Mention It All - It’s All Crappening Ft. Ben Mandelker & Ronnie Karam

Episode Date: March 19, 2025

On today’s episode, Dylan is joined by two legends of the Bravo podcasting game, Ben Mandelker & Ronnie Karam, hosts of Watch What Crappens. They talk about their entry into the Bravo world, and how much things have changed since the OG days of Real Housewives. From there, they take a spin around the currently airing shows, dropping their takes on RHOBH, RHOA, Southern Charm, and Southern Hospitality. They also talk about the importance of casts that are willing to let it all hang out, and some new ideas for how we can continue to celebrate our aging Bravo stars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Exclusions apply for licenses, see Home Depot.com slash license numbers. Betches Media presents Ha ha laugh funny Mention It All A Bravo by Betches podcast We don't say that But now we said it With me, Dylan Hafer

We'll go check me both Hey everyone Welcome back to the Mention at All podcast I am so thrilled To be joined today by two of my favorite Bravo guys

From the Watch What Happens podcast Icons, legends Always the Moment Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam Hello Hello Dylan Dylan.

Great to see you. Hello. Good to see you, too. Hi, honey. The last time I saw you guys was luckily in person in New York at your Golden Crappy Awards, which was truly a night to remember. Nice to see you again. I mean, that event was really something special.

Congratulations. I'm so glad you were able to come to it, and I wish we had gotten to spend more time together. It was pandemonium. There was so much happening. But that was, honestly, I think that was like one of my favorite things that we ever did. that night. It was so amazing, and there were so many bravo liberties and, like, friends and content creators there. So it was really awesome that you were able to be part of it. Did you have any, like, were there any, like, good stories that, like, came out of it on your end? Because we were

so busy doing all sorts of random stuff. Like, was there anything cool that you saw our witness? It was funny because so most of us, there was, everybody was in this big green room before the show and kind of filing in. And that was fun because it was like, you know, Patricia Altschel was, like, holding court kind of in her own little seating area. And then, you know, it's Jersey Housewives and New York Housewives and everybody, it's, you know, it's like a family reunion kind of whenever everybody's in the same place. But then most of us went out to watch the show from the audience, because we were coming on for like our, you know, few minute presenting bits. But otherwise, it's like, I want to see what's going on. So, like, I was sitting in the audience next to Dolores. And it was just

so funny because like Bravo fans, I love Bravo fans so much because there's that like initial moment of like, oh my God, hello, Dolores, I love you so much. And then everybody just sits and watch this the show. Like it was, it was like so surreal, but also so normal in a way that I feel like no other place can I imagine that happening. I was actually really proud of the audience because I was, you know, standing off to the wings as it started. And when you guys all came out, the audience went so crazy. They started crawling over each other. I was like, is there a fire? Get off Dolores, you know? I got scared a minute.

It looked like somebody lost a soccer game. My favorite thing that I heard was that I was watching The Traders with my friend. We watched the finale together. And he was helping out backstage with the show. And so when it got to the end and, you know, Dolores won. Spoiler, Dolores won the Traders. My friend was like, yeah, I had a feeling she was going to win. And I was like, why?

He's like, you know, when I met him. at the crappies, I said, oh, like, I'm watching one of the traders. And she said, oh, that was a that was just a fun, lovely show. And he's like, you know what? I don't feel like if Dolores, if Dolores lost, I don't think she'd be saying, that was such a nice little experience. She'd be like, yeah, that skank Danielle. They all lie. They're against family.

Like when you saw Dorinda in interviews, you know, before we knew that she got kicked off or whatever, she'd be like, oh, yeah, the traders. Great. Great times. She wanted to murder somebody. It was crazy kind of watching Dolores explain her rationale on the traders that she's like, well, she swore on her kids. Who would do that?

And it's like, my dear, there have been like 48 seasons of Survivor and you've clearly not watched any of them. But where I'm from, Patterson, that's it. You swear on your kids, that's it. Or if you ride with somebody. If you take a ride with somebody, they'll never screw you over. Her rules, her jersey rules. Look, she won. She gets to have her own rules.

Yeah, she did. She made it to the end. I'm so proud of her. I want to take it back a little bit. If people aren't familiar with your show, it's a hilarious madcap, you know, recap every single day, pretty much. But I have never gotten to talk to you guys. I want to hear about your Bravo origin story. I think it's so interesting hearing about when people started watching, what were the shows that kind of got them hooked.

And with your podcast, you've been doing this such a long time. What is, what was the journey to, to where you are now? We were actually TV bloggers. Ben had a blog called TVGASM, and it was kind of a television without pity type blog where you just write really long, long, snarky recaps about these shows. And I had heard about it while I was waiting tables and started reading Project Runway Recaps. And I was like, this is my calling.

