Oscars Outsider - The Whole Scissor w/ Ben Walker (RHONJ S13E17, RHOA S15E04)

Episode Date: June 3, 2023

On this episode Craig and Dylan are joined by comedian Ben Walker. We explore the idea of authenticity as it relates to Reality TV We also cover Real Housewives of Atlanta S15E04 and see if Ben is a Tre Stump when we talk about the Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion part 1!  Find Ben Walker online at: https://www.benwalkercomedy.com/  [https://www.benwalkercomedy.com/] Find Ben Walker on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/obccomedy   Find Dylan on substack at https://dylanferguson.substack.com/   [https://dylanferguson.substack.com/] https://www.bravooutsider.com   [https://www.bravooutsider.com] Music by FASSounds from Pixabay

Hello and welcome to the Bravo Outsider Podcast. I'm your host Craig Midwinter, and joining me from the luggage compartment of the Sprinter van is Mumbles Dylan Ferguson. How's it going? Just had to get a care ball out there, but yeah, it was fine. Awesome. Each week we bring on someone who doesn't follow Bravo to get their takes on the episode. This week, I'm very excited to have the very funny and very funny.

Very handsome. Ben, old ball coach Walker. Awesome. Thank you guys so much for having me. Excited. You're not seeing double. You're seeing trouble. Oh, who's, whose is that? That is Teresa and Nicole. Oh, okay. Nepa Latino or Nepo Latano.

Oh, okay. Sorry, did you not hear me? I said, I'm not getting older. I'm getting bolder. on my eyes. Some of the job. Really,

really sucked to have you on the show, Ben. Do you want to give our listeners a little bit of a background on any sort of reality TV that you currently follow or have past experience with? Yeah, that's the age of myself here, but I did start watching the

original Survivor back in the 2000 when it was the global phenomenon. And then I started work some my co-workers started watching The Bachelor, so I go into that, so I was a big Bachelor head for

you know. All part of the Bachelor Nation. The Bachelor Nation, you know, for a you know, when it was real. No, I know it's all real, but it was I watched Bachelor for you know, probably 12, 12 seasons or so. I think

hard knocks. That counts. Detroit Lions. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. I think The Bachelor is a pretty interesting example of a show that blends the competition style with this kind of narrative. I watched The Bachelor for a few seasons. I kind of fell off. It takes itself a little bit more seriously than I think it needs to. There's still this idea of a, like that they're trying to create this beautiful, love story at the end, which doesn't really hit.

I love the, like, the tension and the villains that you get in the early parts of The Bachelor, but then once they start narrowing them off, it just falls really flat because I don't think that anyone really buys into this love story that they're trying to sell, but they're still so committed to it. I feel like the only motivation. that I had for watching The Bachelor by the time that I stopped following it was so that

I had the background on the characters that would come on to Bachelor in Paradise which is a lot more fun and it doesn't take itself seriously in the same way but yeah The Bachelor is definitely one of the

most popular reality TV shows right now for sure and I think that's a good segue into the roundtable discussion that we wanted to have today. I wanted to talk about the idea of authenticity within reality TV because I think in reality TV, there's varying degrees of authenticity from show to show and moment to moment. I wanted to get your guys' perspective on the idea of authenticity. Dylan, did you want to lead us off on your thoughts? Yeah, sure. I mean, I think it's like the idea of authenticity can help like people

really enjoy the shows, but it's been a big sticking point for a lot of people getting into the shows, like, just based on the conversations we've had with people that we've tried to introduce to reality TV through this show, which is kind of our bit. It's like, the word reality often seems to be kind of a hurdle for people because when they start watching the show and has like, often like pretty good production values, like, you know, good lighting, you know, camera setups. People are well miced up and things. It, it's, it. doesn't aesthetically hit like a documentary. So the fact that like things are being planned and prepared and like really set up, it kind of makes people feel like, oh, this isn't like this is fake then. You know, and it has, it's supposed to be reality TV and it has that word reality in it.

And that production value is like scream fake fiction. And, and that like, that like tension between what, like what we consider to be like just a fake stage thing and what we consider to be like a real document is something that's interesting in the shows, but it's also like difficult for people to, for some people anyways,

to like get into because we're used to everything being presented to us, you know, in terms of TV or movie as either documentary or fiction. Which I mean, like, I don't know, like it's very like intro to film to be like those are like real categories in the sense that it's not like, nothing is either in one box or another. Like every.

film, every fiction film is going to have certain elements that are not planned for that just ended up in it. Even like the most high budget production is going to have, you know, whether it's people ad libing or like things that happen in the background or expressions that cross people's faces that are not totally planned for, nothing is totally planned for. And of course, every documentary is a production where choices are being made and things are being presented in a certain way. But, you know, we're used to. everything being aesthetically like boxed in one way or another and reality TV is kind of like landing somewhere in the middle. So if you're expecting pure documentary, you're like, well, these aren't

like documentary aesthetics. It doesn't feel like somebody just walked into a room with a handheld camera and is like randomly catching things, which is what you associate with like authenticity visually. But then if you like or watching it as like a scripted show, people are going to be like way more, way less coherent. they would be if it was like a scripted thing. So then it doesn't really read that way either. So it kind of led somewhere in the middle. And I think that's that's something that allows moments that do feel more authentic to come

through because having a contrast between like a high production value and somebody saying something that maybe they didn't plan to say, they didn't think they're going to say can kind of like can kind of set it off a little bit more and have those like spikes of authenticity. But yeah, I think it's important to keep in mind anyways that like the idea of what's authentic and what is it is often just like pure aesthetic choices. And it's kind of like a made up thing. Yeah. And I think that this like idea of reality, like the word reality kind of makes people feel as though there should not be a storyteller. There should there should not be someone that is.

that is crafting a narrative throughout these shows, even though that's something that we see in documentary, like documentarians have a clear perspective. They're definite, like, storytellers. But in reality TV, I feel like a lot of the notions that people have of it is that it's not going to be narratively strong. but in actuality, I think that the narrative is the strength of these shows

and the characters have more depth and higher actual stakes than you could ever have a fictional actor buy into. You can't you can't have someone you know, an actor is not going to necessarily be worried about being cancelled for something that they are saying in a script because they know how this plays out and people know that this is, you know, that it is fiction. But here, it's reality. These are real people that are motivated by real motivations.

and they've got actual stakes in the game. So I think that even if there are situations that are constructed by production, and there is a there is this, there is a story that is being told that is crafted by producers and editors, it still is authentically people that have motivations that they have to, think about and be concerned with. And it's it's something that you, you can't truly control actual people in the same way that you can have fictional character.

Yeah. Sorry. Can you repeat that, Craig? Sorry. What are you, what are your thoughts on authenticity? No, like I took it, you know, some of the similar ways you guys did. I took it another way when it came, you know, just a segue way, what you said. Pegger's about, like, they're not actors, you know, you know, yes, there might be a script.

But I think the word reality TV is kind of evolved, right? Because, you know, when I first heard reality TV, unscripted, right? That's, so, but I guess reality TV sounds better than, hey, come check out this unscripted TV show. I don't want to watch this, but it's almost like now you can call reality TV unscripted because as Craig just mentioned. And even in the, you know, the episodes, you know, we, you know, real house slides Atlanta

and the, actually pretty much just that one. You actually saw a producer in one of the shots. Basically like, hey, almost like guiding you want to go there. So it's like, you know, if you watch it up and these, you know that, okay, obviously the producers are probably encouraging them, you know, behind the scenes to do this. It's rare you see a producer, you know, on camera.

But I guess for this, for this deep into reality TV and now, it's like, that doesn't matter anymore. We can just have the producers on email on air. Just because we all know. And then when I, so, but you're right. So to me, what I thought about authenticity, it was when a lot of these, you think I was going way back when I said Survivor 2000, I'm going back to read, you know, the first real world, for example, right? Each character was authentic. It was new.

And that was actually, you know, sort of like those I think about like, you know, not really documentary, but it kind of, you know, it's not really documentary, but it kind of has a vibe of a documentary in a sense, right? Because of all the people to house what's happening. So each, you know, I can't remember all the characters names. There was one, just a character. There was one house guest, you know, puck, right? And I can't remember, if you remember him. You know, remember in 1994? So puck.

