#SouthernCharm: Is It Ashley or Bot Number 999?

I’ve seen a few posts recently – from my usual trailblazing reality TV writers (Amy Feinstein of Inquistr and Tamara Tattles of her eponymous site) – about how Twitter troll accounts are taunting Kathryn Dennis.

Today, one tweeted out that next episode of SouthernCharm will show us why Ashley’s been right about Kathryn all along. In next week’s episode, as we gathered from previews, Kathryn goes MIA for a bit, but a deep dive through her social media (and that of Thomas Ravenel’s during that time period) attests to the fact that she doesn’t neglect any her essential responsibilities. So I’m not sure what this “troll” thinks it knows.

Kathryn suffers from some anxiety and depression (and after years of being gaslit by TRav, allegedly, is it any wonder?! Not to mention two televised postpartum periods back-to-back) and I’ve known a few women in that position to withdraw from humans for days or weeks. We all need breaks. With challenging moods and related struggles, those aren’t so rare.

The aforementioned troll accounts have been called out on Twitter by both Kathryn and Patricia as belonging to Ashley Jacobs, unpaid nemesis of the season who (love her or HATE her) has probably increased Southern Charm‘s ratings.

Sadly, the sexual assault allegations plaguing Thomas Ravenel probably have as well.

The good news is that Kathryn will become even more beloved by most viewers at the end of this season rather than the alternative. Stay tuned to let me know if this prediction is correct. Tamara Tattles reiterates this and has intel from an inside source. I feel it is well-deserved and about time for the visibly maturing, former underdog to thrive.

#RHONY, Reality TV, Uncategorized

#RHONY: “Not Well, Bitch!” Dorinda & the Cast Divisions Between Seasons

I’ve written before about Real Housewives of New York‘s Sonja Morgan snaking in stinging jabs at Dorinda Medley. I’m not sure what it is about these women (and the viewers do relish this about the franchise), but they keep the drama going while the cameras aren’t rolling.

A source tells me that Sonja is talking all sorts of smack about Dorinda’s past relationships, revising history through tall tales. For instance, Dorinda gets along terrifically with her ex husband Ralph, but Sonja gossiped to one fair-weather friend that Ralph latched on to a close pal of Dorinda’s, who he ended up marrying. She was insinuating that the most amicable of divorces was anything but…

Those who know Dorinda and Ralph can attest to the fact that the parents of Hannah are in a great place, friends who communicate regularly. There is also no beef there with his wife.

This feud between Dorinda and Sonja has been going on for a long period of time. In fact, when I interviewed Dorinda for The Huffington Post last year, it was right before the season began and she and Sonja were not speaking. Dorinda also recently made the point of emphasizing to Heather McDonald on an episode of the podcast Juicy Scoop, that she and Sonja didn’t socialize before filming and it seems they’re merely on-camera frenemies. To the contrary, Dorinda and Ramona Singer are real life true friends and it was Ramona who actually encouraged Dorinda to do the show.

Sources say Dorinda is not having it easy in this seasonal interim. She and Bethenny have had some sort of falling out that previously led Bethenny to block her on social media. Dorinda is also quite peeved with cast mate Luann De Lesseps for hypocritically criticizing her drinking in a blog post. Remember, Lu herself went to rehab following her own drunken antics in Palm Beach (long story, but suffice it to say: “It was about Tom.)

On a happy note for Dorinda, the love affairs with Carole Radziwill and Tinsley Mortimer seem consistent and stable. The three recently took a vacation together.

To sum it up for those keeping score, there are two teams. Team A: Dorinda, Carole, Tinsley, Ramona and Team B: Bethenny, Sonja and Luann. Despite these divisions, the women of RHONY will continue to make terrific television together.

Bravo TV, Reality TV, Uncategorized

#SouthernCharm: Breaking Down the ‘Blind Gossip’

Someone who is way better at updating her website than I am, as well as more impressively diligent about frequent postings and keeping current with numerous reality shows is Tamara Tattles. Personally, I’m just starting out with this website, ShirasGotTheScoop, and trying to manage other jobs and endeavors (including a gaggle of offspring) simultaneously, but I’d like to post as often as I can. In that regard, I look up to Tamara who is admirably a #SuperBlogger – #Goals. I’m in awe of friends who post multiple times daily and I’ll admit that I’m not sure of my aspirations for this site yet as I fret about other work. What I can tell you is that sometimes, the savvier website- keepers inspire me greatly to weigh in… So tonight, I’m going to delve into Tamara Tattles’ most recent post.

