Real Housewives of D.C.: Getting Racial posted by RF Club, Group AdministratorSaturday, August 7th 2010 @ 9:09 AM (not yet rated)

The much anticipated Real Housewives of D.C. premiered this past Thursday.  I so wanted to hate this Franchise.  I was mad at Bravo for letting the White House gatecrashers make it on television.  Needless to say I did not go into this Real Housewives franchise with an open mind.

Now, I must admit I was pleasantly surprised.  Now, don't get me wrong The Real Housewives of D.C. is setup like all the other Franchises.  Five women willing to sell their souls on television, whoops, I mean share their lives with us but I ended up enjoying the first episode.  It was nice not watching four women talk incessantly about how one other woman was nuts.  It was nice not to watch two women fight and have their relationship meltdown on television and have grown women shouting team this and team that.  Call me silly but I enjoyed the Housewives of D.C. because they seemed, dare I say it, intelligent??  Yeah, that is the thing that gets me.  These five women do seem intelligent even the gatecrasher lady, Michaele Salahi and yet they have put themselves on a Real Housewife show???  Therefore, I just know it has to end!!  Darn. Especially, after watching Michaele on THE VIEW and the accusations against Whoopi Goldberg, I mean we know she is nuts!! I do feel bad for the other ladies who probably had know idea just how nuts!! 

So, as I sit here and try to figure out why I ended up liking this episode, I think it comes down to IT just  being new.  I have become jaded with the Housewives. I know that who I like today I probably won't by the end of the season and if they get a second season, well all bets are off but as far as the very first episode goes here is the breakdown!

Catharine (Cat) Ommanney

Love Her, But that fits my personality, I like straight shooters.  Not because I am one but I love to be around them.  They say what you are thinking!!!  I enjoyed her conversation with her husband when they were discussng the other ladies, I could see me and my husband having the same exact talk!!  Of course, she is British and the Brit's are funny.  They don't quite get US Americans.  It will be interesting to watch her clash with the other ladies, especially in our political city.

Stacie Scott Turner

Up in the air? She wants us to believe she is happy at her level but I think she is a social climber and she has a chip on her shoulder.  I already have a  question or two for Miss Stacie Scott Turner. For example is there some unspoken rule that  when I enter my black friends home I must say I like all black celebrities and politicians???  Oh, and must I tell all black people I love Obama and if  I don't then I risk being racist or rude to my black friends??  I mean either you want equality or you don't??  Cat was giving you her honest opinion about Tyra and Obama I would think that Stacie would have felt patronized if Cat lied and she later heard the truth, right??? Now, I know they first met and if Cat continues to dislike all black people then maybe you can start to wonder but I would be more offended if someone blew shit up my ass and I later found out what they really believed, but that is just how I feel, I prefer honesty up front.  In addition, the situation was laid back and talking, not a sit down 'behave' dinner.  I felt Cat was trying a little too hard and probably needed to back off in Stacie's home but she was just being honest. Once again, I would think Stacie would be more offended if she later heard Cat's true opinions.    Another conversation I  found it interesting,  Mary, tipsy and all, telling Stacie it was time to stop going to segregated salons???  Now, that was informative.  We don't have segregated Salons where I live but in D.C. they must do things differently.   In addition, Stacie referred to D.C. as once being the Chocolate town??? Never in my life have I heard D.C. referred to as the Chocolate town or maybe it is because a white person would not dare to say such a thing!!  I think Stacie has some racial issues!! 
     
Mary Schmidt Amons 

Mary just wants to be liked!!  I want to like Mary and yet something, not sure can't put my finger on it isn't quite right about Mary.  She tries too hard.  Too hard to please.  In addition, Mary is still stuck in the past. Well, for her connections.  But, as we are learning connections are crucial in D.C. and she has some decent ones.   Mary reminds me of the nice cheerleader. You know the follower of the head cheerleaders?? Mary wasn't quite all the way in the circle.   You know, she hung out with the cool kids but she wanted everyone to like her so she tried to be nice to everyone BUT she still wanted to be with the IN crowd.  Mary lives outside D.C. in one of the prestigious neighborhoods and to her that is growing up in D.C.  On a personal note, I get it.  I have always lived in the suburbs right outside the major city but I will tell you I am from the Major city and yet trust me I would rather die than live in the city limits.
But, the kicker with Mary is she keeps her clothes locked, I mean finger print locked?!?!  Who in the world does that???  A person who values the wrong things!