So I guess, I don't know if he was like a shit-diserver or what have you, right? But he was kind of, you know, the villain, you know. He was like a villain if you want, right? But that was completely authentic, right? That was just him, right? So as each season evolved, oh, who's going to, be this year's who's going to be puck so then he kind of came less us when i think authentic it was less authentic because someone is trying to be that previous you know authentic person right so

you know who's going to be who's going to be this year's villain but it was i like you know i like when there's like oh this person is just an authentic villain sometimes with the bachelor oh this person is just i love it because this is who they are right they're not putting on a show and now it's so with the bachelor for example you know in bachelor's paradise which i do agree is it's kind of better because it seems it's more relaxed and it's more, it's almost like, it's also, they're easier to find love on Bachelor in Paradise because now on The Bachelor, the whole goal is, okay, I got to make it to the top four. You know, it's rare that someone just outwardly plays the villain, right?

Now it's like, okay, I got to get it far enough so I can get some sponsorships, right? So I can get some Instagram followers. Yeah. And then I get a Bachelor in Paradise. And now I'm set with Bachelor Nation and get some appearances. It's kind of, that's like a job now, right? you find it's less authentic. Like back in the old days,

it was just like, old days, but, you know, earlier seasons, there was like Vienna and Jake. Okay, Jake is the tool.

Vienna is nuts. Yes. Can't wait for them to get it. That's who they are, right? But now I find it, you know, the authenticity is kind of being,

you know, it's more lost. But with the real housewives, for example, yeah, it's kind of true. But then that is kind of more, because,

you know, they are real people, you know, they are real people. It's not a, it's not a, it's not a, it's not a,

competition, right? Like, I know they're kind of getting paid, but it is more authentic, I would say. So, yeah, I just find that with authenticity and these reality shows are unscripted, yeah, the first couple seasons, that's when you really see the authenticity, you know, the real people. But then after a while people just try and, you know, it's just like anything else, right, derivative. So everybody just tries to, oh, I'm going to be, this year, I'm going to be this, right?

Yeah. But look up, Puck. I can't remember. It don't get right into the deep dive. So I read something about this. As soon as that was one of the things, authenticity, that's immediately what I thought of and how just, you know, after a while,

that's why real world, you know what happened, that people just stopped being themselves and just they're playing a previous real person. Yeah, I think it's interesting how, you know, real people in form and shape and modify these archetypes that are. Architects, yeah. Yeah, that are so prevalent within reality. Because like you said, you'll have these people in the early days of reality TV that became like the prototypes for these archetypes that you see in reality TV.

And then each show kind of crafts their own versions of these. Like said in The Bachelor, you've got a villain that there's always some sort of villain that is in the sort of the. sort of the Greek chorus of contestants that are vying for love. And that kind of shifts and people take it and put their own spin on it and it builds and changes. And I think that that is one thing

that is really interesting about reality TV because yes, these archetypes, if someone is trying to, you know, fit into them, that does kind of dull the edge of authenticity on these. But at the same time, I think if someone is, I think the producers are good enough at their job that they're able to identify when someone is, you know, bringing something to these

archetypes that comes from themselves. And they are able to like coach that out of them. So I think that it is an interesting balance that people on reality shows have to, have to, walk if they want to be successful by fitting into these archetypes if that's what they're going for and being authentic to their true selves. Did you guys have any other thoughts on authenticity before we move on? Well, just jumping on that idea of which personalities come off as more authentic on camera. I really think that there too, it's important to keep.

in mind that like authenticity is always going to be a performance like it's always going to be a way that you have of presenting yourself that reads as authentic and I think that there's a distinction that can be made between that and something that actually like feels very real um it might sound like splitting hairs but like if you if you try to think of like what's the ideal of like an authentic performance you know whether it's Bob Dylan singing a song or like Marlon Brando in a streetcar named Desire or something. Like, if you think those guys didn't put tons of like thought and effort into constructing that personality, I think you're, you're wrong.

Like, that's like, it takes so much work and thought and like theory to like to build that kind of authenticity. And I think in terms of reality TV, the issue is that for most human beings, if you've got a bunch of cameras pointed at you and you're miced up. you're barely going to be able to be coherent. That's just the reality for most people. And I think it's important not to lose side of the fact that most of the people are watching on these shows are people who are just really good at what they do because they've been selected for this group. Right.

You know, just like we were doing a show yesterday, me and Craig about about Vendip Rural, the show we talk about a lot. And, you know, I was talking about how Raquel is like kind of really bad on camera, especially when she's being confronted. That's, you know, one of the characters in the show who's like, just like, is bad at being coherent and speaking communitively. And like, most people are real, though. Exactly. That's the thing. That's like most people are going to be like that when you have a camera stuck in your face. That's normal.

That's just human. But because most people are going to be like that, they're not going to be able to express who they are. They're not going to be able to really express what they think because they're going to freeze up. They're going to trip over their words because it's hard to do that when you've got to fucking. camera pointed at you. So the people who are best able to express themselves and are best able to come off as being authentic because they can actually like relax, ignore the camera, find the right words to say like how they think. Those are the most practiced performers. Yeah. So that's kind of the point I'm trying to make about like how like the people come off as most authentic are the ones who

are doing the most performance. And yeah. Oh, they're good at keeping it together. Yeah. Like they yeah. It's a skill. It's amazing. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah, and I think that that kind of character trait also lends itself well to these dramatic reality shows because, you know, people that are practiced at putting up a front and being really good at, you know, presenting this image of themselves that they want to communicate, I think, like, there's a certain, like, do you know, duplicity duplicitous to that.

You know, if someone is walking around and just only putting out there the kind of image of themselves that they want others to perceive, then, you know, they'll probably be very good on this. But, you know, that also speaks a little bit to their character, unless they've done a lot of training to get to that point. So I didn't mean to cut you off, Dylan. I just get so passionate about authenticity. a big, big passion of mine.

No, but it's, to me, when I was, like, watching that was the tagling. So I was kind of, like, thinking of authenticity when I was watching these two episodes. And I just find amazing how, you know, if I had cameras in my face, and maybe you just get used to it or like anything else, like it just becomes part of the norm, you know, like, working on, you know, about to figure about COVID, but just what seemed great, you know, it was wild, became normal, right? Yeah. But you have a, you have a, you have a microphone pack on your bag, you know, you have straight,

in your house, who's this, like, oh, this is a new cameraman? Like, I've never seen this guy for it. I'm displaying my bare emotions. Like, oh, this is a new guy. I don't recognize him. Like, are you, are you a sub? Like, yeah, there's other elements, I guess. Maybe he's got you're so youth to it.

I just find it amazing how, like, if I was, that was, I mean, just looking at the, you know, when you stop looking at the camera, right? How do you just, like, when do you forget that everything is around you? Like, how do you, yeah, perform, right? Or maybe you don't, like, one about, I mean, I haven't seen the, I've heard, of Lisa Vanderpump. Don't get wrong. I've heard of the Vanderpump. Yeah. Yeah, but I would, you know, the camera's right here in your face, like,

produce, you've heard some horrible news, and then it's okay, you're on. I'm like, ah, ah, ah, I'm totally emotional. It's somebody's adjusting focus on you. Yeah. And then you'll produce another, okay, now, now hit him with this, hit him with another low blow, right? Yeah, they're, they're really, let's really get her, it's really good her going, you know.

Yeah, it's interesting because, you know, like, We don't see it, but obviously there are certain things that you have to do when you're producing a show and you're shooting these scenarios. Like obviously there's at some point, you know, they're going to have to have someone holding up a card to like white balance the cameras on when they're shooting in different scenarios. So, you know, it's it's not, you know, the production is going to obviously be on someone's, like, front of mind when they are in these scenarios and operating as a character on reality TV. So to be able to get past that is definitely a hurdle that people would have to get over. Yeah. And maybe just maybe we would.

Maybe we think we could. I'm sure we had cameras in our face right now because I'm sure you guys have done, you know, many episodes. I'm sure you wouldn't even notice it after a while, right? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Unless producers and Craig Z. You know, all right, hit him with this one, right?

and you have a meltdown, you know. Yeah, I do think most people have a lot harder of a time with that than we, we tend to think they do. Yeah. Like I think, you know, like you said, like us, I think we, all of us have done like some level of performance. I know you've done a lot of performance then. So it's like you're, you're probably better at doing that than you're at the average person would be, right? Oh, you think so. Craig, Craig, Craig and see me out.

