Category Archives: Reality TV

Bravo TV, Reality TV

#SouthernCharm: Rumors of a Ravenel Firing

According to Amy Feinstein of Inquistr.com, rumors are flying about a Thomas Ravenel firing from the Bravo show Southern Charm. It’s been a tough time for one gossip site that’s been chomping at the bit and working overtime to malign TRav’s sexual assault accusers and paint him in a favorable light. They are quite unique in this regard as others are believing the women alleged to have been victimized by Ravenel.

However, online observers have noted that the above-referenced curmudgeons of the reality TV gossip site have shifted focus to other reality characters, perhaps knowing the Ravenel story is now beyond resuscitation.

As Amy Feinstein writes: Bloggers and commentators on social media have declared that Thomas has been fired from Southern Charm. However, as of now there has been no official announcement from Bravo or from Haymaker productions.

Developing story. Stay tuned.

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Bravo TV, Reality TV, Television

#SouthernCharm: More from Luzanne Otte Who BRIEFLY Dated Thomas Ravenel

Since my last post about Southern Charm, I have had certain haters come out of hiding. (Last post: https://wordpress.com/post/shirasgotthescoop.com/482) These are not people I know IRL (as the kids say, the abbreviation for “In Real Life”), so it’s alright for the most part. These are the types of individuals who use cartoons of animals as profile pics and pseudonyms to protect their real identities. They’ve made sure to rub it in that there is no longer a Huffington Post Contributor platform for the 100k writers who were on it. Some of them even claim to be responsible for the Huffington Post no longer having that platform – they say it’s because of a Housewives show on Bravo that I reviewed unfavorably. Now THAT would be quite a feat if it were true! Instead it’s laughable to think that a small group objecting to some show recaps I wrote sank an entire platform of 100K writers.

Simultaneously, there have been so many clues that actually STARE YOU IN THE FACE so you know exactly who these people – these “trolls” – are. It’s clear that the folks who are now tweeting about me since I interviewed Luzanne either work for Thomas Ravenel or conduct some pro-bono activity on his (and his girlfriend Ashley Jacobs’) behalf.

In other news, today there were questions raised by bloggers as to whether Luzanne was auditioned for the show Southern Charm. Luzanne swears to me that because of her insane 9-5 job working for the archdiocese and an overall lack of desire to be on television, she was clear about it never working out in a million years when Patricia Altschul and Thomas alluded to the possibility.

Tamara Tattles wrote this great piece in support of Luzanne. However, she also questioned whether Luzanne auditioned for the show: http://tamaratattles.com/2018/05/24/my-post-about-the-luzanne-otte-situation/. I respectfully agree to disagree on certain topics with Tamara Tattles, but I commend her on her overall support of and belief in Luzanne Otte who became an unwitting victim of salacious (and false) website gossip. Her article was well-written.

I asked Luzanne today about the whole notion of “auditioning” for the show and here is exactly how she responded to me:

“Not at all. I thought Thomas was trying to become a better man and looking for a strong woman to help him get there. I really thought he’d turned over a new leaf. It wasn’t until sitting with Pat and Thomas when I kept saying I wouldn’t be on the show, then the look on his face and not hearing me that I realized he may be looking for a woman to redeem himself. ‘Look I’ve got this debutante, church lawyer, friend of Pat’s who likes me.’ But the fact of the matter is, even if I didn’t object to reality TV, I love my job and need a job to pay my bills.”

On a related note, FitsNews.com recently reported that Thomas Ravenel has been in a depressed, anxious and highly agitated state since the sexual assault allegations came to light (Luzanne’s disclosure – let the record state – was NOT at all sexual in nature. She spoke of  a Jekyll and Hyde switch from sweet by day to volatile at night). Sources in Charleston and others in the know, tell me exclusively that he’s been fretting significantly since the interviews with Luzanne ran yesterday and the day before. He’s been trying to figure out the best ways to do some damage control, say these sources.

As for the sexual assault allegations and the resulting “investigation,” at this point we are waiting for an update from Charleston Police. Sources in the know tell me that Bravo has stated: What a reality TV personality does off camera is none of their concern.

I sincerely hope that those sources have gotten it all wrong here: Rape (as Nanny Dawn alleges in the statement she brought to the Charleston PD) is something to take with extreme gravity. Bravo is part of NBC Universal, so it seems ironic to me that Matt Lauer was so quickly dismissed from the network when more serious accusations currently plague Thomas Ravenel. We think of all the men who were immediately let go during this #MeToo and #TimesUp era: Mario Batali, Charlie Rose, Kevin Spacey and so many, many more. See this list: https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/sexual-misconduct/weinstein-here-s-growing-list-men-accused-sexual-misconduct-n816546 .

