Network: HBO
Series: TRUE BLOOD
Episode:Season 3, Episode 1
The Pre-Show is an amazing tease and we're getting plenty of Eric Northman so far, which is a welcome change. As far as I'm concerned, Eric is the raison d'etre for The Sookie Stackhouse series. He's the ultimate badboy/hero. I'm a little apprehensive about how they'll portray him this season. They don't want to hook him up with Sookie too soon, especially since Alan Ball has a soft spot for Bill Compton, but I have mixed feelings about seeing him in sex scenes with anyone other than a fangbanger. In my head, Eric owns Fangtasia so his meals come to him, and he doesn't have relationships - he gets his meals and fucks from people whose names he barely knows.
**
Sookie runs out of the restaurant looking for Bill.
Jason is freaking out because he shot Eggs, and Andy tells him to run.
Tara is crying over Eggs as the sheet he's covered with develops a red stain from the bullet wound in his forehead. This does not bode well - I think Tara is going to have a rough season where her man plan is concerned.
Jessica finds Hoyt's flowers and smiles, then drags a body into the house. Poor Hoyt.
OK, Bill is obviously in serious trouble. He was just stabbed by two guys who said to call them the "fuck you crew." There seem to be four guys, and they have a silver garrotte around Bill's neck as he's held between two of them in the back seat of his car.
OPENING CREDITS - same as the last two seasons, they have nothing to do with the actual show, and are just as ugly as they could possibly make them.
Sookie is giving Kenya the details of the kidnapping, but Kenya is not being sympathetic because she thinks Bill got mad and left. She tells Sookie that she has to wait 48 hours before they can look for him. Exasperated, Sookie gets into the squad car for a ride back to town.
Merlotte's: Arlene is giving her statement to Sheriff Bud Dearborn. Andy Bellefleur is nervous about claiming he killed Eggs instead of Jason. His cousin Terry is sharing some battlefield wisdom about the first kill and telling himself that he is still capable of good even though he killed someone, and they say they love each other, though I think Andy said it just to shut Terry up. The Sheriff says he's ready for Andy's statement, but Tara and Arlene get into a fight that starts out about Eggs and becomes about race. Arlene says "I'm sorry you fell in love with a serial killer, but honestly, who here hasn't?" We have to wonder if there's going to be a serial killer to fall in love with this season to join the ranks of Rene and Eggs. Do we get one per season? Lafayette says the Sheriff can find them later at Sookie's house and takes Tara, and a bottle of tequila, out of there.
Sookie arrives at Bill's house, where Jessica is dealing with a trucker she drank too much from. She's trying to get him to live, tells him she can't take him to the hospital and he calls her a whore. She agrees, then shoves him in a closet as she sees Sookie come in. She says that Bill asked her to marry him, but she didn't say yes, but Bill has been kidnapped and to call her if she hears from him. Jessica goes back to dealing with her dinner. She bites her wrist and holds it to his mouth.
Back to Bill in the car, where his kidnappers are draining him and getting high on his blood in ways so gross I can't bring myself to describe them. Alan Ball doesn't shy away from the ugly, unfortunately, and proves once again that guys don't understand the vampire thing. Bill is trying to talk to his captors, who are tripping on his blood, and tells them that if they have orders to keep him alive, they're about to fail because if they keep draining him at the rate they are, he will die.
Cut to Jason's house, and Andy and Jason are trying to get their stories about killing Eggs straight. Andy tells Jason "conscience off, dick on and everything will be allright." I'm wondering if they sell "less conscience, more cojones" t-shirts on the web site yet?
Sookie's at Fangtasia and Pam is making advances to her, to which Sookie replies she's in no mood for any "lesbian weirdness" right now and demands to see Eric. Pam says "he's indisposed," so Sookie runs down to the basement, Pam following and sarcastically pretending to try to stop her, and she stops cold when she sees Eric naked. He's got the new dancer, Yvetta, suspended by her arms and is fucking her hard, vampire style. Sookie says "Holy Eff!" Eric looks up and says "Sookie - see anything you like?" but he's obviously not happy she's here at this moment. Sookie tries not to react as he introduces her to Yvetta who barely manages to say 'hi'. He walks over to Sookie naked and she accuses him of kidnapping Bill and asks where he was earlier. He tells her he's been fucking Yvetta all night. Sookie asks "for the last six hours?" to which Eric replies "you seem surprised. Bill's stamina not up to snuff?" He's daring her to find out how much better he is, and it's awesome. She then tells him it might have been Lorena, and he says that he's duty-bound as Sheriff of Area 5 to find Bill, if he was in fact kidnapped, even though "I do want what is his." The look he gives Sookie is smoldering, hungry and sad as he looks her over. You have to wonder what's going through her head - Eric is saying he wants her, and she has stark proof in front of her what that might mean. Sookie tells him "then do it," and that he still owes her $10,000. She takes a last look at an exhausted, spreadeagled, naked Yvetta and leaves. That's an image that's going to stay with her. The contrast between Sookie, in a delicate lavender dress with her hair done up, and the naked, exausted dancer, could not be more extreme and Eric is standing between them, but his eyes are following Sookie.
Bill's captors are high on V, and he reaches forward and breaks the driver's neck, causing a car accident. Bill seems to be the only one who makes it out of the car. He calls Jessica, but she doesn't know what the feeling means and is still preoccupied with how to get rid of this guy's body.
Sookie gets home, Lafayette tells her about Eggs being killed. Tara is a wreck, and Sookie makes the mistake of telling her she helped Eggs rememeber what he did. Tara attacks her and Sookie throws her out as Lafayette apologizes.
Eric is furious, and screaming "how could you fail me?" into a headset and it turns out he's talking about Bill. The kidnappers Eric sent got to the restaurant too late and Bill was already gone. Pam is telling Eric, who is walking around bare-chested in an open red satin robe, much to our delight, to call the Queen about the fact that whomever Eric sent to kidnap Bill has lost him, reminding him that Bill is the only vampire that can connect him to the Queen's blood trade. Pam tells him he'd better tell the Queen they have a problem before someone else does, but they disagree.
Bill shows up at a motel in Arkansas, where Sam is staying, explaining he could find him because he's had his blood. Bill asks to use Sam's shower, takes the shirt off Sam's back, then invites Sam into the shower with him. Bill is turned on by Sam?! They're almost kissing?! Sam's cell phone rings - it was a dream?! Damned vampire blood! Sam's call has info about his real parents, but it's too soft to really hear. That's a big "fail" for the sound engineers.
Hoyt and Jason are working on the road crew and Hoyt is complaining about his mama lying to him about his father's suicide. Jason takes Maxine's side and says that if you really want to fuck up someone's life, tell the truth about them, "they ain't ever gonna be the same." Hoyt is hinting around for a place to stay, which is going right over Jason's head, then, exasperated, he asks if he can crash with Jason or not. Jason quickly agrees, though it was a "nasty way to ask." Hoyt's expression is priceless.
Tara's mom comes to Lafyette's house asking how Tara is. Lafayette reminds her that she shot a gun at him, so they won't be building any bridges between them again. He tells her to keep her eyes off god and on her effing daughter because she shouldn't be left alone. He tells her he'll be back by midnight and leaves.
Sookie is at the Sheriff's office begging for help in finding Bill. He says he's got dead humans piling up and he can't spare the resources. She lays her best guilt trip on him and leaves.
Sam is at a gas station looking for Tommy Mickens, but the boy, who has TOMMY embroidered on his shirt, lies to him and says he quit several months back.
Lettie Mae has a preacher talking to Tara, who is despondent, staring, not moving or even registering their presence. You have to wonder how Lafayette would feel about her calling in a preacher, since it was the exorcism that created all the trouble. The preacher is telling Tara that all this tragedy happened to bring her back to her mama, and her mama says it's just the two of them together from now on. Tara couldn't look more hopeless or dead-eyed.
Bill is coming up out of the ground, having sheltered in the woods for the night. What did he do with his clothes?
Jessica wakes up with a corpse - she tried to turn him so he wouldn't die, but it didn't work. She runs to answer the phone, expecting Bill, but it's Hoyt wanting to see her. As much as she'd love to see him, she refuses him because she's got to do something with this body.
Eric is staring at a dancer (Yvetta? She looks different every time I see her.) intently when in walks the Queen and the Magister. The Queen tells Eric his office is bugged and that she's the one who bugged it, so he should close the club since they want to speak privately. The Queen orders everyone out, but wants the dancer to stay. The Magister says no humans. The Magister says that any use of blood for anything other than procreation is blasphemy, which makes me wonder how he feels about blood bonds. He explains that he knows a vampire is selling vampire blood and asks how many in Area 5 have disappeared. Eric lies and says "none." The Magister orders Eric to investigate and expects results, which Eric promises to deliver.
Arlene is at Merlotte's, and realizes she's pregnant again because she can smell the tiny bit of cinnamon Lafayette put in the chili. Jason is at a table with two girls on their way to veterinary school and tries to get Hoyt to join them. They say they specialize in canine psychology. (That might come in handy if they run into a pack of Weres. I'm just sayin'...) They're laughing at how dumb Jason is, but say they'll follow Jason to his house. Hoyt is reluctant, but Jason tells him he's going to have to deal with the"pussy overflow" if he's going to be his roommate.
The Magister tells Eric and the Queen that this kind of "moral anarchy" - a vampire selling vampire blood - cannot be tolerated and the perpetrator would have to be made an example. He leaves and Eric and the Queen are alone. He tells her that Bill Compton, the one who can turn them in, has been kidnapped. The Queen says "then let him rot," and she orders Eric to sell all the blood they have on hand, even if it's at half price. Eric objects, then the Queen throws him against the wall and makes it clear that she expects him to do what she wants. She says the IRS is after her and she needs cash - "Hell hath no fury like a Queen broke."
Pam shows up at Sookie's house and gives her a check for more than Eric owed her, then Pam gets a shiver as Eric calls her. Sookie gets the idea to get Jessica to call Bill and runs back to his house.
