The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Reunion Recap: Roll Footage!

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During this entire season, it appeared as if Todd, Bronwyn’s husband, was the least interested in being part of the action, with only Robert Sr. managing to stay out of sight, but boy were we surprised when he stormed into the reunion, guns blazing! In fact, he attacked Lisa so swiftly that our honorable king, John Barlow, felt compelled to intervene and remind him to tone down his language. This was like a hard punch to the jaw in Salt Lake City. To make matters worse, John later stated, “This is a friendly environment.” This is the first time anyone has ever used such a term to describe a Real Housewives reunion – and the following forty minutes served as a clear contradiction to that claim.

Fortunately, we managed to resolve our disagreement with Todd before John could face allegations of elder abuse, and instead shifted focus to the ongoing dispute between Meredith and Angie. You might remember that this conflict started last year due to rumors about Shawn’s sexuality, which Shawn addressed on a podcast this season. The host asked if Meredith was exploiting her son, renowned fashion designer Brooks Marks, as a sort of protective barrier against criticism for spreading the gay rumors. “Shawn was questioned by a so-called ‘gay podcaster’,” Angie starts to explain, using air quotes around ‘gay podcaster’. However, luckily for her, they had the clip ready. Play the footage! “That’s what this argument was about?” Andy ponders after hearing what he considers a biased question that cornered Shawn. Nevertheless, Meredith is infuriated by any suggestion that she used Brooks’s sexuality to her advantage, and in her defense, she doesn’t need a gay son to be a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. She would still be invited to GLAAD Awards with or without Brooks by her side.

It’s clear that the ongoing feud between Meredith and Shawn stems from what Meredith said or didn’t say about him last year, but I’m not keen on revisiting that old drama during this year’s reunion. However, one aspect of this conversation that I appreciate is Bravo’s live fact-checking, which seems to be something the presidential debates couldn’t manage. As Meredith and Angie debate about what Monica actually said regarding these rumors, Andy appears to receive information from production, who apparently rechecked the facts. It turns out that Angie was indeed told by Monica that Meredith was the one who started these rumors. “Thank you, justice for Angie!” she exclaims.

Instead of playing the first clip, Meredith insists they show the other one where Monica retracts her accusations against Meredith. In fact, Monica stands up and warns she’ll leave unless they air that specific clip. Even Mary, who had once skipped a reunion herself, urges Meredith not to go. The control room confirms there was indeed a second instance where Monica claimed she never heard the rumor from Meredith in the first place. Fortunately, this convinces Meredith to return to her seat.

After setting that aside, we’re once again focusing on the husbands and the latest gossip swirling around this season. For instance, there’s the conversation where Lisa mentioned Shawn in relation to “circle jerks.” Yes, she did say it, standing solidly on both feet and emphasizing that it was merely an analogy. However, history shows that Real Housewives often struggle with understanding analogies, so if you’re a Housewife, my suggestion is to tread carefully. Despite her efforts to clarify, Lisa attempted to explain further, noting that she knows Shawn doesn’t engage in “circle jerks,” a term she only learned about two weeks prior to the cast trip. Now, let me ask, how did Lisa Barlow become acquainted with the term “circle jerk”? Why wasn’t this question addressed? Who shared this knowledge with Lisa Barlow just before her trip with the cast?

The world might remain unaware of other matters, but the discussion shifts towards Seth using the term “biotch” towards Whitney, which he later apologizes for. Seth defends his choice of words, stating it’s just his way of talking and was intended humorously rather than aggressively as it may have seemed. Moreover, he makes a distinction between “biotch” and the more severe “bitch,” which Angie used twice towards Meredith. In a playful jab, Meredith remarks to Angie, “Oh, I missed it. Well, that’s considered abusive by your husband, so I suppose you’re an abuser.” This remark brings to mind the camaraderie between Nene and Greg, as she once said, “Let ’em know, Greg! Honk the horn on their ass!

