Girls Next Door - General Discussion

[LemonSoda]

1 hour ago, qtpye said:

 

I think a big difference is that Kendra had some self-esteem and Holly did not, at the time she was in the mansion.

I think Holly is sweet and probably would much prefer her to Kendra in real life but Kendra knew how much she was worth.

I am sure Hef told them that there are a million blonde girls that would love to be in your position and all of you are replaceable. I think Kendra called his bluff and Holly just did not.

At that time I felt that Holly lost herself in the men she dated. She was into all the old-timey stuff that Hef loved but I am sure she found at least some of it boring.

She then did the same thing with Chris Angel when she started dating him. She began to emulate his punk slightly goth vibe.

I really hope she has learned to love herself because she deserves so much more respect than what she got from Hef.

 

I go back and forth on the self esteem thing because while I’m fully certain Holly didn’t have any, I’m not sure if Kendra had much either. Kendra had a dysfunctional home life, meth problem, a bad boyfriend and Hef/what he could provide was a breath of fresh air. With her strip club education she was going to get everything out of the experience she could. And she did. 
Why I say that is from Kendra’s own books, various tv shows she has a lot of trauma, self worth, self esteem and serious abandonment issues. So mostly I feel like she just saw the game for what it was instead of wanting the fairytale like Holly. Also her age, lack of maturity at the time, I’m curious if she would’ve handled it all better at say 26 instead of 19. 
 

Holly did that with her husband too and now Zac. 
 

[Tatum]

9 hours ago, qtpye said:

 

I think a big difference is that Kendra had some self-esteem and Holly did not, at the time she was in the mansion...I am sure Hef told them that there are a million blonde girls that would love to be in your position and all of you are replaceable. I think Kendra called his bluff and Holly just did not.

 

I am not sure on this one. I don't think Kendra called his bluff so much as she just knew what she wanted. Holly wanted love, attention, validation, and maybe Hollywood fame, and thought the best way to get it would be to mold herself into Hef's perfect woman and follow his every asinine rule and be pathetically grateful to him for the opportunity. Kendra wanted a nose job (or was it her teeth fixed? I can never remember), a new Escalade, and a nice room at the mansion.

 

If Hef had said no, I'll give you a cast off truck and you can share a room with another snotty girl, I think Kendra would have walked, not because she was playing hardball, but because that simply did not appeal to her. Holly would have taken the deal, because at the time, the type of car and room wasn't what she was after- it was the chance to get her foot in the door, and she wouldn't have wanted to risk alienating Hef.

 

Kendra was thinking short term gains, Holly was thinking long term gains, and in this case, Kendra's view was the smarter one. While I think he was predatory to both women, Kendra probably feels like they were more equals since she got what she wanted.

 

 

I agree with this for sure:

Quote

At that time I felt that Holly lost herself in the men she dated. She was into all the old-timey stuff that Hef loved but I am sure she found at least some of it boring.

She then did the same thing with Chris Angel when she started dating him. She began to emulate his punk slightly goth vibe.

I really hope she has learned to love herself because she deserves so much more respect than what she got from Hef.

And I don't know that she's learned all that much either. Holly should definitely be single for awhile. Like, she needs to just take romantic relationships off the table for a solid year at least and learn how to support herself emotionally and not rely on men in her life to make her feel like she has value.

[LemonSoda]

On 6/21/2021 at 9:24 AM, Tatum said:

I am not sure on this one. I don't think Kendra called his bluff so much as she just knew what she wanted. Holly wanted love, attention, validation, and maybe Hollywood fame, and thought the best way to get it would be to mold herself into Hef's perfect woman and follow his every asinine rule and be pathetically grateful to him for the opportunity. Kendra wanted a nose job (or was it her teeth fixed? I can never remember), a new Escalade, and a nice room at the mansion.

 

If Hef had said no, I'll give you a cast off truck and you can share a room with another snotty girl, I think Kendra would have walked, not because she was playing hardball, but because that simply did not appeal to her. Holly would have taken the deal, because at the time, the type of car and room wasn't what she was after- it was the chance to get her foot in the door, and she wouldn't have wanted to risk alienating Hef.

 

Kendra was thinking short term gains, Holly was thinking long term gains, and in this case, Kendra's view was the smarter one. While I think he was predatory to both women, Kendra probably feels like they were more equals since she got what she wanted.

It’s been a while since I read her book but I agree. Before she moved in to the mansion, Hef had been sending cars to bring her to hang out on weekends so it wasn’t like she just showed up.
She was still working at Cheetah’s, doing local car show, bikini modeling. Who knows? With the right connections she could’ve made a career just of that. If she got a real agent instead of her boyfriend that is. 
She started out in the guesthouse. The other girls wanted Room 2 for their scrapbooking room. 
Kendra wasn’t out for a husband in Hef or even a fairytale.
It was all a lifestyle for Holly and Bridget. Kendra? She was just hanging out, getting what she could while it lasted. 
 

[qtpye]

1 hour ago, LemonSoda said:

It’s been a while since I read her book but I agree. Before she moved in to the mansion, Hef had been sending cars to bring her to hang out on weekends so it wasn’t like she just showed up.
She was still working at Cheetah’s, doing local car show, bikini modeling. Who knows? With the right connections she could’ve made a career just of that. If she got a real agent instead of her boyfriend that is. 
She started out in the guesthouse. The other girls wanted Room 2 for their scrapbooking room. 
Kendra wasn’t out for a husband in Hef or even a fairytale.
It was all a lifestyle for Holly and Bridget. Kendra? She was just hanging out, getting what she could while it lasted. 
 

