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Who knew that prim little Sutton Stracke was such a party animal? On August 7, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star admitted that she “did mushrooms” before attending the American Ballet Theatre Gala in NYC in June. Even though Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Cynthia Bailey was there, she feigned shock at her friend’s revelation, shouting, “What?!”
When the interviewer asked, “You’re rolling joints and doing mushrooms now?,” Sutton responded, “Yes, I’m cool.”
But the best part of the story is that rock star Mick Jagger and his rumored fiancée Melanie Hamrick came up to the Bravolebrities and started dancing with them. At the time, sources confirmed that the Rolling Stone frontman and his partner were, in fact, getting down on the dance floor. God bless him, he’s 80 and getting it on the dance floor! Page Six has the details.
Apparently, Mick had so much fun with the pair that he invited them to his 80th birthday party in London. A few days later, Cynthia received an invitation and asked if she could bring Sutton as her plus one. So in July, the two friends boarded a PJ and jetted off to the UK.
At the party, Cynthia couldn’t resist snapping a selfie with Sir Michael Phillip Jagger. Who wouldn’t?
“His eyes are closed, it’s blurry, but of course, we post it because it’s Mick Jagger,” the former model said, admitting that she is a “social media whore.”
Mick had such a good time celebrating that he needed help getting to his ride home. He was photographed being assisted to his car. As always, his emerald green suit over a polka-dot silk shirt was accessorized by his trademark huge grin.
In addition to Sutton and Cynthia, several other celebs also attended the star-studded event. The guest list included Mick’s ex-wife Jerry Hall, daughter Georgia May Jagger, Lenny Kravitz, Angelica Huston, Baz Luhrmann, and Leonardo DiCaprio, among others.
TELL US – DID YOU KNOW SUTTON WAS SUCH A PARTIER? ARE YOU SHOCKED BY HER MUSHROOMS STORY?
Kim Kardashian is taking on another humanitarian crisis. And one that is close to her heart as it involves Armenia, her family’s country of origin.
Little is being reported about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The countries have a history of conflict and cold-war like feel hostilities. In 2020, the latter country attacked the Armenian population in Artsakh, a province recognized as part of Azerbaijan. The Armenian people do not recognize any official end to that conflict as their army has been continually under attack.
Now, with supposed anti-Armenian hostilities, the star of The Kardashians is using her platform to prevent further suffering of her people. And she is calling on U.S. President Joe Biden to make a stand.
More needed than just “thoughts, prayers, or concern”
Kim and Dr. Eric Esrailan penned an article about the conflict for Rolling Stone, both of the authors are of Armenian descent.
According to their statement, “Azerbaijan has blockaded the only lifeline between the indigenous Christian Armenians of Artsakh (also known as Nagorno-Karabakh) and the rest of the world.”
The people in this region, “have been dependent on the transport of food, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid through the Lachin Corridor.”
Yet the war in Ukraine shifted the dynamics in the region. Oil rich Azerbaijan became a favorable trade partner over Russia. And “this reliance has emboldened the autocratic Azeri government to use starvation as a weapon against the Armenian population in the region.”
Kim stated that more is needed than just, “thoughts, prayers, or concern.”
Kim is concerned over the implementation of, “Armenophobic policies have been designed and widely promoted by the Azeri government and others.”
This includes, “blocking human rights groups, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the hateful rhetoric accompanying the blockade” of the Artsakh region.
A call for sanctions
The reality TV mogul is asking for sanctions to be implemented against Azerbaijan. She wrote, “the collective silence or inaction by individuals, governments, and governmental organizations like the United Nations and European Union has perpetuated the crisis.”
Finally, a statement appealing to those in positions of power to change policy. Kim concluded the piece by writing, “as citizens, we are appealing to leaders such as President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, and their colleagues to take a stand immediately. They must pressure Azerbaijan to open the corridor without preconditions.”
The Armenian Genocide of 1915 is still not recognized by the Azeri government.
TELL US – WERE YOU AWARE OF THIS CONFLICT? WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO KIM’S INVOLVEMENT? DO YOU HAVE ANY OPINIONS ON WHAT SHE WROTE? SHOULD BIDEN PUT SANCTIONS ON AZERBAIJAN?
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No one said sharing your life on reality TV would be easy, and Vanderpump Rules is no exception. The show about a close-knit group of friends just trying to make a name for themselves in Hollywood started back in 2013 and quickly became a sensation.
