Content Warning: This article contains references to allegations of abuse. Do not read ahead if this topic is triggering.
Bethenny Frankel has come forward with a few thoughts about the James Kennedy situation. Reports suggest that multiple women have spoken out to accuse the Vanderpump Rules star of alleged abuse.
As things currently stand, the accusations against James are purely allegations. Moreover, James’ current girlfriend, Ally Lewber, has denied any such wrongdoing on James’ part. His ex, Rachel Leviss, on the other hand, came after James’ character by accusing him of allegedly abusing, Kristen Doute.
Some talking heads in the Bravo sphere have already commented on these allegations, suggesting that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Bethenny’s take, however, was less definitive and more optimistic.
Bethenny hopes Ally isn’t “protecting” James
On the February 13 episode of her Just B podcast, Bethenny discussed the allegations against James. She began, “So, James Kennedy has a girlfriend, and she has denied the abuse allegations, saying that it never happened, which, thank God! And with any luck, it hasn’t happened to her.”
Additionally, “Hopefully, it’s not true, or he’s gotten help and it is no longer true. Several people have talked about this, which is a terrible thing for people to say – that several people have the same story – I’ve heard of three people saying it.”
She finished her thoughts on James specifically by saying, “Hopefully the three people that said it were misremembering or he’s gotten the help that he needs. Hopefully, this girl is not just protecting him because that does happen a lot.”
On the topic as a whole, Bethenny encouraged victims of abuse to seek the help that they needed. “It’s a hard situation to get out of,” she said. “I have experience with it, I understand it, and it’s something that awareness should be spread about. But, you know, these are allegations.”
Vanderpump Rules Season 11 continues Tuesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE RUMORS ABOUT JAMES KENNEDY?
Season 2 of The Traitors continues to get better with each passing week. During the last episode, the Faithfuls were riding the high of finally banishing a Traitor — Dan. The Bachelor’s own Pilot Pete has been labeled the “most faithful of the Faithfuls” by Sandra after leading the charge to get him out, and she was motivated to banish him next. However, host Alan Cumming had a different idea and threw a wicked twist in the field of play, offering safety to seven lucky players. The vulnerable cast members left available to murder included Trishelle, Bergie, MJ, and Kate. So, who did Phaedra and Parvati choose to slaughter? Read on to find out everything that went down in The Traitors Season 2, Episode 8: “Knives At Dawn.”
Who was murdered in The Traitors Season 2, Episode 8?
Photo by: Euan Cherry/PEACOCK
Carsten “Bergie” Bergersen was the fifth celebrity murdered in Season 2 of The Traitors
It’s not the outcome we wanted, but the surviving players discovered Bergie was the fifth celebrity murdered at the hands of the Traitors during the day’s breakfast.
Parvati felt that Peter’s suspicion of her as a Traitor was getting too dangerous, and taking him out would point even more eyes her way. So, what’s the next best move? The Traitors coming for his best friend.
During breakfast, Trishelle began thinking about who else could be a Traitor and kept circling back to Phaedra. There’s something about the twitch in her eye. Plus, she had a laundry list of other things, like she’s supposedly never nervous about getting murdered. And that Dan’s attempt at saving himself had to result in the revelation of a true Traitor.
Trishelle shared this information with her crew of five and then some. She claimed that it was crucial to banish Phaedra before Parvati because she has more numbers to save her. Peter ran along with her plan and sucked up to Parvati, offering a deal to trap Phaedra during the night’s roundtable.
“I do not trust Peter at all,” Parvati said in her confessional. “[But] I will work with public enemy number one if it takes some of the suspicion off of me. Fine.”
The Traitors or Fear Factor?
Photo by: Euan Cherry/PEACOCK
Big Brother legend Dr. Will Kirby joined the celebrities in the middle of the woods to host this episode’s challenge — an escape room. The cast played for $20,000, and whoever didn’t make it out or quit by yelling the safe word would forfeit $1K. They had 30 minutes to complete the challenge successfully, and it was quite the show, full of screams, nasty critters, and squirting liquids. As you can imagine, the Real Housewives and their fellow Bravo stars were not here for this at all. “Bugs, maggots, roaches — it’s torture,” Shereé said.
After a grueling fight, Kevin, Parv, CT, Trishelle, Peter, John, and Sandra all escaped, bringing in a whopping $15,000 to add to the pot of gold. However, since Phaedra, Shereé, MJ, and Kate quit, they lost $4K, bringing their total to $11K.
