Latest / Mention It All Again / He was gonna blow you the f*** up! (RHOA S9 Pt. 1)
Transcript
- Blake: Welcome back, everyone, to yet another episode of Mention It All Again. I'm Blake, and of course I'm here with my lovely co-host. Casey: It's your girl Casey. Welcome back. So happy to be here with y'all at whatever time of day or night you may be listening. RN. Blake: Night for us if you want some b BTS lore. we are course very happy to be here with you guys and very happy to I would say be doing another Girl House Lives of Atlanta episode. I was like thinking to myself before like I started watching I was like I love doing Atlanta episodes because there's just always like these they're just so funny. Like there's Casey: I know, it is enjoyable th watching every time. Blake: There's there's always like I don't know, they just they know how to have fun, they know how to read, like they obviously like, you know, do get into their spats, of course, but I feel like they always have like interesting things going on and they're they're just like you I feel like each season you get to see like a different side of like certain friendships and I feel like I'm always laughing when I'm watching these women. Casey: Even when it is like at times like a heavier season, which this season that we're focusing on, season nine would definitely fall under that category. But for this week, not too too heavy, but still not honestly not light. But we're gonna be focusing on the first half of season nine. So around episodes one through eleven is what we watched for for this one and You know, it's it's setting us up for an even darker second half, which is wild considering that we get bomb threats, property damage Blake: Bomb threats, property damage, like mentions of domestic violence. I mean y'all, we ha we run the gamut in the these first eleven episodes, and like like Casey said, not even not even halfway done. Before we get into the thick of it, I wanna remind everyone that what we are doing now is spreading out our our rewatches so that we are not gonna do like a week back to back of the first half, the second half. We'll usually spread it out to give you guys some time if you're like watching along with us. Also just there's a lot in each season. Casey: Yeah. Blake: Sometimes, you know, you might not be caught up to like this episode of our podcast. Sometimes you might just like want a little bit of a break. Sometimes you might not even give a fuck about this particular franchise. And we don't want you to have to like spend two weeks not being able to listen to us. So just what we're gonna do, couple weeks later, we'll finish our rewatch. And I feel like that's probably better than giving you guys like a back to back. So just if you're like wondering Casey: Yeah, we'll we'll close the loop at some point. Don't we'll be back to whatever if the if it says part one or part two or it's a about a whole season, we'll make it clear if we're coming back or not, and we'll definitely be back for the second half of season nine. But for now, let's lead the listeners or watchers or both into the the terrifying world of Atlanta season nine. Blake: Definitely. Yeah. So we would be remiss not to obviously mention the taglines. Casey take us away. Casey: You can't always get what you want. But I can. Blake: And then Porsche's is I'm too blessed to be stressed and too sexy to be thirsty. Casey: I guess I could have said whose mine was. I was gonna make them guess. Mine was Phaedrus. The first one. Blake: I was low-key wondering like what the situation was. Wait, that could have been that could have actually been like a r a funny game at the end. Like guess which ones is who, but there's also like who gives a fuck. okay Casey: I just wanted to get right into character. Yeah. Like who's guessing for real? Yeah, okay, anyways. Cynthia is is life is a runway and Cynthia Bailey is ready to walk it alone. Blake: Candies, now that I've got my ace, I've got a full house. Casey: Crickets Kenya Kenya says I give the people what they want and they always want more. Blake: Loki do like that one. and then my favorite charades, don't call it a comeback, call it a takeover. And then she's like not even on next season But that's like perfect. But that's it's such a takeover, like I can't even begin. Casey: Yeah. It's a takeover. I love that one. That one is I think the best, objectively. I also do like Phaedra's. My my first one that I was non unnamed, but I do like you can't get what you want, but I can. Like, yeah, exactly. That's so true. Blake: Ha ha ha. Right like and it's so true. And I actually really like Kenya's. I give the people what they want and they always want more. Like, 'cause obviously that's her last name. Obvious if that weren't her last name, that'd be stupid. But like I like the play on words of it all. can they they do Candy so dirty, I feel, with their with her taglines, and Cynthia's I just think are always kinda boring. Casey: I agree. Well, candies, like I was thinking this when I heard it. I was like, I don't care how clever the wordplay is, I don't want your tagline to be about your child. Like Is your child the housewife? Like even like you know I love my my sister Giselle Bryant, but even like her like little like kitschy one that's like I adore Grace and like whatever the the one was. You can adore me and yeah, like okay, like Blake: Agreed. Agreed. yeah, it's like it's like she throws in each of her children's names. And but give me some grace because I'm an angel or something like that. It's like R thanks for the thanks for the haiku. I mean, I will say like if we're talking about Casey: Yes, exactly. Like, okay, like fun little poem there, but let's focus on the real stuff. Right. Blake: Is it accurate to like what she has going on? Sure. And she does obviously talk about her kid a lot, but still, like, that's not the only thing that is going on. So I agree with you, like Casey: Does she have a kid named Ace and does she have a full house? Yeah. She does. Blake: Like, does she literally live in a home that has a lot of people? Yes, okay. Cool. Wow. You got me there. okay, so if you couldn't if you couldn't ascertain from that conversation, we start off with Candy having Ace, her new child. we start off with Phaedra is in the process of getting divorced from Apollo who is now in prison. Casey: Okay, fine. I guess it works. Yes. Blake: Cynthia is also getting divorced from Peter. Portia is going to Anger Management. We have the Battle of the Homes with Kenya with Moore Manor and we have Chateau Chere. those are both in the rotation this season. Casey: like where we kinda start, like with everybody and then things evolve. But that's where we're left off from from the season before. Obviously, like Portia's answering for her crimes, her her violent crimes by going to anger management. So that's like a like follow up on like the stuff that's happened with her on camera. so kind of storyline continuations. Same thing with the homes. Like these are like this is not new to us. Like we've been here. Blake: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. She Right. Right. 'Cause if you watched season eight, Portia, I guess, like the season ended with her chasing somebody out of a holiday party and I guess beating them up in an alleyway. So that's why she is being forced well probably a little b I wonder if there's like some Bravo pressure Maybe like if you'd want to keep your job you can no longer physically assault people. Casey: Yeah, maybe forced. Blake: So that's where we start. So obviously we we have the Moor Manor Chateau Chere Progress. Kenya is insisting on starting the season with a housewarming party, but like her her home is still in the process of being built. It is a construction site, an active plaster, dust. I don't know if like the AC is fully even working. There are tarps hanging from certain like Casey: Like completely not built. Mm mm. Blake: I guess areas that will eventually be walls. it's just it's not like a livable home at the moment. but she never th deeply Casey: No, it's deeply unfinished. Like, she's just trying to beat Sheree to the altar, like by being like, Look, like I can have people inside my house, like, cause it's done. And that's what Sheree says when she sees it. She's like, I mean, I also could have had people over in my active construction site and been like, it's done, but I'm not gonna do that. So Blake: Right. Well, yeah. Ha ha. I could have endangered people's lives. I could have ruined their clothing. I mean, we could have all done that, but I chose not to. so she's like insisting on having this party. and that's where we start off. we start off with Kenya. It was like she was like, I'm gonna have my house warming in six weeks, and the the contractor was like, that's just not gonna work. And she was like, Well Let's get to it. And they're like wearing booties around like like little like plastic booties around their shoes because it's like that much of a construction site still. Like, okay. So we do get to the housewarming. that's like literally the first episode. so like the guests start arriving and the construction is still like like happening. there hasn't been much visible progress since the like early scene to the party at the end of the episode. and I how would you feel if you were invited to a house warming that was like pre existence of the house in question? Casey: I mean I just like simply you know that meme of Kim Cattrell where it's like I don't wanna be in a situation for even