Tamara has authored a blind item that I shall attempt to interpret as one would explore Talmudic text (my Jewish day school contemporaries may or may not crack a smile at that. They may or may not eschew the reference entirely, deeming it despicably sacrilegious). There will be lots of commentary and speculation on my part, and I’ll make sure to pepper my postulations with allegedlies – in order to be as fair as one can possibly be here.

Tamara Tattles’ site, which I urge you to check out, is TamaraTattles.com, and she currently also has her blind item on the website BlindGossip.com. Before I weigh in and break it all down as if it is a tractate of Gemara, here’s the full item:

On a certain reality show, there is one evil b* that is worse than anything we have ever seen. EVER. She has literally hooked her way on to the show by way of another aberrant creature we recently got rid of.

In an odd turn of events, I totally warned the male in this story about the female in this story very, very, early on when she was trying to sell stories to the sites that pay for the dirt. He was polite, but didn’t really believe me so I just bowed out to watch nature take its course.

Now I am finding out that she has been constantly digging up the dirt on her “beloved.” She has gone through his phone, she has gone through his computer, and she has a lot of information to share. She has attacked a woman relentlessly who politely declined to play the role she is currently playing. She’s psychotic.

Here just a few things she has on her equally despicable “mark”.

◦ Very early on, his sisters tried to pay him to send this female back to where she came from and try to get the female who declined “the opportunity” to reconsider. That was never a possibility but the sisters didn’t have the full story.

◦ She was particularly incensed about his will. She was not happy with the beneficiaries.

◦ Some sort of lesbian sex tape with toys. I presume he was on camera but my source was not clear about that.

◦ She was also pissed about him asking people via email about her call girl reputation. She was not working and living with her mother at the time they were introduced.

There is a lot more. He is terrified. He’s tried on multiple occasions to break up with her but she is threatening to sell stories. Oddly, that is the very thing I warned him about months and months ago. At least I tried, and honestly, knowing what I know now, that I didn’t know then, I’m hoping these two drag each other to death. Neither one of them need to be breathing our air unless it is behind bars. At least we know that neither of them will be on out TV again unless it’s on the news about their court cases.

See You Next Tuesday has a significant meaning for this blind. Because she will be speaking unsupervised next Tuesday. And she’s a loose cannon. Expect bizarre social media posts from him on Tuesday as well and more from me as soon as I get the tea.

So here’s the deal…and be prepared for potential **spoilers** in this post. It has been rumored that Ashley Jacobs, Thomas Ravenel’s girlfriend and the Southern Charm “villain” of the season, is not just a Cali girl but a call girl!!!!

I’m not sure that I’m “buying it” personally, but in the episodes ahead, you may very well see one of the other ladies in the cast bring it up to the group.

At this stage, rumors are just rumors, and of course, there has been smoke —but is there fire? That question could very likely be the cliff-hanger of the current season. If Thomas Ravenel and Ashley Jacobs are kaput post reunion (meaning: not slated to return next season), we’ll be left with a lot that is unanswered. The reunion is being filmed tomorrow – hence the reference above to “Tuesday.”

I’m sorry to disappoint readers, but I am doubtful we’ll get our answers to the “call girl” question. Thomas’s contract actually expires after the reunion, and we do not know (and frankly, it seems DOUBTFUL) if it will be renewed for another season.

The friend who introduced Ashley to the show is said to be Landon Clements (a cast member from last season). Rumor has it (and again, keep in mind the above disclaimer about rumors merely being rumors) that after Ashley went through Thomas’s emails, she concluded that a former Ravenel girlfriend of just one week, Luzanne Otte, was to blame for the cast’s dislike of her.

It has also been alleged that Landon assisted in planting these particular seeds of doubt in her friend Ashley’s mind.

In the next few episodes of Southern Charm, you will see Ashley and Thomas’s relationship deteriorate as Ashley is plagued by insecurities. Thomas does little to reassure her (or to be nice at all, in my opinion).

It seems he “checked out” earlier on when his new squeeze attacked Kathryn, who impressively maintained her composure amidst the volatility.

