Mention It All - La’Dame Business School (RHOP, Shahs)

Episode Date: July 26, 2021

Bari and Dylan return from their big reunion to break down RHOP and Shahs of Sunset. They dissect Wendy’s new persona, Karen Huger’s business advice, and Askale’s messy introduction to the mix. Over on Shahs, they unpack the progress between MJ and Reza, and toast Shervin’s return to the group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Girl, winter is so last season. And now Springs got you looking at pictures of tank tops with hungry eyes. Your algorithm is feeding you cutoffs. You're thirsty for the sun on your shoulders. That perfect hang on the patio sundress. Those sandals you can wear all day and all night. And you've had enough of shopping from your couch. Done hoping it looks anything like the picture when you tear up on that envelope.

It's time for a little in-person spring treat. It's time for a trip to Ross. Work your magic. Betch's media presents. Ha ha, laugh, funny. Mention It All. A Bravo by Betcha's podcast. We don't say that, but now we said it.

With Dylan Hafer. Who don't check me, though? And Barry Rosenfeld. I need to start drinking alcohol. Now go to sleep week. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the Mention at All podcast. I'm Dylan Hafer.

And I'm Barry Rosenfeld. Fresh as a daisy this Monday morning. Fresh is two daisies who just got like trampled by I don't know. It is Monday. We're back. Fun fact, Barry and I have now hung out twice since we last recorded this podcast.

And before that, we had not seen each other in like a year and a half. So it's a momentous occasion. It was grand. And we're still both recovering from it. I don't know what you're talking about. Like I said, I feel fresh as Daisy.

See you in another year and a half, Dylan. I feel like the, I feel like the plan. at Sonia's townhouse, like in the patio where she, like, is just, like, dowsing them with water. Like, I need, I need somebody to, like, hose me off. Oh, my God. I didn't know where you were going with that. I thought you were going to tell, like, a story.

I was like, with what? Oh, you want to be doused with a hose. Yeah. That sounds, honestly, it sounds kind of refreshing. Like, I feel like it would just kind of, like, get the crustiness off of me. Okay. But at the same time, I feel like there's also a lot of poop over there. So I feel like, you know.

I wasn't ready for the word poop. No. So I feel like with the whole, I don't, I don't know, but, but today's exciting. A lot to unpack. Yeah, it's a lot to unpack. Oh my gosh. Let's talk about Real Housewives of Potomac because these women, I mean. I feel like we're getting somewhere.

Like we're brewing and we're getting somewhere. It's taking a little longer than I would like to. I can't tell still the vibe because I feel like they're not. Wendy still is on edge with Mia and like, Giselle keeps leaving and I don't know. Wendy's whole thing, Wendy's whole thing this season is interesting so far because I feel like she has done such a 180 from kind of what she presented in her first season,

which I'm here for her journey, whatever, but it's like she went from being like the professor has arrived to like so in the opposite direction where she's like, you know, looking hot all the time and talking about her lifestyle brand and has clearly decided to make this like Zen Wen her thing, which to be honest, like, Zen when, like I'm down for it. Like I think it's like a fun little nickname, but I don't think she was particularly like not zen. Like she seems less Zen this season than she did last season.

Yeah, and she also, it felt like last season had like, was set and like no one can talk back to her because of like who she was and what she was doing. And now she's, which is fine. Everyone can change like the direction they want to go in life. But now it almost feels like she doesn't know where she, what she wants to do or is and doesn't feel as like secure. That's the word I'm looking for. Secure. I think she's a little bit more conscious of the fact that she is a how. wife and is on a show and is kind of thinking about it a little bit more where I think her first

season was a little more, it was a little less like produced. Like she just kind of came on the show and did her thing. And I think we're seeing her kind of experiment with like her persona a little more. And I love to see, I did love seeing her like mentorship meeting with Karen. Me too. who is really asking all the tough questions about her business plan and about her budget. She says, what's your budget? Double it. And then she shows her the candle, which it looks nice.