I wonder if this was because Playboy was a bit of an icon when Bridgette and Holly were growing up and had kind of become cheesy and stale by the time Kendra came along?

Kendra just did not seem wowed by Hef and the lifestyle like the other girls.

[LemonSoda]

43 minutes ago, qtpye said:

I wonder if this was because Playboy was a bit of an icon when Bridgette and Holly were growing up and had kind of become cheesy and stale by the time Kendra came along?

Kendra just did not seem wowed by Hef and the lifestyle like the other girls.

Possibly! I remember reading that Kendra was impressed by it all. But I think one of the biggest differences is she seemed to have an understanding whether consciously or not that she was a visitor in wonderland, it wasn’t “hers”. Holly wanted it all. Bridget? She’s acknowledged she was there for the fun ride. She never wanted to be Mrs Hefner. 
 

[RealHousewife]

2 hours ago, qtpye said:

I wonder if this was because Playboy was a bit of an icon when Bridgette and Holly were growing up and had kind of become cheesy and stale by the time Kendra came along?

Kendra just did not seem wowed by Hef and the lifestyle like the other girls.

I think this is a great point. Bridget's and Holly's dads had Playboys in the house. Bridget saw one when she was little and wanted to be beautiful like the Playmates. Holly idolized women like Jenny McCarthy and thought Playboy could be a way to get famous. Kendra kind of just wound up there. 

[LemonSoda]

1 hour ago, RealHousewife said:

I think this is a great point. Bridget's and Holly's dads had Playboys in the house. Bridget saw one when she was little and wanted to be beautiful like the Playmates. Holly idolized women like Jenny McCarthy and thought Playboy could be a way to get famous. Kendra kind of just wound up there. 

Absolutely. Holly saw it as a stepping stone then got caught up in all of it, wanting a fairytale with Hef. She had fame aspirations. Bridget wanted to be a playmate and while she has done some acting, some even before GND I’m not sure she had a clear path other than wanting to do something in broadcasting/journalism. 
Kendra’s only real knowledge of Playboy was her uncle working at the casino. 

[Tatum]

15 hours ago, LemonSoda said:

It was all a lifestyle for Holly and Bridget. Kendra? She was just hanging out, getting what she could while it lasted. 

Right, and there is zero reason for Holly to resent that about her. It was opportunistic, sure, but Hef wasn't being "taken advantage of" and Kendra didn't owe him any gratitude. He wasn't offering her cars and cosmetic surgery out of the goodness of his heart or because he genuinely cared about her future, he wanted to get in her pants or at least let the world think he was.

 

Hopefully Holly has realized over time just how insidious Hef was and how Kendra, although unfriendly and irresponsible, wasn't actually doing anything wrong in regards to what she got while living at the mansion. Holly has a lot of reasons to be angry at Kendra in general, but this wasn't one on them.

[LemonSoda]

On 6/23/2021 at 11:24 AM, Tatum said:

Right, and there is zero reason for Holly to resent that about her. It was opportunistic, sure, but Hef wasn't being "taken advantage of" and Kendra didn't owe him any gratitude. He wasn't offering her cars and cosmetic surgery out of the goodness of his heart or because he genuinely cared about her future, he wanted to get in her pants or at least let the world think he was.

 

Hopefully Holly has realized over time just how insidious Hef was and how Kendra, although unfriendly and irresponsible, wasn't actually doing anything wrong in regards to what she got while living at the mansion. Holly has a lot of reasons to be angry at Kendra in general, but this wasn't one on them.

Absolutely. That’s why I feel in many ways that not only wasn’t she far enough removed (time) from the situation but a lot of self work needed to happen to give more clarity and she now says there are a few things she would word or say differently. 

In situations like this, it’s hard to tell the full story from all angles. Holly harps on getting Buffy’s old monster truck but omits that what followed it were two porsches she chose, had customized and her corvette. Does that negate any annoyances or pain she suffered? No. But they are valid parts of the story. 
As exhausting as I find Kendra, I do believe her that the other girls excluded her a lot, whether purposely or not and it hurt her. So a lot of her acting out might’ve been triggered from her own abandonment issues. 

[RealHousewife]

I feel like so many of the girlfriends had the whole "not like other girls" thing going. 

I'm different, I'm going to be a lawyer. I'm different, I'm in love with Hef. I'm different, I DGAF about Playboy. I'm different, I don't ask for as much as the others. 

No one was there because they genuinely find men their grandfather's age sexy. They were all trading their looks for a lifestyle. It doesn't mean the girls are bad people. It's just kind of funny that as much as they didn't want to be called gold diggers by the outside world, girlfriends would judge one another so much. If you got to live in the mansion, get nose jobs paid for, allowance, etc, that was all good. If another girl wanted to try to get other things, that was taking advantage of poor old Hef. 

In Holly's defense, I think she's more critical of people when they're not nice to her. I'm kind of the same way. I don't recall her ever judging to judge. For example, she's always said nice things about Bridget. 

I also think the more time passes from the mansion days, the more clearly Holly sees things. It makes sense. She's a smart woman, but she was so young and lived in a bubble for so many years. It can still skew your perception of reality.

[LemonSoda]

1 hour ago, RealHousewife said:

I feel like so many of the girlfriends had the whole "not like other girls" thing going. 

