I, like most of you, have spent countless hours reading blogs, websites, newsletters, tweets and Facebook announcements from each and every Real Housewife to have ever appeared on Bravo. Most are ridiculous, many are trying to sell us something, and some are just plain irritating. Then Lisa Vanderpump wrote an end of season blog for Bravo TV and it was actually worth reading. It is an example of how these women should behave, particularly in light of all of the awful, petty and mean spirited scenes we have witnessed.
Lisa, without going into each and every detail, lets readers know that she was truly blindsided by the things that happened during the taping of the Beverly Hills Reunion. Women who she thought were her friends turned out to be nothing of the kind. What they did and said demonstrated that they would stop at nothing to bring down a woman who, at least to me, had done nothing to deserve it – well, unless you think that being smart and British are felonies.
I know that we have talked about the way the KAT 3 behaved during the Reunion and there is no need for me to rehash it. What is important is how Lisa handled it then and how she is handling it now. She writes in her blog that she didn’t tell her husband how she had been treated before he and the other husbands took their places on the couch. She probably didn’t want to upset him and that is what a wife would do. Ken had been very angry at Cedric during last season’s reunion and, perhaps, Lisa found it better to just leave it until the taping was over. They had been betrayed then and they were being betrayed again. I think they talked quite a bit when they got home.
She appeared on those nights as a woman who was stunned by the attacks – ambushes really. She writes as a woman who has now been able to sit back and reconcile herself to the very hard lessons she has learned. She had taken these women at their word, extended her hand, her heart and her home to them. Their response was to slap everything away.
The other Housewives of Beverly Hills will read her blog and not understand what they have done. If it were that easy, they would have realized it the moment some of their words left their mouths. I think that they will play that Reunion over and over in their heads and reach a very different conclusion. They made excuses then and they will try to excuse it again, to us and for themselves. It will become their version of the truth.
I was confused, at first, as to whether this blog was meant to be a real goodbye or was simply an “hasta la vista” until next season. A glance at Lisa’s twitter account made me realize that I was not the only one. Lisa was kind enough to clarify things for us, saying that she only meant that she and her family were going to enjoy the much needed break away from the cameras. I’m happy to hear that because the Vanderpump-Todds are welcome on my television screen anytime.
I also noticed that she and Brandi exchange very sweet and funny tweets. It’s ironic that these two women understand each other, as well as their senses of humor. They certainly appear to come from two very different places, but I think that Lisa sees a lot of her own quirkiness and earlier years of being a “wild-child”. I think they are perfect foils.
Lisa explained, during the Reunion, that she understood why Brandi might want to slash her ex-husband’s tires. Lisa seemed to realize that Brandi was no less abused – and possibly even more – than Taylor. Even Camille appeared to recognize some similarities from her own public humiliation. I actually found myself wondering what I would be like if I was pregnant and was forced to stand by while my husband tried to decide between a waitress or a country singer. I’m afraid to admit that Eddie Cibrian’s motorcycle would have been the least of his problems. Taylor, the self-proclaimed savior of all abused women, sat there on that couch and showed nothing but contempt for Brandi. There should have been some sign of compassion or empathy.
So, I think we can all look forward to Season 3 with some optimism. I believe that Lisa and Brandi are well armed with a “fool me once…” mentality. If Kyle and Adrienne were intimidated by Lisa alone, they should be doubly afraid of the new Dynamic Duo. As for me, well, I would love to share a beer with them.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – The Lost Footage
It looks like Bravo is going to wring every last drop that they can from the ladies of Beverly Hills. They called this The Lost Footage. I would have helped them look for it. We might have been able to find it before last Monday night. Perhaps Tramona took it and tried to save us all from this extra night. By the way, I also checked Tramona’s twitter account and she has not tweeted since December. I considered getting a twitter account for my critters, because it is so fashionable these days, but then I gave some consideration to the compatibility of my keyboard and their paws and hooves. I have abandoned the idea. As for poor Tramona, I hope that she is alive and well, and living it up on some sandy beach. She’s more than paid her dues.
Anyway, here we are again – every time we think we’re out, they pull us back in. Kim is still angry with Mauricio and says that they are both fed up. She prefers her other brother in law, Rick Hilton, and thinks that Mauricio should just “get over it, and get a life”. She also confirms that she and Ken are no longer together. We are given a little vignette of “Kim” moments – sort of like America’s Funniest Videos, but without the funny part. All I can tell you is that my local Kroger does not carry either vibrating lip gloss or a combination air-breath freshener.
Kyle is seen preparing for Estella’s post-op appearance and describes the procedures to her older daughters by spelling so as not to scare Portia. “Bobe”, the kids’ name for their grandmother, arrives and Portia tells her that she is not scary, yucky maybe, but not scary at all. Is it just me or is Portia one of the cutest kids ever? While we’re still on the topic of the Umansky family, in Hawaii Mauricio talked to his wife about leaving the family real estate business to join others in a new venture. Kyle, eventually, said that she supported his plans. They then went for massages where we got another glimpse of the now famous Mauricio cheeks. I think Kyle was talking. I don’t know.