Yeah, you, yeah, you're Craig and see me at. It's, uh, no, I'm not horrible. Yeah. Yeah. But also like when I like like reading about film often I think people will interpret like something as improvised when it's completely planned and scripted and will interpret something as planned and scripted when it's improvised. Like people tend to be bad at reading what is actually like an off the cuff moment versus what is a planned moment. It just doesn't always look the way you would think it would. So I guess that's a great. You know, that's a great point because in comedy that's, oh, yeah, that's a, I see it's like, yeah, in comedy, so you can have an off-the-cuff moment, right? He was a wedding joke with a forbearer-been, you know, Dombey Duff, R-I-P, where, you know, he had this one off-the-cuff thing, oh, he said something and it came out wrong. He said, oh, I didn't mean to say that. And it was authentic, you know what I mean, that kind of trope.

Oh, did I say that? And it was legitimate the first time, right? He had made a, you know, a word slip up. And then it got a laugh. Like, oh, I'm going to incorporate that into my, into my act. and then became acting, right? It was off the cuff thing. It was acting.

And then so you'd say it and then it's like, oh, did I say that? Like, it just seemed so forced and so innocent. You know, it was so forth. And like, we could just say it was a running joke so we could just tell, oh, here it comes. And then it's just, the beats were all off, right? It was just like, it felt so, okay.

Oh, did I? And this happened? Oh, did it? I didn't have. You know, it just seemed so forced, right? Yeah, exactly. the first time when it's like a legitimate reaction. It was like, yeah, you're right.

So it was, what seemed like it was actually off the top and the off the top part was like, okay, man, this is the worst acting job we've ever seen, you know. But anyway. Did you guys have any follow thoughts on authenticity before we? And seen. Thank you. I was all at the head.

I don't want us to get hung up on this too long, but I do have a lot of thoughts. Just like really quickly before. are wrapping up. I just also like, I want to say that I think that if like in a lot of these reality TV shows now, they don't really

make it a point to hide the fact that there are cameras and lights and people wearing my necks and stuff. It's not like, it's not as if anybody was ever like a child with no object permits who didn't realize that, oh my God, they're actually being filmed. This isn't just being

transmitted right into my room. Like I just think that that, if that feels like a transgression of the form, it's just because we're used to documentary, like, pretending that, uh, that there aren't cameras there, even though like the classic documentary techniques like talking heads and voiceover and like handheld cameras are like ways that in, in force, uh, the idea that we're watching like a document that there are people holding the cameras that, uh, that, and I just think that like, well, even though we tend to read that as like breaking through the reality of the moment.

It's it's we read that just because we're used to a certain like aesthetic language. Like it's not like yeah. It's not like because something has a voiceover or because this talking head interview has like a static camera and after somebody stops talking, you let the, you let the shot linger on them for a few seconds where they look a little bit awkwardly, which is the documentary technique that it always be the most as if you know what I mean? Like somebody will say like, oh yeah, I think that's true. And then they'll leave the shot linger a few seconds and the audience is supposed to be like,

oh my God, they're looking around the room. They're uncomfortable. They're nervous. You know, all these techniques are such like techniques. They're that are just like really manipulating everything that's being presented to us. But that's normal. Everything we're going to see is presented to us. And I just, I just think that if reality TV has kind of more and more forsaken the idea

of imitating the documentary language and using like more of a polished dramatic fiction language, like visual language. in terms of, you know, the way that they move the cameras on tracks and, like, have, like, bright lighting and stuff and montages between scenes. I think that's really to the forum's benefit just because it allows little moments that feel sublime when somebody says something that feels like, like, oh, my God, I just, like, saw a part of them that I never seen before. It just stands out that much more. What it's not against this backdrop that, this aesthetic backdrop that seems designed to try to convince you. phonally, in my opinion, that everything you're seeing is like total truth from start to finish the way that documentaries try to like kind of cast that spell over you and being like, you know,

these are the techniques that make you comfortable with the idea of thinking that everything is true, if that makes any sense. Yeah, no, for sure. And it's interesting, I think that like any language, the aesthetic language of reality TV is constantly evolving. Like we are seeing it does, like you said, have roots within documentary, but we see things creep into the language more recently. Like you mentioned the sort of putting the mic packs on and the various elements of production that kind of creep in. But I think one of the big ones within Real Housewives is we see the glam squads coming in and getting them like dressed up. putting on the makeup, getting the getting dressed and everything,

creep into the show. And now that's just something that you expect to see. We don't just see them in the like fully dressed up in the, when they're going out for dinner on a on a group trip or whatever. We see the process of them getting ready for that as, as part of what we expect to see during these moments. So I think that's interesting. I do want us, we've got a lot of great stuff to talk.

about tonight. Yeah, for sure. And so I do want to move on a little bit. We're going to be covering Real Housewives of New Jersey and Real Housewives of Atlanta. New Jersey was the reunion. And Atlanta was a great episode. Ben, which of these episodes was most compelling to you? Well, Real House.

I mean, they were both compelling because I've never seen either one. I've heard of a couple of the, well, I've heard of one person, so Little Housewives of New Jersey. I would have to pronounce her last name, Judeyce, not Guaducci or, you know, yeah. I was like, Teresa. But I like, I should say I like, the most compelling one was the railhousewise of Atlanta. Oh, yeah. Well, let's start with Atlanta. What were your first impressions of the characters on it?

Okay, so I like, I mean, I like the ball. No, I like, I thought Kenya was, you know, I like Kenya's vibe. You know, I thought she was most authentic. I thought she, you know, didn't take herself too seriously. She had a, she owns the hair studio. You know, she was okay with like, you know, making money. Yeah, Kenymore hair care. Yeah, Kenya more hair care, the marching band, you know, she was,

to have her business. So at the beginning of the episode, she seemed, you know, pretty, you know, pretty chill. and then I saw who um sorry I'm looking for my notes yeah the marching band like her hair salon uh was a sonya I thought was pretty funny funny but she seemed like she'd uh so Kenya seemed authentic was she missed miss universe or miss Canada or not Miss Canada she was Miss USA I think okay

yeah yeah and then Sonia I thought was funny she had her like mom working for her sister her brother-in-law her brother-in-law Tyrell was just hilarious he was like all right by the end of the episode he's just like all right I'm like I'm done like I'm not working for you

right yeah because at the beginning yeah it's the beginning of the episode uh yeah because Sonia Sherry Sharon the dad was great too I like Archie and his fake offer to help right yeah yeah

I'll help you don't even have to send an email I was like yeah All right. Ready, willing, and able. Thanks for that empty gesture. You know you're not going to do anything. Yeah. But it was funny because I hire, I hire, you know, so yeah, Sonia hired Tyrell as her assistant.

And just briefly, when they're sitting around the kitchen table, and she's like going against him through her notes. I was like, man, you gave them a lot of tasks like for one day. It was a lot. It seemed, you know, again, I don't know what was asking. Acting, you know, I don't do that. I figured it off, but feeling she'd be difficult to work for. Marlowe, I thought, was great. I guess she had a charge about 20 years ago. Yeah, she stabbed someone, apparently.

Oh, okay. Yeah, so I'm really hoping she gets her right to bear arms back. I was big. I was kind of hoping, you know, by the end of the episode, we'd get, you know, get her record expunge and a right to bear arms. Yeah, this was really interesting to me. This was, I think, the biggest note that, I had because the last episode we saw that she was really worked up about about gun violence. And this episode, she's trying to get a record expunge so that she can get a gun. Yeah, but it's like it's without reason. Like we see that she had like a break-it at her house. Yeah, and that's shooting at Candy's restaurants.

I mean, but the way they were talking about. The culture at Candy's Restaurant is the problem, not introducing more guns into the world. But it was funny to be, not funny, but it was this Marlow when she's talking about, they're talking about the, you know, the passing of the, the working from Candy's restaurant. But she's like at a skeleton costume, you know, like a Halloween shoot. Like you couldn't have this conversation without being in full of Wisconsin. We're having this like serious conversation but dressed in a, can't interrupt this like Halloween.

Hey, it's my annual Halloween photo shoot. Like nothing, you know, this is number one priority. But yeah. Just going to have this very serious discussion for us. Yeah, well, I have faith. paint on. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. So, and then there was Sherry, I think he was trying to have a baby. I like Sherry, trying to have a baby. Oh, Sheree, yeah. Or Sheree, sorry.

