Mention It All - An Ending & A Beginning (RHOA Premiere, RHOP Finale)

Episode Date: December 7, 2020

Dylan and Bari kick off this jam-packed episode by celebrating the news that Jax and Brittany won’t be returning to Vanderpump Rules. They consider what this means for the show’s future, and discuss the rumor that the show will be canceled altogether. Then, they break down the RHOA season premiere, which is unlike any Housewives episode before. With Porsha on her activist journey, Kenya struggling to leave her marriage, and Cynthia dead-set on her perfect wedding, it should be an interesting season. Next, they talk about the explosive RHOP finale, and try to figure out what it will take to get Michael Darby off the show for good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Prime. Obsession is in session. And this summer, Prime originals have everything you want. Steamy romances, irresistible love stories, and the book to screen favorites you've already read twice. Off campus, L, every year after, the love hypothesis, Sterling Point, and more. Slow burns, second chances, chemistry you can feel through the screen.

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We don't say that, but now we said it. With Dylan Hafer. Who don't check me, boo? And Barry Rosenfeld. I need to start drinking alcohol. Now go to sleep, we. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the Mentioned All podcast.

I'm Dylan Hafer. And I'm Barry Rosenfeld. And what a treat today's episode is going to be. We have the Atlanta premiere and Potomel. finale, but before. It was a busy Sunday. I felt like I know. Okay, to be honest, I had already seen the Atlanta premiere like a couple of weeks ago,

but I still, I almost forgot that I had seen it because I was still like 8 p.m. Like, there's new TV. It was, it's so nice to have, I mean, Atlanta back in general, but then also just to have a night of Atlanta and Potomac feels extra special. I was confused at first because the Atlanta. is at eight and Potomac's at nine. So obviously they transition that for one, Potomac ends at Atlanta will just be eight o'clock instead of like 10.

So I was like, thank God. I didn't miss it. My goodness, imagine I'd like turn the TV on at nine. I don't understand why they can't do this schedule with OC and Salt Lake. But, you know, we've made it clear that we don't make the decisions in that department. But before we get into our two extra special recaps today, we have some extra special news, which is that Jacks and Brittany are no longer going to be on Vanderpump rules.

This is not surprising. And it's funny because as you all know, I am rewatching Vanderpump Rules right now and rewatching it. It's like about time. Have you guys rewatched the season? I want to be like producers. Have you guys watched it? I mean, granted was Jacks at one point good TV?

Yes. Is he now? No. To be to the thing for. me is that it's like obviously there are the separate issues of him, you know, his like questionable behavior with faith or with Billy Lee. Like that's a, that's a kind of a separate issue. But even on the show, it's like it wasn't fun to watch them get married. It wasn't fun to watch like, honestly, the second the, I feel like season six was the last time it was like fun to be on this

ride with them. Like the whole Jack's Fucked Faith thing. Like that was a good storyline. Like it was really captivating. And the last couple seasons have just been like, I don't want to watch Jacks like make dad jokes and like mow the lawn. That's not what I'm here for. Well, because he's gone out of his run. Like he's not. Yeah, he wrote, it's been a good run. Yeah, it has. It is time to effing go now. Thank you. So it's interesting. So they made this statement. They basically posted the exact same Instagram caption about, you know, walking away from the show. And then almost immediately after that variety and a few other websites reported that they got fired, which is interesting from what I was reading. It didn't seem like anybody had like insider info. They were

just kind of like piecing the pieces together because Jack's actually, I think on an Instagram live like a month ago was talking about like when he thought they were going to start filming. And like they've obviously talked in the past about next season. And so I don't really think anybody thinks Jacks would just like walk away from Vanderpump rules. It's a paycheck. He would not walk away. No. How funny is it now that like half of the cast that bought these houses within the last

couple of years now have lost their main source of income? Well, you know what's what I always think about things like that? I've always said this about housewives. They all they have to do is not say anything stupid or do anything stupid. Like that's it. That's all you have to do. And you have secured the bag. Like that's, you're on a reality show.