It's a little, it's pretty simple. It's pretty basic, but, you know, it's a nice looking candle. Yeah. I mean, Karen asked a good question, though. The main thing of any product that you come up with is, why are people going to buy yours and like not anyone else is? And I feel like we've even talked about this on here before. but I mean, if you're a fan of Wendy and it really, and it gives off Zen, why not?

I'll buy it. I want to smell it. But Karen was like giving such good advice. And at the same time, I wanted to be like, Karen, why don't you're taking any of your own advice? Like, what's going on? I mean, LaDame seems to be going well. We see her on her own business Zoom with Ray.

And customers. The wigs continue to. look great. I've heard mixed things about La Dom fragrance, but I have to say, every time I've seen one of those wigs, it looks beautiful. So, um, yes. Okay. So let's talk about our dear friend Robin. Oh, oh, sweet Robin. Yeah, Robin is, you know, just still struggling a little bit. She's dealing with the pandemic and the boys and homeschooling and like just not wanting to get out of bed, which like clearly I am going through today just without the kid aspect of it. But even want, I'm like calling you before you call. Barry, come on. You got to do something.

Dylan's like Barry. We record at 11. That doesn't mean you get up at 10.58. No, I've been up. But, but she, I feel like it's great that we even see her in her warehouse for embellished because we see her working and all the product from when she first started last year to now, it's like really great that her business is like becoming something big. But even she says, which we all feel this way with a business, is like, you don't want to get too ahead of yourselves, especially right now within a pandemic. It's really like affecting her. Right. I think it's, it seems to be doing well. I'm glad that her business appears to be doing well. You know, she says she's been getting a lot of orders. she's, you know, getting a warehouse space and like some people to help her out, which obviously is a great thing.

I also love seeing her be honest about the fact that she's worried about stretching herself too thin or going into debt because they've had financial shoes before. But I feel like with this stuff in her home life where she says she's really struggling with motivation and all of that. Like I really hope that she and Juan and whoever else is close to her are like actually, taking that seriously because it's one thing to be like, oh, like, I'm tired this morning. I didn't want to get out of bed. But I mean, it just seems clear to me that she's actually struggling on like a little bit of a deeper level. And, you know, whether it's, you know, going to therapy or some kind of medication or, you know, like, I don't, I'm not going to diagnose her with anything. But, you know, people struggle with stuff.

And obviously, we all have been living through the pandemic. but not everybody can just like, you know, do better like Juan is saying. So I hope that that's being, you know, taken care of. You know what also seems to be the most difficult with anyone who's struggling because especially as an adult, if you have never dealt with something like this before, it's also new to you. So you also don't really know what's going on either. And you're still trying to figure out, you're like, wait, am I tired?

Am I depressed? Like, is something going on? So that also takes like a minute to, be like what's going on with myself. But it seems like I feel like now she's in a better place now that they actually started filming, gives her something else to do. So we'll see.

That's true. We also meet Eskala at the warehouse space. And she is our new friend up for the season. And so I was a little, it was like a fun surprise that we got introduced to her so quickly in the season, because it's always, it's always fun to have like an extra person around. So I'm curious to see kind of how she,

uh, how she, relates to the group as she spends more time with them. Yeah, but it seems that obviously she's a friend of like Robin mostly, but then in the first episode she stirs some shit. And I'm like, okay, I'm gonna like her. Yeah. So she, so Robin mentioned something to her about Karen drinking a lot, which to me, it's, it's something where we haven't seen that on the show very much. Like, there's been a couple times where Karen has gotten, like, drunk and it's been funny, like at the lakehouse last year.

but Karen isn't one of those people who seems like they're just slashed all the time and so it was interesting that Robin said that to Ascala and then the first time she meets Karen, Oskala goes so somebody said something about you drinking a lot and in classic Karen Hugar form she says that it's you know that it's like harmful

to spread those rumors about somebody and then of course there is a flashback to her spreading that rumor about something. someone else. I mean, that's just so weird to say to, oh, that, that in particular thing is just weird to say to someone the first time you might meet them. Like, I hear you drink a lot. Like, that's so weird. Someone told me that you're, somebody told me that you're an alcoholic. Like, what? Oh my God. But, you know, I guess production. Anyway, um, you know, I have to respect it. And I love just in terms of the spa day, I love the fact that Karen and Jiselle so much are not into each other, but they are down to do their jobs.

