Being that the Browns haven't announced a "Get Together" (otherwise known as a green goo sign up party) in ages, I suppose it could be rather disconcerting to be standing in your front yard, minding your own petunias, and be rudely confronted by some "fan" who somehow creep their way past the security gates onto your end of the cul-de-sac.
In case you missed the tweets:
Hey everyone - forgive us if we appear rude if you come to the house / we really love our fans a great deal but get protective of our kids
— Janelle Brown (@JanelleBrown117) April 24, 2014
and almost a week later...
We love our fans! For the safety of our kids we respectfully ask that you respect our boundaries & not come to our homes uninvited. :)
— Meri Brown (@MeriBrown1) April 30, 2014
So imagine my surprise when on the TLC Official Sister Wives Facebook fanpage, a "fan" had the nerve to not only sneak past those gates somehow, but to brazenly approach Meri for a picture (?!?) and then when brusquely rebuffed to take to Facebook (using their real names mind you) in an attempt to "shame" those stars.
You see, the fans are the ones who built those houses, and dammit, they have the right to get a damn picture if they want it! Hmmm....I don't think so....
Now, I know you're thinking this is all being made up, especially since you have gone to the TLC fanpage in question and have not found any type of comments from would be cul-de-sac trespassers.
Well, that's because someone deleted them...Don't know if it was a TLC admin or if the "fan" rethought their decision to write about their exploits (since radaronline ran a story about Meri's tweet asking their readers for thoughts on the situation) - especially since they used their REAL Facebook accounts.
Talk about Dumb...
Anyway, I just so happened to have taken screen caps of their side of the conversation. Now, I have changed the names (to protect the ignorant) renaming the two as Auntie Dearest, and her immoral supporter The Niece.
For your consideration:
Not if the TLC or Facebook Admin bans your sorry a$$...
HELLO....The cul-de-sac is private property. You shouldn't have been there at all!
Yeah, I'd like to see you explain that to the police officer and the judge. Exactly how did you get past the gates again?
Now you are making me and a lot of other people mad. Google Rebecca Schaeffer. Her stalker/murderer only showed up once on her property - with a gun. He was also from out of town and rang her doorbell.
Auntie Dearest, you are an idiot if you think fans paid for those McMansions. Hell, the Browns can barely pay for them. I'm sure if you showed Meri your cancelled checks to their mortgage company she would take a picture with you AND invite you in for a cup of green koolaid....NOT!
I think the Browns need a guard station in addition to the gates to keep out the incredibly stupid and curious. So what are your thoughts?
As much as it is accurate that they (the Browns) have put themselves in the public eye, private property IS private. People do not have *rights* to celebs or media figures which allows for access to their private lives.
ReplyDeleteAgree with you......They should now have a manned guard station.
And maybe tailoring the show for 2 seasons around these houses, their locations, appearance, etc wasn't such a good or *safe* idea.
Oh, the spelling, the poor grammar, and the run-on sentences say it all to me. There are a lot of sickos out there, I would never be down for putting myself or kids on t.v. because of it. The Browns better beef up security.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I had to wonder if this isn't a setup by TLC? I put nothing past these people.
I think Kody has a stalker. There is a girl on the Facebook page that writes in broken English. Her writings sound like she thinks she knows Kody but you can tell she doesn't. It may be harmless but it seems creepy. Her name is Deanna.
ReplyDeleteI clicked on her facebook page. She also thinks she's dating Michael W. Smith. It seems like she might have some sort of mental illness.
DeleteOther reality stars have had similar issues. I know the Duggars wrote in one of their books about how a woman waited until she saw the parents leave, then went up to the house and rang the doorbell. When the then teenaged Jana answered, the lady said 'Hi, I'm a fan, and I just LOVE your family! Can I come in and take some pictures? " and before Jana could say anything she *walked right in*!!!!
ReplyDeleteThey said fans have rang their doorbell at 7 am or earlier and after 10 pm at night, one girl emailed them and called them and wrote them letters and they felt sorry for her so they invited her to a fair or something with the family. She then stole one of their kids' diaries and tried to sell it on Ebay!
At that point they had to gently threaten legal action to get her to stop. Then they put up a gate and fence to keep people from ringing their doorbell and had to educate their kids (who they had always taught to be hospitable and friendly to the fans and really anyone) on how to be friendly yet still not TOO friendly, etc.
Sad sad world. Just b/c someone has a reality show does NOT make it ok to accost people on their private property or even be overzealous in public.
I agree! And I also have the Duggars books, although its been a while since I read them. But I believe the lady that waited for Jim Bob and Michelle to leave and walked inside the house was a reporter. Asking personal questions and what not. People are disturbing. I wonder how many weirdos they encounter on a weekly basis that we dont hear about?
DeleteI say let the stalker lady have kody! She would be doing the 4 wives a favor. And the public. No really I do agree, with children it is dangerous. I believe the fault lies on the brown adults though. Like everything else in their lives thinking always seems to come after the fact. They have deemed themselves "celeberties" so they should be aware of the danger and the privacy problems that come along with that. But like everthing else it happens and then they try and fix it. I hope for the children's sake and safety they will take some responsibility for the situations that they themselves have put their children in, and fix it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Browns are pretty exposed in their current location. I would be scared if I were them: They are close to the highway and easy to find and not well protected yet do not have many close neighbors to help should trouble arise. They have the worst of both worlds: semi-secluded without many other eyes around to help but easy to find and access by stangers, and lots of info on their houses on TV plus they are living a controversial lifestyle. I would either want a security guard or to move to a more populated neighborhood/area or a remote ranch with more difficult access. I would also want a Mastiff to protect me!
