S08.E10: Trouble On The Family Tree

[Tara Ariano]

[description TBA]

[Petunia13]

Phaedra's Lil Bo Peep outfit and curls when Mama Joyce visited her lololol

That editing of Porsha stuffing her face while talking about NOT being stressed. Then blunt Lauren recapping the situation was so obvious.

Kenya's mother will reap what she sows.

No Tootie this week?! Guess she doesn't have to be in every episode or do more than cameo scenes.

[Ubiquitous]

If Cynthia is so curious about where Peter's taking her, she should check her credit card activity.

 

I keep forgetting about Porsha's alleged businesses until the people doing the work bring up the subject. I'm not even going to comment on THOT Thug's workout routine. Geez louise! Oh yeah, way to pop off on your pregnant sister who seems to be doing most of the work while you fly first class and flounce around.

 

Shut up, Phaedra. It's kinda sad that Mamma Joyce had to pay you a visit before you fulfilled your part of the contract with Todd and cut that check, but when you started to bitch and moan about the video you made "12 hours before delivering your baby"... Ugh.

 

I guess I should care more about Kenya's family situation, but I can't be bothered. Did I see her passing out family reunion tshirts labeled "Kenya's Family Reunion"? How tacky.

 

No sign of Sheree or Tammy this week, not that I am complaining.

What happened to Kim?

[Brooklynista]

Forget about whether I like Kenya or not for a moment.

I cannot imagine living a life where my mother peeked out the window at me, locked the door and closed the curtains. I never want to know what that kind of rejection is like.

[WireWrap]

Forget about whether I like Kenya or not for a moment.

I cannot imagine living a life where my mother peeked out the window at me, locked the door and closed the curtains. I never want to know what that kind of rejection is like.

ITA. I dislike Kenya and the only time I felt bad for her was when her cute dog was killed UNTIL tonight. I disliked that she tried to do this, talk to her mother, ON camera but that was cold, bitter cold of her mother to say nothing and just locked the door.

[Petunia13]

Forget about whether I like Kenya or not for a moment.

I cannot imagine living a life where my mother peeked out the window at me, locked the door and closed the curtains. I never want to know what that kind of rejection is like.

That was absolutely terrible. Heartbreaking. Her mother has denied her since she was 3 days old and treats her worse than a complete stranger 4 decades later. She literally treats her daughter who is her flesh and blood like a piece of shit on her shoe.

[Sheenieb]

I hope Kenya sticks to her decision and stops reaching out to her mother. I can only imagine how hurtful it is, but if I were her, I'd consider my mother dead. One can only be rejected so many times.

 

I don't know how Aunt Lori can still check for her sister after pulling that shit. I love my sisters to def, but I would have to distance myself from my sis. To reject my niece and then tell said niece that she doesn't have the right to contact her? I don't know. That doesn't sit well with me. I agree that Kenya should leave her mother alone only because the woman doesn't want anything to do with her.

 

I still stand by my post last week about Lauren slacking off. Pregnant or not, you can sign for some damn packages, girl. However, Porsha's conversation with her was long overdue. There's obvious jealousy there, but I'm going to still need for Lauren to stop acting like she's some Victorian era woman who needs a fainting couch and smelling salts just because she's knocked up.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Sheenieb

[swankie]

See, it just goes to show you how off track information can get when someone eavesdrops and gets half of it wrong.  Because of Don Juan's nosey ass, Kandi thinks that Phaedra told Porsha and Shamesia that the reason they weren't friends anymore was because she owed Todd money.  That is NOT what Phaedra said.  Porsha asked the question if Phaedra owing Todd  was what came between Kandi and Phaedra and Phaedra said no.  That's why you should never rely on someone's ass backward retelling of a story if you want to know the truth.  You go to the source.  So all of that headway they made was wiped out because of Don Juan's assholery!  Jerk!

Edited January 11, 2016 by swankie

[WireWrap]

I hope Kenya sticks to her decision and stops reaching out to her mother. I can only imagine how hurtful it is, but if I were here, I'd consider my mother dead. One can only be rejected so many times.

 

I don't know how Aunt Lori can still check for her sister after pulling that shit. I love my sisters to def, but I would have to distance myself from my sis. To reject my niece and then tell said niece that she doesn't have the right to contact her? I don't know. That doesn't sit well with me. I agree that Kenya should leave her mother alone only because the woman doesn't want anything to do with her.

 

I still stand by my post last week about Lauren slacking off. Pregnant or not, you can sign for some damn packages, girl. However, Porsha's conversation with her was long overdue. There's obvious jealousy, there, but I'm going to still need for Lauren to stop acting like she's some Victorian era woman who needs a fainting couch and smelling salts just because she's knocked up.

Maybe the Aunt is upset that Kenya tried to do this ON camera more than Kenya trying just to contact her mother OR maybe Kenya's mom blamed the Aunt for Kenya finding out where she lived. In some ways, this is similar to a closed adoption where the birth mother doesn't want the child to contact her at any time....ever. Kenya needs to step away for good and get therapy (something she should have done years ago IMO) to move past it for good IMO. 

[Bronzedog]

It's almost false advertising to say Kim Fields is part of the cast of this show.