We are shown some very different moments between Ken and Lisa. While shopping for fixtures and furniture for Sur at an antiques warehouse, Lisa receives a telephone call from her doctor. He tells her that he has received the results of a biopsy done on her shoulder and that she has skin cancer. I want to take a moment of my own here to say something about what we saw. This couple did not include this footage during the regular season and I don’t know if that was by their request or if Bravo was just too busy filming Taylor’s meltdowns. I think we all can guess what Taylor would have done and how she would have behaved if this had happened to her. I am constantly amazed by the dignity shown by this obviously very loving couple. I don’t know if they shared this information with many of their cast mates, but I respect that they didn’t find it necessary to share it with us until she was healthy.
Absolutely no episode of this Housewives’ franchise would be complete without more and more of Taylor. First, it is a conversation with Adrienne over coffee and she is still pushing the godmother idea. Adrienne is trying to let her down easy, explaining that someone within the family is better suited for that. She is right. It is not an honor bestowed on just anyone, even if that someone is loaded. I, for one, do not understand how this is still a topic for discussion given that Kennedy is five years old, but we’re talking Taylor here.
We’re still not done with Taylor, however, as we go back to Brandi’s beach house party. It is more of the same with Taylor swearing at and blaming Camille. I chuckled just a little when Linda Thompson told Taylor to repeat, like a mantra, “I am Grace Kelly”. Mmm, OK. The most telling moment, however, came when Adrienne let just a little bit of the cat out of her very large bag. Somehow, in the midst of all of the drunken histrionics and nonsense, Adrienne places all of the blame at the feet of Lisa. You see, Lisa is the pot-stirrer from whom all bad things come. This from a woman who drives across town to walk her dog down Kim’s street. You know, just because she likes Kim.
Lisa was right. We need a break.
Empress
realhousewifeofaiken 
I don’t know what is up with Adrienne and her end-of-season about face in her “support” of Taylor. It’s outrageous. NONE of these women, save for the ever-savvy Lisa, understand just how much nuance the camera catches on your face, regardless what comes out of your mouth OR how much crap you shoot into your face.
If there’s one thing viewers overwhelmingly can’t stand, it’s bullsh*t. From Kyle’s desperate attempts to control the “story” about herself and her sister, to Taylor’s fake tears… it grates on one’s nerves.
I do think that it was Taylor who “gave out” the story to (whomever) about Adrienne’s marriage, and set Adrienne up to think it was Lisa. Taylor does not think ahead; her lies garner small victories in the immediate sense, and blow up in her face afterwards (hence, her backpedaling about SO many things re: Russell and the “abuse.”) I would think, by this time, Adrienne knows exactly who played her (Taylor) when, and why.
Lisa is incredibly quick-witted, as is Brandi. Wit stems from the ability to discern the “truth” and motivation underneath what someone is saying, rather than the thing they actually said, and respond accordingly, usually with something that proves you don’t take yourself too seriously. Lisa is two steps ahead of everyone, and Brandi is very, very fast on her feet.
KAT 3 can’t compare to it. Taylor is too busy manipulating people like a little girl – with histrionic emotions of pouting or yelling (this will not age well) – Adrienne is pissed about Lisa stealing the spotlight after believing her “peacemaker” activities would gain her more fans, and Kyle thinks that if she *thinks* something in her head, she can make it come across on film; but she can’t.
I dunno… the whole thing is a trainwreck on so many levels. None of these shows will be around in three years, and I predict a really, really bad end for Taylor after the spotlight fades. I watched her L.A. booksigning clip. Not good. Mostly because of the mass of photographers shooting her face for one full minute… yet none of the photos wound up on any major news service. That is very telling… Taylor is being fed lies by her handlers, who are too happy to take her 10 or 15% now, and drop her when the fees she brings in (less and less with time, I suspect) are not worth the 24-hour attention they have to pay to this child-woman.
We don’t get either WWHL or Lost Footage episodes. I’m assuming something was said during the lost footage about Adrienne and Paul’s marriage. What is the “story” that someone is alleged to have given to someone else? Do tell, please.
PG,, Not really anything … just that did some couples therapy… before they got married..catholic thing..and may have gone a few times since they got married.. A doesnt bother me… Her and Paul will be fine… My “inners” dont detect any probs… Just married people that bicker..Now Kyle..she might have a prob on the horizon… Know that..hahahahahahahahaha
PS..youd will not miss ANYTHING by not viewing the Lost footage…all BS from Bravo…
Diva, V5……it’s this sentence in V5’s comment that concerned me because it sounds like there was a bit of gossip someone let out of the bag:
“I do think that it was Taylor who “gave out” the story to (whomever) about Adrienne’s marriage, and set Adrienne up to think it was Lisa. “
Good morning. I don’t believe for one hot minute that Lisa was blindsided by Kyle and Adrienne. Brandi knew an ambush was planned, and was sure to have told Lisa. Lisa was able to leverage the advance warning to turn the tables. Lisa is far too bright not to have “had their numbers” since the beginning of the season. Especially after the tea party – and then again when she started to see what they were saying when the footage played out on TV. Midway through the season Lisa let the public know how disappointed she was with Kyle’s behavior on game night – and how she had been mislead and had already apologized to Brandi – after that there was no pretending that she and Kyle were still best friends.