Terry looks into Sam's office and asks if he and Arlene are still getting together that night. She says she needs to focus on her kids. I'd be upset at the prospect of having a kid with Terry Bellefleur, too. He's cute, but not wrapped too tightly and she's already got Coby and Lisa to worry about.
Pam tells Lafayette to sell all the V he's got by tomorow. He says he can't and she tells him she doesn't want to hear his problems - she'll be back for the money tomorrow. She also says she's not a hooker, because that was "a long time ago." I hope they don't ruin this character.
Bill is stumbling down the road in the middle of nowhere, not knowing where he is, but sees a house with the lights on.
Sookie questions Jessica about feeling any shivers and realizes that Bill did try to call her. She drags Jessica out of the house, not knowing she has a body to dspose of, though she does ask what the awful smell is. I can't believe Sookie doesn't know what a dead body smells like by this time.
Bill is at an old lady's door. He asks to use her phone, and the poor almost blind thing says she had to choose between the phone and her oxygen, and since no one calls her anyway, she chose the oxygen. Only in America. She asks Bill if he's hungry and he attacks her.
Reverend Daniels is leaving and Lettie Mae is being too familiar with him. She obviously has a thing for him. Tara thanks him and says she's going to take a shower. She starts the water but is despondent and we can tell she's just not right as she locks the door and sits down staring into space.
Sam is in his truck, following someone - the guy from the service station. Tommy goes into the house calling his mama, so Sam knows he lives there. Sam looks in their mailbox and finds out they are the Mickens after all.
Back at Jason's house - he can't get it up, but the other girl, who can't get Hoyt's mind off Jessica, joins them. Jason still can't get it up, even with the two girls making out with each other. They have a confernence over his manhood - like, literally, right over it - that's pretty funny. The Billy Squier track playing in the background (Everybody Wants You) is a nice touch. He tells them that every time he looks at them, he sees big bullet holes in their heads. That finally weirds them out enough to make them leave.
Bill is glamourig the old lady, whose name is Olivia. He leaves money with her telling her it's from her son, Stanley, and finds out that he's in Mississippi. Bill hears a wolf call, and takes off.
Lafayette gets home, finds out Tara is in the bathroom alone, and tries to break the door down as we see her swallowing pills.
Jessica and Sookie find Bill's car with a body in it. He has a tattoo that they find, using their phone, refers to "Operation Werewolf." Sookie is less than thrilled with the idea of werewolves.
Bill is in the woods, surrounded by angry and hungry wolves. Bill tells them "I should warn you, I fed" and pops his fangs. End of show.
**SPOILERS**
The previews for next week go too quickly, but we do see Eric telling Sookie that his loyalty is not to Bill and that he's better off if he doesn't come back. Later we see him telling her to invite him in as if it's urgent. I'm praying that means that Eric is going to be honest with Sookie and that he has to come to her rescue. Jason regrets letting Andy have the glory for killing Eggs. Lafayette is carrying Tara out of the house, cursing at Lettie Mae for letting her take an overdose. Later we hear Lafayette say that there's darkness in their family. Sam apparently comes face to face with his family, but Tommy's got a big gun. Bill seems to be holding his own with the wolves. There's more I didn't catch though I watched it several times.
Everything is amped up this season. The cuts from scene to scene are quicker, because they've got so many stories going on, and I don't like it, but I think I'd better get used to it. They're not going to let us savor much this season if this is any indication.
They showed a Post Mortem after the show about using real wolves to film this season, so the only CGI in the wolves we saw surrounding Bill was the glow in their eyes. Stephen Moyer says he's not afraid of filming with them. I've petted wolves under somewhat controlled conditions, but you have to be crazy not to be afraid of them. A wild animal is always wild, even if they're hand raised by humans. I like the fact that the werewolves are going to be actual wolves, though, not some fake superwolf or human hybrid. As a predator, they don't need any enhancement, they're as deadly as can be just as they are.
I'm an avid Eric and Sookie fan, so a lot of the storylines seem superfluous to me. I'm not that interested in Sam's family of origin, though I like both the character and the actor. I can't stand the Lettie Mae storyline, though I do love Lafayette and Tara and their relationship with Sookie and would like to see more of it. I hope they don't waste a lot of time on Arlene and Terry Bellefleur or Jason and Andy. I'd like to see Hoyt and Jessica get back together, but she's still got a body in the crawl space so that's going to drag out for a while. And, like Eric, it's advantageous to me if Bill doesn't come back, unless they want to hook him up with Pam. I do think Lorena is about to make an appearance, though, so maybe his journey will take a little detour before he makes it home. We got a hint that he may ask not to be found, and that would certainly indicate Lorena is back.
I want more of Pam - we only get little glimpses of her and she's got a lot of potential, though they've hinted they might go in a direction with her I would't like.
There is never enough naked Viking. It will be interesting to see how they handle the relationship with Sookie, though we know there's a major monkey wrench by the name of Alcide coming to town.
So, what do you think so far? Was it worth the wait?
Read my Eric & Sookie fan fiction at:
http://www.fanfiction.net/~morgaineswann
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Watch What's Happening Live w/ Bethenny
I might as well cover this, too. Bethenny looks fabulous and is even having a cocktail, but only one because she's breast feeding. Andy does his "Here's What" segment and shows a scene where Jason is shirtless, which is a good thing, as it turns out. Andy shows the KCSCougar animation of the reunion and everyone cracks up.
Bethenny is being very gracious toward Jill, which is nice but not necessary, I don't think. She's asked about Max and B. talks him up - he's single, Jewish, hoping to get laid by a million women this summer because he's on TV. You can tell she likes him. I'm surprised he's not there with her.
A snippet of Andy's reunion tape shows Ramona saying Jill deserves to be called out and Sonja lubing up her legs so they'll shine.
Andy gives Bethenny one of the first copies of The Real Housewives Get Personal, which will be available soon. A viewer asks if B. had a favorite episode this season and it was the St. Johns breakdown. Another question is about editing and B. says it shows what happened. Andy asks about Omorosa slamming B. in the press but B. laughs it off -"Jason is the gay plastic surgeon who performed my tummy tuck when I gave birth"- and says Omarosa is thrilled they're talking about her so Andy says "let's stop." He also makes another comment about how hot Jason is because a viewer compares him to Slade, which B. acknowledges, but I think she's not a Slade fan.
Andy introduces a new segment called "footballer of the day" because he's apparently discovered that soccer players are hot, second only to rock stars, IMO.
Bethenny very kindly says that LuAnn's song is catchy and that Jason is gay like Omorosa says because he sings it all the time, then she quotes some of the alternate lyrics from the web - "arrogance is learned" "money can buy you ass." etc.
MONDAY - WWHL will feature DINA MANZO! and Ramona Singer!
Bethenny is being very gracious toward Jill, which is nice but not necessary, I don't think. She's asked about Max and B. talks him up - he's single, Jewish, hoping to get laid by a million women this summer because he's on TV. You can tell she likes him. I'm surprised he's not there with her.
A snippet of Andy's reunion tape shows Ramona saying Jill deserves to be called out and Sonja lubing up her legs so they'll shine.
Andy gives Bethenny one of the first copies of The Real Housewives Get Personal, which will be available soon. A viewer asks if B. had a favorite episode this season and it was the St. Johns breakdown. Another question is about editing and B. says it shows what happened. Andy asks about Omorosa slamming B. in the press but B. laughs it off -"Jason is the gay plastic surgeon who performed my tummy tuck when I gave birth"- and says Omarosa is thrilled they're talking about her so Andy says "let's stop." He also makes another comment about how hot Jason is because a viewer compares him to Slade, which B. acknowledges, but I think she's not a Slade fan.
Andy introduces a new segment called "footballer of the day" because he's apparently discovered that soccer players are hot, second only to rock stars, IMO.
Bethenny very kindly says that LuAnn's song is catchy and that Jason is gay like Omorosa says because he sings it all the time, then she quotes some of the alternate lyrics from the web - "arrogance is learned" "money can buy you ass." etc.
MONDAY - WWHL will feature DINA MANZO! and Ramona Singer!
Bethenny Getting Married? Premiere
Network: BRAVO
Series:
Episode: Premiere
OK, nice opening with Bethenny explaining that the Housewives is only a small part of her life. The first scene is at Fashion Week where they wore red dresses for charity. Bethenny wiggles and struts down the runway making everyone laugh. I love that she doesn't take herself too seriously. Jason comes backstage and says she looks gorgeous, and she does. He's beaming at her - awww!
Now we're at the new Soho department. Jason's got bedhead and Bethenny is eating frosting for breakfast. She's planning to interview assistants today and he doesn't want her hiring any young straight guys. She laughs at him, and they chat about him needing a desk. They have a point where Bethenny is going into the office, Jason goes a different way, and they see which one Cookie, her little dog, will follow. The poor dog doesn't know what to do. I'd say it's a tie.
Now we see Bethenny's office. It's huge and white and says Skinny Girl on the walls. The nude poster Betheny did for PETA is right behind her head. If I looked that good naked I'd never wear clothes and I'd have my picture on the wall, too. We meet Julie, her assistant, and they're going to interview interns. The first guy comes in and she calls him Napoleon Dynamite. He turns her on to a new falafel place and a secret bar within a restaurant and she loves him, even if he's not right for the job. She sees a few more people and she picks a young straight guy named Max who seems like he's a self-starter and best of all, Cookie liked him. Cookie snaps at a girl who comes in to interview as she's giving Bethenny tips about using Jason's clothes to save money while she's pregnant, so Cookie's approval might save her a lawsuit. Jason comes in and he's concerned about a 24 year old straight guy having the job because Bethenny is often in various states of undress. She says she needs to work on that, so it look like Max is in.
There's a vignette of Bethenny having lunch with a friend who tells her that when her milk comes in she'll have to put cabbage on her breasts because they become hard and engorged. Bethenny says nobody ever tells you about this stuff.
