Photo Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
While there were plenty of stunning looks at the Emmys, the clear head-turner was Princess Poppy in her Green Goblin attire. The RuPaul’s Drag Race alum shocked longtime fans by turning up at the Emmys in such an audacious way, considering she’s mostly avoided the spotlight since her time on the show.
But if there’s one thing younger audiences understand (and condemn) about award shows, it’s that they take themselves way too seriously. Gen Z viewers and social media users respond to ceremonies like the Emmys when there’s less decorum and more levity. So, of course Princess Poppy was going to trend online with her outfit.
So, why was the reality TV alum dressed as Spider-Man’s most famous foe? Well, she wasn’t. In her words, she was dressed as a “troll.” See all the details and her explanation below.
In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Princess Poppy explained her choice. “I wanted to take everything that is rude and ugly about the usual decorum of awards and do the complete opposite,” she said. Call it performance art or making a statement, but whatever it was, it worked.
“I wanted to be a troll, to literally and figuratively troll the Emmys,” she continued. “The whole purpose of doing this is a way to showcase that the rules of fashion, and rules of beauty and bull – I think it’s more beautiful to show up like this than to show up how you normally would at an awards show.”
Princess Poppy also pointed to the “insurmountable amount of pressure to look gorgeous and beautiful.” Eventually, she realized, “Oh wait, I can do the opposite.” Ultimately, the head-turner felt proud of her statement; “The looks I’ve gotten have been priceless.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 continues Fridays at 8/7c on MTV.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PRINCESS POPPY’S MOTIVATION? WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THE “EMMYS GOBLIN?”
2024 is showing no sign of slowing down, and neither are the Miami Housewives. In The Real Housewives of Miami Season 6, Episode 12, called “Sink or Swim,” fans got to see Julia and Kiki’s Swim Week appearances that they’d teased last week. Meanwhile, the tension between Marysol, Alexia, and Nicole may have finally reached a close, while Guerdy’s tensions only continued rising. Here’s everything that happened on RHOM Season 6, Episode 12.
Julia and Kiki prepare for Swim Week
Photo by: Gizelle Hernandez/Bravo
On one rainy Miami day, Julia met up with a team over at Shan, a clothing line partnering with Julia as a runway model for Swim Week. Julia admitted she’d never been to Swim Week. More than that, however, was the fact that Julia hadn’t modeled in over 24 years. Julia admitted that she’d put everything in her life on hold in the face of Martina’s cancer diagnosis.
Now, Julia was ready to get back into the swing of things. She modeled a few outfits with the Shan team and spoke of her modeling background, being discovered the same year as Kate Moss. Despite her experience, Julia admitted she felt like she needed a cover-up. Both her nervousness and excitement increased when she found out she’d be closing the show.
But she wasn’t the only one making preparations for Swim Week.
Elsewhere, Kiki was getting her fitting done with Luli Fama. As the fitting took place, Kiki explained her modeling background in her confessionals. She explained she got started in modeling through Swim Week at just 15 years old.
Despite the encouragement she received in Haiti to be a model, her parents weren’t thrilled about the prospect. Kiki’s dad and stepmom kicked her out at 15. She became emotional as she described the struggle of being homeless at just 15 – staying with friends, working, and going to school.
Guerdy can’t go on with her cancer treatment
Photo by: Jeff Daly/Bravo
Meanwhile, Guerdy and Russell went out for a nice lunch, but it didn’t take long for the conversation to get serious. Russell commented that Guerdy staying in bed all day was “kind of depressing.” Guerdy didn’t deny that, but said, “It is depressing. I wanted to be depressed. Is that okay? Like, what do I have to be happy about right now?”
Despite Guerdy’s first surgery seemingly going very well, it, unfortunately, didn’t remove as many of the cancer cells as was hoped for. Guerdy would need another surgery, and she was not ready to accept that. Guerdy felt she was going “two steps forward, four steps back.”
Russell said they would just keep taking everything as it came, but Guerdy responded that if she needed surgery a third time, she simply wouldn’t have it. “I’m not doing it.” She was also adamant that she wouldn’t have a mastectomy.
Her husband tried to prod her in what he felt was the right direction, telling her she’d “have to do it,” seeing as the cancer had grown to be invasive. But Guerdy remained in denial as her optimism continued fading. “I don’t know how I got here,” she told cameras.
