The Real Housewives of Orange County Recap: Project Runway

As a seasoned viewer of reality TV, I can’t help but feel a tad exasperated by this whole ordeal. It seems like a game of broken telephone, with rumors and misunderstandings spiraling out of control, much like a game of “Telephone” at a crowded family reunion. Katie, a woman I find relatable and authentic despite the evidence to the contrary, finds herself embroiled in this mess. I’m not one to judge, but it feels like Heather is treating Katie like yesterday’s leftovers, tossing her aside without so much as a second thought.


Among many admirable qualities of Emily Simpson, she often wins arguments with logic, never refuses a cookie, and wears one-piece outfits exceptionally well. However, this particular episode elevated Emily from someone I’ve always appreciated to one of my favorite Housewives ever. She stood up to Alexis Bellino, spoke truthfully, and showed empathy towards her fellow cast member, making a lasting impression on me.

Emily expresses concern to Alexis, stating that John Janssen and she appear to be increasingly petty, vulgar, and hostile towards Shannon Storms Beador on live TV and streaming platforms worldwide. It’s unusual for one Housewife to warn another, but now it seems necessary. I believe more of the women should support their friends in such situations.

Bravo seems to have unfairly treated Shannon throughout this season, making Andy Cohen’s casting choices seem like he was listening to nostalgic Christina Aguilera songs. The only other time I can recall an original cast member being brought back purely to humiliate a current cast member was during Season 10 of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” when someone repeatedly mentioned Brandi Glanville’s name to embarrass Denise Richards with stories about their past indiscretions. In both instances, it appears that these actions have no connection to the plot, group dynamics, or the show itself.

Each week, I’ve been vocal about JJ Squared’s strategy crumbling disastrously, and this time around, they managed to make things even more chaotic. Shannon claimed she proposed to give John the total $75,000 he’s suing her for, provided he agreed to a non-disparagement clause, which he declined. This lends credence to our long-held belief that this wasn’t about money; it was always about seeking revenge. Unfortunately, we can’t lay the blame on John since he continues to be a coward by avoiding the camera. Instead, he makes an appearance only as a voice over the phone, reminiscent of Charlie from “Charlie’s Angels,” but with only one dim-witted agent. She’s so intellectually challenged that she scored a Bible verse on her SATs.

When Alexis phones him, he responds by expressing disbelief that people believe Alexis and John are devising ways to harm Shannon. In reality, he finds it surprising because there’s no proof to suggest otherwise. The entire situation appears orchestrated, fabricated, and malicious to him, and he feels Bravo is being unkind by encouraging this behavior. As Emily put it, it’s becoming dirty, scandalous, and cruel, and it doesn’t make anyone view Shannon unfavorably.

It seems that Alexis’ statements to Emily aren’t entirely accurate. Instead of questioning our sympathy for Shannon, it appears we all feel deeply sorry for her. So much so, that her actions leading up to the breakup seem to be overshadowed in our minds. This is partly due to the fact that John and Alexis haven’t provided an alternate account of events. They’ve discussed the videos and Shannon’s intoxication, but they’re not revealing anything else, like why Shannon lied about John or what actions she might have taken to push him to this point. In contrast, Shannon is the only one who has shared her perspective, while everyone else seems to be expressing negativity towards her.

For nearly ten years now, Shannon has been a regular figure on our screens. We acknowledge that she’s not perfect and has made mistakes. One infamous incident includes driving under the influence and crashing into someone else’s house. She rarely admits fault or apologizes for her actions, instead denying any accountability for the unfortunate events in her life.

Alexis seems to be expressing frustration by saying, “I’ve been dealt a really unfair hand in this situation.” It appears that she has encountered a problem or setback, but it’s not immediately clear what exactly has happened. Here’s the context: Alexis met a man she is deeply in love with who is described as good and Christian. This man helped her secure a spot on a show. However, there seems to be another person named Shannon involved, who might have somehow interfered or caused problems for Alexis without any specific actions mentioned yet. The things that Shannon may have done to John, which are harmful, are not relevant to the current situation with Alexis.

Since Alexis appears to be unscathed, it’s troubling that some women believe they should back both Alexis and Shannon. Tamra claims Alexis requires the same support as Shannon. However, what exactly is she supported for? Is it because she has a wonderful partner whom they are exploiting for reality TV fame by causing distress to his ex? Perhaps her large chest needs support, but she doesn’t. What she needs is reprimand, which is why I’m pleased Emily went to her room to convey that message.