The hype was mainly due to the intense fighting and meltdowns that made the show a hit. With villains like Tom Sandoval, Jax Taylor, and Stassi Schroder, it was like watching a train crash that you couldn’t turn away from. However, over the years, the cast has mellowed out and turned over a few new leaves along the way.
James Kennedy
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James Kennedy has grown the tiniest of bits compared to others on this list. When the DJ shared he had stopped drinking “Pumptinis,” fans were impressed, since most of his issues were exacerbated by his intake of alcohol.
However, in Season 10, he shared he was back on it. But in a weird twist, James chose to open up more, which garnered him a bit more empathy and explained why he is the way he is. Sadly, James can still be ruthless when pushed, but hopefully, the English native will continue to work on himself. The break up with Rachel Leviss also seemed to clear his way and focus on his long-term goals.
Lala Kent
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Lala Kent came onto the scene as a young 21-year-old model from Salt Lake City who wasn’t scared to fight her way through the group. The mother of one often took low shots at her enemies and made poor decisions while under the influence.
However, now four years sober, Lala is a whole new woman. She can maintain close friendships and has also started her own company, Give Them Lala Beauty. Even though she is going through a bad breakup, she still puts her daughter, Ocean, first. Hell, Lala even gives out good advice now.
Katie Maloney
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For seasons upon seasons, Katie Maloney was the sidekick to Stassi and even Tom Schwartz at times. Her inability to believe she deserved better friends and a boyfriend hindered her growth. But finally, the Vanderpump Rules star did what we thought we would never see. Katie left her TomTom co-owner husband, and God, was it satisfying.
It goes without saying that leaving your husband, especially a Beta like Tom, takes a crap ton of personal growth and self-respect. Katie finally decided to put herself first, taking charge and totally changing her circumstances.
Kristen Doute
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Okay, hear us out—what Kristen Doute and Stassi did to Faith Stowers was unacceptable, and both deserved to be fired from the network. The move was immature, racist, and uneducated.
Since her firing, Kristen shared with the Hollywood Raw podcast that she “started listening because I was having conversations with a lot of my friends, specifically—to be honest—my black friends, and they told me to shut up and listen. And that’s exactly what i did.” Kristen shared that she had researched, read, and watched Ted Talks to understand what went wrong.
Crazy Kristen hopefully has learned a lot from her firing. The take-charge attitude shows major growth, and the star now uses her social media platform to advocate for equal rights and acceptance, using her platform to raise awareness and promote inclusivity.
Stassi Schroder
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While we hate to admit it, the resident mean girl has made major changes in her life. Even though she is no longer a current Vanderpump Rules star, Stassi has made it her goal to focus on her family, marriage, and children.
She has successful ventures, including her podcast, book, and traveling show. Stassi has also started speaking out about the toxicity of the Bravo show and how it was a boys’ club.
Jax Taylor
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Jax is back filming a new Bravo show, and it will be nice for viewers to see how he has matured. Before, Jax used to poop with the door open, bully co-stars, and cheat. Now, he has a happy and healthy marriage (go figure) and is a hands-on father. Jax is much more present in his life and has come a long way, from stealing sunglasses in Waikiki to running the stroller show at Disneyland.
TELL US – WHO HAS GROWN THE MOST ON VANDERPUMP RULES?
When Bravo filmed a little show about a group of women behind the gates in Orange County, they couldn’t have imagined what would happen. In 2016, the Real Housewives of Orange County premiered. That series is now deep into Season 17. Not only did Real Housewives become part of popular culture, but it spawned several franchises. The series introduced us to 10 new cities.
Andy Cohen has confirmed that there isn’t a Las Vegas franchise in Bravo’s future. Or any other city. The Watch What Happens Live host discussed the rumors on his radio show, Andy Cohen Live. “I mean, I think we’re good. We’re not developing any,” he stated.
I think that could be a problem for Bravo down the road. There seems to be a favorable response to the Real Housewives of New York City reboot. Meanwhile, several of the older franchises, like Real Housewives of Atlanta and RHOC, have struggled to retain viewers.
Meanwhile, Real Housewives of Dallas lasted for five seasons. According to TV Line, this franchise also saw plenty of backlash because of the allegedly racist behavior of some cast members. But low ratings for the season seemed to signal the end of the series.
While there are still plenty of cities to watch obsessively, losing a couple should call for adding some new cities.
