i make an effort not to yuck people’s yums typically, but i have absolutely no reservations about shaming people for watching this garbage. everyone who is supporting this culture is an awful person and should very much be ashamed of themselves. yes i am shaming you.
I think also in regards to Vanderpump, I’ve noticed the public can get really nasty with cheating scandals. Like the readiness to throw around words like ‘evil’ and ‘sociopathic’ as we saw in the reunion I’ve seen happen online as well. think people have a hard time not projecting their own personal feelings/experiences on to these situations. Also the worst of it is usually directed at women unsurprisingly.
To be fair, you have to be a special type of evil to cheat on your gf of 9 yrs with her best friend, and then dump your mistress when you can be together 😂
@@Shay416right?? People are so afraid to point the situation out for what it is. Rachel got off easy, being berated on television is really tame considering what she’s done
@@ew-dd4mbwell no.. nobody deserves to be spoken to that way. if you do speak to people that way, especially while pushing 40, it’s because you have limited emotional intelligence and a distinct inability to communicate your real emotions without insulting someone like a four year old. there were so many opportunities to approach a meaningful mature conversation (that raquel is clearly willing to have) and they didn’t want that.
@@kayleeharrell2470 when was she clearly willing to have a mature conversation? Even now she can’t own up to what she did. Regardless of someone’s age, Ariana was betrayed repeatedly while Rachel only showed partial remorse for what she had done, and even still was humiliating Ariana smiling on national television about it. Ariana is human, and Rachel is only concerned about her image.
I saved the whole thing to explain in depth to my sister on a road-trip. I was dyyying to explain it all because I know she loves messy drama like this. She introduced me to laguna beach and all that lmao, it was hysterical. She kept getting more n more enthralled , wanted the whole poster board n red thread moment 😂😂
As someone who doesn’t watch hardly any reality tv (just Dancing With The Stars and Great British Bake off) I feel like an alien observing human culture watching this video 😄
Gonna be cycling "Potential victims? All I think about are victims!" into my day-to-day lexicon; to the confusion of my friends, family, and co-workers.
Rewatching the VPR reunion is so rough. I’d say we are very lucky that the worst thing that happened was Raquel checking herself into treatment. I genuinely don’t think I’d be able to mentally recover from that.
Agreed. At the end of the day, everyone in the Bravoverse are all complicated figures whether we like it or not. And we don't watch The Real Housewives and other Bravo shows for morality lessons(or at least we're not supposed to watch them for morality lessons 😅), so it's better to just try not to take it too seriously and just enjoy the ride. 😊
I have no idea who or what you are talking about but I love how thoroughly you explain all this. Learned a lot about thos crazy shows I will never watch and, most important, about how TV hook its audience.
The pay onnvanderpump rules are based on seniority; Sandavol and Ariana have been on the show for more than a decade. Rachel was recurring for the majority of her time on the show, of course, someone who wasn't in the intro until her second to last season.
I liked the video essay but it forgets it’s own logic. Scandavol wasn’t huge because there was infidelity on camera, it was huge because the audience had a parasocial connection to Tom and Ariana as a couple. A relationship built with us over 9 years. THAT is the secret sauce of a show like this - longevity of cast. That’s why they’re paid on seniority. If people got paid on the basis of how much pot stirring they do, the show would lose all grounding in reality with everyone out competing the others in outrageous behavior. If people are emotionally invested in your story over years, the drama doesn’t need to be extravagant to strike up audience interest.
You nailed it. Plus, Tom and Rachel did everything in their power to keep the affair off the show. And once cameras were rolling again, T & R continued to lie to hide and downplay the details of the affair. The reason Ariana called the producers so soon after finding out was because Tom was trying to convince her to keep it off the show. The job is to share your life, warts and all, with the cameras. They did refused to do that. And then they ask for a pay rise? After failing to do their job and lying to producers for a year? Also, Rachel, no one was stopping you from selling merch. Your co-stars made money because they worked to build businesses, which then flourished during Scandoval. Money didn’t just fall into their pockets, they worked to make a product people wanted.
Monica was a great villain mostly because circumstance, I don’t think she realized what she had. The SLC finale brought the whole meta narrative of bravo and its fandom to a head and all she could bring to the reunion was that lame burn book.
I know. She had every opportunity to save her ass at the reunion, and she squandered it all. It definitely proved to me that she wasn’t the big brains behind RVT, she’s not savvy enough. She was a minion.
Clicked on this one for Heather Gay. She did a three part interview on the Mormon Stories podcast. (It starts at episode 1369) It's wild to remember that she's also a reality TV star.
Real Housewives casting criteria: If you have no dignity, no integrity, only the loosest grasp on morality, possess no boundaries when it comes to personal behavior, and are willing to do literally anything on camera in order to be famous, then you're exactly the cast member they're looking for!
Real Housewives has been compelling for years. The YT channel Deeply Superficial does excellent deep dives on the franchise and what makes it peak reality TV. It’s a woman-run channel Brooey, and I think you’d enjoy it. Off topic, but I love your Taboo series on Nebula 😊
I know her! I subscribed to her not too long ago. She's wonderful at what she does. ❤ My personal favorite videos from her are the Vow Renewals video, the Taglines video and the video that suggests where to start each installment of the Real Housewives franchise. ❤
great video! loved every second and I've never watched any of the shows you were discussing. my sub box is full of reality tv commentary and i'm loving it!
Regarding "fan in a reality competition", the appeal is not necessarily rags to riches, but can also be a way for the show to illustrate how the rules can now be metagamed. The most famous example is Russell Hantz on Survivor. He does not hide from the audience the fact that he is: 1) a rich oil executive and 2) a huge fan of Survivor. He uses his fandom to create meta strategies that break the game and allowed him to make to the finals two seasons in a row, only to be upended by his hubris and unashamed arrogance.