ReplyDeleteThe Brown's spent two seasons dragging out the story of these homes. They lied about how the rentals were a mile apart but Meri;s was more than a mile, but when they wanted to get the family back together the rentals were to far apart. They have asked for this problem by and filming and airing where they live, Having a big party at the cul de sac. They drove the interest to their homes by making it a story line. Most reality shows film and use a false house front. So if they think they are celebrities or stars they should re think where they film. Kody and Meri brushed off fans when they were eating a what a burger. Kody has said fans look over their back wall. The adults are responsible for exposing the kids. all they wanted was the pay check, no thought to putting them or the kids on tv at their homes. The tweets about "we love our fans, but..."they are trying to not offend the fans. They need a better plan for security if they are going to continue filming at home.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of people don't realize some celebs on reality shows don't show their actual residences. For example, several years after the fact fans of Ozzy Osborne discovered the house shown on their show was actually a rental. The same with the Bachelorette.
DeleteDoes anyone remember how Martha Stewart handled people who wandered (or drove) onto her property uninvited? If you're lucky, she'll only call the police. If you're unlucky, she takes you to court.
"several years after the fact fans of Ozzy Osborne discovered the house shown on their show was actually a rental."
DeleteSo Ozzy is smarter than Kodouche? Not surprising at all...Shaaaaaarooooon!
Who's going to pay for a security guard for the gate? Just the Browns, or is the entire block on the stick for it? that can be kind of pricey you know.
ReplyDeleteThere are "gated communities" all over the Bay Area. For the most part, the gates don't mean diddly squat. If someone wants to go past them, it's easy enough to do (I'm not endorsing this, I'm just saying that an unmanned gate isn't exactly a huge measure of security). I would also be willing to bet that the gate is left open a majority of the time, since there are so many people living there and it's just easier to do. Kody also does not strike me as someone who is all that security-minded to begin with. We already know they've had at least two big parties that have been featured on the show (if memory serves). It's not a huge community, it's just a block for crying out loud. The fans probably just walked through the open gates to check things out, rather than climbing over them.
Personally, I wouldn't even bother to go to the Browns' if I was in LV. other than the train wreck factor and wanting to see where this all ends, I have no further interest in them. You gotta know that Kody is probably loving the attention.
Who's going to pay for a security guard for the gate?
DeleteI say the president of the HOA, yep ole Kody Brown. After all, it's his TV show fans that are causing all the problems!
Seriously though, they need a guard to be there if only temporarily. Even if it's only one car a day that's told to move on.
I wonder if the Dargers and Williams have this problem?
I wonder how the other homes in the in the other half of the culdesec feel about monitored security? Could be a drag for them if they never planned on having to live under such security OR having their street under public scrutiny from strangers.
DeleteI would think at their HOA meetings, Kody has had to do really work at selling his BS to those folks. Kody *should* pay for increased security since it is his choices in life and his desire for public attention that has caused all of this.
Thinking, Meri needs a job, something to do......she could do a shift in the guardhouse.
Forget about it! Kody would never spend his own $$$ on security. He'd rather spend it on trips to Disney, hair extensions, optical thickners and beach blonde dye
DeleteI don't usually defend the Brown's, but here I have to agree with them. It's a safety thing. Yes, they are local celebrities and people who live in Vegas obviously know where their cul de sac is located. I would react the same way if I were them. But I thought they had security gates? I'm wondering how these people got past those, they never mentioned that in their FB tirades. How did they really expect Meri to react when she was approached by a total stranger in her front yard? That's not normal, celebrity or not. I'm apprehensive to open my door or talk to strangers who approach me at my home and I'm not famous, and I don't live in a gated area (I did a few years ago, and I do miss that sense of security). These people had no right to set foot on private property for any reason. By going to Facebook to defend their actions and admit to trespassing just makes them look crazier. I'm sorry to say this, but people like these nutcases are one of the reasons that people have guns in their homes. You never know what some people are up to. Yeah, maybe they were just harmless fans who wanted a picture, but it takes quite a bit of nerve to just walk up to a reality "star" on their own property. Creepy!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the gate crashers are from a very small town. I live in such a town. It is very common to talk to anyone who is in their yard or driveway. People don't usually knock on each others' doors, but anyone outside is likely to find conversations starting with known or unknown people. I realize that LV is not a small town, but the interlopers attitude is definitely one that I am familiar with. If the gatge wasn't locked, they may truly not have realized they were terribly in the wrong.
DeleteIf you have seen the gates you could just walk up to them and speak with whoever is nearby in the cul-de-sac. Perhaps Meri was coming or going when the fan approached her.
DeleteI definitely prefer being non-famous and my take is to leave celebrities alone when they are out doing everyday things like shopping etc. The conjoined twins, Abby and Brittany, live in my area---I saw them at Target and just said "Hi, I like your show," in passing and they smiled and said "thanks" and we all went about our business. Many years ago my spouse and I were in the Denver airport and Chuck Conners ("The Rifleman") strode past---we did not chase him down. I think celebs are entitled to normalcy along with the rest of us---but also see nothing wrong with a friendly, non-intrusive "Hello, I like your work" or similar interaction---but no going past locked gates or the like!!
