They say all press is good press, and at this point, that’s got to be Kelly Dodd’s mantra. The RHOC star ends up in hot water so frequently these days that she basically lives in a hot tub. One would think her drama would be relegated to our TV screens, but Kelly seems determined to end up on our smaller screens, in the form of Apple News alerts and angry tweets. Kelly started off bad, jet-setting across the country when the pandemic was first in its deadliest throes, and has only gotten worse, mocking the BLM movement and repeatedly making light of COVID. Somehow, she’s managed to hold onto her RHOC spot (for now), but her general trash persona has cost her sponcon, friendships, and fans. But where will it end?
Losing Jobs
It all began back in April 2020 with Kelly’s insensitive AF comment about how “the coronavirus was God’s way of thinning the herd”. Although she issued an apology after the ordeal, it clearly meant nothing as she was posting videos of herself dining at Newport Beach with friends just last month. Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize the pandemic didn’t apply to celebrities. Kelly’s socials were littered with a mask-less crowd enjoying food and drinks at a local bar. Kelly tried to defend herself in a since-deleted probable lie, stating “everyone was vaccinated” therefore there is “nothing to spread” and the “sheeple are mad”. Sure, Jan. A source close to the Housewife says she was not, in fact, vaccinated—which tracks because I’m pretty sure the Venn diagram of people who say “sheeple” non-ironically and antivaxxers is a circle.
I guess tequila shots are the only shots Kelly’s interested in.
It’s no surprise that shortly after that incident, Kelly was let go from her venture with Positive Beverage, a sparkling water company that she invested in and promoted heavily on RHOC. I mean let’s be real, Kelly isn’t the poster child for positivity at this point. The company released a statement saying, “it has been clear over the past few months that Kelly’s controversial views and opinions have distracted from our primary objective”. Kelly seemingly brushed it off in a Twitter post stating her well wishes to the company and is excited for her next venture into the beauty space. Let’s hope whatever beauty products she comes up with work on the inside.
I’m glad I could help put Positive Beverage on the map and wish them well. I’m also really excited about my next venture in the beauty industry, which is my real passion. Stay tuned!
— Kelly Dodd (@RHOC_KellyDodd) January 31, 2021
To add fuel to the fire, Bravo is reportedly not impressed with her outrageous behavior on the show and social media. Rumors have been swirling that Kelly will be fired from RHOC, and even Kelly herself is embracing the potential outcome. Over the weekend, Kelly’s IG bio was updated to “Proud veteran cast member of #RHOC”. Moreover, a source told E! that Kelly is “expecting to be fired from the show”. Regardless, she stands by her opinions and “feels the show is favoring the other ladies whilst being pushed out”.
Losing Friends
You would think that after her sponsors started dropping like flies, Kelly would at least try to make some friends in the industry. One friend she won’t have: Perez Hilton, who called her “so unlikeable” after she randomly attacked his appearance after he called her out on her B.S. The uncalled for comments are no surprise, as even her castmates couldn’t deal with Kelly’s toxicity. She was labeled as a racist and homophobe by Braunwyn Windham-Burke, and Tamra Judge also called for Kelly to be fired from RHOC after her racist remarks. Even Heather Dubrow stated she would only consider returning to RHOC if Dodd wasn’t part of the show. Without the support of many current and former RHOC ladies, Kelly has her work cut out for her if she wants to stay—which it seems like she doesn’t.
K*lly D*dd when someone else is having a nice moment on the reunion #RHOC pic.twitter.com/RFwrXwGQAA
— bravo by betches (@bravobybetches) January 28, 2021
To top it all off, Kelly started a feud with the one person you don’t want to piss off, at least if you’re a Bravolebrity: Andy Cohen. After mentioning he’s receiving copious amounts of messages about how she’s perceived as “uneducated, misinformed and behaving like a moron”, Kelly fired back, claiming Andy is viewed as “un-American” by the public because he doesn’t like Donald Trump. Uhm, last we checked, the majority of Americans didn’t like Trump, either. Besides, anyone who watches Bravo knows Andy Cohen is the boss, and you don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Losing Fans
After nine months of Kelly’s problematic behavior, and no public response from Bravo, to say fans are pissed is putting it lightly. They’ve labeled Kelly as “vile, narcissistic, and disgusting”, pressing the network to hold her accountable, and even boycotting RHOC’s recent season. And it doesn’t stop there. On top of boycotting the show, there have also been calls to boycott Uve Beauty in light of their new collaboration with the Bravo star. So far, the company hasn’t commented, but money talks, and maybe the brand will listen.
To sum this f*ckery all up, it’s been an almost unbelievably problematic year in the life of Kelly Dodd. While most Bravo stars are problematic in some regard, Kelly really goes above and beyond to be awful in just about every respect. And with no fans, no sponcon, no friends, and hopefully, no role on a national TV show, it seems like Kelly will fade into obscurity where she belongs.
Images: Tommy Garcia/Bravo; rhoc_kellydodd, bravobybetches / Twitter
At its peak, The Real Housewives of Orange County was a staple amongst Bravo fans. You had everything you could ask for in a Real Housewives franchise: real-life drama, lavish lifestyles, cancer scams, and a great group dynamic. However, this season is anything but great, and has been called the worst season in the show’s 15-year run. While COVID has put a strain on the production of many shows, anyone with Bravo access can see that COVID is not the reason this show has been on a downward spiral. With this season receiving negative reviews due to its controversial casting choices, cast members’ behavior on social media, and the lack of authenticity within the cast, Bravo fans are wondering what went wrong, and if the show can ever bounce back.
