S09.E20: Reunion Part 1

[Avon.Blakes7]

1 minute ago, ghoulina said:

Simon is the only one I can see do it, but I'm not 100% he has. I'm deep in a RHNY re-watch right now, so I SHOULD know this. But I'm coming up empty. 

 

That wedding day picture of them makes me sad. They were so young and cute! They both have issues out the wazoo, but they did somehow manage to stay married 17, wait 19, no 22 years. 

I've never been a serious viewer, but all have appeared at least once! Jason had to since a show was being produced around their courtship and marriage! Mario was taken to task for leering at a woman at a café while Ramona was speaking to him! You know a fame HO like Simon was going to show whenever possible! I was so embarrassed for them to host a party when their place was still being rehab'd! What was the rush to get in there? I've moved into a place and had it stored away and in total order in 2 days! I just can't live like that; a broken window needs to be replaced that day! I'm a little compulsive in life! I can't imagine driving around in a car with damage of any kind; even a keyed door is too much to live with! lol! ;-)

[Jel]

4 hours ago, DelicateDee said:

Huh?  If that's her hairs natural state, then she'd just have to let it grow out to make it look like that.  However, I don't think it would suit her at this stage (age) of her life.  I don't know what all she had done to her face other than slimming her huge jaws.  In this pic, she looks basically the same as she does now, albeit aged a bit.  

That hair looks like it was worked hard with a diffuser and "scrunching".  (I used to do the same thing to mine in the 80s).

[ShawnaLanne]

I haven't seen the reunion yet,  but this first part seems so boring. I am so over Tom and Lu as a storyline. Was there anything else interesting,  beyond Ramona and her usual apology tour and Bethany taking over the host spot?

[diadochokinesis]

12 hours ago, ButterQueen said:

I don't think it's gauche at all.  I heard Kyle on RHBH say she never re-wears reunion dresses.  I don't see the big deal, but for those who hate Lu, she can do nothing right.

To me, it isn't gauche that she rewore a dress. It is a bit of an eyebrow raise that she chose to rewear a dress from her wedding. However, I think what a lot of us are commenting on is the fact that she wore the dress again while her marriage is in shambles, she files for divorce 3 weeks later, and she was always trying to present this fantasy romance idea of that relationship. 

6 hours ago, ghoulina said:

Simon is the only one I can see do it, but I'm not 100% he has. I'm deep in a RHNY re-watch right now, so I SHOULD know this. But I'm coming up empty. 

 

That wedding day picture of them makes me sad. They were so young and cute! They both have issues out the wazoo, but they did somehow manage to stay married 17, wait 19, no 22 years. 

I remember Simon was on the reunion the first season when they kept discussing about how Silex were social climbers and Silex kept arguing that they weren't but then would say that of course they want to move up the social ladder.  

[Jextella]

On 8/18/2017 at 9:51 PM, HunterHunted said:

The same could and should said of Dorinda. Richard was a hedge fund guy who worked for George Soros. He has kids, but I think he made sure Dorinda would be ok after he died. He bought her Berkshires house for her.

Anthony had so little family money that I'd call it just about negligible. His dad died completely broke. His mom is a spendthrift who only has money because she tends to sponge off of rich men. Anthony got $500,000 when Jackie died. Jackie set up a trust fund for his care and schooling when he was a kid. I don't think it was especially substantial. Anthony and Carole used the JFK chair to buy their apartment. You also have to remember that he'd been battling cancer for 10 years. The money that Carole has is almost certainly Anthony's pension, 401K, life insurance, their savings, her salary, and her money from her books. But Carole isn't sitting on a cache of millions based on Anthony's lucrative television producer job or secret Radziwill gold.

My sister-in-law's father just passed away unexpectedly. I'm pretty sure that his widow got more money from his death than Carole got from Anthony's. And my sister-in-law's father was an ear nose throat doctor in rural Wisconsin.

Carole is not rolling in the dough near as I can tell.  She's doing commercials and I believe I read some sort of car show or something like that.  

On 8/18/2017 at 11:02 PM, breezy424 said:

If I remember correctly, Avery went to Emery for one year and then transferred to UVA and that is where she graduated from.  Nothing unusual for a college student to transfer or for a college graduate moving back in with her or his parents until they get a job and establish themselves.  Especially if they are moving back to their home town.  And especially if it's NYC.  Nothing is cheap.

Berkley in the metro NY area was originally a secretarial school.  And then at some point became a college.  Tre majored in fashion merchandising.  I can't remember if it was a two or four year college at that point.  If you're going to go into the fashion field, especially in merchandising, you go to FIT like Ro and So.  FIT is part of SUNY (state university of NY).  It has a great reputation in the fashion industry.  I know.  I went there for two years before transferring.  Long story.  Tre was an associate buyer for Macy's?  Isn't everyone?  Sorry, I know a number of people who has been there, done that.

So's toys present no problems if she has a decent dishwasher and the hot water is turned on and connected to the DW.  Yeah, it 'sounds' disgusting but the reality is it isn't.  Now, the brown water situation....  That's the problem. 