You know, I was like, this is it. Making fun of strangers under an assumed name. And so I auditioned for it. And we became friends that way. And then Ben got a job with a video company, like a video startup, doing a housewives show called Housewives Ho Down and had me on as a guest a few times. And we just kind of went from there. Yeah.

The video series, the platform that it was on was sort of like was canceled or like went down. It was canceled. It was very racially insensitive. Because that sounds horrible. No, it was like it like it went. It folded. And then we're like, well, let's keep on doing this. as a podcast. So we did it and it was like 2012 and podcasting was sort of like on the periphery

and we're like, well, it's easier than blogging. And it was just a side hustle for the blog. And then podcasting then overtook blogging and then we're in the right place at the right time. So it was great. And then in terms of like when I started watching Bravo, it's funny because during those TV blogging days, I like my signature blogging thing, I would always write about the hills. And that was like a big thing. I was always writing about the hills. or Big Brother or Survivor. And then my friend, my friend Jason was always advocating for me

to watch The Real Housewives. And I had seen like one episode and I thought it was kind of dull because honestly the first season, it was a different vibe. Yeah. Yeah. And so I was like, okay,

but I sort of came in on season three of Orange County. And by first season, I mean first season of Orange County. And I came in season three of Orange County, which was, of course, also the same time that Tamara first arrived in our world. And I got to, hooked right around then. I started blogging about the real housewives and I found that I was getting a whole new audience and it was like taking off. And that's kind of what brought me, you know, into

Bravo and into the mania that is today. Yeah, my first housewives was Beverly Hills. Because all the other ladies who were covering on, on the blog were, I would read these comments and there would be hundreds of comments and people just arguing about the dumbest thing, you know, is women like literally going to war in these comments like, she didn't invite her to that party? Or like, she was late to that party. How dare her? You know, I didn't speaking about somebody's children. I thought, what is this? And I thought, I'm above this. You know, I always thought I'm above that. And then they played Real Housewives of Orange County on a marathon one day. And I was just at home doing nothing, which is kind of my vibe. And so I watched it. And nothing happened. I watched a whole first season,

but I was still obsessed. I was like, that secretary is going to screw her over. You know, and she did. And I felt like I solved a mystery. and I was in. For me, there was also an element where right before I got into The Real Housewives, I had to go to a wedding. I went to a destination wedding in France. And so I flew over to France. And I remember I was like, there was someone getting on the plane.

I was like, I recognize her. And my friend who was with me was like, I think she's on the Real Housewives show. It was Vicki Gunvelson and I think Tammy Knickerbocker and a group of women. and I flew across on the same plane across to another part of the world with Vicki Gunvilsson and I remember feeling like I know who this person is because I've seen one or two episodes of The Real Housewives,

but I don't really know who this person is and this is such a fail for me because had I been watching this show all this time, this would have been such an amazing thing and I probably would have picked up on so many things and as a result, it's only a whatever. I mean, I remember standing a baggage claim with Vicky and she had a shirt on

that said Versace just in big letters across her boobs. And I just was like, I feel like this would have been a better experience for me had I actually been a fan of the show. And that was also a motivating factor for me to be like, I've got to get onto the real house I was trained because I feel like this will be one of many incidences where I encounter real housewives in the wild and I want to be able to tell a better story about it. So you got into it so you could recognize people on planes better. Yes.

I wanted to expand the breadth of my ability to name drop who I saw in baggage claim. It is fun to see how the. wives, like, out in the wild. There is something uniquely, I mean, like, even different from seeing, like, a, like, quote-unquote real celebrity, it's, like, something about, you know, like, I saw Carol Radzable running one time

when she was in her marathon era. And I'm like, that, I'll tell that story to my kids if I, if I ever have them. You know, like, that's a, it's just beautiful. It's, it's, there's something special. And I think, like, knowing that you guys were kind of in on the ground floor over the last, like, you know, decade plus.

being kind of this like Housewives industrial complex, really getting built up like brick by brick that it's like, okay, we're adding a franchise here. Now people are launching, you know, hair care lines, and now people are doing, you know, beverage companies. And now there's a million podcasts. There's four more podcasts just this week. Like, it is kind of crazy to think of like how much everything has exploded. Just yesterday, I saw the opening credits to the. Real Housewives of Antwerp. Did you hear about this or see it? I saw the clip of this and I was like, I don't know what they're saying.

I'm going to, I'll come back to this later. It was, but it was just, it was so funny. Sober. Like, you really need to concentrate. It's just so funny that like, you know, the days of like, Lori wearing in like a sky top has now begat like the real househouse. It got to Antwerp. That's, and it's wild.

And it's also wild how much has changed. Because back in that first season, it was just audio. clips of them saying things like, I like to pick up cereal for my kids, and that was like your tagline. But then, like, now it's, but I guess the Antwerp now, it's like, you know, the easiest way to break a heart is if you let that hot beat and then you step on it.

