S06.E13: Tell-All Episode

[Kohola3]

So if they are not women who keep on Kody's good side, they stand a chance of not being called.

 

Yes, but with the misery their attachment to Kadoofus has been on earth, why in the world would they WANT to suffer like that in the afterlife?  I haven't heard anything saying the afterlife will be all balloons and flowers, only that they will be on his planet.  The way he treats them all now (except Sobbyn, at least until she gets old and ugly) makes eternity with him a pretty unpleasant eternal future.

[b2H]

For me, I was mostly impacted by Kody's expression every time Tamron asked the wives a question that bordered on the edge of his approval. His face was always, always menacing, as though to non-verbally warn whomever was answering to be careful and complimentary in the response.

He is reprehensible. Nothing at all redeeming about this guy. Nothing.

[CofCinci]

For me, I was mostly impacted by Kody's expression every time Tamron asked the wives a question that bordered on the edge of his approval. His face was always, always menacing, as though to non-verbally warn whomever was answering to be careful and complimentary in the response.

 

Which is why Meri cyber dated a moody catfish for months without Meri noticing any redflags.

[SunnyBeBe]

When the older kids were little Kody was in the same house with them, right?  Recall when they visited the house where they had their hand prints in cement. They all lived there together.  Then when they moved to Utah. They lived in the same house all together, so I think that Kody not being around as a father started when they moved to Vegas and all got separate rental homes.

[TexasTiffany]

As I recall, they are called by their husbands to join them in the planet afterlife after death.  So if they are not women who keep on Kody's good side, they stand a chance of not being called.  If that is your belief, you are stuck.

 

Are Janelle and Robyn still spiritually married to their former husbands? Would they be "called" by them or Kody? If that is possible, the wives should all leave Kody and find more husbands to increase their chances of being called in the afterlife by one of them. Also, it wouldn't hurt being the exciting, new, loving wife!

 

I could argue with them that it's better to have 1 husband afterall so he can't call anyone but her. Being the LEGAL wife is also a plus since he is bound legally.

 

There are so many holes in the Browns beliefs that are nonsense, you'd think any reasonable person wouldn't fall for those lies.

[CofCinci]

When the older kids were little Kody was in the same house with them, right? Recall when they visited the house where they had their hand prints in cement. They all lived there together. Then when they moved to Utah. They lived in the same house all together, so I think that Kody not being around as a father started when they moved to Vegas and all got separate rental homes.

The handprints were from a visit to Kody's father.

[Galloway Cave]

 

When the older kids were little Kody was in the same house with them, right?

The only time they all lived in one house together was in the Lehi plyg house, for about five years. Otherwise they have always had separate houses. In the early years they were in small houses/trailers within spitting distance of each other. Then Janelle moved about 30 minutes away for two or three years. She got an inheritance, Kody asked her to come back to the family and also fund the purchase of the Lehi plyg house.

[SometimesBites]

Didn't Kody, Meri, and Janelle all live together when Janelle first joined them? My recollection was that the tension with Meri and her relentless domineering of Kody's attention caused Janelle to mostly stay in her room by herself when they were all home together.

Edited November 27, 2015 by SometimesBites

[BlackWidow]

I'll tell you what I think re: Janelle - It's the other way around.  It's what she has over the rest of the wives.  We all know that she's Kody's oasis in the midst of all the drama of the other wives.  Suddenly she is finding favor with him at least as a friend.  He probably confides in her and thanks her for not being needy and unhappy with him, which in turn makes her feel like she's finally "special" to him - More special than the other wives in her own little way.  Even more special than Robyn because it's not blinded by romance.  Which is making me wonder if her approaching Meri now (to which Meri asked "why now?") had something to do with Meri's fall from grace and Janelle's guilt over rising above Meri's position in Kody's eyes.

 

 I thought this as well, the 'it's better to be respected than loved' thing. As fake as that (the whole thing, basically) was, I've seen worse long ago on soaps. It's not just Janelle though, they are all full of it and spinning and reciting lines, someone else posted something about what was said vs what was meant or not said. Sure Tamren can ask more probing questions but then they can always up their BS game and not answer them , make stuff up (I mean, in their religion they might call it  'lying for the lord' just like 'bleeding the beast' is ok, the whole concept of 'this over here counts, but this over here doesn't 'count'). I don't even think they believe they are lying or embellishing or leaving stuff out etc because they can always qualify it or say "well I meant it this way" or otherwise bs it.

