Mention It All - Thanks For Your Time, Now F*ck Off Ft. Reza Farahan

Episode Date: August 8, 2022

Dylan sits down for a candid chat with Shahs of Sunset OG Reza Farahan, who starts by discussing the impact of the show on the Persian community and beyond. Next, they get into the particulars of Shahs’ cancelation, and the behind-the-scenes change that led to Reza feeling like the ugly stepchild of Bravo. They also discuss Mike Shouhed’s recent legal issues and why they make his behavior on the show more logical, plus the current status of the cast’s friendships. Finally, Reza discusses what quality makes him dislike other Bravolebs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on Prime. 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 Dylan Hafer

Heyver Hey everyone welcome back to the Mention It All podcast I'm Dylan Hafer And today I am excited to be joined By one of my low-key favorite Bravo Labs He has been on the screen for over a decade now

Please welcome Reza Farahan What's up Still in? I am so excited to have you here. I feel like we have lots to catch up on, lots to talk about. And I want to hear, you know, what you've been up to. Because it's been a minute now since we've seen you on Bravo, unfortunately. A hot minute.

It has been. So I want to get it. Before we get into maybe the current stuff, I want to talk about your journey on Shaz of Sunset a little bit because like I said, earlier this year marked 10 years since the show premiered, which is just a wild journey that you guys have been on over the last decade. Can you just talk to me a little bit about how the experience overall, when you look back on it, has been for you? What a profound question.

Man, you're like getting me to go deep from the gate, Dylan. We're going to mention it all. Are you trying to get me to cry? Oh, my God. So looking back, honestly, I remember telling my castmates that, that if I got us the same number of seasons that Jersey Shore got, that like I did what I needed to do. Like, please let us be on the air long enough to show America

that Middle Easterners, just like Greeks or, you know, people from Latin countries, like we have the same cultural experience. The rituals may look different. But if you give us enough time, we'll show you that we're like, were just the same. And I felt like this dual, I wanted to be a success because Middle Easterners, you know, other than the Kardashians had never really, and I don't think they identify as Middle Eastern, had never been on the air.

So, and I was gay. And like, I felt like this responsibility. So I was really looking at it as time to be on the air to just show other gay middle Eastern people that look at my family, they love me, they accept me, look at my friends, they love me, they accept me. And this can and is normal and it should be accepted as opposed to like countries, you know, like in the Middle East where being gay is forbidden and punishable by death. Absolutely. And I think I've heard you talk about how growing up when you did and being in, you know, L.A. It wasn't being Persian or being from Iran wasn't something that was, you know,

an easy thing. People had a lot of negative connotations with that and it was a tough time just with what was going on in the world and that that has changed in a lot of ways. And I think your show has helped show people kind of the cultural experience and how beautiful of a thing it can be. That is what I hold on to when, you know, you get a phone call and it's, like, okay, we're done. Thanks for your time. Bye. You know, you still have those amazing things to look back on and feel like, wow, I remember all the people that hit me up while we were on the air who said, like, listen, my cousin came out because of you. My dad was cool when my brother came out because of you. We speak openly about sexuality at the dinner table because Shaws of Sunset opened the door for us and gave us that little entry. So I have. all of that to hold on to. And I literally feel like if I don't do a lot of great things the rest of my life, whatever piggy bank I had to invest in for like good karma, Dylan, there were kids at Beverly Hills High School, my alma mater that had my phone number. Like they hooked, we linked up

on Facebook before that was Instagram. And they would hit me up on days in school where it was too much for them to bear. And like they needed someone a little further down the road from them to say, listen, that happens in that vacuum and you'll leave and none of those people will matter to you. Like keep your eye on the, you know? And I saw them through their high school and college experience because we were on the air that long. Like that's what I got to do. So there's so much that I hold special because of being on the air.

and, you know, participating in shells of sunset. That's amazing. And I think it's cool that you can kind of separate that. Obviously, you guys had, you know, lots of drama, lots of messy moments or whatnot kind of noise in the time that you, in nine seasons, a lot of that went on. But that you can kind of separate out like there was this other positive impact just from you being on the screen and being yourself and not being apologetic about that. that really, you know, going back however many years like that, it was kind of groundbreaking. Yeah, I had this really very special experience that was so personal, Dylan, in West Hollywood. I was exiting the Starbucks and I heard this screech of a car and this black Mercedes S class that looked like it had been doused in olive oil.