And you're like, wow, this show has really evolved. I remember Vicki's first season tagline was just that, like, low-quality soundbite. I don't want to get old. Yes. One of the first Vicky thinks I will never forget it that I thought was so funny. It was just Vicky saying all snoddily, like,

in my neighborhood, people get their car washed a lot. That's what you do. You get your car washed. We'd like getting her car washed. And that was her thing. And I thought that was just so funny. I was like, wow, what a fancy person, getting her car washed a lot. You're like, wow, Cota Cosa, the place where dreams are made and kept behind the gates.

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Work your magic. You guys are on tour right now, and so you're obviously keeping up with all the current shows and recapping them out on the road. I want to talk about some of these current shows that we have going on. We've got Beverly Hills. They're doing their thing in St. Lucia right now. We've got Atlanta back, finally.

Summer House, Southern Charm, chugging right along. What is the show right now that is kind of like your rose of the week, the thing that you're having the most fun with? I still love Beverly Hills. You know, people, I think every season for years, people are like, this is the slowest season ever, you know. But I still just crack up. I think the characters on that one are so funny.

You've got Sutton Breaking Down all the time. I think Bose is a great new edition. You've got Kyle just still refusing to talk about anything ever, but then trying to make you talk about everything. I just crack up at that show. Yeah, I think that Beverly Hills is currently the rows of the lineup. I think that Beverly Hills has had a great season, and it was a little under the radar, shockingly,

because Salt Lake City took up so much space. Salt Lake City was such, it was so good that all people were talking about with Salt Lake City while Beverly Hills was actually turning out, like, great content. And then I kind of feel like Salt Lake City went away, but then I feel like everyone was focusing on the traders. And then now, at like, long last, we are now having a Beverly Hills moment. So I think, like, last night's episode was great. And Twitter is on fire right now. Everyone has a lot of things to say. So whenever, like, you know, social media gets whipped up into a frenzy, that's usually a good sign. I think for me that the one thing that I've been a bit

frustrated with Beverly Hills this season is it has felt like there's kind of only like one or two central things going on and then maybe everybody else doesn't have their own thing. And what I did like about this episode is like, we've seen Doreet and Sutton going at it. We've seen, you know, Kyle and Doreet going at it. This week it was like, okay, now Erica is going to jump in and she's going to have an issue with Sutton. And then Garcel is picking a fight with Kyle. And it feels like finally everybody's kind of like getting their hooks into the central conflict a little bit more versus just like, okay, Doreet and Kyle are now going to have the same argument they've had, but in a different location for the fourth time.

Well, that's the show. I mean, Beverly Hills is the show where nothing happens ever. It's crazy how, I mean, remember Puppie Gate or whatever? That was literally every episode for the whole season or that time where, uh, what's her, Buns was on it. Eileen was on it and she got mad at Vanderpump. And every episode she demanded an apology for the same shit that had happened like six months ago. It was like, lady, but that's Beverly Hills.

I mean, they don't do anything on that show. I'm surprised that it's as entertaining to me as it is because part of it is just that they don't do anything. It's just watching them eat breakfast is funny. I can watch Kathy Hilton try and figure out breakfast and laugh. Yeah, I think that having just like one or two sort of central arguments is actually really good for it because it just sort of focuses our attention. And, like, the best Beverly Hill seasons start with, like, one or two central arguments. And then people eventually do get drawn into it and kind of snowballs from there.

So we are seeing a snowball effect now, which is really good. The very first season was really about this moment with Camille and Kyle. And, you know, Kyle saying, like, why would anyone care about you, Camille, without Kelsey Grammer? And then that and Camille was so offended. And it grew and grew and grew. And then by the end of the season, everyone has just been drawn into this mess. And so that's what we're having here. And I actually kind of like, I honestly would rather watch Doreet and Sutton have the same fight for this fifth time in a row.

Then to spend time having kind of like a mess scene with like Bose and Keeley going on a date or like Garsell hanging out with her son. Like I'll just take that argument again instead. I do love it. Yeah. The, um, Kathy Hilton, like the, the level of detail we saw of her unpacking all of her toiletries when they arrived at the villa in St. Lucia last week where it's like, she's spending like 45 minutes perfectly arranging everything on the counter. Meanwhile, like the rest of the group was already doing an excursion. Like everybody else is at the pool. She's like, she's like, no, like all my creams are going to be in their spot. Well, and just the amount of stuff that she uses. And every time they cut to Kathy, she's doing something. She's taking pills or she's taking a potion or she's wiping shit all over her face. And it's just hilarious to me. It's like, what do you think this stuff is doing?

You know, you would think this woman would look like she's in kindergarten with the money she's spending on all of that stuff. What does this stuff do? Take a fish oil pill and call it a day, girl. You're missing out. I also love this week when she was like treating Jennifer Tilly like she was the staff at the house. It's like, no, like, Kathy Hilton is somebody who like, the closest person to her, she's

going to ask you to get her something. Like it's, she doesn't give a fuck. Yeah, she has a care. And also just the present, like the increased presence of Jennifer Chilli. The season has been like a wonderful addition because the show just really, it really works when there's someone who's ultra rich around. And you got Kathy Hilton and I got Jennifer Chilly. And they're both so wealthy.