I’m looking at this from what (I hope – correct me if I’m wrong) is your perspective. That would mean that Kyle was correct, to some degree, in her statement that smart = manipulative regarding Lisa. I think that it would also mean that Lisa sat on the Reunion couch, knowing that the KAT 3 would show their true colors to us, something that she was already well aware of. If I’m reading you all wrong, let me know.
Yes – that’s how I see it. Now I don’t think I’d use the word manipulative in a negative sense. She was right to deflect the attack, and was very smart in how she handled it. They were fools to try to humiliate her.
I don’t tweet and was relieved to hear Lisa hasn’t left the BH for good. I think she is the bright spot in any scene she is in, and I enjoy her humor, her family and her intelligence immensely. Her post on Bravo certainly lead me to believe she was leaving the show. I would find it difficult at best to forgive the betrayal her “friends” bestowed upon her.
Loved this blog as well as the previous one Empress. Your skill of writing and sharing your thoughts and opinions here is much appreciated. You hit a home run every day. Thanks.
sorry, led not lead
I second that ..hitting a homer every day that it.
To me, Lisa is Beverly Hills – the total package of everything I want to see in this glitz and glamour flagship franchise! IMO,Lisa had no idea what was being said and done during filming and came to realize after seeing the finished episodes (as we were seeing them too) that those she thought were friends were not really friends.
Then at the reunion, KAT, stupidly thought that Lisa would not fight back…they came off looking like losers. Lisa very gently made it clear she made a mistake believing both Adrienne and Kyle were friends. Taylor couldn’t attack her new BFF so she did the next best thing – she went after Brandi for Kyle! Lisa has the ability to deflate an attack without ripping her opponents to pieces.
Both Adrienne and Kyle have to be aware that Bravo will back Lisa and now the question that has been asked – can you film with so and so makes it clear that Bravo isn’t going to coddle diva behavior that messes with their shows.
And that lost footage could have stayed lost – but Bravo has to keep their sponsors happy.
Excellent post Empress. If Taylor doesn’t recognize that living with a husband who is constantly lying to your face for his own gain ( and disrespecting his wife and children by banging any tramp that allows it) especially when you are pregnant is extremely emotionally abusive, then Taylor needs domestic abuse sensitivity training. Brandi readily admits that as a former model she isn’t well equipped to make a living for her two young sons. Kyle is also completely lacking in awareness in her interaction with Brandi. Hmmmm, if Brandi was like Taylor, Brandi would be screaming that Taylor and Kyle are abusing her.
I just love reading the stories on this site. Now there are two sites that I really,really enjoy! A few of the reality(tea) sites out there have fair writers but their fan base is utterly horrible and utterly devoid of any class The folks here are a gentler, kinder group and so are the authors!!! 🙂
Everybody needs a home and I think I’ve found mine! Thanks to Empress and Q (on the other site!) 🙂
Thank you Judy. I enjoy Quincy’s way of writing as well.
Happy Friday All….First..let me say this,,, I am deeply touched and warmed by all of you here.. You make dealing with some of Lifes unpleasant aspects easier to handle…If someone had told me 18 months ago I would have found such loving and giving people in cyberspace i would have looked at them like they had 3 eyes…. although there are days my eyes are wonky enough that I do indeed see 3 eyes…. i know that each day will be better and I have all you to turn to when I get sad..THANKS…
QUICK OT… truck driving thru my front yard as she is texting and driving…Allrighty… may be getting dangerous living here on the CORNER…DAMN…….
back to HWS…. the lost footage..UM …SURE…IT …WAS….NOTTTTT
The only footage I want to see unedited is TEA PARTY and MALIBU… Those two are related…Tea party I beleive set the TONE for the rest of filming…. There is a whole lot more BACK STORY that needs to be told and seen …but we will never see it…Or will we…????
I do know that never ending tale of woe is me TIT will continue to be played out in the gossip media..She’s not going anywhere for awhile…Unless she finally reaches that peak and someone actually steps in and gives her REAL HELP…. sooner than later I hope…
In closing…I would love to share with you a video that KG sent to us…Get the kleenex out…
THANK YOU KG…THANK YOU EMPRESS FOR THE LOVING ” WORDS” THAT WERE SO HELPFUL IN OUR HOURS OF NEED….IT GAVE MR FORD THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE HE SO NEEDED….THANK YOU V5…. FOR THE MANY HOURS OF CHATTING..MY EAR WILL NEVER BE THE SAME… AND TO THINK ..I HATE TALKING ON THE PHONE…WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED..
I LOVE YOU ALL
Hugs and Peace ALWAYS
Diva
Diva……sweetheart, you do have a third eye otherwise you wouldn’t be able to do the work you do. How do you like them apples?