 

 

Interesting.  In some clips we saw Christine's magnificent flowing mane and her usual joyful demeanor.  Then she used the soothing voice, which I personally wish I had.  I hate my voice but I would be called out on is now if I tried to change.  I think all those factors combined should raise her up to the most desirable wife level.  I simply do not understand Kody's fascination with Sobyn.  I haven't seen any aspect of her personality that stands out to me.  From what we've seen, her overarching personality trait is worry and angst.  No man wants THAT all the time.  

 

   The soft  voice she slips into is creepy not feminine and sweet which I suppose she is going for. #4 I believe is different with the group of them or for the camera than with kodster alone. I think she fakes all this 'oh, Im so worried, sad face, fake cry, etc' but is a lot colder fish than she holds herself out to be. Like when she came out with "meri hasn't been herself for a long time." Meri had a look on her face like thanks for throwing me under the bus, because #4's statement is pretty much making a pseudo-safe comment which sinisterly implies I know more than I'm telling but I'm going to use a covert (yet obvious) vague statement to cover my ass, while pretending to cover yours.

 

That's the kind of stealth passive-aggressiveness we all hate. But it suggests , there's more there than I'm saying,then and contradicts the bs  'girl-code' used wrongly-  Oh I won't tell what you are jealous of, that's against girl code, see how cool I am in protecting you. Or could it be that no one wants to admit the thing that makes them jealous- why would they do that, that would be arming the others right? I'm doing you such a favor not letting everyone on TV know how bad you suffer being jealous of me. Isn't that big of me? I'm jus that good of a person. You're welcome. Does anyone see how douchbag that is?

 

So I have so much 'girl code' but I'll come up with a statement like 'hasn't been herself for a long time' which is vague and mysterious, implies knowing more than she's telling, and also makes it seem like it has been going on a long time. She could have just said "you need to work this out with her, I hope she sticks around and stays my friend. " Use 'I' statements #4, stop it with the widdle-babby so -vulnrubble pleading tone, it's so gross. Especially in contrast to your meta-talk passive-aggressiveness. Maybe it works on brainwashing the kodster but it won't work on the women. Aren't all of thee people way too old to be playing these high school games?

 

 

Oh, I know. I don't think she's very pretty but I'm looking at my scenario through Kodouche's eyes. 

 

   If the two of them didn't have the others around so they could play the romantic but oppressed lovers... 'it shoulda been us from day one'  (carries the implication 'but we'll put up with the others, we'll try to be sorta fair and nice to them'. if they didn't have the others, I think they would quickly grow bored of each other. I think #4 thrives off the drama and the fact that she has only 5 years of baggage with king kod and the fact the other wives have more problems, resentments, umm history with him.

 

He by turn lets her play her 'oh thank you for rescuing me from the abandoned trailer park of fundie hell and shitty jobs...oh kody, you picked up this broken bird, oh your love has healed me, blah blah, pass the airplane barf bag. He didn't really, TLC did, but she will allow his ego to 'fill' like he's the white knight. But both of them need the others to secretly enjoy their BS Tristan and Isolde fantasies.

 

Neither #4 or K are that interesting or have that much substance- sure making out is great, and being all romantic and silly is great but you have to have more than that long term. What if someone is just not that bright or doesn't have anything to talk about? What if #4 plays the wounded baby bird and just doesn't act like a grown woman when her own children get older and need a strong role-model, not the princess in the tower, eternal princess, every-minute -is-some-big-emotional-moment? what if that whiny, pleading, teenager, plaintive 'wullllll' tone gets freaking annoying?

Or is being 'strong' reserved only for the others?  how shitty is that for them? Hey you guys get to be the strong, self-controlled, mature grown-ups! Isn't that cool?!  #sucks

 

 

Christine creeped me out when she went into that "Keeping Sweet" monotone, extra soft spoken, simpering, dreamy voiced monologue of whatever the hell she was talking about. She sounded crazy and fake, not calm and reflective.

 

       The only part that seemed to ring true in all of that was when she said she needs to figure out who she is. Slipping into these alter-egos, the wacky-fun cheerleader, the icky-sweet , trying to make an attempt at oh look at me trying to be all soft and sexy, it doesn't come off that way.  It comes off either creepy or awkward, and not awkward in the way she used to be , sorta geeky-cute but like stalkery, evil nurse or 'single white female' or something.  She doesn't need any extra 'disturbed'.