Lynda Erkiletian   

Lynda seems like she is trying to impress us with her "I don't need a husband but I have a 6 foot 5 hot guy"!!!  Lynda dear is getting up there in age, a little past her prime.  Does this mean she doesn't deserve to have someone keep her warm at night??? Hell no, but really she needs to realize she isn't the "hot" girl anymore!!  She has hit the phase in life where people say, "Wow, she looks good for her age"  A compliment but still not what most women like to hear.  Lynda's beyond cougar!  All that being said, if Lynda stopped being so "I'm hot and sexy" I might like her.  I felt bad for the model, the guy model, I really don't think he enjoyed being oooed and awed over by someone old enough to be his mother.
"Women, I know we are being told the 'Cougar' thing is in but not all guys want to do it with a 50 plus gal!!"

Michaele Salahi

Desperate!  She just comes off as Desperate!!!  She wants to impress so bad she can taste it!  The social climber.  There is one in every group!!!  Unfortunately, she has already stumbled and fallen several times, some of the other Housewives  have made it out from underneath that title.   I have a feeling Michaele is going to sink and sink fast!  Michaele is terribly skinny and Lynda seems to indicate she has lost more weight.  From clips I am curious to learn more about this woman.  Why??  Michaele seems like she is trying too hard but in a very, very desperate way and I am wondering if her husband has too much control over her???

Overall, One thing different about D.C. is connections!  Yes in every town connections to the elite, whatever the ELITE may be is considered is important but in D.C. it is more than important it is crucial and money is not what always gets you IN!! Cat was making her connections clear to the power.  Through her husband Catharine Ommanney made it clear that they were able to invite both Bush and Obama to their wedding.  C'mon, can you imagine even considering sending such an invite???  It is funny how when you like someone you excuse their etiquette faux paus and when you hate them you nail them for it?!?!  Anyways, the D.C. ladies don't just focus on money, although make no mistake they make it clear it is important but they state that money is not enough you must have the connections and oh the name dropping was thick in the episode.  Mary Schmidt Amons has hung out with the Kennedy's, Colin Powell and Dick Cheney have lived in her neighborhood. That is some name dropping!!  Stacie Scott Turner might sell a shitload of expensive homes but we have yet to hear her connections and she is impressed by connections, you can tell.  Cat was upsetting her to no end with stealing the limelight because she could name drop.  I guarantee you if Stacie had some names to pull out her ass she would have!!!  Lynda Erkiletian has not name dropped, yet, but she has stated she is not second tier??? I do have a sinking feeling Michaele Salahi is going to become the Danielle Staub of this group but I don't think to the extent of New Jersey, or at least I hope not, you know, the 'take her out' kind of attitude.  I think it will be more, "We really don't associate with her" attitude.  I think that seems to be more of the approach in D.C.   It is enough for just the 'right' person to say, "Oh, we don't really know her or associate much with her" and that sinks you in a town built on connections!!!

Overall, I enjoyed the first episode.  It was nice to get away from the Real Housewives of New Jersey.  You know, The fakeness of Teresa Giudice and  the"let's get Danielle Staub drama" but I am sure within an episode or two these women will fit the Housewives mold, although I do think that they are the smartest out of all the franchises!  In addition I felt myself cringing for different reasons with DC, not hair pulling, table flipping and backstabbing friends. No, Deeper issues were having me on the edge of my seat with these Housewives and I found it interesting.  In America we don't like to really AIR our Race issues!! We just bitch about them, or create cute little sitcoms that can interject comedy when it gets too stressful.  No comedy was entering those race situations and I was feeling really uncomfortable watching and yet once again I kept watching!! Now, my claim of these women being the smartest of the bunch? Well, Of course, being smart is all relative when it comes to the Real Housewives Franchises!  I mean they are on The Real Housewives?!?!?

Now,  as much as I am jaded I still love my guilty pleasure!  I love to sit back and think, "Wow, are they for REAL?!?!"

Lucy
RFclub

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