ReplyDeleteI often see famous people (you can't avoid them--I live about a mile from Waikiki Beach), but apart from a smile and a wave or a "hi, love your work", I don't bother them. They have just as much right to privacy and leisure as I do. I don't let my students call me at home, and if I run into them in public places I don't discuss their work--that's for the classroom and my office. I try to honor celebrities' privacy, especially if they are with their children. Auntie Dearest and the Niece are out of line. If I were Meri (or any of the other Sister Wives), I would have been concerned for my and my family's safety.
ReplyDeleteIt's impossible. You need real names on properties. Someone could do a name search through every assessors page in the state and find their address. I fault the people intruding on their lives, not them for being on a program. People on tv need to live somewhere. And that should be off limits unless invited in advance or virtually through the program.
ReplyDeleteMost celebrities do not have their names on the properties. They have their attorneys set up trusts so the public would not easily see who the real owners are. If you check out the houses in the cul-de-sac at least one names a trust as owner.
DeleteThey aren't celebrities. They are famous. I have searched the assessors page curious about the cost of the homes. I found the amounts for each house and by name search. If a trust is listed as an owner it wasn't done that way originally.
DeleteFrom a Google search for the definition of celebrity
Deletenoun
A famous person. Synonyms: famous person, VIP, very important person, personality, newsmaker, big name, famous name, household name, star, superstar etc
Looks like Kody and his wives are indeed celebrities.
I live in Reno, NV so I know how Clark County works - I, too, have looked up all the Browns' homes on the assessor's page and found out everything, names, addresses, values, taxes, etc. I was curious only as to how much they paid for those houses. Each one of the houses was clearly listed (at the time) as to the owners. Also, there are numerous sites online where you can look up addresses and then Google map the houses. It's not rocket science so I believe all celebrities need to be prudent to protect themselves. As to walking up to famous people, I see a lot of them in Nevada and most have been very kind and generous. I feel like such a dork, tho, and get so tongue-tied...don't know why. I must admit, tho, that if I ever got to meet Tom Selleck, I'd probably fall over in a dead faint!
Deleteoh boo hoo , don't feel a bit sorry for the Brownies, they love every minute of it,more drama to make them more relevant!
ReplyDeleteNobody deserves to be afraid of people showing up unannounced on their doorsteps. I don't think they are loving this at all!
DeleteI live near the Duggar family and they actually have (armed) guards at their gate. But, I do see the kids and the parents around town (mostly at Sams) and if the parents are with the older girls, I say hello. I don't talk to the kids because it just doesn't seem right. Likewise, I teach at the University where one of the girls takes a few classes and where one of their cousins has attended and I don't see other students trying to impose upon the girls. Even when I have run into mom and dad Duggar and I speak to them, they always respond and if I were a huge fan and asked for a picture, I'd be willing to bet they would accommodate me. No one goes on the Duggar's property uninvited because of the guards, so I suppose it is time for the Browns to recognize their "celebrity" and hire some security.
ReplyDeleteOne of the Duggar girls is going to college? That's great news! I think the Duggars have a better idea about how to treat their fans in public. Remember, the Meri, K-douche, and Sobyn were too busy eating to take a picture with a fan at an In and Out.
DeleteOne of the girls is allowed to be alone in a higher institution of learning? Wow. I thought every thing was done online or jointly done with siblings tagging along?
DeleteOh my gosh, my jaw just drooped reading this! That a Duggar girl is actually going to a state college. I always thought they did the gothard approved college courses online. I'm such a huge fan of the Duggars. Never miss a show and read the books including the recent one the older girls just wrote. Also, follow their blog. I dont care how people feel about them, I love them. Difference is, I would NEVER drive to their house even to snap pics from afar. And like you, I woudn't feel comfortable talking to their younger kids just as a fan. Unfortunately, not everyone has common sense. Glad to hear they take their privacy and safety seriously.
DeleteActually, there are now two taking classes at a state university. Two of the girls took those home birthing classes or apprenticeships and are now taking courses, mostly through distance learning but I have seen them on campus and some of my students say they have had them in class. The dug gars live in a small community, Tonitown, and we go there to get grapes and apples, so I have driven past their house often and the son and his wife actually lived, for a few years, behind my house, so I saw them often and they do have an armed guard and they have a security company driving by a lot. If you stop anywhere near their house, the security folks move you on....now I don't blame them at all. Their kids are outside kids and if they didn't have the added security, their children would have to be kept inside. The locals could care less but believe it or not, people from all over the world come to see them. It's weird.
DeleteThat's friggin awesome! I'm happy to hear that about the girls. I knew they were doing birthing and midwifery classes. Its good to see some getting an education. And if they just want marriage and children thats cool too. There perogative. I also like that they didn't ditch their values and beliefs when their show took off almost a decade ago like the Browns seem to have done. Also, good for them for investing in the safety of their families. I'm left to assume that since the Browns have poor money management they probably couldn't afford the same for their kids. That's too bad.
DeleteI live iin Arkansas and most people in the state probably don't even know who the Duggars are and if they do know them, most people dislike the family. Personally, I love them ... especially because they stand for what they believe in and don't change with public opinion. I cannot say that for the Browns. They are unstable in their beliefs and will go with whatever is popular and whatever is making them money. Not only do I disagree with the Browns' lifestyle, I also cannot respect what they do not seem to respect (their so-called religion). I watch because I find polygamy interesting ... but not in a good way. It's more pathetic than anything, in my opinion.