 

And yeah when they showed the repeat of her with the salmon colored shirt on, hair in ponytail , little to no makeup, I much prefer that look on her, it takes years off her and is flattering-than the 'done-up' look and hair. I've always said on her, less is more, she's one of the few people that can get away with just doing the minumum makeup wise and still have that fresh-faced country girl look. Maybe it's a blonde thing, I don't know. It even hurts to watch her trying to morph herself into a different personality to please king kod when it looks like he could give a crap , (hey look at me in one of don johnsons miami vice suits I picked up !). I truly (no pun intended) hope she does develop her own personality, rather than relying on compound manipulation tricks, even if king kod doesnt always like it. Guess what, he doesnt have to always like it!  is it too hard to imagine him not liking the real you than the silly compound mean girl/cheerleader/insert other fake identities?

I mean, he still might be a dick either way, but you would at least get to be you rather than pretending..

Edited November 27, 2015 by BlackWidow

[RazzleberryPie]

The "I need to figure out who i really am" from Christine - I seriously hope that means "I need to figure out how to stand up for myself, be comfortable with my own personality, and be able to express what I, myself, want, like and need," and NOT "I need to stop being my true self and figure out how to kill my real personality, Keep Sweet  while being Discarded Wife #3, and make Kody and Robyn happy."

[CofCinci]

Hopefully Christine figures herself right out of that toxic marriage. You can 'Keep Sweet' all day and all night but he's never going to treat you right.

[boxerlove]

BlackWidow nailed it.   R loves being the "mean girl", she thrives off manipulating K and the spiritual wives.   Its all a game to her, so if one leaves she has less players to mess with and she would lose in that respect.  

 

I think Janelle and the older kids have been strongly advised to defend Robyn and her kids or else.   There was a threat of some sort (not physical).   K would deny tuition, money or access to other siblings.   I honestly believe that if one speaks out against the family narrative that K would cut them out of the family fold all together.  Time will tell how long that threat would hold water, cracks are starting to appear.    

[Galloway Cave]

 

Didn't Kody, Meri, and Janelle all live together when Janelle first joined them?

Yes they did. But it was only a short time. Janelle moved out pretty quickly into a little house or trailer right next door and that started their separate living situation. I was referring to the kids living under the same roof with Kody. That didn't happen until the Lehi house.

[Granny58]

"Janelle, who also was not born into it, I think had a  calling."   Truthfully, it is my impression that Janelle is not particularly amorous, loves her kids but is kinda lazy about it, and likes the idea of a part time husband and a woman to do the "woman's work."   I do not think it's a religious calling for her.  

Meri: " I wanted a Batman and got stuck with a Robyn."

this is just an epic post.  

Thank you for beating me to it! I had a dual reaction to this tweet: 1. So typically Kody Brown to assume that the question about the kids not choosing plural marriage is about HIS VALIDATION. 2. If the adults are convinced that plural marriage, no matter it's pain and sacrifice, is the way to attain the most desirable eternal outcome, how can they NOT be disappointed (or concerned, or sad, or worried) if the kids don't want to take that path? Don't get me wrong--I'm really glad that the Brown adults allow their adult kids to make that choice with no judgement. It just doesn't compute to me. If my religion said--and I wholeheartedly believed--that the ultimate path to the afterlife included eating black jelly beans every day, then I would feel deeply concerned if my own children rejected black jelly beans. (Gawd, I think I just concocted a really terrible religion!)

A TERRIBLE religion!!!???  Oh no.  If it's all about eating jellybeans please sign me up.

Edited November 28, 2015 by Granny58

[CofCinci]

Janelle, who also was not born into it, I think had a  calling."  

Her "calling" was that this Ken doll of a young man was willing to marriage her.

[Granny58]

Yes, he was quite a cutie back then.  I think that's Christine though, unless you're just using this pic to show him.  

[NotRealYet]

Yes, he was quite a cutie back then. I think that's Christine though, unless you're just using this pic to show him.

That is most definitely Christine but who is the boy? If I'm being honest, I only know a few of the Brown kids' names. Can't be bothered to learn them all!

Kody was attractive back then. What a shame.

[SometimesBites]

I'll wager the little boy is Kody's younger brother Curtis (deceased).