As for marrying money.  Love her or hate her, Ro didn't marry Mario for money.  She had her own.  I don't think Lu married for money.  She had a successful career going on in Europe.  I don't think for a second that Carole married Anthony for money.  Dorinda did have a successful business going on when she lived in England with Richard and I think the two really loved one another.  I also think Tins really loved her husband.  The only one that I could say married for money is Sonja.  Beth married Jason because she was pregnant and she wanted a child.  I don't Beth has the ability to be in love with anyone.  She thrives on victimhood.  

Other than Sonja, the entire cast this season had good careers in motion before the show.  I think this is one reason I like NYC.  These women aren't nancy-pansys. 

On 8/19/2017 at 9:10 AM, ButterQueen said:

I don't think it's gauche at all.  I heard Kyle on RHBH say she never re-wears reunion dresses.  I don't see the big deal, but for those who hate Lu, she can do nothing right.

 

On 8/19/2017 at 11:04 AM, HunterHunted said:

The rehearsal dress was almost certainly comped for publicity and coverage. She likely didn't pay a cent for it, which is all well and good. Unfortunately, the underlying premise of these shows, whether true or not, is that we are watching the goings on of the wealthy and privileged. Rewearing a dress from your wedding extravaganza undercuts the argument that you are particularly wealthy.

Rewearing the dress seemed like a secret code for Tom.   If LuAnn could, maybe she would have sat on that couch in her wedding dress if it helped keep her marriage together.  The rehearsal dress was the best compromise.  This is how I saw it anyway.  

I like actually that she rewore it - regardless if doing so had an underlying message to Tom.   It tells me she's not gonna do stuff just because they've been done in a certain way in the past.  And, it's real world.  Many women rewear things.  Why shouldn't the wives?  I personally think the ones who wear gowns to the reunions look ridiculous (esp. ATL and NJ).  

Edited August 22, 2017 by Jextella

[Jextella]

12 hours ago, KungFuBunny said:

It's pretty tacky. Even Sonja wore a new outfit from her Invisible Lifestyle Brand. Designers - at least mid range and those that are trying to move up in the fashion world know how many viewers watch RHONY - it is going to be seen over 3 episodes - they would provide a fitted dress for free.

Then again Luann is kind of stupid. Back in June she threw a Countess Collection Celebration in which she wore nothing of the Countess Collection - not the dress not the jewelry. This is a Nicole Miller dress. This would have been more appropriate for the reunion than that rehearsal dress

 

These women - all of 'em - have killer bodies - and they've had the best face work done of all the cities.

[breezy424]

Gosh, once again, according to Bravo, it wasn't one of her 'wedding' dresses.  It was what she wore to the 'rehearsal dinner'.  The Duchess of Windsor wears a dress more than once, why can't Lu?  Heck, even Prince George rewore his uncle Harry's shoes. 

MMV but I thought it was very nice and didn't even look like a bridal gown.

[hoodooznoodooz]

What did you all think of Beth saying, "It just seems like [Tom] is the type of person that might go to a bar with one person, and leave with another..." and Lu didn't really react to that; Beth said "seems" and "might," when, in fact,Tom did go to a bar with one person, but left with Lu! I thought it was so funny that Lu treated it as a hypothetical.

Edited August 20, 2017 by hoodooznoodooz

[Celia Rubenstein]

I think Luann re-wore her rehearsal dress because (1) she had it  (2) she looked good in it and  (3) it had not been photographed to death unlike her other wedding dresses, quite simply.

Remember how she wore the hell out of those one-shoulder numbers way back when, to the point the other women started to snark on her for it?  Luann knows what looks good on her and she likes to get mileage out of her clothes.  I can't fault her for it.  It's the fact that she was ONCE AGAIN pushing the "look at me, the bride in white" again - especially when she was likely contemplating divorce, that makes her choice side-eye worthy. 

She looked good, I'll give her that. Blue paste jewels, notwithstanding. But the modestly panel down the back was unforgivable.  Just ruined it. Luann has a lovely body, it was completely unnecessary, and I can't imagine why she went with that.  I am guessing it was just the way the dress came and she just said F-it.  She shoulda broke out the cuticle scissors and dispensed with it! 

[motorcitymom65]

14 hours ago, KungFuBunny said:

It's pretty tacky. Even Sonja wore a new outfit from her Invisible Lifestyle Brand. Designers - at least mid range and those that are trying to move up in the fashion world know how many viewers watch RHONY - it is going to be seen over 3 episodes - they would provide a fitted dress for free.

Then again Luann is kind of stupid. Back in June she threw a Countess Collection Celebration in which she wore nothing of the Countess Collection - not the dress not the jewelry. This is a Nicole Miller dress. This would have been more appropriate for the reunion than that rehearsal dress

 

Lu absolutely killed in this dress. I am someone who thinks she usually wears her clothes well, whatever the garment, but this one especially. Her body looks incredible. I would have loved to see her wear this at the reunion. I also think she looked great in the rehearsal dress she decided to wear. The neckline looks very good on her. But what it evokes - a marriage gone bad, and it had already gone bad when they filmed the reunion - just makes it a strange choice IMO. 

[MatildaMoody]

3 hours ago, diadochokinesis said:

To me, it isn't gauche that she rewore a dress. It is a bit of an eyebrow raise that she chose to rewear a dress from her wedding. However, I think what a lot of us are commenting on is the fact that she wore the dress again while her marriage is in shambles, she files for divorce 3 weeks later, and she was always trying to present this fantasy romance idea of that relationship. 