[announcergirl]

So that I understand, Porshe's sister works FOR her? She's not a partner or anything, right? Then be glad you are even on the plane, even if it is coach. Maybe I am missing valuable information on this employment contract.

[cyberfruit]

On one hand, I can completely understand why Kenya so desperately wants to reach out to her mother because that's her mother, but on the other hand, how much rejection is she willing to take? Sometimes you just have to swallow that large pill, move on with your life, and resolve to be a better person than your egg donor. 

[swankie]

In some ways, this is similar to a closed adoption where the birth mother doesn't want the child to contact her at any time....ever.

 

 

This is what I think Kenya's mom probably agreed to when she let her paternal grandmother take her instead of putting her up for adoption.  The woman just did not want a baby and didn't want to have a relationship with that baby....EVER!  Who knows, Kenya's dad could have forced her to have sex for all we know.  It happened a lot back in those days.  If she was only 15, she definitely wasn't ready to become a mother so she probably wasn't ready for sex either.  Maybe it was just too traumatizing for her.  I'm thinking it might have been better for Kenya to have never known who her mother was than to have to live with the out and out rejection over and over all of her life.  I'm not going to condemn her mother if she doesn't want to acknowledge Kenya.  She sounds like she might be mentally unstable to act the way she does when it comes to the child she gave birth to.  It's pretty obvious she didn't want to be confronted with cameras around.  I remember Kenya mentioning something about her mother trying to congratulate her when she became Miss USA and Kenya rejected her at that time.  Maybe then her mother vowed to never try again.  To me, there is just too little information from her side to condemn her at this point.  We only have Kenya's side of things.

 

Oh yeah, way to pop off on your pregnant sister who seems to be doing most of the work while you fly first class and flounce around.

 

 

Lauren is doing most of the work because she is being paid to do it.  It sounds to me like Lauren expects to get paid for nothing.  If she doesn't want to be Porsha's assistant anymore she needs to quit.  Especially if it is affecting her pregnancy.  But don't expect to be paid if you're not doing the work, even if it is for your sister.

Edited January 11, 2016 by swankie

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

Kenya's mother is a cold hearted bitch. Will it kill her to acknowledge the existence of the human being she birthed? Don't have a relationship with her, but don't close your door to her as if she's a serial killer lurking in your yard. Kenya should not have gone there with a camera crew but having been rejected all her life, she thought maybe she could get acknowledgement out of fear of shame for that heartless witch. It was desperate and heartbreaking. I hope Kenya have learned her lesson and finally moved on. That woman and I use the word loosely is not worth one more minute of heartache.

 

Lauren and Porsha's storyline is true to life but I don't like how they are vilifying Porsha, though it seem they have her blessing given her enthused participation. I am sure she is more conflicted than this outright jealousy they are portraying. 

[Bronzedog]

I thoroughly enjoyed the flashback to Mama Joyce reprimanding Phaedra with "You don't introduce two short people with big heads." Yeah, Phaedra! What were you thinking???

[SpringTulips]

So Phaedra all along knew she would not release the video.  But she wanted to penalize Todd for $8000 for that decision.  Its not Todd's fault no one is interested paying 8 cents to watch her exercise.

 

I think this was Kenya's Hail Mary as far as reaching out to her mother.  Yes, it probably wasn't appropriate considering her mother by all indications wants nothing to do with her.  But I am someone who is big on closure as well.  Hopefully now she has the closure she needs.

 

i thought her father's side of the family and friends who showed up for the reunion were absolutely loving, supportive, and adorable.

 

I need more on Porsha's and Lauren's working relationship to make a decision about what is going on.  It seems that Lauren is more of the brains behind the businesses.  Porsha must be hella difficult to deal with professionally.  

 

No Porsha, there is nothing going on in Lauren's stomach that you need to be worried about.  The baby is growing in the uterus.  Sheesh.

Edited January 11, 2016 by SpringTulips

[Rina99]

Lauren and Porsha's storyline is true to life but I don't like how they are vilifying Porsha, though it seem they have her blessing given her enthused participation. I am sure she is more conflicted than this outright jealousy they are portraying. 

 

Honestly, what came through for me more was some passive-aggressive resentment from Lauren towards Porsha.  Porsha may be self-absorbed, but IMO she was absolutely correct to ask Lauren if she wanted to be there, given that Lauren kept slipping in these little side comments like about having to fly coach, and complaining that the first thing that she has to do in the morning is answer questions about Porsha.  Isn't that what an assistant is supposed to do?  

Edited January 11, 2016 by Rina99

[represent]

 

Kenya's mother is a cold hearted bitch. Will it kill her to acknowledge the existence of the human being she birthed? Don't have a relationship with her, but don't close your door to her as if she's a serial killer lurking in your yard. Kenya should not have gone there with a camera crew but having been rejected all her life, she thought maybe she could get acknowledgement out of fear of shame for that heartless witch. It was desperate and heartbreaking. I hope Kenya have learned her lesson and finally moved on. That woman and I use the word loosely is not worth one more minute of heartache.

Yeah, at least folks now know that she wasn't lying.  She's long been a grown woman so this doesn't not excuse her viper behavior towards others but it does explain a lot. 

 

You can truly see why she would hate herself and how it would take years and lots of therapy to believe in one's self worth after literally having the woman that birthed you slam the door in your face time and time again. 