Kelly Dodd
Let’s just get this out of the way. Kelly Dodd is arguably one of the most controversial Housewives to date. This season, however, it was her social media behavior, rather than her on-camera antics, that landed her in hot water. Dodd has made numerous controversial choices in the past year, from calling COVID “God’s way of thinning out the herd”, to spreading misinformation about the virus, to even wearing a “Drunk Wives Matter” hat at her bridal shower. Some viewers have been so disgusted by her behavior that they boycotted the show this season.
Here’s the thing: this behavior is nothing new to Kelly. In 2016, before her first season on the show even aired, she proclaimed to TMZ (while drunk) that she does not like Black men. This statement alone should have gotten her fired a long time ago, yet Bravo decided to keep her on and it took years for her statement to resurface. Trust me, if I knew she said this years ago, I would’ve never watched the show while she was on it.
But let’s be real—a majority of people, including myself, liked Kelly on the show. She is incredibly blunt, has funny moments, and knows how to keep conversations going. She is good television. But when and where do we draw the line? Kelly thinks the reason for her downfall among some Bravo viewers is because they want to “censor” her, and that people refuse to separate politics from television. That’s not the case. If conservative politics were a dealbreaker when it comes to watching Real Housewives, the Orange County, Dallas, and New Jersey installments would be obsolete from our minds. See Kelly, we do not care about your politics, it’s your behavior and your continued bigotry that is turning people off from watching the show.
I mean, in a preview for the conclusion of the Season 15 reunion, Kelly rebuts the accusation that she is racist by proclaiming that she is Black. According to her 23andMe results, shared via Instagram, she is 2.3% African. Kelly, that does not make you Black, and even if you were 30% African, you have lived your life as white-passing—or at most, racially ambiguous—and you’ve benefited from that. Apologizing for your continuous derogatory behavior does not make up for the fact that you continue to use horrific and prejudiced rhetoric on an almost daily basis. God forbid, but if Bravo decides to keep Kelly on the show after everything she’s done, I do not want them hiring a Black woman or a woman of color for the sole purpose of “explaining” to Kelly what she has done wrong and how she can “fix it”. It is not the responsibility of Black women or women of color to save the images of controversial individuals. She needs to be held accountable for her behavior, whether that means firing her, a severe pay cut and demotion, or making her donate her entire salary to the marginalized communities that she continues to purposely offend.
Connections: You Need Them
Speaking of casting, one of the reasons why this season fell flat is because the cast lacks genuine connections with one another. The reason why we love The Real Housewives is because of the real friendships and bonds the women have with one another. This is a big reason why installments like Potomac, New York, and New Jersey have had successful multiple-season runs with barely any cast changes. When you throw a group of people together with nothing in common but the same zip code, you are setting yourself up for a sh*t show. This cast of ladies would probably never hang out with each other if there weren’t cameras around. Chemistry is what makes any television show amazing. It’s what made seasons 10-11 of RHOC amazing, and the lack of chemistry is what has made the show unbearable since season 12. With that being said, to bring this type of “organic” connection to RHOC, there has to be a major cast shake-up.
Bring Back Vets
First of all, getting rid of Heather Dubrow was a BIG mistake. HUGE. She was rich, blunt, and had a genuine connection with the cast. Yes, she was a bit pompous and it was hard to watch her at times, but the show needs someone who is a little bit snobby. Someone who will get the group all the way together in an effortless fashion. Someone who has the over-the-top lifestyle that RHOC once represented. I also think it’s time to bring Tamra Judge back. Yes I know, Tamra was not always a fan favorite, but she knows how to keep the momentum going by stirring the pot, and she isn’t a bigot. Seriously, the bar is so low with the RHOC that ANYONE who is not a bigot would be a good casting choice for this show. Bring back these two and maybe throw in a newbie, and I think the show will finally be back on the right track.
Who Needs To Go
We need to make room for people that would actually contribute to the success of the show, and that means some of these ladies should get the axe. First, get rid of Emily. She seems to have a more dominating presence on social media, but this is not The Real Housewives of Twitter, so unfortunately her time is up. Also, her viewpoints at times align with Kelly’s, and to be honest, I do not need any more of that on my TV screen. At least Kelly is somewhat interesting. Emily is not. The jury is still out when it comes to newbie Elizabeth Vargas, as she seems to have an interesting relationship with the ladies, so maybe she should come back for one more season.
Braunwyn
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Braunwyn helped carry this season without a doubt. I’ll give her that. She talked about Gina’s home being too small, accused Elizabeth of consistently lying about her whole life, and her relationship with her husband Sean is… interesting. I do think that Braunwyn has a tendency to embellish and she can be hypocritical at times. The staged paparazzi shots and her allegedly offering drugs to Shannon’s teenage daughter aren’t helping her case, either. However, I don’t see Bravo getting rid of her anytime soon, mainly because she has the most interesting storyline out of all the ladies. So, the most I can ask of Braunwyn is to genuinely be herself and to stop giving us what she thinks will be “good reality TV”. Also, we NEED to hear more about how her kids and her husband Sean truly feel about this new stage in her life.