I don't know. Above everything else Luann has always seemed the most pragmatic about the way life just is. This was a very pretty and flattering dress and she knew it was an opportunity to look good, while acknowledging that she did indeed get married. I have tons of opinions about why Lu went whole hog with the marriage, but the reunion dress doesn't really factor into that for me.

i think Lu wore the dress because she looked great in it, she wanted to show she was (at the time of filming) still all in on her marriage decision, and she thought it would give her the confidence to get through the reunion. I think the filming of the reunion was the catalyst for the divorce filing (no matter who actually filed). 

I've given Lu A LOT of side eye and snark/shit over the years. But I have never questioned her thriftyness, her body appropriate style, or her willingness to arm herself in a way that could garner any possible sympathy from the other women. And let's be honest Lu needed the sympathy of these particular women so much more than she needed the audience's. I think she still had hope that she could get the others to stop making her marriage a horrible thing and just accept that it was a done deal.

This dress was a cost effective piece of armor. It just happened to be ineffective because the marriage was awful.

Edited August 20, 2017 by MatildaMoody

[diadochokinesis]

15 minutes ago, MatildaMoody said:

I don't know. Above everything else Luann has always seemed the most pragmatic about the way life just is. This was a very pretty and flattering dress and she knew it was an opportunity to look good, while acknowledging that she did indeed get married. I have tons of opinions about why Lu went whole hog with the marriage, but the reunion dress doesn't really factor into that for me.

i think Lu wore the dress because she looked great in it, she wanted to show she was (at the time of filming) still all in on her marriage decision, and she thought it would give her the confidence to get through the reunion. I think the filming of the reunion was the catalyst for the divorce filing (no matter who actually filed). 

I've given Lu A LOT of side eye and snark/shit over the years. But I have never questioned her thriftyness, her body appropriate style, or her willingness to arm herself in a way that could garner any possible sympathy from the other women. And let's be honest Lu needed the sympathy of these particular women so much more than she needed the audience's.

This was a cost effective piece of armor. It just happened to be ineffective.

There is also the blind item that was revealed by Tamara Tattles that the RHONY cast was freaking out because they were expected to provide 4 dresses (red, black, short and long) for the opening sequence and how it was a lot of money to put out considering that a lot of them didn't actually have the money that they pretend to have. It was indeed thrifty of her to do considering how much she paid for the gowns and the wedding. I would imagine she might have been a bit cash strapped considering it seems like the show is really her only source of income. I agree that she looked great in the dress.  Lu has a great body and she can normally dress to show it off (she does have her misses like everyone). I'm just thinking that it was a poor move in hindsight. I could see her going into the reunion thinking, "I'm going to wear this dress because Tom and I are IN LOVE!  We are MARRIED.  We are HAPPY!" and then it all fell apart with the slap the following day followed up by a divorce announcement 3 weeks later. If anything, it makes me feel sad for her because I do think she wanted the marriage to work (for whatever motive--I personally believe companionship) and it just fell apart. 

53 minutes ago, motorcitymom65 said:

Lu absolutely killed in this dress. I am someone who thinks she usually wears her clothes well, whatever the garment, but this one especially. Her body looks incredible. I would have loved to see her wear this at the reunion. I also think she looked great in the rehearsal dress she decided to wear. The neckline looks very good on her. But what it evokes - a marriage gone bad, and it had already gone bad when they filmed the reunion - just makes it a strange choice IMO. 

I adore that dress.  Great dress. I agree with what you said about the choice of the dress and where it went wrong. I think she went in trying to prove that point of happy marriage by wearing that dress but I think it was during the reunion that basically the marriage fell apart and thus the dress became this horrible choice.  Hindsight is 20/20. 

1 hour ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

I think Luann re-wore her rehearsal dress because (1) she had it  (2) she looked good in it and  (3) it had not been photographed to death unlike her other wedding dresses, quite simply.

Remember how she wore the hell out of those one-shoulder numbers way back when, to the point the other women started to snark on her for it?  Luann knows what looks good on her and she likes to get mileage out of her clothes.  I can't fault her for it.  It's the fact that she was ONCE AGAIN pushing the "look at me, the bride in white" again - especially when she was likely contemplating divorce, that makes her choice side-eye worthy. 

She looked good, I'll give her that. Blue paste jewels, notwithstanding. But the modestly panel down the back was unforgivable.  Just ruined it. Luann has a lovely body, it was completely unnecessary, and I can't imagine why she went with that.  I am guessing it was just the way the dress came and she just said F-it.  She shoulda broke out the cuticle scissors and dispensed with it! 

The blue rhinestones are the only thing I really hate about that dress.  Cheapens the look.  I haven't seen the modesty panel. I need to find a picture of it. 

I don't know if she was contemplating divorce going into the reunion. I'm wondering if everything coming out during the reunion was what initiated the divorce. 

[film noire]

1 hour ago, diadochokinesis said:

The blue rhinestones are the only thing I really hate about that dress.  Cheapens the look.  I haven't seen the modesty panel. I need to find a picture of it. 