Great work! The rules of the game are so important. Because conflict and primal impulses are inevitable,it's all the more vital that people understand the way business is conducted. Even among the lowest income,there's a pervasive sense of this importance. A dealer who affects kids or involves families,will almost certainly be rectified before official authority becomes aware of the situation,as they would have violated the social contract, forfeiting their resources to any claimant.
I love this video, I’m just stuck on the “not just betraying fellow costars, but betraying the audience too” as a theory on the audiences point of contention. As a regular watcher of VPR, my feelings on Scandoval were out of sadness for those involved. This is not like Kristen and Jax, or any other. This was a betrayal of, as you said, the most relatable and warmest member of the cast. The hurt I felt for Ariana is what made me feel so strongly, and is why I find any comments about how she is too harsh towards Raquel as only grazing the surface. The production productioned, but I hope we remember that while this is a show and we shouldn’t as an audience comment on our perspective on someone’s personal life, “the devil has enough advocates”.
I would say that the reason Scandoval and Reality Von Tease became bigger online fodder than real criminal scandals, is that for the fans, this is juicy, indulgent drama to distract us from the banality of our dull lives. Do you know how many bathroom breaks I took at work to check on Scandoval updates last year? It was the most delicious fun. But defrauding the elderly, or the widows and orphans of plane crash victims is not fun. And I don’t want to make it into juicy, indulgent drama on the internet. We will follow the court cases, sure. But it’s too real to be a fun distraction from my boring life. Cheating scandals and gossip are part of the DNA of these shows. They are within the rules of engagement. This is what we sign up for as viewers, and what the cast sign up for as cast members.
Let’s be so fr right now. The reason scandavol was different and interesting to me that you left out is that Tom and Raquel were literally trying to plant the seeds against Ariana and using her mental health issues against her. They slept together in her bed while she was away for her grandmothers funeral. Her saying the cheese grater thing sure it’s mean but also light work considering the mental torment those two disgusting people put her through. If you can’t handle someone saying mean things maybe don’t sleep with their partner in their bed while they are saying good bye to their family member 🤷🏼♀️
And there’s no way in hell Tom was offered a producer credit- he lied about everything else there’s no way that would have been on the table. Why would bravo pay for her multi month stay at a luxury resort? They pay based on the amount of years and Raquel wasn’t interesting to begin with. The only reason we even knew about the affair was because ARIANA called producers. Tom and Raquel didn’t own up because of guilt.
Also the parasocial element was so interesting that we all knew about the affair at the beginning of the season so we could look for clues before the episode showing them learn about it
This is such a great and thoughtful breakdown. I have trouble on these shows when a cast member doesn't realize what they're doing and what sort of context they're operating in. Even if you think of the "dumbest" housewives, like Teresa or Sonja, you can tell that they understand what the show is and why they have fans. Whereas if you look at let's say Candiace or Dorit, it feels like they take it too seriously or they get upset when someone undercuts their performance. I did really love the Monica vs. everyone fallout because it shows the two sides of the same coin. All of them realize what the show is, but they have different takes on it. Monica thinks she can wave away the troll account (and she should have been able to, it's so ridiculous), but Heather knew there was a good chance if she set up the reveal just right, she could manufacture a wave of outrage to take down Monica. I enjoy that layer of strategy in the Bravo world. Even though it's a docu-soap, it's basically the new version of high society clubs where there is an underlying game of dominance.
37:04 I take umbrage with this comparison of Housewives to pro athletes and Navy SEALs. Precautions are built-in to both of those pursuits. From protective clothing and gear to specialized training and preparation, SEALs and athletes are PROTECTED in as many ways as possible. Not so with Housewives. They are tossed out there and everything is done to put them in danger. And they don’t even get the benefit of helmets or padding to protect them from assault. Very bad comparison that only serves to highlight how badly the housewives are treated.
when no one on the cast liked her! no one cared about her before the scandal so it was more the audacity plus the cast is older. they may still cheat but no longer with each other. she crossed a massive line. if this was s5 or earlier she would have been ok and it wouldnt have been a massive scandal
@@indiefairy09 "they may still cheat"...come on, they are all massive hypocrites and are NO better then Raquel. Its so weird how they have the massive shamming toward her like she is a serial killer lol. but, they are all people who are 40 years old and still acting like they are 14; not expecting a lot of self awareness.
This video just saved me a lot of time. I was thinking of watching the housewives as exposure therapy, like to help inoculate me against drama so I can be less avoidant of society. Now I know about the wink, I don't think manufactured drama is gonna help much... 😅
Raquel saying her brand is shot is her own doing. She could've done something, be as unhinged as her 'soulmate' Sandoval. And people forgot how she was trying to find out from Ariana how her relationship with Sandoval was on the pretense of being BFFs.That's crazy tbh
Yes, I think that’s where this video essay fails. Rachel’s inability to play into the kayfabe of it all is on her, not the genre. She’d been on the show five years, did she really not understand the heel-face cycle? Lala was a huge target on previous seasons for being a mistress and she turned it into a podcast. Monetising notoriety is quite literally the genre. The UA-camr also doesn’t seem to have done much research on that story because if she had, she’d know that Ariana has said in interviews that she fully expects public opinion to turn on her. I mean firstly, Ariana has done nothing to deserve that oncoming backlash but secondly, she GETS the cycle. If Rachel didn’t get it after FIVE YEARS, it’s just showing not bringing her back was the best thing for the show.