I'm different, I'm going to be a lawyer. I'm different, I'm in love with Hef. I'm different, I DGAF about Playboy. I'm different, I don't ask for as much as the others. 

No one was there because they genuinely find men their grandfather's age sexy. They were all trading their looks for a lifestyle. It doesn't mean the girls are bad people. It's just kind of funny that as much as they didn't want to be called gold diggers by the outside world, girlfriends would judge one another so much. If you got to live in the mansion, get nose jobs paid for, allowance, etc, that was all good. If another girl wanted to try to get other things, that was taking advantage of poor old Hef. 

In Holly's defense, I think she's more critical of people when they're not nice to her. I'm kind of the same way. I don't recall her ever judging to judge. For example, she's always said nice things about Bridget. 

I also think the more time passes from the mansion days, the more clearly Holly sees things. It makes sense. She's a smart woman, but she was so young and lived in a bubble for so many years. It can still skew your perception of reality.

Yes! And that’s part of the inner self competition. I’m here for Hef which makes me better than so and so or I’m in law school so I’m superior than everyone else here! 
Until I had re-watched the pilot again last week I had forgotten that Holly had only been there 3 years when the show started. 

Aside from the (horrible!) age shaming and stuff about her marriage she received online I can’t imagine anyone who has spent time with her saying anything bad about Bridget. Even Kendra had to backtrack when they met up face to face. And Bridget was kind to actually meet up with her. 

Yes, and while only those who lived there can fully understand, their mansion lives were a totally twisted view of reality. 

[dariafan]

If I was in my mid 20s to early 30s ( which I am smack in the middle of holly and Bridget) and had to live with a 20 year old Kendra, I’d go without her too 

[qtpye]

19 hours ago, LemonSoda said:

Yes! And that’s part of the inner self competition. I’m here for Hef which makes me better than so and so or I’m in law school so I’m superior than everyone else here! 
Until I had re-watched the pilot again last week I had forgotten that Holly had only been there 3 years when the show started. 

Aside from the (horrible!) age shaming and stuff about her marriage she received online I can’t imagine anyone who has spent time with her saying anything bad about Bridget. Even Kendra had to backtrack when they met up face to face. And Bridget was kind to actually meet up with her. 

Yes, and while only those who lived there can fully understand, their mansion lives were a totally twisted view of reality. 

Yes, I like Holly but her mind was not in a healthy place when she was at the mansion.

There was a lot of virtue signaling and how some of the girls considered themselves to have purer motives than others. The truth was that none of them would be there if Hef was a janitor (not trying to down janitors) or any sort of regular guy.

One of the reasons that Playboy died in the 21st century was that it was very much about beautiful women competing for the male gaze. Sexual freedom was condoned but very much in keeping with the terms that were most beneficial to the heterosexual (mostly white) male. 

3 hours ago, dariafan said:

If I was in my mid 20s to early 30s ( which I am smack in the middle of holly and Bridget) and had to live with a 20 year old Kendra, I’d go without her too 

I think Holly and Kendra just had very different personalities and Kendra can be very rough around the edges. I can't imagine having to be in a harem with a girl or girls that I did not like.

Truthfully, I can not imagine being in a harem....period.

[RealHousewife]

On 6/24/2021 at 7:58 PM, LemonSoda said:

Yes! And that’s part of the inner self competition. I’m here for Hef which makes me better than so and so or I’m in law school so I’m superior than everyone else here! 
Until I had re-watched the pilot again last week I had forgotten that Holly had only been there 3 years when the show started. 

Aside from the (horrible!) age shaming and stuff about her marriage she received online I can’t imagine anyone who has spent time with her saying anything bad about Bridget. Even Kendra had to backtrack when they met up face to face. And Bridget was kind to actually meet up with her. 

Yes, and while only those who lived there can fully understand, their mansion lives were a totally twisted view of reality. 

Oh yes, I remember some of the online hate. It's gross to be mean towards Bridget of all people. I remember she'd get made fun of for things like her room being so pink. I mean, who cares? Nothing Bridget did ever hurt anybody. 

[LemonSoda]

4 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

Oh yes, I remember some of the online hate. It's gross to be mean towards Bridget of all people. I remember she'd get made fun of for things like her room being so pink. I mean, who cares? Nothing Bridget did ever hurt anybody. 

Yes! So much of the “snark” was mean and unnecessary. So what if she loves pink? Betsey Johnson and many others had pink apartments. Also if I remember correctly the room was pink before Bridget moved in to it. 

Even Kendra was unfairly picked on. As annoying as I found her at times, I remember getting in to it with someone whose snark was more class system cruelty than anything. Talking about her love of the Olive Garden as being “trashy”. I’m like Really? Kendra, like many was raised in an environment where dining out was a luxury. So going to the Olive Garden was extravagant and fancy to her. Even her choice of brands. To Kendra, mall chain stores were fancy. I thought it was terrible to pick on that. 
It reminded me of Anna Nicole not knowing what Guess was. 

[RealHousewife]

3 hours ago, LemonSoda said:

Yes! So much of the “snark” was mean and unnecessary. So what if she loves pink? Betsey Johnson and many others had pink apartments. Also if I remember correctly the room was pink before Bridget moved in to it. 