Have fun with it. Do it and don't do or say anything that could potentially make you lose your job. And they all, well, I mean, you know, don't also do it in general. But they, but they all did that. And it's, they took their greed too far. Problematic. Correct. They took their greed too far for this.

And I do think. So then on whatever day, maybe it was yesterday, the days are running together. Tamara Taddles, which is like a reality, like, you know, they just like are a reality website, whatever. They posted a report that Vanderpump Rules is canceled. I didn't believe it for a second. Said that there was this Zoom call and, you know, basically the entire cast has been fired and they still, like, Bravo still has non-compete agreements and like they might pick some of them up for something different. but so basically like tomorrow tattles like they're not like a hundred percent unreliable but it's not like they have it's not official it's not confirmed um so i don't know i put some polls on our instagram story about this and people seemed very not upset about vanderpump rules potentially being canceled the thing for me is like i don't i don't care that much about vanderpump rules like as a show at this point but i do think there is a way that they can rework it and kind of make it something new that has a lot of potential.

So I'm not, I'm not in the camp that it's like, yes, cancel it. All of these people gone. We don't want to see them again, you know? Yeah. I mean, they have to do something different in general because to be honest, it's not going to be fun watching all of these pregnant women or now like new babies. It would be one thing if it was one of them, but there's four, four, three, four of them pregnant and about to pop any second. So like the premise of the show is drinking and getting like having

fun at a bar restaurant. Unless they get a new cast, it's not going to be that. It can't. Well, so for a while now what people have been talking about is the possibility of sort of a Tom Tom spin off slash reboot of the show. And now honestly, for a while the biggest kind of since Kristen and Stasi got fired, the biggest kind of question. question mark with doing a Tom Tom thing was where does that leave Jackson, Brittany because they don't work at Tom Tom at all. And now that they're off the show, it's like, okay, so you have Tom and Tom and Katie and Ariana, like that, that makes sense. You could, I feel like Sheena can easily pick up some shifts. That makes sense.

You know. He's pregnant too. Okay, but she can waitress once or twice. You have James can be DJing. Raquel maybe works there. Like, all of a sudden, I do. feel like with Jackson, Brittany, out of the equation, it feels like you have sort of a cohesive group left. And then you can maybe bring in some people that actually work at Tom Tom. I don't know. I don't know what the perfect answer is. But I do feel like getting rid of Jackson, Brittany kind of alleviates some of the questions about like, how do we, how do we like frame this group? Because now Tom Tom Tom would kind of make sense. Yeah. And also, in Jacks is an interview or something.

I don't think this was in his caption, obviously. But he's talked about how he's not worried, like, even without the show, like, he's financially, like, okay. And I was like, okay, number one, I wasn't worried about that. But number two, like, how? Like, what else did you do? You know, he's got that NHL social media job on the back burner. So I'm sure something will be happening with that.

any minute now in Florida. Let's dive in to Real Housewives of Atlanta. It was the season premiere, season 13. I'm so excited to have them back. And right away, this episode, it's the first, it's the first season that we've gotten of any Bravo show that's filmed fully in quarantine

from start to finish. And we have seen their interviews gotten progressively better. And these women are flawless in their interviews. And I really, appreciate that they start off the season in a way that we've never seen before with them sitting down for their interviews and talking openly about Black Lives Matter and how this year has kind of been a roller coaster of a year. And I love seeing, obviously we've seen a lot of Portia's activism on social media and stuff.

That's no secret. I love that they're spotlighting it on the show. But even, you know, we see Cynthia talking about how it was really scary in L.A. at the beginning of quarantine and you didn't want to leave your house. And then when George Floyd's murder happened, it was a moment where it felt like you couldn't sit still anymore. And seeing all of these, I mean, they're all just like powerful, successful black women

who still have experienced all of this stuff, you know, really using their voice and Bravo giving them the platform to do so. It was, I think it was the perfect way to start the season. And it's such a statement, but also one that really needs to be. made. Yeah, I mean, Portia had this episode on her back. Like she, I have never in my life seen her, well, of course, in this way. She, we saw a change. And I, you know, like Andy Cohen said it last night too. Like it was like he was proud of her. Like, and all the women too, they saw her in a