When they arrived back at the castle, Parvati began pleading with the Faithfuls about why she should stay. After speaking with Peter, she went to John and tried to convince him. She had tears and all, chile! But she must’ve forgotten he was a politician. You can’t play the player, sis! “What you have to demonstrate is that you’re a faithful player and that you wouldn’t chop off my head,” he told her once the waterworks disappeared.
In the meantime, Phaedra wandered around the castle, looking for somebody to talk to. “Where is everybody?” she said to herself.
Little did she know they were all talking about her. Trishelle told CT, Kate, Sandra, and Kevin why she believed Phaedra to be a Traitor. But Kate couldn’t get past her sudden change of heart. “[Phaedra] is somebody that you have spent the whole game being like, ‘Oh, I definitely know this person is a Faithful,'” she said. “I’m just so confused because this entire time, all I’ve been hearing is Parvati … and now, at the final hour, Trishelle is throwing out Phaedra. Why are you throwing a wrench in the Parvati plan?”
Finally, Phaedra found a room with people in it, but, of course, they stopped talking once she entered. “Today feels weird,” she said in her confessional. “I don’t feel that my name is going to come up at all, but who knows?” she said. Let’s find out.
Who is banished in The Traitors Season 2, Episode 8?
Photo by: PEACOCK
Parvati Shallow is the sixth celebrity banished from The Traitors Season 2, Episode 8.
During Episode 8’s roundtable discussion, Parvati wasted no time taking the stand, explaining that her decision to trust Dan put her in a bad position, but that doesn’t mean she’s a Traitor.
Next, Trishelle began speaking, explaining that the night before, she reviewed her notes, and for Parvati, she didn’t have “compelling” arguments. But for Phaedra, she “had so much.”
“I’m going to start with the least compelling, and I’ll end with the most.” The Challenge alum then explained one of the reasons, saying that during breakfast, Phaedra never seems “surprised” about who gets murdered.
“What would make you think I don’t seem surprised by who’s murdered?” Phaedra asked. “Your non-reaction, basically,” Trishelle replied. “You’re never ever worried, bothered; you’re not scared about being murdered at all,” she continued.
“I’m not sure what that means,” Phaedra said. “I’ve been nervous numerous times. I don’t know what you want me to do to be nervous — I’m not frantic like you.”
Trishelle fired back, saying she’d start with the least compelling argument. Phaedra, the classy and always savvy attorney, welcomed the challenge. “Okay, so then go with the next,” she said. “What’s your other point?”
Trishelle’s final point was what she mentioned earlier about Dan feeding them the name of a Traitor to save himself. Other contestants began jumping in, like Kate, saying that as a returning player, discovering Traitors is much harder than one would think. Kevin voiced his concern with Phaedra, noting her twitching eye.
“No one has ever said that,” Phaedra said. “I’ve never heard that a day in my life. Never.”
After a while, the conversation shifted, and all eyes returned to Parvati. “It’s just intuition,” John said. “Parvati could well be a Dutchess of Deception and Mistress of Murder.”
“I have heard what you said in relation to Dan, but there is no doubt that you were his accomplice and he yours, and possibly his partner in crime. I have detected that you’ve been worried about banishment, but you have been, if you like, serene about the threat of murder.”
Peter spoke, saying he believed that after a conversation with Parvati, Dan was trying to give the Faithful a hint and that Phaedra was a Traitor. “Because there’s a backdoor deal going down,” Phaedra said, referencing a conversation Peter attempted with her and Parvati during Episode 7 about teaming up to get somebody out.
See, Peter. You could’ve been riding sweat-free if you had taken the Traitors’ offer to join them in the turret. Or, if you had not come for Phaedra. But like Dan, he ‘gon learn today.
Finally, the time for talk ended, and the players cast their votes. Ultimately, Parvati had seven, while Phaedra had four. She entered the circle of truth, saying, “Coming out here, I wanted to play a faithful game. But, I am not a Faithful; I’m a Traitor.”
After leaving the roundtable discussion, certain players met to share their concerns about Peter’s erratic gameplay. Will he live to see another day?
Phaedra recruits a Faithful…
Photo by: Euan Cherry/PEACOCK
Phaedra Parks recruits Kate Chastain to be a Traitor in The Traitors Season 2, Episode 8.
As the rules dictate, Phaedra was allowed to recruit a Faithful to join her now that she’s all alone. She had to meet them in the castle’s dungeon and offer them an ultimatum: take the cloak and turn to the dark side or be murdered. So, who did Phaedra choose to join her as a killing duo? None other than Kate Chastain.
