Mention It All - Pump Rules Rewind Ep. 1: Welcome to SUR

Episode Date: May 19, 2023

Vanderpump Rules is the moment, and in our new limited series, Dylan and Sami Sage are going back to where it all began. This week, they watch the VPR series premiere and break down the television moment that changed the game. They also revisit Stassi’s harsh treatment of Scheana, and Jax Taylor’s questionable relationship mindset. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Hey everyone, welcome back to the Mentioned at All podcast. I'm Dylan Hafer and I am here with Sammy Sage today for a very exciting episode. It is the first episode of our Vanderpump Rules Rewind podcast. We're taking it all the way back, season one, episode one. Welcome to Sir. Hey, Sammy, how's it going? Hi, Dylan. I am so excited to talk about Vanderpump season one.

There were no podcasts at the time. It is, it really is a time capsule getting back. This was filmed in 2012. And just for a little reference, I don't know when people will be watching this, but we're doing this in the wake of Scandival. It's obviously been a busy season for Vanderpump. We have seen the season 10 finale. So that is the context we are bringing to the table. But these episodes, I mean, they really stand the test of time.

Yes. We are recording this one the morning after the season 10 Vanderpump finale. So really just it's been a really. a wild night. And it's been really like a wild two months, I would say. This has been rolling for two months. Yeah. Which is really just, it's, nothing has happened like this before. I'm curious what, how recently have you watched like old Vanderpump Rules episodes before this? Probably. I mean, it's the kind of thing that I'd go back to every so often, but I'd pick sort of a random season, random episode.

But I hadn't done like a full rewatch. Well, okay, I did one, you know, a few weeks ago. Yeah. When this all happened. But I probably hadn't done one for like maybe four-ish years. Yeah. It's been... Maybe four to five years, the length of time that Sandoval was trying to break up with

Ariana for. It's been a while for me as well. And I have to say, watching these first few episodes, I kind of forgot how much time we spent at Sir. Like I know that this show was like hatched as a show about the people who work at this restaurant. But watching the premiere episode, I'm like, damn, we're really just at the restaurant. Like this is, we're really not getting too far away here.

Oh yeah. I mean, here's the, like this was a real show about actual, what I think was really interesting. Now we're watching them sort of in this post-instagram age where they've been able to really make a lot of money and be successful. And now they're 40-ish years old. But in season one, they were really like just working at Sir as, you know, any other Macder slash server in L.A. And that's what was what I think really made it gold, is that you had good as gold.

You had people. You had people who were aspiring in the industry who, it's unclear what their actual, like, talent it was, except with Sheena, of course. I was shocked to hear in this episode, Katie wanted to have a record label. I'm like, did we ever hear about that again? No, no, I've never even heard her sing. But regardless, I think maybe she just like said that. Who knows?

But they were like really, they got so lucky these people. Like, they became so famous for just being themselves and being friends working at this restaurant. Yeah, I mean, I've heard the stories of how this show kind of came to be. And I think it really seems like this was a situation where Lisa Vanderpump, reality TV genius that she is, recognized that she had this group of people and brought it to the production company that was doing Beverly Hills and to the people at Bravo and was basically like, I have this gold mine. I have lightning in a bottle that it's a missed opportunity if you're not doing something with this. you know, kudos to all the people involved that they, that they saw the vision, they made it happen.

And I mean, right from the jump, I also, obviously, I have not forgotten about some of these things, but it's just, you know, like the memory is jogged. It is strange to see Stasi and Jacks together. Like this is something that with the hindsight 2020, it's like they didn't ever seem like a good couple, really. It almost seems like they were like prom king and queen, but they're just there because they're sort of like, and I think she says that at one point. Yeah. She says like all the girls gravitate to me and all the guys gravitate to Jacks. I do think like the number one guy in the group thing was not just made up by Jacks.

Like that kind of was the vibe early in the show. I mean, Schwartz is not really a full cast member in season one, but he's kind of a follow. of Jack's. Sandival, I think, you know, even back at the time would have challenged for that crown. But, yeah, I mean, Stasi and Jaxe and Kristen and Tom are really like the romantic royalty of this show. Oh, they are. I mean, Kristen, at one point goes, the sexiest person at Sir is my boyfriend, Tom. It's like, oh, my goodness. And then they show him, I'll never forget him shaving his forehead and using her hair products and her curling iron. Yeah, the scene with the forehead shaving and the flat iron and Sandoval throwing a tantrum about not being able to find his hairspray, so he has to use Kristen's hairspray, which doesn't have nearly enough hold. It's like that, Tom Sandoval has always been exactly who he is.