Lisa’s house hunting continues (with one hiccup)
Photo by: Alexander Tamargo/Bravo
Later that week, Lisa decided to take some responsibility and go house hunting. Lisa’s brand of responsibility, that is. The house that she and Jody went to look at had a 21,000-square-foot lot. Granted, Lisa did not yet know her price range. It would all depend on her upcoming settlement.
The house’s asking price was over $5 million, and even with the settlement, it seemed unlikely that Lisa might have that sort of money. Still, she didn’t know. Things “really blew up” between her and Lenny, and everything seemed up in the air.
Jody tried to encourage Lisa to just sign the settlement agreement. Lisa, for her part, said, “I don’t want to live under Lenny’s thumb anymore.” Wait for the but. “But I do need his support because we have two kids together and I was married to him for so long.”
Julia absolutely slays at Swim Week
Photo by: Jeff Daly/Bravo
Swim Week came faster than anyone anticipated, and Julia was happy to be modeling again. She said the energy was “exactly the same” as in her days. As Julia called her family, the girls started filing into the VIP area one by one. Nicole was happy to see Adriana arrive so the two could clear the air with Alexia and Marysol.
For those who haven’t kept up, Alexia and Marysol blew up at Nicole for having Ana Quincoces at the Mother’s Day luncheon. But Adriana was the one to invite Ana. Adriana apologized to Nicole and, once Alexia and Marysol arrived, the four said they’d sort everything out after celebrating Julia and Kiki.
And celebrating is exactly what they did! The girls were all too happy to see Julia walking down the runway. Julia, like a professional, didn’t even acknowledge them until after the fact. Julia said it felt amazing to be back on the runway, and she was so “proud” of herself.
An end to the Mamacita madness
Photo by: Jeff Daly/Bravo
The girls went up to a roof to relax between Julia and Kiki’s runway and Marysol said it was time to “cut the bullsh*t.” They got to talking about Mother’s Day. Adriana admitted that Nicole knew nothing of Ana’s plans to trash Alexia’s finances. Adriana had already explained this but Marysol and Alexia were a little too stubborn to see things from another perspective.
The group began arguing a bit, but Nicole maintained that she knew nothing about Ana’s beef with Marysol or Alexia. However, in a confessional, Nicole did admit that Ana had told her to watch out for Marysol. Nicole was beginning to see why.
Alexia and Marysol then blamed Nicole for allowing Ana to stay. Nicole defended that choice by reminding them they’d already left before Ana even arrived, at which point, they said they would’ve come back if Nicole had called. Because she was just supposed to know that apparently.
Nicole was at a loss. While the tumultuous duo did eventually accept Nicole’s innocence, she was annoyed that she had to spell it out for them so many times. Moreover, she found it aggravating that she always had to defend herself when she’d never shown maliciousness before. “You guys never give me the benefit of the doubt,” she correctly expressed.
As for Adriana’s take on the situation, she noted how “competitive” Alexia could be, always wanting to be “queen bee. But Nicole is a doctor and a great dresser – impeccable taste – with beautiful homes that aren’t rented by the way. Nicole is the real Barbie and that bothers Alexia to the bone.”
Kiki kills it on the runway, but her friends run away
Photo by: Gizelle Hernandez/Bravo
The ladies filed back inside to see Kiki’s runway appearance. Julia commented that she had the “best seat in the house.” She was so real for that, TBH. Kiki soon made her way past her friends and they cheered for her with vigor. They all had such kind things to say about her in their confessionals as well. Guerdy called her “My Haitian Sensation.”
In a confessional of her own, Kiki expressed her love for her craft. She also expressed how much it meant to have the support of her friends, especially considering she didn’t always have that from her family. Kiki was “proud” of herself for having overcome and doing all the things others said she couldn’t do.
From there, the ladies filed into a sprinter van (oh no). But as traffic built up with several people trying to leave, the Housewives started exiting the van one by one. Kiki was visibly hurt. After all the support Kiki’s shown her friends, the least they could’ve done was stuck around for a while. At least Adriana and Julia stayed with her.
Alexia plans a trip to Mexico City
Photo by: Alexander Tamargo/Bravo
The next day, Julia and Alexia met up for some quality time between friends. After meeting some animals on the farm (from a distance), Alexia took the opportunity to invite Julia on an upcoming trip to Mexico City. Julia was already on board, but to sweeten the pot, Alexia pointed out that they would be celebrating both Pride and Julia’s birthday while on the trip.