Even Kendra was unfairly picked on. As annoying as I found her at times, I remember getting in to it with someone whose snark was more class system cruelty than anything. Talking about her love of the Olive Garden as being “trashy”. I’m like Really? Kendra, like many was raised in an environment where dining out was a luxury. So going to the Olive Garden was extravagant and fancy to her. Even her choice of brands. To Kendra, mall chain stores were fancy. I thought it was terrible to pick on that. 
It reminded me of Anna Nicole not knowing what Guess was. 

Exactly. I'll call out reality stars if they're being cruel, dishonest, etc. I'm no angel and make fun of the ridiculous stuff. Bridget never bullied anyone, never made money in a shady way, never spilled personal secrets about anybody. I'm not encouraging anyone to be with someone like Hef, but in many ways Bridget is actually a great role model. She's kind. She's thoughtful. She tries to get along with everyone. She looks for the bright side. She has fun in life. She works hard. These are wonderful qualities that many people don't possess. 

Ugh, that's so gross. Honestly, I found all of that endearing about Kendra. She was such a normal kid her age. One of my favorite things about the show was the fact despite the glamorous lifestyle, there was lots of normalcy. I thought it was cool that the girls would wear Steve Madden shoes and shop at Target, Victoria's Secret and stuff. I'd think, if this is good enough for Hef's gorgeous girlfriends, it's good enough for me! haha

Edited June 27, 2021 by RealHousewife

[dariafan]

I wonder why Bridget isn’t getting the tv offers ?  She gets super excited and would have a bit of a following. 

[RealHousewife]

2 hours ago, dariafan said:

I wonder why Bridget isn’t getting the tv offers ?  She gets super excited and would have a bit of a following. 

I'd definitely watch! I love lifestyle shows. It's part of why I'm a Housewives fan. You kind of live vicariously through them when it comes to the glamour and whatnot. Bridget could do a fun lifestyle show and bring some much needed sweetness to reality TV. It could literally be "Hanging Out with Bridget" or something. She's beautiful, has a handsome boyfriend, and her family doesn't mind being on TV. She has friends who are also comfortable on camera. We could see her shop, plan parties, prepare gifts, cook and bake, do makeovers, share Playboy gossip, ghost hunt, decorate, the possibilities are endless. 

Some people might judge her for her closet, but I think it looks like a girly girl's dream! I'd love to see more of her home and just day in the life. 

[LemonSoda]

11 hours ago, dariafan said:

I wonder why Bridget isn’t getting the tv offers ?  She gets super excited and would have a bit of a following. 

I wish I knew! I know some of her pilots didn’t go anywhere because she’s not a drama person. What TPTB don’t understand is not everyone wants to watch drama, conflict. To me that’s what messed up Holly’s World. There was nothing wrong with showing Holly & friends take on Vegas life. We didn’t need arguing, drama or even the uncomfortable way the producers handled the Benji situation. 

9 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

I'd definitely watch! I love lifestyle shows. It's part of why I'm a Housewives fan. You kind of live vicariously through them when it comes to the glamour and whatnot. Bridget could do a fun lifestyle show and bring some much needed sweetness to reality TV. It could literally be "Hanging Out with Bridget" or something. She's beautiful, has a handsome boyfriend, and her family doesn't mind being on TV. She has friends who are also comfortable on camera. We could see her shop, plan parties, prepare gifts, cook and bake, do makeovers, share Playboy gossip, ghost hunt, decorate, the possibilities are endless. 

Some people might judge her for her closet, but I think it looks like a girly girl's dream! I'd love to see more of her home and just day in the life. 

I looooved her old house! I remember pausing parts of Holly’s World and Kendra to see the rooms. I loved that she had a Bobby Trendy sofa! LOL! Kind of weird to explain but when I saw Holly’s old house with Pasquale, the Marie Antoinette dream closet it made me think of Bridget, maybe what she’d create with an unlimited budget. 
 

I wish she had kept up doing these things on YouTube! She’s fun to watch. I wish she’d come back. 

[RealHousewife]

On 6/28/2021 at 11:25 PM, LemonSoda said:

I wish I knew! I know some of her pilots didn’t go anywhere because she’s not a drama person. What TPTB don’t understand is not everyone wants to watch drama, conflict. To me that’s what messed up Holly’s World. There was nothing wrong with showing Holly & friends take on Vegas life. We didn’t need arguing, drama or even the uncomfortable way the producers handled the Benji situation. 

I looooved her old house! I remember pausing parts of Holly’s World and Kendra to see the rooms. I loved that she had a Bobby Trendy sofa! LOL! Kind of weird to explain but when I saw Holly’s old house with Pasquale, the Marie Antoinette dream closet it made me think of Bridget, maybe what she’d create with an unlimited budget. 
 

I wish she had kept up doing these things on YouTube! She’s fun to watch. I wish she’d come back. 

Agreed. My favorite entertainment is cute, fun shows, not screaming matches. 