From what one can decipher in the item, Tamra Tattles tried to warn Thomas that Ashley might have found allies in a group of curmudgeons running a revenge-slanted blog.

Twitter users have noted that said blog has been the only outlet to praise Thomas amidst multiple sexual assault allegations. It has also been pointed out that the site unabashedly slut-shamed the daughter of a Ravenel sexual assault victim, deliberately posting one sexy photo after another of her (she’s a model and realtor) between article paragraphs. The intention is beyond transparent.

Before the sexual assault allegations garnered media attention, Ashley Jacobs allegedly went on a tear: She blamed TRav’s ex Luzanne Otte (the ONE WEEK “relationship” gal who ended things with Thomas after witnessing absurd and temperamental behavior) for animosity she felt from cast mates.

Sources claim Ashley fed the aforementioned blog many of the stories they ended up running. This was much to the dismay of privacy-craving Luzanne Otte, a woman who would never go on realty TV and who would really rather that folks not even know her name. Unfortunately, she was forced to go public in order to clear it.

You will see in the episodes ahead how Ashley’s relationship with Thomas Ravenel unravels. I was informed that Ashley even asked Shep Rose if he would date her – should things not pan out with Thomas.

What else would she possibly do in Charleston otherwise?

You’ll get the sense that she would really like a reason to stay.

Tamara alludes to the fact that Thomas’s family members had suggested Ashley go back to Santa Barbara and that might have been the best move, but the harder things have gotten, the stronger Ashley has fought to stand her ground and stay.

There are implications in the above blind item that Ashley has some secrets she’s keeping about Thomas (the “lesbian sex tape”, whatever that entails, may be a part of it…or it might not be). There is so much more to Thomas (risqué sexcapades? More information about sexual assaults? Other TRav troubles? The manner in which Ashley and TRav truly met?) that Ashley seems to know. She may be lording all of that knowledge over him, essentially blackmailing him to stay in the relationship and allow her to remain in his home.

Again, all of the above is ALLEGED, but pay special attention to the dynamics between Thomas and Ashley in the coming episodes.

If I’m interpreting things correctly, Tamara Tattles tried to forewarn Thomas about the mess that lay ahead…whatever it is exactly.

It seems quite clear that the issued warning went unheeded. The blind item implies that Thomas may be desperate to break up with Ashley.

However, for once, the powerful, affluent, former politician and alpha male of the notorious “All boys club” (a monster of Haymaker Productions’ making) is powerless.

#RHONY, Psychology, public figures, Reality TV

#RHONY: “Third Wife Syndrome”

I cannot take credit for the above title, but it was explained to me regarding some dynamics on Real Housewives of New York.

Third Wife Syndrome is not necessarily about literally being a third wife. However, it’s about one who glamorizes a past marriage, putting a sheen on it that was lacking during the actual relationship…and during the subsequent muddy divorce.

The “syndrome” may also include clinging to a title — i.e. Sonja’s obsession with the Morgan name and Luann De Lesseps calling herself “The Countess” despite being long-divorced from the Count (and having survived “It’s Not About Tom” D’Agastino following other post-divorce relationships).

In the cases of Sonja and Luann, by all appearances their famous ex husbands have thoroughly moved on. However, these ladies seem to live in and lust for the glory days of their prior unions (Luann desiring the royalty attached to the “Countess” moniker rather than the Count himself, who reportedly ran off with an Ethiopian princess). These relationships appear far grander in the rearview mirror than they actually were.

Sonja’s marital demise was allegedly more sordid and salacious than she lets on. She claims it was a beautiful marriage, but if you’ve read RHONY cast mate Carole Radziwill’s most recent blog posts on BravoTV.com, or googled Ms. Tremont Morgan (Do so!), you’ll get some insight into the real story.

Housewife Dorinda Medley has tweeted, without mincing snark, that the current Mrs. Morgan (who is allegedly Sonja’s former bestie!) might not be so thrilled with Sonja’s recent statements idealizing her marriage with Mr. M…

Or the fact that Sonja talks about carrying on the family name through her business ventures (rather than focusing on having her daughter, a Morgan by blood, carry it on). I only regret that I never got to purchase a Morgan Toaster Oven to see how it stacks up to the old gadget in my kitchen. You know, the one that I abandon for the more high tech microwave. We all have our greater loves in life…But I digress.