Alexia herself was keen on heading to Mexico to visit the Basilica of Guadalupe, whom she considered a great help during Frankie’s accident. She credited her faith in Guadalupe for helping her get through the years since the accident.
Alexia soon called Larsa to drop the same invitation. Larsa was just about to record an episode of her podcast with Marcus. After the phone call, the two got to talking about the age difference in their relationship (yawn). Although, Marcus made a funny unintentional diss when saying he was older than Larsa “in spirit.”
Larsa also mentioned the 11 eggs that she’d frozen in the past. She was inspired to freeze them while hanging out with the Kardashians. As such, she and Marcus discussed the possibility of having kids together. If that was in the cards for Marcus, he’d have about a year to decide.
Is Adriana about to record a smash hit?
Photo by: Jeff Daly/Bravo
Next up on Alexia’s invite list was Guerdy, who was playing cards with Russell and her youngest son. Guerdy began discussing how she was moving into “the chemo zone,” and soon became emotional. Alexia said she’d be praying to her saint on Guerdy’s behalf.
And speaking of, Alexia invited Guerdy to Mexico City. Guerdy admitted it might be hard for her to make it, but she said she hoped for the best.
The episode closed out on Adriana and her career aspirations as she recorded a new single with Emilio Estefan. With plenty of music writing experience at her back, Adriana was happy to see it paying off. She told Emilio she’d be going to Mexico City soon.
At the mention of Mexico, Emilio suggested they hook her up with a performance to try and cultivate an international audience. After a cut to black, fans were left with a teaser of one week later, with Adriana preparing to get up on stage, her nerves nearly taking over her body. Coming soon on RHOM: a trip to Mexico City.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF MIAMI SEASON 6, EPISODE 12? WHAT DID YOU THINK OF SWIM WEEK? WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO SEE IN THE TRIP TO MEXICO?
Candiace and Gizelle have basically given up on trying to make things right. In the meantime, Candiace has gone back and forth about whether or not she can be friends with Robyn. She said that Robyn’s close-knit friendship with Gizelle makes it difficult to find peace. That’s not adding up for Gizelle.
Gizelle Bryant from #RHOP says Candiace DIllard Bassett is using Robyn Dixon’s friendship with her as an excuse for why Candiace and Robyn can’t resolve their issues. #WWHL
During a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live, a virtual caller asked Gizelle her thoughts on Candiace and Robyn’s feud and their inability to reconcile. Gizelle made it pretty clear that she thinks Candiace is just making up excuses to stay mad at Robyn.
Gizelle said, “She’s just using that as a bit of an excuse. If she wants to make up with Robyn, she should because Robyn hasn’t done anything to her.”
Obviously, Candiace has a very clear reason to be upset with Gizelle. In Season 7 of RHOP, Gizelle said that Chris Bassett made her “uncomfortable” by propositioning her into a hotel room after the Season 6 reunion. Candiace felt that Gizelle was trying to insinuate sexual misconduct, and she won’t let that go. If Gizelle breathes, Candiace is waiting there with her cryangle saying, “But what about Chris?”
Candiace’s feud with Robyn makes a lot let sense. Andy Cohen pointed out that Robyn and Candiace previously had a friendship, despite her fights with Gizelle. in response, Gizelle clarified that she’s never had any issues with Candiace and Robyn’s friendship. If they want to make up and be friends, more power to them.
“If you’re friends with me, that doesn’t mean I choose who you’re friends with.” Gizelle explained, “I’m an adult.”
Of course, they’re all adults, but that hasn’t stopped them from acting childish throughout Season 8. We’ve seen nothing but temper tantrums and ultimatums, and it’s growing stale. Let’s hope there’s some peace soon because they definitely can’t go on like this forever.
Of course, much to Trishelle’s dismay, Peppermint turned out to be a Faithful. Peppermint has since spoken out on the elimination, telling The Daily Beast it “felt as bad as it could’ve felt.”
As for why Trishelle may have targeted her, Peppermint reflected, “To be magnanimous, maybe she just really thought I was a Traitor … I don’t think so, there could be some other reasons. You’d have to ask her.” Well, Trishelle has since written her own narrative.