DeleteThese two stalkers, and they are stalkers as they entered a gated area, should thank their lucky stars they were not arrested. Then to go on facebook and announce to the whole world that they did this is just plain wacko.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 2:08 .... I've been by the houses several times and have not seen an armed guard. Every time the gates were closed.
ReplyDeleteBy the Duggar's house?
DeleteSorry. My mind was in Vegas, not Duggarland. Mea culpa.
DeleteCelebrities who are famous because of extraordinary talent and work deserve all the privacy and normalcy in the world.... For people that are only known ("famous") for whoring their lives out on tv, it is a slippery slope (Kody is "famous" for sleeping with 4 women at the same time and whoring his life out on tv)....
ReplyDeleteNow, I do not think it is ok to enter the cuddle sac or harass the kids, but I think there is a big difference between ARTISTS and the Brown's, lol.
Do I think it's bad to take a picture of yourself in front of the cuddle sac? Nah... but I wouldn't go in!
No question that those kids/wives and the other residents should not have to live in fear of strangers having access to their property and homes.
DeleteBut Lobotomized makes the point that cannot be denied......
" (Kody is "famous" for sleeping with 4 women at the same time and whoring his life out on tv)...."
And I would add not only is he famous for that, but as the attention glutton that he is, he *actively sought* to become famous for it. Even four seasons later, he still goes out of his way to make sure everyone he meets knows who and what he is.
It's hard to find any respect for that kind of agenda.
He can BS to the 12th of never that he did it to help make Plygs legal or to inform the public about polygamy, But he didn't !!
He did it for the money and for his insatiable ego.
And when it comes to doing it for the money, it is doubtful that Brady William's is any different that Kody.
"He can BS to the 12th of never that he did it to help make Plygs legal or to inform the public about polygamy, But he didn't !! He did it for the money and for his insatiable ego"
DeleteNow there is the truth. Mr. Look at Me, Look at Me, Look at Me! It's all about his ego and the willingness to do anything to get money with little to no work.
It may be gated but the street is public. They may be living behind a false sense of security. If they want to keep everyone out but themselves they need to move up to a gated and gaurded community.
ReplyDeleteIt's a culdesac. The only public using the street are the residents of the houses there. In my city a wealthy neighborhood put up a brick fence so that there was only one way in and out. They then put in a electric gates. The only public allowed past those gates were residents, invited guests or workers. No more sightseers to oogle at the rich people. That's why it's called a gated community. It is private property.
Deleteit is public in the sense that it is maintained and platted as such. It is not a private street owned and deeded to the Brown's. Public services and utility come and go. If they want that kind of security they should move to a compound.
ReplyDeleteI guess I will add my two cents since I have actually been in Meri's house. Yup, I'll come out and admit that I went to a LIV (green goo) meeting. Don't lie, if you were invited you would have gone too! My husband and I met them while at a home and garden show here in Vegas. My husband was the one who actually hit it off with Kody, and Kody invited us to the meeting later that week. I just wanted to attend the home and garden show to meet and greet/take a picture with them. Getting invited to the meeting was a bonus and I was eager to see the infamous houses. When we arrived we admitted we were not interested in buying into LIV but they were still cordial to us. Needless to say, once we made it clear we wouldn't "buy in" they moved on to other "prospects." Anyway about the houses. The homes were way across town for us but we went for the novelty of it all. They are surrounded by a huge empty dirt field and just off a somewhat busy street. My immediate reaction when seeing the field was that it would be a security concern. I couldn't help but wonder if they hadn't considered this when picking out these homes? My husband is the type to notice these things too. I used Meri's restroom at one point and thought, "Here I am alone in a secluded part of her home where I could potentially take advantage of this situation and she barely knows us." They were very trusting which is very weird to my husband and me. We have been in Vegas so long so it comes with the territory not to be so trusting. We did not stay long. We definitely had a conversation about the safety issues of their "exposed homes" on our drive home that evening. Luckily, we are trust worthy people and would never do anything stupid. But just think of all the people they have invited into their homes that are not as trusting as us or not what they seem. This city is full of dishonesty. I guess what I am saying is that we sort of saw all this "stalking stuff" coming.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, we won a raffle they held that night to win a dinner with the Brown family that they never followed through on. Clearly they had no use for us when we verbalized that we weren't interested in LIV. Needless to say, on our end, we weren't too disappointed about not having dinner with them either.
Did you get to touch the wetbar?
DeleteWhat vibe did you get from Meri's home?
I can't remember if I touched the wet bar - it was definitely there though. Sticks out into the living room a bit. All of the hor d'oeuvres were on the kitchen island along with samples of LIV.
DeleteHer house was empty with the exception of the famous furniture and folding chairs, there wasn't even soap in the bathroom I used. This was in January 2013 so she just moved into her house. I am sure it is different now. The vibe was definitely big empty barn and way too much space for one person. I would not feel comfortable living there is I were her. There are large windows facing the backyard. Anyone could see right in if they were to look over her back wall which would be easy because the back wall is up against the empty dirt field.
Really sounds cozy and warm, huh?!
DeleteBut...it does sound like a perfect setting for Meri's disposition....*me and mine*
But gotta wonder what she does all day and night?
Count rooms out loud and then start over again?
No soap in that bathroom and they are trying to be upscale in these McBarns? Gross! I guess soap reserved for those who buy the LIV crap!
DeleteLooking on google maps I can see the wall behind her house is much too low!
