Brilliant strategy, surprising twists, and buckets of IJBOLS for the whole family — those are the basics of a really fun board game, but also the tenets of the reality TV excellence thriving on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. One of Bravo’s freshest franchises has won the attention of the Bravoverse, in no small part due to Meredith Marks. Excuse me, international DJ Meredith Marks, who also happens to be a caviar connoisseur, jewelry juggler, and mother to a budding next-generation Bravoleb, Brooks.
Safe to say, double M wears a lot of hats, but there’s one title that she’s still not engaging with: game-player. “Oh, gosh. Well, I mean, of course I would say me,” Meredith told me when I asked her who from the RHOSLC cast tends to keep it the most real when communicating throughout the group. “There’s a lot of rumors and nastiness out there,” Meredith continued, which was part of the inspiration for her brand-new venture, a spicy party game of the same name. I spoke to the snow queen about her on-screen reputation, which Wives are playing games in season 6 of Salt Lake, and what fans can expect from her music career.
Edited for clarity.
Chloe Kom
Betches: Where does your love for playing games with friends come from? I can picture a young Meredith running the show at a slumber party.
Meredith Marks: Well, yes. Games as a kid are always fun, but as adults, it’s even more fun. You know, we play a lot of games on the show. I think [my game] Rümors & Nastiness is a little bit gentler and kinder than the games we play on the show, but I loved Monopoly. That was one of my favorites as a kid.
On The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, the cast does play a lot of games. Is that part of what inspired you?
I have a partner on this [Samantha Topping Gellert], and when she approached me about it, we started brainstorming. The concept is that you get a prompt and you create a story [based on it] within a minute. The other players are betting on if it’s a rumor or a nasty truth. It’s just good fun.
So fun. Last season, Heather suggested some very interesting games. If you had to play the pioneer game again, after this season, is there anyone that you’d be throwing off your wagon?
I mean, there are multiple, but I would definitely start with the Shitney duo.
So Whitney and Britani. They’re not riding with you?
No, that’s for sure.
Without getting into any spoilers, is there just a reason that makes you feel that way about booting them off the wagon?
You know, I have similar issues with the two of them, and it makes it very difficult to have them ride on my wagon.
I’m still not over the game in Mexico, reading the mean texts. What was your biggest takeaway from playing that?
People should probably treat their friends with a bit more kindness and respect. It was interesting to see what people have to say when they think no one else is paying attention, or when they’re not saying it directly to the person.
I’m pretty direct. I usually say what I need to say directly to that person unless there’s a very good reason not to [because] the behind the back thing just really doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Because you don’t move things anywhere.
Right.
We’re all human, and sometimes we don’t feel like dealing with something, and we vent about it, and that’s fine. But it was surprising to see the level at which some of the women go when they think the person doesn’t hear them.
Sometimes Housewives is one big game of Whisper Down The Lane. Who do you think from your cast is the best at relaying the tea correctly?
Putting me aside…it’s hard because here’s the thing. A lot of times it’s not even intentional. It’s like their interpretation of what was said. So it’s hard to decipher when it’s intentional versus someone just sort of misunderstanding. I mean, that’s a lot of what Housewives is about. And quite frankly, it does mirror life.
Maybe it’s a misunderstanding, and then sometimes it does seem like people might have a flair for the dramatics.
I do think there’s ill intent sometimes. I have the easiest communication [with] Lisa and Mary. I kind of understand them the best of anybody, so I would probably say them.
Who do you think puts the biggest spin when they’re retelling what happened? In the first few episodes, there’s a lot of relaying what happened on the camping trip.
I think that in different circumstances, it’s different people, but in just looking back on [episode 2] I would say Heather, because I did stand up for Lisa. You don’t see everything, but everything that you heard me say, I said directly to the group, not just in confessional. To say that no one else supported Lisa was shocking to me to hear.
Britani did a lot, as well, in addition to you.
Yeah, absolutely. Even though she’s part of the Shitney duo, I’ll give her that one.
Speaking of Britani, in the first couple of episodes, we can see she’s trying to engage with you. She also is making efforts to get close to Lisa. Will there be a shift in your dynamic with Britani throughout the season?
I think you’re just going to have to watch that one! There are a lot of shifts, not just my relationship with Britani, but in most of the relationships. Some that go on a very positive trajectory, and some that go on a downward one. There’s a lot of bumps along the way with almost everybody.
Who do you think is the biggest game player on this season of Salt Lake?
As far as games go this season, I would have to say Britani. Maybe it’s not throughout the [whole] season, but the game that is played at some point is…so far-fetched and absurd.
For fans, it’s a TV show, but for you, it’s your real life. What do you think is the biggest misconception that Bravo fans might have about you?
Well, I think that the misconception that they’ll have by the end of this year is somewhat different than what they have now [but] let’s talk about now. I think that I am perceived as very cold and detached, at least on Housewives — I think you see a very different side of me on Next Gen NYC. I am actually way more engaged and attached than what I feel like is perceived or shown.
Chloe Kom
You’re friends with Amanda Cronin from The Real Housewives of London. Did you give her any advice on how to be the MVP of her franchise or how to deal with a friendship fallout?
I don’t think I gave her a lot of advice on being an MVP because she is one on her very own. But in terms of dealing with the relationships, yes, we have talked a bit about that. Even things that went on this year, a little bit. Let me be clear, she’s amazing.
Let’s say you’re thrown into the DJ booth last minute. What’s the first song that you’re pressing play on?
I mean, we have to give a tribute to the Rümors & Nastiness game. We’re going with “Rumors” by Lindsay Lohan.