Trishelle tries to convince fans of her “regret” surrounding Peppermint’s elimination
Peppermint calls out Trishelle Cannatella following elimination on 'The Traitors' https://t.co/9sJaMUygZh
To her credit, Trishelle recognized all the backlash she was receiving (perhaps even before it fully manifested). She tried to clear her name using X, formerly known as Twitter. She shared a now-deleted screenshot that showed her reaching out to Peppermint a day before the Season 2 premiere. Trishelle wrote, “Lady! I know you’re busy tonight with [Johnny] Bananas but can we please have a chat.”
The text went on, “I’m still so upset about how everything went down and I hope you know I think you are so incredible and I’m so sorry for how it went down.” She wrote in a caption, “For those asking, I did reach out to Pepp BEFORE the show aired. I felt terrible about getting it wrong & her leaving early when she has such an incredible message & opportunity to share.”
It continued, “I made a bad game decision & I regretted it immediately after.” She also posted a link to Peppermint’s GoFundMe, a music video production to pay tribute to Janet Jackson and give opportunities to workers who need money during the difficult year for entertainment, especially the LGBTQ community.
The records on the GoFundMe page show Trishelle having donated $200, which isn’t nothing, but much less than what one might assume she could reasonably give.
The Traitors Season 2 continues Thursdays, with new episodes landing at 9/8c on Peacock.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TRISHELLE’S DAMAGE CONTROL? WHAT DID YOU THINK OF PEPPERMINT’S ELIMINATION?
Welcome to the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 4 Reunion, Part 2 recap. Tonight the drama continues. Andy delves into the dysfunction of Monica’s relationship with her mom, Linda. Monica reveals that when she applied for the show, Linda actually prayed she would get the gig rather than her daughter. After all the hoopla, Lisa’s son Jack ditched his mission and is surfing in California. Jokes! And Mary Cosby, AWOL for most of the season, actually shows up to the reunion. Here are some of the highlights from the RHOSLC Season 4 Reunion, Part 2.
Monica and Linda’s tumultuous relationship
Photo Credit: @monicangarcia via X (formerly known as Twitter)
When Andy brings up the dramatic dynamic between Monica and her mom, Linda, Monica says, “The only thing I can count on with my mom is that there’s nothing to count on with my mom.”
Linda actually said of her only child, “I hate your f*cking guts, you f*cking bitch.” She doesn’t seem to care how much she hurts her daughter. It’s such an unhealthy relationship. But as bad as Monica may be, Linda’s a bad person. I’ve seen people defending Linda on social media, but what kind of a mother calls her own daughter a “mother-f*cker?” That’s just crazy.
Turning to Lisa, Andy says, “You went pretty hard on Monica. You two went at each other about her relationship with her mom, about her calling her mom ‘Ted Bundy.’ Watching the show, did it make you rethink how you approached her about her mom?”
“What I observed on Easter was Monica’s mom being lovely and charming,” Lisa responds. “I said that statement [based on] what I saw … I don’t live in their house, I don’t know what happens behind closed doors. Fast forward to actually watching the show, they definitely have a very tumultuous relationship. It’s sad and it’s really none of my business.”
Linda wanted to be on the show
It was “more important to my mother to impress everyone else than to stick up for her daughter,” Monica adds.
“She sat down at the table and it felt like she wanted to be in Monica’s shoes,” Whitney agrees.
When Whitney and Heather both say they felt like Linda was trying to impress them, Andy observes, “For someone who left their 12-year-old to go pursue a career in television, do we think her mom was kind of auditioning to be a housewife?”
“When I applied to get on the show,” Monica says, “I did my final interview. The first place I went was to my mom’s.” Monica thought she’d totally messed things up and was crying that she’d bombed out, but her mom said, “Let’s say a prayer. And then she prayed that she would get it instead. She literally said, ‘Lord, if it’s not Monica, let it be me.’” Wow.
Heather is amazed that Monica would still film with her mom after that, but Monica thinks she’s just so used to her mom’s behavior that it just seems “normal.”
Did Jack Barlow bail on his Mission?
Photo Credit: @lisabarlow14 via Instagram
Andy mentions that Lisa’s son Jack was recently seen in California in his mission attire. “So what’s going on? Did he not go to Colombia?”
“He bounced on his mission,” Lisa jokes. “He’s not going. He’s just hanging out with friends, surfing, doing all the good stuff.” But it turns out, he simply had visa issues.
Apparently, Jack’s visa was held up because the photo he sent in was shirtless. He wanted to show off his abs and thought it would be funny, but the government has no sense of humor.
“This is why I needed to be involved,” Heather said, shaking her head.