[butterly17]

Her "calling" was that this Ken doll of a young man was willing to marriage her.

 

 

I always cringe at poor Christine's horrible, sad sack of a wedding dress. It could not be any more unflattering.  

[Snarklepuss]

"Janelle, who also was not born into it, I think had a  calling."   Truthfully, it is my impression that Janelle is not particularly amorous, loves her kids but is kinda lazy about it, and likes the idea of a part time husband and a woman to do the "woman's work."   I do not think it's a religious calling for her. 

 

I agree.  I think this arrangement works for her limited needs, which is why she sought it out and seems the most satisfied with it.  Unfortunately she had to sell out her self respect in the process to suffer being involved with Kody and his hair brained brand of "religion".  She can tune him out and concentrate on her own life but he's still full of himself and an asshole.  Just because she doesn't need that much of his attention doesn't give him a pass for liking not having to give it in my opinion.

[CofCinci]

 I think that's Christine though, unless you're just using this pic to show him.  

I was just using the pic to show him in Ken Doll mode.

[BlackWidow]

j

BlackWidow nailed it.   R loves being the "mean girl", she thrives off manipulating K and the spiritual wives.   Its all a game to her, so if one leaves she has less players to mess with and she would lose in that respect.  

 

I think Janelle and the older kids have been strongly advised to defend Robyn and her kids or else.   There was a threat of some sort (not physical).   K would deny tuition, money or access to other siblings.   I honestly believe that if one speaks out against the family narrative that K would cut them out of the family fold all together.  Time will tell how long that threat would hold water, cracks are starting to appear.    

 

I'm not even totally sure she even knows she is doing it half the time, the passive-aggressiveness wrapped in the 'ohh but look how GOOD I'm being, and helpful, and concerned yadda yadda', the 'childrenization' for lack of a better term- of these women baffles me, the widdle-bitty me talk, the babyish mispronunciations, the constant seeming to look around before giving an opinion, the constant approval-seeking, the wearing of various personalities to please youknowwho, the faking of wanting to be besties..it's all just so weird that it is hard to tell if they are as conniving as some posters make them out to be, or if this is just all they know, being surrounded with this mentality and probably rewarded for it. Therefore, I don't know if I could call it 'mean girl' exactly , it seems actually even younger than the high-school machinations depicted in movies. 

 

 

I agree.  I think this arrangement works for her limited needs, which is why she sought it out and seems the most satisfied with it.  Unfortunately she had to sell out her self respect in the process to suffer being involved with Kody and his hair brained brand of "religion".  She can tune him out and concentrate on her own life but he's still full of himself and an asshole.  Just because she doesn't need that much of his attention doesn't give him a pass for liking not having to give it in my opinion.

 

          Again, maybe she felt like this was the best deal she could get, therefore she doesn't know anything else (well besides the short-lived marriage to Meri's brother). So maybe for her it was a pragmatic thing. So when we make observations like 'oh well Janelle doesn't need this or that , that's her personality' maybe it's more that that is all she is USED to and is too proud to beg, so to speak. So it looks better for her to say 'well we're more like friends than anything' because what is she going to say 'yeah he doesn't really have the romance for me, but I just accept it '. Generally people are not going to eat themselves into a real problem like that if they are happy and fulfilled.

So I'm not convinced she is satisfied with the way things are and/or have been, but more what I said before- this is what she is used to and doesn't know much else. Don't know if I quite believe that stuff Janelle said about 'this happened with me, it happened with Christine, but people didn't see that on TV and they are being unfair to Robin blah blah'. That kind of statement does seem like it was tv-created spin as well as similar to the whole Kody telling Christine on their therapy vacation, 'you need to accept and be happy with the family the way it is and get with the robin program' with the unsaid but implied 'or else I'm going to keep giving you the cold shoulder'.

 

Just watched this one (you can can watch free, don't install any popups or messages just click the x to close it)  and was thinking wow and I thought things were bad then....  http://newepisodes.me/watch-sister-wives-online-free/34045/season-3-episode-3-brutal-honesty

[MarysWetBar]

j

I'm not even totally sure she even knows she is doing it half the time, the passive-aggressiveness wrapped in the 'ohh but look how GOOD I'm being, and helpful, and concerned yadda yadda', the 'childrenization' for lack of a better term- of these women baffles me, the widdle-bitty me talk, the babyish mispronunciations, the constant seeming to look around before giving an opinion, the constant approval-seeking, the wearing of various personalities to please youknowwho, the faking of wanting to be besties..it's all just so weird that it is hard to tell if they are as conniving as some posters make them out to be, or if this is just all they know, being surrounded with this mentality and probably rewarded for it. Therefore, I don't know if I could call it 'mean girl' exactly , it seems actually even younger than the high-school machinations depicted in movies.