And when Jaselle is planning this event, she tells Ashley that she doesn't want to invite Karen. She's like, invite Karen, invite Mia, make sure everybody's there. And it's like, you know, they're all going to show up at whatever time they were told to, unless it's Robin, who's going to be late. But I love it. It's that type of thing where it's like, no, this is for Ashley. And although you're the one planning it, you still have. have to invite everyone, whether you are friends with them or not.

But the spot day was so awkward because they were rotating. So it was like one at a time almost or two at a time. And then it was like the rest of them sit there. And then the other comes out. They're like, how was it? And then it was just very like. I know. I felt like I would like look down on my phone and then I look back up on.

I'm like, who's in what room? Which? Who's separate? Who's together? 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.

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Mia started selling her own candle on social media. So I'm like, I don't know if either of them are going to be the black Martha Stewart, but they're going to be shady to each other in the process.

I liked how they talked at this body, but, and then how they each explained why they did what they did. So like Wendy was like, like, I have time. Now I have time. And then,

and Mia was like, I just explained to you. like why my hand was in your face. And I was like, girls, you know what? We're getting somewhere. Like, this is funny. She's like, I talk with my hands. Like, what are you going to do about it?

I love the like, I love the kind of like half-hearted explanation where you're like, sorry, I just speak with my hands. That's the way I am. And it's like, okay, also you like wanted to get under Wendy's skin. But but also Wendy is now saying how she was, she was getting loud with me essentially because she was defending Giselle. And now she's like, there's no loyalty. but I feel like no one in the group knows why Wendy.

Like Wendy didn't even tell, like, no one knows why the argument happened. And I feel like Wendy's bringing up this whole loyalty thing. But like, no one's involved in the conversation. So how would they know? It's just a little confusing to me. And like theoretically, Mia is Karen's friend. But I also don't think Jazeel and Mia really have beef at this point. So it's like, Wendy, just like focus on your own thing.

Like if you don't like Mia, for your own reasons, that's enough. Like, you don't have to put it on, like, Giselle's behalf because, I don't know. It feels like a little, if it were, like, Robin going on Giselle's behalf, like that would be one thing. But it's strange to be like, you know, I'm going to fight for Giselle. And it's like, nope, I don't think Giselle really cares.

Yeah, she didn't ask. But Mia also lets us know more of her background, which I totally appreciated. And I think all the women did, too, based on their concerns. professionals after she said that she was a strip. Now she says she was a stripper. Like she moved on from being the bartender and she worked at a five star restaurant gentleman's club where they were gowns. And she didn't, there was no poll.

So she makes it, she makes it sound like she wasn't, she was like working in the club, but not really dancing, I guess. that it's more like you hang out and look hot. You're a friend. And we're an escort, as they might say. So she's saying she's an escort, but then she's also like the escorts I know are having sex for money. And like, I don't know anything about that.

So it's like, okay, so like I don't have a lot of experience in establishments like this. But it's strange to me because she's like not a dancer but not an escort. So I'm like, so you just, do you just like stand there? Like, maybe she was the hostess technically and brought them to their tables. Maybe she's like a bottle girl. Yeah, but I always is my favorite thing about Ashley when Ashley does her, when she's like, Ashley's like, I've been there. They wear like, their coochies are out of their dresses. The coochies.

It's not a ball gown. It's not a ball gown. Right. Like just because the dress hits the floor doesn't mean that it's not revealing. But we also got more of her, you know. personal story with her parents and her talking about how she ended up in foster care because her parents, you know, had drug issues and that she's had a lot of trouble kind of connecting with her mom in her adult life because she just doesn't have that trust there. And I thought

that was really interesting too. I think Mia, for somebody who can kind of give a first impression that's maybe like a little bit like it doesn't necessarily seem like she has a lot of of substance, like the first impression you get of her. But she actually is giving us a lot of, you know, interesting storyline so far with what's going on, you know, the situation with her parents and, you know, her husband and kids. Like, I think Mia seems like a really interesting person. Yeah. And also Joshua's father, her oldest son, how she showed last night that they have a really

great dynamic too with G now. So I feel like we just have to kind of, he calls him G. We just have to kind of like get a little deeper with Mia. I feel and see more of like the group dynamic because again, still right now, I don't, I don't not like her at all. But I want to know if I like love her or really dislike her. Yeah. So we're three episodes in now and we've had three of these group events.