Fans Love a New Location
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Real Housewives of Salt Lake City debuted in 2020. The snowy locale, icy friendships, and lingering hospital smell made the franchise an instant success. While some may have wondered why RHOSLC deserved a franchise, the answer was plenty of juicy drama. And an upcoming arrest courtesy of Jen Shah.
Viewers love to see housewives displaying their ridiculous wealth in gorgeous locations. And Salt Lake City had all of that. It was the snowy opposite of most of the other settings. So, Bravo could strike gold again by adding another city.
Meeting a New Cast
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Most Bravo viewers admit that they have great affection for their favorite housewives, past and present. So, trying to put together an amazing cast for a new city is no easy feat.
When Real Housewives of New York City hired an all-new cast for Season 14, it was a bold move. Many fans were disappointed, so Bravo came up with the RHONY: Legacy idea.
Still, viewers seem to be enjoying the new cast of RHONY. It felt fresh and invigorating. We got to know the cast members and their relationships from the jump. A new city would provide that to viewers again.
New City, New Drama
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With a new friend group comes plenty of brand-new opportunities for drama. Franchises that have been on for a long time often fall into a rut, repeating the same storylines over and over. For example, Teresa Giudice’s feud with Melissa Gorga on Real Housewives of New Jersey. It was essentially the same family fight, escalating with every season.
But getting in on the ground floor as feuds spring up feels like a nice change of pace. Give us some petty drama, like when Jessel Taank of the RHONY reboot shaded Tribeca as “up and coming,” and Erin Lichy almost lost her mind.
Expanding Real Housewives to a new city lets fans experience a whole new kind of drama.
Everyone Adores an International Location
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Andy announced that the Real Housewives of Dubai would be the first international franchise. There was intense blowback because Bravo selected a location that had a strict series of laws for members of the LGBTGQ+ community, as well as women.
While the show didn’t pull out amazing ratings in the beginning, it was renewed for a second season. The cast members lived opulent lifestyles that were like nothing previously seen on Real Housewives. Bravo could certainly add another international city to its roster.
With a new cast and a new city, the possibilities are endless.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK BRAVO SHOULD EXPAND REAL HOUSEWIVES TO MORE CITIES? IF SO, WHICH LOCATIONS?
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Throughout the impressive run of the Real Housewives franchise, there have been a few blah seasons that viewers shouldn’t waste their time on. Most of the series is jam-packed with betrayal, gossip, lawsuits, and sometimes even bonding moments. However, there have been a few awkward seasons that should stay in the vault.
It has become painfully obvious that not every season of every franchise is worth grabbing the popcorn for. When this sort of season occurs, there are only two things to do—scroll on your phone or have it on as background noise while you clean your house.
The combination alone of controversial housewives and different temperaments should have been enough to carry the show. Still, it was so dull we are surprised, yet glad, that Bravo continued with the spin-off.
The Real Housewives of Dubai Season 1
Bravo/YouTube
This might be an unpopular opinion, but Season 1 of the Real Housewives of Dubai wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Yes, Caroline Stanbury was her usual catty self (in a good way); the show tried to be a Ladies of London take two, just in the UAE.
The series lacked any real Emirati women and failed to give off a sense of Dubai culture. Unfortunately, the show also didn’t get the highest ratings after fans boycotted due to human rights issues. The series was painfully and mind-numbingly boring. Even the one exciting housewife, Chanel Ayan, failed to bring it back from the edge of failure.
Once again, Kandi Burruss tried to juggle her work/life balance, which has been an ongoing theme for years. The season began to revolve around Ralph Pittman‘s ability to gaslight Drew Sidora, and frankly, it was hard to watch. Fans can easily watch Season 15 without feeling like they missed much of the year before.
The Real Housewives of New York City Season 13
Bravo/YouTube
Season 13 of the Real Housewives of New York City was unforgivably terrible, even with some OGs at the helm. The season didn’t stand a chance between low ratings and viewer backlash.
The cast, which included Sonja Morgan, Leah McSweeney, Ramona Singer, Eboni K. Williams, and Luann de Lesseps, did not work well together. Between the age difference and racial undertones, the women didn’t even get a reunion to end it all. Eboni came across as preachy, with viewers just wanting the good old days and for Bravo to go back to the old, timeless formula.
Sour 16, as fans like to refer to it, hated the season finale song and felt Emily Simpson and Gina Kirschenheiter were dead weight. You won’t miss anything if you choose to skip this season.