And they don't really seem to care what's going on with the other women. They just are there. They're happy to have, have their fun. Jennifer's going to get her good and plenties in her luggage, you know. And then just casually mentioned that she spent like $45,000 on a spoon or something like that. And then just chuckle away. Like, it's great. There have been so many Jennifer Tilly jewels that she's dropped this season.

Like, we're, what, 15, 16 weeks in? And, like, just this week, she's like, yeah, this one time when I was in a play on Broadway and I was doing full frontal nudity and the guy I was dating at the time had never seen me naked. So we saw the play and then I stand up out of the tub and the bubbles off. I'm like, wait, like, what life was this that you lived in the 90s? I know. I feel like, you know, Rod and I, we both love Jennifer Tilly. We would talk about Jennifer Tilly even, like, before Real House. before she came on the show.

But what, to me, my impression of Jennifer Tilly is this person who was, like, massively talented, got an Oscar nomination, and then kind of just went off and did, like, some random stuff. And I've always been like, oh, I wish Jennifer Tilly had some sort of resurgence,

or I wish her acting career would sort of come back stronger. I wish she was, like, doing more. I always, like, wanted more success for her. And then watching her now, I'm like, oh, she's so rich. Like, how did Jennifer Tilly, who I thought was kind of, like, discarded by Hollywood,

would actually be the one. How is it that she's the one who's doing so, so well, the best out of all of them there? Yeah, it's always kind of refreshing when somebody that in your mind is like maybe a little bit of a flop. It's like, oh, no, she's just rich enough that she doesn't have to do anything. Yes, exactly.

And she's so funny. I'm surprised people haven't added her to the canon of modeling scenes because we had the, what's the kind of nerdy girl from New York who was trying to model? What can I remember anybody's name? I'm really getting old. The Simon's wife. It's her name.

Oh, yeah. You know what I'm talking about when they were like, she was walking and she's like, do the Johan walk. You're Johan right now. And then we had the Ramona singer, we had the Ramona singer model walk, you know, like crazy eyes. And then we had this chick, this chick's model walk, when she was just like, we can get the camera in. I'm kind of shaking. I love her.

It kind of reminds me of the season of Atlanta when, it was when, I think it was when Shammari was on, and she and Candy had like a sing-off at one of the trips. And it was like, what are we doing? doing here. Yes. That was one of their really sad trips. Were they, like, in Destin, Florida, stuck in a condo or something like that? It was, like, raining.

They just couldn't do anything. Oh, yeah. That's, like, Shamari season. Yeah. With the Shamari season, really, the first thing I think of is how she puked in the bathroom in, like, the basement Benihana's that someone had installed in their house. Was it, like, Tanya from Toronto, who had a Benihana in the basement? And then she puked.

That's tough to come back from. Yeah. That's a tough break. Where are you guys out with this season of Atlanta? I've been enjoying the first couple episodes, but obviously it's early days. I'm enjoying it. I think it's a great reboot so far. You know, they need to get time to get used to the cameras and stuff. Like the Waffle Lady is very, she's a lot right now. But I'm liking her. I'm loving her Waffle Empire. The girl with the, that tells like she's blocked, I want to unblock her. You know, like I want to help her. I want to have. or a Q-tip or something. But for the most part, I'm really enjoying it. That show, I think, struggles, I think it's always going to struggle because it had a star like Nini to begin with. You know, and so many stars like Nita.

That original cast was so good. I think that anytime you watch Atlanta, you're going to be looking for a personality like Nini. So when you can't find one still, it seems like the never-ending search. But other shows have done it. And, you know, like, I didn't think Sutton would last so long on Beverly Hills. and she's become great, you know?

So, I don't know. I think it just needs a little time, but I'm enjoying where it's going so far, for sure. Yeah, I think it's great. I love the reboot so far. I mean, it's only been two episodes, but I feel like the energy and the vibe is back to where it needs to be.

I feel like the past several seasons, the show is just sort of deflated slowly like a balloon. And, you know, and while I really loved everyone individually on the show, like I love Candy, I think Candy is one of the all-time great housewives. You know, it was good to kind of flush out several of them, bring in some new energy,

I do think that the new women are really great on the show. I really like their energy. I also like the vibe that the show is establishing. It's getting a little bit back more into wealth and glitz and glamour. We really were, I mean, Drus Adora is still on the show, but we really were kind of like living tonally in Drusadora's house for the past few seasons. And that's just like not, that's not the vibe of the real housewives of Atlanta. Like we want to see expensive cars and jewelry and diamonds.

