As a long-time fan of this reality show, I must say that this season has been quite the rollercoaster ride! It seems like the cast is trying to outdo each other when it comes to drama and tension. The Cherry Blossoms trip has certainly brought out some unexpected feuds, such as Gizelle’s sudden disdain for Stacey. I mean, really now, who doesn’t love a good toothpaste joke?

Let’s just jump straight to the Grande Dame–size elephant in the room: Karen Huger finally had her day in court and was found guilty of five of six charges by a jury of her peers, and now faces a real possibility of up to two years in prison, potentially joining Theresa and Jen Shah in the list of women who have had to serve time after a season serving chaos. While the result is far from shocking, the public release of the bodycam footage was darkly illuminating to the side of Karen that women from Charrisse to Robyn have been publicly and loudly alluding to seeing when the cameras are off. I don’t think my group chats will be recovering from Karen sitting in a drunk tank haphazardly mumbling that she is “Thomas Jefferson’s concubine” anytime soon.

As a supporter, I find myself at a crossroads regarding Karen’s actions. It’s high time for Karen to acknowledge responsibility for her decisions, especially since someone who openly admits and learns from mistakes likely wouldn’t have let this predicament escalate to a court case.

This episode serves as a significant indicator of how we’ll perceive Karen’s performances throughout the season, given that she repeatedly shows disdain for Jacqueline, who falters in attempting to disrupt Karen’s romantic sphere but fails to be either amusing or malicious enough to pull off the prank effectively. If you’re carrying balloons labeled with citations, you really need a bit of enthusiasm – Jacqueline couldn’t even produce a sugary-mean tone when she claimed to be acting out of love, and many on the cast barely noticed her weak attempts at throwing shade. It was embarrassing for Jacqueline to even attempt such a shameless move without fully committing to it. The primary rule in Housewives‘ stunts is to stand behind your actions! Make sure each balloon has the charges written on it, play the audio of when Karen called you out, and include something to clearly show that you’re going after the hostess. Jacqueline seems unable to serve her revenge either in a heated or cool manner; instead, she always delivers lukewarm responses that spoil everyone’s enjoyment.

Karen could be seen as extravagant rather than a slob, but she’s far from idle. She understands that Jacqueline would only be encouraged to pull such a stunt if it was Mia egging her on, and Mia openly acknowledges her role in orchestrating Jacqueline’s unexpected interruption. In the midst of the underwhelming confrontation, Mia does her best to make a spectacle out of the situation, grinning widely with all 32 teeth visible. After Jacqueline is brusquely evicted from the premises, she whispers mediocre insults into the microphone from the curb with her friend. It might be more effective if we hadn’t witnessed Mia go through three rental properties this season alone when making a dig about Karen renting. What grates on Karen about Mia isn’t just her questionable actions, it’s that a woman of Karen’s generation struggles to comprehend such blatant disregard for respect and social standing; Mia, conversely, has no trouble seeing through the veneer of Karen’s image and perceiving the mess beneath. This leads them to trade some of their sharpest criticisms. Karen says, “Everything in Mia’s life feels fake to me, I can’t tell what’s real anymore, and I don’t think Mia even knows reality anymore. She seems to be in survival mode, using Jacqueline as a puppet to do and say whatever she needs to keep her story going.” In response, Mia retorts, “Karen lives in her own delusional world.” Both women are hypocrites, and they’re both right.

In this situation, Mia mainly relies on Jacqueline as her ally, while Karen has gradually drawn Gizelle into her side. A brief encounter in the Dulles airport terminal lobby provides a clear indication of their intentions. Gizelle has been building resentment towards Mia’s actions against her daughters, and sees Jacqueline’s behavior as an opportunity to strike back. Karen recognizes this scheme and executes it successfully as they plan for what seems to be the most obvious collusion between Housewives this year, which they refer to as an “OG check.” Karen urges, “It’s about time, let’s teach them a lesson,” and Gizelle agrees, “We’ve got to make things happen over the next three days.

Regrettably, what was anticipated didn’t quite materialize as expected. It seemed like both parties intended a more relaxed interaction on the first night, but the confrontation between Karen and Gizelle didn’t have the impact I thought it would. Karen initiates the conflict, labeling Jacqueline as the devil who attempted and failed to create a spectacle at her event. Her accusation appears spot-on, and I doubt Jacqueline genuinely believes her weak defense of her supposed grand gesture of love being a mishap. The Grande Dame is correct when she says that whatever her intentions were, they fell flat. However, her downfall comes when she starts talking about seeking legal action. Granted, her assertion that Jacqueline violated some environmental law by releasing balloons seems absurd, especially considering the recent news about Karen being under investigation by Maryland PD. It’s hard to imagine who would have the moral upper hand in this situation, given the circumstances. Based on the latest developments, I suspect Karen will come to regret her words “arrest her, clankity clank bitch” over the coming weeks; Jacqueline’s response at the reunion could be a significant blow for Karen.

It appears Gizelle was ready to scold Mia for discussing their daughters in the conversation, but instead, her response was surprisingly subdued. As observed by Wendy, last season Gizelle was furious at the notion that Wendy and Candiace had an issue with her speaking about her daughters, and while I can understand they weren’t getting along then, it’s surprising to see Gizelle handling this sensitive topic so calmly, considering she’s made it clear over time that talking about her daughters is a significant boundary for her. She does show moments of intensity, such as when she states in the confessional “you at their age, that isn’t them,” but Mia doesn’t seem to be intimidated enough to change her stance. Instead, she maintains her argument that it was primarily about how they both use social media. Yes, Mia, but you seemed to imply that Gizelle’s family issues were somehow similar to the chaos in your apartment, which I don’t think Gizelle believes is true.

Gizelle might have stumbled due to being caught off guard by Mia transforming her flaws into a symbol of “raw authenticity.” It appears that posting positively about her partners on Instagram could be a coping mechanism stemming from past experiences with adoptive and foster families, rather than an indication of confusion. Repeatedly suggesting ex-husband’s instability and abusive behavior is concerning, especially when children are involved if not promptly addressed.

In the future, Ashley will pick a side in the dispute between Mia and Gizelle, and that’s when we’ll first notice Keiarna receiving her wages. Until next time!

Cherry Blossoms:

It’s quite amusing how strongly Wendy seems to dislike Ashley being smitten with a man who resembles her grown sons, as some commenters have noted. Much like Wendy, many of us might struggle to understand the appeal, but since I’m not the one involved, it’s not really my concern.

On just our second day of travel, I’m already grateful for Wendy’s efforts to simplify room assignment issues without abandoning the complexities of an international journey. She’s making it clear that this trip isn’t about mending friendships or finding healing – it’s all about diving right into the excitement and drama!

Could it be that Gizelle and Stacey’s conflict appears sudden to you? While the rest of the group does seem to find Stacey somewhat cheesy, it’s worth noting that Gizelle shares those qualities too. To tell the truth, I’m taken aback by how intensely Gizelle seems irritated by her. Perhaps it stems from Stacey betraying her during the love lagoon games, but their animosity feels more profound than merely unresolved issues from a past indiscretion; Stacey even receives an eyeroll when she asks for something as simple as toothpaste.

To provide these women with a larger budget for their trips, one possible option could be reallocating funds or increasing the budget allocation in our travel plans. It seems that on previous occasions we’ve spent time in casual settings such as rooftops and waiting areas around Charlotte, and now we are considering a resort experience that may resemble common all-inclusive resorts offered by companies like CheapCaribbean. However, it is not necessarily subpar but rather typical of such vacation packages.

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2024-12-23 18:54