“She’s very direct. She can do it; say the things that I can’t. But she also understands the game,” she told Alan. Will Kate accept Phaedra’s offer? We’ll have to wait until the next episode to find out.
Stream new episodes of The Traitors on Peacock on Thursdays at 9/8c.
TELL US — WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PHAEDRA SURVIVING ANOTHER BANISHMENT? DO YOU WANT TO SEE KATE AS A TRAITOR?
In Vanderpump Rules Season 11, Episode 2, fans saw Tom Sandoval confess his still-present feelings for Rachel Leviss. Tom went as far as to say he was “still very much in love” with her. This moment didn’t sit right with James Kennedy.
James, however, wasn’t alone. Tom’s admission of affection was received quite negatively by viewers on the whole. Perhaps Tom can understand how disingenuous it sounds to say he loved someone while being in a relationship with another woman.
Still, in VPR Season 11, Episode 3, Tom doubled down on his claim. Episode 3 saw Tom’s pain brought to the forefront, with his former friends unwilling to hear him out, and Rachel essentially going radio silent with him. But James wasn’t feeling any sympathy for Tom.
James is careful not to give Tom “too much credit”
In his recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live, two fans called in to ask what James’ reaction was when Tom confessed his love for Rachel. “Right, right,” James began, seemingly hesitant to answer. “Uh, what’s my response? I mean, it was pretty cringe, it was pretty cringe to watch.”
Andy Cohen tried to vouch for Tom a bit, noting Sandoval’s sincerity. James responded, “When I first heard it, it’s like, I didn’t know where the episode was going. And as the episode went on, it kind of like, made more sense … I want to keep watching because I don’t want to give him too much credit yet.” Ooh, intriguing.
James explained, “You know how he can like, be a kind of magician in some ways, right?” He said he simply wanted “to see how it plays out.” Ever curious, Andy asked if James had a take on Rachel’s choice not to call on Tom’s birthday.
James revealed that “Tom was trying for a long time … to get back into it with her.” He also suggested that some believed Tom was only trying to get back with Rachel so she would come back on the show. “I wasn’t friends with Tom at this point … I didn’t know where his head was at.”
He wrapped up his thoughts by saying he truly did believe it when Tom said he loved Rachel, but he didn’t want to give Tom “too much credit here.” He made it clear he was still entirely on Ariana Madix’s side.
“Who said that? Porsha Williams coming back to The Real Housewives of Atlanta? That’s false, but Porsha Guobadia is in the building. See ya,” Porsha said in a video posted to her Instagram.
Later, she thanked NBC Universal and Bravo for investing in her, adding that she’s looking forward to showcasing her new normal. “I’m incredibly thankful for the vision and faith NBCUniversal has put in me to be a larger part of their family,” Porsha said. “I’m looking forward to being back on The Real Housewives of Atlanta and showing the world my new world!”
These Bravo stars are celebrating Porsha’s return!
In the comments section of Porsha’s Instagram post, many Bravolebs commented to show the soon-to-be peach holder some love. The Real Housewives of Potomac’s OG Gizelle Bryant left a comment, writing, “Yesssss, P!” while Andy Cohen said, “Told you it was a pause! #Season16.”
Porsha’s biggest Real Housewives adversary, Kenya Moore, also commented, “Come on, sweet 16!” while Kandi Burruss, who announced her departure from the franchise recently, left a handful of clapping emojis.
Porsha’s return to NBC won’t be limited to The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The entertainer signed an “overall scripted talent deal.” This will see the mother of one in a range of scripted projects across “broadcasts and streaming properties.”
Aside from Porsha’s return, fans are still left wondering which Housewives from Season 15 will return for another lap around the track. Kenya and Shereé Whitfield have been vocal about the wait, saying Bravo should have a full cast announcement soon.
Another former Housewife in talks to return is Phaedra Parks. “… I would love to see a return to its glory. I would never say never, but if I could help them get back to being the number one franchise, I would love to see them back on top,” she said in early February.
TELL US — DO YOU THINK PORSHA AND KENYA WILL TEAM UP IN SEASON 16? WHO ELSE DO YOU WANT BACK?
News of Brynn’s return created some mixed reactions among the fanbase, but fans were at least glad to have some level of confirmation. Viewers are dying to know who else might return, especially with so much uncertainty at the end of the Season 14 reunion. Jenna Lyons’ case was particularly uncertain.
It always seemed Jenna was slightly too high-profile for Bravo. Even while on RHONY, it never felt like Jenna fit the Housewives mold. Perhaps that’s why Brynn liked her so much. As for Jessel, while she and Brynn definitely found friendship, it wouldn’t stop Brynn from taking a jab here and there.