But I'd like I'd like to see a little more of Mia like one on one with other women besides Karen because I, you know, I want to kind of get the vibe. Yeah. We should we should also talk about Karen and Candace's. little get-together moment. Karen was on fire last, like we had a good Karen Ugar episode last night. Like when you're talking about

Giselle and she said she's not a host, she's not a dresser and she's not a good wigwear. And then they like, but I love that her and Candace have been having these like moments. Yeah. And I think I appreciate that I think they are not

on the exact same page in terms of moving on a hundred But I think they both understand, they both respect each other and sort of understand where the other is coming from. So I, it feels like they're actually working toward more of a solution in their relationship versus just saying, okay, that was last year. Let's agree to move on and we can just be good again. Like I, I think Candace was hurt by Karen not really sticking up for her. And at the same time, I also think Karen is justified. in saying that she felt like she did kind of the best she could in that situation and that she was also kind of, you know, pushed aside for it and that, you know, the other women in the group sort of, like, alienated her because she wasn't kind of on the same side as them. And I think, you know, they obviously have some more work to do, but I appreciate that it feels

like they're really trying from an authentic place. Yeah. And Karen even said how we feel too, where she was like, I feel like you, she was like to Candace, I feel like you have like a different energy this like around you right now. And she like feels good with the kids and everything. But at the end, once Candace, you know, did her typical, we brought back the napkin, the napkin, the napkin, blinding the tears. Of course.

She kind of just like, they were like, okay. And she got up and like left. It was no fight. It was no like loud argument. and she was like, thanks for coming. Thanks for having me. And she kind of just like left into the night. And I was like, okay, well, at least it didn't end it in a fight.

But I feel like they now see where each other stands. This is good. And now they can be like cordial at every other event and have more of these one-on-ones and see. But I agree. I agree. It does feel like a little bit of a different Candace this season. You know, she's with her bonus kids that she's helping take care of. And, you know, she's in the new house.

Monique is out of the picture. She seems a lot more level-headed. We'll see if that kind of keeps being the case. You know what I really liked about that, though, that moment is because in Housewives, we always see the same argument coming up over and over. Like we've seen it literally on every single show and it just doesn't go anywhere. And this last night, I feel like they both know where they stand. They talked about and I feel like it's not going to come up again going forward.

Like Candace is going to be like, you know what? Like you didn't defend me. I feel like they're at peace now with it. Yeah. And they're like what she heard, but that she now knows. Well, and they're at a point where moving forward, I feel like it can be a, okay, like, if you're really here for me, then show me versus like rehashing what happened last year because that's just not going to improve things. Speaking of another friendship that is, you know, slow and steady, I guess, let's pivot to Shaw's and talk about MJ and Reza. who are on good terms, but still really, you know, one step at a time.

And of course, the big question that we're still dealing with is, will Reza be allowed to meet baby Shams? And he finds out this week that London got to meet baby Shams. And I think he was not expecting that news and got super emotional, which, you know, I'm tempted to say it feels like he's being a little bit dramatic. about it, but at the same time, it's like, they go back a really long way and to know that these kind of like peripheral friends are getting to meet the baby and you're just still sitting here like, it sucks. I mean, it really does. Yeah, and I feel like it's just a really complicated

situation. And I feel like that's why we don't see that much emotion coming from MJ because she like truly, and we actually have seen lately what she's dealing with and struggling with a little bit, but how she, we see Reza like, when they show those old pictures of them and their friendship. Like they, not that we didn't know this already, but they really do go back such a long way. And Reza had a relationship with her father and that's who the baby's named after. And he just like knows he's like on the streets. And he was like wants to meet the baby.