Again, maybe she felt like this was the best deal she could get, therefore she doesn't know anything else (well besides the short-lived marriage to Meri's brother). So maybe for her it was a pragmatic thing. So when we make observations like 'oh well Janelle doesn't need this or that , that's her personality' maybe it's more that that is all she is USED to and is too proud to beg, so to speak. So it looks better for her to say 'well we're more like friends than anything' because what is she going to say 'yeah he doesn't really have the romance for me, but I just accept it '. Generally people are not going to eat themselves into a real problem like that if they are happy and fulfilled.

So I'm not convinced she is satisfied with the way things are and/or have been, but more what I said before- this is what she is used to and doesn't know much else. Don't know if I quite believe that stuff Janelle said about 'this happened with me, it happened with Christine, but people didn't see that on TV and they are being unfair to Robin blah blah'. That kind of statement does seem like it was tv-created spin as well as similar to the whole Kody telling Christine on their therapy vacation, 'you need to accept and be happy with the family the way it is and get with the robin program' with the unsaid but implied 'or else I'm going to keep giving you the cold shoulder'.

Just watched this one (you can can watch free, don't install any popups or messages just click the x to close it) and was thinking wow and I thought things were bad then.... http://newepisodes.me/watch-sister-wives-online-free/34045/season-3-episode-3-brutal-honesty

So i fell into the episode and realized he has been a narcissistic pig for years. I can't imagine the excitement that would fly out of me if anyone ever bought me something like a laptop. "Now i have to go to work." What an idiot he is.

Robyn: I knew he didn't want a laptop. Aiiiiiiii

Thx for that link tho. .is it just sister wives or are there more shows on there?

[Jellybeans]

A TERRIBLE religion!!!???  Oh no.  If it's all about eating jellybeans please sign me up.

NO! NO! NO! :-(

[okerry]

Quote: The biggest common thread I've picked up on from all of these polygamist shows - from fictional shows like Big Love, to all the reality shows on TLC with various families - is that the women are in constant competition with each other, and the men seem to enjoy it. /Quote

 

So, so true. And sick. The men DO enjoy it. In my book, the worst karma comes from getting your jollies off of someone else's pain. Listening, Kody?

[okerry]

That's a tough call - no pun intended - to determine if they're actually 'called' or just born into it and believe this is the only option to please God. Kody started off normal LDS and says he was 'called' to polygamy a few years after his family joined the AUB and his dad took multiple wives.

Any truth to the story that Joseph Smith, the "founder" of polygamy, suddenly decided he was called to have multiple wives when he got caught shagging the family maid? Because THAT I would believe.

[LibertarianSlut]

Just watched this one (you can can watch free, don't install any popups or messages just click the x to close it)  and was thinking wow and I thought things were bad then....  http://newepisodes.me/watch-sister-wives-online-free/34045/season-3-episode-3-brutal-honesty

Wow, it's amazing how they got the 'we may struggle, but overall we're perfect' edit just a few short years ago.

Where did they get the memo--talking to you, Robyn and Christine--that it is a valid outfit to wear a tank top over a long-sleeved shirt? Right. I am going to go put my bikini top over a cable-knit sweater, wear it for the world, and cry 'persecution' if someone doesn't like it.

[BlackWidow]

So i fell into the episode and realized he has been a narcissistic pig for years. I can't imagine the excitement that would fly out of me if anyone ever bought me something like a laptop. "Now i have to go to work." What an idiot he is.

Robyn: I knew he didn't want a laptop. Aiiiiiiii

Thx for that link tho. .is it just sister wives or are there more shows on there?