Bethenny and Jason are out for dinner and she's hungry. They talk about planning a wedding and tells him she'd like to get married before the baby comes. They can't decide on the size of the wedding - Jason wants more people than she wants. Now she announces that she's going to a shrink. In a talking head segment, she explains that Jason is from a normal family from a small town and she was raised in a cave by wolves - or, more accurately, at the race track, betting and drinking at age 7 with very little proper parenting so she wants to handle this relationship better than she has her previous 7 month marriage and 3 other engagements. She seems very sincere in wanting to make this work as she tells the doctor about her family. The doctor affirms that she has good reason to fear relationships. I like the doctor.
Next we're in the office on Max's first day and Jason all but pisses on the furniture marking his territory. He jokes about it, but it's obvious he's a little apprehensive and it's really cute. Max does his best to be non-threatening and they talk a little football since Jason knows he played in college.
Jason tells her that he's going to Florida and she's worried that they're having a house warming party. They are very different, socially, and it's going to take some adjustment to mesh these two lifestyles. He's more gregarious, she's a loner. She never reallly had a choice in that, so I hope he can give her time to adapt.
Now they're picking out wedding bands at Christian Farrell (I hope I got that right.) Jason's is a little more ornate than I expected, but in a masculine way, and Bethenny's is a band of bright diamonds that will go around her big honkin' diamond.
Jason is stranded in Florida because of the weather, so Bethenny has to entertain his friends without him. She's out of her element because Jason's friends are more down to earth than most of the people she dealss with. She tries her best, though, but she doesn't really know these people. Alex and Simon show up. They warn her to get her book done before the baby comes because after she won't be able to think. Jason is on speaker phone talking to everyone and B. asks him how the hookers are in Orlando. He tells them all to have fun and that's the end.
Next week, we meet the wedding planner, who looks like he's a bit afraid of her.
So far, I'm loving this show.
Series:
Episode: Premiere
OK, nice opening with Bethenny explaining that the Housewives is only a small part of her life. The first scene is at Fashion Week where they wore red dresses for charity. Bethenny wiggles and struts down the runway making everyone laugh. I love that she doesn't take herself too seriously. Jason comes backstage and says she looks gorgeous, and she does. He's beaming at her - awww!
Now we're at the new Soho department. Jason's got bedhead and Bethenny is eating frosting for breakfast. She's planning to interview assistants today and he doesn't want her hiring any young straight guys. She laughs at him, and they chat about him needing a desk. They have a point where Bethenny is going into the office, Jason goes a different way, and they see which one Cookie, her little dog, will follow. The poor dog doesn't know what to do. I'd say it's a tie.
Now we see Bethenny's office. It's huge and white and says Skinny Girl on the walls. The nude poster Betheny did for PETA is right behind her head. If I looked that good naked I'd never wear clothes and I'd have my picture on the wall, too. We meet Julie, her assistant, and they're going to interview interns. The first guy comes in and she calls him Napoleon Dynamite. He turns her on to a new falafel place and a secret bar within a restaurant and she loves him, even if he's not right for the job. She sees a few more people and she picks a young straight guy named Max who seems like he's a self-starter and best of all, Cookie liked him. Cookie snaps at a girl who comes in to interview as she's giving Bethenny tips about using Jason's clothes to save money while she's pregnant, so Cookie's approval might save her a lawsuit. Jason comes in and he's concerned about a 24 year old straight guy having the job because Bethenny is often in various states of undress. She says she needs to work on that, so it look like Max is in.
There's a vignette of Bethenny having lunch with a friend who tells her that when her milk comes in she'll have to put cabbage on her breasts because they become hard and engorged. Bethenny says nobody ever tells you about this stuff.
Bethenny and Jason are out for dinner and she's hungry. They talk about planning a wedding and tells him she'd like to get married before the baby comes. They can't decide on the size of the wedding - Jason wants more people than she wants. Now she announces that she's going to a shrink. In a talking head segment, she explains that Jason is from a normal family from a small town and she was raised in a cave by wolves - or, more accurately, at the race track, betting and drinking at age 7 with very little proper parenting so she wants to handle this relationship better than she has her previous 7 month marriage and 3 other engagements. She seems very sincere in wanting to make this work as she tells the doctor about her family. The doctor affirms that she has good reason to fear relationships. I like the doctor.
Next we're in the office on Max's first day and Jason all but pisses on the furniture marking his territory. He jokes about it, but it's obvious he's a little apprehensive and it's really cute. Max does his best to be non-threatening and they talk a little football since Jason knows he played in college.
Jason tells her that he's going to Florida and she's worried that they're having a house warming party. They are very different, socially, and it's going to take some adjustment to mesh these two lifestyles. He's more gregarious, she's a loner. She never reallly had a choice in that, so I hope he can give her time to adapt.
Now they're picking out wedding bands at Christian Farrell (I hope I got that right.) Jason's is a little more ornate than I expected, but in a masculine way, and Bethenny's is a band of bright diamonds that will go around her big honkin' diamond.
Jason is stranded in Florida because of the weather, so Bethenny has to entertain his friends without him. She's out of her element because Jason's friends are more down to earth than most of the people she dealss with. She tries her best, though, but she doesn't really know these people. Alex and Simon show up. They warn her to get her book done before the baby comes because after she won't be able to think. Jason is on speaker phone talking to everyone and B. asks him how the hookers are in Orlando. He tells them all to have fun and that's the end.
Next week, we meet the wedding planner, who looks like he's a bit afraid of her.
So far, I'm loving this show.
The Real Housewives of New York City Season 3 Reunion Part 1
Network: BRAVO
Series: RHONY
Episode: Season 3 Reunion, Part 1 of 3
The commercials say this is the most anticipated reunion show in the history of the Real Housewives franchise and I'm sure it's true. It's been a season of epic battles, changing alliances and paranoid delusions. Twitter and FaceBook have been all abuzz with fans demanding that Andy Cohen hold some feet - Kelly's and Jill's - to the fire and hold them accountable for their reign of terror this season, but I don't hold out much hope. Jill is still feeding Kelly's delusions in the press and pushing her own selfish agenda while trying to discredit Bethenny and Alex.
OK, here we go. Everyone seems very sedate, but the tension is so thick in the room that it's probably hard to breathe.
First up, Alex and Jill, toe to toe. They're showing all the times Jill insulted Alex's kids this year and then Bethenny's nefarious message. Then we see LuAnn scolding her, and we go to the fight in Jennifer's house, then see Alex telling Simon to STFU at Ramona's renewal ceremony. Alex says she let it all out, and she feels freer than ever. Uh oh, Alex and LuAnn are squaring off. Alex accuses LuAnn of taking sides, too. LuAnn is being condescending, what a surprise.
Andy asks Jill what she thinks of the new, outspoken Alex. Jill says she's glad Alex found her voice, but she criticizes her and Bethenny defends her. Jill says they weren't friends anyway so it's no big deal. Alex tries to respond and Jill interrupts, Alex continues, but Jill repeats that they aren't friends and it's no big deal. Andy diggs deeper and asks what exactly Alex has been holding in for 3 years. Alex says that every time people get something, Jill goes to the press and plants stories, tries to get people not to film with certain people.
A viewer asks how Alex can forgive Bethenny and Ramona, and Alex says because when she called them on it they stopped. Alex confronts Jill about running her mouth then trying to explain it away later. Jill is getting snippy.
Someone asks why Simon seems bloated this year and Alex says he stopped smoking and has gained about 6 pounds. The implication, of course, is that Jill planted a story about Simon being a drunk and saying that he and Alex were being dropped from the show. There was no truth to it, but it's one example of the dirty press Jill has been planting about the other women.
Now we're on to the "renewed Ramona-coaster." Ramona got in everyone's face this season, and they've got it all on tape. Bethenny jokes "did you renew your driver's license?" Andy has a comment from someone who isn't buying the renewed routine and Ramona says she's gotten tons of support on Twitter and other places. LuAnn says she's rude, and Ramona slips in a slam about LuAnn's one shoulder dresses. Ramona coyly deflects remarks about her big eyes.
LuAnn makes a comment about Ramona kissing the Hooter's captain and Ramona replies she wasn't screwing anyone else, which caused a beat of silence but nobody responded. Alex and Bethenny laugh that Ramona made out with all of them on that trip and Ramona says she just likes to kiss and it's no big deal, and Andy backs her up. Good for Andy.
Andy reads a question that asks whether Jill wasn't just as rude at Ramona's ceremony as Ramona was at the Kodak event. Jill apologizes in that quick, not-really-meaning it way she has.
Now they move to Bethenny's clips and Andy says she showed us she can not only have it all, she can have it all at once. We see the PETA shoot, Jason, the engagement announcement, peeing on the stick, then B and Jason dancing together at Ramona's reception, happily showing off her baby bump. Bethenny gushes over Brynn who is now (at the time of taping) 5 pounds 7 ounces. Andy makes her stand up and show how skinny she is only about 12 days after giving birth. Andy reads a comment that calls Bethenny a media whore, and Bethenny says that she thanks heaven for the press because they've made her business ventures successful. Now Bethenny and Kelly get into an argument because Bethenny says she never put Kelly in the press. Kelly is snippy and defensive but has no proof and after they go back and forth for a bit and Alex takes Bethenny's side, Andy says they're not going to resolve it today.
A viewer asks whether Bethenny and Kelly are not an equal match and Bethenny agrees. LuAnn laughs about warning Kelly about the trip and Kelly's face shows she's uncomfortable remembering "scary island." It's pretty obvious the viewers are going to get no satisfaction on that account. They could still challenge Kelly about claiming she was bullied, but I'll be surprised.
We're back and Kelly says she is clear that Bethenny didn't call the guy at Page 6 herself, but she seems to be implying someone working for Bethenny did. They're interrupted, though, because Ramona pops up and says she was too hot and had to stand. Andy says they'll break for lunch in 5 minutes, but we go back to commercial. WHOOPS! They show a preview for Monday's part 2 and it looks like they DO call Kelly out and she walks off. I can't wait.