Delving into the realm of reality TV, particularly the enthralling universe of "The Real Housewives," unveils a compelling narrative that resonates with the theatrics and intensity of professional wrestling. As the curtain rises on these extravagant series, one can't help but notice the striking similarities that exist between the two seemingly distinct worlds. Within the opulent setting of "The Real Housewives," viewers are treated to a captivating blend of drama and extravagance, where affluent women navigate a world filled with lavish parties, simmering conflicts, and unbridled emotions. Each episode unfolds like a carefully orchestrated performance, showcasing a larger-than-life portrayal of reality that blurs the lines between authenticity and spectacle. Similarly, the realm of professional wrestling unfolds as a thrilling stage where larger-than-life personas collide in epic showdowns of athleticism and showmanship. Wrestlers embody exaggerated characters with flamboyant personalities, engaging in meticulously choreographed matches that draw audiences into a world of heightened drama and larger-than-life narratives. Both "The Real Housewives" and professional wrestling excel in the art of storytelling through exaggerated performances and the portrayal of characters that push the boundaries of believability. They share a common thread of embracing conflict and drama, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a world where reality is heightened, and entertainment reigns supreme. Reflecting on the parallels between these two captivating worlds underscores the power of storytelling to captivate and enchant audiences. Whether through the glamorous lives of reality TV stars or the adrenaline-fueled battles of professional wrestlers, both realms offer a compelling glimpse into a heightened reality where emotions run high, theatrics dazzle, and larger-than-life characters take center stage in a mesmerizing display of entertainment and escapism.
I think the difference in reaction stems from the fact that one case had innocent victims and the other had flawed victims. The girl that was cheated on (I don't know their names) didn't deserve what happened to her, and hurting her felt completely unnecessary and evil. Whereas in the other case, these were women that people already perceived as somewhat sociopathic and deserving of some sort of punishment, so hearing that someone was gossiping about them online felt more like just retribution than a crime. I'm not saying that it was, I'm just saying how the public perceived it.
I don't know why, but I have this suspicion that there is no such thing as "The Real Househusbands of Whatever" where they make men scream and throw glasses of wine at each other.
@@Maria-ut7lk I get what you're getting at but there are analogous harms, in my opinion, to men in sports, women in docu-soaps/reality. They are jobs that have complex positives and negatives for their participants. Like the physical toll of plastic surgery or the toll of taking hits to the head from the time you're 10 playing football. Or being humiliated and hated because you didn't perform well on the field or on a cast trip. It's not the same obviously but I think you can draw parallels about how people can be perceived.
My toxic quality is realizing I would do great in reality TV, going to an all girls school has equipped me with the ability to be cruel and quick while being blameless. growing up and maturing has made me realize the impact of my actions on people and made me kind. In the right context, I could go back so fast. I wish I could be like Raquel and not immediately lapse.
I agree with a lot of your opinions, but I definitely feel like you underestimate the typical differences between the public reception of a cheating scandal vs one like monica's. I understand that there were other cheating scandals on vanderpump that were received better, but I think the explanation for that is more related to the apparent seriousness of ariana and her ex's relationship (as well as the fact that they had been together for a really long time on the show and viewers had seen their relationship develop) as opposed what you're arguing in the video.
I would like someone to make a video on the fact that on EVERY show on Bravo, they will always say “disinvited” instead of uninvited. Literally in every context; on Bravo the word uninvited does not exist 😂
This whole video is engrossing and you hit every thought so well. EXCEPT - I may be in the small minority but I have always felt tremendous sympathy for Raquel and think she was unfairly handled on ALL seasons of the show. When viewed through the lens of tact and appropriate social decorum, Raquel has always been the appropriately behaved one. She was always careful with her words and respectful, while being perpetually mistreated by her ”friends“ and boyfriend in her early seasons. Remember when she went to Vegas and all the girls made fun of her when she went to sleep? They were all so awful to her just because she was pretty and ”won“ in their competition over Oliver the waiter. It’s so wild how that whole thing was turned on her, just by Lauren from Utah (Lala) - who was jealous, and embarrassed of not being chosen. The whole treatment of Raquelle is egregiously unfair and I hope some day the public can do right by her, and separate her actions from the actions of that do uche bag.
Yes. She was quite polite when she questioned Ariana's sex life with Tom. She was very well-mannered while her and Tom wore their little necklaces and the very example of etiquette when she stayed at Ariana's house and Tom was seen leaving her room. You are 100% right. You are the only person to feel bad for her.
I personally started watching real housewives season 1, however what bothered me, and eventually made me stop watching real housewives and subsequently all reality TV, was the editing. They treated their viewers like goldfish with a three minute short term memory whom, from week to week should not remember the lies or the wonky editing. They have corrected that recently with the shady editing and holding people accountable. They dont get a pass anymore for being on reality tv. They dont get a pass for “entertainments sake”. Thats why im watching reality tv again
Nothing for me will ever beat Teresa versus Dina and even better when lunatic ghost whisper is present. Maybe the party planner and Ms forthcoming album
I seriously hate that the public treatment of Raquel was so bad that I'm in a situation where I feel worse for the woman who had the affair than the woman who was cheated on. She did something awful but didn't deserve her treatment at all, the whole situation is grotesque.
Interesting video. I don't agree with your framing of Raquel as a victim, or as someone who faced harsher consequences than Tom (the backlash he's faced from the public and the cast, plus the monetary effect it's had on his new bar, are well documented). I also think Ariana should be extended some grace for her "mean" words at the reunion given what she had gone through.
I clicked on this video hoping to hear some kind of take where i'd learn something new that would make me respect reality tv as a worthwhile art/media form. Nope. Your takes on why people react certain ways to the drama are interesting and well thought out and all, but after waching your video to the end I still cant see how there is anything worth caring about in this genre. It all feels misogynistic and gross to me. Lets laugh at shallow, mean women being shallow and mean. Nah. I think ill pass.
