Janelle Brown: Smarter Than Your Average Brown (Maybe)

[Jellybeans]

...and if they are not going to send out thank you's, why have Aspyn "check in" anyone?  

[toodles]

http://www.strivewithjanelle.com/philosophy/i-in-integrity/

I guess Janelle is an expert on everything now.  Clothing and personal care product advice.  Uhhh, no.

[Kohola3]

Love the quote:  "Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching" that Janelle displays.   No point in "striving" for integrity since all of their dirt is spread all over the TLC channel, their bankruptcies are all over the internet, their grifting is well known. 

[Galloway Cave]

Delusion is strong in this one.

[Absolom]

27 minutes ago, toodles said:

http://www.strivewithjanelle.com/philosophy/i-in-integrity/

I guess Janelle is an expert on everything now.  Clothing and personal care product advice.  Uhhh, no.

That was a bit scary in it's near to total lack of self-awareness.

[toodles]

1 minute ago, Absolom said:

That was a bit scary in it's near to total lack of self-awareness.

That's what I thought.  

[Rainflower]

LOL. Looks like someone is reading our posts. Someone took down the launch timer that was in the negative on Strive. Thanks Brownies!

Now did you all send the "thank you for coming" email, yet? Still not too late for that. Also, that promo video should be up by now. Even a four year old could splice and dice a video. Tell your professional cameraman or woman to hurry it up.

[Jellybeans]

Janelle is evaluating clothing lines?  OMG....

[laurakaye]

20 hours ago, AZChristian said:

This just confirms the sense of entitlement that many of us see in this group.  They seem to believe they are entitled to have people (or TV channels) give them money just because they are so wonderful.  They don't have to DO anything for it . . . they are just entitled to it.

This would also explain why (per Toodles' reporting) Kody stood there wondering where everyone was.  Is his name and presence alone not enough to fill a room to overflowing?!  LOLZ.

As thrilled as I am that these grifters are currently not making any TLC money, I'd still love to have some secret camera footage of Kody right about now.  I picture him aimlessly wandering the cuddle-sac, caveman hair unmoussed and unkempt (well, more unkempt than usual), eyes glazed, wondering what he's supposed to do now without a camera following him.  All those zany, wack-a-doodle vacations and over-the-top, Hobby-Lobby decor parties just don't make any sense when there's no footage to prove what a frazzled, overburdened man he is!  Plus...he ain't gettin' paid for it anymore!

Maybe he wanders around collecting notices from the front doors of the cuddle-sac, stating that the mortgages are all past due.

[riverblue22]

I don't know if TLC is totally done with them.  They did include them in that fancy commercial last summer.  Maybe they will have just a couple of updates a year.

[Jellybeans]

I hope they are done with them.  I have already deleted the Sister Wives timer for any future shows...no intention of watching them again.  Am contented to read about them here. LOL.

[Celia Rubenstein]

1 hour ago, laurakaye said:

This would also explain why (per Toodles' reporting) Kody stood there wondering where everyone was. 

I wonder if there were a lot of people who signed up to attend but then didn't show up.  Not everyone is as dedicated and reliable as our toodles is!

I myself would have expected a decent number of no-shows at at a free launch event like that.  But Kody's expectations have nothing to do with reality, of course. I'm sure he was quite insulted, lol.

[Rainflower]

1 hour ago, riverblue22 said:

I don't know if TLC is totally done with them.  They did include them in that fancy commercial last summer.  Maybe they will have just a couple of updates a year.

TLC has a weird way of cancelling shows. Apparently, TLC had told the Willis family that their show, The Willis Family, was cancelled back in May 2016. However, the public was not told about the cancellation until AFTER news broke out that the father, Toby Willis, was arrested for a rape of an underage female that happened 12 years ago.

I don't understand why TLC just sits around and not update viewers as to which shows are cancelled. They could just do it on the show's social media page.

[outtahere]

I think they will try to squeeze at least one more season out of this mess.  We all find fault with the characters but we watch for snark value.  I have to admit it is getting harder and harder to watch.  Remember that there is another wedding in the near future and the drama about Kody possibly bringing a couple more wives into the wonderful world of the Brown family.

What do you all think about a forty plus woman selling the clothing line she has hooked up with?  Those fashions seem to be for a much younger crowd.  Their Pineapple Leggings have always given me a smile.  I saw a young lady with them on and it was, I'll admit it, a little frightening.

Here they are:

[Galloway Cave]

3 hours ago, Jellybeans said:

Janelle is evaluating clothing lines?  OMG....