And I mean that in whatever way you want to interpret it. Like, he is, I think like a narcissist is, it feels like the correct word. I mean, what about how he says that in five years, he will probably be married to Kristen and they will have one or two kids? And Kristen says she, quote, wants to be known for the work that she does. And if fame comes along with that, that would be really cool. I mean, you could argue that did happen for her. The five kids, the five years, one to two kids.

I feel like Sandoval wants to be seen as the guy who thinks who is going to have that. I guess. It's like he was the one in the couple with Ariana and with Ariana who supposedly wanted to have babies. But yet he's the one like dancing who ends up like dancing in the Abbey until 3 a.m. So. Right. It's interesting how at this time he thought he was always trying to be this fantasy, this power couple. And they didn't even like each other.

They were cheating on each other at this time. Right. I mean, we will definitely get more into that. But this whole first day at Sir, when we're getting introduced to everyone, it is such a whirlwind. Obviously, from watching Beverly Hills at the time, there was already the context and the legendary backdoor pilot of Sheena being in the crosshairs with Brandy because she had carried on this relationship with Brandy's husband when they were still together. Brandy should have negotiated royalties on this. She really should have. I mean, I actually was kind of devastated when I watched this first episode. They have sort of edited out the crossoverness of that introduction. I think it's really hard to find the kind of unabridged version where the episodes really just flow from one into the other. But it's like Brandy was, Brandy was instrumental in getting this going. Yeah, I actually, okay, I feel like I watched it fairly recently.

I feel like it might be in the Beverly Hills episode. It is a little bit, but I think it's hard because when they aired back to back on Bravo, and it really, you like barely even got an inclination that it was a new episode starting. Like they... Yes, it was seamless. Genius. It was genius. It was genius.

We will never have that back. I mean, we will never be watching Bravo, whatever night that was in 2013. when all of a sudden it was like, wait, who's she? Who are they? I'll never forget it. It was like what the Sopranos did for finalees. I'm just saying, like, everyone thinks Vanderbruel is so low. No, Vanderbiltz is genius.

They have given us like formats that we could only have dreamed of. They've given us 10 years of no character development for some of them. And we are seeing, it started with a bang quite literally. It is, I do find it very interesting that the show that sort of literally started from these roots of infidelity are now, that has really taken on like a fundamental part of the show. Yeah. It took off from an infidelity too. Well, I think that's one of the things that some people have kind of been like, why is Scandival's such a big deal when these people have literally been cheating and fucking around for 10 years on television? I mean, that can be unpacked in a separate conversation.

But watching this episode, the way that Stasi handles Sheena in this first episode, she has the absolute lowest opinion of this chick. She's the homewrecking whore. She is just classless garbage. Like, she is not somebody, you know, Stasi says that she went to an all-girls private school in New Orleans. and Sheena is just not the type of person that she would surround herself with. It's like Stasi.

She also said she was a descendant from a Swedish princess. And she acts like it. And that is her goal in life. I think I blacked out a little bit how much of a nightmare Stasi was. Oh, no. She was like a fifth grade bully. It wasn't just that she was a nightmare. It was the style in which she was a nightmare.

And she basically premises it on the fact that Sheena cheated with Brandy Glanville, what Sheena says like, I fell in love with this man. I didn't know. He told me he was leaving his wife. Haven't we heard it before? And so Sheena, sheena, I think they're basically setting it up for Stasi to be worried that Sheena's going to try to steal Jacks. Which is hilarious.

So like hindsight, like thinking about the idea of Sheena like trying to get with Jacks, It's just, it just, it like doesn't, I can't even picture it in my head. Like, it's just not. So good, so good. Everything you want for summer is at Nordstrom rack stores now and up to 60% off. Stock up and save on the brands you love like Vince, Sam Edelman, frame, and free people. Join the Nordy Club to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free.