I'm not sure why this episode is so touted. The "Von Tease" concept wasn't even set up. Granted the opening of the season did a good job of teasing something important and "juicy" but that was the ONLY set-up. If the troll account had been sprinkled throughout the season then the finale would have been much more shocking. When I was watching the whole confrontation on RHOSLC, it was tough to have the "jaw-dropping" moment because I tried to think back if they women had mentioned this "Von Tease" account at all. It felt like the issue came out of nowhere. I enjoy the show but the season finale was not as dramatic as it could have been. I do love the meme "Receipts. Proof. Timeline. Screenshots."
I think you nailed down why I didnt vibe with Vanderpump as much as I did with RHSLC/the Real Housewives brand overall bc the ppl featured in vanderpump rules were doing real housewives level drama and fighting while not being of that level of wealth (like i do like below deck which is also about ppl in the luxury service industry too but feels just as much about working on yachts and making fun of rich ppl, whereas vanderpump isnt rly that focused on the restaurant lol) so it definitely feels more like punching down whereas enjoying the memes/gossip about housewives its more about punching up about these people who were largely uber wealthy and are more aware of the roles theyre playing. i knew when they introduced monica that i would like her more and want to root for her bc she was less wealthy and went as far as calling out lisa barlow, which felt satisfying. i think it also didnt help that scandoval fell into the time that cheating scandals were sort of at the peak of coverage adding more intrigue and fuel to the fire against raquel.
My cousin and I just found out recently that we were both a part of different friend groups where everyone was cheating on one another. It makes me wonder how common a phenomenon this. If it is more common now than in the past, I have a feeling that reality TV is feeding into it.
I absolutely hate it when a woman who has been cheated on directs most of her rage toward the 'other woman' and not her partner. Maybe Ariana had some words for her ex at the reunion (I'll never watch it) but I doubt it was even close to what she said to Rachel. It actually made me want to support Rachel, especially after hearing that Ariana & Tom started their relationship by cheating (?)
This is why people who haven’t watched something shouldn’t chime in. It’s ok to just be quiet on things you don’t know, lol. The reunion was three 1 hour episodes. Rachel only sat in the room for 20 minutes of those 3 hours. Her segment was structured that way because she took out a restraining order on her former best friend, Sheana Shay. By far, the vast majority of the anger was directed at Tom who sat there for all 3 hours. And yes, he was yelled at during all 3 hours. The other thing is this was only 2 weeks after the discovery and the first time Rachel was coming face to face with everyone. I think if you have intercourse in your good friends home with their partner of 9 years who only discovers it because of a sex video on his phone you should expect to be screamed at for a small section of 20 minutes. I mean even the worst of traitors would agree that’s fair, lol.
all I can say is... free my girl Monica
I can't wait to see what she does next.
Finally someone with taste!!
i make an effort not to yuck people’s yums typically, but i have absolutely no reservations about shaming people for watching garbage.
i make an effort not to yuck people’s yums typically, but i have absolutely no reservations about shaming people for watching this garbage. everyone who is supporting this culture is an awful person and should very much be ashamed of themselves. yes i am shaming you.
@@ivang5874 Oh, it is garbage. I mostly use reality TV as background noise.
it's always a good day when we get a new one from you 💗💚
Same applies to you, Yhara! 💕
Oh shit, a crossover!
I think also in regards to Vanderpump, I’ve noticed the public can get really nasty with cheating scandals. Like the readiness to throw around words like ‘evil’ and ‘sociopathic’ as we saw in the reunion I’ve seen happen online as well. think people have a hard time not projecting their own personal feelings/experiences on to these situations. Also the worst of it is usually directed at women unsurprisingly.
Right because that affair saved that show ngl and helped Ariana’s career
To be fair, you have to be a special type of evil to cheat on your gf of 9 yrs with her best friend, and then dump your mistress when you can be together 😂
@@Shay416right?? People are so afraid to point the situation out for what it is. Rachel got off easy, being berated on television is really tame considering what she’s done
@@ew-dd4mbwell no.. nobody deserves to be spoken to that way. if you do speak to people that way, especially while pushing 40, it’s because you have limited emotional intelligence and a distinct inability to communicate your real emotions without insulting someone like a four year old. there were so many opportunities to approach a meaningful mature conversation (that raquel is clearly willing to have) and they didn’t want that.
@@kayleeharrell2470 when was she clearly willing to have a mature conversation? Even now she can’t own up to what she did. Regardless of someone’s age, Ariana was betrayed repeatedly while Rachel only showed partial remorse for what she had done, and even still was humiliating Ariana smiling on national television about it. Ariana is human, and Rachel is only concerned about her image.
I swear Real Housewives has gotta be an FBI honeypot lmao
It truly is and irs
Well of course its people with money showing off their wealth. when what they claim made their wealth doesnt add up the feds step in.
This made me cackle
Scandoval... i still remember what bus i rode when i read the news. That was an intense time to be on the VPR subreddit.
I saved the whole thing to explain in depth to my sister on a road-trip. I was dyyying to explain it all because I know she loves messy drama like this. She introduced me to laguna beach and all that lmao, it was hysterical. She kept getting more n more enthralled , wanted the whole poster board n red thread moment 😂😂
I was checking the VPR subreddit hourly at some point 😭
I am LIVING for this academic analysis of the Housewives franchise and our insatiable appetite for it.
Heathers whole speech was edited as a peak detective monoglue at the end of a spiraling game of modern day clue.
I'm catching up on salt lake cause i didn't know it was this GOODT
omg.... you simply must. It's TV gold!
best franchise ever!! been obsessed since it's inception
I get so excited seeing UA-camrs I like in the comment section.
It’s wild when you think about it happening in lds land😅😅
The best description of RHOSLC I've ever read is, "SLC is the community theatre production of Real Housewives."