one hour where I'm not enjoying myself. Like, that's really deeply how I feel. And there is just no scenario in which I'm staying at a place that doesn't have air conditioning for more than twenty minutes tops. Like unless it's like the dead of winter and like we really don't need it then, but like Blake: Yeah. No. Casey: I am leaving and like Sheree calls it a hot box when they're in there. So like it must be pretty damn hot in there. Blake: Right. She has boob sweat. She is under boob sweat. She's trying to stand by the vents. I mean, Lord knows that would be a nightmare for me. So I think I'm probably in the same boat where I show up, realize this is like not my jam for the night. Congratulate her. This was great. Here's my here's a bottle of I'm sure it's gonna be great in a couple months. I give her my bottle of champagne and then I'm hightailing it out there. So Sheree, this is Sheree walking into Casey: Right. Thank you so much. It looks amazing. Blake: Into her party. Casey: She was shocked, honey. Blake: She's She's living like the Flintstone. So if you're listening, she's she approaches like Kenya's driveway that is like a very steep hill and it's not super well paved and Sheree's wearing heels so she has to change into like her flats so that she can get down the the driveway. And then as she enters Casey: Which I don't know why she had those. Was she just like thinking that there might be a situation which she could want to switch into some flops, I guess? She's so wise and she's so prepared and f you know, her gift of prophecy is so strong that she could sense she would need that. Blake: I mean I feel like She probably did a drive-by and was like, yo, I'm I'm not fucking around. I don't know what's going on down there. so she she's like the one of the first to arrive. She congratulates Kenya. They start the season off on good terms, it seems. Casey: Right. It's like fun shade about the houses. I mean like it's it's twinged with a little bit of like resentment and hate, but overall the it's meant to be fun. Like they're both like going for the geese guys, the guys. Yeah, 'cause disguise. Ooh, nice. Good connection there. Blake: It's definitely like yeah. Guys Words with Casey Casey: Ooh. They're both going for the guise of like it being cute and fun and like haha, like we've we've buried the hatchet, even though there's definitely which we find out right in the middle of this conversation, it's it's a little aggressive. Like Blake: Right. Right. 'Cause Sheree's like, you know, congratulations, like it's you know, she's obviously not like immediately coming to her, like, this place is a damn mess. She's like trying to be nice about it. And then Kenya immediately is like it's been such a wild ride. It's take like it's been the whole fucking process. I can't even imagine what five years feels like referencing the fact that Chateau Sheree has been being built for five years. and Sheree immediately is like, okay, fuck you. Like, like Right. Because what ends up happening is the sh if the fun shade is kind of papering over some hard feelings that haven't fully been like resolved, then what ends up happening is they end up talking behind each other's backs, and then that comes back around, and then so we just have a full-blown like we're back to square one. And that's kind of what happens with Sheree and Kenya here. Casey: Right, we've kicked it off now. Like it's we're back in it. Right. Blake: so moving along, the the Kenya does not invite Porsche because of said anger management issues. Casey: Right, she says she feels unsafe with her around. Like obviously, you know, whatever. Fine. Okay. Blake: Right, which I roll. I roll it's it's like something for her to latch on to to like make a pressure point and obviously she and Portia are not good, so it's like very easy like I have the leverage here. so yeah, she doesn't invite her, but Messi Fei Fey decides that she's gonna invite Porsche Casey: Yes. Blake: as her plus one, 'cause I guess I guess she's allowed to have a plus one. The invitation was delivered to her home by a horse and carriage, which I found strange 'cause it's not like her I mean, it should have been delivered by like a tractor or something, because I feel like that's more construction vibes than whatever she thinks is going on. a tractor or like a fucking a a bulldozer bulldozer's what I meant. Casey: Right. A t a tractor. A tractor of the construction variety, not the farm. Right, there we go. Yeah. Yeah. That's that we're we're there. We got there in the end. yeah, amazing amazing work by Phaedra. I give her a a Christmas bonus, like beautiful, beautiful pass. Blake: And she is so good at pretending that she doesn't know what she's doing is messy because she's inviting her fully like acting like this isn't about to be like a huge problem. she doesn't care. so so anyway, Portia shows up and I I I make this noise, like I I do this like Sheree sound. I really love a Sheree sound. but I think about this one particularly all the time. So Portia walks in and this is Sheree's reaction. Casey: Mm-hmm. Blake: She was getting her life. That was, to me, that is like exactly what I imagine being a real housewife is like. Like when you get to be there to see the show hap like being made in front of your eyes and you see someone do like a move like that some shit's about to go down. And that's and she knew, but sh she's like, she's like kind of angled back. She's like purse purse hooked over her hand. She's like Casey: They're so funny. Blake: kind of bobbing her back more she's like, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. Like she was that I I I need whatever she's on in that scene. Like that was pure ecstasy. Casey: Yeah. And like, yeah, like she's representative of us all. She's for the people and always has been. Sharee is incredible. Blake: Sheree literally is one of the most for the people Atlanta housewives. Casey: And this is like one up we're only one up and we're not even done with the first up and she's already given us multiple great moments. So I I hate when she gets her disrespect. But Basically, as you can see, Kenya's immediately on red alert if you saw the clip, like with Sheree, like Kenya's like, What's going on? and lays her eyes in on Portia and it's like, What in the damn hell? Why is Portia here? and she's inside for about thirty seconds before she's kicked out. Like she is not staying at this event. I guess fair enough. Like you weren't invited, so Blake: Agreed. Ha ha ha It's kinda like what you expect? But I also, I mean, Phaedrus, Phaedra has a great line. she was a bouncer in her other life because one thing about Kenya is she's gonna kick somebody out of her party. And it's especially if your name is Portia Williams. like it's it's it's true because part of me is like, Again, not invited, inviting her to cause problems. Like, what did you think was gonna happen? But then part of me is also like. Casey: Especially Portia. Blake: Again, I just don't believe that she the her whole like I don't feel safe thing. So like when she brings her outside and like uses that as the example of like, you know, blah blah blah I feel like it's just it's so dramatic. But to Portia's credit, she's like, I'm gonna show her that I'm different, that I've changed, and she just marches her ass back out. but like Phaedra, why'd you make the drive all the way over there just to turn right around and drive with Portia right back home? Casey: Yeah. Blake: Whatever. And then as they like are walking out, Sheree is like, you know, fuck this. I actually I want the tea. I want to know what just happened. So she just like ditches the party and runs out, chases Phaedra and Portia, and it's just like literally what just happened. And then instead of like going back in to like finish the party or say bye, she just leaves. And I think that was that's like really like the beginning of their beef for the rest of the season. It's like It started episode one at the house party and then it just continues from there. It spirals pretty quickly, I will say. Casey: Yeah, I mean and like you can imagine like the setup of like that steep driveway, like it's now pitch black outside. Like Phaedra and Portia are running away outside of Kenya's, Sheree's chasing them, like and they're like scared. Who is that coming up running down and now her comfy flip flops that she changed back into to get through the treacherous conditions, but it does become very like the teams or like alliances, quote unquote, for this season are Phaedra Porsche Sheree versus Candy Cynthia Kenya is like the the divide roughly and it becomes, you know, differently convoluted in between like the individuals, but that's like roughly the teams. And I think the Phaedra Porsche Shere trio is so funny. So unfortunately you're not gonna get me to side against them no matter what is had going on. So Blake: No, they're just like objectively the heart of the show at this moment. Everyone else feels like they just are full of grievances and then the three of them are just sort of like living it the fuck up. This is also the season where Old Lady Gang is opening. and I guess also Candy is churning out more candy factory products. She's doing a Casey: Right. There's like a million businesses going on at the candy factory the candy factory is like question marked the name of like the consortium of businesses. Like the HQ of the candy businesses is the candy factory. We can't be a hundred percent sure, but we've got the the bedroom, candy bedroom, the bedroom