Great brands. prices. That's why you rack. 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. One of the first scenes they set up is Kristen, Katie, and Stasi sitting on the couch in Stacey and Jax's apartment. And they're talking about what they're going to do that night. Stacey has to go to work. Jax is off. And Stasi's basically saying she doesn't want Jax to go to dinner at Bungalow with Sheena and Tom Sandoval because she doesn't

want anyone in her circle around, quote, a husband-stealing fame-horring piece of shit. without her there. And then she's like, Jacks doesn't like who I say he doesn't like. And it's just really, it's really remarkable how actively mean she is. And it's not just that they keep the bullying, like, outside of work.

At work the next day, Stasi basically order Sheena to polish glasses. It's like Cinderella. What is this going on here? What's so funny, though, is that it's one thing when it's like, it's one thing when Stasi is like making a mean comment to Sheena or something or, you know,

talking about her behind her back. But she's making her do her prep work for the opening shift at Sir. And she's sitting there polishing these wine glasses. And Lisa is just watching her. And she's like, she's like, Sheena, she, who do what for? And she's like, you. And Lisa's like, that's not your job. You can't let Stasi.

tell you what to do, go talk to Stasi. And like, the fact that Stasi is bullying Sheena to do something that's not her job, and Lisa is seeing this. And instead of saying something to Stasi, she tells Sheena that she should go stand up to Stasi. So Stasi goes and confronts, sheena goes and confronts Stasi in the Sir Alley. And I mean, the Sir Alley is just... Legendary. Beautiful.

I mean, I just love to be there. I love to spend time there. And Sheena goes up to Stasi and good for her. She says, I know you have your issues with me, but I refuse to be your little bitch here. And like, it's just, it's funny because sometimes Lisa is so like, I'm a boss and I have to be in charge of everything that's happening at my restaurants. And sometimes she's like, Sheena, go fight with Stasi. Go have it out in the alley. She's just sitting there.

I think this was her like trying to produce based on her Beverly Hills experience. But I thought that, okay, I thought that there was also a really funny scene that took place with Sir also with Sheena where basically, again, Stasi, Kristen and Katie are sitting at a table and Sheena walks in. And Stasi goes, she's wearing my color dress. And Kristen like tries to stand up with her. And she's like, yeah, she definitely went. I have the same dress Stacey had.

And then Sassie goes, every single person at Sart knows that the gray slash blue dress is my color dress. You just don't go there. And it's like, what is going on here? And what's also crazy is that Stasi was like pretty insubordinate at work too because at one time, at one point, Guillermo says to Lisa that Stasi told the manager that he needed to get his dick sucked because he wouldn't give her a drink. And then Lisa goes and goes and explains, I think it's like in an interview, Stasi's Pandora's friend. She writes for a website. I feel a natural allegiance to her. I, what happened to the website, divine addiction?

Like I. Oh my God. I bought that cookbook and I went to the book signing with Aileen. Oh my God. I don't know where it is. That felt like a call, like a call forward to when in a later season, Kristen yells at Diana to suck a dick at Sir. It's like there's just a lot of insubordination happening from those, from those two. Also, Lisa is saying at the first scene at Sir that the only reason Kristen is still around

is because she makes good tips, like that she basically is a horrible employee. She's just like, you know. No, she's saying she's a good employee. The only, it's funny because she's saying like the only person, sorry. Yeah, right, right. It's funny because she's like, the only reason I keep this employee around is because she's a good employee. It's like, why else?

She's like, yes, but she's always starting drama. It's like, okay, whatever. It's because Tom Sandival was cheating on her and she was cheating on him. They're all messed up. That is, I think that's like the funniest thing about it is that going back 10 years, it's like literally nothing has changed. These people just have a lot less money and are a lot more desperate, I guess. Younger and younger. Younger.

And like stupid. And also, I think like the standard of how people acted was, was. was more pro bad behavior at the time. Yeah, I would agree with that. Also, I think these people just had less to lose. Like, they talk about that they, you know, they have these careers that they're aspiring to, whatever. We see Sheena in the recording studio doing her, uh, porn star noises to can you freak bitch, which, you know, justice for she does brunette Brittany music career.

But it's like these people, they didn't have, they didn't have kids. They didn't have husbands. They weren't, you know. buying houses, they didn't have brand deals on the line. It's like, these people, they saw they had one chance and they grabbed the ring. Like, good for them and good for us. Oh, thank God for them. And here's the thing.