It's sheer, and holding (front and back) the "necklace" in place  -- it's like a Vera Wang skating costume:

[diadochokinesis]

53 minutes ago, film noire said:

It's sheer, and holding (front and back) the "necklace" in place  -- it's like a Vera Wang skating costume:

Ok, I might have been ok with it if it didn't have those stupid blue rhinestones on it. If it was done from a structure point that it had to be there for dress to fall properly then I'm ok with it but to add those stupid rhinestones and have it go down to your butt crack like a giant arrow...  Just tacky. I need the blue rhinestones gone and the weird cutout/dip at the lower back of the dress also gone. It seriously is like a giant arrow pointing at her butt crack. If it would have been a simple white dress then it would have been stunning.  It didn't need the trickery. 

Edited August 20, 2017 by diadochokinesis
Added more I hated about the dress

[KungFuBunny]

18 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Oh, gosh, I wonder why I assumed it was a short dress.  Maybe because it was so tight and squeezy?

Even if it was tight and squeezy, I've never seen Luann schlump nor have I ever seen her sit like Al Bundy with the TV remote control. She would have been fine.

Sonja - the one who announces she has gone commando today and who poses like a frog on a lily pad for a portrait - that's another story.

[Yours Truly]

I personally think that Lu and Tom's marriage had an original path that got derailed by all the outing, tarnishing and judging.  I fully believe that they were bombarded with this rumor that rumor, snickers, whispers and pearl clutching constantly. I'm pretty sure most of it had no basis and the rest was within their original understanding of each other and what their marriage would be. I think Lu realized that she and Tom wouldn't ever be able to stay in that marriage without all of the finger pointing and harrassment from outsiders. I really believe that Lu and Tom had agreed on what kind of marriage they would have and didn't expect to have such watchful eyes and eager "truth tellers" ready to pounce every other day with "evidenence" and speculation about Tom's whereabouts, whoabouts and whatabouts about town. Lu realized that they would always be on everyone's radar and probably realized that whatever they may have outlined with each other wouldn't play out because too many people were "on the case" and they would constantly be required to explain this that and the other to prying eyes and eager to hurt "truth tellers". I feel bad that Lu's authenticity is always under the microscope to this degree. I don't blame her for throwing in the towel. How many times can you ask people to just leave your business alone without being heard?

[sasha206]

18 minutes ago, Yours Truly said:

I personally think that Lu and Tom's marriage had an original path that got derailed by all the outing, tarnishing and judging.  I fully believe that they were bombarded with this rumor that rumor, snickers, whispers and pearl clutching constantly. I'm pretty sure most of it had no basis and the rest was within their original understanding of each other and what their marriage would be. I think Lu realized that she and Tom wouldn't ever be able to stay in that marriage without all of the finger pointing and harrassment from outsiders. I really believe that Lu and Tom had agreed on what kind of marriage they would have and didn't expect to have such watchful eyes and eager "truth tellers" ready to pounce every other day with "evidenence" and speculation about Tom's whereabouts, whoabouts and whatabouts about town. Lu realized that they would always be on everyone's radar and probably realized that whatever they may have outlined with each other wouldn't play out because too many people were "on the case" and they would constantly be required to explain this that and the other to prying eyes and eager to hurt "truth tellers". I feel bad that Lu's authenticity is always under the microscope to this degree. I don't blame her for throwing in the towel. How many times can you ask people to just leave your business alone without being heard?

 

She would've been better off explaining that they have an open relationship if that's what they truly had.  Because if they both wanted to have their own indiscretions, would there be the same embarrassment leading to divorce if they had an agreement?  Had she said, "Yeah, we love each other.  We want the confines of marriage but this is 2017.  We are so hip we don't believe in monogamy.  We want to be able to explore our sexuality with pirates if we want but still come home to each other."  But had she done that, there  would not be two years of a storyline to keep her employed. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

I swear I remember previous discussions about what they wear to the reunion, and it was explained that they didn't have a choice on what to wear, that Bravo provided the dress.  Or Bravo provided a few, and they chose from them.  Maybe for Beverly Hills?  Somebody had a really awful dress, but it was because she didn't pick it.  Anybody else remember this?

[KungFuBunny]

8 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I swear I remember previous discussions about what they wear to the reunion, and it was explained that they didn't have a choice on what to wear, that Bravo provided the dress.  Or Bravo provided a few, and they chose from them.  Maybe for Beverly Hills?  Somebody had a really awful dress, but it was because she didn't pick it.  Anybody else remember this?

I think you are talking about the TH shots. Each HW brings at least 6 different outfits. Beforehand they are told what colors not to bring. They (the Bravo producers) pick the 3 outfits that will be used for the TH Shots. The TH Shots are not all shot in one sitting but throughout filming. So whatever outfits are chosen, the women also have to apply hair and makeup the same way as the original shot for continuity.

As for the reunion dresses, they wear whatever they want.

Luann is a reality TV personality. She should have had access and been solicited by various designers (not necessarily high end) but still - she should have had her pick of borrowing something. We know on many of these shows - Andy asks who are you wearing. He did it last year and I remember Jules saying Balmain and Carole saying Alexander McQueen. I can't believe her friend Brandi Rahm (wedding dress designer) didn't lend her something.