Brynn discusses chemistry with Jenna
In an interview with Us Weekly, Brynn was asked which Housewife was the worst dressed at the Season 14 reunion. After reminding herself what everyone had worn, Brynn responded, “Oh my God, she’s not gonna care, ‘cause she’s fashionable. I’m gonna say, Jessel.”
She clarified, “Not that [Jessel] was badly dressed. But it’s just because it was very much giving like, Pharoah. You know? Like, it was very, very gold lame. It was like retro King Tut.” After a laugh, Brynn added, “But she looked great! She’s such a fashion girl, so, I can rip on her and Jenna, because they’re fashion girls.”
Speaking of Jenna, Christina asked if Brynn felt there was chemistry there. Brynn admitted, “Yeah, I think it was palpable. Why is no one else seeing this?” To that point, despite her overtly flirtatious personality, when asked if she’d kissed any Bravolebrities, her one answer was Jenna.
The Real Housewives of New York Season 15 is expected to hit Bravo in mid-2024.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF BRYNN’S JAB AT JESSEL’S OUTFIT? DO YOU THINK SHE HAS CHEMISTRY WITH JENNA?
Welcome to our recap for The Bachelor Season 28, Episode 5! In this special Tuesday night bonus episode, Joey Graziadei takes his 12 girlfriends to Spain, where one lucky woman gets a private tour of Marbella. 10 women explore their artistic side on the group date, while another gets to experience flamenco dancing in Spain. Meanwhile, the other women wonder how to solve a problem like Maria. Here are some of the highlights from The Bachelor Season 28, Episode 5.
The Rose Ceremony continues
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
When last we left The Bachelor, Maria was sobbing, “I just want to go home.” She’s tired of the constant attacks, first from Sydney and now from Lea. Stay in your own lane, ladies! Have you ever seen this show? It never ends well for the woman who worries too much about the other competitors and doesn’t focus on her own journey.
Okay, so here we go. Lea sits down with Joey to tell him that Maria’s not good enough for him. Joey’s not going to like this. She tells him she’s “trying to navigate … with grace … despite Maria still being here.” Privately, she’s really hoping Maria will “just go home,” but she doesn’t tell Joey that.
Elsewhere, Maria sucks up her tears, puts on her big girl panties, and goes to the Rose Ceremony. At least she already has a rose and doesn’t have to suffer through the extra stress of wondering whether she’ll get one.
Finally, Joey gets down to it and hands out the roses. He gives roses to Kelsey A., Katelyn, Daisy, Rachel, Jenn, Autumn, Jess, Madina, and Lea. Ugh. I was hoping he’d let her go after she questioned his decision to keep Maria. Joey, Joey, Joey. She’s a troublemaker.
Goodbye, Edwina and Allison. Allison was Maria’s best friend in the group, so there goes her support. She may not last long after this.
But surprisingly, Maria voiceovers that she’s “here to stay.” She’s just got to keep her “eyes on the prize” and focus on Joey. That’s a good plan.
Joey announces, “It’s time for new horizons.” They’ll be leaving Malta and heading to Andalusia, Spain.
In Spain, Maria toasts, “Cheers to a new location, cheers to all you beautiful women.”
But Lea just can’t let it go. “It literally pains me,” she interviews, “that not only has Syd gone home, but Maria stays yet another week. It just sucks.”
Maria has decided to just “do me, ’cause that’s working for me and Joey … That’s all that matters to me.” Good for her. I wasn’t a fan at first, but I don’t like the hate she’s been getting. I don’t think she deserves the way she’s being treated.
Suddenly, Joey rocks up on a red Vespa. After sitting at the outdoor table with the ladies, he finally confesses that he has “a date to get to.” What, no date card?
“So, Kelsey A.,” he continues, “would you like to jump on that Vespa and get out of here?” That’s nice since she just mentioned that her grandmother’s from Andalusia, and this is the first time she’s been here.
Everyone’s feeling a little downhearted watching Joey drive away with another girl when Maria asks a hypothetical question. “If Lea didn’t throw the card in the fire about the one-on-one … would any of you guys have taken it?”
Kelsey T. admits she would have “definitely” kept the card, though she adds, “I don’t know if I would have used it.”
“I think if that was my one chance and I needed to cheat to get it,” Lea self-righteously says, “I’d be patient [and] wait my turn.” Give that woman a halo!
Ironically, Lea wants to be all fair and honest, but she’s not above a little sh*t talking. “If [Maria] was ready to leave over a little conflict, are you really here for Joey?” she says. But not to her face, of course.