“So, Heather, why was Jack’s mission triggering to you?” Andy wonders.
“Oof!” she responds. “In a million ways. Even just watching him read his letter … It just reminds me of what I grew up with and what I no longer have.” Heather felt “hurt and sad” that she was excluded from the celebration, especially since Whitney also left the church, but she was invited.
Mary Cosby is back
Photo: Jocelyn Prescod/Bravo
Mary told Andy on WWHL that she was returning to the show after being absent for Season 3 “to help you guys out.” That’s true altruism! The show needed her, so she came back.
“You never know what you’re going to get with Mary Cosby,” Heather says. “That’s kind of fun and makes filming with her exciting, so it felt right that she’s back.”
“Who in this group do you like?” Andy asks Mary.
“Um, I do like Angie, ’cause Angie can take my toughness,” Mary begins, mistaking rudeness for “toughness.” “I like Monica … and I love Meredith. That’s probably about it.”
When Heather gives her a questioning look, Mary adds, “I did like you until I seen [sic] your interview. You started talking about my house.” Mary felt Heather was making fun of her house.
“Mary’s décor is exactly like Mary’s personality,” Heather says in a clip from the show. “You never quite know what you’re gonna get: green carpet, Chanel pillows, Dr. Seuss chairs from Whoville.”
“With all due,” Andy responds, “you called Heather inbred.”
Lisa asks, “What’s worse? Your house comments or calling her inbred?”
Mary insists the comments about her house were worse. “She’s phony,” she says about Heather. “Don’t come to my house and say, ‘This is so pretty.’” Mary’s got to be the most self-absorbed, least self-aware person on the planet.
To her credit, Heather takes the high road and invites Mary to “come make fun of my house any time you want.”
Lisa gets the last word
Photo: Jocelyn Prescod/Bravo
Andy tells Mary that she uses the excuse of saying things to people’s faces rather than behind their backs to say some “really horrible” things. Thank you! Mary does say some awful things at times. Sometimes they’re funny, but mostly they’re just mean. As is Mary.
Lisa makes her point when she says, “I do say exactly what I mean to you, to your face.”
Mary can dish it out, but she can’t take it, saying their “relationship is done.”
But Lisa gets the last word when she fires back, “Exactly. So what?” I’ve never loved Lisa more.
Mary accuses Whitney of racism
Photo: Brett Colvin/Bravo
Then, Mary says the most shocking thing of all when she calls Whitney a racist. Mary brings up that both Heather and Whitney were raised in the Mormon religion, which used to teach that Black people were “cursed” and not eligible for the Priesthood. Though the tenet was repealed in 1978, some people believe that it’s still ingrained in the culture of the LDS Church.
Even Heather admits that Mormon doctrine is rooted in racism, which Lisa, of course, vehemently denies. Whitney wants to know what she ever did or said for Mary to think she’s racist.
“It’s not anything you do or say,” Mary answers. “It’s your actions.” Aren’t actions the same as “what you do?”
“It’s a feeling, and you have to be my color to know it,” Mary concludes. Okay then. I’m not gonna argue with her, that’s completely fair.
Whitney wants to make sure she’s never done or said anything to Mary to make her feel that way, and Mary says she hasn’t. Okay, then. Don’t even try to understand the mind of Mary Cosby.
The reunion finished off with some more shouting, and Mary pleading with the ladies to hear Monica out. That’s what we’re gonna get in the third and final part, along with a look inside Monica’s Burn Book, and of course, Heather’s explanation about her black eye. Finally!
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF SALT LAKE CITY SEASON 4 REUNION, PART 2? WERE YOU SHOCKED MONICA’S MOM ACTUALLY WANTED TO BE ON RHOSLC RATHER THAN HER DAUGHTER?
She’s not owning up to anything directly, but dropping a lot of hints about putting herself first for once. Even if RHOBH fans didn’t have any updated information since filming wrapped, it would be a red flag for sure. The fact that they’ve confirmed their split post-filming makes little difference in the feeling that something is very wrong.
The fact that Kyle wasn’t transparent with her castmates, and the audience, may be a topic to answer for at the Season 13 reunion, which is due to film at the end of January 2024. At least, Erika Jayne seems to think so.
Erika predicts questions about Kyle’s transparency during filming
Erika speculated about the reunion atmosphere during an interview with Entertainment Tonight. When asked to pick which of her castmates “will have the most to answer for,” Tom Girardi’s ex answered, “Not me, and that, I am really happy about.”