 

(not sure about other stuff that is on that site, I know on the left of the 'tv' screen if one site playing an episode doesnt work, you switch to another channel on that list on the left, maybe there are other shows than SW on there, just don't get sucked into downloading all that 'you need to update your java BS' you don't just play the video and ignore or close out that stuff)

 

Re Bday:     He probably was hoping he would get another vacation or maybe a spa day or country club membership or fishing trip or something that would get him away from all the insanity there.  Him sitting on the chair with the burger king crown on, "It's my special day! I'm the king!" Yeah his non- appreciativeness after the scene of the wives going around the table talking about how much they are going to have to put in- it looked like an apple something product, so it wasn't cheap. It was almost like you could tell he was hoping for some other thing and thought he was going to get it. When are we going to see an episode where he does something nice for each of them, not a necklace, not a party, not therapy, not a TLC-invented thing.

 

I know many of ya'll don't like Brady either as I said in the 'who is worse, Brady or Kody', Kody gives me new reasons to appreciate Brady, although maybe if MFW was still on by now I would be ripping on him too. Still ,he seems more laid back, though I still feel bad about the one wife of his who was crying about the ring she got because she felt like it was an obligatory gift and he wasn't making it this special thing like he did for some other wife. Brady seems worse at faking 'everyone is the same, whee!' than Kody is. That part would really suck, the knowing okay, he loves me but let's face it, he's way more into this other person than me, and I'm never going to be them or even like them. That must hurt tons. It was interesting seeing the contrast between that crew and th Browns, wish they could both be on.

 

I guess it depends what one can deal with. Kody seems exhausting beyond words just watching him. I bet though, even the bloom is off the rose with #4 to some degree. Even in a long-term mono relationship, if the man has a mistress long enough, even that gets to feeling routine and blah given enough time, and now they have little kids etc., and it's not just about who is the skinniest or youngest either.

 

 I suppose I just like that episode because of what I have come to think of as the 'mafia lunch' between Robin and Christine. The 'oh no honey, it wasn't you I was mad at, it was him'  and "oh,, good cause I thought it was meeee, and my momma said it ain't personal girl, yer just the new fish..'  (OK I'm paraphrasing). "I wanted to be your friend, but it just.didn't.happen." (scary music, glare in Christine's eyes saying 'yer lucky you're still sucking air sweetie'. All I can think is wow would Christine make a good villain in a movie. Nice *words*, well sorta nice, come out of her mouth but the look in her eyes .I mean, I'm not even after her old man and a semi-tough broad at times and I'm scared to be one state over from her lol, although I have the feeling she wouldn't be nearly as irritated with me, because I wouldn't have acted like the reverse of her tagline which in Robin's case would be  'I wanted the asshat, just not the fam' (someone help me with my kids and where do I put the bills? ok back to making life a honeymoon for me and kody and being slow enough to actually say that out loud on tv)..but as awful as that lunch was, even in it's fakery of 'let's let bygones be bygones' you could totally tell how BS it was, so it was 'rill' by accident.

 

Maybe Christine was hoping that Robin would have said" Hey, I'm sorry we acted like supreme douchbags, when you were pregnant, the wedding dress, all the stupid shit I said, I roally screwed up, and even if you primarily blame him, I was in it with him and I feel like an ass now for it."

If she had copped to any of that maybe Christine might have cut her some slack, but when R lapsed into the 'sniffle sniffle you don't like me, my mommy said' and all that poor baby stuff instead of copping to her own role in being totally oblivious to the other wives- it was just more of the same. Prob R and K both think they did nothing wrong and Christine is out of line even as they all but acted like mono people in a whirlwind courtship. You'd think at least one of them would have watched some of the tape and thought oh man, we have to cool it.

 

It seems to be a case of wanting your compound cake and eat it too, in the sense that he wants to be this patriarchal ruler, at the same time trying to make it seem like oh these are modern, educated, strong women who choose this, and they aren't oppressed, everyone is on the same level, I treat everyone the same, etc. Fact is, you don't get to sashay into anything and get to be top dog, modern or not-modern, you have to earn your stripes. If you are perceived as 'the boss' and then seen as favoring the new kid as opposed to those who have seniority, like at a wokplace, and it does seen plygland is a workplace of sorts- yeah you are going to get blowback from the long-term people.  The same BS may happen on the compound too but at least they are not going around talking all this crap about oh how modern we are and we're all equal and we weren't forced to be in this, it's a choice etc. Also I would bet on the compound, the men let the women work this crap out without him being the go-between of 'oh you better play nice wiht so and so or else', and that being the case, the new wife has an incentive not to piss off or alienate the existing wives, but get accepted with them not 'just the man'...

[purpleflowers]

Wow, it's amazing how they got the 'we may struggle, but overall we're perfect' edit just a few short years ago.