DeleteThe Brown's advertised on craigs list in Las Vegas for these meetings and got people to attend under false pretense of some kind of charity or humanitarian cause. People were pissed who attended that they were then expected to buy something. Nice of the Brown;s to ditch the dinner because it did not benefit them. They don't know the meaning of credibility. They were not thinking about security when they got these houses, it was all about the upgrades, and making sure none of the wives got more than another, which Meri did. Kody just wanted to rush thru the process.
ReplyDeleteI'm not buying the false pretense arguement. I remember seeing a tweet from a lady who went to one Brown's mlm meetings at the local air force base. She knew what they were selling and she said they only went to see the Browns as did many others in the audience. If anything it shows how bad a salesman Kody is. People can see right through him and he is incapable of converting those contacts into sales. No wonder his businesses failed!
DeleteIf he's not making a profit through his downline, there's a target amount that usually has to be met each month in order to keep the "free" "company car". If they don't hit that target, then they have to make copays towards the lease and insurance. That's how Mary Kay works anyway.
DeleteI do not feel sorry for the Browns. People should leave the kids alone. Kody probably does enjoy all this attention. They want people to watch their show. They need to create drama. I don't feel that they are celebrities. What in the hell have they done. Not a damn thing except sleep with each other. These women are not wives. They are not famous. They deserve everything they get. They put their life on display. They should have thought of their kids before going on tv. Anyway, who cares about these people. I stopped watching the show 2 seasons ago. I only read this blog just to see what is going on. There is more interest on the blog. Kody thinks that he is a super celebrity with a lot of fans. So full of himself. That smugness of his will soon disappear. Once the show ends, we will see how famous they are. I am sure that they will not have their names carved on anyone's sidewalk besides their own.
ReplyDelete^^^ What she said!
DeleteThe Browns are definitely not, say, the Jolie-Pitts, but obviously some people do in fact care about them. Even some who no longer watch the show still care enough about them to follow what's going on with them, if only for the purpose of hoping to see bad things happen to them. It always kind of cracks me up, and then makes me sort of sad, to read their facebook page, as there are so many people there who claim to never want to hear about them again, to hate them, etc and yet it's obvious they can't truly step away, because they're always there on facebook commenting about them. In any case, even if it's cool with someone to think the adults deserve to be stalked, etc, the kids honestly didn't do anything to "deserve" that. The kids had zero choice in having their lives stuck on tv, and it seems like the kids are jumping ship as fast as they can once they're college-aged, and other than the occasional appearance on the show, generally seem to want nothing to do with it. (This is a bit off topic, but placing kids in the spotlight for the parent's own purpose definitely makes me think of "True Tori," which yes, I confess, I've watched. It was so ironic to me, though, that Liam obviously does NOT want to be followed/photographed by the pap, and yet Tori invites the attention by having reality show after reality show (and even working w/ the paps supposedly, tipping them off as to where she will be, to keep pics of herself in the "weeklies," as she calls them). And when Hattie vomited in Tori's huge freaking Escalade, and Tori screams at the pap to please not take pictures because her child is sick.....all the while being filmed for a REALITY TV SHOW....I nearly choked on my diet coke I laughed so hard. At Tori, not Hattie, of course. So....Tori doesn't want a picture of Hattie being sick in a magazine, but it's totally cool to air it on tv? Ummn.....yeah). Okay, rant over. Thank you :-)
Delete...placing kids in the spotlight for the parent's own purpose definitely makes me think of "True Tori," which yes, I confess, I've watched
DeleteYay!!! I thought I was the only other person (outside of my BFF of course) that watch Tori Spelling's new show. I really liked her sitcom from wayback when, was it called No Tori ous (or something like that) and I even bought into the Bed and Breakfast reality show for a while.
But I stopped watching regularly when I noticed discrepancies between what she was saying on her show about her mother refusing to spend time with Liam. I happened to go on Candy Spelling's website where she had pictures of Liam at "The Manor" playing and looking very happy. Say Whut? And then in her last book she basically admitted she was a liar, so how can anyone even believe what she says?
Anyway, I did watch the new show and I agree with you. She moans about the paps (funny how I haven't seen any of those pictures being published) and tells that one lonely pap to back off because her child got sick while the cameraman in the car had to keep filming her cleaning the vomit off the seat.
So what do you think...I'm thinking Yes, Dean does cheat on her repeatedly and Yes, she's exploiting the situation with this new reality show for the money. And Dean is horrible on Chopped Canada...he acts like he's in a daze (and apparently he was).
I think for their next reality show, Dean should embrace polygamy. She could call it Plyg-Tori.
i am clearly very gullible. for the longest time, i believed every word the browns said, mostly because i don't lie and assume that other people won't either. (yes, i know, it's a miracle i can function in the real world.) i know very little about tori spelling, but when i watch her husband talking about almost throwing himself out of the window, my heart breaks. she may be a liar, but that seemed real to me. putting a man in his unstable condition in front of the cameras is incredible irresponsible to my mind.
DeleteI think Dean was trying to embrace polygamy...he just forgot to tell his wife!!!
DeleteMan, shocking what good old Tori is willing to put out there on television. I hope those kids have good therapists....
Even if I were a poly-"gamist" and was the mother of one of those women...I'd still kick his ass for being such a richard!
DeleteDidn't the people going go to meet these people? Self serving all around.
ReplyDeleteso everyone should just leave them alone because of the kids, when they are the ones putting them on TV
ReplyDeleteThat's right the Browns should be left alone. The kids being on TV is not the point. Uninvited curiosity seekers who may also be stalkers is the point. It sounds like some people think just because someone is a celebrity their fans should have 24/7 access to these peoples private lives. It doesn't work that way!