I’m happy that after months of being unjustly maligned by gossip sites (allegedly ones that ate up sordid tales fed to them by TRav and Ashley), Luzanne Otte has had a chance to finally clear her name. I hope she can get back to the private life she so desperately craves.

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Bravo TV, Reality TV

#SouthernCharm: Nanny’s Account Bolsters “Investigation”

Nanny Dawn is the second alleged victim of sexual assault at the hands of Thomas Ravenel, Bravo’s Southern Charm star. She was the caretaker of the Ravenel children before their nanny Deirdre was hired – Deirdre is who we see being let go this season. Dawn was the nanny we saw on screen during the first season of the show.

When it comes to financial settlements, the legalities and consequences get tricky (fair or unfair as it may be). Fortunately for Dawn however, there was no settlement or NDA signed, she refused severance pay and recently spent 5 hours talking to Charleston police.

I hope that Bravo and Haymaker’s announcement about an “investigation” was a solid claim. Southern Charm airs tonight and as the show goes on, the audience is left wondering. One cannot help speculating about whether their star’s egregious antics were unknown behind the scenes. I don’t have answers for you. What we do know is that Ravenel is a man who began this reality TV venture after serving prison time for a cocaine charge. For several years, there have been salacious blind items about his drug usage and sexual proclivities. I will state that allegations are allegations and we have yet to unearth which items are truths and which may be tabloid fodder.

When it comes to Southern Charm and its cast mates, how much can one cover up when they are trailed by cameras? The other question is of a more sinister nature: Was anything incriminating left on the cutting room floor or kept hush-hush behind closed production doors? Again, these are merely my own musings and I do not know the answers, but I’ve always viewed the show as both intriguing and problematic.

Southern Charm is  popular for its “good ole boys” premise (and there are terrific female cast members to counteract the chauvinism), but in light of today’s rapidly progressing social climate, the show faces serious growing pains.

If it weren’t for the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, I’m not sure where we would be today with what has come to light.

Do you think Bravo and Haymaker will announce the results of this “investigation” soon?

What do you think will happen?

Please weigh in with your thoughts below.

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Bravo TV, Reality TV

#RHONY: The Drescher Disclosures (Link to “All About TRH” Piece)

Remember former Real Housewives of New York cast member Aviva Drescher of the legendary leg throw?! How could you not? I wrote about an interview she did with The Reality Rundown podcast where she spilled some major tea. She addressed the “ghost writer” debacle with Carole Radziwill and her own firing from the show among other topics. Following is the link to that recap: http://www.allabouttrh.com/2018/05/11/aviva-dreschers-riveting-revelations-on-the-reality-rundown-podcast/

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Bravo TV, Reality TV

#SouthernCharm Kathryn Dennis is “100 Percent Committed to Her Sobriety”

Sometimes you cannot put all your faith into salacious sites and smear campaigns.

Sources quite close to Kathryn Dennis of Bravo’s Southern Charm tell me she is “100 percent committed to her sobriety.” One confidant of the reality star says she is proud of Dennis for the way she has employed strategies like “deep breathing and turning to those in her inner circle to avoid turning to alcohol.”

While a website reported spotting Dennis out on the town and implied from her cheerful chatter (captured on video) that she was intoxicated, the confidant says “it’s positively untrue. You see a normally happy girl out with her friends in that video. She’s being gas-lit right now. There’s always been this tug of war as you’re aware…” At issue: the long-standing custody battle for Dennis’s two children with her ex Thomas Ravenel. The now defunct duo are Southern Charm cast mates, and Ravenel is a notorious former Charleston politician who has courted scandal. Known for demanding drug testing for Dennis, ironically, he has his own past cocaine possession charge on criminal record.

Says the confidant: “The double standards lend credence to the ‘good ole boys club’ that the Southern Charm women refer to in the first episodes of the current season.”

The sources express grave concern about going on record in their names. They are fearful of being dragged  into the smear campaign against Kathryn, alleged to be run by KD detractors and mainly, Ravenel and his new girlfriend.

The tangled web that has been woven is also polarizing fans and foes on the social media playgrounds. Be very wary of defending Dennis on Twitter, but know that in this scenario, you are on the right side of Herstory.

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