 

Because I'm sorry, she may think she acts as if she loves herself, but for me, her behavior has always shown me quite the contrary.

 

Hopefully she can make peace with it all now and move on.

 

Did they show you enough of the mother where you got a glimpse of her face?  I didn't watch...

Edited January 11, 2016 by represent

[Primal Slayer]

I still can't believe that Phaedra is trying to shade Todd about wanting his 8k. If you want to give a client a freebie that's your prerogative, but not everyone is willing to give away a free 8k worth of services.

[swankie]

Kenya's mother is a cold hearted bitch. Will it kill her to acknowledge the existence of the human being she birthed?

 

 

Sadly, this is how a lot of young kids get treated by their dads, or sperm donors as they are called nowadays.  It's almost not even uncommon in this day and age for kids to grow up without their fathers.  Kenya's situation stands out more because it is her bio mother, not her father, that rejects her.  I have to hold out judgment because, we don't know the circumstances of Kenya's mom's pregnancy at age 15 and what she went through in those days.  It sounds to me like it affected her mentally. 

 

Did they show you enough of the mother where you got a glimpse of her face?  I didn't watch...

 

 

They didn't show her at all.  The camera's only showed Kenya standing at the door and we heard the audio, but only Kenya's side of the conversation.  According to Kenya, she only heard her mother tell someone to lock the door.  She didn't even engage with her.

Edited January 11, 2016 by swankie

[Primal Slayer]

So is Kenya's aunt still actively in her sisters life? I was kind of surprised to see that brief glimpse of defending her in the preview for next week.

[represent]

 

I have to hold out judgment because, we don't know the circumstances of Kenya's mom's pregnancy at age 15 and what she went through in those days.  It sounds to me like it affected her mentally.

 

I've though this as well, seasons ago when Kenya first started talking about her mother. I even thought was she raped, but then the father showed up and I put that out of my mind. 

 

Finally, I thought that she wanted to end the pregnancy or give it up for adoption and the family wouldn't let her. So when she got the chance, she just left because she told them she didn't want to keep the baby, but they made her have it anyway. 

[Box305]

Ugh, Mama Joyce. 

[thefog]

I like Kenya's father.  I also thought his side of the family was cool.  So Kenya is lucky to have that. 

 

I actually thought this was one of the better episodes - a well needed departure from all the petty drama and catfights.

Edited January 11, 2016 by escape

[appledumpling]

I don't get why Aunt Lori got upset and left the family reunion after receiving a call from Patricia.  If she is telling Kenya she doesn't want to be in the middle of it then she should tell her sister the same thing.  What is Patricia calling Lori for?  Kenya is a grown woman with a mind of her own and it's a free country, she can go to any doorstep in America if she want's to.  These are the consequences of those decisions you made 40 + years ago, Deal With It!  

 

Aunt Lori need's to stop enabling Patricia.  As a teen she should of been encouraged to have a relationship with baby Kenya.  But as she got into adulthood  and continued to deny Kenya they should not have tolerated that from her, especially when she did it at family functions.  To me the family enabled her which is why she's able to continue this behavior all these years.  If I allow you to call me and we talk without acknowledging the big pink elephant in our lives, I'm just as guilty as your are.

 

If Aunt Lori is telling Kenya I can't help you with this, then she should tell her sister the same thing.

[WireWrap]

I don't get why Aunt Lori got upset and left the family reunion after receiving a call from Patricia.  If she is telling Kenya she doesn't want to be in the middle of it then she should tell her sister the same thing.  What is Patricia calling Lori for?  Kenya is a grown woman with a mind of her own and it's a free country, she can go to any doorstep in America if she want's to.  These are the consequences of those decisions you made 40 + years ago, Deal With It!  

 

Aunt Lori need's to stop enabling Patricia.  As a teen she should of been encouraged to have a relationship with baby Kenya.  But as she got into adulthood  and continued to deny Kenya they should not have tolerated that from her, especially when she did it at family functions.  To me the family enabled her which is why she's able to continue this behavior all these years.  If I allow you to call me and we talk without acknowledging the big pink elephant in our lives, I'm just as guilty as your are.

 

If Aunt Lori is telling Kenya I can't help you with this, then she should tell her sister the same thing.

I'm not so sure Lori is in the wrong here. It is possible that she has told her sister the same thing she told Kenya, keep me out of it. I also think it is possible that  Lori went against her family's wishes in having a relationship with Kenya and the only way she could do it was by walking a fine/thin line. Maybe Patricia thought Kenya got information, like where she lives, from her sister Lori which then put Lori in a bad position with her family. I really suspect that this family, Patricia's/Lori's, handled Kenya as if she was given up for adoption, a closed adoption to boot, where Kenya would never have contact with her bio mother. I guess I will wait to hear what Lori has to say next week because she has never gone into detail about why her sister has never wanted contact with Kenya, even as an adult. We have only heard Kenya's and her fathers side of the story but that is NOT the entire story here, without knowing Patricia's side, the story/picture is incomplete IMO.

[Showthyme]

Kim could have been absent from this episode because it was not filmed in Atlanta.

 

I didn't miss her.

[swankie]

These are the consequences of those decisions you made 40 + years ago, Deal With It!