Cruising with Kelsey A.
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
Joey and Kelsey cruise through the sunny streets of Spain. After tasting some cured ham and local tomatoes, they do some wine tasting. Someone better take away the keys to that Vespa.
Kelsey and Joey seem to be hitting it off, but as they walk toward dinner, I see that Kelsey is once again wearing those frumpy white slides that look like they came from her grandma’s closet. Somebody needs to take Kelsey shoe shopping. Don’t they make nice shoes in Spain?
They finally end up in a cave-like cellar. It’s beautiful, but I’m so distracted by her ugly shoes that I’m not listening to anything they’re saying. I’ll try to focus.
Joey’s feeling really good about the day they had and wants to learn more about her. That’s good because Kelsey has something to share about her family.
“Family means so much to me,” she begins, “and I did want to let you know a little bit more about my mom.” Kelsey’s mom was an amazing woman, but about 10 years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which metastasized to her bones. Sadly, she lost her battle with cancer. I lost my dad to cancer, so I understand how she feels. You may learn to live with it, but you never get over it.
After listening to Kelsey’s story about her mom, Joey picks up the rose and tells her how much he enjoyed today. “I knew coming into this, I needed to find someone who was compassionate, kind, empathetic … and it just oozes out of you. Your mom would be so proud … Kelsey, would you accept this rose?”
“Of course,” she answers. In a confessional, Kelsey admits she’s falling for Joey.
“Our love is a work of art”
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
Back at the hotel, the other women are waiting on the couch, when the knock comes at the door. Date card! Jenn reads the card, “Lexi, Daisy, Jenn, Autumn, Maria, Katelyn, Madina, Lea, Jess, and Kelsey T.: Our love is a work of art. Love, Joey.” Oh, boy. Lea and Maria on a group date together. This should be fun.
Rachel is thrilled to realize that she’ll have the other one-on-one date this week, and the others congratulate her.
Joey takes the ladies to meet an artist named Paula. She shows them a quote that says, “I leave my heart on the page, so you need not wonder of my love for you.” Lovely. The women are encouraged to come up with their own sentences to tell Joey how they feel about him. Then, they will portray their saying on a canvas.
“Whoever conveys their quote most clearly to Joey is going to earn special time with him,” Paula says.
Most of their paintings are very amateur, but Lea has painted what she thinks is the prize-winning work of art. It’s pretty, but she’s way too cocky.
In the end, Jess wins with her painting of diamonds and her slogan, “Our future is as bright as the diamonds I hope to receive because our love is something I truly believe.” Not exactly great prose, but it elicits an “Aww” from Paula.
After announcing Jess as the winner, Paula instructs them to get into their bathing suits, “as you’re going to make your first piece of art as a couple.” Uh oh. I hope they’re not going to be rolling around in paint. Didn’t we already see that on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City? But that’s exactly what they do.
Group date cocktail party
Photo: Disney/Richard Middlesworth
Jess is on Cloud Nine about her special time with Joey earlier in the day. “But selfishly, I still want time with him tonight,” she admits. Of course, she does. And she’s gonna piss some people off, too.
Joey pulls Jenn first for a chat. When he asks her how she’s been feeling, she responds, “It’s been an interesting week for me … With my feelings growing, it’s been a lot to process.” Joey is happy about where they’re going. Surprisingly, she didn’t mention Maria.
Next, Maria gets her time with Joey. She shares that she grew up mostly with her dad and was a big daddy’s girl (me, too). Her mom left when she was young, but before she left, baby Maria and her mom were in a terrible car accident. They were both very badly injured, and Maria was actually pronounced dead before being revived. Her mom had a deep depression following the accident, and she wasn’t able to be the mom she wanted to be. She and Maria are still “a work in progress.” Maria hopes her mom will be able to meet Joey because she’s a fan.
At the end of the evening, Joey offers Maria the rose, and she gladly accepts it. He’s happy that she’s opening up to him. The other ladies aren’t so happy, especially Lea, who said some really mean things I’m not going to repeat. Just more of the same.
Flamenco dancing in Spain
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
Back at the hotel, Kelsey A. and Rachel are waiting for Rachel’s date card to arrive. Rachel has her smart-girl glasses on. They look cute on her. Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door, and Kelsey goes to get the card. Kelsey reads the card, but my Spanish isn’t that fluent. Thankfully, Rachel translates the message as, “Let’s go dance, my love.” Thank you, Rachel.