Now we're on to the fight between Bethenny and Jill. We see all the clips and we see the phone call where LuAnn is listening in. Then we're at Ramona's house where LuAnn interferes. We hear Bethenny saying she tried three times to work it out and is giving up. Jill turns around when Ramona announces the engagement. We see Jill's supposed change of heart and the final luncheon when Bethenny says "divorce is hard." Jill starts making excuses - she felt bad about dropping Ally off at school, yada yada, and she's a NY bitch (ain't that the truth) and she didn't really mean they're "done." Bethenny says what actually happened is that the show took Jill over and she became grasping and greedy (my words, not B's) and Bethenny began to feel she couldn't tell her about things because she'd go on a rampage. Bethenny says Jill came back wanting to "slay this girl" tried to get people not to film with her to sabotage her show. Alex steps up and says let it be the 5 of us and let Bethenny go off on her own and don't film with her. They really get going over whether Jill wanted to make up on or off camera at Ramona's. I can't even follow it - they're all talking, Jill is making excuses, Bethenny is calling her out for claiming she wanted to talk off camera when she does nothing else on camera and it goes on and on.
Bethenny says she has changed and Jill said she wouldn't change. Jill claims she has changed and she'll see it today. Bethenny says her life has changed and she doesn't know where to put Jill in her life because Jason doesn't care for her because she's materialistic. Jill gets upset and walks out. Kelly tries to step up but Andy takes them to break. End of part one!
The previews look great - more Monday. Next up Bethenny Getting Married?
Series: RHONY
Episode: Season 3 Reunion, Part 1 of 3
Yes, fans, the report is that the Reunion is going to be shown in three parts. The first is tonight, Thursday, the second is Monday, the third part next Thursday, all at 9 PM. Immediately after tonight's installment of the reunion, I'll be blogging Bethenny Getting Married? which, along with TRUE BLOOD, is the reason I started this blog. TB is back Sunday night at 9 on HBO and I'll be covering it, too.
The commercials say this is the most anticipated reunion show in the history of the Real Housewives franchise and I'm sure it's true. It's been a season of epic battles, changing alliances and paranoid delusions. Twitter and FaceBook have been all abuzz with fans demanding that Andy Cohen hold some feet - Kelly's and Jill's - to the fire and hold them accountable for their reign of terror this season, but I don't hold out much hope. Jill is still feeding Kelly's delusions in the press and pushing her own selfish agenda while trying to discredit Bethenny and Alex.
OK, here we go. Everyone seems very sedate, but the tension is so thick in the room that it's probably hard to breathe.
First up, Alex and Jill, toe to toe. They're showing all the times Jill insulted Alex's kids this year and then Bethenny's nefarious message. Then we see LuAnn scolding her, and we go to the fight in Jennifer's house, then see Alex telling Simon to STFU at Ramona's renewal ceremony. Alex says she let it all out, and she feels freer than ever. Uh oh, Alex and LuAnn are squaring off. Alex accuses LuAnn of taking sides, too. LuAnn is being condescending, what a surprise.
Andy asks Jill what she thinks of the new, outspoken Alex. Jill says she's glad Alex found her voice, but she criticizes her and Bethenny defends her. Jill says they weren't friends anyway so it's no big deal. Alex tries to respond and Jill interrupts, Alex continues, but Jill repeats that they aren't friends and it's no big deal. Andy diggs deeper and asks what exactly Alex has been holding in for 3 years. Alex says that every time people get something, Jill goes to the press and plants stories, tries to get people not to film with certain people.
A viewer asks how Alex can forgive Bethenny and Ramona, and Alex says because when she called them on it they stopped. Alex confronts Jill about running her mouth then trying to explain it away later. Jill is getting snippy.
Someone asks why Simon seems bloated this year and Alex says he stopped smoking and has gained about 6 pounds. The implication, of course, is that Jill planted a story about Simon being a drunk and saying that he and Alex were being dropped from the show. There was no truth to it, but it's one example of the dirty press Jill has been planting about the other women.
Now we're on to the "renewed Ramona-coaster." Ramona got in everyone's face this season, and they've got it all on tape. Bethenny jokes "did you renew your driver's license?" Andy has a comment from someone who isn't buying the renewed routine and Ramona says she's gotten tons of support on Twitter and other places. LuAnn says she's rude, and Ramona slips in a slam about LuAnn's one shoulder dresses. Ramona coyly deflects remarks about her big eyes.
LuAnn makes a comment about Ramona kissing the Hooter's captain and Ramona replies she wasn't screwing anyone else, which caused a beat of silence but nobody responded. Alex and Bethenny laugh that Ramona made out with all of them on that trip and Ramona says she just likes to kiss and it's no big deal, and Andy backs her up. Good for Andy.
Andy reads a question that asks whether Jill wasn't just as rude at Ramona's ceremony as Ramona was at the Kodak event. Jill apologizes in that quick, not-really-meaning it way she has.
Now they move to Bethenny's clips and Andy says she showed us she can not only have it all, she can have it all at once. We see the PETA shoot, Jason, the engagement announcement, peeing on the stick, then B and Jason dancing together at Ramona's reception, happily showing off her baby bump. Bethenny gushes over Brynn who is now (at the time of taping) 5 pounds 7 ounces. Andy makes her stand up and show how skinny she is only about 12 days after giving birth. Andy reads a comment that calls Bethenny a media whore, and Bethenny says that she thanks heaven for the press because they've made her business ventures successful. Now Bethenny and Kelly get into an argument because Bethenny says she never put Kelly in the press. Kelly is snippy and defensive but has no proof and after they go back and forth for a bit and Alex takes Bethenny's side, Andy says they're not going to resolve it today.
A viewer asks whether Bethenny and Kelly are not an equal match and Bethenny agrees. LuAnn laughs about warning Kelly about the trip and Kelly's face shows she's uncomfortable remembering "scary island." It's pretty obvious the viewers are going to get no satisfaction on that account. They could still challenge Kelly about claiming she was bullied, but I'll be surprised.
We're back and Kelly says she is clear that Bethenny didn't call the guy at Page 6 herself, but she seems to be implying someone working for Bethenny did. They're interrupted, though, because Ramona pops up and says she was too hot and had to stand. Andy says they'll break for lunch in 5 minutes, but we go back to commercial. WHOOPS! They show a preview for Monday's part 2 and it looks like they DO call Kelly out and she walks off. I can't wait.
Now we're on to the fight between Bethenny and Jill. We see all the clips and we see the phone call where LuAnn is listening in. Then we're at Ramona's house where LuAnn interferes. We hear Bethenny saying she tried three times to work it out and is giving up. Jill turns around when Ramona announces the engagement. We see Jill's supposed change of heart and the final luncheon when Bethenny says "divorce is hard." Jill starts making excuses - she felt bad about dropping Ally off at school, yada yada, and she's a NY bitch (ain't that the truth) and she didn't really mean they're "done." Bethenny says what actually happened is that the show took Jill over and she became grasping and greedy (my words, not B's) and Bethenny began to feel she couldn't tell her about things because she'd go on a rampage. Bethenny says Jill came back wanting to "slay this girl" tried to get people not to film with her to sabotage her show. Alex steps up and says let it be the 5 of us and let Bethenny go off on her own and don't film with her. They really get going over whether Jill wanted to make up on or off camera at Ramona's. I can't even follow it - they're all talking, Jill is making excuses, Bethenny is calling her out for claiming she wanted to talk off camera when she does nothing else on camera and it goes on and on.
Bethenny says she has changed and Jill said she wouldn't change. Jill claims she has changed and she'll see it today. Bethenny says her life has changed and she doesn't know where to put Jill in her life because Jason doesn't care for her because she's materialistic. Jill gets upset and walks out. Kelly tries to step up but Andy takes them to break. End of part one!
The previews look great - more Monday. Next up Bethenny Getting Married?
Work of Art - Premiere
Network: BRAVO
Series: Work of Art
Episode: Season 1, Episode 1
"Art is a way to show the outside world what your inside world is like." Jerry Saltz
This is the show of my dreams. I used to watch Top Chef and Project Runway and wish they would do a competition show with fine artists. Luckily, Sarah Jessica Parker and some geniuses at BRAVO had the same idea and it's finally here. I'm going to start by listing the 14 artists and my first impressions of them, and a brief review of their portfolio on the Bravo website, if they have one.
Full disclosure: I'm a painter, not a good one, but I'm learning. I flatter myself by saying I'm an art student. I like juicy color, strong design, and I don't like ugliness in art. Sorry - I know that's heresy these days, but if you aren't going to make the world better, you're wasting art supplies, IMO.
The contestants are:
Abdi - a cute kid with a good sense of humor; talented painter with his own style, but it's not my taste.
Amanda - takes herself very seriously, probably because she's had to; abstract, conceptual, nothing stands out but she sees it as telling a story.
Erik - film maker; some strong use of color but his imagery is horror-movie stuff
Jaclyn - the hot girl with real experience; strong female imagery juxtaposed with elements of masculine society. Strong painting skills.
Jaime Lynn - a fluffy Christian chick; I didn't want to like her stuff, but I do. Great use of color and unusual religious imagery, but there's a little tacky edge on things that is far too familiar. She's not afraid to use "crafty" items like glitter or lace and that's going to work against her, I think.
John - didn't make much of an impression; has a common theme that runs through his work, but I don't like that theme. My gut reaction to almost every piece was "eww."
Judith - the eldest; strong design, would have guessed her age from her art because it's first wave feminist inspired - example: her best known works play on the word "pussy" and images of kittens.
Mark - a fry cook/photographer who doesn't take himself too seriously; concept photography with a sense of humor, plays with stereotypes, makes liberal use of Photoshop.
Miles - has OCD, does silk screening, didn't have a portfolio on line, but his work on the show is solid.
Nao - a performance artist, she's a trip, but it might be down a long flight of stairs. No online portfolio, but they showed a piece where she had her head in a plastic bag of water and cut it open.