Average folks like me have no problem saying we are publicists or writers, lawyers, doctors, gardeners, stay-at-home mothers, bloggers, job seekers, what have you….but when you are a hostess or a nurse and you’ve struck gold and married more in a minute than you would have made in a lifetime, it’s difficult letting a trumped up title go.

In fact, it’s easy to understand why one might glorify a union that irreparably shattered. I feel bad for Sonja because I get the sense that she is constantly plagued by What Ifs. I think she looks back now and has mentally applied a lacquered coating on that period with Mr. M. She thinks it was never actually half as bad as it was, and had she only done things differently….

I’m speculating, but based on her behavior this season, it gels.

We saw Dorinda explode when Sonja made her divorce out to be worse than Dorinda having buried a husband. On social media, people argued that a divorce can feel like a death. Some were annoyed with Dorinda for minimizing Sonja’s pain. However, I’m #TeamDorinda on this one. Dorinda actually divorced her husband Ralph around the same time Sonja divorced Mr. Morgan, a little known fact. Dorinda was fortunate enough to meet and marry the love of her life, Richard Medley, after that divorce from Ralph. As Carole mentions in her blog, we rarely hear a word about Ralph from Dorinda.

In fairness to Sonja however, people say that the best way to get over someone is by getting under someone new. As the Samantha Jones character of this franchise, Sonja Morgan has bedded numerous men, but it doesn’t seem that any of them have truly captivated her or have come close to being a “Mr. Right.” Getting under someone for Sonja would mean fully getting under….their spell, being totally and indisputably in love.

From everything she has conveyed on RHONY, Sonja is not ready for that and for the give and take that a serious relationship requires. But perhaps once this time comes for her – if she is ready for it any time soon- we’ll see a new Sonja who is realistic about the past and what to expect from the future. Perhaps we’ll see a Sonja who fully gets that her husband didn’t die prematurely during the happy days of a marriage (and regrets comparing her situation to Dorinda’s), but that bad things happened requiring them to part.

There are other Mrs. Morgans as Sonja was actually her ex’s FOURTH wife. (Regardless, I liked the term “Third Wife Syndrome” that has a certain ring to it.) There are the Mrs. Morgans who divorced Sonja’s Mr. M and there is also the woman who is currently married to him. My advice to Sonja is to remove herself from the Mrs. Morgan Club and leave the handling of that legendary last name to her daughter. She could then forge ahead anew with ventures under the Tremont name.

To paraphrase a popular Israeli expression: You change your name, you change your luck.

Incidentally, Tremont Toasters has a very nice ring to it.

#RHONY, Reality TV

#RHONY: Bethenny’s Side Of The Couch

If you’re wondering where Bethenny Frankel will be sitting at the upcoming Real Housewives of New York reunion, there’s little doubt in my mind it will be on the couch with Sonja Morgan and Luann De Lesseps. Andy Cohen will of course be meddling — er, I mean mediating — in the middle. On the other couch, you’ll see Carole Radziwill, Ramona Singer, Tinsley Mortimer and Dorinda Medley.

Bethenny has always had a brazen and abrasive side to her personality, but this season her costars have hit their limit. The tensions you’ve seen (and will continue to see ahead) will escalate, so just stay tuned and purchase a pair of ear plugs for your disinterested significant others (I’ve made a mental note for mine).

Bethenny recently unfollowed most of her cast mates on social media as a result. In addition, Dorinda Medley was CLEAR about her current displeasure with Bethenny in a recent interview with Juicy Scoop podcast host Heather McDonald https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/juicy-scoop-with-heather-mcdonald/id1135332109?mt=2&i=1000413046674, so it looks like Sneaky Sonja is not the only one she has issues with. Regarding the latter, Dorinda’s reply to Heather indicates that she and Sonja were merely filming friends and had never even so much as gone to lunch when cameras weren’t rolling. Juicy indeed!

As an aside, a source close to many of the ladies who speaks to them regularly informed me that Bethenny actually BLOCKED Dorinda on social media at one point….

Yes, BLOCKED. Things are crazy behind the scenes.

Listen to the full interview with Heather McDonald in the link above and let me know what you think.

Will Bethenny return next season in light of her estrangement from most of the cast?

Will she return more emboldened and with a greater storyline because of the bad blood with cast mates?

(Photo Source: Bravo TV)

Shira's Got The Scoop!

Category Archives: Reality TV