 

 

Kenya's mother wanted to put her up for adoption.  Her father intervened and Kenya was taken to his mother to raise.  Kenya's mother was only 15 years old.  A child!  I think she should have the same rights as any other mother who requests a closed adoption.  As bad as it makes her look in our eyes, her decision should be respected.  And that doesn't give Kenya a right to bother her. 

 

A classmate of mine who knew she was adopted from a very young age (she's black, her adoptive parents were white), went on a quest to find her birth mother.  When she finally found her, her birth mother (who it turned out was also white) rejected her and told her she didn't want a relationship with her.  My classmate accepted it and went on with her life because she was fortunate enough to have been adopted by the most loving couple ever who showered her with love.  She just wanted to know where she came from.  As far as I know, she never pursued a relationship with her bio mother again.  This is what Kenya needs to do.  Just go on and live your life with the people who you know love you and be thankful for that. 

Edited January 11, 2016 by swankie

[SnarkKitty]

Whether or not she wanted a "closed" adoption, that's not what she got, and there was no completely separate loving family to run back to when her birth mother didn't want to know her. Kenya was raised right alongside the rest of her family. Her own sister raised her for a number of years, so no, she doesn't have the right to just pretend like the girl was given up in secrecy and doesn't exist except as a memory. If that's what she wanted, then when she became of age, when Kenya was still too young to understand, she should have jetted. Not stuck around behaving like she lived in some alternate universe, fucking up some little girl's world who was even more an innocent in the whole fucked-up deal.

 

And WTF with those adults - including the sainted Aunt Lori - who left her exposed to that psychosis?? Why would they let a baby/child/young adult be around a woman they let be known was her mother, and not protect her from that shit?? That should never have happened. And if it's true about her mother's career, how dare she go into social work and spend her life working out other people's issues looking past the plank in her own eye?

[selhars]

To be honest I really can't see how Kenya's mom (and her family) MIGHT have thought or expected this interfamily "arrangement" to work out -- and NOT eventually come to something like this…..ESPECIALLY if Lori was going to have a relationship with Kenya.

 

It's one thing for Patricia's mom (Kenya's maternal grandmother) to say "OK the boy's family is begging to take the baby so let them have her." Let's face it, Patricia mom, Kenya's GRANDMOTHER was likely the one making the real decisions back then.

 

BUT -- this was NOT a formal, closed adoption…. hell it wasn't even really an adoption at all. They just let Kenya's dad's mother raise her, because she pleaded for her grand baby, not wanting her adopted out of the family, and gone possibly forever.

 

HOW, the mother (Patricia) or the mothers' side of the family ever thought Kenya wouldn't know who she is or'come back' -- ESPECIALLY having a relationship with Lori, her aunt -- her mom's sister -- I can't figure out.  It sounds like the mom never wanted Kenya to even know who or where she was. But how was that ever going to happen if she knew who Lori was? DUH! If she knows who her aunt is….then clearly she would know who her mother's side relatives are, and know who her mom is. AND the father's side also never HID who the mom was.

 

Now, if it 's true that the mom reached out after Kenya won Miss USA, then I do think that was the mom wanting her cake and eating it too. Don't reach out to congratulate -- and then say "but, oh don't' contact me."

 

I just truly hope Kenya can let it go now.

 

As a side note, is Kenya's dad ill or does he have some kind of health issue. He's speech is slurred. His walking and breathing are labored, etc. I know he's overweight, But he's got to have something else going on. Lots overweight people don't look and sound like that at 60. I wonder if he had job that was physically demanding, that beat him up. 

Edited January 11, 2016 by selhars

[swankie]

To be honest I really can't see how Kenya's mom (and her family)MIGHT have thought this interfamily "arrangement" to work out -- and NOT eventually come to something like this…..ESPECIALLY if Lori was going to have a relationship with Kenya.

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you can't put your child up for adoption if the other parent doesn't consent, right?  I don't think Kenya's mother wanted to have her raised by her father's family, but probably didn't have a choice in the matter.  I have a feeling she didn't want Lori to intervene either.  Maybe that's why Lori doesn't want to get involved in the middle of Kenya and her mother.  She might have pursued a relationship with Kenya against her sister's wishes.  We have to remember, this woman was only 15 years old at the time.  Hardly and age to be able to make cognitive adult decisions.

 

What is Patricia calling Lori for?  Kenya is a grown woman with a mind of her own and it's a free country, she can go to any doorstep in America if she want's to. 

 

 

I'm assuming Kenya's mom called Lori to get her to tell Kenya to leave her alone.  And if Kenya has a right to go to any doorstep in America, her mother has a right to not answer the door.  It's better she called Lori than the police.  Don't get me wrong, I think the woman is a monster for not acknowledging her own flesh and blood, but she didn't want a baby.  Kenya needs to just move on.  It's her mother's loss.

Edited January 11, 2016 by swankie

[SpringTulips]

We have to remember, this woman was only 15 years old at the time.  Hardly and age to be able to make cognitive adult decisions.

 

But being a young parent does not erase your humanity.  I know lots of young teenage parents and the last thing they would do is negate the existence of their child.

[swankie]

But being a young parent does not erase your humanity.  I know lots of young teenage parents and the last thing they would do is negate the existence of their child.