I'm curious what Bridget would do with an unlimited budget too! I know their style wasn't for everyone, but tbh I liked a lot of their fashion. I think a makeover/style show hosted by Holly and Bridget would be amazing. I always paid a ton of attention to the fashion and general taste of the girls. Kendra is definitely a tomboy who dolls up when she has to. Holly and Bridget are both very feminine, but Holly was always more glamorous, while Bridget was more simply girly. I remember Holly loved Louis Vuitton luggage, but Bridget said once she thought about coming out with a cute luggage line that wasn't super expensive. She might have said she didn't like anything too fancy to not attract thieves. I've thought about splurging on gorgeous luggage, but I've wondered that myself. I remember Holly being a big Roberto Cavalli fan and modeling the bunny costume. Bridget said Holly was more into the designer thing and she was happy for Holly. In an old Q&A, Bridget was asked what her favorite designer was. She said she wasn't sure if they were considered designer but she was a big fan of Mandaly and Wheels & Dollbaby. In the GND book, Bridget's favorite stores were Marciano, Bebe, Betsey Johnson, and Forever 21. I also remember her shopping at Wet Seal. Holly's favorite places to shop were Victoria's Secret, Hot Topic, Divine Boutique, and Just Cavalli. Kendra's were Intermix, Target, Niketown, and Jimmy Choo. For Bridget, buying Louboutins was a splurge. I remember Holly said another time her favorite place to shop was Neimans because it's like a one-stop shop. 

Holly and Bridget wear a lot of cute dresses imo. It's not all super sexy stuff either. A lot of their clothing is more modest than stuff often worn by women considered style icons, like J.Lo and the Kardashians. I don't think there's anything wrong with showing off a gorgeous figure. I just know if I say either woman has cute style, someone might think I mean refer to pasties or Playboy t-shirts or something. lol

I will forever be obsessed with Holly's GND hair and makeup! She and Erika Jayne must have the prettiest skin ever too. 

[LemonSoda]

1 hour ago, RealHousewife said:

Agreed. My favorite entertainment is cute, fun shows, not screaming matches. 

I'm curious what Bridget would do with an unlimited budget too! I know their style wasn't for everyone, but tbh I liked a lot of their fashion. I think a makeover/style show hosted by Holly and Bridget would be amazing. I always paid a ton of attention to the fashion and general taste of the girls. Kendra is definitely a tomboy who dolls up when she has to. Holly and Bridget are both very feminine, but Holly was always more glamorous, while Bridget was more simply girly. I remember Holly loved Louis Vuitton luggage, but Bridget said once she thought about coming out with a cute luggage line that wasn't super expensive. She might have said she didn't like anything too fancy to not attract thieves. I've thought about splurging on gorgeous luggage, but I've wondered that myself. I remember Holly being a big Roberto Cavalli fan and modeling the bunny costume. Bridget said Holly was more into the designer thing and she was happy for Holly. In an old Q&A, Bridget was asked what her favorite designer was. She said she wasn't sure if they were considered designer but she was a big fan of Mandaly and Wheels & Dollbaby. In the GND book, Bridget's favorite stores were Marciano, Bebe, Betsey Johnson, and Forever 21. I also remember her shopping at Wet Seal. Holly's favorite places to shop were Victoria's Secret, Hot Topic, Divine Boutique, and Just Cavalli. Kendra's were Intermix, Target, Niketown, and Jimmy Choo. For Bridget, buying Louboutins was a splurge. I remember Holly said another time her favorite place to shop was Neimans because it's like a one-stop shop. 

Holly and Bridget wear a lot of cute dresses imo. It's not all super sexy stuff either. A lot of their clothing is more modest than stuff often worn by women considered style icons, like J.Lo and the Kardashians. I don't think there's anything wrong with showing off a gorgeous figure. I just know if I say either woman has cute style, someone might think I mean refer to pasties or Playboy t-shirts or something. lol

I will forever be obsessed with Holly's GND hair and makeup! She and Erika Jayne must have the prettiest skin ever too. 

Me too! I don’t know when and why drama and conflict became standard but I know a lot of reality shows I’ve enjoyed over the years were axed due to no drama. I want to see fun, exotic vacations, nice homes. Even Holly’s World, I felt like the middle of S2 when Claire was added that the show finally found a good formula. 

I love Wheels & Dollbaby! The retro designs are amazing. My only problem is sometimes the quality hasn’t lived up to the crazy price tag with shipping from Australia. But I’ve always supported it as a small designer brand. IIRC, it was Holly who gave Bridget her first pair of Louboutins. I remember she had the vintage pink Samsonite luggage. With luggage I always hear mixed opinions. I have a LV carry on (keepall) but I remember reading in Victoria Beckham’s book that she stopped using designer luggage because it’s the first to get stolen. 

I agree! And it’s amazing what Holly could do with something simple too. I discovered the Pretty Dress company through her. 
 

I think it was when they were in Monte Carlo doing press but Kendra had on one of those Juicy smocked dresses (I still love those!) that you can wear as a regular dress or swim coverup. With her hair done and makeup on, she looked so dressy and gorgeous in it. 
 

It’s funny anyone would assume that! I think the GND had the best personal style of all the Playboy crowd. 

Edited June 30, 2021 by LemonSoda
Added more

[dariafan]

Exactly!!  I don’t need drama sometimes.  Sometimes. You want light. Fluffy.   Forget aspects of your life may suck at the moment.   Just fun. 

[qtpye]

3 hours ago, dariafan said:

Exactly!!  I don’t need drama sometimes.  Sometimes. You want light. Fluffy.   Forget aspects of your life may suck at the moment.   Just fun. 

It is also nice to see women treat each other well and having fun rather than tearing each other apart.

[RealHousewife]

9 hours ago, LemonSoda said:

Me too! I don’t know when and why drama and conflict became standard but I know a lot of reality shows I’ve enjoyed over the years were axed due to no drama. I want to see fun, exotic vacations, nice homes. Even Holly’s World, I felt like the middle of S2 when Claire was added that the show finally found a good formula. 