Social Issues
Obviously, with the Black Lives Matter movement reaching millions in 2020, the conversation about politics is bound to come up on some of these shows. Here’s the thing, as a Southern California native, I am painfully aware of how conservative Orange County, and Newport Beach in particular, can be. Yes, when we watch The Real Housewives, many of us are looking for an escape. We want to see wealthy women argue over frivolous things—it can be hilarious and, in some weird, sick way, therapeutic. We aren’t tuning in every week to see these women discuss politics. However, there is a clear line between what is political and what is about basic human rights. Trying to politicize human rights is a fault of your own. That is when watching RHOC can get a tad uncomfortable, mainly because some of the cast members, notably Kelly Dodd, have made these conversations political. When she does this, it comes off like she is in fact a bigot. We do not want to watch bigots on television.
Let me also make myself clear: just because I am a progressive leftist does not mean I align bigotry with everyone that has conservative values. It just so happens that a majority of the conservative cast members on this show tend to use egregious rhetoric in conversations surrounding social issues. I, without a doubt, commend Braunwyn, one of the only two liberal cast members on the show, for attempting to have a conversation about social injustices with the ladies, knowing that a majority of the cast is conservative. Whether her intention was genuine, to stir the pot, or even performative, having conversations about serious topics can be intimidating. However, it is not the responsibility of Braunwyn or any other woman (especially Black women and WOC) to explain racial injustice to these women. Bravo prides itself on being a network that is not only inclusive, but also a network that does not tolerate divisiveness. We saw this with the firings with some of the Vanderpump Rules cast members. However, it seems to me that Bravo is picking and choosing who they feel meets this standard of discrimination. If they do decide to keep the cast as-is, especially Kelly Dodd, then there is no one else to blame but Bravo for the fall of what was once one of the most-watched installments across the Real Housewives franchise.
Images: Tommy Garcia/Yavir Ramawtar/Bravo; Giphy; bravobybetches / Instagram
As we’re all very aware, this is not a normal summer. As we do our part to minimize the spread of coronavirus, that means the majority of travel plans are not really an option right now. Depending on the situation where you live, you can hopefully plan some COVID-friendly weekend getaways—provided you follow state quarantine guidelines—but with a U.S. passport not worth the paper it’s printed on, your big international trip just isn’t happening this year.
We’ve all had to make massive adjustments this year, but if the hellscape of 2020 has proved anything, it’s that celebrities are not just like us. In March and April, most celebs were staying home like the rest of us, making cringeworthy PSA videos and entertaining us with concerts on Instagram Live. But nearly six months into the pandemic, celebrity behavior is a very mixed bag. While some are still hunkering down, others are a little too determined to get back to their normal lives.
While celebrities’ access to things like private planes and rapid test results certainly makes it easier for them to travel, there’s no way to fly around 100% safely right now. And beyond whatever risks these people are taking for themselves, they’re also setting a sh*tty example for their many followers. I don’t expect every celebrity to be a beacon of good judgment, but come on.
Dua Lipa & Anwar Hadid
I’m a huge fan of Dua Lipa personally, which is why I’ve been especially annoyed watching her fly around the world this summer. She and boyfriend Anwar Hadid have been together this whole time, starting with a few months of actual isolation at her home in London. They celebrated her album release and their one-year anniversary in quarantine, and were doing so well! But then at the beginning of July, Dua and Anwar flew to the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia for vacation. Dua captioned her first vacation post “island isolation,” so hopefully they were actually isolated while there, but they still went on vacation.
By mid-July, Dua and Anwar were in New York City, where they were photographed out and about numerous times—usually wearing masks, but not always. While on the east coast, the couple also spent time at Yolanda Hadid’s house in Pennsylvania, where they saw Bella and a very pregnant Gigi Hadid. Since the end of last month, they’ve been in LA, and they haven’t exactly been isolating. Dua posted a photo hanging out (indoors, no masks) with Miley Cyrus, and last week she celebrated her 25th birthday with a party. Dua!! Stop that!!
Rita Ora
Much like Dua Lipa, British singer Rita Ora spent the first few months of lockdown more or less in actual lockdown. She rented a house in the Cotswolds (major The Holiday vibes), and other than some bikini pics in nature, it didn’t seem like she was doing much. But just like Dua Lipa, she got bored of isolation sometime in June, and by the beginning of July, she was on vacation in Paris. Since then, she’s spent time at home in London, and more recently, she’s been on back-to-back holidays in Ibiza and Greece. I know the COVID travel situation is slightly different in Europe currently than in the U.S., but maybe this summer would be a good time to limit yourself to like, one beach vacation? Also, I know there’s more to do in Ibiza than just clubbing, but is it really worth it to go when the clubs aren’t even open?