Nicole - the pretty hippy chick, says she has a strong design influence; a mixed bag of gimicky and modern pieces and one really good Picasso-esque acrylic and india ink painting.
Peregrine - is already in the Whitney Museum of art, work is both vulgar and cutesy, features female nudes, and little animals with incongruent text.
Ryan - the heart throb; technically great paintings of people I don't want to look at.
Trong - well-known curator; High concept, cerebral installation pieces and traditional paintings
China Chow is the hostess - a striking art collector who knew Warhol and Basquiat. World-renowned art auctioneer Simon de Pury is her Tim Gunn, and I think I'm going to like him just as much.
For the first challenge, their self-portraits are randomly paired and they each have to produce a portrait of the other artist. They had 30 minutes to get to know each other, then maybe 8 hours to do their work. Miles is obsessed with setting up his dark room, so Nao doesn't get to know much about him. At 5 minutes to midnight, he blows the bulb he needs to expose the image and he goes to bed in an OCD panic. I feel for the kid.
They're all living together in a fabulous place. The film-maker, Erik, says he's been living in cars and on couches so this will be quite a step up for him. He's feeling a little out of his depth because his focus is not creating paintings, but he did have a portfolio of them that showed he can draw when he wants to.
Ryan is disappointed with his portrait of Abdi because it's small and very literal, almost photo real. Peregrine thinks she's got a strong nude portrait of Nicole, and I agree, but she doesn't make the finalists. Nicole's portrait of Peregrine is bright and striking, and I'm surprised it didn't get more attention.
The three most successful:
Abdi - did an amazing painting of Ryan. He had a good subject, but it's bold and modern, or in the words of "" it's "contemporary" and "nasty."
Miles - did a death portrait of Nao that they loved.
Mark - did a strong picture of Erik that he Photoshopped for emphasis.
The three least successful:
Erik - painted Mark as a clown, and it's not very good. He says he doesn't have a lot of art experience and the judges think that's an excuse.
Amanda - did an abstract in Jaime Lynn's palette that they thought looked like wallpaper instead of a portrait. Ouch.
Nao did a very abstract image of lines and dots to represent Miles zipping around the studio.
Miles wins, as I expected. Amanda gets sent home, which blew me away. I would have picked either Nao or Erik, Nao was particularly defensive, saying "i'm not responsible for your experience of my work," and I would have sent her home just for that, but they picked Amanda for some strange reason.
My prediction for the top 3: Abdi, because he's good, Miles because he's very detailed and came through in a crisis, and Trong, because he's well known. Who do you like?
Series: Work of Art
Episode: Season 1, Episode 1
"Art is a way to show the outside world what your inside world is like." Jerry Saltz
This is the show of my dreams. I used to watch Top Chef and Project Runway and wish they would do a competition show with fine artists. Luckily, Sarah Jessica Parker and some geniuses at BRAVO had the same idea and it's finally here. I'm going to start by listing the 14 artists and my first impressions of them, and a brief review of their portfolio on the Bravo website, if they have one.
Full disclosure: I'm a painter, not a good one, but I'm learning. I flatter myself by saying I'm an art student. I like juicy color, strong design, and I don't like ugliness in art. Sorry - I know that's heresy these days, but if you aren't going to make the world better, you're wasting art supplies, IMO.
The contestants are:
Abdi - a cute kid with a good sense of humor; talented painter with his own style, but it's not my taste.
Amanda - takes herself very seriously, probably because she's had to; abstract, conceptual, nothing stands out but she sees it as telling a story.
Erik - film maker; some strong use of color but his imagery is horror-movie stuff
Jaclyn - the hot girl with real experience; strong female imagery juxtaposed with elements of masculine society. Strong painting skills.
Jaime Lynn - a fluffy Christian chick; I didn't want to like her stuff, but I do. Great use of color and unusual religious imagery, but there's a little tacky edge on things that is far too familiar. She's not afraid to use "crafty" items like glitter or lace and that's going to work against her, I think.
John - didn't make much of an impression; has a common theme that runs through his work, but I don't like that theme. My gut reaction to almost every piece was "eww."
Judith - the eldest; strong design, would have guessed her age from her art because it's first wave feminist inspired - example: her best known works play on the word "pussy" and images of kittens.
Mark - a fry cook/photographer who doesn't take himself too seriously; concept photography with a sense of humor, plays with stereotypes, makes liberal use of Photoshop.
Miles - has OCD, does silk screening, didn't have a portfolio on line, but his work on the show is solid.
Nao - a performance artist, she's a trip, but it might be down a long flight of stairs. No online portfolio, but they showed a piece where she had her head in a plastic bag of water and cut it open.
Nicole - the pretty hippy chick, says she has a strong design influence; a mixed bag of gimicky and modern pieces and one really good Picasso-esque acrylic and india ink painting.
Peregrine - is already in the Whitney Museum of art, work is both vulgar and cutesy, features female nudes, and little animals with incongruent text.
Ryan - the heart throb; technically great paintings of people I don't want to look at.
Trong - well-known curator; High concept, cerebral installation pieces and traditional paintings
China Chow is the hostess - a striking art collector who knew Warhol and Basquiat. World-renowned art auctioneer Simon de Pury is her Tim Gunn, and I think I'm going to like him just as much.
For the first challenge, their self-portraits are randomly paired and they each have to produce a portrait of the other artist. They had 30 minutes to get to know each other, then maybe 8 hours to do their work. Miles is obsessed with setting up his dark room, so Nao doesn't get to know much about him. At 5 minutes to midnight, he blows the bulb he needs to expose the image and he goes to bed in an OCD panic. I feel for the kid.
They're all living together in a fabulous place. The film-maker, Erik, says he's been living in cars and on couches so this will be quite a step up for him. He's feeling a little out of his depth because his focus is not creating paintings, but he did have a portfolio of them that showed he can draw when he wants to.
Ryan is disappointed with his portrait of Abdi because it's small and very literal, almost photo real. Peregrine thinks she's got a strong nude portrait of Nicole, and I agree, but she doesn't make the finalists. Nicole's portrait of Peregrine is bright and striking, and I'm surprised it didn't get more attention.
The three most successful:
Abdi - did an amazing painting of Ryan. He had a good subject, but it's bold and modern, or in the words of "" it's "contemporary" and "nasty."
Miles - did a death portrait of Nao that they loved.
Mark - did a strong picture of Erik that he Photoshopped for emphasis.
The three least successful:
Erik - painted Mark as a clown, and it's not very good. He says he doesn't have a lot of art experience and the judges think that's an excuse.
Amanda - did an abstract in Jaime Lynn's palette that they thought looked like wallpaper instead of a portrait. Ouch.
Nao did a very abstract image of lines and dots to represent Miles zipping around the studio.
Miles wins, as I expected. Amanda gets sent home, which blew me away. I would have picked either Nao or Erik, Nao was particularly defensive, saying "i'm not responsible for your experience of my work," and I would have sent her home just for that, but they picked Amanda for some strange reason.
My prediction for the top 3: Abdi, because he's good, Miles because he's very detailed and came through in a crisis, and Trong, because he's well known. Who do you like?
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Dina V. Danielle, Part I : RHONJ Recap
Network: BRAVO
Series: The Real Housewives of New Jersey
Episode: Season 2 Episode 6
OK, I'm going to write while I watch the show tonight. Apparently, Dina's ill-conceived showdown with Danielle will take place tonight. Also, the big news on the web this weekend is that free-spending Teresa and her "juicy" hubby are 11 Million dollars in debt. Well, hell, give me credit like that and watch me spend! I could put TT to shame, because I know where to shop and I've got GOOD taste. How did they get 8 mortgages on 3 houses? I was actually a loan officer for a brief while I couldn't get a mortgage! (I didn't try, but I know what the standards were and I'd never qualify.)
Here we go: Gia has an audition. There goes Teresa with the baby in a little carrier and Gia has a bag - is she moving in? Why do they need all that stuff for an audition? The part is for a Christian Slater movie, and a guy has a bunch of kids off in a separate room while Teresa waits in the outer room with other parents, to whom she brags about Gia and then announces that she is "SO not a stage mom." The look of disbelief on one father's face is priceless.
We're at the Brownstone, where they're working hard setting up for an event. They're rehashing the fact that no one threw Danielle out of the previous event except Danielle. True, but that doesn't matter, guys, because Danielle is nuts. What part of that don't they understand?
Jac is at the salon for a pedicure, and in comes Kim G., mother of Chris's best friend who also attended the infamous benefit with Danielle. She and Jac greet each other, Jac's talking head says she doesn't know her well, but she knows she friends with Danielle. Kim starts to talk about Danielle and Jac's baby starts to cry. Good boy, Nicholas! Kim won't be deterred by a perfectly timed crying baby, though, so Jac is regaled with the story of Kim's embarrassment at the scene Danielle caused and Kim says she wants to talk to Danielle about it. Jac warns her that Danielle can blow the simplest criticism up into a huge conflict. Kim still wants to give her a chance. To use a line Danielle stole from Julia Roberts: Big mistake. Huge! In her talking head interview, Jac makes a funny comparison between Danielle and Linda Blair in the Exorcist. I'd take Linda over Danielle any day.
Danielle is getting her makeup done because Kim G. is throwing Danielle her first grown-up birthday party. That's sad. I do believe this woman has had a rough life, but as Dina says, that's not an excuse to be evil. Danielle is getting her hair and makeup done and Kim confronts her about Danny calling Chris a faggot. Kim doesn't want Danny at the party and is worried about another big scene. Danielle is, as predicted, offended. She starts going off about the Manzos. Kim G. says she didn't like it, and doesn't want to be subjected to it again, and let's go to a party! The first thing Danielle does is start telling people they just had a fight. They're in the parking lot, Danielle is crying, Kim says she has to defend her son's best friend. Danielle is angry that she has to hear about the Manzos on her birthday. Kim tells Danielle she cares too much about them, and Danielle snaps at her, so she placates her and they go back in. Danielle does at least pull it together enough to give a toast thanking Kim for the party, but Kim is sort of continuing to argue, saying they'll have their differences no matter what.