 

There are also a lot of young parents who give their children up for adoption with the expectation that they will never see those children again.  Way back then when Kenya was born, there was a stigma put upon women who gave birth out of wedlock.  Sometimes even the church would turn their backs on them.  We don't know what kind of psychological damage was done to Kenya's mother.  Kenya's father even said that Kenya's maternal grandfather didn't even acknowledge her and treated him like he was invisible.  It sounds like Kenya's mom's dad did a number on her and got her mind messed up.  I found this link that explains a lot.  Don't know who the writer is.   http://www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php/852222-ALLEGED-Photo-of-Kenya-Moore-s-Mother

Edited January 11, 2016 by swankie

[TheProfitFan]

To be honest I really can't see how Kenya's mom (and her family) MIGHT have thought or expected this interfamily "arrangement" to work out -- and NOT eventually come to something like this…..ESPECIALLY if Lori was going to have a relationship with Kenya.

 

 

Now, if it 's true that the mom reached out after Kenya won Miss USA, then I do think that was the mom wanting her cake and eating it too. Don't reach out to congratulate -- and then say "but, oh don't' contact me."

 

 

Don't contact me when I'm in the spotlight you money grabbing trashbox. I have never thought so many people would make up any excuse for child abandonment from a female, but they won't do it for a male. Interesting. Oh lets find an excuse for why they put the baby in the microwave, excuse for this, excuse for that, families fault, males fault. No responsibility.

[sunsheyen]

Did anyone else see a resemblance between Brandon and stepmom?

Why is Kenya's daddy perpetually on the verge of tears?

Phaedra seriously goes into country bumpkin with a little piece of money land with her fashions. And, umm, Phaedra? Since you got jobZZZ and that isn't nothing but a lil bit o' change, why didn't you just pay Todd? You just emphasized that you fit with your deadbeat ass husband, not like you are a baller.

Cynthia and Peter are still boring. They didn't even rate more than 25 seconds on a tropical sexytime vacay? That wasn't personal cam footage that they shared, imo. Seemed like hq video.

Joyce can miss me with the doting grandma with a crib lie. The only way she'd do that is if Kandi bought it all (or the store comped it) and even then it would all be for show. Her veiled threats at Phaedra? Sit down, Prince Valiant.

Porsha stuffing her piehole was hilarious as was her full weave, stage makeup workout. At least pull some of that shit back into a ponytail. It's like she put in two extra packs of hair that morning. I'm torn on the Lauren thing. She might want more concession than she would expect from an ordinary employer. I do wonder how much 'assisting' she does vs actually doing the bulk of the heavy lifting for Porsha's 'empire' since P is not that bright. Maybe she does more than an assistant actually does. It would be interesting to see how much of the logistics Porsha actually understands of the businesses or if she just shows up to put her name/face on packaging. Maybe she knows Porsha doesn't pay attention, hence the comments about finding someone who wouldn't steal from her. Seems like she wants an out, so they might want to just end the business relationship. Keep their sisterly bond intact. Porsha is definitely jealous, although I don't think she is at a bitter spot yet. Hopefully she can get a grip on it and accept her reality before it gets worse.

Nene's return doesn't seem that fabulous, excitement wise, especially since I doubt they would keep drama out of the previews.

Baby Dinosaur is back to her hateful ways, I see.

"I support you guys."

"I WON'T!"

Shut up, old bat. You and your cigarette would be the first ones pulling up on opening night for a free meal.

Edited January 11, 2016 by sunsheyen

[Pollock]

Well, I never thought we would see the real Kenya on this show during my lifetime so I was shocked to see her during that bus ride, before going to see her birth mother. She didn't have the same face and didn't simper while talking like she usually does so I knew this time she meant business. That was pleasant and for the first time since she began on the show, my brain didn't tune out during her scene because her usual "too much fakery" hurts it. 

Damn, that was cold from her mother. Even without knowing the full story and refraining to judge that woman, it was hard to see.

"I heard you locking the door".

Kind of crushing. 

 

I could have lived really well without ever seeing Joyce again. Anyway, glad she's alive. Or not. I kind of don't care either way. But hey!, at least she's there for her daughter. Or is that a bad thing given that she sucks?

Were we suppose to reflect on motherhood while watching this episode? Seemed like there was a theme.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Pollock

[RCharter]

1. Nope, nope, nope.  I don't care who you are, and how "closed" you wanted an adoption to be, you don't make a child suffer for your poor life decisions.  The only person not at fault for Patricia having underage sex is the child that was borne out of it.  If she truly never wanted to be bothered by a child, she should have never had sex.  If you're old enough to open up your legs and have sex, you're old enough to deal with the consequences of it.  And one of those reasonable consequences is that a child is going to show up later and want to know you.  You may not need to become their best friend and mother of the year, but its not going to kill you to take a few minutes to talk to that child.  Or at least have a phone conversation.  If Patricia really wanted to never be bothered again, she should have said no to Ronald's grandmother and just had the adoption.  These are choices Patricia made.  The last person who should pay is a child.  Yes, Kenya has the right to want to at least have a conversation with her mother.  She has done nothing to deserve to be straight up ignored for over 40 years.  But as someone said, her mother will reap what she sows.

 

2. How sad that Cynthia is teaching Noelle to be a doormat for some man later in life.  Yes, the life lesson of sticking it out with some loser just to show the world you can is solid advice Cynthia.