different light. And she was on the front line. And she was doing what she had to do. And she the producers asked her like, what did you get from what did you take away from this? Your biggest takeaway. And she's like, that I'll do it again. And like she had no. She, you know, she's like, why wouldn't I? And seeing her cell phone footage from the protest, that was really something else. Like you, she was showing you that she's a real person. She's doing what she needs to do. And seeing it again, like you said, on Bravo on the platform. And that Bravo allowing this, which of course, wouldn't they, but we're not used to seeing this this on Housewives. So it was great to see. And I think it's interesting because a lot of people talk about watching Bravo as an escape or, you know, that we don't expect these people to be like, you know, great people or whatever. And it's like,

of course, like sometimes, yes, it's fun to watch people go at it over something petty or whatever. but I really appreciate that they can kind of adjust and adapt and, you know, they can get creative with what the, with what a Housewives show is and use it in this way because this is, I mean, this is the highest rated show on Bravo. It's one of the highest rated shows with an all black cast on any network. I mean, these women really are. The most followed people on Instagram of Housewives. These women are powerful. They have big platforms and people pay attention to them. And I think for Bravo to be obviously when they do the specials and stuff about race in America, like that's great and it should be happening. But for them to devote so much of the season premiere of their top show on the network to this is really, you know, it's putting your money where your mouth is and obviously still work to be done.

But I loved seeing it. And I also just love having these women back on my TV screen. So after the little opening kind of sequence of them talking about stuff, we cut to Cynthia's driveway where we are having our socially distanced lunch. And it's funny because when they were filming kind of in quarantine, we were thinking about it. And it's like, oh, is this going to be depressing? Like, you know, watching them, you know, not really be able to go out and like stuff like this. To be honest, I had a great time watching this first lunch. I thought it was hilarious the way she had her drive. set up the mannequin and the sequin dress the balloons like it's just like so I mean I I don't understand why they were in the driveway as opposed to like the backyard with the view of the lake at Lake Bailey but honestly to each their own I loved how they introduced all the women like candy came and then Marlowe came with her thermometer to take the temperature and I was like this is a great entrance for Marla like I'm so happy that they are all here and like even Cynthia you know

I'm a huge fan of Cynthia. That dress to have people over in her driveway. That, honey. Okay. So it's like, it's one thing to wear like a plunging neckline, but it's a plunging neckline and then under where you would expect the V to come together, then it's laced up. Yeah. Down to like her belly button.

I just love that she is fully just walking around with her nipples exposed multiple times in the scene. And they have to be like, girl, can you cover up? Like, it's so funny. Honestly, another detail that I loved that a few of the women mentioned throughout the episode was how much weight they've each gained during quarantine. I thought that was like a very real moment for a few of them that these quarantine pounds and that it was hard on everyone for different reasons.

I really did appreciate that because they, you know, most of them were talking about it in a way that was, you know, it wasn't necessarily positive. They're all, you know, you're struggling with body image, with Cynthia wants to lose weight for the wedding. Kenya is obviously going through some tough times. But I loved the openness of, you know, this has been a hard year, a strange year. People have been going through unusual stuff. And I think it's, I think it's great that they can be open about, you know, their bodies changing and how they're feeling and all of that. And it's, it's not like a thing where it's like, oh, like, I have to go on this insane diet because like I can't lose, I can't gain five pounds. Like it actually felt really

real and honest. And I, I appreciate that because I think, I mean, there, you like to think about if you're like, I'm going on a reality show when we're filming a new season and I don't look the way I looked the last season. Like, I'm sure it is really stressful. Like, they're on TV all the time. There's like HD cameras. And so it's nice to really see them being open about that and talking about it and not just in a way that's like my life is over because I gained five pounds. Totally. Did you during the episode, did you catch that commercial with Candy and Mama Joyce? I don't know if I got that commercial.

Oh my God. It's for Portall. And it is literally like a two minute commercial of Candy, Mama Joyce and Ace. and it is really cute and I highly suggest just watching that afterwards. See, Dylan, that's why I like to watch things live so I don't miss things like that.