Dina is working with an assistant, talking about her charity for kids with cancer. She's aggravated about the scene at the Brownstone because it was for a sick baby, brings up Danny calling Chris a gay slur, and just wants it all to end. Dina makes the decision to confront Danielle. *Sigh. Dina, Dina, Dina - she's nuts. You can't reason with a nut. If they made sense, they wouldn't call them crazy. Dina is determined to confront her, not wanting a replay of last year, which was very hard on Dina and we can see it has taken its toll. (Let me interject here that I'm not making light of Danielle's mental illness. I do believe she's a borderline personality and is legitimately dangerous. I deal with mental illness every day of my life and this is how I handle it - I detach. I'm a nut, too, just not a dangerous one.)
Back at the agent's office with Gia and Teresa. Gia didn't get the part, apparently because of her thick New Jersey accent. Teresa, who has a very strong Jersey accent, says she doesn't know what that is because she was born there. They get the kid a voice coach, though Gia and TT don't like the idea. The first lesson is very difficult since Gia says Cawfee instead of Coffee and progress is slow, to say the least.
Danielle has discovered she has a hate page set up about her on FaceBook, allegedly by Jac's daughter Ashley, and she is losing her freaking mind. Danielle says this has been going on for 6 months and she's afraid because she's not a fighter. Kim G. tells Danielle to go to the police and just end it. Don't help, Kim! Any way, Danielle feels terrorized and just wants the Manzos to leave her alone. I find it hard to believe Ashley is smart enough to use a computer, but Jac is going to confront her so we'll see momentarily.
Teresa and Jac meet up in a restaurant. Jac tells TT that Danielle is telling people that Ashley threatened to kill her and she's going to send the police to their house to arrest her. Jac calls Ashley and insists that she meet her at the restaurant and be prepared to tell the truth. Jac explains to Teresa that while she was in the hospital with the baby, Ashley and Danielle had a FaceBook or Twitter or text war. Ashley shows up and Jac asks her if it is true. She's fudging a little, but she's also defending what she did. Jac tells Teresa that Danielle reportedly called Ashley a whore and Ashley says Danielle called her fat. Jac tells her that Danielle is claiming she threatened her and to let her know if she hears from Danielle again. This is not going to be good.
Danielle and Danny Pro are shopping for a suit because she thinks this will make him more acceptable to Kim G. Danielle says they have to have a pin stripe because they're Italian. Danielle was adopted and the records are sealed, but she has several colorful stories about her supposed Italian roots and they seem very, very important to her. Danielle's phone rings and it's Dina. Oy. Dina asks Danielle to meet her at Chakra. I love Dina. She's a Goddess worshiper and doesn't even know it, but that's a whole different post. Danielle and Danny Pro discuss the prospect and they get a little paranoid, as they are wont to do, so Danielle calls back to confirm it's just the two women. Danny says he'll be available if Danielle needs him.
Now we're with Ashley and Derek, the dull-witted boyfriend - boring! They carry on the family tradition of bashing Danielle. Jac calls yelling that she knows Ashley put on FaceBook that Danielle put out a warrant for her arrest and to take it down immediately. Yikes. Even dumb Derek says it was ridiculous for Ashley to put that up on FaceBook. Ashley tells Derek she wants more people on her side than Danielle's side. Ashley feels justified because D. has done so many things to her family, but again, nobody will tell us what she's supposed to have done. Why Ashley is even involved in this, I have no idea. She's 18, so she's an adult and I have to say it. Ashley is lost. Danielle is nuts, but Ashley is lost. Why an adult like Danielle would engage in a web war with a teenager like Ashley, I don't know, but neither side has any excuse for this behavior.
There's a vignette of Caroline and Albert shopping, and a talking head of Albie saying his dad was a fat guy when she married him. Albert wants a porter house steak, but Caroline rolls her eyes because that's not on his new diet. The old man is looking positively svelte, so I agree with Caroline, pass it up.
Caroline is having a huge family dinner, but Dina isn't going because she needs to confront Danielle. Idiot. Not only is she going on a fool's errand, she's missing one of Caroline's dinners to do it. I wish I could go in her place! Teresa calls and she's running late, as usual, and everyone is sitting around the table waiting for her and Juicy Joe.
Dina gets ready to get closure on the conflict. We see she and Danielle getting ready. Dina is determined and says she's not afraid of Danielle. Danielle calls Danny because she's a little bit afraid. He's waiting in the parking lot.
Back at dinner with the Manzos and CJ is going to deliver plates of pasta. He's a sweet little kid, so far. Ashley brings up Danielle, though they had agreed not to bring her up. Jac reports that people are calling her with warnings that Danielle is going to have Ashley arrested. Ashley says Danielle started it. Caroline thinks she should stay out of it, but says her reason, which is to protect her family, is right but the delivery is wrong. No, Caroline, Ashley is harassing Danielle because she knows you all will let her get away with it. Call it tribalism, call it sadism, ethnocentrism, whatever, but it's what stupid people do when they think someone is not as good as they are - they feel entitled to torture them. In the web war, I'm afraid I'm on Danielle's side.
Albie and Chris are talking about Danielle threatening Joe for making a gay joke, but that Danny Pro called Chris an effing fa**ot and she didn't say anything about it. Teresa chimes in as a talking head, reminiscing about Danielle getting mad at Joe for using he word "gay" at their group dance lesson last season. Caroline tries to tell them all Danielle is not rational. Jac doesn't want to talk about Danielle and they all make a pact never to speak of Danielle again. That will last about 2 minutes.
Dina arrives at Chakra and tells us that this is her meeting, it's about closure for her, her boundaries, not Danielle. I'd like to think Dina is too smart to really believe that, but I'm beginning to have my doubts. Danielle arrives, and they don't order because Dina doesn't have a lot to say. Dina begins by affirming that Danielle claims to be on a spiritual path and she supports that, but that she wants closure. She forgave her but nothing has changed. Dina says the only thing making her unhappy is having Danielle in her life. Dina is trying to draw a boundary and it's not working. Danielle is complaining about Ashley and says her opinion of Dina is based on what Jac told her about her. Dina tries to get them focused, Danielle is getting loud and they start going back and forth and the show ends. WTF?!
The fight continues next week. Son of a bitch.
Preview for Next Week: Danielle's sex tape hits the papers and one housewife leaves the show forever! WHO is it?! Any guesses? I know what I think.
Also, Danielle gives lessons on the stripper pole. I'm telling you, she's like a whole new person - NOT!
Series: The Real Housewives of New Jersey
Episode: Season 2 Episode 6
OK, I'm going to write while I watch the show tonight. Apparently, Dina's ill-conceived showdown with Danielle will take place tonight. Also, the big news on the web this weekend is that free-spending Teresa and her "juicy" hubby are 11 Million dollars in debt. Well, hell, give me credit like that and watch me spend! I could put TT to shame, because I know where to shop and I've got GOOD taste. How did they get 8 mortgages on 3 houses? I was actually a loan officer for a brief while I couldn't get a mortgage! (I didn't try, but I know what the standards were and I'd never qualify.)
Here we go: Gia has an audition. There goes Teresa with the baby in a little carrier and Gia has a bag - is she moving in? Why do they need all that stuff for an audition? The part is for a Christian Slater movie, and a guy has a bunch of kids off in a separate room while Teresa waits in the outer room with other parents, to whom she brags about Gia and then announces that she is "SO not a stage mom." The look of disbelief on one father's face is priceless.
We're at the Brownstone, where they're working hard setting up for an event. They're rehashing the fact that no one threw Danielle out of the previous event except Danielle. True, but that doesn't matter, guys, because Danielle is nuts. What part of that don't they understand?
Jac is at the salon for a pedicure, and in comes Kim G., mother of Chris's best friend who also attended the infamous benefit with Danielle. She and Jac greet each other, Jac's talking head says she doesn't know her well, but she knows she friends with Danielle. Kim starts to talk about Danielle and Jac's baby starts to cry. Good boy, Nicholas! Kim won't be deterred by a perfectly timed crying baby, though, so Jac is regaled with the story of Kim's embarrassment at the scene Danielle caused and Kim says she wants to talk to Danielle about it. Jac warns her that Danielle can blow the simplest criticism up into a huge conflict. Kim still wants to give her a chance. To use a line Danielle stole from Julia Roberts: Big mistake. Huge! In her talking head interview, Jac makes a funny comparison between Danielle and Linda Blair in the Exorcist. I'd take Linda over Danielle any day.
Danielle is getting her makeup done because Kim G. is throwing Danielle her first grown-up birthday party. That's sad. I do believe this woman has had a rough life, but as Dina says, that's not an excuse to be evil. Danielle is getting her hair and makeup done and Kim confronts her about Danny calling Chris a faggot. Kim doesn't want Danny at the party and is worried about another big scene. Danielle is, as predicted, offended. She starts going off about the Manzos. Kim G. says she didn't like it, and doesn't want to be subjected to it again, and let's go to a party! The first thing Danielle does is start telling people they just had a fight. They're in the parking lot, Danielle is crying, Kim says she has to defend her son's best friend. Danielle is angry that she has to hear about the Manzos on her birthday. Kim tells Danielle she cares too much about them, and Danielle snaps at her, so she placates her and they go back in. Danielle does at least pull it together enough to give a toast thanking Kim for the party, but Kim is sort of continuing to argue, saying they'll have their differences no matter what.
Dina is working with an assistant, talking about her charity for kids with cancer. She's aggravated about the scene at the Brownstone because it was for a sick baby, brings up Danny calling Chris a gay slur, and just wants it all to end. Dina makes the decision to confront Danielle. *Sigh. Dina, Dina, Dina - she's nuts. You can't reason with a nut. If they made sense, they wouldn't call them crazy. Dina is determined to confront her, not wanting a replay of last year, which was very hard on Dina and we can see it has taken its toll. (Let me interject here that I'm not making light of Danielle's mental illness. I do believe she's a borderline personality and is legitimately dangerous. I deal with mental illness every day of my life and this is how I handle it - I detach. I'm a nut, too, just not a dangerous one.)