Following their conversation, Alexis elects not to attend dinner with Shannon, opting instead to avoid sharing a table with her. It seems that despite being among friends she’s known for years, Alexis finds herself at a loss for words beyond this decision. Given the history between Alexis, Shannon, and Tamra, I can’t help but think they could fill a Martin Scorsese movie with their banter towards Jim Bellino. However, Alexis laments that she was confined to her room for 13 hours due to Shannon. While I concede that this may have been the case, I would attribute no more than five hours of solitude to Shannon’s actions – you don’t earn credit for time spent sleeping.

The following day, Shannon and Alexis must continue to be separated, so Heather decides to take Jenn, Katie, and Shannon on a “forest immersion,” which is similar to a sound bath but with more greenery and potentially wet derrieres. Unfortunately, Shannon seems to be struggling with a bad cough, and it appears she had an unpleasant encounter in the bushes. This is unfortunate as Real Housewife star Shannon Beador, known for her love of crystals, finds solace in such spiritual practices.

in our home, we hold three beliefs – Lea Michele can’t read, JD Vance married Jennifer Convertible, and Heather Dubrow contacted the paparazzi. What bothers me most about this argument is that if Heather had admitted her role, we wouldn’t be in this situation now, but instead, we have Katie and Gina trying to win Heather’s favor.

Well, I find myself trying to engage with Heather once more, yet she brushes me off once more, asserting that she’s not interested in revisiting old ground. I acknowledge her point, as I feel she’s treating me like an disposable item, and she’s spot on. She doesn’t need to appreciate my words, or even be weary of them, but part of this production is allowing everyone their chance to voice their troubles and frustrations. Let her vent so we can close this chapter forever.

In this scenario, Katie voices her concerns to Tamra, who subsequently discusses it with Heather. Moreover, Tamra mentions that Gina informed Katie about Gina’s belief in Katie but feels the need to be friendly towards Heather for maintaining her real estate connections. This conversation transpires just prior to the runway show they participate in to aid Family Equality, a commendable organization that arguably deserves more than Heather Dubrow’s series of leather jackets (though I must admit, I did appreciate the one sequined skirt).

The next day, after a bike ride that no one wants to go on, Katie brings it up at lunch, and Gina freaks out, saying that she’s a liar, she never told Katie any of this, blah blah blah. I don’t get what the disconnect is here because I don’t think that Katie is lying, but I also don’t think that Gina would say these things. It seems like a lot is being misinterpreted, repeated, amplified, and misconstrued. Also, Tamra Aloysius Judge seems to be in the middle of all of this, which makes total sense. Katie then says that Gina said she liked Heather and helped her with her business, which seems innocuous if said in a moderate tone.

It’s baffling to me that we’re still engaged in this struggle and how things spiraled out of Katie’s control, someone I appreciate and find genuine, despite the facts suggesting otherwise. At the conclusion of our lunch, all three of us agreed it was senseless, decided to move past it, just like Katy Perry’s attempted resurgence, never to mention it again. Thank goodness, thank heavens because I don’t think I can handle another round of this rollercoaster.

One long-standing conflict that shows no signs of resolution is the one between Shannon and Alexis. Following the fashion show, where Emily felt uncomfortable due to being given an oversized blazer and having to wear her own jeans, the women attempted to encourage a conversation between Alexis and Shannon in an effort to clear the air for the group. However, I wish Shannon had responded with her signature phrase, “Decipher what’s unsaid,” and flipped them off with three middle fingers – such a response would be fitting for this situation. Frankly, Alexis should not have been present in the first place. Secondly, why should Shannon try to mend fences with a woman who is assisting someone in suing her and publicly embarrassing her on a massive scale? Forget all of that.

As a movie enthusiast, let me rephrase it: Instead of politely declining, Shannon chose to confront Alexis directly, expressing her lack of interest in a face-to-face conversation. With her shoulders squared, she walked out of the fashion show, her pride slightly bruised but still intact, leaving behind a lingering trace of herself on her shoe. Her next destination was the airport, where a black SUV was waiting for her. She slid into the back seat, her gaze fixed on the venue through the frosted glass, defiantly watching it blur into nothingness until it was just a distant speck. The moment she arrived at the car, she threw off her heels, hugged her knees, and wept so intensely that her entire body shook, her face quivered, and even the vehicle seemed to groan under the weight of her emotion.

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2024-09-13 06:54