I did watch it live. I don't know if I maybe maybe I have like a different commercials or something. That's true. I'm going to try and look that up because it sounds fun. I love Mama Joyce. It's really good.

Let's talk about Kenya because she is clearly having the hardest time out of anyone right now. She cannot seem to get over this hump of just leaving Mark Daly in the dust. And yeah, it's, it's sad to me and frustrating to me that it seems like we're going to have another season of her trying to, you know, grapple with whether or not she's going to leave this man. And it's like, leave his ass. Like, I know. It is hard as it is as hard as

it is for her. It's also hard, I want to say selfishly for us and like the rest of the viewers. This isn't the Kenya. Like, we're used to. And it is really seeing how this whole situation is like affecting her to the point where like all of the other women are putting in their two cents too. And they they are really hoping she doesn't stay with this man. I mean, look what it's doing to her. And it's really difficult to watch. We see her early in the episode. She's at her attorney's office and talking about kind of. So basically she has she's saying that she wants to get her custody stuff in order. before she files for divorce so that then the divorce would go smoothly and they wouldn't be in court

fighting over custody. And I get that. Obviously, I cannot relate to the situation of having a child and getting divorced. Like that sounds super stressful. But at the same time, it has been a long road. And basically since the beginning, it seemed clear that this marriage wasn't going to work out. And so it makes me sad for her that we're still in this position where she's, you know, going back and forth and stuff like that. And then later in the episode when she has Candy and Cynthia over at her house at Moore Manor where she's putting in a pool, even though Mark doesn't want one, good for her. She, I feel like the women are being really honest with her and being like, you have tried. No one is ever going to say that you didn't try to make this work. Everything that Kenya ever says about Mark makes him sound like a fucking scoundrel.

And so it's like I feel like she still has this idea that she is failing at something by letting it go. And it's like, please just let it go. No good is going to come of trying more, you know? It's like any woman going through this where it's like you still think, that if you do something different, it's going to work. But at what point when it's gotten this far we're to the point where even your friends are telling you, you don't know if you're necessarily making the right decision. And it's always easier said than done when it's not you in the position. But at this point, it's like, come on. Like this can't be healthy. This is not working. And it seems

like basically from the beginning, their relationship seems like it hasn't been healthy. So it's like, I think it would be one thing if it was like, well, we were married for five years when it was really good. And then the last year or so has been tough. But it's like this she got married to him so quickly. Remember back in like season 10, or what season was that? Yeah, season 10 when she was like first getting married and was like super shady about it. And it's like it almost seems like this relationship was never really healthy. Like maybe there were a few months at the beginning where it was fun.

but yeah that time is over right well speaking of weddings and marriage we have miss cynthia bailey who has her heart and soul set on 10 10 20 whether anybody likes it or not and you know it's wild when you see her and mike talking and cynthia wants 10 10 20 regardless of who can come regardless she wants everyone there 250 people but really they're only allowed to have 50 people. And then you see Mike who wants like he wants to get married just with less people. And then you see him saying to her, Cynthia, what do you want? Do you want a wedding or do you want a marriage? And I honestly, I've heard that before and I love that because you can't compare. Obviously, Cynthia wants a beautiful wedding. Like she's entitled to have that. But Mike is not

concentrating on that. He just wants to marry the woman of his dreams. But Cynthia wants this wedding date. like it's nobody's business. Yeah, I actually really, I felt for Mike in this situation because I think, you know, obviously I understand wanting what you want in terms of your wedding and your date and having everyone there. But there is a reality in the situation that can't be ignored. And I feel like Mike in that situation was really just trying to be like, okay, can we get to the bottom of like what the, what the kind of.

is here because if we can't have 250 people at the wedding, like, is that a deal breaker? Because if, you know, if that's a deal breaker in terms of the wedding, then you just need to postpone the wedding. But if there's like a bigger issue there, obviously you want to figure it out. It's weird watching this now. And of course, we know that Cynthia did have her 250 person wedding on 10, 10, 10, 20, regardless of whether that was advisable. And it's just funny because it's like, well, I guess she was serious. Right. And also they show everyone showing up, you know, planning the wedding with their masks.