[Alonzo Mosely FBI]

On 8/19/2017 at 1:33 AM, DelicateDee said:

Teresa, definitely not.  Bethenny, though, I could see hunkering down.  She did actually graduate with a degree as someone as posted in Communications or something,  and don't forget, she also went to culinary school.  Love her or hate her, Bethenny is a smart(ass) cookie.  Teresa G., not so much.

Source ? I honestly thought there was no source to show she actually graduated . She attended BU and NYU but I thought for some reason the only one she finished was the culinary school. I figure someone here will know this, my memory is fuzzy .

All I see in those old pix is that someone paid for college and her dad's influence connected her to the right Hollywood ppl for those acting jobs. Yet "she did it alone, all on her own." 

I actually liked the blue stones. The Luann Native American statement necklace meets the Countess, with a tease of Crown Jewels vibe. Works on Luann she can carry off anything . 

As far as the cash strapped wardrobe grassy knoll theories, she did wear that awful dated Ralph Lauren floral to the garden party. That reunion Sleestak dress was bad too, and the Drek post wedding reunion truckstop function room. Oh well, even Louis Vuitton makes mistakes so can Luann in my book ! Hashtag HermanMunsterShoes 

I wonder if she and Tom fought about $. 

Edited August 20, 2017 by Alonzo Mosely FBI

[diadochokinesis]

7 minutes ago, KungFuBunny said:

I think you are talking about the TH shots. Each HW brings at least 6 different outfits. Beforehand they are told what colors not to bring. They (the Bravo producers) pick the 3 outfits that will be used for the TH Shots. The TH Shots are not all shot in one sitting but throughout filming. So whatever outfits are chosen, the women also have to apply hair and makeup the same way as the original shot for continuity.

As for the reunion dresses, they wear whatever they want.

Luann is a reality TV personality. She should have had access and been solicited by various designers (not necessarily high end) but still - she should have had her pick of borrowing something. We know on many of these shows - Andy asks who are you wearing. He did it last year and I remember Jules saying Balmain and Carole saying Alexander McQueen. I can't believe her friend Brandi Rahm (wedding dress designer) didn't lend her something.

I know that Bravo does usually have them dress to a theme.  The year that Lu wore that awful dress from her collection was metallics. If I remember correctly, there was a blind item about Heather not wearing a dress fitting the theme and it angering the producers. 

[Yours Truly]

39 minutes ago, sasha206 said:

 

She would've been better off explaining that they have an open relationship if that's what they truly had.  Because if they both wanted to have their own indiscretions, would there be the same embarrassment leading to divorce if they had an agreement?  Had she said, "Yeah, we love each other.  We want the confines of marriage but this is 2017.  We are so hip we don't believe in monogamy.  We want to be able to explore our sexuality with pirates if we want but still come home to each other."  But had she done that, there  would not be two years of a storyline to keep her employed. 

True but I'm of the camp that believed she didn't need to give "a statement" of that magnitude and I don't think anyone should be required to constantly answer intrusive questions that are inappropriate to begin with. I mean initially, coming forward with information because its important but once you realize that there is a different dynamic in the relationship in question then moving on should be the next logical step. I don't know. I think that Lu was denied the opportunity to carry on with her marriage as they planned because of all of the investigators running interference.  That's my opinion anyway. Lu couldn't continue with the marriage because both scenarios was just too much material for others to use against her and she would never have heard the end of it. Either she was a foolish woman who was in denial about her cheating husband or she's a sad woman settling for something less than "she deserves" by "reluctantly" accepting being in an open marriage.

Either way the harpies had their hooks in Lu's story and there was no way to get out from under that. Needless to say I can totally understand how all of it dampened the possibilities for Lu's marriage moving forward happily under whatever parameters they previously decided on. Too many people standing around her practically demanding reactions from her and if her reactions didn't fit "the crime" then an explanation was the next expectation. I think outsiders had more demands on Lu's marriage than Lu. LOL. 

[HunterHunted]

1 hour ago, diadochokinesis said:

I know that Bravo does usually have them dress to a theme.  The year that Lu wore that awful dress from her collection was metallics. If I remember correctly, there was a blind item about Heather not wearing a dress fitting the theme and it angering the producers. 

Last year seemed to have a white theme. I think Atlanta is probably the best at adhering to the themes.

[Avon.Blakes7]

3 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

Last year seemed to have a white theme. I think Atlanta is probably the best at adhering to the themes.

When was Elvis made into the theme? I can still hear Kenya referencing "The King" when talking about Porsha at the Reunion! Andy wouldn't let it go and even asked "you think she looks like Elvis?" The whole couch laughed at the short hair and jumpsuit when they really thought about it I guess! lol! I would be so surprised if she were able to come back to the show next season! If she's stupid enough to take the word of a pathological liar like Phaedra and pass around a heinous charge of "rape," I wouldn't want to film with her ever again! ;-)

[bagger]

4 hours ago, sasha206 said:

 

She would've been better off explaining that they have an open relationship if that's what they truly had.  Because if they both wanted to have their own indiscretions, would there be the same embarrassment leading to divorce if they had an agreement?  Had she said, "Yeah, we love each other.  We want the confines of marriage but this is 2017.  We are so hip we don't believe in monogamy.  We want to be able to explore our sexuality with pirates if we want but still come home to each other."  But had she done that, there  would not be two years of a storyline to keep her employed. 