factory. Whatever bedroom candy, I think that's what it's actually called. Blake: Bedroom candy, yeah. Casey: And she has like the radio show might have been discontinued at this point, but that was one Blake: Candy Coated Nights, I think was She has well she's doing baby clothing and now that she's out opening up a restaurant, I Yeah, I was gonna say she's she's doing the play, a mother's love. She obviously every single new season she has a different album, a different kind of music she's trying to do. and then I think like there are more products as we get down the road. whenever we get to like one of those like brainstorm candy Casey: play, the flop one, a mother's love. Right. Blake: factory scenes, I'm like holy fuck, like I'm about to get like a a business one one class right now. Like I'm getting my ma MBA. I I do too. Casey: Wait, I was just gonna say I hate these scenes. Like I hate these like it's like a manufactured like confessional focus group. No one else just has a a vague room where they can pull every one of the people in their corner to discuss an argument and have them all be like Die Vedra Portia Like Like it's so fake. Like what are we doing here? This isn't your talk show room, like Blake: Yeah. Yeah killer Yeah No it's it's it's so true. Casey: The candy factory and they're just sitting in these ugly chairs. Like okay. Blake: And it's no yeah, it's literally just like a pylon. And also like that's when we are forced to like deal with the unsavory characters such as Don Juan and and Todd, who, now that I know that they're divorced and like how that went, I feel like you can start to like look back and start to see him become part like kind of like money hungry, just in the same way that Casey: Frig and Todd I know. Yeah, I feel like he was always a moocher, but we thought he was like good, so it became like, No, no, like they're just like entrepreneurs together, whatever. But now you're right, now that they're not together, it's like, no, he was mooching off her and was like totally like creating these businesses with her and like all these pro like I guess like not really businesses. They're more like products out of the the candy factory. Blake: Right. Right. He was Like ventures and shit. Yeah, and I feel like that I mean, aside from that just being bad for their relationship to work together, I feel like he kind of was just using the resources as like a bouncing off board for like his own shit. And I feel like that probably got really exhausting. especially 'cause like Y'all both can't be working twenty four seven. Like you have Casey: For sure. Blake: Children. I feel like that needs there needs to be a balance there. Constantly Casey: And they were like actively having more children. Like it's not even like they just had their older children. Like they're actively having they're like fake little after show that they make up, which is usually Candy Todd, Don Juan, and Mama Joyce, and or some variation of the four of them. And in this specific episode of their after show, Mama Joyce is talking about Phaedra and Apollo. And like it's understood that at this point Mama Joyce doesn't like Phaedra just because like she's been like shady to Candy in past seasons and like they've like been just like kind of Blake: Ha ha. Casey: like always in each other's rumor mills, like adding to each other's issues. So Mama Joyce is talking about their divorce, because it's been going on for a minute and she is like very much saying that there's no way that they could be taking this long because if your spouse is a felon or like in jail for a certain amount of time, the state is much more likely to approve your divorce, basically. Like it it should be fast tracked because he's in jail. So she shouldn't be having any issues is Mama Joyce's whole shtick. Blake: Yeah, she thinks she's like lying about like trying to get divorced or like the whole situation there. I will say, this is not even close to the first or only like alleged lie allegation or storyline that we get on Housewives. I feel like the like generally speaking, Housewives love to act like a woman is lying about how much she actually wants to get divorced from her husband or like lying about the fact that she even is just getting divorced. You know, like I feel there's always like a like, well, why aren't you divorced already? And I don't really get it, to be honest. Like it Casey: Wait, me either. I was just gonna say, this doesn't do it for me. The like we gotcha, you were married a year after you said you were married, like based on these law documents, like, whoa, who cares? Like Blake: It makes no sense. What are you trying to prove? Right. Who cares? Or like, you're you say you're getting divorced, but you're not divorced yet. It's like, do you think that she wants to stay with Apollo? Like is that what you're getting at? Because I don't think that makes like clearly she doesn't. And it's like a whole thing. Casey: I feel the same way. It's personal business and like I feel that way about any time. It's like why are you so incensed that like maybe she is dragging her feet on her own personal divorce? Like that would be her prerogative to do so. Like I I'm sure it's messy. Like it's really not I don't I don't get it. Blake: Right. Right, but it's also just Yeah, there's things to hash out and whatever. And I guess for me the part that's like the most fr like annoying is I will say like in probably like ninety nine percent of all these situations, like all the context shows that like they are they d don't want to stay married anymore. It's not like a situation where it's like Well, they actually seem so happy together, blah blah blah blah blah, whatever. are you are you suggesting that like they actually are lying about being unhappy like that's clearly not happening. So again, I just don't see the point. All that to say, Mama Joyce is making it her sort of mission to like get up in there and see what's going on. Is this the Mama Joyce dancing clip? Casey: I think that's is is it that one? Yeah, just play it. Just play it. It's in one of them. Blake: Okay. She's like Casey: She was so happy to be hearing about larceny and fraud. Like the part of the definition that it's at is like larceny, fraud. Like she's just up and pointing. Blake: That's like her that is her fucking shit. And she's if you're if you're listening, she's like she's like kind of pointing in the air like left, right, left, right. Like that it's like her victory dance. I actually do really like Mama Joyce, but I agree with you like if you're if you're listening, like that was a candy factory like like huddle session. And I agree with you that it's like okay, so she just gets to like s sit around with like her posse and everyone just gets to like be debriefed on like what's going on and then have like eight people validating you. And it it sort of does feel like a like a side plot. Like that we it's like different than just like a scene with a friend. Casey: I don't know. And it happens so often. Like, even just is this when she does the dance? I'm like, I don't know. It's in one of the vague candy factory after show scenes. It could be this one. Like, I don't know how to differentiate them because it's always the same damn thing going on. And like, you know, whatever. Nobody else has this going on throughout their personal crisis storyline. Like, you know, fine. Have have your thing, candy, but then don't be Blake: It's I yeah. Casey: Don't act like then that your mom is off limits when people have issues with things that she says, when you're basically making her a cast member. Like you can't then be like, whoa, like I can't speak for my mom. Like you you miked her up. Like you basically are. Blake: Right. Right, you you You huddled up with her, you gave her this information, and I Candy loves to do that, where she'll be like, she'll say something, and then Mama Joyce will say something so out of pocket, and then she's like, Mama, you can't say that and I'm like sh but did you know you know your mom. You know your mother, and you know that was like you know how she is, you know that information was gonna piss her off, and then you're You think that it's like it w you are shocked? You're not shocked, Candy. Like I completely agree with you. I completely agree with you. Casey: No, she annoys me so bad. But anyways, they're moving along. Phaedra, Phaedra has such whimsy. I think this is was one of Phaedra's ideas, but the events they have this season, like we're at an escape room and then we go to laser tag in a little bit. But at this escape room event, Candy and Phaedra are like the first to arrive, and it's Blake: ha ha. Or so Ha ha ha. Casey: Edited to be heavily awkward, and I'm sure it was just as awkward in real life, but it might be a little exaggerated. But like they're not speaking. Blake: Yeah. Can you can you remind us of like the beef that brought us to them being in a bad place? I th Casey: Honestly, it's kind of just like a long build up of like shady comments on the show and like them not just usually not being on the same team. Like it wasn't like like this is their biggest conflict, like evolving over season nine, but like they play like a little flashback and there's a bunch of clips of Phaedra talking about like Todd and saying Todd like has money issues and like is using Candy for money and there are like little jabs of stuff like that that really like ticked Candy off and I think that led her to just be like, Okay, well we're definitely not we're not cool. Like