I think what is most irritating about this whole Strive thing is that Janelle has always been the most pragmatic, out of the adult mob, about work. She got an AA degree and a 9-5 job with the State, then got a RE license and a job working in that field (even if it was kinda on the side). When they were discussing Brown Family Businesses, she was pushing for the brick and mortar fitness center instead of an Interwebz store. So here she is, doing a complete 180, shilling an ambiguous fitness/wellness/clothing site that has no real substance. For someone who was so private about herself and also so (frankly) "I don't give a shit" about anyone else in the family, I find it ironic she is playing cheerleader for this business.

Then there is Meri, selling clothes for a company that mentions "spend time with your family" in every other sentence.

These businesses have Kody's grubby little paw prints all over them.

[Celia Rubenstein]

Hmm, I wonder if one of the clothing lines Janelle is going to "evaluate" will be this Lula-ripoff stuff Meri is hawking.  I think I smell some cross-promotion coming up!

[laurakaye]

Will Meri and Janelle be modeling the Lularoe leggings?  I mean...you sell them and shill them, you gotta wear them, right?

[ginger90]

All of this has me thinking the show is done.

[Celia Rubenstein]

It does feel like these projects are last-minute stabs at trying to get some money-making projects off the ground before their show is cancelled and they completely drop off the world's radar.  I guess they want to have something to show for all the years they did the show.  Besides four McMansions in foreclosure, I mean. 

[Absolom]

5 hours ago, Rainflower said:

TLC has a weird way of cancelling shows.

Not so much in cancelling them but as said below in not announcing it.

5 hours ago, Rainflower said:

I don't understand why TLC just sits around and not update viewers as to which shows are cancelled. They could just do it on the show's social media page.

Few if any of the small to teeny tiny networks announce cancellations.  The shows just disappear.  Once in awhile for something like Roloffs I think they said final season.  And yet the Roloffs came back.  Perhaps that is why they are shy of saying cancelled.  A few of them have returned a year or two or three later.

4 hours ago, Galloway Cave said:

She got an AA degree and a 9-5 job with the State,

I think she actually earned a full four year degree. 

I tried to buy my granddaughter one of the LulaRoe dresses.  It was too difficult.  I was expected to drive 80 miles to go to one of those "pop up boutiques" without the woman even guaranteeing she had the dress and would hold it for me.  I turned it into take my credit card over the phone and mail me the dress if you want this business and any future business otherwise I'm sure Zara will do just fine for the kid.  So yeah, Zara dress and sweater for the kid.  It may have cost a little more, but I think now it's cuter and definitely better quality and figuring gas and my time, the far better deal. 

Edited October 4, 2016 by Absolom

[toodles]

4 hours ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

Hmm, I wonder if one of the clothing lines Janelle is going to "evaluate" will be this Lula-ripoff stuff Meri is hawking.  I think I smell some cross-promotion coming up!

I think they will share email databases.  Maybe I'm giving them too much credit, but I see both are parts of the kody asshat Brown empire.  I doubt it's a coincidence that both of these umm......ventures are coming out at the same time.

[Jellybeans]

5 minutes ago, toodles said:

I think they will share email databases.  Maybe I'm giving them too much credit, but I see both are parts of the kody asshat Brown empire.  I doubt it's a coincidence that both of these umm......ventures are coming out at the same time.

Thank goodness for the "unsubscribe" law.

[Rainflower]

9 hours ago, auntl said:

I thought that Janelle had an accounting degree. Why doesn't she go get a regular 9 to 5 job as an accountant instead of wasting her time on this Brown type nonsense?

I thought Janelle was smarter, but it appears that she's a loser just like the rest of them.

Even if Janelle lands a high paying accounting job, it wouldn't be enough to sustain 4 families. I do not know the cost of living in Las Vegas, Nevada compared to the cost of living in Lehi, Utah (I am assuming it would be more expensive to live in Las Vegas).

That is 4 large houses, 7 adults (including Christine's mom and Robyn's relative, Mindy), on top of school fees/university tuitions/weddings, the house in Utah (if it hasn't been sold already), food, clothing, health care, etc. AND the possibility of the cost of Kody having more children with Robyn and/or adding more wives to his harem.

She probably thinks she can earn more money FASTER with Strive than landing any accounting job and working her way up the pay scale (they still have bills to pay if TLC cancels Sister Wives).

Edited October 5, 2016 by Rainflower

[RealityCowgirl]

I was just headed here to say something similar. I'll give Janelle props for giving real estate a try, but that can be a tough gig even in better markets. This feels like yet another get-rich-quick Brown scheme - big bucks (they hope) without the pesky 9-5 responsibilities. 

Among the many challenges (besides the obvious iffy feel): expecting this one great caper to sustain even one household, let alone multiple households. Maybe, maybe Janelle might make something like this work - IF she had more credibility, drive, a following with more income than brains, etc. Same could have been said of the closet (RIP) - if the items weren't butt-ugly and the operation not run by lazy idiots. 