Where did they get the memo--talking to you, Robyn and Christine--that it is a valid outfit to wear a tank top over a long-sleeved shirt? Right. I am going to go put my bikini top over a cable-knit sweater, wear it for the world, and cry 'persecution' if someone doesn't like it.

It's amazing watching those earlier episodes! (Thanks to the one who posted the link!) It literally is like a different show, almost a different family. Janelle legitimately said "we have a fabulous relationship" in regards to the wives.

Edited November 29, 2015 by purpleflowers

[leighroda]

He had a crown for his birthday? But I thought everyday was Kody day?

[Kohola3]

Well the rest of the year he wears his magical Prophet Cloak that only members of his "religion" can see.  Like the temple underwear only on the outside.

[SunnyBeBe]

The reason I think they all lived in the house with handprints was that they planned the  visit and the kids all had their favorite memories.  That's how I took it.  Plus, they have talked about how they have these great memories from when they were kids.  Maybe someone who has read the book can chime in.  

[leighroda]

Because they are all "happy"

http://transactional.jibjab.com/t/eccbJmKB1dQAT1vBVNnBKHQDGhaIZCkaaaaaaBLFZ-Yua?s=3@0-5-z-&c=Ncg@jgc606_fqroYkj.emo&j=g&v=&t=fvrr%251C%250H%250Huyu.lgdhcZ.emo%250Htkcy%250Ho9gkAoW~12c-GGKzPgq0&Kql%254A%254y5y%254yPmx%250202z7%2502z8%251C16%251C0-%25028262y&vv@lh@gkcgn@ceYtbu@bgdcsnr@tcegrgglv@lqrkdkacrkmp@0

[Snarklepuss]

j

 

I'm not even totally sure she even knows she is doing it half the time, the passive-aggressiveness wrapped in the 'ohh but look how GOOD I'm being, and helpful, and concerned yadda yadda', the 'childrenization' for lack of a better term- of these women baffles me, the widdle-bitty me talk, the babyish mispronunciations, the constant seeming to look around before giving an opinion, the constant approval-seeking, the wearing of various personalities to please youknowwho, the faking of wanting to be besties..it's all just so weird that it is hard to tell if they are as conniving as some posters make them out to be, or if this is just all they know, being surrounded with this mentality and probably rewarded for it. Therefore, I don't know if I could call it 'mean girl' exactly , it seems actually even younger than the high-school machinations depicted in movies. 

 

 

 

          Again, maybe she felt like this was the best deal she could get, therefore she doesn't know anything else (well besides the short-lived marriage to Meri's brother). So maybe for her it was a pragmatic thing. So when we make observations like 'oh well Janelle doesn't need this or that , that's her personality' maybe it's more that that is all she is USED to and is too proud to beg, so to speak. So it looks better for her to say 'well we're more like friends than anything' because what is she going to say 'yeah he doesn't really have the romance for me, but I just accept it '. Generally people are not going to eat themselves into a real problem like that if they are happy and fulfilled.

So I'm not convinced she is satisfied with the way things are and/or have been, but more what I said before- this is what she is used to and doesn't know much else. Don't know if I quite believe that stuff Janelle said about 'this happened with me, it happened with Christine, but people didn't see that on TV and they are being unfair to Robin blah blah'. That kind of statement does seem like it was tv-created spin as well as similar to the whole Kody telling Christine on their therapy vacation, 'you need to accept and be happy with the family the way it is and get with the robin program' with the unsaid but implied 'or else I'm going to keep giving you the cold shoulder'.

 

Yeah, I respectfully disagree with that.  I feel like I know Janelle and have known others like her.  There really are people like that.  I once worked with a woman who married late in life - She told me she never really needed a man but when she got older she wanted some kind of friendly companionship.  So she found herself a guy that didn't place too many demands on her and it was a match made in heaven.  She even confided in me that they didn't have sex, it just wasn't for them.  Yep, people like this actually exist. 

 

When someone is unhappy I can usually tell if I have that much to go on.  Like the way Christine puts on a happy face and tries to convince herself to be happy - Even before she became open about it on the show with therapy sessions, etc., it was painfully obvious how unhappy she was.  Not so with Janelle.  She seems secure and settled.  I don't sense any attempt to fool the world.  She may have fooled herself, though, but that's another story. 