so the allegiance is down and Mama Joyce never dropped the Blake: Yeah. I Casey: feeling about it either because Candy like doesn't trust her anymore. and like there was an issue with during Phaedra's divorce. Like Phaedra took it really personally that Candy didn't reach out to her enough. Like but Candy felt like why, like, is there so much pressure on me to like be the person that like is all up in your like inbox? Like you had other people who were there for you and like I don't know why you're like talking to them about how I'm not there for you enough. Like Nene and like I think some of the other girls. Blake: Yeah, that's what I was gonna say. She like Yeah, I think that also, there was some type of issue where like as they were getting divorced right before Apollo went to jail, like Candy ha like let Apollo store stuff in her garage or something, and Phaedra did not like that. But like I guess Candy and Todd were still f like cool with both of them, but Phaedra took it as like anti like, you're not my girlfriend if like you're gonna do this with Apollo. So I think that was a part of it, but I I do think that it's like been like two seasons of like a com a a build up of a bunch of stuff. So Casey: Yeah, and they they lit they escape room and they're on the same team for the event too. So like it's just like Blake: I think it's a Porsche event and she put herself on the team with Kenya, and Sheree and then put Candy and Phaedra on the same team with Cynthia. And this is also when Sheree debuts her Mama Joyce wig, which is not the craziest wig I've seen on this show, I will say. Casey: No, it's not like amazing, but it's it could be worse. this season in the beginning is kind of just like a collection of like a lot of random events. Like we go back to the candy factory, like I said a million times, and when we're there, at one point they're trying to have their after show moment to like debrief Probably more things about Phaedra, but then it's interrupted by this random lady in a pixie cut and they're all kind of like, hello, like who are you? Like, what is going on right now? Blake: Like who Like d did you do you have a key? Like how did you get Casey: Like we're filming our after show right now. I don't know why you thought you could just drop by. Candy and her confessionals like you don't drop you don't just drop by the candy factory. Like What do you do at the candy factory? Like Blake: Right, like Casey: gate. Blake: is it an is it an office or like what goes on there? Like if it's an office, why can't people just walk right in? Like, that's how offices are I feel, but This lady, she she did not gaff at all. She walked straight in. Everyone's kinda like Hu Hello and then like it's funny cause nobody was like what like who are you? Get out like everyone was like Hi I'm like I would have been like Excuse me Like But that but it It turns out that this woman is dating Casey: Yeah. It's really it's really strange. Like Blake: Riley's father slash candy's baby daddy, Riley's father, Block from I guess like Riley's like sixteen now, so from a while ago and he doesn't really like stay in contact with her. That's like the whole thing with Candy this season is that like she's really upset because he kind of is like trying to get somewhat involved back in her life and she's like, Well, you literally haven't been involved for so long. Like this is ridiculous. And this lady Casey: Candy's baby daddy, yeah. Blake: barges in and literally just wants to tell Candy that she wants Candy to like like let Block spend time with Riley, which I feel like is very presumptuous to do. Casey: Whatever, like this was really weird and he's a loser and like let's move along back to regular life. Like very, very strange. And that's like pretty much what Candy says. Like she's like, Okay, like thanks for s thanks for popping in, but like I feel like I'll just let Riley figure that out 'cause she's fourteen, like not four, and he can just call her up, like, I don't know why you're here. It's very strange. So, you know, moving moving swiftly along. Blake: Mm-hmm. Ha ha. Right. Ha ha ha. Right. Take your pixie cut and get out. Casey: And like Every woman in this cast is having like to deal with a horrible man in one way or another this season. Like Candy, even though she's with Todd, and like at this point in time, they're fine. She's dealing with her baby daddy, who's a piece of shit, you know, deadbeat. Like Cynthia's finally divorcing Peter, and he's as annoying as he ever is, like, even while they're divorcing, like, such a pick me loser. You know, Phaedra's divorcing Apollo still. He's not really around as much, but also a Loser. Portia is dating one of her exes who has two like grown adult children, grown adult boys, they must have broken up because he had to go parent his his newborn children at the time. Like, because they're 14 and 16, and Portia's like 30 in this season. So who even knows? But she Blake: my god. Literally And she's she is dating this man with the intention of asking him to father her children because she wants children and is looking for a man who would provide like good sperm for her. Like it's very much a means to an end, and not even like necessarily 'cause she's like we ha we like reconnected and had this great like date and blah blah blah. It's literally like, I found him and I think like he would be a good a good man to like give me a child. Like it's very strange Casey: Right, like she likes that he's already a father and like is a good good to her father, like by what what she's viewed about his parenting skills. So like that's odd and Sheree is like sort of tinkering around with getting back with her ex Bob who Spoiler alert, there's a theme here, is also a fucking loser. Like these men are such losers. All of them are dealing with absolute man children. It's wild. Blake: And I the the Sharee thing is like I damn near skipped I didn't skip them, but I wanted to skip her scenes. I did skip the Porsche ones 'cause I thought the whole thing was like contrived. Casey: I did skip through some of the like dates. Blake: She's like, we're just friends, blah blah blah. But then like they're going on dates and he's actively courting her and pursuing her. And she's like, You're gonna have to fix a lot of things if you wanna be like with me. And I'm like, Are you Are you so you are date you are like considering getting back with this man? like And then she has these stories about like how when they were together or whatever, and I'm like This man is horrible Casey: Yeah. Yes. Throughout the season, as they're actively in a courtship, she is revealing more and more horror stories about the last time they were together. So it's like I don't even think her own brain, like her brain was like subconsciously trying to like speak the messages to free her, but her her body was not receiving there was a miss. A missing connection there because she is like entertaining him this entire 11 first eleven episodes. And yeah, he looks terrible. She even says at one point, like, he needs to lose some weight if he wants me back. Like, there's always something he has to be doing, like, to get her back. But it's like, clear you just don't want him back, Shorey. And you're right. Like, like just trust the gut. Like, you're good. Just keep it moving. Blake: It's painful. Like why are you doing this? And he's also drenched in sweat and every single scene that he is in. And I'm not talking about like just a little bit hot, like neck wet, like it's Niagara Falls down there. It's like a slip and slide. And his forehead beads of sweat constantly. Meanwhile, they're in like the kitchen, having like a very calm. Conversation, casual. and he's like, You make me nervous. I'm like, holy fuck, get that checked out. anyway, so now we move on to the fun laser tag event, because that's what we're doing this season, is we're doing kids' birthday activities. Casey: Right. Blake: So Phaedra planned this laser tag event. Shocking to me, because I feel like Phaedra has usually not not really aired on the side of to use your word whimsy. but she did. Casey: She's everything. No, she, I think, I think that's wrong. I think you're misunderstanding her. I think she's always erred on the side of whimsy. Like, you're talking about the diva lawyer mortician extraordinaire, like Missgirl, like is not playing around with her special interests. Like, and I know we'd get along because of this. Like her planning this immediately, I was like, ooh, we would be such good friends. I would be thrilled to go laser tagging with the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Blake: Ha ha ha Ha Casey: Of course, but Blake: ha ha. Casey: anyone. I love a laser tag. And I will pull up and I will play the children too. Like I don't need it to be adult only either. Like I will pull up and I will face the the ten year olds. Like, let's go. Blake: I do too. I feel like it's like every man for himself if you're at laser tag, like y you don't get to use the I'm ten years old defense, like girl, we're we're about to blow your head off with this laser, like get into it. Grow up. Casey: Grow up. And they and they play and like it's it's cute and fun, but I like didn't even really register this until now. But the fact that one of our one of our more iconic reads slash line deliveries in Atlanta history is in is in one of those laser tag debrief rooms like where you're like eating like cardboard pizza and like stale diet coke like that's everything yes they'll they're like looking