 

3.  What hard work is Porsha referring to?  What hard work has she done/is she doing?

 

4. Todd - don't let your guard down until you cash that check!  And if Phaedra didn't have to worry about 8000, why didn't she pay it earlier?

 

5. Next week - looks like Nene realizes that random hosting gigs aren't going to get that mortgage paid.  And she will pretend like the show needs her/she is doing everyone a favor.  As far as I'm concerned this season has been just fine without her and I hope they don't put her back in the show since Kim will probably be gone after this season.

[Aging Goth]

My take on this episode…

 

KENYA – Since this was indeed the Kenya episode with a little of the other hwives sprinkled in I will just get right to it.

 

LAUREN - I did feel bad for Kenya and the fact that her mother wants nothing to do with her and it explains why she is the way she is.  My ex husband had the very experience if not worse than what she had.  His mother dumped him at 5 years old on the side of a country road on her way to New York when his father left her with him and his sister.  She took the sister and left him because he was too dark for her tastes.  He had to walk a mile up the road to his paternal grandmother’s house where he was raised until he hit 18 and was kicked out.  His mother came back from time to time for family gathering but just like Kenya her family did not want anything to do with him either and she also refused to acknowledge his existence.  He is now just as messed up as Kenya and has a distinct disrespect for all women but still at 66 wants to see his mother to just ask why.

 

So I understand why she insisted on seeing her mother.  However, it was a shot in the foot to bring her father and family members plus cameras to this woman’s door to pretty much force a meeting with her.  The result was what I expected.  I dearly hope she heeds the advice of her paternal family and just let go.  She also needs to get professional help to get over this.   Like with my ex, it never really goes away.  It killed our marriage and it will kill her relationships as well if she doesn’t get help

 

PORSHA - I can see both Porsha and Lauren’s views in their conflict.  It doesn’t matter if people think Porsha is stupid.  She’s not and she has worked hard to set up and maintain the businesses that make up her brand.  Add to that her appearances and work on a major network as well as a reality show and yes, it is expected that her assistant will have her back and act as manager of her businesses and celebrity obligations.  This is what assistants do.  It is hard work and Lauren being paid to be such an assistant.  She just cannot decide she is going to take a break just because she’s pregnant and expect her sister to just understand and allow it.  She is the one responsible for keeping the business going while Porsha is using her celebrity status to continuously promote her businesses and work to make sure the money keeps flowing in.  All one has to do is check Porsha's websites and facebook pages and see that every thing Porsha wears, every accessory ever bit of hair on her head, she is selling and promoting every day.  Porsha knows her body is what is selling clothing for different companies so she works out constantly and even sells the protein drinks and workout clothing as well.  An assistant is the one who keeps the mechanical end of the businesses running and also does the hiring and firing and anything else to free up the celebrity to do what she does.  So I do understand why Porsha was so upset about Lauren wanting to slack on her job.  It is a JOB and if she ignored a package that cost the business over $200 she would have been fired by anyone else.

 

As for Porsha it is obvious she was a little jealous that her unmarried little sister is the first to have the baby she always wanted but she was also hurt that Lauren didn’t tell her until the party for Porsha’s ex.  It was quite a shocker and Lauren didn’t prepare for the obvious down time to come which was also a problem.  However, it was also obvious that Lauren has a bit of resentment that Porsha is the celebrity and she is just a worker. 

 

No one has mentioned that it was Phaedra who talked Porsha off the cliff and urged her to talk with Lauren and resolve their differences which they did.

 

PHAEDRA - Phaedra is finally going to pay for the video but it is very telling why she dragged her feet and why she is shading Todd.  This video was mainly for Apollo to jumpstart his fitness training career and it later became obvious he wasn’t in the least interested in a legitimate profession.  With his going to jail and this video reminding her of how stupid she was to ever try to help Apollo is I feel the main reason  of what caused her to just can the whole venture.  It was like she was paying $2400 for a very bad memory.  While I don’t thing Mama Joyce really did much to get Phaedra to pay up, she did remind her that it really isn’t for Todd but for Kandi’s peace of mind that she end the stand-off.

 

Cynthia is a very boring idiot.   Period.

2. How sad that Cynthia is teaching Noelle to be a doormat for some man later in life.  Yes, the life lesson of sticking it out with some loser just to show the world you can is solid advice Cynthia.

THIS I wholeheartedly agree with.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Aging Goth

[RCharter]

PORSHA - I can see both Porsha and Lauren’s views in their conflict.  It doesn’t matter if people think Porsha is stupid.  She’s not and she has worked hard to set up and maintain the businesses that make up her brand.  Add to that her appearances and work on a major network as well as a reality show and yes, it is expected that her assistant will have her back and act as manager of her businesses and celebrity obligations.  This is what assistants do.  It is hard work and here’s Lauren being paid to be such an assistant just cannot decide she is going to take a break just because she’s pregnant and expect her sister to just understand and allow it.  She is the one responsible for keeping the business going while Porsha is using her celebrity status to continuously promote her businesses and work to make sure the money keeps flowing in.  All one has to do is check her websites and facebook pages and see that every thing she wears, every accessory ever bit of hair on her head she is selling and promoting every day.  