And I feel like it was like a little bit of a gut punch when he heard that. But I mean, it wasn't London's fault. It's no one's fault. But it just feels like. It's London's obligation to bring her little therapy stick to each respective cast member. So this week it was Resister. I literally feel like they, I feel like she's half friend of and half like

resident spiritual healer. Literally every single episode, she has a one on one scene with a different cast member where she's like, okay, so we're going to sit down and we're going to talk about your issues, okay? So we're going to go through. I want you to, I want you to be open with me. We're going to talk about it. You're going to tell me what's going on. And it's like, I kind of appreciate that she doesn't have drama

with anyone at this point because she is like they're all like bearing their soul to her. But I, every episode you feel like it's getting closer and you're like oh my God, yeah, like they're going to meet like everything's going to be fine but then you forget there's like an actual restraining order involved

and Reza's the one that needs to drop it. But then you go back to Tommy like talking and he truly like despises Reza and Gigi and he's like. That's the problem like Tommy like as much as I enjoy Tommy's presence on the show and like think he's funny and whatnot. Like he's not the world's most reasonable person.

And he's not he's not approaching this from the same place as MJ where she, all she wants is to be able to put this in the past and to be able to, you know, move forward in a good place where Tommy doesn't have that emotional connection. So he's like, no, like fuck this dude. Like he's the one that blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. like why would I let him meet my son? And I think it's it's hard. We're starting to see Adam finally meet Reza in the middle more emotionally.

And I would love to see Tommy kind of do the same with MJ, but I don't really think that's realistic. I also would no longer fuck with Adam. Like, seriously. I know. I mean, that's the thing. Like, I think Adam and Tommy are unfortunately really like the ones to blame in this situation. but like I was saying neither of them care as much about repairing it as their respective partners. But I would hope that maybe they could put their differences aside.

But I don't know. I don't know. I know. And if MJ and Reza can continue what they've been doing, which is even amazing to see that. Like they were not speaking. But at the same time, that might be even more difficult for them because they're like, okay, now we're back really good friends again. But this is as far as it can go. Just us.

Like we, our families can't hang out. No one can hang out. Like, oh, we really don't know. Maybe London can actually host like a group event for the, that is an idea because maybe we would get somewhere. She's going to like hypnotize Tommy into being okay with seeing Reza. She's like, okay, so you're just going to look at this dangling thing in front of your face just for a few more seconds.

And then I'm going to bring Reza into the room and you're not even going to notice. Yeah. Okay. Hello. Hello. I don't know. So Destiny is launching a brand that's going to be some clothing that she's designing. No, accessories.

Some products that she's curating. Lots of different stuff makes you feel sexy. Yeah. I feel like I don't hate this idea, but I also feel like she can't, she doesn't really seem like she can explain it that well. Yeah. And that's always the kicker when someone can't explain what they're doing. Not good. Well, and then she tells, she tells Resid that she loves designing.

And it's like, I feel like the vibe of like some of it is stuff she's designing and then she's curating. It's like, what, what is this? Like. Right. So this is where Karen Hugar would come into play and ask the questions because the first thing you need is a business partner or a business plan. And like, Wendy was like, I wrote a paragraph and she's like a paragraph. But yeah, destiny has to have it in front of her. And then the pictures they were showing, I was like, well, what did you design?

What are the things you designed? But like the sunglasses, I don't know. But whatever makes everyone happy. It feels a little bit half-baked, but, you know, I'm not the target audience. So I wish I wish you're the best. Yeah, you kind of are. Like, aside from being Persian, like you're the exact demographic. I do like the name because I love when they say that.

Me too. So we're rooting for her. We're rooting. I, you know, maybe if, if Wendy wants to be the black Martha Stewart, then maybe destiny can be like the Persian Rihanna or something.

Well, Dylan, that should definitely be your next bracket on Bravo by Betches and stuff. It should be like the business ventures. Who's the Black Martha Stewart? No. You know, I sleep on Porsche Sheets,

so I think she's winning. True. I guess. Yeah, that makes sense. Oh, my, I'm my own. Because also, it also is like the most useful. Like, we say this every time and we love it. I mean, we have a stack of books. Every, every Bravo Liberty that's written a book. But it's like, when is someone going to do a business venture that doesn't exist yet?