at like Kenya 61 points like wow this is happening Blake: And like looking at your like laser like score or whatever. And then this happens. Casey: She ch she hit two birds with one stone. Three birds. Sheree, candy, and mama joy. Blake: She And Mama Joe's. My favorite part about that scene, and I didn't like even realize it. I didn't remember it. Candy gets mad. Like, she's literally like, She's like, don't go there. As she's putting one of those like grocery store like turkey wraps in her mouth, she's like, it's like fully lodged in her esophagus, and she's wait, don't go there. She's like, Don't you dare start with my mama. I'm like Casey: She's chowing down like Blake: Okay, but was she wrong? Like was she wrong? It's a terrible situation that's on Sharae's head. I feel like she she should have seen that coming. just incredible. Incredible. You couldn't you couldn't script that. Casey: No, it does really look like it. Not at all. And another 'cause the real central tenet of these first eleven episodes is the loser the loser relationships, I'd say. And the arguably the biggest one of all was the one I didn't even just mention, is Kenya is dating this man named Matt who is just a nightmare. Like he's an absolute fucking nightmare of a person. let's talk about feeling unsafe because of anger management issues. Here is here is where maybe it's projection on Paportia because here is is where we've got problems. Because like from the start of the season they they're on rocky footing because he's shown signs of like being angry and like disrespectful when he gets like in one of his temper tempered moods, but they she's continuously trying to get him back. And at one of the points that they're together in the season, he like finds an old photo of Kenya and Jay-Z, of all people. Like he's catching a astray in this storyline, but he finds an old photo of them from like literally like the 1990s. Like and like starts like smashing stuff and like yelling at her and this is just the first incident this season and it only gets worse from here. But like this is a perfect example. Like how ridiculous do you have to be? Like obviously Jay Z is not coming for your girl man. Like he's with Beyonce. Like if there's anyone to not be jealous of I think it's I think you're good here. I think he's not pulling up to Kenya's house to Moore Manor. Blake: Right. Right, and honestly, like he's just it's he's unstable and this is like the maybe like the lowest I've ever seen Kenya in terms of like self esteem because she keeps like entertaining the fact that they could s they should still maybe be together and they can work things out while this man is fully like mind you, her home is still being built and he is knocking windows out, taking her a couple weeks back. In her completion progress, and he's he's just showing up and like and destroying things. I mean, I think if there's any time when you're kinda like No, I don't think we should be together. It's when people are like f breaking things. But this is this is something that is an ongoing situation for her. and while she's dealing with that, Mama Joyce is trying to facilitate sex. Casey: Yeah. Blake: For Candy and Todd, she thinks that they're not getting it enough. And she literally lays out like a room full of sex objects, like it lube, handcuffs and stuff, and is just like Casey: It is so bizarre. It's so bizarre. It's like eye masks that say like tease me, baby, and like handcuffs and lube and like all this like really weird shit. And like okay, first of all, I guess like breaking down the breaking down the fourth wall as they say. This scene had to be set up and like get like, you know, hey, we're we're gonna have you film like Blake: my god. Yeah. Casey: the scene like in in our bedroom like so do you knew ahead of time that your mom was doing this was this like all like some weird product placement for bedroom candy and you like had to involve your mother in in it like why not just have candy set it up for Todd then like why involve mama joyce and like if not product placement why Blake: Right. Casey: Did she do this? And why were Candy both Candy and Todd are unfaced? Like they are not there is not a a bar of this is kind of weird. They're like, thanks. Like I thought Todd at one point was about to be like, this is kind of weird, but the only thing that he says that's weird about it, it's like she beat me to the romance game. Like I'm Aw man, like what? Blake: They're low-key like they're low-key like thanks! Thanks, Mama Joyce. I'm like, motherfucking excuse me? Like, if she had said, I'll leave you guys alone for the night if you wanna get, you know, do whatever you wanna do, like and I'll babysit the kids, like, I would be like, fine. She is literally like laying out the sex toys they should use. is that not is it not strange that she had she was like getting visuals of like what they would need to be doing in the bedroom? Like, this one will be perfect. Casey: I'm feeling unsafe just like I'm feeling so uncomfortable thinking about this. Like Blake: No, this is it's like naughty it's just like a blip that we needed to discuss, but I I I think Casey: I was gonna say this is like a 30-second scene in between scenes. Like so the editors knew what they were doing, leaving that in, because they could have made sure that that didn't have to get to our eyes, but they wanted to use accurate reporting and make sure we got the full scene. And you know, spe speaking of Mama Joyce doing too much, she decides to book an appointment with a lawyer to debunk. Blake: But it was jarring. Right. Right, they wanted us to know. Casey: Phaedra's divorce going ons. so just like while we're still on the same thread of her doing too much. Here's another example because, you know, let's Like not even the divorcer. Like, why are you dressed like this? Blake: He's like, Why do you look like you're on the lamb? If you're if you're listening, she is she gets off the elevator on in walks down the hallway wearing like a a scarf, like a head scarf around her hair. She has sunglasses on, she has like a trench coat on, she fully looks like, you know, she doesn't want to be noticed. As if she's not being filmed for a TV show, and as if anyone would see her in the hallway. Casey: On camera. Blake: Also, it's like she's doing this all to go to a family attorney to be like, How long does it take to get divorced? Like literally fucking you could Google it. She she she Casey: And my useless reality TV memory comes into play here because I I'm not I didn't even fact check it because I'm like 99.9% sure I'm right. I'm pretty sure this exact guy is Portia's divorce lawyer for both of her marriages. And we have actually seen this guy not once before we've seen him once before, and we will see him again. So he is actually a recurring character in the Atlantaverse. Blake: Ha ha ha ha. He's probably the only attorney who's like, Yeah, yeah, like you can film you can film like in my office or whatever. So they're always just like, I wanna come to you because I I I smell a scheme. I smell something going on, and he's like, Okay, like what's fucking going on here? But there is this like really weird side plot where like for half an episode we are led to believe we are told Casey: Like willing to be on camera. Blake: That a man showed up to Phaedra's law office while she was out of town at the DNC, and had a grenade and said he was gonna blow up the entire building. And there's a whole thing. She's praying on the phone, she's like, my god, my kids, like, someone saved my kids. Like, everyone's my god, like she's gonna die. And then she's talk she's she in her confessional, she's like, I was speaking to Homeland Security and they That's not at all what they said. They said this man showed up to the wrong law office, not mine, and said he wanted to drop off some bomb ass music. Don't fucking piss me off. Are you fucking kidding me? Casey: And then not only that, she says, so I think this is a case of racial profiling because a black man showed up to like a white law office and said he had some bomb ass music and they like freaked out and called the the bomb squad. Which like I mean like maybe that is what happened. And like if that is truly if he truly was just trying to drop off some bomb ass music and the bomb squad was called, like then that's that's really not a good situation. Blake: Ha ha ha. N I Casey: But that's crazy. Blake: No, it's the it literally like defies logic because the way that they're talking about this, it sounds like the police were getting involved. Like it was fully like they thought this man was gonna bomb an office. Yes. So like Casey: Right. I think they even say it was on the news. Like it like this was a situation that occurred. Blake: I I it genuinely baffles me like how it happened. It probably was racial profile. They probably tackled him the minute he said bomb and didn't even let him finish his sentence because I don't know how like that gets misconstrued and then we have like homeland security getting involved. But moving on, that's important only because we have an old lady gang tasting that Candy hosts where everyone gets together to taste like the fried chicken from Old Lady Gang. And that's when, you know, we have a a litany of drama. we have Sheree telling Mama Joyce that Kenya made a dig about her wig. She didn't like that. We have Mama Joyce greeting Phaedra by running straight over to her and going, my god, I'm so sorry that you haven't gotten a divorce yet. and Candy's like Casey: And