It was gleaming this beautifully well-manicured older Middle Eastern man who smelled magnificent from afar with a gold Rolex, like super wealthy, like just from visually inspecting him as he was walking towards me, I could smell the money. And he's like, Reza, I love you. You have my favorite character on the show. And it happened so fast. I was on the phone. Like I heard the screech. He stopped in the middle of traffic. He got out.

He hugged me. He gave me some love. We took a quick selfie. While I put the phone down that I was on, I smiled with him. He got back in his car and he left. And I kept walking. And he was probably in his mid to late 70s. And I thought to myself, what appeared to me as a heterosexual, 70 plus year old Middle Eastern man that like in my family would think, you know,

know, maybe archaically or like caveman style, his favorite character on the show is the gay one. That's groundbreaking. Like, how cool is that? Not Mike, you know, the macho, masculine dude who gets the ladies. Like, he loved the funny gay dude, like his favorite. Like, that to me was a big deal. That just shows, I mean, you never know who's going to be a Bravo fan. And you never know who's tuning into the show every week.

And maybe you could send him my way or tell me what Starbucks to hang out at. I could use a few coins. Yeah, I will definitely let you know. 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.

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Visit red bull.com slash bright summer ahead to learn more. See you this summer. So speaking of, you mentioned, you know, getting a call, whatever happens, thank you for your time. I want to go back. It's been a few months now since it was reported that you guys had been canceled after nine seasons. And there was kind of, you know, different news flying around.

I know it was on TMZ, who we all know they usually, they tend to get it right. Can you clear up, like, what kind of was the process for you? Like, what did you hear from who? Because I know MJ said something about, like, a good phone call. And then obviously there was some maybe some not so good news. So what was your experience at that time? So my personal experience was that, you know, you, always speak with the production company.

That's who deals with you, right? So we had a very weird situation in that we started out with Ryan Seacrest Productions. And when we were there, I felt like a star and I felt like they had this major interest in the success of the show. And then Ryan, he did what he did. And we were picked up by someone else on season five. My feelings about the way things were working completely changed at that point. I felt like the stepchild that got inherited by someone that didn't have any vested interest.

And my experience, season one through seasons one through four was one way. And then seasons five through nine felt very like, to me, completely different. And I felt it and I didn't like it. And so they're the ones who communicated the news. And like it's like very, very we actually, one of my producers hit me up and said, hey, I won't be on season 10, but I'll be back for season 11. And to me, that meant like they talked to her about being available. They gave her dates about being available. We felt like the show was going to start.

I was buying clothes for my confessional looks. Well, Nessa was telling me we'd be shooting for her birthday in November. And this was the summer. And like, they got us on this weird Zoom to tell us that there was no news. And then, like, the news about Dubai dropped. And it was very, like, weird, the whole timing of it. And, like, the inherited company and the Dubai company are one of the. and the same. And so it felt like we became like the stepchildren that they inherited. And like there was this

new thing that was way better anyway. And could potentially in my brain be much more profitable. And then a few months later, we got on a Zoom and they were like, there's no news. I'm like, how do you get a bunch of grown people that have dedicated this many years to this thing and be this cold and say there's no news. And then that was in November, January, February. Three months later, we got on a Zoom. And it was like, yeah, well, thank you so much. And sorry.

And that was it. It was very blunt and matter of fact. And it was just a random whatever. Like it didn't feel like there was, you know, after everything that transpired, that in my brain, Dylan, I had thought about what it would be like a million times, a million times. In none of the scenarios, did I feel that it would be that monotone and tepid and lackluster and matter of fact? Right. And it was just like, okay, cool.

And that was it. Yeah, I would imagine, I mean, obviously, you guys were on. on for nine seasons, which is an amazing success. I mean, the vast majority of shows would hope for, you know, a fraction of that, but that you would also think that that amount of accomplishment then warrants some kind of like sendoff versus just like, yeah, we're never going to talk about that again. But also the ratings from our reunion, if you look at them, it also felt like my brain was like, let's talk numbers about season 10.

Like I felt like season, I never felt like any season was a lock because they never make you feel good. Not from season five to nine anyway about like the future. They're like, eh, if it happens, it happens, you know, these things, whatever, blah, blah, blah. You never feel, I never felt like it was like a team effort, if that makes sense. I felt like they were like, you know, if it happens for you, great, cool. We got all these other shows we're doing. you know, housewife this, how swipe that. And, you know, you guys are like this, you know, we inherited you because Seacrest left.