It might have made for a more interesting two year arc. Think of how they could have been role models educating people that are other types of relationships/marriages. I would have been totally down with watching that.

year 1-Lu and Tom fall in love but realize that monogamy is not for them. They can deal with all the nay Sayers that don't believe they can make it work.

year 2-they settle in to their open marriage. I don't need to see them on dates with other people but we can see how they react to each other or how they discuss their dynamic.

year 3- this is the true test of their open marriage. The bloom is off the rise and maybe one or both have some issues with the rules and boundaries that they've set in place and they go through an adjustment period.

see, I just gave her a three year storyline all the while we can see how all these "open minded modern women" deal with it too.

i may pitch this idea to Andy

4 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I swear I remember previous discussions about what they wear to the reunion, and it was explained that they didn't have a choice on what to wear, that Bravo provided the dress.  Or Bravo provided a few, and they chose from them.  Maybe for Beverly Hills?  Somebody had a really awful dress, but it was because she didn't pick it.  Anybody else remember this?

I forget her name but the pretty Puerto Rican woman who wore ice skating dress said that they brought several dresses and they were told which to wear.

[HunterHunted]

1 hour ago, bagger said:

I forget her name but the pretty Puerto Rican woman who wore ice skating dress said that they brought several dresses and they were told which to wear.

Joyce Giraud

[Celia Rubenstein]

4 hours ago, Yours Truly said:

True but I'm of the camp that believed she didn't need to give "a statement" of that magnitude and I don't think anyone should be required to constantly answer intrusive questions that are inappropriate to begin with. I mean initially, coming forward with information because its important but once you realize that there is a different dynamic in the relationship in question then moving on should be the next logical step. I don't know. I think that Lu was denied the opportunity to carry on with her marriage as they planned because of all of the investigators running interference.  That's my opinion anyway. Lu couldn't continue with the marriage because both scenarios was just too much material for others to use against her and she would never have heard the end of it. Either she was a foolish woman who was in denial about her cheating husband or she's a sad woman settling for something less than "she deserves" by "reluctantly" accepting being in an open marriage.

Either way the harpies had their hooks in Lu's story and there was no way to get out from under that. Needless to say I can totally understand how all of it dampened the possibilities for Lu's marriage moving forward happily under whatever parameters they previously decided on. Too many people standing around her practically demanding reactions from her and if her reactions didn't fit "the crime" then an explanation was the next expectation. I think outsiders had more demands on Lu's marriage than Lu. LOL. 

Nobody is holding gun to Luann's head making her be on this show.  Nor did anyone insist she blather on about her relationship endlessly and make it the entire focus of her storyline, either.  She chose to put herself out there and she chose to put her relationship with Tom in the spotlight.  And if she was not prepared to listen to what people had to say about things, she should have said no-thanks to the paycheck and kept her well-toned ass off of the TV.  This is especially true if she really did have the kind of atypical marriage you suggest she had.  She should have known that people would take notice and been prepared to face the fallout. 

If she and Tom really did try to market a non-traditional marriage as an old-fashioned love story without having a strong enough union to deal with the scrutiny that came when cracks formed in their image, the failure of the marriage is not the fault of the the harpies and their completely foreseeable reactions to a bullshit story.  It is on Tom and Luann for miscalculating how strong a relationship they had (and for misjudging their ability to fool people, as well, lol). 

I must say that my overall takeaway from the scenario you suggest is not that Tom and Luann's marriage fell victim to their evil cast mates, a vicious public, or a ruthless media take on their story.  What it says to me is that Luann clearly placed more value on being on TV than she does on having a happy marriage with Tom.  Because if their union was being crushed by the pressure they were facing and Luann really wanted to save her marriage, I would think her first response would have been to announce her exit from the show.  Seems like that would have nipped the problem in the bud.  Simply put the "pearl clutchers" in her rear view mirror and move on with their real set of friends and family members who support them.  Instead, we get papers filed after a mere seven months. That says something about Luann's priorities to me.   She wants to be a Real Housewife more than she wants to be Tom's wife, so she made her choice.

I can't feel too bad for her getting divorced when her marriage apparently didn't really mean all that much to her.  YMMV

[BBHN]

[Former Nun]

1 hour ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

Nobody is holding gun to Luann's head making her be on this show.

It's all about the money!  

1 hour ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

What it says to me is that Luann clearly placed more value on being on TV than she does on having a happy marriage with Tom.  Because if their union was being crushed by the pressure they were facing and Luann really wanted to save her marriage, I would think her first response would have been to announce her exit from the show.

See above.               (Right On, Celia Rubenstein!!!)

[Former Nun]

7 hours ago, Alonzo Mosely FBI said:

I wonder if she and Tom fought about $. 

 "I thought YOU had money!"  "Me? No! thought YOU were the wealthy one."  That type of fight?

[jumper sage]

20 hours ago, Jextella said:

Rewearing the dress seemed like a secret code for Tom.   If LuAnn could, maybe she would have sat on that couch in her wedding dress if it helped keep her marriage together.  The rehearsal dress was the best compromise.  This is how I saw it anyway.  

