevel marketing has caught on in Utah polygamous communities

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/01/08/after-lives-in-reclusive-polygamous-communities-some-utah-women-are-trying-to-build-new-lives-with-the-help-of-multilevel-marketing/

[Galloway Cave]

10 hours ago, suomi said:

That the largest newspaper in the state has a Polygamy section?

Completely shoots a big hole in the claim the Browns make about how they hafta hide because they are persecuted for their beliefs and will be jailed if they go back to Utah. The plygs in the town I lived in live very openly. They have courted the media since the early 70's, had a semi-autobiographical movie made about them, still give talks at universities, etc. I had to grocery shop at Walmart in a town across the state line in Arizona and Southern Utah plygs in full uniform (male and female) were often there. Hell, even the Browns talk about St. George and all the plygs living openly there. I wish TLC would give up the storyline about living in secret and show the truth about how plygs live in Utah.

One reason I really like "Escaping Polygamy" is it shows the reality of the cult, the abuses and how uneducated/ill-equipped these people are to function in the real world. The article suomi posted is a fine example. They think an MLM is the way to go to make money. I know some of EP is scripted but overall it does a much better job at showing the realities of polygamy. I honestly don't know why TLC is still running Sister Wives. There are no storylines that are even remotely interesting or new in the land of reality TV. It's just SnarkTV at this point.