That's how we felt. Yeah, it's interesting because I, when you talk about the ratings and stuff with season nine, I actually remember when season eight ended, I was a little bit like, I don't know, maybe this has run its course. It was when you and you and MJ were still in such a dark place kind of with each other. And I think that season felt kind of draining to what. watch. But then season nine, imagine living yet. Yeah, sure. But then when it came back, I remember watching season nine and I was like, damn, they still got it. Like I was so invested and like all the,

you know, the stuff at the, I thought the reunion was, you know, pretty fire. And so to, for that to kind of be the ending point, felt like a real surprise, obviously to you and looking at the ratings and stuff. But just kind of from a story perspective, it was like, oh, I, I definitely felt like there was more to explore there. And so it's, it felt like a strange time to kind of just chop it off. Yeah, it felt the same for me. It was, it, it, it didn't like, I had a subsequent phone call with one person from over there. And I finally said all the things that I had felt over the years while like, you know, it was happening. And it was very liberal. And it was very liberal. Like, this is how I really feel.

Like, I never felt like you recognize the value of what I was bringing to the table, or that was your goal. So my head didn't get big or you wouldn't have to pay me or whatever other reason people try and, like, you know, keep their hand on your head and, like, not let something. I always felt like if I were somewhere else, things might have been better. Yeah. I was thinking about this that I think part of the reason your show was, you know, lasted so long. And I think people connected with it so much is because you could tell that it was at its core, an authentic group of friends.

And you've known each other for so long. And we watched you go through so many things, the breakups, relationships, having kids, you know, stuff, all this stuff. And I think with some shows, maybe they get a little more of a free pass, whereas to go through cast changes and, you know, rough stuff. seasons and things, whereas you guys, I mean, the four of you that were on the show the whole time, you were putting in that work for a decade and it maybe felt like, I don't know if you were necessarily extended that same grace to kind of like have the growing pains. Yeah, I think that in the end, you may feel like it's your life and you're putting your life into their hands and then they, you know, pass it along and someone else puts it on the air. it's work for them, you know, and it's business and you have to be grown.

And, you know, it came the way it came. And it was shocking. And I didn't like it at all. Like I was lashing out internally. Like, you know, there was a mention in the TMZ thing about this other opportunity. Like, I didn't want it. Like, I wanted to like be like, no. You know, no, it's not going to be like, okay, this is over, but like, do this.

I was, I wanted to like go elsewhere and do like, and thrive and try and like do my own thing. Like I felt it didn't, I don't know, it, it didn't go down the way I thought it was go down. It would go down. It didn't feel good. I didn't like it. It just was. Yeah. None of it was the way I thought I would get treated in the end.

everything, all the up front I went to, all the times I got on stage, you know, like when Kim Kardashian admittedly said she messed up on the monitor that year when I was at the up front and I was on stage, I didn't mess up. Like I knocked it out of the park. And MJ's like, yeah, maybe I would feel more salty if I was their golden boy and I ran around for them the way you did. But I didn't. You did. You did that. That was your choice. Yeah, I mean, Kim Kay's out here with her Hulu deal. We got to get, we got to get rest of the Hulu deal. Literally.

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Join the Nordie 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 brand, Great prices. That's why you rack. Speaking of kind of being up on stage and stuff, being at BravoConn in 2019, you had taken a break between season seven and season eight, I think. And it had been kind of a long time and there was no news, but we knew you guys had filmed. And then at BravoCon was the first time they surprised us with the trailer for that season.

And people were losing their minds in that room. It was like a thousand people and everybody was like, Oh, yeah, like we've been waiting for this. It's back. And I know you were on some panels and stuff at BravoCon and like getting the love from the people. Like that must be something where even if you don't feel like you're kind of the favorite child of the network, it must be rewarding to kind of see that people are still connecting with you guys so much. Yeah. I mean, listen, the fan love is so special.

And BravoCon, I, those panels that I did, I waited for. every single person that wanted a picture on every panel that I did. And we didn't need to. And a lot of people didn't. And I looked at those lines and I thought to myself, if I was one of those people in the part of the line from like halfway back and the person didn't wait for me and I bought a ticket. I showed up.

I came to their panel. I sat and I listened like 100%. Like the fan love, the reciprocity. it's it's all there yeah absolutely i i think you guys still have a lot of that and i was excited to see that you and uh g g and mj are on the list for bravocon this year right so you're going to be there how embarrassing but i'm going to be there like you know i'm going to be like you know well i mean i don't know who else to compare myself to that like doesn't have a show but comes to these things. And like the last time I was there, I took a picture with everyone. I had a show in my

pocket. It felt good. And now you're there. Your show's not even, you're not only like why did, why did they announce the cancellation? When Jeff's show, all these other shows, they don't announce canceling. The show goes away and you don't even know. Like when Miami went away, they didn't say the show's canceled. Like what? Even if they are canceling it, why couldn't you just like, You know, like, you can, you can hang out with like Jill Zeran and Kim Richards. Totally. I think whether or not you have a show in your pocket, I think people will be excited to see you. And I think you still have a lot to contribute.

