Entertainment

Reel-ality TV Talk: Real Housewives Bonanza

Published

11 years ago

April 13, 2015

By Marquesa LaDawn
NNPA Columnist

In the RHONY land, the “b” is back and I mean bada** chick, holding it down only the way she can. Funny one-liners, emotions befitting 20 women, firing questions at the pace of an auctioneer, strange conversations with strangers just, all wrapped up in a Bethany bow keeping us engaged at every turn!

Ramona Singer was the queen villain of RHONY and now she’s a bowl of tears. She’s broken and hopes to put herself together again. She’s on that mission while looking hot for a nearly 60 year old.

Her scene with Sonja was an amusing exchange of war stories for the divorced woman But there was only problem: one was freshly divorced and needed ears, not the mouth. Sonya is a walking contradiction. She boasts great business ideas, but with no results to show us. She cries over the pain of her divorce but in the same expresses her sexuality on par with Kim Cattrall’s character in “Sex and the City.” And we love every minute!

There’s a newbie on the scene who has not really engaged me yet. Don’t keep me waiting too long.

Luanne “the countess” is back full time and based on the premiere, ready to engage. She

seems to have a great rapport with most of the ladies and that means drama and jeers, rolled into one!

RHONY is ready to play ball again and that makes me happy as a New York City resident.

Meanwhile in RHOA land…

The episode started with Ms. Kenya doing her Bo Derek impersonation by walking out the pool with water dripping from her body. She looked great except for the unnatural look of the rear (those rumors could be true).

The housewives then headed to the Philippines and met their butler upon arrival. It may be true that Nene was the center for tension of the group because I still miss her. Speaking of Nene, we see her trying on some really interesting costumes for her role on Broadway. They were nice in a non-fashionable way. I love Greg, Nene’s husband. He makes every scene because whatever he does, he’s magical – and funny!

Guess what? The years filled with pure anger and mean comments may have come to an end. Kenya and Phaedra are friends and are finally on good terms. The have extended clean slates to each other. This came after a heart to heart talk. The deal is that Phaedra does not have the room to hate on Kenya anymore and finally wanted a truce. Their meeting seemed sincere, and it was beautiful to see the pain being shared and washed away. Awe!

This is a good thing but I hope this does not cut into the entertainment, especially since Nene has moved on to her new show with Kim. The other housewives connected via a popular game, you know the kind where you share your secrets! We now know how truly “out there” Kandi, Claudia and Cynthia are!

In RHOBH land…

OMG! It was on fire this week! Reunion Part 2! Let’s start with ladies refusing to let Brandi or Kim get away with “playing the victim.” Lisa Rinna was a hot potato, making sure she was heard and understood! Why didn’t we see this side of you during the season?

Kyle had her normal emotional but tougher demeanor this round, keeping her sister in check. Can we talk about Kim Richards? She makes no sense and she blames everyone for her reputation. She refuses to accept any responsibility, which is getting old quickly. I enjoyed how Elaine put her in her place a few times!

Big moments:

Brandi messing with Lisa about her Depends underwear commercials and Lisa fighting back by encouraging Brandi to go get Tampon endorsement. Jealousy, anyone?
Rinna challenging Kim to share a big secret about her husband.

– Brandi getting offended at every turn but not being able to take blows.

Eileen telling Brandi, to work on a creating a healthy relationship with her ex-husband’s wife, for the sake of the children. Of course, it fell on deaf ears.
Lisa R – Standing up for herself and refusing to “take it” anymore.
Brandi, missing everyone’s point.

All I needed was popcorn, it was that good! I cannot wait until Part 3.

In the RHONJ Land: Teresa Giudice report continues…

We may see the Giudice family on TV after all? Joe is in talks with Bravo for a show all about his life as Mr. Mom. Yeah! In the meantime, Teresa stays connected as much as possible via email and nightly 10-minute calls. She seems to be settling into prison, but refuses to take any calls from Andy Cohen, her Bravo boss. Not so smart, Teresa!

Marquesa LaDawn is a professional businesswoman who escapes the pressures of living in New York City by retreating into the real world of reality TV. Follow her on twitter @realityshowgirl and subscribe to her podcast at www.RealitytvGirl.com.

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Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:Marquesa LaDawn Real Housewives Reality TV Reel-ality TV Talk RHOA RHOBH RHONY

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Activism

OP-ED: AB 1349 Puts Corporate Power Over Community

Since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged in 2010, ticket prices have jumped more than 150 percent. Activities that once fit a family’s budget now take significant disposable income that most working families simply don’t have. The problem is compounded by a system that has tilted access toward the wealthy and white-collar workers. If you have a fancy credit card, you get “presale access,” and if you work in an office instead of a warehouse, you might be able to wait in an online queue to buy a ticket. Access now means privilege.

Published

5 days ago

January 9, 2026

Oakland Post

Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

By Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

As a pastor, I believe in the power that a sense of community can have on improving people’s lives. Live events are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds and ages can share the same space and experience – where construction workers sit next to lawyers at a concert, and teenagers enjoy a basketball game with their grandparents. Yet, over the past decade, I’ve witnessed these experiences – the concerts, games, and cultural events where we gather – become increasingly unaffordable, and it is a shame.

These moments of connection matter as they form part of the fabric that holds communities together. But that fabric is fraying because of Ticketmaster/Live Nation’s unchecked control over access to live events. Unfortunately, AB 1349 would only further entrench their corporate power over our spaces.

Power over live events is concentrated in a single corporate entity, and this regime operates without transparency or accountability – much like a dictator. Ticketmaster controls 80 percent of first-sale tickets and nearly a third of resale tickets, but they still want more. More power, more control for Ticketmaster means higher prices and less access for consumers. It’s the agenda they are pushing nationally, with the help of former Trump political operatives, who are quietly trying to undo the antitrust lawsuit launched against Ticketmaster/Live Nation under President Biden’s DOJ.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about AB 1349 in its current form. Rather than reining in Ticketmaster’s power, the bill risks strengthening it, aligning with Trump. AB 1349 gives Ticketmaster the ability to control a consumer’s ticket forever by granting Ticketmaster’s regime new powers in state law to prevent consumers from reselling or giving away their tickets. It also creates new pathways for Ticketmaster to discriminate and retaliate against consumers who choose to shop around for the best service and fees on resale platforms that aren’t yet controlled by Ticketmaster. These provisions are anti-consumer and anti-democratic.

California has an opportunity to stand with consumers, to demand transparency, and to restore genuine competition in this industry. But that requires legislation developed with input from the community and faith leaders, not proposals backed by the very company causing the harm.

Will our laws reflect fairness, inclusion, and accountability? Or will we let corporate interests tighten their grip on spaces that should belong to everyone? I, for one, support the former and encourage the California Legislature to reject AB 1349 outright or amend it to remove any provisions that expand Ticketmaster’s control. I also urge community members to contact their representatives and advocate for accessible, inclusive live events for all Californians. Let’s work together to ensure these gathering spaces remain open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of income or background.