Yeah. And then, um, where knows, and then yeah, it was good, like the, it was funny in Kenya,

you know, inviting the whole crew, hey, we're going to Birmingham for some like black tie event. Like some, like, it was like a Winnipeg, like,

pub, you know. Yeah. Marlowe called it, though. Barlow called it in the ad. She's like, I'm not going to be worried about what I'm dressed. It's Birmingham. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's very funny.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was really funny. Yeah, yeah. And they get there. The funniest to me is like they're all dressed up. And they're like, one of the bartenders, you know, and like, you know, white girl or whatever. He's wearing like a red t-shirt, like from the bar.

You know, they're all like dressed up. Oh, yeah. It might as well be like a Montana's, right? It's like a Montana's house. Yeah. employees. Yeah. Yeah, it was really, it was, I thought that was really funny. And then, yeah. And then Kenya, yeah, I don't know, and the houses themselves, I don't know, and the houses, like, they're, like, they're nice, right? They're, they're rich. Yeah.

But for me, like, their big manager is like, like, we're some water slide in the house, you know? I want to see, you know, the extravagant, the opulent, right? Because all the houses kind of seem, they're very nice houses. Like, they'll have more wealth than I'll ever have. have, right? Unless it's a podcast episode make the big fellas, fellas. And that's, you know, somehow those sponsorships are roll in. But yeah, so they're nice.

But yeah, but there's, you know, there's no gaudiness, right? Everything's too, like, it sounds like, you know, cookie cutter, uh, opulent. Cookie cutter opulence, right? Yeah, where's the gold-plated double staircase? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Like, give me some weird shit. Yeah, give me some weird shit. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah, I know. It was all, uh, Yeah, it was good. Marlow, yeah, I like Marlowe.

I like Marlain. I don't give it shit. And then, you know, even at lunchtime, maybe I'll just talk to myself then. And then, you know, and then you know, can't be like, oh, you can't talk over me. Or is it Breit or Marlowe?

We're like, who are you that I can't talk over you? I'm like, yeah, Marlowe. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know what you guys think, like, for the progression of the season. Because that's my first episode in so I can see, you know, She's like there's Fredamis, and then it's also a TV show. So it's, uh, oh, actually last thing before I, I like the lima,

like the, I like the, the Mercedes, like, lima rise. You got the four main ones that, you know, they're all piling up. It's so funny, you think the two people. And why are you sitting together right behind them? There's, like, more seats on the other side. It's like, Ben, like, you can, why are those two women, like, is I think it's Monietta? They're just sitting, like, the two extra.

They're just kind of hanging on to the bag. It's like, no, spread out. You know, it just looks like, hey, don't forget it. It's like, hey, don't forget about it. us, you know, kind of thought. The camera crew's got to be somewhere, right? That's all. That's true.

That's true. Ah, that's true. I'm just a rookie. You're right. Good call. Yeah. I don't know what you guys think. Yeah, Dylan, what were your highlights?

I mean, I would like to just quickly circle back to Sonia and her family because I thought her family was so mean to her. I thought they're being mean to her. She's given them jobs. They're living in her house. And then she's like, well, you know, we're thinking that maybe we kind of want me and my, my husband maybe want to, you know, have our own place. And her sister's like, wow. Okay, I'm not saying she's self-centered, but she's selfish. And I'm like, come on. Like, what are you talking about? She's like, you know, you're living in her place. Like, I mean, at the same time, like, I guess that I know that like expectations for family is like very cultural too. Like we get this a lot of that in New Jersey with like the Italian family's always. telling us about like how, you know, Italian families always do things this way. And, you know, she's got a Jamaican family. I know that, like, like, family things are always very, like,

culturally specific. So I don't know what the expectations are, I guess. Maybe from like a normal Jamaican family perspective, Sonia's doing something that's like inappropriate. But for me, I'm just kind of like, it's, you know, she's like providing this whole economy that you're living in and this house. Like, maybe let her do what she wants to do. I don't know. I thought she was really mean to her to, to like, color self-centered on camera and then like walk out of their meeting. Yeah. And then not show up at the photo shoot. Yeah.

They were sick, Craig. You know, they were sick. There's a lot of talking in that episode. Yeah. Yeah. And Sonia says something like, you know, yeah, what are they going to do? Talk to HR. I am HR.

Yeah. She says that you can kind of see her like realizing like, well, maybe this isn't a good idea. Yeah. Maybe this is why they're not here. Yeah. Everybody's just going to complain to me all the time, which is what they're doing already. Yeah, I thought that this, I thought that her family seemed like they were overstepping as well because, you know, she says, you know, it's been a year and we're kind of thinking that maybe you should move out. And then her mom and sister are like, well, we said a year or two.

Well, yeah, that's still, it's still been a year. And we're assessing at a year. that's still within, you know, the window that we initially said. I mean, Sunday was being like very like defensive and apologetic. I was kind of thinking like, no, you stand your ground. You're right to, you have that right. I mean, this is your place. Like you have that right.

But I don't know, like I said, it's family stuff. So that's going to be like very thorny anyways. But that's also why I thought she was, she's from the start like this situation is like right for conflict because you've got all your family living under one roof and they're all working for you. Yeah. Christ, that sounds terrible to me. Oh, it does.

As you know, it's not straighting my relationship with my sister. It's like, well, yeah, well, obviously, like, her husband is working for you. Like, it was just a weird situation. But you're right, it is family dynamic. So for me, just coming in, yeah, I didn't, I didn't take it to, oh, she's, you know, yeah, I took out of she's being mean, but you're right. I do agree, like, you guys all live in her house. Like, and it's also family, too.

So I think, you know, whatever, like, however they act towards each other, it says, you know, Is it really like, oh, I'm walking out of here forever? No, you're not. You know, you're coming back to that. Right. Yeah, that's, I mean, it's harder to judge those things with family because they have, like, their own internal dynamics that, yeah, that are, that are harder for us to, like, us to judge as we would than just, like, friend dynamics, which are all, more or less the same thing everywhere. Yeah. I did, like, you know, I always like a great appearance from, like, a random professional who shows up in a scene.

So I wanted to do a shout out to the gynecologist who was really funny. Oh, yeah. Great delivery on looking at the ultricide and being like, have you been trying? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Trying for what? She's like, yeah, I'm just messing with you. She clearly makes that joke all the time, but she does it really well.

That's a mean joke, though. It is, it is. Yeah, yeah, that's a pretty harsh one. I'm glad she's not like a cancer doctor or something. Yeah. She could really hurt some people. She also did a bit of a line at the end where Sherey says something like, don't you have anything stronger?

And she's like, yeah, I'll get my stash. Yeah. Like that. So yeah, I love a funny guy to call it. So a great little walk-on cameo there. I did, I just as like a production thing. I thought it was funny when you had Kenya explained why candy wasn't there. And they had like a very blatant.

bit of audio that was stitched in where she's like, Kendi had a, Kendi had a prior commitment to the Ebony Power 100. Yeah, yeah. Top one. Yeah, they put it on the screen. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, I don't know if like she said it wrong or she didn't know where, where Kandy was or something, but they just very awkwardly stitched that in in the end of that. That was really funny. It reminded me of that episode of the Simpsons where they go to the Super Bowl. And of course, they made the episode before they knew who was playing. They'd be like, yeah,

cheering for for your Eagles or something. Do you think that like coached Niles who coached

the dancing do you think he knew that a shirt was misspelled? Was that like? Yes. The yore. Yeah.

I guess the benefit of the doubt would be that that's like some sort of in joke or something maybe some reference to something. But yeah.

I didn't notice that at all. What did it say? He was wearing like a brandage. Pay attention. Notes. Have you heard of it? He had a shirt that that was like a branded shirt for his dad's studio that said, I guess you're not flexible.

But your was spelled like Y-O-U-R. So I don't know if he just like printed them out wrong or if that was like some sort of weird reference. I don't know. I'm wondering, I mean, I like the thing it's kind of in. Because that whole year or your thing has been out, you know, that's been out for so long now. Or a past couple of years ago, it's a huge thing. I think it's got to be ironic. Yeah, maybe that's it.

Yeah. I probably be too much. Unless that was the first, you know, the first time he's on camera, they all, you know, get these shirts, you got a printed shirt really quick, right? And, you know, it's a rush job, right? It's like a hot off the shirt, you know, the printing press, right, a rush job. Yeah.

Yeah. Maybe Colch is just like such a nice guy that, like, nobody has the heart to tell him that he misprinted a shirt. Well, let's dial on. Let's call him. Yeah. There's a bar where I grew up right here. There's a bar I grew up that.