The next day, Joey’s looking forward to spending time with Rachel. Rachel’s thrilled they’re going flamenco dancing. Joey and Rachel are provided with flamenco shoes, but Joey questions his decision to wear shorts. Shorts and boots aren’t a great look on a guy.
After learning the dance, they are invited to dance in a show with a group. They gamely agree, even though they’re a little nervous. Somebody found Joey some long, black pants for the show, so he’s a little more comfortable. Rachel has also been provided with a long black skirt and a red blouse, so she looks the part, too. The dance isn’t perfect, but they have a good time with it.
At dinner, they decide they’re very comfortable with each other, but they need to go a little deeper. Rachel shares her experience as a nurse, which is a tough career. I have several friends and a stepson who are nurses. They often share the very worst moments of their patients’ lives. Rachel says it’s hard to be in a relationship with someone in the medical field because of the long hours and the mental/emotional stress.
But Joey says he’s “all in on the slow burn,” so he offers her the rose, which she happily accepts.
The Rose Ceremony
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
While Katelyn is talking to Joey, Maria comes over and asks if she can interrupt. Katelyn says, no problem, of course, and leaves. But when she goes back inside, she tells the other women that Maria “stole” Joey from her. Jess gets upset about this and says, “It’s giving disrespect.” Um, hello? Didn’t you actually “steal” him from somebody else a couple of weeks back when you’d already had your time? How soon they forget.
Things blow up with Maria and Jess, and Jess walks away in tears, but not before throwing the B-word back at Maria. She’s crying in Lea’s arms, when Jesse comes in with his champagne glass (clink, clink) and announces it’s time for the Rose Ceremony. Jess is still having a meltdown. She blames Maria for not getting any time with Joey tonight. She says, “If I don’t get a rose tonight, it’s, like, not even fair!” Fair? Oh, honey, calm yourself down. You sound like a sixth grader.
Before handing out the roses, Joey says, “Tonight is all about me trusting my gut and going with my heart.” He gives roses to Jenn, Kelsey T., Daisy, Lea, Lexi, Katelyn, and Jess. See Jess? Now don’t you feel silly for throwing that giant tantrum? Goodbye, Autumn and Madina.
While sharing the customary glass of post-RC champagne, Joey says they’re going to change it up a bit and head West. They’re going to Montréal, Québec, Canada. Oh, dear. It’ll be cold there this time of year (this show was filmed last fall), especially after being in sunny Spain.
See you next week!
The Bachelor Season 28 airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF ALL THE DRAMA SURROUNDING MARIA? WHO DO YOU THINK JOEY WILL CHOOSE?
Given the history with Shannon, her friends had their weapons drawn and pointed at Bravo’s newest power couple. The two fielded dating rumors as early as November 2023 and went Instagram official on Christmas Day later that year.
With all the drama surrounding Alexis, John, and the Orange County stars, it only made sense for Alexis to later be confirmed for the RHOC Season 18 cast. Of course, given the nature of the controversial relationship, word eventually went around that the two had already split. Well, Alexis wasn’t going to let that rumor fly unsubstantiated.
On February 8, Alexis took to Instagram to post a photo featuring John receiving a kiss on the cheek. She captioned the post by writing, “Sorry guys, still going strong Headed to workout now! Don’t believe everything you hear! [thumbs up emoji] [strong emoji] [hearts emoji] #swipe.”
The second slide featured a headline from Reality Blurb. The news story read, “RHOC Star Alexis Bellino Sparks Breakup Rumors With John Janssen With Cryptic Post as Fans React.” Notably, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the comments on Alexis’ post were deactivated.
Later that same day, Alexis shared another post – a mirror selfie with John behind her at the gym. In this post’s caption, she wrote, “Strength in training together [strong emoji] [hearts emoji].” Once again, comments were turned off.
Alexis and John made plenty of waves when their relationship first made headlines. Since then, things have been rather quiet, with only rumors presently causing a stir. Love it or hate it, Alexis and John might just be in it for the long haul.
Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18 is currently in production, and is expected to hit Bravo later this year,
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF JOHN AND ALEXIS’ RELATIONSHIP? WHAT DID YOU THINK OF ALEXIS’ IG UPDATE?
Welcome to our recap for The Bachelor Season 28, Episode 4! In this week’s episode, one woman gets to explore Malta with Bachelor Joey Graziadei on the one-on-one date. On the group date, 12 ladies fight for Joey’s love, Game of Thrones style. And in the two-on-one date we all saw coming, two women who’ve been at odds with each other will try to convince Joey that they have a future with him. One will stay, and one will go home to her cats. Here are some of the highlights from The Bachelor Season 28, Episode 4.