Back at the agent's office with Gia and Teresa. Gia didn't get the part, apparently because of her thick New Jersey accent. Teresa, who has a very strong Jersey accent, says she doesn't know what that is because she was born there. They get the kid a voice coach, though Gia and TT don't like the idea. The first lesson is very difficult since Gia says Cawfee instead of Coffee and progress is slow, to say the least.
Danielle has discovered she has a hate page set up about her on FaceBook, allegedly by Jac's daughter Ashley, and she is losing her freaking mind. Danielle says this has been going on for 6 months and she's afraid because she's not a fighter. Kim G. tells Danielle to go to the police and just end it. Don't help, Kim! Any way, Danielle feels terrorized and just wants the Manzos to leave her alone. I find it hard to believe Ashley is smart enough to use a computer, but Jac is going to confront her so we'll see momentarily.
Teresa and Jac meet up in a restaurant. Jac tells TT that Danielle is telling people that Ashley threatened to kill her and she's going to send the police to their house to arrest her. Jac calls Ashley and insists that she meet her at the restaurant and be prepared to tell the truth. Jac explains to Teresa that while she was in the hospital with the baby, Ashley and Danielle had a FaceBook or Twitter or text war. Ashley shows up and Jac asks her if it is true. She's fudging a little, but she's also defending what she did. Jac tells Teresa that Danielle reportedly called Ashley a whore and Ashley says Danielle called her fat. Jac tells her that Danielle is claiming she threatened her and to let her know if she hears from Danielle again. This is not going to be good.
Danielle and Danny Pro are shopping for a suit because she thinks this will make him more acceptable to Kim G. Danielle says they have to have a pin stripe because they're Italian. Danielle was adopted and the records are sealed, but she has several colorful stories about her supposed Italian roots and they seem very, very important to her. Danielle's phone rings and it's Dina. Oy. Dina asks Danielle to meet her at Chakra. I love Dina. She's a Goddess worshiper and doesn't even know it, but that's a whole different post. Danielle and Danny Pro discuss the prospect and they get a little paranoid, as they are wont to do, so Danielle calls back to confirm it's just the two women. Danny says he'll be available if Danielle needs him.
Now we're with Ashley and Derek, the dull-witted boyfriend - boring! They carry on the family tradition of bashing Danielle. Jac calls yelling that she knows Ashley put on FaceBook that Danielle put out a warrant for her arrest and to take it down immediately. Yikes. Even dumb Derek says it was ridiculous for Ashley to put that up on FaceBook. Ashley tells Derek she wants more people on her side than Danielle's side. Ashley feels justified because D. has done so many things to her family, but again, nobody will tell us what she's supposed to have done. Why Ashley is even involved in this, I have no idea. She's 18, so she's an adult and I have to say it. Ashley is lost. Danielle is nuts, but Ashley is lost. Why an adult like Danielle would engage in a web war with a teenager like Ashley, I don't know, but neither side has any excuse for this behavior.
There's a vignette of Caroline and Albert shopping, and a talking head of Albie saying his dad was a fat guy when she married him. Albert wants a porter house steak, but Caroline rolls her eyes because that's not on his new diet. The old man is looking positively svelte, so I agree with Caroline, pass it up.
Caroline is having a huge family dinner, but Dina isn't going because she needs to confront Danielle. Idiot. Not only is she going on a fool's errand, she's missing one of Caroline's dinners to do it. I wish I could go in her place! Teresa calls and she's running late, as usual, and everyone is sitting around the table waiting for her and Juicy Joe.
Dina gets ready to get closure on the conflict. We see she and Danielle getting ready. Dina is determined and says she's not afraid of Danielle. Danielle calls Danny because she's a little bit afraid. He's waiting in the parking lot.
Back at dinner with the Manzos and CJ is going to deliver plates of pasta. He's a sweet little kid, so far. Ashley brings up Danielle, though they had agreed not to bring her up. Jac reports that people are calling her with warnings that Danielle is going to have Ashley arrested. Ashley says Danielle started it. Caroline thinks she should stay out of it, but says her reason, which is to protect her family, is right but the delivery is wrong. No, Caroline, Ashley is harassing Danielle because she knows you all will let her get away with it. Call it tribalism, call it sadism, ethnocentrism, whatever, but it's what stupid people do when they think someone is not as good as they are - they feel entitled to torture them. In the web war, I'm afraid I'm on Danielle's side.
Albie and Chris are talking about Danielle threatening Joe for making a gay joke, but that Danny Pro called Chris an effing fa**ot and she didn't say anything about it. Teresa chimes in as a talking head, reminiscing about Danielle getting mad at Joe for using he word "gay" at their group dance lesson last season. Caroline tries to tell them all Danielle is not rational. Jac doesn't want to talk about Danielle and they all make a pact never to speak of Danielle again. That will last about 2 minutes.
Dina arrives at Chakra and tells us that this is her meeting, it's about closure for her, her boundaries, not Danielle. I'd like to think Dina is too smart to really believe that, but I'm beginning to have my doubts. Danielle arrives, and they don't order because Dina doesn't have a lot to say. Dina begins by affirming that Danielle claims to be on a spiritual path and she supports that, but that she wants closure. She forgave her but nothing has changed. Dina says the only thing making her unhappy is having Danielle in her life. Dina is trying to draw a boundary and it's not working. Danielle is complaining about Ashley and says her opinion of Dina is based on what Jac told her about her. Dina tries to get them focused, Danielle is getting loud and they start going back and forth and the show ends. WTF?!
The fight continues next week. Son of a bitch.
Preview for Next Week: Danielle's sex tape hits the papers and one housewife leaves the show forever! WHO is it?! Any guesses? I know what I think.
Also, Danielle gives lessons on the stripper pole. I'm telling you, she's like a whole new person - NOT!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
What about the kids of RHONJ?
Network: BRAVO
Series: Real Housewives of New Jersey (RHONJ)
Are the children on reality shows being exploited? I'm sure the answer varies with each show and each kid. On RHONJ, we're dealing with all ages. Teresa's kids are 9 and under, Danielle's kids are tween and 15, Jac has one grown daughter and two small boys, and all the Manzo kids are over 20, I think. Dina's daughter, Lexi, is finishing jr. high but for some reason she's not on the show this season.
I think it's safe to say that anyone over 16 is on the show voluntarily, and I'd say the show can open up some doors that might otherwise be closed. Time will tell if they can make the most of the opportunities it brings their way. Albie's going to law school, so it may or may not help him, but younger brother Chris wants to own a combination strip club and car wash. I'm pretty sure the one day internships he did at a local car wash and at Scores gentlemen's club in NY would not have happened if it hadn't been for the TV show. I'm also pretty sure Chris will manage to own a business of his own some day if he really wants to, though if I were he, I'd stick with the family business at the Brownstone. He has a dream, though, so maybe he'll give it a try for real. He certainly spiced up a Wednesday at the car wash with his flock of cute girls in Daisy Dukes.
The older girls. Lauren and Ashley, Caroline and Jacqueline's daughters respectively, don't appear to be doing much with their opportunities so far. Lauren, the older of the two, spoke in the first season of being a makeup artist or aesthetician, and she apparently did do some training since then, but her focus this season is dating her brother's best friend. Ashley has moved out and is apparently moved into her boyfriend's mother's house. She has some vague notion of going to school for something, but it's very unclear. I'm afraid she's lost, and in an upcoming episode, she's going to commit an assault on Danielle Staub, so she has a record now, poor kid. Her mother has offered to get her a life coach to help refine her goals, but she turned it down. She's 18 so there's not a lot her mother can do, especially since she has the money from appearing on the show to live on.
Teresa Giudice's kids are all under 9 years old. The oldest, Gia, wants to be a star and dances, sings, plays guitar - you name it. She's got a calling and frankly, she's already getting opportunities, like walking in NY Fashion Week, that she'd probably never get otherwise. She's adorable and enthusiastic, but there's no doubt that her mother's participation in this show is moving her to the front of the line. People criticize Teresa as a stage mother, but I really don't think that's the case. She's supportive and enthusiastic, but she stands back and let's Gia do her thing. Nobody has to tell Gia to practice - she just does. It wouldn't hurt her to learn a little humility, but that will come in time, I'm sure. I don't see her putting pressure on Gia, and i have a feeling if Gia decides she doesn't want to do it anymore, Teresa would be fine with that.
The two smallest Giudice daughters, Audriana and Milania, are too young to be affected much by being on the show unless some of the cruelty directed at them and their family on line finds its way to them. I hope it doesn't follow them to school as they get older. The second daughter, Gabriella, seems to spend a lot of time in tears. Some of it is jealousy, for example, when Gia got a pink limo and a spa party for her 9th birthday, and it could just be editing, too, but I do wonder how having camera crews around is affecting that particular child. She might be the one that rebels against the flashy clothes Teresa favors. She had a fit when T. didn't want to buy her an over-sized black dress. Do I see a sense of alienation and a stint in art school in her future? Maybe, but it's too early to make predictions. It will probably be a couple of years before we really get a sense of her personality since we don't see that much of the kids.
Jacqueline's two younger kids don't get a lot of screentime. CJ seems like a pleasant little boy, and we see him helping Mommy clean and petting Mommy's hair when she's in bed after giving birth to Nicholas. Jac had 4 miscarriages before she managed to get pregnant with him, so he's the apple of Mommy's eye right now. He's also one of the cutest babies on TV, right up there with Major Novagratz from 9 by Design. People complain when they show the smaller kids, but I love seeing them and I don't see them having any lasting effects from being on camera when they're so young they don't really know any different.
The kids that worry me are Danielle's. The minute IMG called Christine, her mom was making her promise not to forget her when she got famous and maybe when she's famous they can "get another big house." Danielle is very close to losing her current big house because of her divorce and her refusal to get a job. She told Dina, early on, I assume, that she was "too pretty to work." If she'd have little work done on the house and sell it, her half would come out to almost a million dollars. Why she won't do that, and buy a smaller house, I don't understand. She has money for hair extensions and having her nails done, but she can't have the landscaping spruced up to get a good price on the house?