It's like, you're not flexible. I brought me back to, there was this bar and, you know, I grew up and these guys, called the warehouse. Just a literal warehouse in,

like no decor. It says, all right, you guys want to booze, pay 10 bucks to drink in this barn. And then it was like, their shirts were, if you're not wasted,

the day is. and the yore was not ironically right so yeah I'm still shirt fellas you know yeah I thought I like coach Nile though

he was just I don't know if he did a lot of coaching I mean a couple moves really yeah a little bit of a history lesson in there about the the dance style that's true were you guys happy with the result

with the competition. Oh, so this, I was disappointed that this decided a room, which is usually a source of, like, drama on a trip. I felt like this was a bit of a cop-out. We didn't really get the fight that we normally see. But then as soon as we got to the hotel, you realize it's just like, it's just a Birmingham hotel,

so I understand why, like, no one was going to be clamoring over each other for these rooms anyways. So I did think ultimately this was a good way to handle it. Yeah. So there's only one nice room in theme and that was Kenyos. The other one seemed pretty small. I didn't like Marla, I don't know why they'd take a shot at the small bottles of champagne.

I thought it was nice. Yeah. What else small bottles cost like $100 anyways? Yeah. It was like gift bag. It was like, you were just making fun of Birmingham. You know, you're like a gift bag. I thought this is Birmingham appropriate.

You know, I thought it's apropos for this trip. Yeah, I got to say Marlowe really rubbed me the wrong way near the end and not just because she was being like really aggressive and trying to start fights. Like that was kind of annoying too. But just as like, like I work at hospitality and seeing Marlowe walk into two separate places and immediately be like, got to get a manager now. And like this is what she is one of those people who everywhere she goes needs to talk to a manager. And that's just really, really irritating.

And I secretly feel like that's why they got kicked out to that party was because Marlowe was like, all right, I've got to get a manager here. We got to get some champagne and glasses. And they're like, this is a charity function. It's a fundraiser. This is a fundraiser for PCU. Yeah. So when they got kicked out, I was kind of like, yeah, you had that fucking coming. Yeah.

Yeah. That is pretty funny. I mean, it is pretty funny getting kicked out. you know, like of a charity. It's funny because they were like mocking everybody there. Yeah, yeah. People with jeans. Yeah.

What the fuck are these people doing? And then they're like, we need you to leave. You know, I was kind of like, yeah, we fucking do. But do you think Kenya, was you just like oblivious to what this event was? Oh, it's, you know, this, you know, this med gala event? Or do you think, you know, she knew what it was? You just kind of undersold it to the other housewives.

I think they're just trying to hype it up too much. I think she was just trying to present the idea of giving everybody a luxurious experience. She got just got too caught up in the hype oversold. Especially with the halftime show. At first, I thought it was a bigger game. And she's like, there's going to be like 15,000 people there. I'm like, okay, it's not, you know, maybe it'll be 15,000. It's not one of the, I thought, you know, I thought, oh, Alabama.

But it's obviously it's not going to be University of Alabama, right? It's the Birmingham. So maybe it's a smaller, yeah, smaller scale. So I guess that once I heard of 15,000, I figured. okay, like, you're at Birmingham. I don't know if this is going to be,

you know, like, she sold it us $15,000 people. There's going to be like 72. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I like Canada.

She's my favorite though. I like, I like Kenya. No, I like her. She's fun. Yeah. It's oblivious.

That's what I kind of like. It's just water up and I'm going to, oh, sorry. Yeah, I guess I lied. Anyway, like, I just do my own thing.

Yeah, great. Until the end. I really appreciated. I really appreciated. Kenya's move of going back to the hotel and then just like dipping out early. That's definitely something that I have pulled on a few occasions. Just like dipping out early on my my own event.

Yeah. Does she go back to Atlanta? Sorry? Did she go back to Atlanta? No, no, no. She went to the hotel. Yeah. She was with her daughter.

Yeah. But she had her daughter there. Yeah. No, no. I was on her side when she's like, get the fuck away from my door. Yeah. Yeah. You go out of your room and lock your door.

Just like fucking, who cares if you're upset? Stop fucking kicking the door. And Marlowe's like, this is my invitation to just dial it up a notch because Marlowe's just looking to fight. You're right? She's really looking to fight. So when Kenny gets mad at her, she's like, all right, here we go. I'm going to like fucking barge this door down. Like I'm a SWAT team.

Yeah. Three old try to sleep. Strategic misplay from Marlowe too because I feel like she is trying to actually wage a proxy war against candy that's where there's like a real beef we saw her lash out at drew last episode now she's like taking out this energy on Kenya but all she's doing is really just giving everyone else ammunition against her so um yeah i don't think she's being as effective as she wants to be but it still is fun to watch yeah i like pettiness pettiness can be fun yeah it's so important for these shows right yeah yeah yeah you need that either have to drum up something

They would have no fuel if people weren't petty. Yeah. But it's funny. Actually, one of my favorite parts was, I think with Kenya calling Monietta, her emotional support companion. Oh,

you mean friend? You mean friend. Yeah. Also, what was so wrong with what Monietta was wearing that she was like, no, you have to go change and then meet us there later. Yeah.

Expecting her to be in a gown or something. Yeah. Yeah. And then Moniana's like, and then you guys couldn't wait. Like, They arrive at the same time. What, yet is already there.

He's there. Yeah, somebody's like, oh, I was expecting the Metgala. Well, you know who was dressed most Medgala-ish was Monietta? In her original fucking Mylar outfit thing. Like, man, you guys were angry at her, but if you ever got caught in a wildfire there, you'd be really glad that she was the one there to throw a Milar blanket over here. But between the camera crew and like the housewives, like, there was. Like, they were taking, they were taking up half the, like, half the event.

Yeah. There was something. It was clearly a very busy event, too. So they must have spent the whole time. You're like, okay, make room, make room. We got to get the cameras and the bikes in here. Like, of course the people hosting the event. We're like, oh, fuck off.

Yeah. Where's a champagne? Yeah, sorry. It's like a tunny bar. Yeah, sorry. We don't, you know, it's a fundraiser. Yeah, I don't know. It's weird. It's like, oh, you can't wear booty shorts because it's a chance.

charity event, but you can barge in with a bunch of cameras and champagne. That's fine, but like, oh, no, your shorts are too shard. You can't do that at a charity event. Strange logic to me. I think all of our American listeners are Googling Tuny Bar right now, probably. Oh, yeah. Sorry. What you're talking about.

Did you guys have any other thoughts on Real Housewives of Atlanta? I would quickly like to talk about, uh, about Marlowe a little bit more before we go because she was like she was doing a whole lot of stuff this episode. In terms of the stuff with candy, it's like, I mean, we'll see, I guess, because we didn't have candy in this episode at all, right? I do think that it's like, it's totally fair for her to, based on the evidence we've seen to, like, accuse candy of not showing enough, like sympathy and support. Oh, yeah, for sure. For her to her nephew's death. Absolutely.

It is not fair to, like, imply that the culture at a restaurant is to blame. like that's that's uh yeah that's taking it to a place that i think's like just not appropriate but but feeling like totally upset with candy in the way that she handled it is is is totally fair and you know what i don't think it's it's ridiculous that she wants to have a gun when she's in like uh you know people that are close to her have to have died and violence that she's like feels unsafe in her house because she's had a break in uh i get that like the the usual like pro gun control argument is just have less guns but you know in like obviously she's a in potentially dangerous situation.

Sometimes the members of her family are. And I think it's fair that she wants to be able to defend yourself. So I do have some sympathy for Marlo for those stuff. But towards the end of the episode, she was just dialing shit up so far and just like so ready to start fights that I was just like, oh my God, shut up, Marlo. So I guess that's basically all I have to say about her at this time. And we'll see how it goes with her and Candy later on, I guess.

Yeah, and Marlowe didn't outright say that it was the culture at Candy's restaurant. I think that was actually Courtney who dialed it up to that point. Yeah, Marlowe kind of implied like what's going on to that restaurant. And Courtney was like, oh, maybe the culture's off or something like that. And oh, since we brought up Courtney, I do like that Kenya was finally like, oh, so you so you're cousins, right? Yeah. Like what, like first cousins, second cousin.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I don't know. And Kenya correctly was saying when I think a lot of us were thinking watching this So, like, you know, if you're going to be claiming kin, you better have your story straight. Yeah. Yeah.