Pack your bags, ladies!
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
The morning after the “Pool Party” at the mansion, the ladies are complaining that there was “no party, just a pool.” The drama between Maria and Sydney is stealing all the oxygen.
Kelsay T. says, “Maria’s … intentions are good, but Sydney is very headstrong. She can’t get over it without being right.” Sydney’s cutting her own throat here. Joey is not going to want any part of someone who has to be right all the time.
Jesse Palmer walks into the room where all the women are gathered and screaming ensues. Calm down, ladies. You’re not here to date Jesse. He’s already married.
Jesse tells them, “The good news is this whole thing really is working for [Joey] … The bad news is that you’re not going to be seeing Joey tonight because Joey’s no longer here. Joey’s left Los Angeles, and very soon, all of you will be as well … Pack your bags, ladies, ’cause Joey’s going to be meeting you in Malta.” More screaming. Ay yi yi.
First one-on-one date in Malta
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
Joey’s excited to be in Malta. He says, “By the end of this, I hope to bring someone to the Altah. But before that, we have to hang out in Malta.” Don’t quit your day job, Joey.
The first date card arrives. “Lexi … [long pause] … Let’s explore Malta…” and the rest is lost amid the excited chatter.
Joey’s looking forward to his date with Lexi. “There’s just this honest chemistry connection that we have,” he says. “I’m hopeful she feels the same way.”
They get pastries at a local stall, play some bocce ball with the old men, and dance to a street musician.
Later, Joey and Lexi walk to dinner through the beautiful, glowing streets of Malta. She’s nervous about sharing her health issues with Joey.
Lexi has Stage 5 endometriosis. Even though she had surgery to correct the situation, she may never be able to have children of her own.
Lexi’s only told one other person about her condition. That was her ex, who decided “he couldn’t marry someone who might not be able to have his children.” Wow. What a dick. There are other ways to have a family.
Joey realizes what a difficult confession that was for Lexi. “I’m very sorry that you had to deal with that … I can’t even imagine how hard that is.”
“It doesn’t scare me in any way,” he adds. “There are a lot of other ways to create a family.” She should never feel that there’s something “wrong” with her. There’s so much more to Lexi than her ability to have children. Awwww. I love Joey. What a good guy!
And with that he offers her the rose, and of course, she accepts.
“Love is worth fighting for”
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
Katelyn reads the date card. “Jenn, Daisy, Edwina, Katelyn, Allison, Rachel, Autumn, Kelsey T., Jess, Madina, Lea, Kelsey A.: True love is worth fighting for.” Yikes. That sounds a little intense.
Since Maria and Sydney are the only two whose names weren’t called, they will be going on the dreaded two-on-one date. Maria just wants to focus on Joey and move forward, but Sydney wants to keep the drama going. I hope Joey sees who’s causing the problem here. It’s not Maria.
The next day, the site of the group date was one of the filming locations for Game of Thrones. Joey’s a big fan (so am I). When they walk up the stairs into a large courtyard, there are two knights sword-fighting. Uh oh. This should have been saved for Maria and Sydney. I think Maria could take her.
After being assured that women can also be knights, the ladies change into their costumes. They’re going to battle for extra time with Joey. Thankfully, they’re using wooden swords and not steel. Autumn is the winner and gets some alone time with Joey. Go, Autumn!
At the after party, Daisy has some time alone with Joey. They’re naming their future children, and Daisy comes up with “Ocean” and “Teddi” for their twin girls. Somebody’s a Bravo fan!
Meanwhile, Jess tells Joey she feels their connection getting stronger and says she’s “falling” for him. But when it comes time for the rose, he gives it to Kelsey T. Of course, she’s thrilled to get the rose, while the rest of the girls are sad.
And then there were two
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
Back at the hotel, Lexi sits between Sydney and Maria on the couch (you gotta keep ’em separated), when the date card arrives. Dun dun DUN!
“Sydney and Maria,” Lexi reads. “Meet me on the water. – Love, Joey.”
As Maria and Sydney leave for their two-on-one date, Maria voiceovers, “I’m not a bully. There is a bully in the house, it’s just not me … My approach is just to … be honest, be myself, and hope for the best.”
For her part, Sydney interviews, “Maria is not suitable to be his wife, and I need to get this girl out of here.” Sydney needs to dial back the self-righteousness. Just to make sure we know she’s the villain, ABC adds a clip of her saying, “Spending a whole day with Maria is like spending a whole day with the devil.” Yikes. Harsh!