I have a friend whose grandmother is quite wealthy and always wears a new dress to wedding, graduations, anniversaries etc.  You can always tell when she is disapproving of a union when she wears an old dress she is already pictured in.  It is her way of silently showing her feelings without saying anything.  She is always the proper lady and wouldn't dream of saying anything.  Hilarious.  My sister and I have taken up this silent reproval.

I see that the reunion part 1 is re-airing tonight.  Will be on lookout for the price tag on Ramona's shoes.

[Jel]

Personally, I think the problem Lu had with Tom was the frequent make out sessions he had with other women, especially in public.   

(And that's assuming it was actually a love-based marriage, which I now seriously doubt. )

[jumper sage]

Never saw the tag on Ramona's shoe.  You guys must be eagle eyed.

[diadochokinesis]

11 minutes ago, jumper sage said:

Never saw the tag on Ramona's shoe.  You guys must be eagle eyed.

LOL.  It drove me nuts! 

[jumper sage]

Just now, diadochokinesis said:

LOL.  It drove me nuts! 

I have watched now 3 times and can not spot it at all.  How can you see it?

[film noire]

3 hours ago, Former Nun said:

 "I thought YOU had money!"  "Me? No! thought YOU were the wealthy one."  That type of fight?

LOL

[diadochokinesis]

2 hours ago, Jel said:

Personally, I think the problem Lu had with Tom was the frequent make out sessions he had with other women, especially in public.   

(And that's assuming it was actually a love-based marriage, which I now seriously doubt. )

My personal belief is that it was based off (on Lu's end) on her desire for companionship.  I don't believe it was about love. She just saw someone that she liked hanging out, possibly had great sex with, and just decided to marry him. I have no clue what his motivation was.

Just now, jumper sage said:

I have watched now 3 times and can not spot it at all.  How can you see it?

During the first 10 minutes or so, she flips her shoe up towards the camera and it is a big white sticker on the bottom of the shoe. 

[Former Nun]

40 minutes ago, diadochokinesis said:

I have no clue what his motivation was.

HIS & HERS ...   The almighty dollah!   Both laboring under some misunderstanding, misinformation, misdirection, mis...........................................................

[telemachus2]

Uhh...Nancy-pansys - Ramona, is that you??

Beth was so proud of squeezing into her 4 yr old's pj's, am PRAYING that Brynn doesn't inherit her mom's tendency to chunk, as shown in Beth's college pic!  Beth's face & neck appear much fleshier than at present.  Musta been pre-Adderall, etc.

Lu's European sojourn may've influenced her willingness to repeat the rehearsal dress - have always heard that Euro femmes tend to have smaller wardrobes of more flattering clothes than we Trailer Park Yanks.

Edited August 22, 2017 by telemachus2

[BBHN]

But she recycled the dress before her soujourn to Europe...supposedly before the divorce papers were filed.

Unless she had already been planning to bolt by Europe by that point...

[biakbiak]

4 minutes ago, BBHN said:

But she recycled the dress before her soujourn to Europe...supposedly before the divorce papers were filed.

I believe the poster might have meant the numerous years Luann lived in Europe not her recent week long vacation. 

[BBHN]

Ah. That theory still doesn't work, since we've rarely seen Luann recycling her woredrobe before (or at least, it wasn't as noticeable before).  She always seemed to have a pretty decent sized wardrobe.

[biakbiak]

4 minutes ago, BBHN said:

That theory still doesn't work, since we've rarely seen Luann recycling her woredrobe before (or at least, it wasn't as noticeable before).  She always seemed to have a pretty decent sized wardrobe.

We have seen her where old clothes in photos and on the show most disastrously this season with that hideous dress she wore to Tinsley's welcome tea. 

Or perhaps she just liked  the dress and it isn't deeper than that. Again at least it was that floral number or the hideous shoes she had worn several times.

[BBHN]

Either way, her choice in recycling her dress for the reunion is just as off as her choice in recent husbands.

[LIMOM]

18 hours ago, Alonzo Mosely FBI said:

Source ? I honestly thought there was no source to show she actually graduated . She attended BU and NYU but I thought for some reason the only one she finished was the culinary school. I figure someone here will know this, my memory is fuzzy .

All I see in those old pix is that someone paid for college and her dad's influence connected her to the right Hollywood ppl for those acting jobs. Yet "she did it alone, all on her own." 

I actually liked the blue stones. The Luann Native American statement necklace meets the Countess, with a tease of Crown Jewels vibe. Works on Luann she can carry off anything . 

As far as the cash strapped wardrobe grassy knoll theories, she did wear that awful dated Ralph Lauren floral to the garden party. That reunion Sleestak dress was bad too, and the Drek post wedding reunion truckstop function room. Oh well, even Louis Vuitton makes mistakes so can Luann in my book ! Hashtag HermanMunsterShoes 

I wonder if she and Tom fought about $. 

I am also very surprised with B attending and graduating from NYU. According to wiki, she graduated in 1992. 

Was this talked about ever?

[LIMOM]

11 hours ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

Nobody is holding gun to Luann's head making her be on this show.  Nor did anyone insist she blather on about her relationship endlessly and make it the entire focus of her storyline, either.  She chose to put herself out there and she chose to put her relationship with Tom in the spotlight.  And if she was not prepared to listen to what people had to say about things, she should have said no-thanks to the paycheck and kept her well-toned ass off of the TV.  This is especially true if she really did have the kind of atypical marriage you suggest she had.  She should have known that people would take notice and been prepared to face the fallout. 