Timothée Chalamet
Timothée Chalamet and Eiza Gonzalez vacationing in Mexico in the midst of a global pandemic! pic.twitter.com/JAAlvKAHsJ
— Timothée Chalamet Fans (@TimotheeUpdates) June 23, 2020
Timmy keeps a pretty low profile on social media, but paparazzi and fan photos have provided us with sporadic updates on his ever-changing pandemic whereabouts. He’s spent most of the last six months in New York, but in June, his trip to Mexico was major tabloid news. That’s mainly because he was spotted at a resort in Cabo getting close with Eiza González, the first time they were seen together. Earlier this month, he flew from the U.S. to Hungary, where postponed reshoots on the upcoming Dune movie were allowed to go forward. Americans still face strict restrictions when traveling to European countries including Hungary, but judging from the timeline here, it doesn’t appear Timothée quarantined for 14 days.
Kanye West
Kanye West has been in the news a lot this summer, but I’m surprised his traveling hasn’t gotten more attention. Last month, Kanye tweeted that he was running for President, and then made headlines for some questionable comments made at a rally in South Carolina. Kanye’s comments about Harriet Tubman and abortion raised a lot of eyebrows, but also… why was he in South Carolina? He doesn’t live there, and in terms of his Presidential campaign, he didn’t even meet requirements to be listed on the ballot there. He hasn’t hosted any more campaign rallies since then, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been traveling.
In the past month or so, Kanye has spent a lot of time at his ranch in Wyoming, where Kim flew to visit him from LA at the end of July (the whole family also went to Wyoming on a separate trip earlier this summer). But rather than just staying in Wyoming, the whole family went on vacation earlier this month, with E! News reporting that they spent time in an undisclosed tropical location. Again, I know these people fly private everywhere and probably have unlimited access to testing, but it’s still not a great look.
Kelly Dodd
A number of Real Housewives and Bravolebrities have exhibited some questionable judgment during the pandemic, but RHOC’s Kelly Dodd has undoubtedly been the worst of the bunch. Early in the pandemic, when New York was the global epicenter, she flew back and forth between NYC and California to spend time with her fiancé, Fox News host Rick Leventhal. At the time, she received major backlash for comments on Instagram about coronavirus being “God’s way of thinning the herd,” and her subsequent terrible takes on Black Lives Matter didn’t help her reputation in the Bravo community.
This summer, Kelly has been all over the place, taking a family vacation to Florida in June, and a trip to Mexico last week, in addition to traveling between New York and California. Earlier this summer, RHOC resumed filming for their 15th season, and despite half the cast contracting COVID-19, and their cast trip being cut short, Kelly somehow avoided getting sick. Kelly has posted about getting tested numerous times, at least, but it doesn’t make the traveling itself any less risky.
Bachelor Contestants
When comparing reality TV stars’ responses to the pandemic, Bachelor Nation manages to make the Real Housewives look like responsible members of society. The days of Tyler, Hannah, and Matt James at the quarantine house are long gone (and that was questionable to begin with, tbh). Since leaving that overcrowded house in Florida months ago, Hannah Brown has spent time at home in Alabama, and is now living in California.
Madison Prewett has also hopped around quite a bit. She spent the first few months with her family in Alabama, before heading to Atlanta for a couple weeks in June, where she hung out with fellow Bachelor alums (mask-free, naturally). In early July, she was in Los Angeles, where she hung out with Hannah Ann, before heading to Nashville by the end of the month (and maybe also back to Alabama, it’s honestly hard to keep track). Now, she’s back in LA, and she just had her hair done by the same woman who gives frightening extensions to the likes of Amanda Stanton, Corinne Olympios, and Kim Zolciak Biermann.
I try not to keep tabs on too many Bachelor Nation people for fear that I will actually lose my mind, but suffice it to say that Hannah and Madi are not the only two Bachelor alums that have been a few too many places this summer.
Justin Bieber
Justin and Hailey started out their quarantine at their lake house in Canada, which is kind of the perfect place to be isolated for a while. But, like everyone else on this list, the whole “quarantine” thing pretty much lost meaning after a few months, and the Biebers have done quite a bit of traveling since then. For much of the summer, they’ve road tripped in an RV together, which is better than flying, but it’s not like they’ve been isolated on their travels. They went to Chicago, where they hung out with Chance the Rapper, they’ve had people on their boat, and recently, Justin has posted pictures from multiple different group dinners. Overall, Justin and Hailey aren’t the worst on this list, but they’re also doing more than they need to be.
In general, it’s frustrating that people with influence are so blatantly flaunting their privilege at a time when people are losing loved ones to COVID and struggling from the economic impacts of the pandemic. There’s no such thing as risk-free travel right now, and these people are taking those risks a little too lightly.
Images: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com; dualipa, ritaora, kellyddodd, madiprew, hairby_chrissy, justinbieber / Instagram; TimotheeUpdates / Twitter
If you’ve been watching Bravo shows like Real Housewives and Vanderpump Rules for years, you’ve probably come to terms with the fact that not all the cast members are great people. But usually that’s in the context of the show. It’s entertaining to watch someone be a nightmare on a group trip, but when that same person starts spouting ignorant nonsense on social media, it’s no longer fun.
A lot of Bravolebrities usually keep their views on real world events pretty quiet, but in the last week, pretty much everyone has posted in support of the Justice For George Floyd campaign, at the very least. And while some Bravolebrities have had amazing, inspirational responses to the current situation, some have really f*cked it up. Here are some of the Bravolebrity responses to what’s going on in the world right now, from the uplifting to the problematic.