Like, I want something that. I know you got to get creative kids. You got to put on your thinking caps and, you know, disrupt the marketplace. Yeah, like, hello, we're waiting. But anyway, I am so excited that swerve and shervin is like back and ready, like, to be in the friend group again. He's, like, the best.

And he's so, like, if I could trade anyone full time, I would just, Nima, like, scoot your tush out and Shervin come right back in. Please, thank you. I like that. I don't have that much of a connection to Shervin. I'll just say. but I do, I like that Gigi seems to be in a really good place of kind of mending these relationships. We saw her do it with Nima.

We saw her do it with Sherbin. I feel like she's been able to be really honest with Mike lately. Like, I love seeing her in a really just peaceful place. And I feel like she's able to have these conversations that would have been kind of triggering to her maybe a year or two ago. So I like seeing that. I don't know if Shervin's going to come on this camping trip. But yeah, we'll see how it goes. Okay.

So when Gigi was explaining to Destiny, that would have been my legitimate reaction to. Like, she was like, you will hug the ground. You will hug the tree. You will eat dirt. Never. Destiny was like, what? Like, come on. Can we just like not?

I don't know. But nature is like the, it's healing. It's like the perfect place. but I always love to see this group in a setting like that because they have like Hermes blankets and it's that's just not like I know I feel like they're not really going to be roughing it but we'll see. I don't think so. But one more thing I want to talk about is MJ.

I just thought of this. Like she real the fact that we didn't know she was like struggling like this with her met. Not that they're having marital issues, but the fact that like she, they made a date night because she said like she went through the timeline and was like we haven't had a date night like since. before the baby was born. And, like, how her and Vita did, like, yoga on the beach, she's trying to do more with her mom.

And she's, like, really, I feel like trying to, like, uh, juggle all of these things, like her family, motherhood, marriage. And it's just like a way different vibe that we're getting from MJ than we ever had. And I'm here for it. Yeah, I feel for her with that relationship with Tommy. Because I think it's, it's, I'm, I think that's something that a lot of people struggle with, especially after having kids, is kind of like prioritizing their relationship with each other.

But it's just hard because I feel like, I mean, similar to her relation, trying to fix things with Reza. Like she is trying to be really open about wanting their relationship, her relationship with Tommy to be, um, you know,

better, different however you want to say it. And like, he doesn't really seem to be like picking up what she's putting down or if he is, he's not taking it seriously. Um, so I hope. just for for both of them in the long term that they can kind of get on the same page because

you know in the grand scheme of things they've got a lot of time left they got you know you don't want to just be like housemates with your husband for the rest of that time oh my god I mean like she goes she goes I'm sorry housemates well what do you want me to write cellmate? Like talk about not reading the room like come on Tommy like this woman wants to like she wants to jump your bones. Like, you got to get it together. She got red lobster for you. Oh, my God.

I want a cheddar bay biscuit right now. I'm so hungry, but I'm not. I'm so full. You're still full from like Saturday night dinner. I don't understand. I could never. It is. Okay.

So, you know, when you're so full, I was saying about this by myself earlier, you know, when you're so full, but you haven't eaten that day yet, so you're like hungry, but you don't know what to do because you're like, oh, my God. I'm so full. I feel like you and I experience hunger and fullness in a different way because I feel like ever I never wake up not hungry. I never. I'm hungry.

I don't wake up hungry. Wow. I don't wake up full. I'm just full right now because I think I like I don't know. I don't know. I'll get through it. You guys. Thank you.

Okay. Well, if you like more food related conversations, we'll be back tomorrow, but we'll be talking about lots of things. In the meantime, don't forget to rate. review and follow the show wherever you listen. Follow us on Instagram at Bravo by Betches and just be cool. Don't be all like uncool. Mention It All is produced by Sean Kilby and Jorge Morales Pico. Editing by Sean Kilby. Social media by Dylan Hafer.

Guest booking by Nicole Pellegrino. Be sure to follow at Bravo by Betches on Instagram and Twitter. Betches.