I love Wheels & Dollbaby! The retro designs are amazing. My only problem is sometimes the quality hasn’t lived up to the crazy price tag with shipping from Australia. But I’ve always supported it as a small designer brand. IIRC, it was Holly who gave Bridget her first pair of Louboutins. I remember she had the vintage pink Samsonite luggage. With luggage I always hear mixed opinions. I have a LV carry on (keepall) but I remember reading in Victoria Beckham’s book that she stopped using designer luggage because it’s the first to get stolen. 

I agree! And it’s amazing what Holly could do with something simple too. I discovered the Pretty Dress company through her. 
 

I think it was when they were in Monte Carlo doing press but Kendra had on one of those Juicy smocked dresses (I still love those!) that you can wear as a regular dress or swim coverup. With her hair done and makeup on, she looked so dressy and gorgeous in it. 
 

It’s funny anyone would assume that! I think the GND had the best personal style of all the Playboy crowd. 

I remember thinking their clothes were SO cute, but I never bought anything because I wasn't sure how they'd fit me. I'm a try on in person first kinda gal. 

I think anything or anyone related to Playboy is instantly judged. If you say you love watching Kardashians and idolize J.Lo's fashion, no problem. If you say you love GND and like to dress like Holly Madison, people might find that weird. Maybe I think this way because I was shamed for loving Pamela Anderson's makeup when I was young! lol

[dariafan]

Holly put up a new video on you tube today.  Answering some questions people have sent from the books    I liked it.  She was doing her makeup while taking.  I love stuff like that 

[dariafan]

8 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

I remember thinking their clothes were SO cute, but I never bought anything because I wasn't sure how they'd fit me. I'm a try on in person first kinda gal. 

I think anything or anyone related to Playboy is instantly judged. If you say you love watching Kardashians and idolize J.Lo's fashion, no problem. If you say you love GND and like to dress like Holly Madison, people might find that weird. Maybe I think this way because I was shamed for loving Pamela Anderson's makeup when I was young! lol

I’m just now at the point I am comfortable saying my going out makeup style is late 90s early 2000s playmate, but it is 

[RealHousewife]

23 hours ago, dariafan said:

I’m just now at the point I am comfortable saying my going out makeup style is late 90s early 2000s playmate, but it is 

Honestly, those girls were so pretty and even when they had that sexpot makeup, they looked more natural than the IG models and Kardashians of today. That goes for the GND era Playmates too. 

I ordered this Alexis Vogel video years ago trying to learn how to do Playmate kind of makeup! A very young Joanna Krupa was one of the models. 

Edited July 2, 2021 by RealHousewife

[dariafan]

1. I just want to be hollys friend and talk about make up.

2 Brian the butler was so sweet.   I bought a few more episodes yesterday and am watching the Easter/ winnies birthday.  And he was just the best 

[RealHousewife]

1 hour ago, dariafan said:

1. I just want to be hollys friend and talk about make up.

2 Brian the butler was so sweet.   I bought a few more episodes yesterday and am watching the Easter/ winnies birthday.  And he was just the best 

Me too! I'd also talk fashion with Holly.

Also a Brian fan! I thought he was a cutie. The girls must have loved that there was a young attractive guy at the mansion. 

[dariafan]

GND is now on the IMDb channel !!!!!

[LemonSoda]

On 7/17/2021 at 12:36 PM, RealHousewife said:

Me too! I'd also talk fashion with Holly.

Also a Brian fan! I thought he was a cutie. The girls must have loved that there was a young attractive guy at the mansion. 

Me three! 
I know the focus was all about the girls but I thought he did such a great job running the place he deserved more storylines! 

On 8/8/2021 at 8:32 AM, dariafan said:

GND is now on the IMDb channel !!!!!

Yay! More places for it to be discovered! It’s also still on Tubi, VUDU and YouTube. 

[dariafan]

Kendra and that grill she HAD to have.  And all the body rolling ...

[LemonSoda]

On 8/12/2021 at 9:15 AM, dariafan said:

Kendra and that grill she HAD to have.  And all the body rolling ...

I’m curious if she still has it or the pimp cup! 

[TrixieTrue]

7 minutes ago, LemonSoda said:

I’m curious if she still has it or the pimp cup! 

Probably! Remember when she cleaned out her room and when she moved? She seems like the type who keeps everything, but probably doesn't know where it is. No judgement, I'm the same! 

[Atlanta]

Oh wow! Those are beautiful pictures of Bridget. I recognize one of those dresses from Stop Staring www.stopstaringclothing.com and I own a few of their pieces. 

A new behind the scenes at Playboy is airing early next year. Holly is interviewed.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9910433/Holly-Madison-reveals-making-dangerous-choice-getting-Playboy-world-promo-series.html

[dariafan]

14 hours ago, Atlanta said:

Oh wow! Those are beautiful pictures of Bridget. I recognize one of those dresses from Stop Staring www.stopstaringclothing.com and I own a few of their pieces. 

A new behind the scenes at Playboy is airing early next year. Holly is interviewed.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9910433/Holly-Madison-reveals-making-dangerous-choice-getting-Playboy-world-promo-series.html

10 parts!!!  I’m so excited 

[RealHousewife]

I'm excited too. Holly's said she'd never want her daughter doing Playboy or being a girlfriend in a similar situation and thinks Playboy hurt her despite opening doors. We all know she feels being Hef's girlfriend was traumatic. 