Porsha Williams
Porsha Williams is the granddaughter of civil rights leader Hosea Williams, and she’s done his legacy proud over the last week. Last week, she peacefully protested in Atlanta with RHOA costar Shamea Morton, and spoke to a local news network about the need for justice. In the powerful clip, Porsha said “I may be well-known, but I am here to be a voice for the voiceless,” and demanded justice for George Floyd and greater change in black communities. Porsha has come a long way since the days when she thought the Underground Railroad was an actual train.
Monique Samuels
I swear the media is doing THEE MOST race baiting! If it wasn’t for social media, we wouldn’t have seen the peaceful protestors at all! Watch the news and it’s all violence and looting by people who are clearly not a part of the cause! Am I the only one seeing this? Frustrating!
— Monique Samuels (@iammrssamuels) June 1, 2020
Monique has been very active on Twitter over the past week, sharing her own thoughts as well as retweeting a lot of information and insightful commentary. She also brought attention to the elections happening in many states on Tuesday, which is important, because state and local elections have a direct effect on a lot of the issues at hand here.
Kelly Bensimon
To put it simply, Kelly Bensimon has been a disaster on social media this week. Multiple times, she’s posted something offensive or inaccurate, gotten called out, deleted the post, made a confusing apology, and then put up another offensive or inaccurate post. We’re all learning, and it’s okay to make honest mistakes, but Kelly’s posts just feel reckless and tone-deaf.
In this tweet from Monday, she shared a photo of peaceful protestors blocking a highway, claiming that it was a scene from the Hamptons in real time. She called for an end to the protests and loitering (lol, she meant looting), ignoring the whole reason why the protests are occurring. On top of that, this isn’t the Hamptons, it’s Connecticut, and the photo was from Sunday, not Monday.
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Despite making some bizarre apologies, Kelly obviously still doesn’t get it. On Thursday morning, she tweeted this graphic attempting to explain white privilege. In the tweet, Kelly called herself a “victim of how white privilege sounds” (not a thing), and also used a Blue Lives Matter hashtag. Kelly says that she’s learning, but any white person who thinks now is the time to call themselves a victim clearly hasn’t learned enough.
I’m a victim of how white privilege sounds. See below to help change the way we speak. #BlueLivesMatters pic.twitter.com/Edyx9wdtcr
— Kelly K. Bensimon (@kellybensimon) June 4, 2020
Kelly also doesn’t seem to understand the reasons Black Lives Matter exists and why it’s problematic to swap out “Black” with other words. Over the weekend, she posted an “All Lives Matter” tweet, which she later deleted. She’s apologized for the “verbiage mix up“, and has used #BlackLivesMatter in many subsequent posts. But then, today, she’s talking about Blue Lives all of a sudden? Yeah, no.
Braunwyn Windham-Burke
The Real Housewives of Orange County is one of the more conservative casts on Bravo, so Braunwyn’s recent behavior has been a breath of fresh air compared to that of her costars. Braunwyn has joined peaceful protests multiple days this week, and even brought some of her children to a protest on Wednesday. She isn’t afraid to speak out, and her sign in this photo is really great: “There is a name for white people in OC who protest their ‘right to a haircut’ but stay silent when black lives are murdered: RACIST.” Damn.
Kelly Dodd
Speaking of Braunwyn’s RHOC costars, this has been a trying time to follow Kelly Dodd on Instagram. She’s spent the last few months flying back and forth between New York and California, downplaying the danger of COVID-19, and even calling it “God’s way of thinning the herd.” Unsurprisingly, she’s been similarly problematic over the past week. In one Instagram story (which got deleted), she called protestors “animals” committing “terrorism on our land,” and opined that they don’t have problems like this in England (false, btw). Her words were completely disgusting, and though she’s pivoted to saying Black Lives Matter on social media, it’s hard to believe that’s anything more than a PR move.
Eva Marcille
Eva has been one of the most active Housewives on Instagram this week, posting informational videos, voting PSAs, and inspirational messages daily. Her profile has become a valuable platform for updates, including multiple posts bringing awareness to fake protestors breaking windows and looting just to cause chaos. Eva isn’t taking any of this lightly, and her dedication to this cause has really been amazing to see.
Katie Maloney-Schwartz
More than most in the Bravo community, Katie seems to understand and accept the work that it takes to educate yourself and be a good ally. In addition to posting several times in support of Black Lives Matter, she’s also used her platform to spotlight black-owned businesses, anti-racist literature, and a Google Doc with hundreds of resources dedicated to dismantling systemic racism. Katie showed a hint of this understanding on this season of VPR when she called out the police prank as problematic, and she’s backing that up with action.
Taylor Armstrong
What is happening now has nothing to do with the tragic death of George Floyd – criminal looting is stealing – our businesses hurt by COVID don’t deserve this!!! You are blessed to live in the USA. Leave our small businesses alone!
— Taylor Armstrong (@TaylorArmstrong) June 3, 2020
Taylor Armstrong is the kind of person who makes me want to stay off of Twitter right now. While she’s repeatedly condemned the murder of George Floyd, she doesn’t seem to get the larger issue here. She’s tweeted many times about looting and the effect on small businesses, and yesterday she added that the protestors are “blessed to live in the USA.” Really? I’m sure I can think of plenty of people who don’t feel blessed to live in a country that has systematically oppressed them for centuries, and to even suggest that is incredibly tone-deaf.