DeleteIt is the Brown's responsibility to keep their children safe. Just like its your responsibility to keep your own kids safe. Like everyone else if they can't they need to reach out to law enforcement to help them. Or here's an idea take themselves and their children out of the public eye and get real jobs to support themselves. There is danger everywhere but taking steps that are necessary to protect your children is the parents responsibility. But something tells me they are not concerned enough about their children's safety to stop the Tlc gravey train from rolling.
DeleteBottom line.....
DeleteTexasgirl is absolutely right !!!
Typical Brown family behavior. Never think ahead, never consider the consequences of your actions. You put your children on tv, tell the city and state where you live, show their schools, do several episodes about your place of residence and then you are upset because people know where you live. Sheesh, what did you think would happen?
Deletethis just in: rose marie cawley is married!!
ReplyDeleteunfortunately, this is all i know for, but thought i'd let you know.
it's from a usually reliable source.
I hope she got a young, good-looking one and not some 65 year old dud!
DeleteI hope shes happy. Like the comment above, hopefully its to someone closer to her age. I always wondered about her the most since the show wrapped.
DeletePyramid marketing schemes and get rich schemes is what they are banking on. Why don't they all go to school and get an education? This jewelry line is so amateur and so not fashionable. I guess they thought all the plygs would run out and buy their junk and clearly that hasn't happened. They are not role models for plygs in their church because they admitted nobody from church has been to sin city to visit with them. They want to live as celebrities but when it comes to certain things they want to follow the church teachings on dating and courtship. The hard part is that they go to big public schools with lots of main stream kids who don't follow the courting rules. I think it is clear the older ones are fitting in more and more to main stream life styles. I mean how many plyg girls join a sorority ? I believe the more main stream their education the farther from their church they get.
ReplyDeleteSister Wives preview tonight during MY FIVE WIVES featured Janelle talking about her ongoing weight and exercise struggles with her trainer.
ReplyDeleteWith respect for anyone struggling with weight and fitness, the Janelle story is now 2 seasons old. Enough !!
DeleteAnd maybe Janelle needs a new trainer, and/ or less spotlight (public pressure) on her weight issue.
Glad to find this blog. Loved the old SWB and commented there sporadically. I recognize the names of some of my favorite SWB posters, like "Amused" and "CPA Carol." Hopefully, I'll see a few others as I catch up on the reading. Does anyone know if ex-AUB is here? I loved her posts.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching my DVR of My Five Wives. I think I like the kids just as much as the Brown kids, maybe even more. . . Except for Maddie. She's my all-time fav. Hannah is a close second. She is lovely, articulate and poised.
I'm not looking forward to the return of Sister Wives. It's just too boring now. They can't even successfully pull off a fake a storyline. Loving My Five Wives, though. I hope TLC will keep MFW and ditch Sister Wives.
Hi everyone, I haven't posted in awhile. Anyhow, I understand that "reality tv stars" (or just a STAR as Kody thinks he is), seem like they shouldn't have a right to privacy. But they do have that right, and you trespassing on their property to take pictures or stalk them is not COOL. I hope the weird Aunt or whatever reads your blog. So inappropriate. You're lucky you didn't get arrested psycho. :)
ReplyDeleteWasn't sure where to post on the new ep of My Five Wives so I hope here is okay!
ReplyDeleteSo this was an episode based on questions, just like the ones done on Sister Wives. Some thoughts:
- I liked that they dived right into the tough questions and not getting all uppity about it, but I don't believe most of what they say. You can tell the wives' way of dealing with the reality of their marriage is that they make jokes and laugh through it. I suppose that would be the healthiest way to deal with it (though it's still stuffing of emotions) but I felt they were still holding back a LOT in terms of full honesty.
- Rhonda started out as seeming like the sweetest of the wives, and Nonie the most conniving, but now I am beginning to think Rhonda may outdo Nonie. It's very subtle, but Rhonda makes well placed remarks that paint her as the "easiest going, cool wife". Like how she answered to Brady that she was fine with another wife. That could not be true. I think she said that to look better to Brady. Tricky, and not truthful.
- Paulie, just pull out the knife and attack someone already. The murder gaze is creepy!
- Brady is SMOOOOOTH! I posted before about how he "knows how to play the validation/compliment/reassurance game" with his wives without really seeming to mean any of it. Well when he answered about if he'd be okay if his wives got other husbands, his reply was something like "I wouldn't handle it as well as my wives and I'd be a jealous wreck". He deftly sidestepped from answering further by complimenting his wives in a backwards way. How could they complain about his answer when he's complimenting them?
- The wives need to stop talking about Brady! Just STOP! And stop talking together about what body parts of his you all like!
- I wish, when the wives were asked "Why do you stay now in the family when your religious duty to be polygamous has been lifted?" they would have answered more honestly. The answer is that it would just be much too hard on them and their kids to leave at this point. But I believe some of them would choose to leave if the kids weren't in the picture.
"Brady is SMOOOOOTH!"
ReplyDeleteYes indeed....THIS is what I came away with from their tell-all. Brady is oily for sure !!!
He is as obvious as Kody Brown, just does it differently. It's all about the ratings and the money. $$$
I also wonder when this bit was filmed? Josh was present, so was it before or after his Africa trip? Inclined to think it was after and surely after TLC had a chance to survey the various online blogs and comments about the show.and then knew how they wanted *and needed* to pitch this episode.