she was like about to launch into it all too, like you can tell. Blake: Yeah, no, you could see you could see the gears turning, you could see that glint in her eye, but then Candy was like, Stop. So she like sits down. and then she's not done though, because they're s they're sitting at the table eating, and this someone brings up the whole bomb thing. And she she goes, What I heard was he was tired of being messed around, he was looking for you, and he wanted to blow you the fuck up. Which is Casey: Blow you the fuck up. She says the specific phrase blow you the fuck up like four or five times throughout the lunch. Blake: She wanted she wanted to conjure the image of Phaedra's limbs like s going in four different directions from a fucking grenade. She was she's mad af at Phaedra during this season. Casey: Right. And this pisses Phaedra off. Like, naturally this is what kind of like furthers the conflict between Candy and Phaedra is like that now Candy's mom has pissed Phaedra off, so now Phaedra has something new to like discuss with Candy, which, you know, they come around and they they end up talking about that. but like important background before they speak, Candy either Blake: Right. Casey: In like a sit-down with like Kenya or Cynthia or in a confessional, she says that she thinks that Phaedra is lying about the bomb ass music story. Like she's like, I don't believe this for a second. I think that she just doesn't want anyone to know that like there's someone out there in the world that could get that level of mad at Phaedra Parks. Like she thinks it's like an image cleanup thing. Like I just like wouldn't want anyone to think that like I messed up in a way that could lead to someone threatening me with a grenade. And she says like her logic is flawed because someone sees Phaedra out around this time and she has a bodyguard with her. Or she tells them she's with a bodyguard. And so Candy is like, either The bomb threat was real and this guy, like you did something to piss him off, or someone hated you this much that they wanted to actually bomb bomb your home and office. Or the bomb threat's not real and you lied about needing a bodyguard and you were with a boyfriend, which, you know, circles back to like the the candy factory beef with Phaedra that she is sneaking around town with men and lying about it. And like that's really the the crux of their like current argument with Phaedra is that she is a liar about her relationship status. And again, to me, this is the one thing you can lie about. It's like the one personal thing in your life that like nobody gets to really be like, why aren't you telling the truth? Cause I don't I don't have to. Like Blake: Right. Right. Right, it's really not that interesting. Like it's for all intents and purposes it seems like they are getting divorced. It just might not be on the same timeline you're expecting, but like it's not like behind closed doors she's like, I cannot wait until Apollo gets out of prison and then we get to stay married. Like she doesn't want to be with that man. It's just the process is the process. It's not that interesting. Casey: I just can't understand it. Like and y I feel like this is a similar like we've seen this exact like you said, Housewife storyline play out in like different fonts on different franchises throughout throughout the years. So like and it never it never makes sense for me. Like I'm always gonna side on behalf of the person who like whose relationship is getting like picked apart. Because again, at a certain point it does become like let the mouse go. If someone's it's their relationship. Like it's not it's not yours. If they want to be with someone who sucks, if they want to be cheating, like, yeah, it may not be your favorite thing in the world, but that's their life. Like, sorry. Blake: Right. Right. It just becomes like you're beating a dead horse. Like at a certain point we're not gonna get an answer from them. and one more thing about that we learn or that is outed at this lunch is that Portia had apparently had a relationship with Candy's baby daddy, Riley's father, after they had been together, and Candy sort of implies that they've had sex, but she doesn't like say that. But I think Portia like feels that that is the implication that has been made. So like the entire group now knows that. so whole house mad, basically. Whole house mad at this point. little fun side note is this is the season Cynthia purchases like Bailey. Woohoo, fun, cute for her. Casey: Candy and and Phaedra like they're never gonna work work their issues out, but they go For a sit down, Phaedra calls her up and is like, I'd like to to chat basically about what Mama Joyce said. Like she wants to pull up and be like, I'm annoyed at your mom doing this. And as we said, Candy basically is like, You need to talk to my mama. Like, that's not me. Like, I didn't I didn't do a thing. But Phaedra choosing to say this to Candy, like, unlocks a door in Candy's brain that like Blake: Yeah. She's like I don't control her. Casey: makes it fair game for them to kind of just start going at each other. Like Candy like lays into her at this they s I think they call it a dinner. It looks like it's like bright light outside while they're having it. They don't eat dinner. They don't eat any food. But Blake: Right. Casey: Candy is is pissed. And it's like all again around this like fidelity, not fidelity to Apollo. And like was Phaedra loyal to him when he was when he first went away? Is she having sex now? I mean, like, we've seen Phaedra like fib around details of stuff like this before. So that's kind of what she's saying is happening again, which okay, whatever. But one iconic line that that Phaedra gives in this luncheon is, you know, Candy's like, Why are you on camera crying over me not being there for you? But you don't even give a fuck about your husband getting locked up? Like you're you know, you're hooking hook up with all these men, you're not crying over him, and Phaedra's like, Maybe I loved you more than I loved my husband. Blake: I know, I d that did really hit me. That really Casey: Stop! Like Candy immediately dismisses this as like both like that's untrue and that's weird. Yeah. She's like, if so, like strange and like I don't believe you. And like I like people Blake: She doesn't believe it. Casey: Can feel that way. I have definitely cared more about my friends than partners that I've had. Like, and I think that's the way it often should be if you have a very good friend. Like, so I don't know why Candy like makes that all like weird and can't take anything that she's saying as being sincere, which like I guess that is because she has lied before, but then why go? Like, I just don't the logic to me doesn't really make sense. Like, and I think Candy is being unreasonable. She gets up and leaves from this pretty quickly, too. So it's not like they Blake: Right. Right. Yeah. Casey: make it anywhere and they're obviously this is like the the immediate call-off of any like ceasefire like we're we're back to to open season saying Blake: It did the opposite. I think it made it made Candy feel like all bets are off. Like 'cause that's why she said, you know, you were talking to guys before Apollo got arrested or whatever. She I think she, like you said, like took the bringing up of the Mama Joyce thing as like, Why do you get to have grievances? But I can't have grievances and I think that's the point where she was just like, we can just talk honest about each other and sh her reasoning is also just because Phaedra does lot of stuff behind the scenes that you don't see on camera. we don't necessarily know like what's been done off camera, but that is what she says. Casey: following this Candy Phaedra sit down, things just get really messy. Like all the rumors are gonna start flying between the women. Like it's pretty much all all holds are off, all bets are off. Like they're they're ready to launch Grenades. So Portia, Phaedra, and Sheree have a have a little debrief after this. You know, we kind of like bounce back between different rumor slinging sessions for a little bit in like these later episodes, like around episode eight, episode nine. And The key piece of information that's shared at this sit-down is that Phaedra, like while she's talking, like, is miming like sex, like penetrative sex, like when they're talking about Candy and Shamia, like being friends. And, you know, Sheree's kind of like, What what what you mean by that? Phaedra says that Shamia and Candy mess around. But not only that the two of them hook up. Blake: Ha ha ha. Mm-hmm. Casey: But that Shamia also hooks up with Todd. Like there's like there's a lot of activity going on. And this is like almost just glossed over for now. Like it's kind of just like, ooh, like hot tea, but it's building up this narrative about candy that we'll see play out through the rest of the season. So this is like one of the key building blocks. Blake: Right. And then we move on to Candy sitting down with Porsche and Sheree. So we just get these like revolve like these rotating musical chairs of sit-downs and people doing telephone or whatever. And Porsche's mad at Candy because Candy brought up the thing about Phaedra being unfaithful to Apollo, and her whole thing is like Casey: Right. Blake: you know, sh you're not just a random person, you were her close friend, and so if you're saying it, people are gonna believe that it's true and she thinks that's fucked up. And she's also mad at Candy because Candy told