And I always thought that kind of stuff was kind of, I always thought that was, you know, window dressing. We don't really need that. It's about good characters. But what it does is when you have those elements, it really ups the camp factor. And we have really come to appreciate how important camp is on these shows. Just look at the Roney reboot, which has no camp whatsoever. So like give us some wealth, give us something that feels a little bit like dynasty, give us some waffles. I'm going to be happy. Yeah, it's like, I think that a lot of the best franchises and the best seasons have that kind of high-low element where it's like, thinking back to the original days of OC that we were talking about, like, Vicky being Lori's boss, there was

immediately that thing of like, she wants the money like I have and she doesn't have it yet, but then she's going to marry a guy and have more money than me. Or like, you know, when Bethany on season one of New York was like this like scrappy nobody with a burkin and a dream. And like, I think having this season, I don't know if we know exactly who's on the low spectrum yet, but like seeing Shamiya take the like, you know, pneumatic tube looking elevator up to her closet. Like, that's, that's hilarious. And I love it. Yeah. And then you have the juxtaposition of Brittany who's like, okay, I'll change the finishes if you want. I won't ask for such nice finishes, but, you know, we can't have a house, right? And she's being kind of nickel and dined by this guy

that she's dating. He's like, well, you can't have that kind of sink. Sorry. She's like, damn it. So you're seeing that kind of, you know, you see the rich and then you see the low, too, of someone trying to claw their way up. Yeah, the aspiring people. Like, to me, Drew Zedora is still in that class. And, and, Drew, I think also we both have kind of felt like reluctantly Drew has earned her spot on this show mainly because she's so delusional and she lies all the time. And that is the mark of a good housewife, unfortunately. But she still is on that kind of like aspiring end.

And Britt definitely seems like she's on the aspiring end. I think that Britt and Kelly have really funny backstories too. You have Kelly who's like really trying to push this waffle thing. Like, I am the queen of waffles. And you're like, are we really doing this right now? And then you have Britt who is like, and she's like, I was an insurance agent, and then I met my husband. You know, I was going to one of the many fabulous parties that we insurance agents get to go to. Of course, as an insurance agent, I'm at all the best parties.

I think it's important when you're, when you have new cast members, especially multiple new cast members, to just know like one thing about each person. It's like, I'm still learning names. I'm still remembering faces, but it's like, okay, we got waffle, basketball, and insurance. And that's good enough until like week five. Three things that can get you buy in life. And by the way, I mean, listen, to be an insurance agent that is like the ultimate callback to the origin of this series, right? I mean, Ronnie just mentioned Lori and Vicki together.

So, you know, it's, I do think totally it is working really well. And I think they just like, I think people are there and they are there to put on a good show and to be like real housewives. And, you know, Porsche is an interesting one because Porsche is like a superstar. She's one of the best housewives of all time. But I've often felt like Porsche in the latter years has fallen into the trap of self-producing a little bit. Like if she's not happy on a vacation, she'll go home. And I kind of feel like everyone on this cast is hungry to make it happen.

And if she tries to do pull stunts like that, it's not going to fly. But who knows? We'll see. We'll see. Good sleep is everything. That's why Ali's science back support is made with a blend of, of melatonin and L-theonine for both kiddos and grown-ups. So when your mind won't switch off, you've got something that can help.

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has had an energy that has really been captivating to me in many different ways. Thank you. And I watching, I haven't gotten to talk about it every week, but watching that trip to the Bahamas, four episodes in a row of Shep just looking absolutely pathetic.

And I don't even mean that in a rude way. Like, I think that's objective. Shep spent that entire trip to the Bahamas looking like a sad, a sad dog. Like, it was crazy to me, but this season, I think it's been riveting. Where are you guys out on Southern Charm? I totally agree.

I totally agree. and I've been hearing from people that they think the season's actually boring, and I actually think the season has been so good, because I have found that entire situation with Shep and Sienna very compelling, and I'm actually kind of sad it's over, because I was just like you. I was like, I cannot believe I'm watching this person, like, do the cringiest things ever, sending that text message.

It was just, it was awful, but I couldn't stop watching. I've been totally into it. I think there's a lot of stuff going on. I think the season's great. I think the cast is great. I don't get it. I don't get when people are not into it. You know, that one's interesting because that's kind of a,

Charleston's such a small place, you know, and it's harder to cast. And I think that they're always trying to cast new people. And we see them kind of, you know, go through the casting process of dating Whitney or whoever to get on, dating one of these freaking losers to get on this show. Yeah. Yes. I mean, it's just so sad. And so I naturally feel bad for all of the women on this show because it's like they just bring them fodder.

It's like canon fodder, you know, under like the front lines where they're like, none of you are going to make it in the end. Maybe one of you will get a season two, but have fun making out with these losers. So there's that element to it. And I think I like a lot of the new women, but I don't like that they're already aiming for like Shep.