Monica better be cast on the next season of The Traitors. She's the ultimate audience self insert and I love her for that.
She's not smart though & will eliminate herself within 3 episodes 😂
As someone who doesn’t watch hardly any reality tv (just Dancing With The Stars and Great British Bake off) I feel like an alien observing human culture watching this video 😄
Gonna be cycling "Potential victims? All I think about are victims!" into my day-to-day lexicon; to the confusion of my friends, family, and co-workers.
This is wrestling, except not everyone know about kayfabe.
Does that make Monica the CM Punk of housewives?
@@POPE_von_DOOM Yeah actually, her big crime was breaking kayfabe.
Rewatching the VPR reunion is so rough. I’d say we are very lucky that the worst thing that happened was Raquel checking herself into treatment. I genuinely don’t think I’d be able to mentally recover from that.
If a gay man had an affair with his female friend’s boyfriend would you be against him being treated the way Raquel was?
Life is so much better when you give in to Bravo actually being high brow entertainment
depends on the kind of life you're trying to live
it changed my life i have some shows to look forward to and it's hella entertaining it removes my work stress
Agreed. At the end of the day, everyone in the Bravoverse are all complicated figures whether we like it or not. And we don't watch The Real Housewives and other Bravo shows for morality lessons(or at least we're not supposed to watch them for morality lessons 😅), so it's better to just try not to take it too seriously and just enjoy the ride. 😊
I have no idea who or what you are talking about but I love how thoroughly you explain all this. Learned a lot about thos crazy shows I will never watch and, most important, about how TV hook its audience.
This just makes me want to become a Below Deck scholar EVEN MORE
I know absolutely nothing about these shows so this is so interesting.
Omg this came up in my recommended after I’ve been binging rehash, love love love your work
The pay onnvanderpump rules are based on seniority; Sandavol and Ariana have been on the show for more than a decade. Rachel was recurring for the majority of her time on the show, of course, someone who wasn't in the intro until her second to last season.
I liked the video essay but it forgets it’s own logic. Scandavol wasn’t huge because there was infidelity on camera, it was huge because the audience had a parasocial connection to Tom and Ariana as a couple. A relationship built with us over 9 years. THAT is the secret sauce of a show like this - longevity of cast. That’s why they’re paid on seniority. If people got paid on the basis of how much pot stirring they do, the show would lose all grounding in reality with everyone out competing the others in outrageous behavior. If people are emotionally invested in your story over years, the drama doesn’t need to be extravagant to strike up audience interest.
You nailed it.
Plus, Tom and Rachel did everything in their power to keep the affair off the show. And once cameras were rolling again, T & R continued to lie to hide and downplay the details of the affair.
The reason Ariana called the producers so soon after finding out was because Tom was trying to convince her to keep it off the show.
The job is to share your life, warts and all, with the cameras. They did refused to do that.
And then they ask for a pay rise? After failing to do their job and lying to producers for a year?
Also, Rachel, no one was stopping you from selling merch. Your co-stars made money because they worked to build businesses, which then flourished during Scandoval. Money didn’t just fall into their pockets, they worked to make a product people wanted.
And Racheal was boring no one cares about her she was always very unlikable
Monica was a great villain mostly because circumstance, I don’t think she realized what she had.
The SLC finale brought the whole meta narrative of bravo and its fandom to a head and all she could bring to the reunion was that lame burn book.
I know. She had every opportunity to save her ass at the reunion, and she squandered it all.
It definitely proved to me that she wasn’t the big brains behind RVT, she’s not savvy enough. She was a minion.
💯 Bingo
Clicked on this one for Heather Gay. She did a three part interview on the Mormon Stories podcast. (It starts at episode 1369) It's wild to remember that she's also a reality TV star.
Real Housewives casting criteria: If you have no dignity, no integrity, only the loosest grasp on morality, possess no boundaries when it comes to personal behavior, and are willing to do literally anything on camera in order to be famous, then you're exactly the cast member they're looking for!
And yet they've still not hired me 😔
And rich too.
your best intro to date!!!! cinema!!! I've never watched a single episode of any of these shows but I had to pause and get popcorn, really
Real Housewives has been compelling for years. The YT channel Deeply Superficial does excellent deep dives on the franchise and what makes it peak reality TV. It’s a woman-run channel Brooey, and I think you’d enjoy it.
Off topic, but I love your Taboo series on Nebula 😊
I know her! I subscribed to her not too long ago. She's wonderful at what she does. ❤ My personal favorite videos from her are the Vow Renewals video, the Taglines video and the video that suggests where to start each installment of the Real Housewives franchise. ❤
Ugh I love her videos
great video! loved every second and I've never watched any of the shows you were discussing. my sub box is full of reality tv commentary and i'm loving it!
Regarding "fan in a reality competition", the appeal is not necessarily rags to riches, but can also be a way for the show to illustrate how the rules can now be metagamed. The most famous example is Russell Hantz on Survivor. He does not hide from the audience the fact that he is: 1) a rich oil executive and 2) a huge fan of Survivor. He uses his fandom to create meta strategies that break the game and allowed him to make to the finals two seasons in a row, only to be upended by his hubris and unashamed arrogance.
girl you had me gasping in the beginning with the way you told the beginning of the story
Great work! The rules of the game are so important. Because conflict and primal impulses are inevitable,it's all the more vital that people understand the way business is conducted. Even among the lowest income,there's a pervasive sense of this importance. A dealer who affects kids or involves families,will almost certainly be rectified before official authority becomes aware of the situation,as they would have violated the social contract, forfeiting their resources to any claimant.
Bethenny Frankel jump scare
this is such great discourse on the world of bravo, thank you !!