everyone that Portia had a th like a thing with her with Candy's baby daddy and that they got intimate together. even though Candy didn't say that, but like that's how Portia felt it was taken. So now she's kinda mad at Candy at like with Phaedra. Casey: Yeah, it's it's kind of like more of a proxy conversation of like Blake: Right. Casey: We're gonna sit down with Candy in hopes that like obviously her and Phaedra cannot speak productively for more than 30 seconds. So like we'll go and try to be like, hey, like, come on, like this is not cool. And it it doesn't go well. Again, Candy like could not gaff less. Like I I watch scenes like this and I'm like, why don't you just leave the show? Because like you clearly don't like majority of these women or want to even attempt to have conversations with them. Every single sit down, Candy is getting up and leaving before she even orders. an appetizer like I would at least be getting some food before I hit the door but no she's she's out and after she leaves Portia like f Sheree like says some comment of like like maybe it's something along the lines I could be wrong but I'm sure she's got some skeletons in her closet or something and and Portia's like yes and she's in the closet too and Sheree's like what And and it's like, wait, what? And like it we just kinda move along. it's just again like another bomb dropped into the into the air. Like, and now we're running with the candy being a lesbian arc. Like we're we're pushing that ahead swiftly. We have arrived, yep. Blake: Right, like where where where? We're here. We live here now. and just while all this is happening, Sharee is she's having a a year because not only is she trying to get back with her husband, her ex for whatever reason, her wet, damp husband, but she's also writing a book exposing the who's who of Atlanta. I don't even like Casey: Her flop ex husband. Blake: Know where what to say about this. She's like, these are people that I knew in my like past life, and I'm like Casey: Right. It's a fiction, but it's based on people that she knows. Like the main character's based on her, and like there's a character based on her flop eggs. Like so like it's it's about sort of people that she knows. But like, yeah, I don't have much to say other than wow, what a what a multifaceted, talented woman. She truly is a Maven, a a brilliant mind, a forward thinker, constantly Blake: She's also Casey: Elevating herself. Blake: There's also one scene and it's like a filler scene, but it's like her doing parkour for some reason. She's at like a parkour gym. Casey: She's like, I like to keep up with the latest exercise trends. I like like it's a fitness trend. Like Blake: Right. Not like a full on, like, extreme sport, like, okay, girl. so then another another like notch in this whole like Phaedra versus Candy situation is that Candy had an employee who she fired because he posted a shady Instagram post about her, whatever. That that employee goes to Phaedra, of course, which Casey: Uh-huh. Blake: I know we're supposed to like suspend reality, but I'm very fucking sure Phaedra like coordinated that. so he comes, she's like, Well, interesting, like that's crazy. she says they're not running the candy factory, they're running a plantation, because I guess she didn't think that he was getting paid enough money. and then she's like, but nevertheless, like this I'm not an employment attorney, so I'll I'll refer you to someone else. I don't want to get involved with the candy factory. but obviously she wanted the scene where she could like expose that, whatever. Casey: Right. Somebody wanted this guy to be on camera with Phaedra talking about this issue with Candy, clearly. and yeah, I mean it's just funny. And like while this is all happening with them two on the front lines, Kenya is fighting for her goddamn life on on the back of the battlefield against her psychotic flop man. Again, all of them are dealing with these insane situations with their Blake: Right. Right. Casey: Love interests. And like, you know, throughout the season there's been escalating instances of of Matt, Kenya's man, like committing violent acts against her and her property. Like he never actually like harms her up until this point. Like it's always like he's kicking in her window or like, you know, smashing a frame inside or something like that. But there's one time where he like goes a little bit crazier than than the others. And he not only like smashes windows but goes after her car and spray paints all of her c security cameras black, which is like I mean obviously all of it's crazy, but like spray painting the security cameras black is like an extra level of crazy. Like, are you coming to murder me? Like Blake: Psychotic. No. Like you thought that through, like, I don't want them to see me. Like that's not Casey: Is this a crime? Like a true crime doc like are you a mafia boss? Like who blacks out security like Blake: And she's still not like we're a hundred percent done at this point. she needs to call instead of just being like, Okay, this is ridiculous, which I get, whatever, it's like an emotional situation, she's like, Let me call Candy for some advice. So she's standing there sobbing and Looking at the wreckage that this man has just left, probably terrified. She's like, Let me call my good friend. I really need a shoulder to cry on right now and so So she calls candy and it goes to candy like the ring, I guess I didn't know you could do that, like the actual ring. Casey: I know. How extra do you have to be to look up how to change your ring back tone to your own voice? Like, okay, I can't. at the candy factory. You've got too much free time on your hands if this is what we're doing. But like literally imagine you're in a moment of distress. You're you're at your lowest. You're being hunted by your psychotic man and you call your your close friend and confidant. Blake: to your own voice Casey: And that shit starts playing like I don't know how Kenya even kept it together. Like I guess like this would be the one area of life where it'd be really serious. So I guess this would be the one time where you might not laugh, but like, my god. Blake: I mean Like Casey: Whatever, Candy. Like I literally I literally can't even like and it ringing Blake: I'm sorry, it's just it's just good. Casey: for just enough time for it to get the full verse out before Candy actually picks up the phone. Like Blake: Literally, literally. I wonder I wonder if she's like lets everyone like wait a couple seconds so she can get the full she's like ooh hear my voice Casey: She's like I bet Kenya just got to the last bar. is a small, a small detail and like not even that worth it. But on this s distressed phone call posts ring a ling-a-ling ling. Candy's like, Kenya, you can come and stay with me. Like, I wouldn't want you feeling safe in in the house, like while he's, you know, hunting you. And then Kenya shows up to Candy's like a couple hours later and is like, so like, I think I'm gonna stay here. And Candy is like, why the hell would she think I was serious? Like, that's so fucking weird. Why would you say that? Like, not you playing around with the domestic violence victim, like Blake: Mm-hmm. Ha ha ha. What the fuck? Like this woman has had her her cameras spray painted black and Candy's like, who the fuck invited you over to my house? She's like, that's stupid bitch. Meanwhile, she's like scared for her entire life. Like, Jesus. And and you did the fucking the fucking ringtone. It's like two for two with that one. Jesus. Casey: Like she's sick She's like, I didn't think she'd take me up on that. Like What? I was appalled. Right. Exactly. Like you you're really trying to rub rub salt in the wound here and you know, that's that's the state of the affairs when we get another group group dinner scene, which like there haven't been that many full group events that have like gone well or even gone at all. It's mostly been these little segmented chats. Again, all of the women are like fighting Blake: No. But they they Casey: in the trenches against their relationship woes, so they might not have had time to link up while dating sweaty men, getting grenade threats, and having their garage windows slammed by their men. Blake: Ha ha ha ha. So they they all go to dinner. They're talking about how they're gonna go on like a camping trip together, and of course Kenya has to fucking bring up how she doesn't feel safe around Porsche, and she she says, like, Phaedra told me you like in anger management and wants to tell us all about that. and so then they get into a fight because sh Portia feels that Kenya brought that up in like a very pointed and like disrespectful kind of like way to like humiliate her. Like, so you're in anger management. Tell us about that. Which like I again Kenya does just like comes across that way a lot of the time. And she definitely does like to stir the pot. Casey: Right. And like, yeah, probably that is probably what she was doing. She's been trying to bring this up for Blake: Right. Casey: episodes now like unsuccessfully because there's been too much other shit going on. This is just the first time that it like actually landed. and I yeah, I think Portia feels like ooh, I didn't even really know that this was gonna be something that everybody knew, let alone like the person that doesn't like me continues to paint me as violent. Like having her be the one to bring it up in front of the group. So like it just she was defensive immediately. Regardless of Kenya's