 

PHAEDRA - Phaedra is finally going to pay for the video but it is very telling why she dragged her feet and why she is shading Todd.  This video was mainly for Apollo to jumpstart his fitness training career and it later became obvious he wasn’t in the least interested in a legitimate profession.  With his going to jail and this video reminding her of how stupid she was to ever try to help Apollo is I feel the main reason  of what caused her to just can the whole venture.  It was like she was paying $2400 for a very bad memory.  While I don’t thing Mama Joyce really did much to get Phaedra to pay up, she did remind her that it really isn’t for Todd but for Kandi’s peace of mind that she end the stand-off.

 

 

That video was clearly Phaedra doing a pregnancy workout.  Apollo wasn't in a scene or even in the background, so how was this for his benefit?  And what does any of that have to do with shading Todd, who did his job as he was contracted to do?

 

I also don't see how whatever Porsha is doing is "hard work" she admits she makes comments off the cuff and appears to read from a teleprompter.  Even from your account, she wears clothing and accessories that she is photographed in and works out.  I don't see the crazy work ethic in that, and I don't even know how great a job she does since she barely gets to mention her brand on the show.  Last year you couldn't stop Kenya from talking about "Life Twirls On,"  and she had the event for her hair care product on the show.  Heck, even Cynthia gets more free publicity from the show. From their conversation, its Lauren that does all the heavy lifting for the other businesses.  And probably by herself because Porsha doesn't realize how much work it takes, because she doesn't do any work.  And because Porsha doesn't realize how difficult it is, she doesn't want to hire Lauren any help.

[Ubiquitous]

Cynthia and Peter are still boring. They didn't even rate more than 25 seconds on a tropical sexytime vacay? That wasn't personal cam footage that they shared, imo. Seemed like hq video.

As soon as I realized Cynthia and Peter were both in that "home footage", I declared "shenanigans!".

[BogoGog24]

This might have been explained in a past season when Kenya first started but I only started watching since season 6, but I noticed at the family reunion they showed Kenya's brother and it said brother, not a half or step brother. Do we know anything about how he was treated by the parents? Did they have him much later in life than Kenya? It'd be interesting to know how they handled having a second child.

The whole situation is complicated, to say the least, and I'm sure there is a lot of pain on the mon's side as well. But Kenya is a grown adult now. It's not like her mother would need to take care of her at this point. She doesn't have to see her every single day for the rest of their lives. At this point there's really not an excuse for at least meeting with her and acknowledging that her daughter exists. They don't have to talk or have tea together. Comparing the situation to a closed adoption is not even really accurate, since Kenya did not have the luxury of being given away to a different, loving family. She'd probably have an easier time accepting it if she were. Her family choosing to keep Kenya in the family convuluted any hope of having to never meet, if that's what her mom really wanted. The whole family needs therapy IMO. At least Kenya made up with her father and hopefully she'll just move on with her life.

I honestly didn't even notice Kim was missing from this episode until she was shown in next week's preview.

Not thrilled about NeNe coming back. Now there's someone who should have had the door locked in her face.

I think both Porsha and her sister are handling the situation poorly. This is why it's a bad idea to work with family. It seems to me that Lauren expects to not have to do anything just because she's pregnant and expects that since Porsha is her sister she will allow her to slack off. But OTOH Porsha should be a little less self centered and understand pregnancy is a very serious matter and that she can't expect to overwork her sister or expect her to be doing everything she used to. I was shocked when Lauren revealed Porsha makes her fly coach. How selfish. It's your sister, that probably does the majority of the work and makes far less money, you can't get her a seat next to you in first class? And I can't with P wearing full makeup to the gym and stuffing her face with caramel apples.

Phaedra looks pathetic constantly shading Todd in her THs. It doesn't matter if you're releasing the video or not, you still need to pay him for the work he did. I think it's funny that she said it didn't come out how she wanted yet in an episode or 2 ago they showed a flashback of her watching it and saying she liked it. Phaedra is so shady, she should be called Shadera.

Overall this episode was boring for me.

[LIMOM]

Kenya's situation is so very sad.

She was rejected for being too dark, conceived out of wedlock and for her father being of a lower social class status.

Yet, she thrived as best as she could.

She is truly a survivor, IMO.

As far as the mother is concerned, how can she live with herself???

Does she have any children besides Kenya?

[Aging Goth]

from what I have seen on facebook, Kenya's brother is a product of her father and not sure who the mother is but it is not Kenya's bio mother.

[Aging Goth]

Kenya's situation is so very sad.

She was rejected for being too dark, conceived out of wedlock and for her father being of a lower social class status.

Yet, she thrived as best as she could.

She is truly a survivor, IMO.

As far as the mother is concerned, how can she live with herself???

Does she have any children besides Kenya?

it was never stated that Kenya was given up due to her skin color nor her father's social status.  It was just how it was in the 70s when it was the worst thing a girl could do is get pregnant out of wedlock.  it was not just frowned upon, but you were ostracized by the community as well as your family and labeled a whore or a slut.  You were kicked out of school and sometimes sent to a home for wayward girls and in those places, you baby could be snatched from you and forcibly given up for adoption.  Also this was the era of the coat hanger abortion done by midwives at the time.  it was a horrible stigma for anyone, let alone a teenager to bear a child out of wedlock.  Thus there were many girls who gave up their babies so that they would not be found out and yes, they never wanted to see the children again.  Sometimes their own mother would take the girl down to the country to have her baby and the grandmother would come back claiming she was pregnant and raise the child as their mother's "little sister" and the child would be none the wiser.  It was a bad time to have a child and that stigma sometimes don't leave when the mother grows to be an adult.  She doesn't want to relive the shame.  It doesn't make it right but it was how things went back then.