In another tweet, Taylor suggested that, because she is part Native American, she understands “heritage issues.” I don’t really know what she means by that, but I’m going to stop thinking about it before I get any more angry.
Candiace Dillard Bassett
In a powerful Twitter thread from last week, RHOP’s Candiace Dillard challenged non-Black allies to do better, saying that “the oppressed cannot drive out oppression on our own.” She called out those she works with, saying, “I’m disappointed that amongst my white colleagues, who have no problem using their platforms to promote their businesses, their clothing lines, their restaurants and everything in between, there has been virtual silence.” In the week since Candiace posted this, many more people have shown their support and joined the conversation, but this is an important message to remember even when Black Lives Matter isn’t trending. Being an ally is a 24/7 job, not just when there’s a hashtag to share.
Gizelle Bryant
RHOP’s Gizelle Bryant has been outspoken on social media, and on Tuesday, she posted that she brought her daughters to a protest. She specified that her daughters did the research to find the protest, made their own signs, and wanted to be the first ones there, which makes my heart so warm. The children, they really are the future.
Ramona Singer
If you’ve watched even one episode of RHONY, you probably know that Ramona Singer is a piece of work, and her behavior this week has been… frustrating. After saying nothing over the weekend, her first comment on the current situation was in the form of an “all lives matter” comment. Oof. She was called out by many, including castmate Leah McSweeney, and deleted the comment. Since then, she’s posted a couple times, and said Black Lives Matter, but she’s been quiet since her Blackout Tuesday post. It seems like Ramona got the message about not saying All Lives Matter, but I’m not convinced she actually cares, or plans to do anything more meaningful. Not necessarily surprising, but it’s too bad.
The majority of the Bravolebrities haven’t been problematic this week, but he’s be honest, our expectations for them are pretty low. It’s good that only a handful have been out here spreading bullsh*t, but the vast majority of them could still do way more. These are just some of the best and worst examples, but if you want a more in-depth list of each Housewife’s posts, writer Tracie Morrissey has meticulously catalogued them in her Instagram Story highlights.
Images: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com; itstanyatime, bravobybetches, braunwynwindhamburke, musickillskate, candeegal09, ramonasinger, evamarcille, gizellebryant / Instagram; kellybensimon, taylorarmstrong, iammrssamuels / Twitter
As any Bravo fan knows, it was major news earlier this year when Vicki Gunvalson, the ultimate OG of the Real Housewives franchise, was demoted to a recurring cast member after 13 seasons. This season has been up and down for her, with some episodes revolving around her, and others cutting her out completely. While she hasn’t been a consistent presence on camera during season 14, though, she’s still stirring up plenty of drama.
On last week’s episode of the show, all of the ladies came together to celebrate Vicki’s birthday. All of the ladies, that is, with the exception of Kelly Dodd. Kelly and Vicki have had issues for years, but their road has been especially bumpy this year. Kelly has repeatedly accused Vicki of spreading malicious rumors about her, including a particularly salacious one about a sex train. But earlier this season, it seemed like these two had finally made a breakthrough when they made up on a trip to Arizona. Yeah, that clearly didn’t last. When Kelly declined to attend Vicki’s birthday, she told Tamra that the only celebration of Vicki she’d attend is her funeral. Vicki obviously wasn’t thrilled when she found out about this comment, but there’s something coming up later this season that really set her off.
Last week, Vicki filed a lawsuit against Kelly Dodd, Bravo TV, and Evolution Media (RHOC’s production company), claiming that Kelly said things while filming the show that could damage her reputation and career. The suit alleges that, on a trip to Key West, Kelly Dodd made three damaging comments about Vicki’s life insurance business, and demands that the producers cut those comments from the upcoming episode.
In the trailer for the full season, we can hear Kelly call Vicki “a con woman,” and the other comments mentioned in the suit include an accusation of “prey on older people” and “engag in fraud.” Basically, it sounds like Kelly probably gets wasted in Key West, and throws out some accusations at Vicki, in her true messy queen way. I get why Vicki would have an issue with a fraud allegation, but this is really not that out of character for Kelly.
The best part about the lawsuit is that Vicki filed it anonymously, so she’s identified in the legal documents as “Jane Roe.” This is pretty hilarious, considering that, according to TMZ, the suit refers to Jane Roe as “a TV personality on ‘RHOC’ who is also a retirement planning specialist and prez of an insurance and financial services company.” Like…Vicki…that ain’t anonymous. There are literally only seven women on the show, and she’s the only one who runs an insurance company.
But earlier this week, it was reported that Vicki had dropped her lawsuit against Kelly and the producers. According to a People source, “She has spoken to the producers and has resolved the issues amicably,” which sounds like a nice way of saying that she realized this wasn’t going to end well for her if she went through with it. With her demotion this season, Vicki is already in a precarious position on the show, and suing the people who sign your paychecks probably isn’t the best way to get back in their good graces. Also, Vicki’s insurance business is not going to be crippled by one drunken accusation from Kelly Dodd, especially when Vicki has spent four seasons antagonizing Kelly.