Very sweet. It will definitely feel a lot different for me. Like, I would it be going like this a lot? But yes. I am curious to talk about what it's been like the last few months, you know, know, not kind of having filming, you know, hanging over your head. And specifically, we know there's been a lot going on with Mike. And I'm curious if you've talked to or seen him at all in the last few months. Um, I, I have not seen Mike, um, since we filmed the reunion. Yeah, that sounds about,

right. I don't, I don't, I haven't seen Mike at all. Um, Mike felt under attack when we would film. and now I see why. Like I think maybe there was a lot going on in his space and in his soul and in his head. And I would be worried. You know what I'm saying? Like the things that we find out, like I read the article. I read the thing, you know, it said about the counts, you know, how many counts there were and I read what the counts were.

And I was surprised when I read it. And it made me think like, If I were living that way, how would I be on TV? Because I would be so afraid all the time of what is going to trickle out. Yeah. And I think I've heard Andy Cohen say that it's like, whenever you come on one of these shows, you have to come with the expectation that whatever skeletons are in the closet, whatever you're going through behind the scenes, it's going to come out if you stay on the show long enough.

And, you know, you guys, like I said, you're this authentic group of friends. you get into it, you're not one to, you know, sweep things under the rug. And I think it is, it's just tough. Like, yeah, it's, it's going to come out there eventually. And, you know, it is what it is. To be honest and transparent, she was putting him on blast. She was, she caught him and she felt some sort of way. And she dropped all of the receipts that she had where he had been communicating with other females and stuff.

because she really felt like she was the actual one that was going to make the difference, you know, because they always think that, that I'm going to be the one. It won't happen to me. Things are going to be different this time. And then when she realized, no, sweetie, this isn't about you. It's about the other person. And it did happen to you. And she got so upset.

She dropped those receipts on us. And it's such a hard position to be in. Like in the real world, there isn't a camera crew there, right? You drop the receipts, the friend looks bad in front of his circle. You know, you get outed for being gross and continuing to do that stuff when, you know, you have a lady with two small kids. And the shame of it all probably snaps you out of it.

And but I think if you as the person, then go home and start thinking, wait a minute, she knew I was going to be filming. She dropped this on them to make me look bad, you know, and you start marinating on all that, and it makes you feel some sort of way. Right. It's like the cameras are the added layer that makes it so you can't just have the conversation and then move on. You have to think about everybody being aware that there's filming and then what you're going to say

in your confessional chair, and then you have to talk about it at the reunion after you've watched the episodes. And there's no kind of easy way out when you're faced with a situation like that if you're on the show. No easy way. And when you're trying to be a good friend, it looks like you're trying to out them or you're trying to do this. It's such a complex and complicated position to be in to navigate it. And then there's a group of people that are documenting it, you know, and they want a continuation of the things that have been discussed. and we're getting paid.

We're on TV. So it's like, it's so complex. Yeah, and that's when you end up with the, you know, the spoof text messages story, like all of this stuff that it's like...

My eye club, the best one to me still, Steve Jobs, rest in peace, the eye cloud getting hacked. That was the best because I watch investigative discoveries, true crime is my,

like, secret, like, passion. I've seen the FBI have to get subpoenas to crack into iPhones and the cloud because you can't do it. So the fact that his was cracked, I mean, he should buy a lottery ticket. Yeah, look, I love Destiny, but I don't know if she's, you know, Miss Hacker Supreme over here with the ICloud password. No, no. I do love seeing recently, it seems on social media, like the rest of you guys have been doing well. I love seeing that you and MJ and Destiny were all at Golnessa's event for her lingerie line recently.

With the rest of you, what has it been like, you know, these last few months? How's everyone getting along, you know? Everyone gets along amazingly well. Dylan, there's a really funny story. We were trying to plan and get together and MJ was being really slick. she said, are you guys around? Let's do a hangout from 7 to 10 on a Tuesday night. And Golnessa and I are like, let's make it during the day.

Like, let's do like a rosé day. Well, let's do like Reza's house by the pool. Let's do it during the day, like 7 to 10. Like it turns out she was trying to get us to go with her to the Tom and Sandy, Schwartz and Sandy's opium. the Schwartz and Sandy bar opening where cameras were going to be present for their season 10, which we didn't get. And I felt crusty and salty like bitter like it should have been me.