And you hear Cynthia say, like, I don't care if people show up in astronaut suits. And like, so she did have the wedding on 10, 10, 10, 20. She did have 250 people and none of them were dressed as astronauts or wearing face shields or masks. Right. It's like maybe everybody should have been in hazmat suits, but that's not what happened. I mean, I'm not going to spend the whole season, you know, harping on Cynthia for having her wedding because that's boring. But it is just interesting to see this conversation knowing how it panned out. Wait.

Go ahead. Oh, you go back. Okay, Jinks, you owe me soda. One other detail from this episode is little Miss Riley is not little anymore. She is going to college. She's going to NYU to be an attorney. And I was like. She's still like 12 years old in my head.

Yeah. Riley, is that you? Like I was so like happy to see that. I love I love Riley having a very kind of frank conversation about her father and his child support situation. And I mean, it sounds like a fucked up situation. And I appreciate the fact that she's like, this is fucked up. Yeah. She's very mature. I think she has a good head on her shoulders.

She can be, she can come off a little like brady at times. but I think she, I think she, like, is going to turn out well. Me too. Good luck at school, Riley. I will say, I think this premiere was really nice in setting the tone for the season. There wasn't a lot of drama or anything between the ladies. But I think with this cast, it's like we didn't meet the new housewife drew this episode. We saw Marlowe, but not kind of the, there wasn't any, like, full group kind of situation. And I think it was nice to kind of be reintroduced to where everyone.

is in life. It's been a weird year. And obviously there's going to be a lot of stuff happening this season. But honestly, I liked having a season premiere that was kind of just like getting back into the group and checking in with everyone. And obviously, I think Portia's stuff that was happening in Louisville and they showed her getting arrested. And I think that was the most important thing that happened this episode. And I appreciated that they really let that have its moment and weren't trying to like sandwich that in with some like argument at lunch like I right I appreciate that they gave that kind of room to breathe and that was how they ended the episode and you know there's going to be plenty of drama coming up so like there's time yes I agreed with all of that

and let's move on to Potomac because this finale was had me at the edge of my seat for a while like I wish that we were together watching this because my, I was like, looking at the clock because I was like, what else is going to have? Like, what else is happening here? There's so many twists and turns. It's crazy because so obviously it culminated in Robin's holiday party, which I love that we get to see the holidays on Potomac. That's not usually what we see. But it was a 75 minute episode and we get to the party like 30 minutes into the episode and you're like, what's left? Like what's going to happen? And we have. Candice performing, Robin getting engaged. Cherise. Charisse is finally not getting edited out of a scene and she's stirring the pot, which I love. Then we have Karen making a late entrance and she's stirring the pot, which I love. And then, of course, we have Michael Darby losing his shit and I hope losing his spot on the show because yikes. Like, yeah, major yikes.

Like what, what is, we have so much to talk about him. Like I, I just had a conversation with someone about this. So I got it out a little bit. But there's so much to talk about him. Okay. So let's just back up. Let's back up a second and talk about Monique because she was not at the party. So the main thing we get this episode is her therapy session, which I was pleased to see her at a therapist and not at the pastors this time.

because, you know, time and place for everything. So she is talking about her experience growing up and going from a majority, a majority white school to a majority black school and how she, you know, felt like she didn't fit in in either place. I think that's interesting kind of backstory for Monique. I appreciate knowing about that. I don't think it necessarily pertains specifically to her situation with Candace. And I still feel like Monique is sort of trying to deflect response.

responsibility in this situation. Absolutely. And the fact that Monique, they kept putting her in her confessional and they kept like almost plopping her into the episode. And I was like, this is so awkward. And to the point where she said,

finally, she's remorseful for her actions, but she's not, she's remorseful for her actions, but she's not sorry for her actions for defending herself when she thought she needed to. So, fucking word salad.