I really wish we'd hear from Bridget. I know she's had a great life and it's awesome she's so positive about it. Many women date Hef and do Playboy and never got to be on any shows or have any merchandise or get any fame. So in some ways she's luckier than a lot of them, maybe most of them.

BUT, I feel like she kind of got the short end of the stick in some ways. Her childhood dream was to be as beautiful as a Playmate someday and to become one herself. She turned out to be a Playmate beautiful woman, but she was rejected as a flawless, fresh-faced 20-something with a perfect face and perfect figure to go with it. I don't know if the competition was particularly stiff that year or what. 

With GND, Holly and Kendra both got spin-offs. I lost count of the number of shows Kendra was on over the years. Holly became a headlining Vegas showgirl. Bridget filmed a show and was told it was cute but no drama. I bet her show would have been so fun. 

Maybe Bridget was happier not doing a show if it didn't feel good (don't blame her, applaud her actually), but I feel like her show biz career should have gone further. Despite being beautiful, bubbly, educated, and hardworking, her hosting career never went anywhere. She's absolutely perfect for it. I don't know if the Playboy association hurt her or what. It's really not fair because a lot of women have done Playboy or similar things in their pasts and still got to host various shows, including family ones, like Jenny McCarthy and Brooke Burke.

I wish Bridget at least got a Dancing with the Stars gig. You know she would have loved it, not complain about the hard work or aching feet and gone crazy over the costumes like Holly did. 

[Atlanta]

I'm shocked some TV show didn't swoop in and grab Bridget. She's extremely likable and would appeal to both men and women. 

It seemed like Holly got the #1 girlfriend spot by attrition and she bore the brunt of Hef's ... trying to think of the right word. Harem leader? She probably didn't realize what was all involved and got in over her head and had to fake it.

[Tatum]

On 8/21/2021 at 3:41 PM, Atlanta said:

I'm shocked some TV show didn't swoop in and grab Bridget. She's extremely likable and would appeal to both men and women. 

It seemed like Holly got the #1 girlfriend spot by attrition and she bore the brunt of Hef's ... trying to think of the right word. Harem leader? She probably didn't realize what was all involved and got in over her head and had to fake it.

Holly definitely bore the brunt of the labor and emotional blackmail. I don't think Hef had the energy to play mental warfare with three separate women so Holly got the worst of it. He played the most mind games with her and regularly scolded her for not keeping the other two in line- particularly hard when she had no real authority over them or any leverage. And her "reward" for being #1 girl was to have the most sexual duties and share a bedroom with him. Holly had no space to call her own, but it wasn't like she could demote herself.

[qtpye]

1 hour ago, Tatum said:

Holly definitely bore the brunt of the labor and emotional blackmail. I don't think Hef had the energy to play mental warfare with three separate women so Holly got the worst of it. He played the most mind games with her and regularly scolded her for not keeping the other two in line- particularly hard when she had no real authority over them or any leverage. And her "reward" for being #1 girl was to have the most sexual duties and share a bedroom with him. Holly had no space to call her own, but it wasn't like she could demote herself.

I think part of the problem was Holly actually thought she loved Hef.  B respected Hef and H saw him as an end to a means.

Holly seemed to honestly care about him despite the age difference.

[Tatum]

On 8/25/2021 at 2:00 PM, qtpye said:

I think part of the problem was Holly actually thought she loved Hef.  B respected Hef and H saw him as an end to a means.

Holly seemed to honestly care about him despite the age difference.

Holly felt like he "saved" her. Without him she would have had to go home to Alaska because she was nearly broke when he invited her to move in. She also felt a lot of the girls weren't grateful enough to Hef for providing a roof over their heads.

I don't know how anyone could be so out of touch with reality. Hef was hardly a benovolent benefactor, looking to save troubled women from life on the streets.

[dariafan]

I am watching episodes intend to skip , and I think my dog (Leia. 1 of the best dogs in the world) is tired of me yelling at Kendra   Her attitude , especially in the 1st 2 seasons, omg 

[RealHousewife]

On 8/21/2021 at 3:41 PM, Atlanta said:

I'm shocked some TV show didn't swoop in and grab Bridget. She's extremely likable and would appeal to both men and women. 

Agree. Men would be drawn to Bridget due to her looks, and women enjoy her because she's so sweet and bubbly. 

On 8/25/2021 at 2:00 PM, qtpye said:

I think part of the problem was Holly actually thought she loved Hef.  B respected Hef and H saw him as an end to a means.

Holly seemed to honestly care about him despite the age difference.

Yes. I think Holly is a sweet lady, but she does really roll her eyes over the thought some people believed she truly wanted to marry Hef and remain at the mansion. That was want she wanted everyone to believe on GND though. That she wasn't a gold digger or there to be a Playmate-that she found love with Hef. So I think she should cut young fans slack for buying what she was selling for years. 

On 8/26/2021 at 6:51 PM, Tatum said:

Holly felt like he "saved" her. Without him she would have had to go home to Alaska because she was nearly broke when he invited her to move in. She also felt a lot of the girls weren't grateful enough to Hef for providing a roof over their heads.

I don't know how anyone could be so out of touch with reality. Hef was hardly a benovolent benefactor, looking to save troubled women from life on the streets.

I wonder if she was that miserable in Alaska or what. Most early 20s adults down on their luck would just move back in with their parents. Maybe she felt moving in was the only way she'd ever get a chance to make it in Hollywood. 

Yeah, Holly's a smart person and understands a lot of that better now in retrospect. She was just scarcely more than a kid and got in over her head. 