The Lulawhatever also isn't realistic as a full-time income generator. (I have a faculty friend who treats it as the income supplement it really is, and even that is a lot of work.) Meri could get her bedazzled butt to a regular job or school, but where's the fun in that?

All this leads back to what we've known all along, despite their efforts to show us otherwise: their "lifestyle" is not sustainable, especially when the adults are all a bunch of lazy, intellectually limited buffoons.

[ginger90]

 

Meri's modeling...

[RealityCowgirl]

Except that she's not actually showing the leggings. Perhaps because maybe two bodies in the world actually look good in leggings - and her middle-aged behind isn't one of them. 

Fortunately, she has that giant t-shirt and monster-sized sweater to hide that fact. (I hit my LulaRoe limits easily, thanks to my persistent friend.)

[momofsquid]

I chuckle at how each wife has chosen a scam/career that reflects the life skill that we snark on her for lacking. We have long made fun of Meri's fashion sense so she's peddling clothes. Poor Janelle has suffered with health and fitness issues so that's that's her new specialty. If the pattern holds, Christine will soon be selling a brain training program. Robyn is off the hook because she has already gone above and beyond with her hard work on MSWC. And I'd love to know what Kody is doing with his days while he puts all his wives to work trying to haul his ass out of the fire.

[riverblue22]

That grey thing looks like a huge oversized man's t-shirt.  It sure isn't Kody's...must belong to her hunky "Sam."  Can't see the leggings, but the top half is horrible!  Meri's hair looks pretty good.

[AZChristian]

4 hours ago, Rainflower said:

. . . (they still have bills to pay if TLC cancels Sister Wives).

WHEN, not IF.  LOL.

[Toaster Strudel]

There's a near-empty jar of Wal-Mart brand mayonnaise in the back of my fridge that has more charisma and  fitness authority than Janelle.

The jar will be launching a new health program, please advise your slices of white bread that they can get free tickets! 

[toodles]

Toaster strudel:  I tried to quote your post, but the quote is wonky today.

I'm giving you a thousand likes.

[lookeyloo]

Well, from what we've seen Meri wearing, I think this is an improvement.  Her hair isn't orange and her face isn't either.  She needs to ditch the black eyeliner.  She doesn't look like she is struggling to breathe or is walking around with a wedgie.  

[Jellybeans]

1 hour ago, lookeyloo said:

Well, from what we've seen Meri wearing, I think this is an improvement.  Her hair isn't orange and her face isn't either.  She needs to ditch the black eyeliner.  She doesn't look like she is struggling to breathe or is walking around with a wedgie.  

I agree.  It is an improvement. And Meri, ditch the eyeliner.  

[ginger90]

This looks like a cell phone commercial ! https://mobile.twitter.com/MeriBrown1/status/783699102924099588/photo/1

A description by Strive: http://www.strivewithjanelle.com/upcoming-events/a-look-inside-the-launch-event/

[Jellybeans]

7 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

This looks like a cell phone commercial ! https://mobile.twitter.com/MeriBrown1/status/783699102924099588/photo/1

A description by Strive: http://www.strivewithjanelle.com/upcoming-events/a-look-inside-the-launch-event/

I think that's the event our @toodles went to!  

[ginger90]

26 minutes ago, Jellybeans said:

I think that's the event our @toodles went to!  

Indeed, but I don't think the description was quite the same!!

[Jellybeans]

No, I think the Brown clowns did some "catfishing" of their own lol...

[toodles]

1 hour ago, ginger90 said:

This looks like a cell phone commercial ! https://mobile.twitter.com/MeriBrown1/status/783699102924099588/photo/1

A description by Strive: http://www.strivewithjanelle.com/upcoming-events/a-look-inside-the-launch-event/

Huh.  I feel like they went to an entirely different event from the event I went to.  This describes the Bizarro Strive event.  How you can take a place by storm with so few people is just odd.  The coaches speaking were not inspirational (at least to me) and I don't remember Janelle thanking fans.

The only thing I would say is accurate is they had stuff to sell and cool is not the word I would use.  Crap you see everywhere would be my description.  I'm just SMDH.  

[Rainflower]

Quote

(if you were there and you’re reading this, thank you!),

I see they are still too lazy to send out a simple thank you email. What if the person was there and didn't visit her site?

[Kohola3]

I notice that there were no pictures of the massive audience at the affair.  And what's with the "coaching packages" for sale?

[Natalie68]

On 10/3/2016 at 7:00 AM, toodles said:

There was a person filming with a professional-looking video camera and someone else taking pictures.  The video camera was in the middle aisle facing the stage.   I thought the video camera person would do the live stream, but I guess not.  The website says it's a great success but it looked a little sad to me.