But also, Kenya was, yeah, when she was, you know, when she was accusing, it was a Marlowe of being aggressive, I think, the candy. But you were yelling over her. It's like, no, Marlowe was sitting down and they show back to the, you know, at the cameras, yeah, Marlowe was sitting down not being aggressive. But I like how can you just like, oh, whatever, said what I said. I kind of like how she believes her own reality. I felt like that was actually a misleading edit there because. Me too. Oh, was it?

Oh, gotcha. Because we do actually, like, that scene ends with her shouting in, in, uh, shouting in her face. Yeah. Uh, she shouts in Drew's face right before she stores off. It's like she is sitting in that shot they show. Yeah. Uh, but before she leaves, she like leans right into the Drew's face and shouts at her.

Okay. You go. Okay. I thank. I'll have to rewold. Oh, that's thanks, Rick. You guys are. You have to go back and watch the blue.

Yeah. You have to watch the episode or like episode two, I think is what that happened. Or no, it was the last one. Yeah. It was episode three, you think. Okay. I'd say, well, well, then Kenya in my bad books. Okay.

My bad. The other thing that we didn't talk about is this discussion surrounding eating ass. Oh, yeah, that's right. Yeah, the booty. Yeah, yeah. It got very philosophical. Yeah. Yeah, this is, this was interesting to me, or maybe not interesting.

I just found it like. I was an ass eating a fished out. I did like that can, or that Kenya, was like, oh, why, like, why are you bringing this up? This was like just between us. I thought that this was an interesting kind of shift in the, um, the dynamic. It kind of was setting up this conflict between Marlowe and Kenya, or at least, um, it was the first time that we saw them kind of at odds with each other on this trip. Uh, and I thought it was really funny that it was a conversation about eating ass.

That kind of set this tone. Yeah. Yeah, that was a weird. That was just a weird. All of some of it, eating ass, like, oh, gee, came out of nowhere. Let's move on to the Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion.

This was probably up until the Vanderpump reunion. It was the talk of the Twitter and Instagram. everyone was hyped about this. Tensions were running so high. I want to get your perspective, Ben, not having seen this season, who do you think came out on top on this reunion? Oh, Teresa, hands down. Oh, interesting.

Hands down. The reason being is, I have my notes here. One, because, you know, just whatever you said to her, she just, she, like, she would always, she would win every argument, whether she was right or wrong. It was, I don't want to say, you know, I don't want to even meet this as a compliment because it's really not, but it was almost Trumpian, right? The way, you know, like she's sitting, you know, she gets the prime, she got the prime spot, right? Yeah. She got the prime spot.

That's Andy, you know, Danielle, you know, she's already got some cashier, her ex-husband phoning in from jail. I thought he had a couple. I thought, that was Joe, I thought he had a couple good. calling in from the I thought he had a good a good lie and he had Melissa beef with Teresa you know your ex calling in so it was all about Teresa and I just found that

whenever they tried to you know you try to ding her Teresa's like oh you know just kind of whatever and then she was kind of just like I said just win every argument whether she was right or wrong she believed that she had won so to me I thought she came I would say she looked the best but I thought she came out

on top. That's interesting because so I've watched this episode twice. The first time after I watched it I was like, oh, Melissa came out on top of that. Like doing a blow by blow, I thought, you know, she was on the

offense and really landing more blows. And so then when I watched it again, I was like ready to get my Teresa Judei's tattoo covered up and, you know, get my passport to Melissa and then I watched it the second time.

I'm like, oh, no, you know what? Teresa actually seems like she's doing better now. So I feel like this reunion is like a bit of an optical illusion. And whichever side that you take, you can kind of read a different view on it. I like that. Yeah, I was going to say I like that how Teresa like tries to game Andy right from the start, just sitting down and be like, oh, Joe happens to be on the phone. How about that?

And that is like, like, oh, Andy, feel my heart. And just like, like, just like immediately tries to get like, Andy like to focus all his attention on her and like, like, be sympathetic to her. I just thought it was just like really funny like gamesmanship to be like, by the way, Andy, me and you are like really tight, right? Yeah. You know, remember that. Some skin to skin like bond.

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. We're going to just like like just, just, just hack the dopamine. in your brain by just having some like, like, contact and be like, you're my friend, right? You know, we've always been friends, haven't we? Yeah. And I do also like when, uh, ad you saying something like, oh, you know, like my kids are saying they want another dad or something.

And at Teresa's like, let me give you a number. Yeah. Like, you're, you're trying to set him up. And she's like, this is my psychic. Yeah. He only costs $100. That was really funny. Yeah.

I thought Andy did a great job at handling this reunion. And a mark of that is that both sides of this Teresa and Melissa divide in the fandom are crying foul on on him, thinking that he did a bad job of handling. I thought, I agree. I thought he was the best he was the best he could. I mean, it was going to be, yeah, what is he what else supposed to do? He kept it moving enough, I thought. Right. Yeah.

And I don't think that he like took one side over the. other than all. Yeah. Just wrapping it up about Teresa, I do think that if I was going to declare a winner, I actually would say Melissa, even though I'm like, as we've

well established on the show, that I think we've got a couple of tree stumps over here, especially Craig, that I'm more sympathetic to Teresa. I kind of like her more, but I do think that like Melissa seemed to have a more coherent story that she was telling and Teresa seemed to be on more unsure footing

and I thought that actually viewed in a vacuum. I personally thought that Melissa came off better, like she was more confident in her version of events. But this is just round one. Yeah. Yeah, one of three. Yeah, one of three, I thought, yeah. I don't know, yeah.

I think that like Teresa, just to clarify my position, I feel like Teresa is more likable, just like, She's got a more likable personality than Melissa does. But I am definitely, I posted on Instagram, I am Team Chaos. So I think they are both fantastic housewives. I think New Jersey would lose a ton if they lost either of them. So I really hope that they are able to overcome things enough so that they can both continue on the show.

And, you know, continue building this toxic fan base. Yeah. If I would choose who, you know, who I were to have a beer with, even though I don't drink, two and a half years sober, no big deal stronger than both you guys. Take a lot of over here. Yeah. Or a weaker.

No, but if I were to have a drink with someone, it would be, I would, who would I want to drink with out of there? It would be Teresa. You know what I mean? I don't want to, I don't want to go. I think I think I think Margo, Marge, I think, one of those two, I think is the, you know, entertaining. but Melissa

actually the foot I was going to say the funny you know just like my notes here uh what not like you know Teresa said something like oh somebody else said something and like oh whatever like

looks at her watchman she doesn't have a watcher because she quickly like just put her wrist down she's like you know trying to make a point oh never mind and then uh I think it was Danielle's grandma she meant Danielle had mentioned oh my grandma just died and there's all of them in units

they were just like oh so sorry you know it's always like a, yeah, it was like, the most fake, you know, it's a sheer, like, oh, we have to, but yeah, it just didn't, it just didn't ring, uh, true at all. Like, it was, uh, but I, I like Danielle too, to be honest. I thought she was like, you know, the most, I'm, she's a, you know, a raunchy jersey girl, she's kind of proud of it, you know, it's kind of, uh, yeah, I kind of dug her, uh, her vibe. Yeah. But again, Melissa Teresa were, obviously the, the, the Hulk-Colitan, you know, uh, macho man.

and, you know, kind of, uh, the two stars. Who's who in that situation? Oh, good call. Good call. I don't know about wrestling to, to like read into that anyway. So the mega powers. Yeah, no, no, no. I was thinking of the mega powers, they're the two heavyweights, right? Yeah.

Yeah. I like how it was, why was it film in Ireland? It felt like I was watching a bachelor, like a bachelor, you know, reunion. Like, why you guys, it was just weird. You guys, it was castle in Ireland, you know, for this reunion. I guess free trip. Like, I don't know.

So it was. definitely like in New Jersey or in L.A. It was just like deemed Irish, like an Irish castle. Because that's where they had their cast trip. Yeah, they did do a trip to an actual castle in Ireland and they were like calling back to it by decorating the set as if it was a castle in Ireland. Yeah. And I don't know how actual a castle this is.

I was trying to look up on it and it seems like it was, you know, I mean, it's, it's a castle, but I couldn't find any history on it other than you being able to like rent it out. I think it's one of those fake castles. Yeah, why were they flown to Ireland? Yeah. Why would Joe phone in? I ask you guys, why would he, why would he phone in? I mean, that was planned obviously.