The RHOBH star is referring to the previous reunion where questions about her legal issues were a hot topic.
But this time around, she thinks Kyle will certainly be under scrutiny for failing to be more transparent about what was going on at home. She’s spent over a decade in reality TV, surely Kyle knows how it’s done.
“I’m sure that Andy [Cohen] is going to press Kyle. I think Kyle is going to have a hard time again this year,” Erika explained.
The Halloween Ends star did choose to give an interview to Us Weekly in December 2023, during which she explained why she held back during filming.
“I didn’t feel like sharing it on camera quite yet,” Kyle said.
“I was honest with the [cast]. When they started grilling me, I was like, ‘Why are you acting like I haven’t been honest? I told you it’s the worst year we’ve ever had.’ Did they want me to take them inside my bedroom? I don’t know what they wanted me to do. I felt like people I considered my friends hurt me,” she continued.
Will Andy accept such answers at the reunion, or will he grill his RHOBH favorite further? Only time will tell.
Catch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Wednesdays 8/7c on Bravo.
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH ERIKA’S COMMENTS? SHOULD KYLE HAVE TO ANSWER FOR A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY? WERE YOU EXPECTING MORE INFO FROM HER DURING FILMING?
Photo by Romain Maurice/Getty Images for Haute Living
Be warned: minor spoilers for the first three episodes of The Traitors Season 2 lie ahead.
The Traitors as a show has an ingenious premise. It’s about as straightforward as reality competitions can get – get a group of people, put three Traitors among them, have them compete in challenges, then they vote each other off. The simplicity is brilliant.
Of course, many fans of the original series felt the U.S. version had tainted the premise by adding reality stars to the mix. Still, that didn’t stop The Traitors U.S. from getting picked up for a second season, reality stars and all.
With Larsa and Marcus knowing how difficult it might be to compete with or against one another, Larsa had a strategy going in. She told The Messenger, “As soon as we got there, I was kind [of] trying to keep distance away from Marcus a little bit, just because I was like, ‘Are you a Traitor? Can I trust you?’”
Granted, no matter what happened in the game, Larsa felt very secure at all times. “But I definitely feel like we had that conversation as to: If you’re a Traitor, it’s fine. It’s a game.” Larsa and Marcus agreed to play “individually” throughout, wishing each other “good luck” if the other might be a Traitor.
Unfortunately, playing separately didn’t change their perception. As Marcus said, “I feel like it definitely put a target on our back because everybody else didn’t have their significant other. We came into the game knowing that we were fighting an uphill battle.” And an uphill battle it was as Marcus was murdered in episode three.
However, Marcus wasn’t bitter about the forced elimination. He considered it a “badge of honor.” Ultimately, he shared, “It was a special thing to experience with my significant other, so I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
The Traitors continues Thursdays at 9/8c on Peacock.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF LARSA AND MARCUS ON THE TRAITORS? WERE YOU SAD TO SEE MARCUS GO?
In a season that has felt like an eternity, Below Deck Mediterranean Season 8 is finally coming to a close, with Episode 15 serving as the penultimate installment. “Curb Your Stewsiasm” sees the final charter of the season get started, but not without problems. Because of the bad weather, the guests won’t be going anywhere, much like the rest of Season 8. We’ve had fake documents, devastating meltdowns, and sickly staff; and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Can the crew pull it together for one final mega-tip? Here’s what went down in Below Deck Med Season 8, Episode 15.
Lara’s out, Haleigh’s in, but the weather causes concern
Photo by: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo
Captain Sandy feels some sense of relief when Haleigh reveals she can finally return to her deckhand duties. With Lara out at the doctors, she had worried she wouldn’t be leaving the dock for the final charter. As the rest of the season has shown, though, it’s one problem after another for the crew on this yacht. Captain Sandy’s joy quickly dissipates when she realizes the terrible weather means the final batch of guests won’t have a chance to leave the dock at all over the entire two-day charter. Bummer.
When the guests arrive, Sandy breaks the bad news. “Your entire charter will be on the dock and I’m so sorry.” There are some understandable groans, and a couple of questions. “It’s dangerous,” Sandy says. “There’s nothing I can do to change that.” But she does promise the team are going to do all they can to make this trip memorable, despite the circumstances.