It means nothing. When, when you say, a sentence like that, you almost had to think about how we were going to word it to make sure you didn't offend anyone, but you covered your ass, if that makes sense. Like, the thing is, like, I think we're putting way too much weight in the word remorse and like, where everybody's like, but does she show remorse? And it's like, okay, she can say she's remorseful. But if in the same breath she's saying that she doesn't apologize for what she did, she's not showing that she's

remorseful. She's saying it. And I think it's the kind of thing where Monique is putting all of this she's putting all of this stock into not into saying that she had to defend herself and like that it was this kind of like mutual thing. And I totally, I get that there are two sides and I do, I mean, famously I'm team no one. And so I definitely think there are things that Candace did wrong. But I think it's like on and on and on this. refusal to acknowledge that Monique was the one who made it physical. Nobody. And at this point, it's like, I don't even care that much about the fight anymore, but it's like,

Monique did not have to defend herself from Candace's wig. Like the wig, like, it's just the kind of thing where it's like, give it a rest. Just like say you're sorry that it went the way it did and move on. Well, Monique's main defense is that Candace asked to be dragged so she did. Like she, like she did what she was supposed to do. And I'm just like, no, no. But also. Whenever they filmed this, it's like she still thinks it's cute.

And it's like, I don't think that Monique should be like canceled or fired or whatever. But it's not cute. Just like give it up. Also, give it up. Like, I also don't want to like, to be honest. I can't be the only one that feels this way. Like I don't want to talk about it anymore. Oh.

Oh, same. So let's not. Let's just move on. Okay. Thank you. So, yeah, so we see them at therapy and then we see... Here's a fun question. Would you rather talk about that or Michael Darby because I truly don't know at this point? Oh, God. I mean, we can't avoid talking about Michael Darby. So we'll just sew the seeds. So we see Ashley and Michael at home. They actually seem to be having like kind of a nice time. But then it goes left when Ashley says that Juan is going to propose to Robin at this holiday party. And Michael just like kills the vibe immediately. And it's like, oh, well, like that can't be happening. And it's like, what? And Ashley's like, no, like I'm pretty sure it is.

And he's like, no, no, no, no, no. It can't. And he won't tell Ashley what he means by any of this. It's super weird. Like, it's so strange. And I get that it's like on camera. Like I think with Michael, like Ashley is kind of constantly trying to get Michael to say stuff on camera that he doesn't really want to say on camera.

We've seen that already this season. But it's like, Michael, if you can't, if you don't want to talk about it on camera, and just don't say anything. It literally is like that friend who is like, I have something to tell you, but I can't. And then you're like, are you fucking.

Are you kidding? You can't do that. Like Michael, say it. But also, Michael does some other really weird things throughout the episode. Like says he wants to go to Vegas for Juan's bachelor party with just one.

And no cameras. You know, Michael wants to go to Vegas with Juan on a couple's trip, but they're the couple. Like, I think it's the kind of thing where we see, so we see them get engaged. Michael is still acting super weird. He pulls him aside. And he like, I almost think that Michael is like triggered by the fact that Juan really does love Robin.

And it's like, I'm not saying, like, I don't, maybe there's something we don't know. I don't know if Juan and Robin have the perfect relationship. But the fact that Michael all of a sudden seems so hellbent on getting in the middle of it is like so cringe worthy. and I don't like, oh, I just am so, I'm like sick of him. Well, well, it's one thing. Like, the men can have a friendship. Like, that's totally fine. But Michael, it's a friendship.

You're married and Juan is engaged to Robin. Like, you guys, I don't think, I don't think can form a relationship other than that because number one, one doesn't like you in that way. And number two, because like, I don't know. it's just not going to work out. I'm just telling you. Well, Michael, Michael famously wants to suck one's sausage. So, come on. I mean, guys, allegedly. Allegedly. But he also, when this whole altercation will back up, but when this happened, he also was like, security's touching me all over the place, touching me. And I'm like, Michael, what's going on? Like, he's trying to frame people doing different

things. And it's like, no, no, you're always the one on camera being caught touching people. Not Like Chris Bassett sort of forcefully pushing you away is not the same as you like groping people for five years on this show. Yeah. Okay. So let's back up a little bit. So we're getting, we're getting ready for this party. Robin and Juan go to therapy maybe the same day. I don't know.