intent, Porsche takes Blake: Yeah, that's true. Right. Right. Casey: this defensively regardless and while this is happening Candy in her I think it's in a confessional not out loud but she's like I don't even think she's going to these classes like I don't believe this for a second which everyone loves to act like she's not always in the mix of things. But that's kind of a crazy thing to say. Like that's one of those things you don't really like poke at with people. Like you don't like allege that they're like not going to therapy or like, you know, like that's like personal stuff. Like you like just you have to just take people at their word for that. Blake: Right. Also, I I feel like throughout the season from what they have seen of Portia, she has made a concerted effort to remove herself from situations that are not good. Like when she was kicked out of Kenya's housewarming, she was like, Alright, good night, have a good one. I just think it's ridiculous to be like sh n like it's impossible that she's gone to anger management when she has done like she has shown you That she has the capability to control herself since the Christmas party. So I feel like it's like, okay, give her a fucking break. and then like Kenya's like, well, you know, I just want to make sure I know what your triggers are before going on the camping trip. Girl, if someone said that to me, I'd be like, I'm not fucking like I'm not a crazy hound. Like, I'm not like an unhinged fucking like Rottweiler. Like, are you fucking? She is. Casey: Agreed. Right. Right. She's trying to piss her off and belittle her efforts at change, which, you know, it's it makes sense for Kenya to be doing this. Like it's very Kenya. But at the end of the day, for you to be the one that's so upset that she's violent, you can't also be the one that's so like Blake: Provoking her Casey: And so dismissive of her going to Anger Management. Like, what do you want from her? Like like you want her to not go? Like, I I don't really get it. And I think like if they really felt unsafe, they wouldn't be filming with her and they would have made a stink about like not coming back to the cast if they really didn't want to film with Portia. There were plenty of seasons where she was sidelined because she w had done something and they all were like, No, no, no, like we she can't be main cast. So they've already done that. So it does Blake: Right. Yeah. Casey: It does just feel like a little bit performative and and definitely provocative, Blake: to like add to that, so like Portia's just again leaving. She's like upset. She's like, I'm removing myself from the situation. She leaves the dinner. She's I did not expect it to be this. And Kenya follows her to her car. Sharee and Phaedra are following her, but they're friends with her. But Kenya's following her. It's like Casey: Yeah. Right. Blake: I like you said, I don't believe that she's in anger management. I'm scared of her, but then I'm also gonna chase after her and probably like provoke like an angry reaction. Like you're not scared. This is like an easy like thing for you to to come after her for and make a whole thing. Casey: Right. And that's Kenya's MO is like push, push, push till the point of that somebody goes crazy and then s step back and be like, They're crazy. Like, which actually people use this term a lot, but that I'm pretty sure that's actually the correct definition of like reactive abuse is like pushing somebody to that exact moment and then like either like recording them like but not recording yourself. Like it's like getting the the resulting action but not what's leading to that. But actually this becomes a little debate between the housewives on screen because, you know, Portia leaves and they're all like standing in the parking lot because they all chased her out of the building. So now they're all in the parking lot and Sheree says Kenya, you provoke Portia, you've done this to her before, you did it tonight, and then she goes, and you probably provoke Matt too. Like you're probably provoking Matt as well. And Kenya like, whoa, Chere. Like first of all, you've had relationships where you've been jumped before, which is crazy. Like referring to her getting in violent situations with partners. But then she's like, as someone who's been in a an abusive relationship, Sheree, like you shouldn't be blaming the violence on the victim. Kenya saying there's nothing that I could do that would justify someone becoming violent with me. And like that is true at the end of the day. Like no matter how much you're provoked, it is still on you if you reach the point of violence, but it doesn't mean that you have no fault to bear. Like it doesn't mean that you deserved the violence, but it doesn't mean that you then get off completely scot-free and that the violent person, like, now has to bear the brunt of the entire situation. Obviously they will most of it because they're the person who took the violent action. But I think Kenya likes to live in that gray area and like Sheree Blake: Right. Casey: posed it in like the perfect way for her to like continue to be like, What? Like how can you spin this around on me? Like I'm the victim in these situations. And like she absolutely is in the situation with Matt. Like even if she does provoke him, like and she's the victim if she gets hit by somebody, even if she does provoke them. But in this situation, like Portia didn't really do anything. And I do think you have to factor in like what's being said. Blake: Right. Casey: beforehand. Like it It's a it's a sticky situation, but she definitely I think likes that. Like that it that it it is right on that line of like I can can kinda get off of certain things without taking responsibility by like being like, But I technically, like look at the rule book, I didn't do this, like even though I did other things. Blake: I mean Yeah. Right Right. I mean like Portia brought that up when she was like, I don't think she was justifying the violence, but she was saying, you know, when we f got into that fight at the reunion, like you were waving props in my face. Like that was gonna agitate me. It's same thing when it comes to like let's talk about Monique and Candice. Like Candace going, hit me, drag me, drag me, Monique, hit me. Like obviously, again, Monique was the one who was violent, but like you are you know how to press that person's buttons. You are engaging fifty percent in the outcome of that situation. and Portia, again, to her credit, she left. They had her come back, she turns around and comes back to the parking lot to like finish all this off. Casey: Right. Blake: and so everyone leaves and it's Sheree, Phaedra, and Portia, they they're like debriefing, and then so Sheree somehow comes out of this situation saying that that Kenya was wrong for saying that she that Sheree was in relationships where she had where she was jumped as the word was, by her exes. Casey: Right. Like they're saying why why speak about that? Like why would you throw that in a woman's face if you had heard that she was in a domestic violence relationship? Blake: Like she's making like Right. But it's it's it's I mean, Sheree was the one who started the conversation saying that she that Kenya provoked Matt. So it's funny that she like immediately ignores that and then is just like, I'm actually the one who's like the victim here. there is a really funny scene where like Kenya and Sheree are arguing and Sheree was like, You wish you're on my level to Kenya and then Kenya starts duckwalking and she's like, like this is your level. This is your level, like Casey: Who brought up Matt, yeah. Blake: whatever, just extremely silly. But yeah, this is like a whole hodgepodge of people arguing in a parking lot. we have the debrief, and basically Portia goes off on Phaedra because she's like, I see that you're kind of starting this friendship with her. That's a fake friend, and I don't like that I feel like you're not being a hundred percent loyal to me. And we do ultimately leave with Phaedra saying, like, ultimately I do ride with with Porsche in this situation. And that's Casey: Right. Right. that's kinda like where I think you see exactly where this is all heading. Like we've got the basis of a lot of the the rumors that will make up the major conflict between Candy and realistically Phaedra and Portia, I would say are like the three major players. so We'll be back for a part two, like we said, at a later date. If you're feeling really passionately about that being very soon, let us know and we can always speed it up. But we're gonna try and bop around a little bit more often than we have in the past to keep things fresh. But we will be back to get into the the heavy, the heavier second half even of season nine. And why don't you tell the audience, Blake, where we're traveling to next week? Blake: It's we're going to Scary Island, folks. We're going to Scary Island. Buckle up. Get your your f three seater plane ticket We are just focusing on the what two or three episodes if s that actually encompass Scary Island. So not a season three Rony episode by any means, but we will be getting into it. We will be getting into it. Casey: Yes. Blake: I think it'll be fun. as always remember to follow us on TikTok, follow us on Instagram, follow us on YouTube, we are on Spotify, we are on Apple Podcasts, we're on literally anywhere you get your podcasts. give us a like, DM us, literally anything. Give us a review, and we'll see you guys next week. Thank you for tuning in.