Southern Charm Recap: Tuba or Not Tuba

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I’m thrilled that Molly O’Connell is part of this show. Although she hasn’t had many opportunities yet, her current appearance discussing her struggles with hitting high notes on her euphonium due to lip fillers has me hooked. I adore this quirky, intellectual woman immensely and hope the producers give her more significant roles so she doesn’t leave.

Out of all the reality shows I’ve watched during my years predominantly dedicated to reality TV (including adult content which I consider as a form of reality), I’ve never encountered one centered around a tuba solo with a community orchestra. Even Molly acknowledges its silliness, saying, “This is so cheesy, I’m tearing up over tuba,” but please let her cry over tuba! Provide us with something else to believe in. Let’s witness the healing power of music. Feed us, oh mighty Tuba Deity.

In this episode, the limelight surprisingly wasn’t on Molly, her euphonium, or even her charming persona. Instead, the spotlight was on JT, better known as Donald Trump Jr. Jr. It’s bizarre that none of the cast members seem to appreciate him, except for Venita (and it appears their friendship might be fading), yet he’s somehow a pivotal character in every plotline. While Molly is a delightful nerd in her own right, JT is more like an unfunny sidekick who manages to steal the show. Could it be that this man is a master of reality television and we’re just not aware of it yet?

Initially, he joins the conflict between Austen and Craig – a longstanding dispute – by participating in their outing for fishing. Alongside Shep and Craig, they discover the boat’s captain bears an amusing name, Austin. Despite his disinterest in fishing, JT tags along to socialize with the gang. They instruct him on baiting the hook, with both Shep and Craig chuckling at his inexperience and questioning why no one ever taught him to fish. As someone raised on the east coast, I can relate since my family never taught me to fish either. Not knowing how to fish doesn’t make us peculiar; it’s you who seems out of the ordinary.

In simpler terms,

JT catches a large fish, and his friends snap a photo with it which JT likely shares on Hinge. This picture annoys Austen because he perceives it as a deliberate gesture aimed at him. I’m torn about this situation, leaning either way depending on a slight push. It’s like deciding between desserts – cake or pie. Perhaps Austen should move past his issues with JT and try to mend things with Craig during the show, but another part of me is upset with Craig and Shep for supporting JT, someone disliked by many, over Austen for the sake of the program. Today, we’ll just flip a coin to decide how I feel about it.

Despite Craig and Shep having a great time fishing with JT, he spoils the camaraderie at Molly’s tuba solo afterparty, which he hosted. As guests arrive, Whitney accidentally breaks the minifridge door, and JT and Taylor briefly chat in the kitchen. JT claims to know details about Sally and Taylor’s boyfriend, Gaston’s past relationship. “Fling!” Taylor retorts, as she’s trained to do whenever their history is referred to as anything more than that. JT insists it was a prolonged affair between them, and Taylor doesn’t know the whole truth. He also alleges that Gaston had been unfaithful to his previous girlfriend, who is one of JT’s friends, with Sally. I find the claim about their relationship hard to believe. However, the idea that Gaston was involved with someone else seems plausible. But, honestly, JT has friends? I have my doubts.

Taylor swiftly exits the kitchen, asserting that she won’t tolerate people badmouthing her partner. She accuses JT of being underhanded and manipulative, pulling supposed information from “the depths of his mind.” Taylor also points a finger at Salley, who seems uninvolved on the couch, for similar actions, with a hint of NeNe Leakes’ famous question, “Why am I always involved?” However, Taylor’s accusations are premature as she failed to verify JT’s information herself. She didn’t listen to the entire story and has no intention of listening to these two, whom she now views as antagonists, discuss her boyfriend.

It’s unfortunate to discuss gossip about reality shows, but it seems there might be some truth to the rumors surrounding Gaston and his relationships. JT’s friend claims she was betrayed by him while dating, and this supposedly coincided with Taylor’s time with him. Additionally, Salley, who is not always trustworthy, has stated that her relationship with Gaston overlapped with Taylor’s. Moreover, Shep mentioned that many people in town have unfavorable opinions about Gaston and his history with women. To add to this, he seems reluctant to appear on camera in a group setting. Considering all these factors, it appears that Gaston is quite concerned about potential revelations regarding his personal life on television. So let’s sing together: “No one has charm like Gaston, no one charms like Gaston, no one stirs up ‘Southern Charm‘ like Gaston. Oh, what a man, that Gaston.

Following Taylor’s departure, JT accuses Salley of carrying on a secret romance with Gaston while he was dating JT’s friend. Salley denies the allegation but admits to having met him in a bar, sharing a kiss, and performing an intimate act in his car. She jokes that it was merely a “partially completed affair.” Rodrigo inquires about the term “sucked his dick a little bit,” to which Salley explains that it means briefly sampling it without fully consummating the act. If Rodrigo is still unclear, she offers to clarify, although most of her relationships tend to escalate quickly into full-blown affairs.

According to Salley, she wasn’t aware of the boyfriend’s other girlfriend when they had their encounter in the parking lot, but once she discovered the truth, she chose to stay with him because she was captivated by him. Later on, Gaston ended his relationship with his former girlfriend, introduced her to his ailing grandmother (who was Salley), and then broke up with her after meeting Taylor. In other words, this guy appears to be trouble, and it’s clear that someone needed to warn Taylor about him.

Frankly speaking, this doesn’t appear to be the right moment, setting, or context for discussing such matters with Taylor. Craig’s argument is clear: Justin keeps meddling in things that aren’t his concern, intruding where he shouldn’t. Even though Craig feels it might tarnish his image, there’s no situation where associating with Justin would enhance one’s reputation.

JT’s argument is that he’s revealing the truth to his friend, even if it’s painful for her to hear. He compares this to preventing a friend from an accident or helping them quit drugs. While there’s some truth to this, Shep offers a counterargument: There are gentler ways to deliver such news without causing harm. In the last episode, Venita was thrown into a pool, and JT could have handled the truth more delicately. Instead of shoving the truth at her, he should have allowed her to discover it on her own, with solid evidence backing him up. This way, Taylor wouldn’t view Gaston as a jerk but rather perceive JT as taking jabs at her boyfriend. Consequently, this might bring them closer together.

JT, with people constantly criticizing his delivery, storms out, prompting Venita to follow. He insists they’re telling him not to reveal truths, but in fact, they’re saying, “She can’t handle the truth,” echoing Jack Nicholson. JT believes that truth is a measure of success, yet he seems unaware of Cassandra, the Trojan prophetess who foretold the future yet was disbelieved. Reminiscent of Cassandra, JT faces similar skepticism from the SC group. The truth, as we’ve learned in recent years, is not liberating or impactful; it can be twisted to suit certain individuals’ desires or disregarded entirely. The truth is a deception, a lie, and an annoyance to many. Those who stubbornly uphold the truth, like JT, will always stand apart.

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2025-01-24 05:54