The timeline in this episode is a little weird. Wait, we have therapy before we have to get ready for the party. I do, I do appreciate that we get a little kind of a nice little like background moment. before we know they're going to get engaged. And, you know, Juan is being more open than he has been in the past about what went wrong. The first time they were married and him, you know, stepping out on his marriage, not just for sex, but for connection and all of this stuff. And I think it's good that we're now kind of getting that context because they do seem like

they're in a better place now. They do. And it also was a little concerning because Michael also spread this little rumor or whatever he had for us too. So at one point, I was like, wait, they're in a good place. But wait, is he not going to propose at this party? I'm so confused. Imagine me go the whole season. I really thought that. And I was like, what kind of shit did Michael just stir up? But they are in a good place. They seem to be in a really good place. And I'm happy for that for Robin. Because as Karen says, Robin doesn't always get her moment. She doesn't always get it.

So we also, so we get to this party. So Karen was doing HS. for LaDame, which like, yes, girl, get your coins. And so she was like most likely not going to show up because they were having mechanical issues on the plane, which the other women did not buy. I was kind of like, I don't know, like sometimes that happens. But they thought Karen just didn't want to come to the party. All well and good. Candice is, has been asked to perform the go-go remix of I-C-U at the party, which I love when

they do this stuff because it's like so unreal. to just that you would ask your friend to like get up and sing her song at your party and I mean she of course she started singing of course like there was no sound check of course in the middle of the song the music started at the exact same point if she was singing I was like wow honestly I'm not going to lie like this song is very catchy like the song is catchy I like I do think I do think Candace actually can sing and I think it's oh I feel a little bad for her that the the production has clearly decided that it's going to be a joke. And so they kind of like won't,

they like won't let her have her moment. And it's like, okay, like I'm laughing. But at the same time, I'm also like, it's not like when Kim Zolziak tries to perform live. Like, right, right. Like she actually is talented. Candace actually is talented. But we see Robin make her little, you know,

thank you for coming holiday speech. And I thought this was so freaking cute when Juan took the mic and Robin was so confused because like no one would ever think Juan would say anything in front of people. And he proposed to Robin and Wendy is the star of this engagement. Because if anyone ever reacted like that with excitement, the way Wendy did when Robin got engaged, that's just like a friend everybody needs. The screaming to the extent where Giselle actually had to remove her from the center of the stage,

like back up, back up, let Robin have this moment. But it was so exciting because like we were just talking they're happy. They deserve this. They, it's time for them to get remarried. Giselle was such a good friend throughout this episode, really making sure everything was going smoothly. I didn't know if you were being sarcastic or not. No, I think she was. I thought I agree, but I wanted at one point to be like, stop asking when he's going to propose.

Well, yeah, but then like she really wanted Robin to like have her night. And I do feel bad because then things kind of. of went left. So Charisse Sherees shows up and Sheree and Jazele are really talking a lot of shit about Karen and you know about how she's messy and she they're calling her a bitch and all of this

and then Karen shows up kind of at the last minute unexpected and they I thought it was a little weird that basically right to her face they were like oh we thought you were lying about the mechanical issues and just didn't want to come and she's like

uh no okay like happy to be here. Right, right. I mean, they also, it seems to me like when they talk about Karen or anyone in this type situation, like find something else to talk. Why are you so like wrapped up in this? It, there's so many other things going on than worrying about if Karen's coming to this party or not. Right. And so things, the, the real moment when things escalate is when they're talking about again, the situation with Monique and what happened at the wig shift and all of that. And, Karen says that the truth will come out.

And Candice loses it because as I think she's correct in saying this, Karen, you know the truth. You were there. You saw what happened. We all know the truth. And obviously she raises her voice. And this is when Michael says to Chris, you need to control your wife. And it's like tapping him on the shoulder.

And I actually appreciate, I liked the way Chris responded. I thought it was perfectly, I thought it was perfectly acceptable of him to be like, you need to get the fuck out of my face. And he pushes him backward. I would say it was a forceful push, but not a shove. And definitely he didn't hit him. And Michael just loses his mind. Well, the thing is, I absolutely agree with Chris because what Michael did was 100% unacceptable.