You know, Molly, she's like, well, I dated Whitney. Now I'm going to date Shep. And I'm like, girl, I like you. Please stop this, you know? And then you've got Shep, these guys all go through such douchebag seasons, and then they each have their turn at the redemption season, right? Like Craig is at the end of his.

He's been dating Craig. Craig has been dating Craig, which actually makes sense. But he's been dating Paige. He's kind of cleaned him up and he's been doing this. He says sober a lot. So people are like, we love Craig now. And Shep had such a terrible season last year, getting kicked out at BravoCon and everyone finding out at the reunion.

And so now he's doing this whole, look at me. Now I'm the heartbroken one. Girl, you're not heartbroken. You pick some random girl who doesn't even live by you and tried to make her suit as your girlfriend. I'm not buying his bullse. for two seconds. And so it makes me crazy. But then at the same time,

it's fascinating to watch how good they are at it. It's like the 10th year, and they know how to get them back on their side. And it totally works. The audience is like, oh, poor Shep. Shepp looks so sad. That's a great point, because it's one thing you would think, honestly, like, for somebody like Shep,

who's been on this show for 10 seasons, he's an OG, he clearly is a key piece of the puzzle. That's a point where you could take your foot off the gas and be like, I'm not going to do anything that makes me look stupid on this show. I'm going to show up to the group scenes. I'm going to have my dumb personal storyline. But I just am here for the check and they can't fire me. But this season, I'm like, oh, no, like, you're really, like, investing in that arc of trying to, like, convince people that you've changed or you're, you know, ready to take the next step forward at, you know, your big age.

And it just is, like, it is, like, watching these guys really, like, go through it. season after season, not that they don't deserve it, but it's like, yeah, like, I'm so interested to see now, like, what is Craig going to be like next season? Is he going to be, you know, spinning some yarn about what happened with him in page? And, you know, now he needs Austin again, now he he needs Shep again. It's, it is kind of the never-ending story. Yeah, I predict he'll play a huge victim next year. He's already doing it with like, oh, I didn't know she was dating other people. You know, he's doing that whole thing. And then he's going to slowly descend. Because Craig really needs somebody there editing him or he's just a monster i mean look he's he already was acting the same way

in the bahamas when he's like rich people don't need to share rooms i'm not poor i'm not poor so he's still there you know he's not he's not very far hidden so hopefully we'll get another disastrous craig here next year may we always get a disastrous craig era like i think that he's one of those they all vacillate yeah like i don't think that craig when he's talking about like i'm drinking less. I'm a businessman. I have, you know, a reputation to uphold. I'm like, I guess, but I don't think the people coming to like the pillow store are going to be sad if you're having a fight on TV again. I think honestly, that might be better for business. Anyone who's going to the pillow store knows who Craig is. We've seen Craig all these years. We know he's a pathological liar. We know he's

addicted to Adderall. We know he stabs walls. Like that's just, we understand it. We just want a pillow because that's the fun of it. It's like, wow. I got a pillow from Craig Conover. Yeah, but you have to look at all of the pillow makers in our time who just have stellar reputations that we still talk about to this day, every Christmas dinner with our families. Yes. It's very important. Laura Ashley.

I'm still salty. Craig told me I was going to get a free pillow at BravoCon in 2022, and I did not. And to this day, to this day, I'm like, I'm never going to pay for one. For fame. I think we were a promise of, well, I think actually back in like, 2018, we, like, we had a, we knew Naomi. And so we were like, hey, can you get us a pillow, Naomi? And then she's like, yeah, let me get back to you about that. And then like they broke up, like the next week. We're like, okay, we're never, we're never getting that pillow ever.

But we do have like, I think, Ronnie, how do we have those, the sewing down south sweatpants? Oh, our friend Matt gave them to us. He went to sewing down south. Yeah. No, Craig sent us when he was doing promo for some spiced rum company or something, he sent us like a drink, you know, the PR person, so it's like a drink kit or something. I want free stuff too. I want a Sir Wiener's shirt. How have I not got, you know, there's things that I'm just like so offended about. I don't care if I'm included in anything, but I want a Sir Wiener's sweatshirt.

I asked for one publicly and I have not received a Sir Wiener. That shit's $80. That's ridiculous. That's ridiculous. Like T.J's Sir Wiener's merch. It's his merch. It's his merch that he got the merch up before the hot dogs. I was like, what can we?