And this bitch is trying to get me to go there. I'm like, no, girl, I can't. Not because I don't want to go and support them. I support them on Instagram, but show up. My show got canceled. And people are going to watch me on TV at the event with no show. and what are they going to write? Like Tom's friend,

Rezabee, like I went from how, so I was having like this existential crisis in my head. And this beach is trying to hustle me to go with her. That is, that sounds like MJ to a T. She's like, no, no, no, it'll be chill. It'll be chill. I heard there might be like one or two cameras. They're not even really filming.

There was like one camcorder. It wasn't even real. They were using iPhones. It wasn't even a real film to them. that. It wasn't a tent pole. I respect your decision not to not to go to that shit because I, there is always that thing on Bravo when it's like somebody pops up in the background and it's like, oh, like, they, they didn't even get a mic. Like, you know, it's, it's always like, oh, that's tough.

Dude, I'm not that guy. I'm going to be like, I'm going to move somewhere far away. And if people recognize me and they're like, aren't you the guy from that show? I'm like, get it all the time. It's not me. I do think, though, I've been talking recently about, you know, we love Real Housewives' Ultimate Girls' trip. They're putting the women together from the different shows. I want them to start doing this with people other than Housewives. And I feel like you would be a natural fit to go hang out with some other Bravo Lebrities, you know, on a nice free vacation. I mean, there's, I always think to myself, someone over there.

one day might think, hmm, like I literally went to Quad during early seasons of married to medicine. Quad came here and I was out of thing. They cut around you. They didn't even realize people can understand how it happens. You become friends. And it's like, right. One day, I think maybe somewhere over there will think, hmm, are there other people here

other than housewives? We did have some other people here. Maybe we should. No, housewives. No, we got to get, you know, some of you guys and maybe some family karma, some married to medicine. You know, we got to get you on a vacation. Yeah. I'll hold my breath.

Other than Miss Quad, who else would you want to hang out with? Who are some of your favorites from the other shows? I mean, I love most people from other. shows and then there's some that I can't stand. So there's there's a handful that I can't stand. The rest I would be so down to like hang with. Okay. Anybody, do you want to name some names or are we? I mean, listen, like, you know, if they were doing like, you know, I don't know, some of the ones that are not that nice, some of the ones that come across maybe less inclusive. you know, some of the housewives that seem, you know, very leaning in this direction.

And this is my hand that I, and I'm dishanded, you know, the ones that are very, like, you know how they really feel about you. They might be smiling like, Russ is my gay friend. And then when they're voting, they might be like, hmm. Okay. message received and I don't blame you. I think there are, you know, we could put together a fun, a fun group for you, though, where you would feel safe. Oh, and I would, I would thrive.

Listen, I went head to toe with, you know, or toe to toe rather with Nini about like some, you know, something that was on my chest at that Dorinda, many doorbells watch what happens live and we squashed it. So, yes. I even like hanging out with some of the ones that, you know, rub me the wrong way. But when you become less inclusive, I start realizing like, oh, we fundamentally have issues with one another. Absolutely. And I think, you know, obviously watching reality TV, sometimes you just want to be entertained.

But then when you've been in this world for so long, it's like you have to find those people that are actually going to be, you know, who you want to be letting into your life and who you're going to be spending time with. And totally. They've gotten rid of people that were on, you know, one of the most successful shows and some of their tweets or whatever it was from their past came back to bite them in their rear and they got the boot, you know? So if you're super open about your feelings, you know, luckily, they take a stand. But you got to be real like blunt about your feelings. Yeah. It's, you know, who knows? how those decisions are being made or, you know, who's getting a season 10. It seems to be up in the air sometimes. Yes. Well, Reza, it has been so nice chatting with you. Thank you so much for taking the time.

It's a pleasure. Absolutely. And honestly, I do want to leave it on a super positive note. The lifestyle has been amazing. I've had a lot of, like, personal growth and life is fantastic. Yes, I feel salty about Shaw's, but other than that, life is beautiful. So the silver lining is everything other than that part is amazing. Well, that I love to hear.

You look great. You sound great. Thank you so much. I will see you at BravoConn in October and make sure you feel very loved and appreciated. You're so cute. Thank you so much. I can't wait to see you there. Of course.

And thank you so much, everyone for listening. Don't forget to rate, review, and follow the show wherever you listen. 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 Sousmacat. Editing by Horace Pico, social media by Dylan Hafer, guest booking by Dylan Hafer and Ali Friedlander.

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