You'd not go up to a man and tell him to control his wife. She's out of control. but I just found it very ironic that Chris put his hands on someone while his wife is now the quote unquote victim of an altercation of someone putting their hands on her. So I was like, that's not really what should have went down. But did you not find that weird? Like I know that people can't always control themselves in those situations. I was like, really? In that moment, he didn't put his hands on him in a way that was like attacking.

it was like back the fuck up. Right. Whereas like what happened with Candice, it was like she like grabbed her hair. Like I don't know. I don't see like a correlation there. Michael's. Michael's no, but in general, like he shouldn't have done that. Like he shouldn't have put his hands on Michael.

He should. There were enough people there to like get Michael out of there. But Michael's reaction to this was just automatically, I'm going to sue you. I'm getting my lawyer. Like you're going to jail. And I was like, no, Michael. That's not what's happening. happening here. He didn't do anything to go to jail or to be sued about. Yeah, I mean, it was just

way, it escalated so quickly and it was like way too much anger coming from Michael for what actually happened. And, you know, he's yelling about how he's a respectable businessman and how Chris has a failed restaurant, which is like very ironic for Michael to be talking about that. Throwback kangaroo sliders. And so all of a sudden we have Candice and Chris who are like going to leave and they're with Karen in the hallway. And we actually have kind of a nice final moment with Karen and Candice, which I was not expecting from the end of the season. Cute little hug. And yeah, they have a nice hug and we're getting our, you know, closing moments, whatever. And then all of a sudden we're back inside. And Michael is like in this back hallway

where production is set up and he's like terrorizing them. It's very unclear what he was trying to do. I mean, he was clearly intoxicated. I couldn't tell if he wanted them to cut footage or just wanted to talk to them or was mad at them. Like it was so unclear what was happening. And you saw them un-miking him at one point. Like and Ashley was screaming at the top of her lungs.

She was embarrassed. I was weirded out by that whole thing because I didn't you could just tell he was very drunk and it was messy. And at that point, it's like, okay, like what are we doing here? Because number one, he's not a housewife. So I actually don't even care like what he's doing right now. I care about like the women. But also like then they you see them just like again, Ashley and Michael just like kiss and make up. Like it's just very frustrating, I guess for a viewer.

Well, yeah, it's like this ending feels very dark and it's Ashley is obviously angry and embarrassed and whatever. And then they flashed on the screen that they went to the Bahamas the next day. She's now pregnant with the second kid. And it's like everyone on Twitter is like divorce his ass. And clearly that's not happen. You know, it's the kind of thing where it's like I'm as much as I, you know, like the drama and whatever. It's like we're five seasons in. And I feel like every season there is a moment with Michael where I'm like, I don't want to see this on my team. TV. Like this is not something that they should continue to allow to happen. It is bizarre to compare him to other Bravo Lebrides who are no longer on shows and he is still here unless it's to the point where I think we've discussed in the past before where they want Ashley on the show and that's the only way she'll do it as if Michael's on it. It's bad. That's my question. And I'll be curious to see kind of where we're left after the reunion is like, I think a lot of people are saying that they don't want Michael to be on the show anymore and

is the only way to accomplish that to get rid of Ashley because I think the show would survive without Ashley. I think it would be okay without Ashley but I think if Michael was out of the equation there would be no reason to get rid of Ashley you know she's great at her job I think she's good at being a housewife and so it's it's an interesting kind of problem to have where you're like, we like this woman a lot, but we can't deal with her husband anymore. For real. It's getting to the point where it's just like too much. Like it's too much to watch on television. Like no one, no one's husband should be reacting that way at all.

But anyway, I'm very excited for the reunion next week. This is the yellow ensemble circle, which I am so excited to see. They look stunning. And Monique shows up with this binder with colored tabs. Very excited. Okay, real quick, because we have gone on too long. Can we just both agree that the number one housewife in the group is Portia? Absolutely.

Without hesitation. I'm fine with that. Guys, thanks so much for listening. We will be back on Thursday. Don't forget to check out our Bravo by Betches merch collection on shop. bethches.com. Follow us on Instagram at Bravo by Betches. And please rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast.

Bye. Bye. Betches. Thank you.