This is literally putting the horse before the cart. Something about her. I was going to say, he's following the template. But I would say that, you know, as much as I love Southern hospitality and, you know, Mr. Dinch, I don't think that he has the same kind of, you know, public affection and an outpouring of support as something about her. Well, because something about her. First of all, the sandwich shop was promoted for like a very long time by people that like American, knows. And I'm going to say this, that no one knows who TJ is. We know, but like, generally

speaking, no one knows who is. Could you maybe watch your mouth until I get a Sirweener sweatshirt? Like, what are you doing coming on here? There's not coming. It's not coming. Oh, no, I think TJ responds well to tough, to tough love. Because he'll get all personality. If they would, fine, if they don't know me, I'll show them. I'll show them exactly who I am. Here's your free sweatshirt. And you're like, great, I got my sweatshirt. But if you're like, TJ, oh my God, I love your sweatshirt. It'd be like, ew, gross. Why do you like me so much? Get away from me. I do. I love Southern Hospitality, and it has been really kind of fascinating to watch in real time over this past season, how they're like starting to do the reality star thing where it's like, okay, like Grace Lilly's not working at Republic anymore, and she's kind of doing music, but also kind of doing nothing. You know, Maddie Reese has a DJ career question mark. You know, TJ's doing the hot dogs business. It is like, wow, like good for these crazy kids.

It's like now they're getting their first taste of something. Yeah. Well, to me, it's kind of the backstage stuff that makes me watchy shows. Like, I like to watch people when they're taken from nothing. And then it's how they deal with the stardom and you slowly watch them start to go crazy. And it's housewide, it's everybody on reality TV. But this year on Southern Hospitality, just seeing how gross that was at the reunion, like the whole, they, everybody knew that Brad had made up a lie that got Maddie to break up. up with her boyfriend and nobody told her.

But the entire cast was like, well, that's a good storyline. Just keep that, you know? And now let's just lie about something else for a year and we'll keep that. I was like, God, you guys got gross real fast. And it was like group think where they're like, oh, screw it. Let's just all screw each other over. Who cares? Let's ruin each other's lives.

And I was like, wow, 2025 reality TV. Yeah, I think that low key, by the way, that Southern Hospitality is probably the number two best show of the year behind Salt Lake City. and I don't know if the Salt Lake City count because it was mainly last season and it trickled into here. Southern hospitality's been so, so good. And it really has given everything.

I mean, Emmy Sherrots tears that was like the mascara coming down her cheeks will always remember it. The hot dogs, Grace Lily, you know, singing that her lyrics of La La La La La La La La La La La La. It's like it's really such a good show.

And then don't stop in it. But yeah. Dropping it. La la la la la. But it's La la la la. What's actually remarkable about it is that it is such a silly, hilarious show.

And it's like really takes us back to origins of Van der Pump rules. But it also embedded in it has like extremely touching and revolutionary content for Bravo. I mean, everything with Michaels and TJ and their gay experiences and how they, like the two paths they both have gone down

and what they dealt with was like very, very real. And we just never see really gay men dealing with relationships or crushes in that way with other cast members on Bravo. And so, like, the show is, like, the show was, I think, definitely punching above its class. And most importantly, the fact that so much of the season was informed by Countess Luann de Lisseps. I mean, that's the twist I did not expect happening whatsoever. Every Bravo show needs, like, a Countess Luann narrative simmering underneath all the action.

Like, this is something I feel like we can get behind, that it's like, we don't need to be breaking the fourth wall always, but when there is that kind of, like, inherent knowledge that it's like, Countess Luan has cooked here. Like, that is... You can't just, like, replace that with something else. Like, it's a special sauce that Southern hospitality cooked with.

I think we should get that going on every franchise, personally. Find somebody for Luan to have a crazy night with. Like, the show of the youngest cast on Bravo, having like a sex scandal with one of the oldest stars on Bravo is really just it's so special and I love that we have to we have to cook with Luan some more the kids need to get involved with Luan send Luan to send Luan to send Luan to oh my god the valley geez oh god help us we're going to see Luan stepping out with with Jesse Lally I was going to say Jesse Lally was my probably will she's like who's that I'll be there in a second yeah iawaska retreat you say

I'm in. I would support that. I mean, that is, I think, the big question is like, when are we, I know we're seeing Love Hotel, whatever that is going to look like. But like, longer term, what are we doing with some of our iconic stars? Like, what is Luanne's place? What is, what are we doing in 2025 and beyond? Like, it's concerning.

How are we caring for our elders? And I think it's a great question. I mean, I would love to still see Countess Luann and Durinda have a role on Bravo that's not just on like these one-off shows or specials. I think it's time to do, and I'd like to present my pitch, I think it's time to do retirement shows. You know, we have like the Real Housewives era. And then I think it's time to be like, okay, like the Golden Girl style where, you know, you live in a house and that's it. You're just roommates in Miami or whatever, and that's what you do. And I think, and you're retired.

And I think that that would be really great. You could have remote, you could have all the, you know, aging late housewives and just move it into that. I think that would have a huge audience. Now, as far as it getting the demo or whatever, I don't really understand that stuff, you know. It's not our job. That's not my job. I'd watch it. Yeah, I would 100% watch it.