[Ubiquitous]

• How sad that Cynthia is teaching Noelle to be a doormat for some man later in life.  Yes, the life lesson of sticking it out with some loser just to show the world you can is solid advice Cynthia.
• Todd - don't let your guard down until you cash that check!  And if Phaedra didn't have to worry about 8000, why didn't she pay it earlier?

• Thanks for reminding me about that scene with Cynthia and Noelle. I found it amusing yet sad that Noelle had a "one strike" policy with cheating boyfriends but Cynthia keeps trying to stay with Peter the cheater.
• If I were Todd, I'd make sure that cheque from Phaedra cleared or wasn't "accidentally" cancelled.

 

 

I also don't see how whatever Porsha is doing is "hard work" she admits she makes comments off the cuff and appears to read from a teleprompter.  Even from your account, she wears clothing and accessories that she is photographed in and works out.  I don't see the crazy work ethic in that, and I don't even know how great a job she does since she barely gets to mention her brand on the show.  Last year you couldn't stop Kenya from talking about "Life Twirls On,"  and she had the event for her hair care product on the show.  Heck, even Cynthia gets more free publicity from the show. From their conversation, its Lauren that does all the heavy lifting for the other businesses.  And probably by herself because Porsha doesn't realize how much work it takes, because she doesn't do any work.  And because Porsha doesn't realize how difficult it is, she doesn't want to hire Lauren any help.

Yeah, what "hard work"? If memory serves, I've only seen her meeting with her "assistants" and half-listening to what they were doing and telling her what needed to be done.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Ubiquitous

[imjagain]

Was Kenya's dad pointing out her eye color as a baby?

I felt bad for Kenya, but why keep going back. If her mother has made it clear she wants nothing to do with her, let her be. Get some therapy and try to enjoy and love the family you do have in your life.

Kenya's mom was a child. I'm sure she was traumatized by the whole situation. It's a bad idea to try to force a young woman to have a relationship with a baby they want nothing to do with.

[Empress1]

Forget about whether I like Kenya or not for a moment.

I cannot imagine living a life where my mother peeked out the window at me, locked the door and closed the curtains. I never want to know what that kind of rejection is like.

I completely agree. My mother is so important to me. I went to the movies with her on Saturday. She has my back 100%. Even when she's mad at me, she loves me. I walk around in the world knowing that, and it makes me safer. I cannot imagine having your mother pretend you don't exist. Kenya should declare her mother dead to her, although that's much harder to do if her aunt Lori is still in contact with her.

 

Porsha and Lauren ... it might be time to separate work from family. It seems like the lines are very blurred on both sides - that they're each asking stuff of the other that they wouldn't ask someone to whom they weren't related, and it might be easier for them both if Porsha got an assistant where there was no personal relationship. 

[bichonblitz]

Kenya's situation is so very sad.

She was rejected for being too dark, conceived out of wedlock and for her father being of a lower social class status.

Yet, she thrived as best as she could.

She is truly a survivor, IMO.

As far as the mother is concerned, how can she live with herself???

Does she have any children besides Kenya?

Kenya's mother was 15 when she gave birth to her. She just didn't want a kid. I don't think Kenya's skin color or the fathers social status had anything to do with it. 

[RCharter]

I completely agree. My mother is so important to me. I went to the movies with her on Saturday. She has my back 100%. Even when she's mad at me, she loves me. I walk around in the world knowing that, and it makes me safer. I cannot imagine having your mother pretend you don't exist. Kenya should declare her mother dead to her, although that's much harder to do if her aunt Lori is still in contact with her.

 

 

Thats how I feel, my parents are my rock.  They are the two people I know in life that are always there.  And you're right, it just makes me feel safer in the world, like no matter what, there are two people there that love and support me.  Two people that are always in my corner.  Poor Kenya must feel like her mother ignoring her is her fault, because you can't explain to a child that that sort of thing isn't their fault.  The very last person that should have to suffer for the bad decisions of parents are children.  Yet, this is exactly what is happening, and everyone seems okay with it.

 

I do suspect there may have been a class issue if Kenya's mother became a social worker (pfffft) and Aunt Lori is an attorney (take notes Phaedra -- thats how an attorney behaves on national TV) and Ronald seems like a working class kinda guy.  But the only person who shouldn't have to bear any burden for the poor choices made by others is Kenya.

 

I also suspect that, based on what everyone was saying, that Kenya has been trying to have this conversation with her mother for years and so she was probably hoping that her mother would at least want to be on TV or she could be talked into having a conversation because there was a film crew there.  Its so sad that a child would have to strong arm her own mother, who has treated her poorly, into acting like a decent human being.

[butterly17]

I got major 'icks' when Cynthia was asking her daughter what sexy things she should pack on her trip with Peter.  SQUICK!!!

Edited January 11, 2016 by butterly17