Paulie... Not sure if she has hard contact lenses that produce that "stare" or if she is really a seething bundle of unexpressed emotions. I don't think any of her comments were real or spontaneous since she, along with everyone else, had the list of questions in hand.
She IS a little scary. She does give off a definite covert vibe, but she is also forgettable and
colorless.
Robin.....She actually came off a bit more animated and direct. It was surprising.
Loved her answer to why marry into it. Her answer was more or less that when they were dating "he was a married man" and if she wanted him that is what she had to do.
But alas, look where it got her !! And she seems to know that fact,
Rosemary......She consistently comes off as the most realistic of them all, however strapped she is to the script. Loved her comment to Nonie when Nonie went on about seeing Brady's butt....with feigned and humorous outrage."You were looking at our *husband's* behind!" ??? Doubtful there is any lost between Rosemary and Nonie. They have very different styles and probably, different ethics.
Rosemary has a resignation vibe that is troubling since she seems to clearly know how effed up their lives are collectively, and for her, personally; but she is locked into it all because of her kids.
Nonie.. She is both annoying and transparent. As covert as Paulie comes off, Nonie is like a 5 year old with no filters yet in place. It was obvious that each wife knew which questions they were to field. and when it was Nonie's turn to comment, she was so excited and twitchy that even her voice was quivery. Her crazy eyes give her away each time.
Nonie wondered why the viewers had all these sex questions !? Now than was laughable coming from her !!! Nonie is irritating to watch and for sure, she must be a trial to live with.
Rhonda.....She is the "people pleaser"....but she is also a manipulator.
I agree, her answer about what if Brady brought on another wife was a pointed smooze for Brady.. Rhonda plays the "all things to all people" quite easily and it obviously works for her. However, I think she guards her "newest wife" status (no matter how dated it is now) as fiercely as Sobbin Brown does, using whatever means it takes.
The kids' segment was staged and predictable. Many of those kids are very charming and lovely. But there are way too many for any of them to be "stars" like the Brown kids.
And no accident that the editing only showed the kids who said no to the Plyg life.
It's all about keeping the comments and speculation going for next season !!!!
One of the very things that I dislike about the Brown parents is the very thing that this thread brings up: They want their cake and they want to eat it too. Okay, what I mean by that is that all along, Kody and his wives have screamed we want to be allowed to legally live as man and wives but they also want to and have indulged in all the benefits afforded single women who have children that they cannot afford. For instance, the non legal wives and children have been, in the past, awarded food stamps, medical insurance, welfare, and child care expense assistance, but they want to be given the same respect as legal couples. They seem to look over the very reasons why it is illegal to have multiple wives...multiple wives bring mulitple children and more than one household and usually men who live this kind of life are not the most educated or most motivated men out there so the results of their irresponsible behavior becomes a burden on tax payers. Let us legally be together...don't come looking for us...but we are still going to require government assistance. Give us our cake and let us eat it too.
ReplyDeleteThen there's the we want fans...lots of fans and we want them to adore us, watch our program, buy our cheap stuff, pay to come see us and all of that, but we don't want to be bothered with all of the work that goes into nurturing a fan base: we won't stop eating to sign an autograph, we want you to buy our crap but we are not obligated to get it to you quickly, we want fame but don't bother us when we are at home or in public. We want privacy but we are not paying for the privacy and we want lots and lots of critics as long as those critics say how cool we are and overlook our many faults. They want their cake and they want to eat it too but they don't want to even go buy the damn cake.
At the first sign of disagreement with their lifestyle, they begin attacking monogamy; if we criticize their actions, which are irresponsible, we are jealous or liars or haters. They treat social network as if they are talking to family members by saying if you don't like it don't watch it...they have absolutely no idea of the limited attention span of fans or the fall out that their careless posting will create...again, they want fame, they want their show to be a success, but they don't want to invest in positive actions that will bond them to their fan base.
So what...a fan walked onto their street and asked for a picture and suddenly they are asking fans to understand the safety of their children...but they put their children on TV and on social networking such as twitter so they can either play passive/aggressive with each other or they can wile away the hours. They do not shield their children but put them out front and center. Plus, I would be willing to bet that half of all their gripes about fans is all made up to drum up concern or publicity. I think we should be careful to not drink the green goo. LOL.
You seem to have overlooked why we have civil rights in this country and religious freedom. You have generalized a group of people as uneducated and unmotivated based on a Tv show. Does Baby Boo Boo define all the poor people who live in small towns in Georgia? Do the Duggars define all monogamists with more than ten children? The Kody Browns do not define all polygamists!
DeleteI don't have to drink green goo to see what motivated your opinion and in my opinion I'm getting a definite prejudice vibe from you.
A lot of TV, movie and sport stars also ignore their fans so I guess they also want to have their cake and eat it too. And don't forget music stars. Who was the celebrity that demanded their employees never look them directly in the eyes? Diana Ross or some other diva? So why do those celebrities not get called out for their bad behavior but yet the Browns do because they are polygamists? I agree with anon 1039 this is like the bigotry speeches from the 1950's and 1960's. It's kind of sad to see how little progress we've made with accepting people and religions and beliefs that are different from our own. Just my two cents.
DeleteNot wanting to start any dissension....CJ's Living Room is a conflict-free haven.
DeleteHowever, I didn't see it as a generalization. But that's just me.
Yes, there are civil rights and religious freedoms in America.
There are also those who can and do exploit such rights and freedoms.