Danielle is most definitely a stage mother. She all but smothered Christine when she was with the walking coach before Fashion Week. She's already saying it's the making of a supermodel and planning their trips together to Milan and Paris. I hope she gives up on that. The kid has a perfect face and the right body type, but she's already trying to prepare Danielle for the idea that she might not make it as a model. If she doesn't ease up, Christine will fail just to spite her. Jillian, the younger girl who I think is 12, seems to alternate between feeling left out, to feeling jealous, to feeling pressured to be a model like Christine. Her mother keeps telling her "you're next!" Nobody asked Jillian if she wanted to be pimped out so her mom could buy another big house. Nobody asked Christine, either, but she did accept a contract with IMG, or rather, her Mom did.
Everybody, including the other wives, is praying for those kids to be really successful so they can get away from their mother, but I don't see her letting go of her own free will. One reviewer even suggested that Christine have herself emancipated and get out, then save her sister. That might not be a bad idea, now that I think about it, especially since Danielle is bringing people with mob ties into her life. Are these kids being exploited? Not yet, I don't think. In fact, I think the show might give them a way out. If their father isn't in the picture to protect them, at least everybody in the country is seeing what their home life is like. There's a distinct reversal of roles with these kids parenting their Mom. There was a scene at the beginning of the second season where Danielle wants to do a drive by of a party at the Mazo's house, thinking she was being left out of something. She's driving through the night, sounding crazy or drunk, raving about the party as the girls sit in back of the car and beg her to forget it and go home. You actually hear them saying that they're not going to sit there and watch her make a fool of herself. On this occasion, they got through to her, but you have to wonder how many times this scene has happened when there was no camera there to record it. My guess would be that there were some epic battles leading up to her divorce from their father. I think it's possible that these kids might have better lives as a result of their mom being on this show even though they might experience some embarrassment at some of her actions at school.
I don't think being on the show itself is exploitative. I think the potential exists in many circumstances, but much less so for the kids than the adults. It might be exploitation to have Danielle on the show because of her mental instability, just as it is with Kelly Bensimon, another Real Housewife who is mentally unstable, but I think it can ultimately help their kids. It creates unique opportunities, at least for a while. If there are problems, I think they're more likely to surface when the cameras, the attention and the money go away, as they inevitably will.
As with any opportunity in life, the value is in what you do with it. So far, the Real Housewives on all the shows rarely do anything good with it. A few create products like Ramona Singer's True Renewal skin care line. Bethenny Frankel is getting her own spinoff, has three successful books, a workout DVD, and a bottled margarita mix. I have no doubt she'll show her baby on the show and she'll be criticized just as the others are for "exploiting" their kids, but I think that's ridiculous. It's an amazing opportunity if they make the most of it, especially when the child it too young to be affected by it.
Series: Real Housewives of New Jersey (RHONJ)
Are the children on reality shows being exploited? I'm sure the answer varies with each show and each kid. On RHONJ, we're dealing with all ages. Teresa's kids are 9 and under, Danielle's kids are tween and 15, Jac has one grown daughter and two small boys, and all the Manzo kids are over 20, I think. Dina's daughter, Lexi, is finishing jr. high but for some reason she's not on the show this season.
I think it's safe to say that anyone over 16 is on the show voluntarily, and I'd say the show can open up some doors that might otherwise be closed. Time will tell if they can make the most of the opportunities it brings their way. Albie's going to law school, so it may or may not help him, but younger brother Chris wants to own a combination strip club and car wash. I'm pretty sure the one day internships he did at a local car wash and at Scores gentlemen's club in NY would not have happened if it hadn't been for the TV show. I'm also pretty sure Chris will manage to own a business of his own some day if he really wants to, though if I were he, I'd stick with the family business at the Brownstone. He has a dream, though, so maybe he'll give it a try for real. He certainly spiced up a Wednesday at the car wash with his flock of cute girls in Daisy Dukes.
The older girls. Lauren and Ashley, Caroline and Jacqueline's daughters respectively, don't appear to be doing much with their opportunities so far. Lauren, the older of the two, spoke in the first season of being a makeup artist or aesthetician, and she apparently did do some training since then, but her focus this season is dating her brother's best friend. Ashley has moved out and is apparently moved into her boyfriend's mother's house. She has some vague notion of going to school for something, but it's very unclear. I'm afraid she's lost, and in an upcoming episode, she's going to commit an assault on Danielle Staub, so she has a record now, poor kid. Her mother has offered to get her a life coach to help refine her goals, but she turned it down. She's 18 so there's not a lot her mother can do, especially since she has the money from appearing on the show to live on.
Teresa Giudice's kids are all under 9 years old. The oldest, Gia, wants to be a star and dances, sings, plays guitar - you name it. She's got a calling and frankly, she's already getting opportunities, like walking in NY Fashion Week, that she'd probably never get otherwise. She's adorable and enthusiastic, but there's no doubt that her mother's participation in this show is moving her to the front of the line. People criticize Teresa as a stage mother, but I really don't think that's the case. She's supportive and enthusiastic, but she stands back and let's Gia do her thing. Nobody has to tell Gia to practice - she just does. It wouldn't hurt her to learn a little humility, but that will come in time, I'm sure. I don't see her putting pressure on Gia, and i have a feeling if Gia decides she doesn't want to do it anymore, Teresa would be fine with that.
The two smallest Giudice daughters, Audriana and Milania, are too young to be affected much by being on the show unless some of the cruelty directed at them and their family on line finds its way to them. I hope it doesn't follow them to school as they get older. The second daughter, Gabriella, seems to spend a lot of time in tears. Some of it is jealousy, for example, when Gia got a pink limo and a spa party for her 9th birthday, and it could just be editing, too, but I do wonder how having camera crews around is affecting that particular child. She might be the one that rebels against the flashy clothes Teresa favors. She had a fit when T. didn't want to buy her an over-sized black dress. Do I see a sense of alienation and a stint in art school in her future? Maybe, but it's too early to make predictions. It will probably be a couple of years before we really get a sense of her personality since we don't see that much of the kids.
Jacqueline's two younger kids don't get a lot of screentime. CJ seems like a pleasant little boy, and we see him helping Mommy clean and petting Mommy's hair when she's in bed after giving birth to Nicholas. Jac had 4 miscarriages before she managed to get pregnant with him, so he's the apple of Mommy's eye right now. He's also one of the cutest babies on TV, right up there with Major Novagratz from 9 by Design. People complain when they show the smaller kids, but I love seeing them and I don't see them having any lasting effects from being on camera when they're so young they don't really know any different.
The kids that worry me are Danielle's. The minute IMG called Christine, her mom was making her promise not to forget her when she got famous and maybe when she's famous they can "get another big house." Danielle is very close to losing her current big house because of her divorce and her refusal to get a job. She told Dina, early on, I assume, that she was "too pretty to work." If she'd have little work done on the house and sell it, her half would come out to almost a million dollars. Why she won't do that, and buy a smaller house, I don't understand. She has money for hair extensions and having her nails done, but she can't have the landscaping spruced up to get a good price on the house?
Danielle is most definitely a stage mother. She all but smothered Christine when she was with the walking coach before Fashion Week. She's already saying it's the making of a supermodel and planning their trips together to Milan and Paris. I hope she gives up on that. The kid has a perfect face and the right body type, but she's already trying to prepare Danielle for the idea that she might not make it as a model. If she doesn't ease up, Christine will fail just to spite her. Jillian, the younger girl who I think is 12, seems to alternate between feeling left out, to feeling jealous, to feeling pressured to be a model like Christine. Her mother keeps telling her "you're next!" Nobody asked Jillian if she wanted to be pimped out so her mom could buy another big house. Nobody asked Christine, either, but she did accept a contract with IMG, or rather, her Mom did.
Everybody, including the other wives, is praying for those kids to be really successful so they can get away from their mother, but I don't see her letting go of her own free will. One reviewer even suggested that Christine have herself emancipated and get out, then save her sister. That might not be a bad idea, now that I think about it, especially since Danielle is bringing people with mob ties into her life. Are these kids being exploited? Not yet, I don't think. In fact, I think the show might give them a way out. If their father isn't in the picture to protect them, at least everybody in the country is seeing what their home life is like. There's a distinct reversal of roles with these kids parenting their Mom. There was a scene at the beginning of the second season where Danielle wants to do a drive by of a party at the Mazo's house, thinking she was being left out of something. She's driving through the night, sounding crazy or drunk, raving about the party as the girls sit in back of the car and beg her to forget it and go home. You actually hear them saying that they're not going to sit there and watch her make a fool of herself. On this occasion, they got through to her, but you have to wonder how many times this scene has happened when there was no camera there to record it. My guess would be that there were some epic battles leading up to her divorce from their father. I think it's possible that these kids might have better lives as a result of their mom being on this show even though they might experience some embarrassment at some of her actions at school.
I don't think being on the show itself is exploitative. I think the potential exists in many circumstances, but much less so for the kids than the adults. It might be exploitation to have Danielle on the show because of her mental instability, just as it is with Kelly Bensimon, another Real Housewife who is mentally unstable, but I think it can ultimately help their kids. It creates unique opportunities, at least for a while. If there are problems, I think they're more likely to surface when the cameras, the attention and the money go away, as they inevitably will.
As with any opportunity in life, the value is in what you do with it. So far, the Real Housewives on all the shows rarely do anything good with it. A few create products like Ramona Singer's True Renewal skin care line. Bethenny Frankel is getting her own spinoff, has three successful books, a workout DVD, and a bottled margarita mix. I have no doubt she'll show her baby on the show and she'll be criticized just as the others are for "exploiting" their kids, but I think that's ridiculous. It's an amazing opportunity if they make the most of it, especially when the child it too young to be affected by it.
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