[Tatum]

21 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

Yeah, Holly's a smart person and understands a lot of that better now in retrospect. She was just scarcely more than a kid and got in over her head. 

I think she's smart in some senses, but she's pretty lacking in judgment. The things she wrote in her first memoir were several years post Mansion life, and she was probably in her early 30s at the time, and she still wasn't seeing Hef for what he really was- a predator who exploited insecure and financially desperate (beautiful) women. Sure, they were all adults, but Hef got way more than he gave.

 

I too wondered why Holly didn't just go home. Sure, I'd rather live in LA than Alaska (I mean Alaska is beautiful, but I personally hate the cold and I say this as a midwesterner), but it's not like I wouldn't rather just get a warm coat than snuggle up to some predatory octogenarian and join his harem full of malicious, emotionally stunted women. Holly on the other hand desperately did not want to go home but she still talks like Hef was doing her a favor letting her live in the mansion. 

[qtpye]

8 hours ago, Tatum said:

I think she's smart in some senses, but she's pretty lacking in judgment. The things she wrote in her first memoir were several years post Mansion life, and she was probably in her early 30s at the time, and she still wasn't seeing Hef for what he really was- a predator who exploited insecure and financially desperate (beautiful) women. Sure, they were all adults, but Hef got way more than he gave.

 

I too wondered why Holly didn't just go home. Sure, I'd rather live in LA than Alaska (I mean Alaska is beautiful, but I personally hate the cold and I say this as a midwesterner), but it's not like I wouldn't rather just get a warm coat than snuggle up to some predatory octogenarian and join his harem full of malicious, emotionally stunted women. Holly on the other hand desperately did not want to go home but she still talks like Hef was doing her a favor letting her live in the mansion. 

I really like Holly but I think her a lot of her adulthood was spent worrying too much about how the men in her life saw her.

Bridgette and Kendra, love them or hate them, were themselves no matter who they were dating. 

When Holly dated Hef, she became the updated version of Marilyn Monroe that he was obsessed with. When she dated that Kris Angel guy, she started wearing more black and to match his punk magic aesthetic. 

It was like she disappeared into the man she was dating.

I hope that time and experience have taught her to value herself more.

Edited September 8, 2021 by qtpye

[Tatum]

1 hour ago, qtpye said:

When Holly dated Hef, she became the updated version of Marilyn Monroe that he was obsessed with. When she dated that Kris Angel guy then she started wearing more black and started to match his punk magic aesthetic. 

Yeah, she's totally the type to adopt whatever personality her SO has. And she also seems to immediately jump into a new relationship the minute her most recent one fails. I don't think she's going to be happy until she gets some much needed therapy. She clearly doesn't like to be alone.

[TrixieTrue]

11 hours ago, Tatum said:

Yeah, she's totally the type to adopt whatever personality her SO has. And she also seems to immediately jump into a new relationship the minute her most recent one fails. I don't think she's going to be happy until she gets some much needed therapy. She clearly doesn't like to be alone.

I think some elements of her personality stay, no matter who she's with. She talked about being a Star Wars fan on the show and still is, judging by her Baby Yoda Christmas tree. She's always liked dressing in themed costumes. I don't know if she still studies French, but she took lessons during and possibly after the show. While I agree that she does adopt hobbies of her SOs, she still has some of her own interests and doesn't give them up.     

[RealHousewife]

On 9/7/2021 at 11:43 AM, Tatum said:

I think she's smart in some senses, but she's pretty lacking in judgment. The things she wrote in her first memoir were several years post Mansion life, and she was probably in her early 30s at the time, and she still wasn't seeing Hef for what he really was- a predator who exploited insecure and financially desperate (beautiful) women. Sure, they were all adults, but Hef got way more than he gave.

I too wondered why Holly didn't just go home. Sure, I'd rather live in LA than Alaska (I mean Alaska is beautiful, but I personally hate the cold and I say this as a midwesterner), but it's not like I wouldn't rather just get a warm coat than snuggle up to some predatory octogenarian and join his harem full of malicious, emotionally stunted women. Holly on the other hand desperately did not want to go home but she still talks like Hef was doing her a favor letting her live in the mansion. 

Oh absolutely! A lot of smart people make stupid decisions. I definitely look at a lot of Holly's life and think girl, why?! But most of us do that with our own, and there are people I know who are really intelligent (doctors and folks who got into Ivy League schools) who still make such poor choices. Sometimes I wish we could all go back 10-15 years and get a do-over.

I also noticed how Holly took on certain things of the men she'd date, like Hef and Criss Angel. I don't know if she still does that. I think it's natural for some of that to happen to a degree. I think old Hollywood is so fun, lots of women love Marilyn Monroe. I'm sure being around Hef, Holly developed an even greater appreciation of old movies,  music, and bombshell style. 

Unlike a lot of reality stars, Holly is a sweet girl imo. I hope she makes decisions that are good for her. I think her YouTube channel is really nice. She's so charming and still has a lot of fun in life. Her videos are kind of like GND-very fun and girly. I need to watch more of them. If you're big on YouTube, the money is pretty good. Plus, she gets to work out of the comfort and safety of her own home. 

[dariafan]

Holly posted a you tube video where she watched season 1 episode 1

[qtpye]

18 minutes ago, dariafan said:

Holly posted a you tube video where she watched season 1 episode 1

Thanks for letting us know. I am sure all the GND could make a killing on social media.