“There’s not even a close chance we’re gonna be leaving,” she tells her crew. “We gotta kill it.” This leads to Tumi and Luka frantically Googling activities to enjoy with large groups in Genoa. Meanwhile, one guest who proves to be a Doctor in Douchebaggery wanders into the galley, asking Jack if he can “learn to cook.” I’m not sure if he was being serious, but his terrible treatment of his significant other on board distracts him enough to keep him above deck.
Seeing the sights, from cranes to shipping containers
Photo by: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo
Captain Sandy asks Luka to get some crew together and take the guests on a tender ride around the port. They seem delighted to finally have something to do, but when they actually start the excursion, it’s another story. Kyle’s embarrassed, noting that the only sights to see are shipping containers and a crane. At least they got to see an airplane coming in to land. Woo, fun!
“I’m seeing a baseline energy,” Sandy says of the team’s work so far. “This charter’s gonna take a lot more than that.” Fortunately, Jack’s food is giving the guests something positive to talk about. He’s knocked it out of the park nine times out of 10 across this entire season, and I’d be shocked not to see him back on the show in the future if it’s something he’s interested in.
Max is enjoying the yacht being stuck. He sees it as a “day off,” and revels in the chance to flirt more with Lily. While she enjoys the flirty banter, she can’t see their relationship moving into serious territory off the boat. Then again, her parents were committed within just 21 days of meeting. Anything could happen…
The “green murder scene”
Photo by: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo
To help keep the guests happy, Lily has devised a Game Night. The only problem? She’s one of the clumsiest people Below Deck Med has ever seen. So much so, that while she’s creating the game boards for the evening, she rips the top of a green marker off with her mouth, and the ink goes all over her, some of the materials she’s made, and the crew mess furniture. It’s kinda hilarious, but must have been very annoying. To Lily’s credit, she takes it in her stride.
“It’s like a green murder scene,” quips Haleigh. Tumi “can’t even be mad, because what more do you expect from Lily?” She’s also digging the green in her very green stew’s hair.
Dr. Douchebag continues to live up to his new nickname, threatening to go to bed rather than join everybody else for dinner. When he finally agrees to surface, we hear him say he is “just counting the hours until we fly back.” Just get off the boat, dude. You’re being an ungrateful mess.
Game Night is a major success, and the guests happily retire to their rooms at 1:45 a.m. But there’s a storm brewing. Captain Sandy tells Kyle she misses Natalya, not realizing that Natalya is actually in Genoa and plotting a return for the crew’s final night out, post-charter. She’s been texting Luka, asking for “nudes,” while Luka has continued hooking up with Jessika AND flirting with Nat. It’s a recipe for disaster. Bring on the chaos in the Season 8 finale.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF BELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN SEASON 8, EPISODE 15? HOW WOULD YOU ENTERTAIN THE GUESTS STUCK AT THE DOCK? HAVE THE CREW DONE A GOOD JOB SO FAR?
Of course, Season 10 of Married to Medicine has been an icy one for Quad as her ex-husband’s new wife slowly replaces her in the friend circle. However, Lateasha “Sweet Tea” Lunceford is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Quad and Toya’s beef. This has been a long time coming.
Toya recently talked with Blavity about their ongoing drama, and it doesn’t seem like a reconciliation is on the radar.
Where’s the love?
Sweet Tea’s arrival in Season 10 has drastically changed the dynamic of the M2M group, but let’s be real. Toya and Quad have been at odds for years. Quad especially crossed a line when she insinuated that Toya had something to do with Anila Sajja’s house getting robbed. There’s really no coming back from that
Toya explained, “I really want people to understand that I have had a genuine love for my castmates since Season 1, and I want to see us all succeed.” She continued, “But I feel like Quad and I have gone to a place where I don’t feel the love anymore from her.”
So, how do you move forward with someone when you don’t “feel the love?” According to Toya, you don’t. She said she wants friends who will “champion” her family, and she doesn’t think Quad can do that. Toya said there’s enough drama in the M2M group without having to go into the gutter with Quad. Toya would rather focus on her family and the wine business she’s trying to launch.
Toya continued, “I love everyone because we’re all children of God. But I think the reality is you have to be wise, and you can only give so much grace to someone who continues to come back and attack your family.”
Married to Medicine continues on Bravo, Sunday nights at 9/8c.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOU THOUGHTS ON TOYA AND QUAD’S FALLING OUT? DO YOU THINK THEY WILL EVER BE ABLE TO REBUILD THEIR FRIENDSHIP?