They were friends and they did it. They jumped together. Also, they couldn't help it because they were like drunk all the time. So they were just like, whatever. I also think a lot of this is fueled by the fact that they were frequently just fucked up. Yeah. I mean, there's a scene at the end of the episode where there's like a brunch that a bunch of them are at, but mainly it's a venue for Stasi and Jax to air out their issues with each other.

And Jax's, so Stasi is like drinking a glass of wine and then orders a mimosa and is like, don't judge me. Can I get a mimosa? And Jax is like openly trolling her for how much she drinks at the table. He's like, yeah, already thinking about the third one when she's ordering the second one. I mean, these people are all clearly drinking a lot, but Stasi in particular kind of gives off a vibe even in some of the scenes at Sir where it's like, oh, I would absolutely believe you're like half in the bag right now. Oh, totally. I mean, there was even Lisa who defends Stasi, it's interesting to see Lisa's relationship with Stasi because I think she knows she needs these badly behaved people to make the show happen, but she can't be seen as encouraging them. She's saying she doesn't understand why Stasi is like the lead girl.

Right. And she's like, if there were one person in the bloody universe, I can't do an accent. I could, but maybe I can't do it with the pressure. Okay. She goes, if there were one person in the bloody universe, I wouldn't follow it would be Stasi. And it's like they all sort of know that they're all following a really terrible person because they all kind of say it. And yet they, she has this holds over them.

Yeah. I will never forget that in addition to the transition into this show that just shocked and befuddled me, I feel like I knew that this show was going to be with me forever when Stasi goes, I am the devil. Don't you forget it? Like iconic chills down the spine. Stasi has some moments like that in the course of the show. Like all the birthday outbursts, like those types of things. The glass of peanut grigio. Like I don't know what I've done to you, but I'll tell you.

to compete in Grigio. Like she, she had a way of dropping these one-liner catchphrase, truth bombs. I don't know what you want to call them, but that just stick in your brain. And it's like she's a nightmare. She's, you know, she's kind of captivating in a way that is frustrating and confusing.

But, you know, this relationship with Jacks, it's so obvious from the jump that nothing good is going to come from this. And, you know, as we'll find out in episode two, they don't last long. But it's like just these people from the first day we met them are just absolute nightmare messes. And, you know, 200-some episodes later, it's like how much has really changed. Yeah, I mean, even in that conversation, Jacks reveals that she once threatened to call the cops. And she goes, I only did that once. I only did that once.

I mean, this is because he's saying that he sleeps on the couch after they have fights because, and then he says, you know, I don't want to get in bed with the devil. And that's when she drops her. I am the devil. But it's like, this is not, this is not healthy. No, it's bad. But they're all, they're all in it together. And it's just, it is amazing. I'm grateful that they let us see.

Absolutely. I, I just want to drop my, probably my one little favorite, you know, colonel. from the episode is Sheena has her little sit down with Tina and she says that she has a big audition later that day to play the Pink Power Ranger. And I just, I don't, I don't know what came of that gig, but I love to see it. Oh my God. I was going to, I was going to bring that up. She also, in that scene, she's like, oh, no, I made it when the paparazzi are taking my picture. Girl, she made it. She made it. She did. Congrats. You made it, She did. You made it, Sheena. How about a round of applause. Did it, Sheena.

And, like, again, Uber is using her song for this commercial. Good as gold that she was recording in season one. It's pretty remarkable. Knowing how full circle we've come with all these people, it makes me very excited to be watching season one. And, you know, I'm excited to come back and talk about the rest of it with you. Yes. Let's close it up there. And we will be back next week.

We will be back next week with episode two, this. is a breakup. So make sure you are following the show, subscribe to wherever you're listening, so you don't miss that or any of our other stuff coming up. You can follow us on Instagram at Bravo by Betches. And until next time, be cool. Don't be all like uncool.

Mention It All is produced by Dylan Hafer, Sean Kilby, Jorge Morales Pico, and Rebecca Sousa McCat. Editing by Jorge Morales Pico. Social media by Dylan Hafer, guest booking by Dylan Hafer and Ali Friedlander. Be sure to follow at Bravo by Betches on Instagram and Twitter. Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is California's number one entertainment destination for today's superstars.

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