In spite of the challenges the show has faced, I wholeheartedly appreciate Meredith and Seth’s marriage and consider Seth as crucial to Meredith’s on-screen success. Meredith is often intense and serious, but having Seth around as a jokester helps alleviate tension, preventing her from becoming overly stressed. For instance, when they’re asked about Seth’s potential mistresses while he’s on business in Ohio, Seth playfully responds that he has two, gesturing to each hand. He truly shines in his role!

Todd isn’t a celebrity. When the topic of his past emotional affair arises in conversation, it’s intriguing to observe how Bronwyn discusses it while he’s seated right behind her. Now, she refers to it as overstepped conversations rather than an emotional affair. This has left Heather uncertain about the actual truth.

Apart from calling her out, it’s understandable that Lisa finds it peculiar given that she and Meredith had faced criticism for being lenient towards Todd during their conversation. Moreover, their past accusations of cheating might have made it seem as though they were supporting the unfaithful. Therefore, witnessing Bronwyn now showing Todd more mercy than either of them initially did could feel odd or inconsistent.

Throughout this entire reunion, Todd appears quite reserved. It’s as if they both invested the money they saved from not buying the necklace into media training for this event. Their responses seem rehearsed and polished, leading me to suspect that they were coached extensively. He only suggests in an ideal scenario, Bronwyn wouldn’t have brought up the topic of the texting at all. The most genuine they appear is when Andy questions them about Gwen discovering the texts, which seems to momentarily throw Todd off guard, making me question if he wasn’t aware that was discussed on camera beforehand.

Compared to the Newports’ secretive nature, Mary has been exceptionally open and honest this season about her son’s struggle with addiction. She explains that discussing this on camera was aimed at helping others and she didn’t know what would come of it when they started. Many have said it before, but the way she handles such delicate matters is truly exceptional. When Robert Jr. went to rehab for 30 days, things have been better since then, but hearing about his struggles was heart-wrenching for a mother. This conversation often leaves Andy and all the women in tears. They later show Mary the positive impact of her openness, as Heather and Whitney mention they watched it with their children, sparking conversations that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

Angie found Mary’s insights particularly resonant since her mother had struggled with addiction. She expressed that Mary’s perspective helped reframe her own experiences. Conversely, Mary attributes her increased involvement this season to her bond with Angie. However, she did have a strong friendship with Meredith in past years too. Yet, Mary described their friendship as beautiful but unique, not the same as what they shared with Angie.

It’s clear that there was a small issue at Mary’s Audrey Hepburn-themed brunch, which caused Meredith with the distinctive bangs to feel upset. “Those bangs were a bit troublesome,” Mary admits, but Meredith responds by stating she doesn’t mind criticism about her hairstyle. What truly bothers her is other people’s opinions about themselves. Fascinatingly, Meredith whipped out her phone and displayed a list she had prepared – her personal version of scrolling! This list was so impressive that I felt compelled to jot it down. If you’d like, you can read it as if it were the lyrics of “I’m a bitch, I’m a lover, I’m a child, I’m a mother…” from Meredith Brooks’ song.

I’ve often been referred to as a drug user, someone with eating disorders, an unfaithful partner, homeless, mentally disturbed, severely psychotic, suffering from multiple personality disorder, a snitch, a deceiver, my physical appearance and hearing aids have been ridiculed, I’ve been disrespected as a mother, labeled as a grudge-holder, a promiscuous woman, and a victim. These are the instances that stand out to me.

Excitedly, I can hardly contain my anticipation as drag shows begin weaving their way into my playlists. It’s an intriguing list indeed, but Angie promptly queries what thoughts Meredith has shared about others. Just as expected, the reunion production swiftly presents a montage of all Meredith’s comments regarding her fellow cast members. Whether it’s Angie or the production team, they’re skillfully timed in selecting and showcasing clips when the situation demands it, truly impressive!

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2025-01-30 05:54