I’ve been looking for video essays on the Real Housewives!!! There is SO much to say about a lot of these women
it's like you can read my mind i stg + these takes could not be better!!
I love this video, I’m just stuck on the “not just betraying fellow costars, but betraying the audience too” as a theory on the audiences point of contention. As a regular watcher of VPR, my feelings on Scandoval were out of sadness for those involved. This is not like Kristen and Jax, or any other. This was a betrayal of, as you said, the most relatable and warmest member of the cast. The hurt I felt for Ariana is what made me feel so strongly, and is why I find any comments about how she is too harsh towards Raquel as only grazing the surface. The production productioned, but I hope we remember that while this is a show and we shouldn’t as an audience comment on our perspective on someone’s personal life, “the devil has enough advocates”.
Calling someone subhuman for cheating but casually dismissing the actions of your racist cast mates isnt relatable btw
The only thing I knew about the RHOSLC finale was that that Congressman referenced it when talking about Trump
I would say that the reason Scandoval and Reality Von Tease became bigger online fodder than real criminal scandals, is that for the fans, this is juicy, indulgent drama to distract us from the banality of our dull lives.
Do you know how many bathroom breaks I took at work to check on Scandoval updates last year? It was the most delicious fun.
But defrauding the elderly, or the widows and orphans of plane crash victims is not fun. And I don’t want to make it into juicy, indulgent drama on the internet. We will follow the court cases, sure. But it’s too real to be a fun distraction from my boring life.
Cheating scandals and gossip are part of the DNA of these shows. They are within the rules of engagement. This is what we sign up for as viewers, and what the cast sign up for as cast members.
Oh gosh, are we going to watch RH? I look forward to seeing if this episode changed my mind.
I appreciate the Housewives discourse so much
Let’s be so fr right now. The reason scandavol was different and interesting to me that you left out is that Tom and Raquel were literally trying to plant the seeds against Ariana and using her mental health issues against her. They slept together in her bed while she was away for her grandmothers funeral. Her saying the cheese grater thing sure it’s mean but also light work considering the mental torment those two disgusting people put her through. If you can’t handle someone saying mean things maybe don’t sleep with their partner in their bed while they are saying good bye to their family member 🤷🏼♀️
And there’s no way in hell Tom was offered a producer credit- he lied about everything else there’s no way that would have been on the table. Why would bravo pay for her multi month stay at a luxury resort? They pay based on the amount of years and Raquel wasn’t interesting to begin with. The only reason we even knew about the affair was because ARIANA called producers. Tom and Raquel didn’t own up because of guilt.
Also the parasocial element was so interesting that we all knew about the affair at the beginning of the season so we could look for clues before the episode showing them learn about it
Allllllllll of this. Key important points.
I am now on my 3rd rewatch. I'm obsessed.
I have never watched any of those shows and this UA-cam breakdown was fascinating.
I know for an ALLEGED fact “umbrage” and loving football could only be said by Sutton Stracke
This is such a great and thoughtful breakdown. I have trouble on these shows when a cast member doesn't realize what they're doing and what sort of context they're operating in. Even if you think of the "dumbest" housewives, like Teresa or Sonja, you can tell that they understand what the show is and why they have fans. Whereas if you look at let's say Candiace or Dorit, it feels like they take it too seriously or they get upset when someone undercuts their performance. I did really love the Monica vs. everyone fallout because it shows the two sides of the same coin. All of them realize what the show is, but they have different takes on it. Monica thinks she can wave away the troll account (and she should have been able to, it's so ridiculous), but Heather knew there was a good chance if she set up the reveal just right, she could manufacture a wave of outrage to take down Monica. I enjoy that layer of strategy in the Bravo world. Even though it's a docu-soap, it's basically the new version of high society clubs where there is an underlying game of dominance.
okay but i’m so glad you’ve hopped on the train (and that it’s not only me)
New BroeyDeschanel video let's gooo
A+++ title I haven’t even watched the video yet but I had to comment my praise
37:04 I take umbrage with this comparison of Housewives to pro athletes and Navy SEALs. Precautions are built-in to both of those pursuits. From protective clothing and gear to specialized training and preparation, SEALs and athletes are PROTECTED in as many ways as possible. Not so with Housewives. They are tossed out there and everything is done to put them in danger. And they don’t even get the benefit of helmets or padding to protect them from assault. Very bad comparison that only serves to highlight how badly the housewives are treated.
Monica felt like an MTV star on a Bravo show. I hope we see her somewhere else 😭
Honestly raquel was a big deal because we saw ariana defend her so many times. Idk why ppl dont seem to understand that lol
when no one on the cast liked her! no one cared about her before the scandal so it was more the audacity plus the cast is older. they may still cheat but no longer with each other. she crossed a massive line. if this was s5 or earlier she would have been ok and it wouldnt have been a massive scandal
@@indiefairy09 "they may still cheat"...come on, they are all massive hypocrites and are NO better then Raquel. Its so weird how they have the massive shamming toward her like she is a serial killer lol.
but, they are all people who are 40 years old and still acting like they are 14; not expecting a lot of self awareness.
@@claynorth964 Only two of them are in their 40s, both Toms.
@@claynorth964 should people not shame a gay man for having an affair with his female friend’s boyfriend?
This video just saved me a lot of time. I was thinking of watching the housewives as exposure therapy, like to help inoculate me against drama so I can be less avoidant of society. Now I know about the wink, I don't think manufactured drama is gonna help much... 😅
25:37 all i could think during this sequence was how cute Raquel’s dress was!
Missed you! my favorite UA-cam
Watching this again ahead of RHOSLC ahead of its upcoming premiere (and after rewatching the finale and reunion).