If she and Tom really did try to market a non-traditional marriage as an old-fashioned love story without having a strong enough union to deal with the scrutiny that came when cracks formed in their image, the failure of the marriage is not the fault of the the harpies and their completely foreseeable reactions to a bullshit story.  It is on Tom and Luann for miscalculating how strong a relationship they had (and for misjudging their ability to fool people, as well, lol). 

I must say that my overall takeaway from the scenario you suggest is not that Tom and Luann's marriage fell victim to their evil cast mates, a vicious public, or a ruthless media take on their story.  What it says to me is that Luann clearly placed more value on being on TV than she does on having a happy marriage with Tom.  Because if their union was being crushed by the pressure they were facing and Luann really wanted to save her marriage, I would think her first response would have been to announce her exit from the show.  Seems like that would have nipped the problem in the bud.  Simply put the "pearl clutchers" in her rear view mirror and move on with their real set of friends and family members who support them.  Instead, we get papers filed after a mere seven months. That says something about Luann's priorities to me.   She wants to be a Real Housewife more than she wants to be Tom's wife, so she made her choice.

I can't feel too bad for her getting divorced when her marriage apparently didn't really mean all that much to her.  YMMV

In all fairness, Tom was not in it either. Even the very liberal LuAnn could not stomach the ever present Missy, imo.

It is one thing to know that you are both open to sexcapades from time to time, it is another to see your partner with the same person, over and over again.

Lu was embarrassed by Tom and he could not care enough to act like a married man, Imo or at the very least be discreet.

He acted like an ugly frat dude, not the life she thought she had signed for.

[ButterQueen]

4 hours ago, telemachus2 said:

Uhh...Nancy-pansys - Ramona, is that you??

PRAYING that Brynn doesn't inherit her mom's tendency to chunk, as shown in Beth's college pic!  Musta been pre-Adderall, etc.

Lu's European sojourn may've influenced her willingness to repeat the rehearsal dress - have always heard that Euro femmes tend to have smaller wardrobes of more flattering clothes than we Trailer Park Yanks.

Beth chunky in her college picture?  It was the style---big sweaters.  Holy hell, no wonder women are addicted to Adderall.

[Mindthinkr]

2 hours ago, LIMOM said:

In all fairness, Tom was not in it either. Even the very liberal LuAnn could not stomach the ever present Missy, imo.

It is one thing to know that you are both open to sexcapades from time to time, it is another to see your partner with the same person, over and over again.

Lu was embarrassed by Tom and he could not care enough to act like a married man, Imo or at the very least be discreet.

He acted like an ugly frat dude, not the life she thought she had signed for.

Oh gosh. I hope Lu isn't going to begin with Princess Diana comparisons. It's like the soap opera version of Royaltygate staring Tom as Charles, Lu as Di, and Missy as Camilla. 

[Yours Truly]

15 hours ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

Nobody is holding gun to Luann's head making her be on this show.  Nor did anyone insist she blather on about her relationship endlessly and make it the entire focus of her storyline, either.  She chose to put herself out there and she chose to put her relationship with Tom in the spotlight.  And if she was not prepared to listen to what people had to say about things, she should have said no-thanks to the paycheck and kept her well-toned ass off of the TV.  This is especially true if she really did have the kind of atypical marriage you suggest she had.  She should have known that people would take notice and been prepared to face the fallout. 

If she and Tom really did try to market a non-traditional marriage as an old-fashioned love story without having a strong enough union to deal with the scrutiny that came when cracks formed in their image, the failure of the marriage is not the fault of the the harpies and their completely foreseeable reactions to a bullshit story.  It is on Tom and Luann for miscalculating how strong a relationship they had (and for misjudging their ability to fool people, as well, lol). 

I must say that my overall takeaway from the scenario you suggest is not that Tom and Luann's marriage fell victim to their evil cast mates, a vicious public, or a ruthless media take on their story.  What it says to me is that Luann clearly placed more value on being on TV than she does on having a happy marriage with Tom.  Because if their union was being crushed by the pressure they were facing and Luann really wanted to save her marriage, I would think her first response would have been to announce her exit from the show.  Seems like that would have nipped the problem in the bud.  Simply put the "pearl clutchers" in her rear view mirror and move on with their real set of friends and family members who support them.  Instead, we get papers filed after a mere seven months. That says something about Luann's priorities to me.   She wants to be a Real Housewife more than she wants to be Tom's wife, so she made her choice.

I can't feel too bad for her getting divorced when her marriage apparently didn't really mean all that much to her.  YMMV

Well thank goodness she did. What else would quench the viewers thirst? Andy got his ratings and the public got the blood they were craving. Reality shows at their best I guess. 

[KungFuBunny]

At this point, will anyone be shocked if we find out that even though Luann had a ceremony that they didn't truly get married? As in, either the officiant wasn't certified to perform the ceremony or the documents were never sent in?

I can see it now, Tom sues to get the engagement ring and wedding ring back.

Tom will gladly give back the Rolex since he found out it was a knock off Luann purchased in Chinatown.