Joey joins Sydney and Maria on a yacht. He’s on a mission today to find out who’s telling the truth about the bully situation. He doesn’t quite understand what’s happening. He tells them even though it’s kind of a weird date with two of them, they are going to do something fun today. They’re going to the Blue Grotto. Oh, I think I’ve seen this on Below Deck. It’s amazing.
Sydney’s not even trying to have a good time. She’s being such a Karen on the boat ride to the Blue Grotto. While Maria is making the best of things and chatting with Joey, Sydney has such an attitude of being above it all. It’s not attractive.
Maria says that even though she’s trying to be positive and enjoy the day, Sydney is stealing all her energy. “She’s a vampire,” Maria says.
Joey makes his choice
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
Joey asks Sydney to talk first. “I know that I’m the one for Joey,” Sydney voiceovers. This girl is delusional.
He apologizes that things have been uncomfortable. Sydney says that Maria has been repeatedly disrespectful to the other women. “Maria … is not someone you would want [as your wife],” she says.
Joey doesn’t want drama. He’s very confused, so he pulls Maria to talk.
Maria says she left the drama in LA. “I’m here to further what we have,” she tells Joey.
Joey asks if she actually told Lea to STFU, and Maria says, “Absolutely not. I would never say that … It’s such a lie.”
At dinner, Joey asks Sydney if she sees a future with him. Of course, she says yes.
Sitting across the table, Maria voiceovers, “If he wants to give a rose to someone who just lies about me and says what he wants to hear, then he’s not the guy for me.” I agree.
Finally, Joey picks up the rose. He looks at Sydney and says, “I cannot give you this rose.” Yay! And with that, he walks her out.
I think Joey is basically a decent guy. I’m glad he saw through Sydney’s drama. I don’t necessarily see him with Maria either, but I don’t think she deserves the way she’s been treated.
After sending Sydney home to her cats, Joey goes back inside and gives Maria the rose. Immediately afterward, the beautiful strains of “Ave Maria” drift down from the balcony above. One of my favorites. I wonder what the singer would have sung had Sydney been Joey’s choice? Is there a Sydney song? Maybe this one: The Sydney Song.
There’s a new drama queen in town
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
Now that the rivalry between Sydney and Maria is over, the ladies can focus on Joey. Everybody’s hopeful going into the Rose Ceremony.
Feeling secure that she already has a rose, Maria goes into the evening just wanting “everyone to get their time with Joey.” She’s going to ”stay in my own lane … and not ruffle any feathers.”
Lea is somehow offended that people aren’t more upset that Sydney went home and that everybody’s being nice to Maria. Just let it go, girl. She goes to Madina and asks to chat with her outside.
“Syd leaving made a lot of things more real,” she tells Madina. Lea is upset that Madina said Sydney was one of her best friends, but then when Maria walked in the door, she was all happy to see her.
“I don’t have to be mean to Maria for her to know that Sydney and I were close,” Madina responds. Madina’s just trying to navigate the situation as best as she can. Lea trying to create drama is not helpful.
Ugh. I thought Sydney going home would be the end of the ridiculous drama, but I was wrong. Lea thinks she’s standing up for her “friends.” These women aren’t your friends, Lea. They’re competition for Joey’s affections. They’re rivals. You’re not here to make friends. Did Courtney Robertson teach you nothing?
Maria’s had enough
Photo: Disney/John Fleenor
And because of this silly drama, we’re going to be denied a Rose Ceremony. When Maria leaves the room in tears, Lea is glad. Lea is not a nice person.
Oh, and now we’re treated to Lea getting ready to “speak my truth” to Joey. It really grates on me when people use the expression “my truth.” It’s like their truth is different than other people’s truth. That’s often true, but the fact remains, the truth is just the truth.
Lea wants to be Sydney 2.0. How did talking about one of Joey’s other girlfriends work out for Sydney, Lea? Do you really want to go there?
Meanwhile, Maria is telling her handler that she just wants to go home. She’s tired of the mean girls, and she just wants to leave.
What’s going to happen? We’ll find out tomorrow night as the two-day Bachelor event continues. Another two-hour show tomorrow night?! ABC/Disney is trying to kill me.
See you tomorrow!
The Bachelor Season 28 airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.
TELL US – WHOSE SIDE WERE YOU ON: MARIA OR SYDNEY? DO YOU THINK IT’S A GOOD IDEA FOR LEA TO MAKE HERSELF INTO SYDNEY 2.0? WHO’S YOUR FRONTRUNNER SO FAR?
Headed to workout now! Don’t believe everything you hear! [thumbs up emoji] [strong emoji] [hearts emoji] #swipe.”