There are still several weeks left in this season of RHOC, and I have a feeling it’s going to be an exciting finish. Obviously, we have the Key West drama with Kelly and Vicki to look forward to, but that’s not it. This week, the show set up for a major showdown between on-and-off BFFs Shannon and Tamra, and everyone in the cast has really been bringing it this season. Bless these messy women.
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Kelly Dodd is saving The Real Housewives of Orange County from extinction. There, I said it. This may be considered a hot take, but I warned you (and the title should have, too). Is she incredibly polarizing? Yes, but only when provoked. Over the years, we have seen her lash out and say things she later regrets, but we have also seen her be an incredibly loyal friend and a great mom to her daughter, Jolie.
We first met Kelly when we were coming out of a season that was filled with cancer scams and victim mentalities. And in my opinion, RHOC had become stale. There wasn’t a stable cast, Vicki was still the queen bee, and Tamra—who was always the one we could trust to stir sh*t up—became a born-again Christian. RHOC became something I put on in the background while I sat on my phone and played Candy Crush. But when Kelly Dodd came in with her bold red lip (it is a MAC lipstick called Lady Danger, for those wondering) and dirty dad jokes, I knew we had something good.
New Housewives usually come in either too nice and trying to befriend everyone, or they’re boring and are what I call “one and dones.” But not Kelly. At first, she quickly befriended Vicki, which was a bold move considering Vicki had isolated herself from the rest of the ladies by kind of participating in a cancer scam. But Vicki was the only one (except Meghan King Edmonds) who was open to meeting a new friend. And then, not even five episodes into her first season, she screamed at Shannon Beador and called her “Mrs. Roper,” and I remember pausing it in total shock that a new Housewife would come in so hot. Guys, I was hooked. I hadn’t seen this kind of energy from a newbie in a long time. And she wasn’t afraid to defend herself against a fan favorite.
Kelly just brings a new and sometimes chaotic energy to RHOC. She kind of has a Ramona Singer-esque quality about her that I just can’t quit. She says outlandish, sometimes hurtful things, then apologizes, and I can’t stay mad at her. Bethenny always said that about Ramona: you just can’t stay mad at her, no matter what she does. And we all know Ramona has done some sh*t.
Kelly Dodd joined the cast married to Michael. We watched as she struggled with her marriage, and we saw how unhappy they both seemed to be. She tried to figure out if she wanted to get a divorce, and ultimately made the decision to split. I think I was as surprised as everyone else when we saw how easy she and Michael made it seem. Michael and Kelly both moved on, and were both OK. And that was a big juxtaposition from watching Shannon and her divorce. I loved seeing a woman make a really hard decision, but the right one for her and her family, then come out the other side loving life post-divorce. It wasn’t this scarlet letter or embarrassing failure some women on the show paint it out to be. Granted, everyone has a different situation, but nonetheless I really enjoyed it. It was refreshing.
I knew we had a legend on our hands last year, when Kelly took to Instagram live to film herself in the parking lot of an Orange Theory waiting for Heather Dubrow to leave, and Heather wouldn’t stop talking and she didn’t want to walk in with her standing there. It was seriously iconic. Kelly and Heather butted heads Heather’s last season when Kelly called Shannon a c*nt, and in Ireland when Heather continuously called Kelly trash. I think one of the things that makes Kelly different from some of the other Housewives is she doesn’t intentionally hurt anyone. She simply reacts. Every time we have seen her lash out, it was because she was backed into a corner. Which TBH, we have all done.
All I can say to wrap this up is as soon as Kelly joined, I look forward to RHOC again. I can always look to her for drama, fashion, and her “I don’t give a f*ck” attitude. Also, with Vicki’s demotion to “friend of,” that makes room for a new leader. And that is Kelly Dodd.
Images: Shutterstock; Giphy (2)
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Earlier this week, The Real Housewives of Orange County’s 14th season premiered. It was pretty much what everyone expected, relatively entertaining and slow. But what happened offscreen was anything but slow. Housewives Tamra Judge and Kelly Dodd got into an explosive Twitter war on Tuesday night, and it did not disappoint.
If you know anything about Tamra Judge and Kelly Dodd, you know they are both ruthless and cutting. These two have only really ever gotten along when they were both attacking the same person. They find common ground in hatred. But normally, they are at odds and both incredibly alpha. Also, it is rumored that Tamra feels that if Kelly had her way, she would be demoted just like fellow costar and the OG of the OC, Vicki Gunvalson (RIP Vicki).
Tamra and Kelly have been feuding off-camera since they finished filming the new season, and that means they’re always taking it to Twitter or Instagram to sound off on what the other might be saying in their testimonials.
This specific feud began when, during the premiere, Tamra was showing off her new house and in my opinion, was just really happy about her new home. Kelly fired off a tweet that started it all, saying “Living in Coto you’re rich!! Lmfao who says that?? Coto is in the sticks!”
And if you have been watching RHOC, you know that Tamra is not a doormat by any means, and will not just take things lying down. So naturally, she attacked.
These two are legends when it comes to fighting and taking low blows. Truly, no one does it like Tamra Judge and Kelly Dodd, which is why this feud is instantly iconic, and honestly I never want it to end. What can I say? I am a messy bitch who lives for drama.