If 18 queens bring in any money for, you know, the commercial industry, then there's a demo. Okay, we're here. Listen, I think older women always make for the best TV. And I remember, like, around 2005, when I was, like, relatively new in Hollywood and I was going to try to pitch reality shows to be a producer on. My big idea that I came up with is you tell a bunch of sorority sisters that they're going to get to go on spring break. But we don't tell them is that when they get to their spring break house, they're sharing it

with older female retirees and that they would have to spend spring break together. And honestly, I still want to see that. So I think that could be a great venue for, like, Luann and Ramona and Durinda. You know, there was a whole thing, like, this was maybe during the pandemic, when there were all of these, like, TikTok houses or, like, content houses. Oh, my God, yes. I think we should have Sonia, Luann, Ramona, Durinda, Bethany in a content condo in Miami or something, and Bethany can be filming her TikToks, Sonia can be doing her cameos,

Ramona can be posting insensitive things on her Instagram stories and everybody can just like come together for like one big lunch or something every day and I would watch. You know the cheesecake at the end of the night. Yeah. I feel like we could call that the three to one house because it would be a lot of a lot of videos

for Ramona going three, two, one, go. Hi, I am here at the content house. We're recording content. Okay, is it on? Is it on? Three, two, one, go. I do. Yeah, I love any time. time housewives bring up cameo. Like that to me just,

it's so exciting to me because it feels like a peek behind the curtain like at the Traders' reunion when Dolores was like, well, Carolyn, people love you. I mean, you're what? Number seven in the world on cameo? And Carolyn actually looked kind of caught by that, that they mentioned that because her whole thing is like, nobody

listens to me. Nobody doesn't. I get no attention. She's like, shut up. You've got like millions of people on cameo. Keep it quiet over there. Keep the victim act to quiet, And she was like, it's like, there are people who would kill for those numbers on cameo. Oh, yeah. Oh, well, Denise Richards, we learned on her show.

I'm in the top one percent of the cameos. Good for her. Good for her. Only pants. I don't know if we'll be getting a second season of that show. So I hope the cameos keep rolling in. I hope we do. I think it's so good.

I crack up watching that show. I think it's hilarious. I do like it, but I think it would be fine as a one and done season. But, you know, when I was watching last night's episode, despite myself, I was enjoying it way more. I mean, she is, the thing is Denise Richards is effortlessly likable. She's so kind of like, I'm just a down-to-earth gal who just goes into her kitchen and gets expensive greens and cooks until I fuck it up and throw it in the trash. And you're like, oh, okay, sure. But it's like somehow really, like, I don't know, she takes in all these animals and these lizards.

And then she goes and bangs Aaron upstairs. And then she has this weird cooking thing. And then she's just like very passive with her daughters. But like it's somehow like, it's like the one time I'm like, okay, well, you know, I'm not going to weigh in. I'm just going to be like, okay, really, you've been through a lot. So I'm just going to support you right now. Yeah, I feel like it's the kind of thing where it's like the vibe on first glance might seem like there's some darkness there. But then you watch the show and you're like, I think these people are just a little weird.

Like I think it's fine. Yeah. I think they just make the darkness so light, you know? Like they don't even care. She's like, oh, yeah, he's a heroin out. Oh, God, I stole all of my purses and sent him to pawn shop. I had to go from pawn shop to go, yeah, he's the one giving advice to my daughters. I just love him.

Yeah, now that I said that, I did just recall that the mother daughter only fans convoy. Exactly. Funny story. I had a little bit of a snafu and I sent all my only fans photos. I synced them up to my 13-year-old daughter's iPad. So that was a funny moment. Whoops, my bad. Yeah, it's a tried and true formula.

just our house is a little bit chaotic and the cameras are here and yeah i don't know we'll see best of luck to denise but uh i don't know yeah i i'm generally not a big fan of like of celebrity you know like the 30 minute like this is a slice of my crazy life kind of show on bravo but this one i think is a better one than the ones we've seen in the past well we will see you guys thank you so much for being here this has been such a pleasure thank you it's so fun hanging out of which we lived in the same city so we could go do it in a bar or some I know. One of these days will make it happen. But thanks guys for joining and congrats on your tour and everything. What do you have coming up for your tour? We're going to Charlotte and Atlanta this weekend. And then we're also going to D.C. and Philadelphia the following weekend. We're also in Boston, Detroit, and Chicago and also our very first ever Vegas show. So we have a lot of cool stuff coming up. And you can get the tickets at watchworkrappins.com.

Amazing. Thanks so much, guys. Thank you, Bill. Thanks for having us. Bye. Bye. Bye. Thanks so much to Ben and Ronnie, and thank you everyone for listening. Don't forget to rate, review, and follow the show wherever you listen.

We'll be back tomorrow with one more episode for the week. And until next time, be cool. Don't be all like uncool. Mention It All is produced by me, Dylan Hafer. Edited by Julia Stanton and Grace Hernandez-Johnson. Socials by Dylan Hafer. Our associate director of podcast is Shannon Jimenez-Sis-Sisone. Be sure to follow at Bravo by

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