Raquel saying her brand is shot is her own doing. She could've done something, be as unhinged as her 'soulmate' Sandoval. And people forgot how she was trying to find out from Ariana how her relationship with Sandoval was on the pretense of being BFFs.That's crazy tbh
Yes, I think that’s where this video essay fails. Rachel’s inability to play into the kayfabe of it all is on her, not the genre. She’d been on the show five years, did she really not understand the heel-face cycle? Lala was a huge target on previous seasons for being a mistress and she turned it into a podcast. Monetising notoriety is quite literally the genre. The UA-camr also doesn’t seem to have done much research on that story because if she had, she’d know that Ariana has said in interviews that she fully expects public opinion to turn on her. I mean firstly, Ariana has done nothing to deserve that oncoming backlash but secondly, she GETS the cycle. If Rachel didn’t get it after FIVE YEARS, it’s just showing not bringing her back was the best thing for the show.
Delving into the realm of reality TV, particularly the enthralling universe of "The Real Housewives," unveils a compelling narrative that resonates with the theatrics and intensity of professional wrestling. As the curtain rises on these extravagant series, one can't help but notice the striking similarities that exist between the two seemingly distinct worlds.
Within the opulent setting of "The Real Housewives," viewers are treated to a captivating blend of drama and extravagance, where affluent women navigate a world filled with lavish parties, simmering conflicts, and unbridled emotions. Each episode unfolds like a carefully orchestrated performance, showcasing a larger-than-life portrayal of reality that blurs the lines between authenticity and spectacle.
Similarly, the realm of professional wrestling unfolds as a thrilling stage where larger-than-life personas collide in epic showdowns of athleticism and showmanship. Wrestlers embody exaggerated characters with flamboyant personalities, engaging in meticulously choreographed matches that draw audiences into a world of heightened drama and larger-than-life narratives.
Both "The Real Housewives" and professional wrestling excel in the art of storytelling through exaggerated performances and the portrayal of characters that push the boundaries of believability. They share a common thread of embracing conflict and drama, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a world where reality is heightened, and entertainment reigns supreme.
Reflecting on the parallels between these two captivating worlds underscores the power of storytelling to captivate and enchant audiences. Whether through the glamorous lives of reality TV stars or the adrenaline-fueled battles of professional wrestlers, both realms offer a compelling glimpse into a heightened reality where emotions run high, theatrics dazzle, and larger-than-life characters take center stage in a mesmerizing display of entertainment and escapism.
I think the difference in reaction stems from the fact that one case had innocent victims and the other had flawed victims. The girl that was cheated on (I don't know their names) didn't deserve what happened to her, and hurting her felt completely unnecessary and evil. Whereas in the other case, these were women that people already perceived as somewhat sociopathic and deserving of some sort of punishment, so hearing that someone was gossiping about them online felt more like just retribution than a crime. I'm not saying that it was, I'm just saying how the public perceived it.
Great Job on this video!
Lovely video, brilliant analysis, is Baudrillard in the room with us??
Reality TV like this is a dangerous verge between truth and television…
I don't know why, but I have this suspicion that there is no such thing as "The Real Househusbands of Whatever" where they make men scream and throw glasses of wine at each other.
it"s called football. or sports in general.
@@whitehurstv1 Athletes are allowed to retain their dignity in a way these women are not.
@@Maria-ut7lk I get what you're getting at but there are analogous harms, in my opinion, to men in sports, women in docu-soaps/reality. They are jobs that have complex positives and negatives for their participants. Like the physical toll of plastic surgery or the toll of taking hits to the head from the time you're 10 playing football. Or being humiliated and hated because you didn't perform well on the field or on a cast trip. It's not the same obviously but I think you can draw parallels about how people can be perceived.
@@whitehurstv1I disagree. Sports are not used as propaganda for misogynistic bigotry in an overt ways like reality TV.
love the bob; keep up the good work
My toxic quality is realizing I would do great in reality TV, going to an all girls school has equipped me with the ability to be cruel and quick while being blameless. growing up and maturing has made me realize the impact of my actions on people and made me kind. In the right context, I could go back so fast. I wish I could be like Raquel and not immediately lapse.
I agree with a lot of your opinions, but I definitely feel like you underestimate the typical differences between the public reception of a cheating scandal vs one like monica's. I understand that there were other cheating scandals on vanderpump that were received better, but I think the explanation for that is more related to the apparent seriousness of ariana and her ex's relationship (as well as the fact that they had been together for a really long time on the show and viewers had seen their relationship develop) as opposed what you're arguing in the video.
I don't care about any of this, but I'd watch you narrate the paint drying on a wall.
I would like someone to make a video on the fact that on EVERY show on Bravo, they will always say “disinvited” instead of uninvited. Literally in every context; on Bravo the word uninvited does not exist 😂
This whole video is engrossing and you hit every thought so well. EXCEPT - I may be in the small minority but I have always felt tremendous sympathy for Raquel and think she was unfairly handled on ALL seasons of the show.
When viewed through the lens of tact and appropriate social decorum, Raquel has always been the appropriately behaved one. She was always careful with her words and respectful, while being perpetually mistreated by her ”friends“ and boyfriend in her early seasons. Remember when she went to Vegas and all the girls made fun of her when she went to sleep? They were all so awful to her just because she was pretty and ”won“ in their competition over Oliver the waiter. It’s so wild how that whole thing was turned on her, just by Lauren from Utah (Lala) - who was jealous, and embarrassed of not being chosen.
The whole treatment of Raquelle is egregiously unfair and I hope some day the public can do right by her, and separate her actions from the actions of that do uche bag.
Yes. She was quite polite when she questioned Ariana's sex life with Tom. She was very well-mannered while her and Tom wore their little necklaces and the very example of etiquette when she stayed at Ariana's house and Tom was seen leaving her room. You are 100% right. You are the only person to feel bad for her.