However, even with all the exciting additions, the ladies’ storylines were insufficient to keep viewers’ attention. Even though the ladies left the country twice to see Germany and Tokyo, the girl’s trips weren’t enough to hook ratings. The main takeaway was that Teddi and Dorit Kemlsey didn’t like one another, which explains what happened in Season 9 with Lucy Lucy Apple Juice.
TELL US – DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR REAL HOUSEWIVES SEASON YOU SKIPPED?
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On Vanderpump Rules, the show’s namesake star, Lisa Vanderpump, acts as a mentor who doesn’t have time for nonsense. The reality is less flattering than that. Truth be told, Lisa is maybe the worst offender when it comes to the frustrating double standards VPR women face. We’re looking back at some of LVP’s worst offenses of enabling, excusing, and even encouraging bad behavior.
TomTom
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We get that TomTom is a fun name for a restaurant. But why in the world would Lisa reward the Toms with their own place? At least Tom Sandoval worked steadily for her as a bartender. But Tom Schwartz couldn’t even handle one shift!
The Toms consistently proved to be the worst kind of people to go into business with. They remained the most immature members of the cast, didn’t have the first clue how to handle real responsibilities, and repeatedly made the worst financial decisions. We’re sure Ariana Madix would agree, in hindsight, that Sandoval borrowing against their mortgage was a colossal mistake.
Things only got worse throughout the saga of Schwartz & Sandy’s. Greg, a manager who worked with Lisa for years, had nothing but the harshest words to say about the Toms.
And, on top of everything, the Toms were repeatedly rude and ungrateful to Lisa and her husband Ken Todd. Maybe she finally wised up, and that’s why PUMP came back as part of TomTom.
Standing Up For Stassi
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Though Lisa was often overly harsh on Stassi Schroeder when she didn’t have to be, she still defended her former employee over allegations of racism. She lamented that Stassi was fired for calling the police on Faith Stowers. It really wasn’t her place to judge whether or not Stassi was a racist, and vehemently insisting the answer was no was a very bad look. Especially amidst the 2020 BLM protests after the murder of George Floyd.
Giving Jax Chance After Chance
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Speaking of VPR stars who were let go for alleged racial misconduct. Jax Taylor was the OG male cast member who repeatedly got away with everything. Jax and Lisa even joked about all the times he stole from her restaurants over the years.
Lisa likes to act like the ultimate ally for LGBTQ+ community, but continued defending Jax and his then-fiancé Brittany Cartwright during the mess with the homophobic pastor. She even stood in for Jax’s mom at his wedding.
James Kennedy
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Lisa rightfully scoffed when James Kennedy‘s mom called her “his mother figure.” But that’s the part she’s played for ages. Lisa stood by the DJ like he was her own son…even when he was a bad friend to her actual son, Max Todd.
James was briefly sidelined at SUR after Katie Maloney confronted Lisa about his body-shaming. But soon enough, he was back DJing at PUMP. This really upset Kristen Doute, who has since made damning allegations against James. But as Pump Rules viewers can attest, Lisa is harsher on Kristen than anyone else.
Sticking By Sandoval At the Season 10 Reunion
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How could anyone defend Sandoval after Scandoval? Leave it to Lisa to find a way. She seemed the most upset at Lala Kent calling Sandoval “dangerous” and comparing him to Randall Emmett.
It was refreshing to see Lala and Ariana actually push back on Lisa’s enabling. Even after she learned that Tom dressed as Rachel Leviss for Halloween, and even after the t-shirt comment, Lisa threw Sandoval one last lifeline. She told him to apologize to Ariana—and he recited her suggestion word for word, complete with his signature fake crying.
And, for good measure, Lisa also went out of her way to defend another man accused of bad behavior.
Excuses Over Oliver Saunders
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We understand that viewers likely forgot about Oliver Saunders, since Scandoval overshadowed this other cheating scandal. So, as a refresher—Oliver made out with Rachel in Las Vegas. He claimed to be separated from his wife. But then his wife blasted him across social media, saying that they were very much still together.
At the reunion, Lala slammed Oliver, claiming to suddenly be best friends with his estranged wife. Lisa could’ve acknowledged he made a mistake while still defending his character. Instead, she made excuses, bringing up her friendship with his mother, Garcelle Beauvais. She also seemed to insist that, because Oliver is a good employee at Vanderpump Paris, she didn’t believe he could be a bad husband.
TELL US –WHAT ARE THE WORST TIMES LISA VANDERPUMP ENABLED BAD BEHAVIOR? DO YOU THINK SHE’LL CHANGE HER TUNE AMIDST THE GROWING BACKLASH?