Oh, I'm guessing. Yeah, that had to have been planned. I thought that this was a- Hey, Joe, what do you doing? You're like, hey, Andy, what's up? Oh, it's a reunion. Oh, really? I think it was a good way to kind of diffuse.

use the tension going in because, you know, you don't want, uh, the cast and as well as the fans to kind of, you know, lose the steam right over the gates. You don't want that release to come immediately. You want to build that up over the course of the two or three episodes, whatever this reunion is. Oh, gotcha. So I feel like it's also kind of, me just like kind of maybe overthinking like Teresa's strategy because I feel like I underestimated her for a lot of the season.

So now maybe I'm overestimating her strategically after like the finale. But I feel I saw it as her kind of reminding Andy about like earlier versions of the show. And like to kind of like make him think about like the long history they have to get. Right. Yeah. Yeah. And that was her off the show. Right.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's good point. I like Joe. He had a great joke because he's right away. Because he's like, oh, it's my favorite show.

And then I think it was that a Trees. any oh you watch him in prison well the guys i was with didn't uh didn't really watch like this stuff or whatever it was a cellmate that that's a good that was a good uh yeah it was a good tone setter right so like you said for the show it was like the thing it was a good tone setter yeah did he say something like yeah there was a guy there was a group of guys in prisons who watched it but i didn't hang out with that group yeah yeah yeah yeah and then so teresa got remarried and melissa didn't go to the wedding right is that it?

Melissa and Joe did not go to the wedding. Yeah. Yeah. I guess they were busy and they were like posting on Instagram. Like who needs a wedding? Dude, that looked petty to me. Yeah. No,

it was a choice. They decided not to go to the wedding. It was a kind of the culmination of a season long feud, really. Yeah, or decades long. Yeah, right. And then Teresa, I don't, like, maybe, yeah, so again, I'm new to this.

Like, Teresa, uh, so she has two kids and they have now they're giving Melissa the cold shoulder and I think I never said that I never I never you know she's like trying to play

yeah like her kids are just doing it on purpose you know her kids are just doing on their own volition I thought that was I like Teresa man I like her I like her moves there's the reason why she's been the reason why she's like the OG isn't she yeah

oh yeah for sure and she's been in jail or husband's in jail anything what are you gonna do yeah well he got deported what are you got deported? Oh, oh, snap. Yeah.

Okay. But yeah, I think, like I said, Teresa and Melissa are both great housewives. And this reunion really gave me a new appreciation for what Melissa brings. I think she has to work a lot harder than Teresa does. Teresa is, like, effortless in how she navigates things. And, you know, I think in this reunion episode, that approach did not, wasn't as fruitful as it is during the regular season. I think that's why, you know, Melissa, who is more calculated and prepared and, like, works at things, I think that that's why she came across a lot better in this reunion than Teresa did. but yeah

they're both both fantastic don't at me or do that might be good for our engagement on our Instagram yeah not me though

I like I like that point like yeah like Teresa is just yeah effortless like it's just she's made you know

I don't know she's doing it so long but it's just second nature I don't know everything you said to her she gives the flag as well

you know just like whatever and you know it's a skill like it just didn't bother her right outwardly or visually you know visibly

bother her. DeLore's, Delores' A story. She seems fun. I like DeLora. She's kind of like the voice of reason. You know,

like, when she's, when she spoke, she kind of, yeah, she serves like, oh, a respected,

a respected voice. She does serve as a bit of, like, a viewer's proxy on the show. But she, she does mix it up a lot more than you see other housewives that kind of fill that,

that role. She was, she had a big conflict with Jen at the beginning of this season and they were able to get over that. I saw, I liked this story of Dolores the peacemaker. I think that that's really, um, suits her quite well, her personality. So seeing her be able to get past this issue with Jen and then, uh, patch things up between Rachel and Danielle. I thought that was really nice because I do want to see Rachel. and Danielle, I want to see that relationship develop,

whether it's being on the same team as a new kind of side in this conflict, so that there are kind of three parties that are warring as opposed to, you know, Teresa versus Melissa and Marge. I think that that would be an interesting dynamic. Or if they're able to, you know, not get past it and class. I just, I want to see this evolve. So it was, it was interesting to see them get past this conflict, which as Andy pointed out, was pretty stupid. Like this, this fight over, like, being called a rat was, was pretty stupid.

Jennifer, I don't know, Jen, yeah, she didn't get a lot of, you know, I didn't find her interesting at all, really. You know, maybe I had to see that episode, but she didn't really have a lot to offer. And everyone she did she kind of got a shot down, but I didn't like her right away. way. She's like, oh, I have a neck injury. So I can't be, you know, we didn't see it's like some boring things. It's on my neck. So you won't be sitting turning this way much.

I'm like, oh, like, cool. Yeah, we didn't see a lot of her, but she had a great season, I thought. I bet, yeah. She seemed like she's obviously she was in the middle. She wasn't on the end. So she, you know, I thought she'd have. Yeah, I'm sure we'll hear from more on the other. Right, right.

But she just like, yeah, she wasn't really in the discussions that they were having this time around. No, she had the, she had the, She had the next thing, right? Yeah. She is a second. Well, when someone does, I'm like,

yeah, I just like, oh, sorry, I can't talk a lot today. I have a sore throat. Like,

yeah, I don't even, like, cool. Yeah. Noted, you know. I like,

I don't know, what do you guys think about, um, uh, okay, Bo, like, like,

like, Bo, like, so that's the private investigator. Yeah. Is he going to be on the future reunion? Is he going to be on the... I wish.

Oh, that would be amazing. I think he has, like, spoken out on Instagram, though. Okay. Is that Marge's higher? No, that's Louis higher, Teresa's husband. Okay. Apparently, allegedly. Yeah.

I like, to me, I don't know what you think is, like, Marge for me is, like, she just seemed like an outlier on the show. Everyone kind of had a certain look. And then Marge is just, you know, just a Karen, like, right in the middle. Yeah. I always got a more up-to-date term than Karen, but yeah. Yeah, Marge has, I think, struggled with an aesthetic. She, I mean, her house...

She has some really good dresses, but then sometimes it's like... Yeah. It doesn't work. But sometimes she has, like, really good, like, mid-century modern, like, classic dresses. Yeah. She lives in, like, a magic eye if you look at her house. Cross your eyes and see different things. That's what I'm talking about.

That's what they got. I like, okay, Marge, I like it. Yeah. That's what you're looking for. Yeah. And she came, when she came on the show, her trademark was pigtails.

Like she had pigtails. And that was kind of trademark aesthetic. It was, it was a choice. But yeah, I think she's, she's in the slow process of a, what do they call it,

a glam up or whatever. Glow up. Thank you. Wow. That was a, that was a Teresa moment for me. on putting together the turn of phrase. Ben, did you have any other highlights from this?

Yeah, just to go back to the Rachel and Danielle, you know, I like, you know, but it's just so funny. You're like, like, grown adults, like, truth, truth. You know what I mean? You get to be like, okay, we're all good. I forgive you. Like, you actually have to have like a formal, say the formal. Spit shake, guys.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, the formal, the formal word, truth. I'm like, okay, it's pirate time. Well, just, yeah, we're, we're good. you know but yeah truth was funny to me the other highlight was uh Andy throwing in a slightly or Joe

I think was Joe was like oh I got a I got a few girlfriends or something like that your ex-wife is right there what is that that's funny Andy had a bad joke about

Dolores like suddenly not wearing socks nobody laughed so they quickly moved on I thought that was pretty funny you know when a joke was quickly moved on and then I had yeah Margo were those real tears at the wedding?

Were those crocodile or those real tears? That red as authentic to me, I think. Yeah, I just thought, yeah, as a true, yeah, I just thought, yeah. Because I didn't know Margo, it seemed like she was kind of like, everyone else had a certain vibe and aesthetic, and Marco just felt like she just felt like she was plant, you know, to me it's just like a plant, right?

Like, she seems like a real housewife of like, you know, Delaware, right? It doesn't seem like, or, you know, or North Dakota. Like, or North Dakota. Like, where is this? She doesn't have the same vibe as anybody else. It's just like the name Marge. And I think one of the, there's a flashback,

it was a great gatchy party, I think. I don't know. And she's like, saccharacter. Oh, that's a total, you know, it could be a great gatsy party.

It's just Marge's, you know, outfit, you know, before I glow up, I guess. Yeah. And then I think that's,

I'll have for notes. Oh, Melissa, a great house. I like Melissa's new house. I think they're kind of mocking it. I think it looks good, you know. Oh, yeah.