“Emotional Money shot” IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF JENA & KAI’s MAKE UP KISS IN ARE YOU THE ONE SEASON 8
I quite enjoy the Rehash podcast!
I personally started watching real housewives season 1, however what bothered me, and eventually made me stop watching real housewives and subsequently all reality TV, was the editing. They treated their viewers like goldfish with a three minute short term memory whom, from week to week should not remember the lies or the wonky editing. They have corrected that recently with the shady editing and holding people accountable. They dont get a pass anymore for being on reality tv. They dont get a pass for “entertainments sake”. Thats why im watching reality tv again
i will truly never forget where i was when i found out about scandoval
great video, thank you 💕
Should I pause the video, finish the show then come back and watch?
Yes. I highly recommend it!
Came for the video, stayed for the Graeme Turner citation 17:22
Can you tell us where to find Rehash? I'm not seeing it on spotify or in the description
it's in the description now :) should also be on spotify and anywhere else you get your podcasts!
“In a 2020 study of Real Housewives” I just had a stroke
I need to watch that last episode never watched slc
Great take :)
eileen davidson mentioned 10/10 video
This is the best video I've ever seen
I love theatrics and camp lol loveeee it
The 'Black Mirror" of it al....
the way I suddenly realized I was watching a Raquel apologist video 🤮
unrelated but you look sooo good girl
Nothing for me will ever beat Teresa versus Dina and even better when lunatic ghost whisper is present. Maybe the party planner and Ms forthcoming album
Wait, who was Ms Party Planner? I don't recall that one?
first of all great title 10/10
I seriously hate that the public treatment of Raquel was so bad that I'm in a situation where I feel worse for the woman who had the affair than the woman who was cheated on. She did something awful but didn't deserve her treatment at all, the whole situation is grotesque.
Great video.
Ha! This is a life stage in America requiring acceptance and surrender 😂
Interesting video. I don't agree with your framing of Raquel as a victim, or as someone who faced harsher consequences than Tom (the backlash he's faced from the public and the cast, plus the monetary effect it's had on his new bar, are well documented). I also think Ariana should be extended some grace for her "mean" words at the reunion given what she had gone through.
After watching "The Curse" I can't be bothered giving any attention to these manufactured, exaggerated and overly dramatic "reality tv" shows.
loved this
outstanding video
I clicked on this video hoping to hear some kind of take where i'd learn something new that would make me respect reality tv as a worthwhile art/media form. Nope.
Your takes on why people react certain ways to the drama are interesting and well thought out and all, but after waching your video to the end I still cant see how there is anything worth caring about in this genre. It all feels misogynistic and gross to me. Lets laugh at shallow, mean women being shallow and mean. Nah. I think ill pass.
I'm not sure why this episode is so touted. The "Von Tease" concept wasn't even set up. Granted the opening of the season did a good job of teasing something important and "juicy" but that was the ONLY set-up. If the troll account had been sprinkled throughout the season then the finale would have been much more shocking. When I was watching the whole confrontation on RHOSLC, it was tough to have the "jaw-dropping" moment because I tried to think back if they women had mentioned this "Von Tease" account at all. It felt like the issue came out of nowhere. I enjoy the show but the season finale was not as dramatic as it could have been. I do love the meme "Receipts. Proof. Timeline. Screenshots."
I just can't feel bad for any of these people.
I think you nailed down why I didnt vibe with Vanderpump as much as I did with RHSLC/the Real Housewives brand overall bc the ppl featured in vanderpump rules were doing real housewives level drama and fighting while not being of that level of wealth (like i do like below deck which is also about ppl in the luxury service industry too but feels just as much about working on yachts and making fun of rich ppl, whereas vanderpump isnt rly that focused on the restaurant lol) so it definitely feels more like punching down whereas enjoying the memes/gossip about housewives its more about punching up about these people who were largely uber wealthy and are more aware of the roles theyre playing. i knew when they introduced monica that i would like her more and want to root for her bc she was less wealthy and went as far as calling out lisa barlow, which felt satisfying. i think it also didnt help that scandoval fell into the time that cheating scandals were sort of at the peak of coverage adding more intrigue and fuel to the fire against raquel.
14:30 which HW do we think this is? NeNe? Karen Huger?
I think it’s Rinna. NeNe and Huger don’t talk like that. Rinna definitely does.
My cousin and I just found out recently that we were both a part of different friend groups where everyone was cheating on one another. It makes me wonder how common a phenomenon this. If it is more common now than in the past, I have a feeling that reality TV is feeding into it.
Why did they all go so hard only at raquel and not the guy?
One of us one of us
I absolutely hate it when a woman who has been cheated on directs most of her rage toward the 'other woman' and not her partner. Maybe Ariana had some words for her ex at the reunion (I'll never watch it) but I doubt it was even close to what she said to Rachel. It actually made me want to support Rachel, especially after hearing that Ariana & Tom started their relationship by cheating (?)
This is why people who haven’t watched something shouldn’t chime in. It’s ok to just be quiet on things you don’t know, lol. The reunion was three 1 hour episodes. Rachel only sat in the room for 20 minutes of those 3 hours. Her segment was structured that way because she took out a restraining order on her former best friend, Sheana Shay. By far, the vast majority of the anger was directed at Tom who sat there for all 3 hours. And yes, he was yelled at during all 3 hours. The other thing is this was only 2 weeks after the discovery and the first time Rachel was coming face to face with everyone. I think if you have intercourse in your good friends home with their partner of 9 years who only discovers it because of a sex video on his phone you should expect to be screamed at for a small section of 20 minutes. I mean even the worst of traitors would agree that’s fair, lol.
@@redmaple1982 That's a really good point