I don't know what a tlc filming looks like, but the photographers looked like just regular people they hired to me.

I don't remember if I mentioned it before, but Janelle was on a morning news show promoting this thing.  The show is on the CW channel and it starts at 4:00 or 4:30 am.  I saw that on the website.  It's a local show.

I'm not social media savvy, but as dj said, there are so many ways to promote an event.  You would think they would spend the dough and hire a pr person to promote the hell out of it.  

Considering Kodoof was in marketing he could have done it himself.  Unless he is as good at marketing as he is a husband/father.

[Natalie68]

On 10/4/2016 at 10:57 AM, Celia Rubenstein said:

Hmm, I wonder if one of the clothing lines Janelle is going to "evaluate" will be this Lula-ripoff stuff Meri is hawking.  I think I smell some cross-promotion coming up!

Is this that lu la ro stuff?  I had never heard of it until several facebook friends added me to their groups.  It irritates me.  If I want to buy these clothes I will find you.  Anyone try them out?

[SometimesBites]

What a circus. Robyn's precious MSWC has a home page with links that go to 404 error hell. Meri has drifted from taking a single college class to hawking green goo to pushing some of the ugliest clothing I've ever seen on the internet (no exaggeration). Janelle apparently believes she's got the chops to be a sort of Oprah Winfrey/Gwyneth Paltrow weight loss-fitness-lifestyle coach and guru.* They are feather-brains--every one of them.

People. Get some fucking JOBS.

*Janelle's website is an embarrassment. The I'm-ready-for-my-closeup-Mr-DeMille photos are NOT flattering, and the copy is wonked. 

As I was beginning my own fitness journey I realized there weren’t many resources out there geared toward people like me—someone who had never really been active, and quite frankly, needed "to get in shape" to get in shape.

I assume she's trying to be clever, right? Trying to say that she has to gear up to make a serious change? Instead, it just looks like a typo. Or is there an echo in here in here in here?

[ginger90]

"Weren't many resources" ? Is she kidding??

[Jel]

Many thanks to our intrepid reporter, toodles for the report!  How high was the awkward level in the audience, btw? 

The use of all caps (STRIVE) seems to be the most energetic thing about this program, which seems to be made up mostly of platitudes and inspirational quotes similar to the ones written on framed posters at my dentist's office.  

I wonder if you get a free claddagh rip off ring when you sign up for the coaching? I have a feeling someone's basement is full of unsold stock.

[Absolom]

The no resources for beginners sounds like she didn't bother looking.  All she had to do was go to Target or Wal Mart or even CVS and look at the exercise DVDs.  There are always plenty of beginner yoga, walking, stretch, and workout type videos.

[Galloway Cave]

YouTube. That is where I got started with my kettlebell routines.

You can learn to do ANYTHING, for free, on YouTube. You might have to do a little research to make sure you are doing it right, but it is there.

[riverblue22]

And I think the online Weight Watchers program offers lots of support.

[toodles]

4 hours ago, Jel said:

Many thanks to our intrepid reporter, toodles for the report!  How high was the awkward level in the audience, btw? 

The use of all caps (STRIVE) seems to be the most energetic thing about this program, which seems to be made up mostly of platitudes and inspirational quotes similar to the ones written on framed posters at my dentist's office.  

I wonder if you get a free claddagh rip off ring when you sign up for the coaching? I have a feeling someone's basement is full of unsold stock.

You're welcome.  I wouldn't say it was awkward as much as weird.  Especially after I saw the recap on the website.  It seemed like a sad little event to me.

[laurakaye]

What do they do all day?!

I have three friends who sell Lularoe on FB.  All three are in their early-to-mid thirties and have young kids at home, and are using it as supplemental income, not a full-time job.  For Meri to be doing this is completely laughable.  She is a grown woman with no kids at home, and a very part-time "husband."  I get that they are special snowflakes in their own minds, but they must be looking at a massive stack of bills that they can't pay.  What is stopping her, or any of the Brown adults, from going out and getting a real freaking job?  Hobby Lobby, an antique store, a restaurant, whatever.  I literally cannot imagine what she does with her time.  It's inexcusable for those people to not be working to put food on the table and keep the McMansion roofs over their stupid heads.

I seriously long for the day...and I truly hope it's filmed for our viewing pleasure...when the entire family has to move into Meri's house and sell the remaining three.  What are they living on?  They can't possibly be making a living wage on SW re-runs.  Maybe they get an occasional check for $1.89 on book sale royalties, but I highly doubt it.

Edited October 7, 2016 by laurakaye