After Tamra said, “Let’s compare income? If it bothers you that much,” she shot another brutal dig at Kelly: “I pay for my houses. I don’t date old men for money,” and Kelly’s response sent me screaming.
Really, “take ur own cbd & relax” is one of the best insults I’ve ever heard.
This fight went on for several hours, and they weren’t just replying to each other, but to fans who were chiming in as well. Ultimately, this all resulted in Tamra deleting her tweets, per the advice of Bravo executives. The producers tend to not like when the housewives get too messy while the season is airing.
Season 14 of RHOC is just starting, so there should be plenty more drama between Tamra Judge and Kelly Dodd. It should be pretty interesting to see what this season has to offer us, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the women interact without Vicki holding an orange.
Images: Bravo; RHOC_KellyDodd, tamrabarney / Twitter
Guys, RHOC is finally back on August 6th! For those of you that do not have absolute trash taste in television, RHOC is Real Housewives of Orange County, aka the franchise that started it all. For what it’s worth, I am still absolutely beyond livid that OG of the OC, Vicki Gunvalson, was demoted to a friend, but I will still watch. It seems like the ladies of OC have been busy, with Gina getting a DUI (she is the worst, why is she still on the show?), and ex-Housewife child Alexa Curtin getting arrested for drug possession. A lot has gone on in the THIRTEEN YEARS the OC ladies have graced our televisions. Seriously, the early episodes somehow look like they were shot in the 80’s compared to now. I don’t get how that happens. I was in high school when this show came out and I don’t remember TV looking so bad? But anyway, nothing has changed more than the Housewives’ faces. It’s not really that surprising, considering that in Orange County, plastic surgery is a necessary chore, like going to the gym or the grocery store. Everyone uses the same two surgeons and it’s all very, very creepy. Vicki alone has had three full face swaps. Let’s take a look at the current cast’s face from their first episode until now.
Tamra Judge
Tamra Judge started out in season 3 as Tamra Barney, and she was a sad, pathetic woman that followed around her gross, controlling husband. Thankfully she’s definitely had a personality glow-up with the new face (seriously, that season 3 pic is UNRECOGNIZABLE) and is now super strong mentally and physically (since she owns a gym). She definitely had her face frozen via Botox, possibly her chin shaved down (OUCH), definitely got some veneers, but it seems like she kept her original nose! What a rarity in OC.
Shannon Beador
Shannon Beador entered our lives in season 9 as a super thin, insanely rich resident psycho who wouldn’t have Wifi in the house because she believed it causes cancer. Since then, she’s gained and lost some weight, most noticably 180 lbs of douchebag cheating husband. I live for Shannon Beador and her use of everyone’s first and last names. Face-wise, she looks completely different, but it looks like a standard frozen face/lip injections/Botox kind of deal, plus basic aging and weight change.
Kelly Dodd
Is there anyone messier than Kelly Dodd? Kelly looks like she had a lot of work done before the show, so her face hasn’t changed that much in the years since. She’s always had a kind of Michael Jackson nose, filler-lip sort of look to her. Plus, she was dating a plastic surgeon. I always had mixed feelings about Kelly. On the one hand, I hate her. But on the other hand, with Gina and Emily back on the show, I’m grateful for her presence because who else is going to fuel the drama for us to watch?
Gina Kirschenheiter
I dislike Gina so much, I can’t stand it. She is just such a bummer of a person. First of all, she belongs on RHONJ if anything, and let’s be real, she’s way too dull for that show. She spent the entire last season crying about her marriage. Stay with him, leave him, shoot him, dammit Gina, I do not care. We do know now that Matt is allegedly abusive and was arrested for domestic violence right after season 14 filming ended, which I do feel horrible about. But I still don’t think I should have to watch her on TV. Also, she recently got a DUI. Is she trying to audition for Celeste on Big Little Lies? Get. It. Together. She’s only been on the show a few seasons, but honestly, she doesn’t look like EITHER of these pictures IRL. She did kind of go from 30-something with a lot of makeup on to aging evil stepmother, though?
Emily Simpson
Emily is another one that I audibly groaned when she was announced back on the season 14 roster. She is just so boring. In sorority recruitment, we’d call her “vanilla”. Meaning, she’s nice but there is literally nothing else you can say about her. There was no room for vanilla in my sorority, and there should be no room for vanilla on my reality TV. Since she was only added last year, there isn’t a major difference to her face, except her cheeks look puffier this year, which could be from fillers. When people start getting cheeks that look like full circles, I get suspicious.
Honorable Mention: Vicki F*cking Gunvalson
Although Vicki was demoted this year, I refuse to accept it and I’m including her anyway. Also, she has had SO MANY FACES, which she openly admits to. Vicki started season 1 as this super religious parent and it took quite a few years before we discovered that Vicki really cheated on her husband a bunch (hey, he cheated too!), and lived a crazy, secret life. It was awesome TV. This woman has brought us so much insane drama, I can’t believe having her around is even questioned. I do have to say, even with three new faces, Vicki looks good this year. Remember that one season where her hair was a mess and she was sweaty literally every episode of the entire season? She said she thought she could do her own hair, and turns out, no she cannot (#relatable). She’s at least improved upon that. Let’s hope she’s invited back into her RIGHTFUL PLACE for next year!
Images: Giphy; Bravo (12)