I think it looks like ass. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I thought it was, you know, I thought it looked decent. I think abses tend to have a bit more definition than Melissa's house. Maybe I just want a magic eye house. That's what I want. I like, I like, I have juice on everyone.

I like that. Juice. Yeah. Instead of saying, you know, I have dirt. Now it's juice. I'm learning, you know, learning new words. There is an old word. I don't know.

Yeah. They're trying to get around. I'm learning new words from 50-year-olds. Yeah. Why are you laughing there? Why are you laughing their glam-up? Why are you to laugh? Dylan, what were your highlights from this?

When Rachel is accusing Danielle of being insecure, and Daniel says, my balls drag out the door. Yeah. That was it. That's the best part. Great Danielle moment. I liked Marge's moment Bo Diddle, Deedledum,

deedle Diedel D. Yeah, that was funny too. We've had two reunions. They've both made Tweedl D and Tweedledum references in them. Yeah, Lewis Carroll, huge influence on Bravo. Louis Carroll Renaissance underway right now. Can I just ask you guys one question really quick? Yeah, sure.

I mean, I don't, because the reunion, yeah, like it was, yeah, we kind of, I guess there's like two other parts of reunions. It was probably just like the, you know, back in the future part one, right? It's going to ramp up, right? I swear to God, I have, I have newer references in 1985 and, you know, 1994. Survivor one. So these taglines, do they, are they written for them or some of these just, you know, because here's why I ask

because I notice a lot of them are similar, right? Like, you know, plastic makes perfect I thought was great. Yeah. But some of them I find, for example, oh, where is this here?

Yeah. I'm no one's accessory. I'm, you know, I'm the whole lifestyle brand. It's always like that. Like, like, saying, oh, you may be like a star, but I'm the galaxy, right?

You might be a boat, but on the whole, oh, shit. You know, like it's, yeah. I think he just called Raquel's tagline when she becomes a real housewife in 10 years. Oh, yeah. In 10 years. Let's see her next year. Yeah, sure. But all these tagline, I love the taglines, to be honest.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, they're great. Yeah. Yeah, I think it's a mix. Like, some of the housewives will bring their own, but they also, they get some that are given to them by producers or it's kind of a process, a back and forth process. Yeah, maybe to suddenly come in with a terrible idea and they get a little workshopping from a producer. Yeah. Maybe if it rhymed, you know. Yeah, that's pretty much did. Make it rhyme.

Come back when it rhymed. Throwing notes in their face. Come back with a rhyme. I'm waiting for chat GPT to start making an appearance. and all these, you know, I feel like it's only a matter of time before we're getting, can I get the first AI generated housewife tagline that makes his appearance on Bravo? Maybe we already have and just don't know. Dylan, any other highlights? Well, we basically covered it, I think, for me.

Yeah, I think the only other thing that I had noted down here was I thought it was interesting that Louis was trying to date Alexia before Teresa. Alexia from Miami, who is a fantastic hoax wife. It's funny to see this like this accusation of being a host wife chaser because that's definitely seems like it's a thing. You like Martel in Atlanta. Yeah. He was going DM fishing until he got on the show. That sounds like Louis might have been doing something similar.

Yeah. Or Harry Dubin in New York. It's definitely seems like. like a thing and I'm not surprised to see this accusation like pointed at at Louis. He seems thirsty. And I'm glad that he landed one because we get him on on the screen. Yeah. They are going to bring him out, right?

And the later parts of the audience? Yeah. That's going to be great. Can't wait for that. Yeah. That kind of said it was me too. Like what's the beef with like somebody's husband didn't want to be on camera or some business dealings?

It was on camera. Like, so I guess it's that kind of a thing, too, where some of these husbands are on and stuff, I'm like, I don't want to be on this. I don't want to be in this goddamn show. Yeah. Well, in Jersey, all the husbands are a big force. I think the person that didn't want to be on camera was Dina Manzo's husband. So it wasn't like a current housewife's husband that didn't want to be on on camera.

but there's definitely all these accusations that are swirling around louis and his his business dealings that it sounds like they are going to start diving into in the the next couple parts of this review yeah yeah can't wait a while i'm in i'm i'm i'm in for the i have to watch a lot of two now oh yeah for sure yeah i i got a i really like you because i get teresa was the name you know you hear of right that was like the og and you know again i always just thought of Teresa Guidici and you guys. But yeah, I thought she's a good, she's good like tent pole or like anchor for the show or for the reunion. Yeah, there's a reason she's been on so long. But Rachel, I don't know, Rachel, yeah. It's funny. I mean, maybe it's just still get more time,

but it's just funny when they went to pandarries. She's just like staring, you know, just like staring at the camera. She didn't have it. She just like, and her dad else. Rachel look. She looks like one of those fish that he's called. staring at everybody.

She has one of those, like a who, like, she's like a who knows, you know. I don't mean that's like a negative, I don't mean that in a negative way, you know. I mean, they have brought up her bad nose job on the show before. So it's an fair game. Okay. We can see her no job. The black plastic surgery, because I haven't watched a while, like, yeah, you can tell they have plastic surgery.

I didn't think it all look good to me. Like, it all, you know, plastic makes perfect. Oh, yeah. Agreed. Yeah. Most of the Jersey cast has, has had like, I would say, good work. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, I thought, yeah, really, really good work. Yeah. I'm impressed with plastic surgery. Yeah. They've all had to know. This podcast is sponsored by Bill Aden, Plastic Surgery. Yeah. Any final thoughts?

It's about a dozen for me. I mean, I could keep talking about Danielle and her dress, but I'm trying so hard not to be horny on the show, Craig. So you should congratulate me for not being a creep. Yeah. No, I appreciate you guys. I appreciate you guys being such open books on this podcast. And I'm the whole library.

Yeah, well, maybe an open book. I'm sure that's one of them in there. I'm sure that's one of them in there. I'm sure. A book library thing. They're not hard. They're not hard to do. You're going to start like DMing all these hostwives, your ideas for taglines.

see how many you can get on that. I know. I'm going to get fired for my job because all what I do is like wasting the spending time running tagline. I'm just starting to do comedy. I'm just starting to work tonight for comedy with, yeah, just with tagline. Oh, man. I wish you guys never got me to do that.

Yeah. It's a nice rabbit hole because there's a really good one. That was fun. It was really fun. Yeah. Well, thanks for joining us, Ben. Do you want to let everyone know where they can find you? You can find me on Jersey now.

Yeah. Appraising these houses. No, I will. Yeah, so I'm in Ottawa. Got some shows coming up last night. Sounds great. It was free at 7 p.m. So, yeah, sure, it was well attended.

No, I got, I guess in August, I'll be at absolute comedy club. from August 1st to 13th. That's in Toronto. Yeah, it just shows around Ottawa locally absolute. Yuck yuck. Yeah, just kind of around town. Awesome.

How about online? Thanks for cut me off there. I appreciate you. No, I'm glad. No, no, no. That's smart. You may cut me off, but I'm the whole scissor. All right.

So we got it. It's going to be thinking about that, Glenn. forever. No, and then online. My Instagram is OBC Comedy. And then I have a website without an update, Ben Walkercomedy.com. I do find it funny.

It's like, what's your website? W-W-W. We don't have to say the Ws anymore. H-G-D-P-C-D-P, Colist. Yeah, yeah. 2023. We can just say the name. I get ahead to do the rest.

And then, yeah, OBC comedy. And, yeah, so I promote shows on there. I'm not a serial. I'm not a spammer once every couple weeks. I'll post about a show that I did already. You can find me that way. No, thanks for having me on the show. This is really funny.

It kind of got me out to, yeah, see something. And, yeah, I haven't really seen before. So, yeah, so I appreciate that. Awesome. It was awesome. And I even wore, you know, didn't have jersey, but I was trying to get close enough. Oh, yeah.

Yeah, trying to be as close enough. Yeah. Team Teresa. Dylan, where can people find you? Dylan Ferguson on substack. Awesome. That's been Bravo Outsider for this week. Be sure to check out our Vanderpump Rules Reunion Part 2 recap,

which we posted yesterday. It was a blast. We'll be back next week for part three, plus a regular episode. You can find us online at bravo outsider.com on Instagram at Bravo Outsider on Twitter at Bravo underscore Outsider. You can listen wherever you find podcasts or on YouTube.

Until next week, keep on Wife-in.