[SometimesBites]

With respect, all of us are in exactly the same boat when it comes to an analysis of Janelle or any of the Browns: we aren't them and we probably aren't a close friend or family member. Therefore, everything we post about how they think, what they feel, or how their psyches spin is absolute speculation based on our personal observation, subjective experience, and opinion. I appreciate that my own take on Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn is only as valid as anyone else's on an internet forum.

 

My opinion is that Janelle has the melty feels for Kody and always has, and that--for her--he was a hot catch. How someone shows their emotions in public is not necessarily any indication of how sexually amorous they are behind closed doors. Only Janelle and Kody really know for sure.

[kassa]

I don't know how secure or settled Janelle is, but there's always the security and settlement of show money.  She's in the nicest house she's ever lived in (presumably), her older kids are launching successfully, the youngest are in school full time, leaving her lots of "me" time, she's pretty universally the social media favorite wife which permits her to be magnanimous to the others AND be introspective enough to do some real internal examination as opposed to just tearing her hair out at how miserable she is, and last but certainly not least... she loves Kody.  I think she genuinely does.  She generally has no giddy side, but occasionally when they talk about Kody as a man, his hair (ugh), etc. -- she really gets bubbly in an uncharacteristic way.  I don't think she's faking.  I think she still crushes on him. (EDIT to say obviously I xposted with SometimesBites!)

 

If Meri and maybe Christine eventually jump ship, I can see Janelle being perfectly happy in a cozy little cottage or in-law suite  somewhere, and Kody coming over to play video games and eat nachos with her.  And then she can spend a week a year with each child and their family, which adds up to a lot of changes of scenery. 

Edited December 1, 2015 by kassa

[Snarklepuss]

I didn't mean that I don't think Janelle has any sexual interest in the K-douche, just that she doesn't need the frequency or depth of closeness with him than say someone like Christine does.  I don't think the relative coolness of their relationship is any secret - It's even been covered by the show in past seasons regarding their relationship but I don't remember the specifics right now.  I do remember she said something last season about having some sort of Renaissance of romance with him, but a lot of people doubted it.  Whatever it is, she's not as needy and dependent on a man as the others are as far as I can see.  Some people might interpret that as disinterest, or lack of romantic feelings, others that she's just an independent woman with her own life apart from a man who doesn't need one around 24/7 and is OK with sharing him with other women.  I tend to think it's the latter.  Whatever it is, it seems to work for her.  I was responding to someone who said they thought she was "settling".  I don't really think so, but YMMV.

[CofCinci]

Janelle was a homeless woman living in a tent on Kody's father's property.  They can try to romanticize her homelessness by calling it a teepee, which is offensive to Native Americans, but it was a freaking tent.  We all know that Kody's father was a real dick.  I can't imagine the type of "hospitality" he showed to Janelle after her first divorce.  Kody was her savior and she'll always side with him.

[BlackWidow]

Janelle was a homeless woman living in a tent on Kody's father's property.  They can try to romanticize her homelessness by calling it a teepee, which is offensive to Native Americans, but it was a freaking tent.  We all know that Kody's father was a real dick.  I can't imagine the type of "hospitality" he showed to Janelle after her first divorce.  Kody was her savior and she'll always side with him.

 

    The thing I didn't get about the tent in Y-oming thing was the timeline- if she left the family for a while to be in this tent situation, where were her kids? I thought she had Logan before even Meri had Mariah. Anyway, maybe someone knows about this part, I can't see her with a bunch of toddlers in a tent in a place that is probably cold as balls a good part of the year.

[CofCinci]

    The thing I didn't get about the tent in Y-oming thing was the timeline- if she left the family for a while to be in this tent situation, where were her kids? I thought she had Logan before even Meri had Mariah. Anyway, maybe someone knows about this part, I can't see her with a bunch of toddlers in a tent in a place that is probably cold as balls a good part of the year.

The tent was post-divorce, pre-Kody/pre-children.

[riverblue22]

I thought she only lasted one night in the teepee.  I don't think she was homeless at the time.

[Readalot]

Meri: " I wanted a Batman and got stuck with a Robyn."

this wins my Internet today. Brilliant.

[SometimesBites]

 

Meri: " I wanted a Batman and got stuck with a Robyn."

 

this wins my Internet today. Brilliant.

Yes. Because it just cannot be posted often enough.

Edited December 9, 2015 by SometimesBites