If a person or persons' religious freedoms dictate having more children than that person or persons can afford to care for, is it not the civil rights of others to not have to pay for those children? Children who have been born to people who up front know they cannot afford them without subsidies from faceless taxpayers who have their own expenses and families to care for.
The Browns did take advantage of the system before TLC entered their lives.
It is documented that at least Christine was still on food stamps when the show first began.
I agree with anon 8:01 completely. This has nothing to do with civil rights or religious freedom. This is about greed and fraud and arrogance.
DeleteI agree annon 8:01 am you summed it up perfectly. Could not have said it better.
DeleteAnon 8:01 nailed it. Don't kid yourself. These people are on TV for one reason only, and it ain't to share their faith. They just need to deal with what comes with their new found fame. Unfortunately, that might include weirdos who wander onto your property, which is why they need to handle their business and either hire security or get off of TV. Clearly, at least a couple of the Browns think they are celebs (however far down the list they may be). Well these are the types of issues you "celebs" have to deal with, so handle your business. BTW, I'm one of those who gets annoyed at even the real celebs who whine about privacy. Dude, a loss of privacy comes with all of those millions you're making ... whatever!
DeleteIf they cannot handle the heat they need to get out of the kitchen.
DeleteI ask in all seriousness....where do you get your data that most polygamist men are uneducated and unmotivated, and that one of the reasons polygamy is illegal is because the women have too many children? Thank you - always looking for new reading material on polygamy!
DeleteAnon 3:11,
DeleteI base my assumptions about those who live a plyg life on those programs that I have seen on TV, research that I have done and others such as on this forum, and documentaries that I have watched. While it is true that I cannot say with certainty that all plyg men and women are uneducated, I can say with certainty that those that I have seen and read about have been uneducated. Typically, many of the plyg communities either home school their children or they send them to a school in their community that is often ran by the heads of their plyg communities. Some plyg families do send their children to public schools lately, more and more are graduating and going to college. However, you cannot remove the very history that delayed many of these more modern plyg children a little more equal access. I would be willing to bet but of course cannot prove it but for every child that goes to a public school and graduates high school there are probably hundreds who are home schooled or who attend plyg ran schools. Then, we have those plygs who are on reality programs who we are hoping are putting their best forward but we see that they are not the brightest stars in the sky...if anyone would argue that any of the plyg men we have seen on TLC has an ounce of common sense, I would have to argue their behavior on TV is antithetical to common sense, educated sense, or humanity sense...look at their wives and their children and tell me they are being treated fairly, logically, reasonably...no they are not. However, I respect your opinion to disagree with me and if you want me to provide you a scholarly paper written with full support of claims, I would happily do so but it would not likely get published here since it would be too large of a file. I will, however, look for some statistics on education and plygs. When I find the data, I will post the links here. Anon 10:39, we do have the right to practice religious freedom as long as that religious practice doesn't break our federal and state laws and as long as it doesn't harm others. Clearly plyg break our federal and state laws. Also, are we watching the same programs, reading the same blog posts, or hearing he same news reports?
where do you get your data that most polygamist men are uneducated and unmotivated, and that one of the reasons polygamy is illegal is because the women have too many children?
DeleteI think it's safe to say most of what has been said above are opinions. I tend to be suspicious of opinions when they are stated as fact, however.
As far as new reading materials, I enjoy studying both sides of an issue. So my suggestions (in addition to the personal memoirs of former polygamists) are:
Prophet's Prey...........................................................................Sam Brower
Under the Banner of Heaven.....................................................Jon Krakauer
Secrets and Wives: The Hidden World of Mormon Polygamy..Sanjiv Bhattacharya
Modern Polygamy in the United States.....................................Jacobson and Burton, editors
Polygamy in Primetime..............................................................Janet Bennion
Colorado City Polygamists: An Inside Look for the Outsiders....Benjamin G Bistline
All of the above are available for Kindle on amazon.com.
Thank you! I've read the Browns' book as well as the Dargers' book, and I suppose I'll read Brady & Co's book when they get around to writing one, as I'm sure they will. I've also read two of Carolyn Jessop's books. Recently, I've read the court decision in Brown case, the one from Canada that Christine Marie talks about, and read the study from UofU last weekend, which claims that polygamy is inherently harmful. Now I'm off to buy Prophet's Prey and Secret Wives from Amazon, as those two caught my eye for some reason. Appreciate the reading suggestions! No idea why I'm so interested in polygamy. I'd never live it, but for some reason, it's just really interesting to me.
DeleteI think the Brady family is more open and honest. I feel that since they left their secretive religion they are more open. I got the impression that the only reason they chose polygamy is because their salvation depended on it. Now that they no longer feel this way the question is why do they stay? I think they were being honest when they said they loved Brady and the family so they stay. Even though it is a hard way to live I believe they are content with the family and wouldn't want to break away and be alone. We all know women and men who stay in a marriage because of the kids or they are to afraid to start over alone. I think they honestly answered to that last night. I really believe that the Browns will leave their church. They are too main stream now. They don't live a conservative and modest life anymore.
ReplyDeleteThey also have "TV show" money coming in...because of their change of belief, I think this family is very much more inclined to break apart after the "gravy train" is gone. Money does funny things to people.
DeleteJanelle says she has lost 50 pounds and is so tired of going to the gym and not being able to enjoy Sunday dinners with the family...always having to count carbs and so forth. Actually I have a lot of empathy for her frustration as I also am one of those who have to be ever vigilant about exercise and calories just to maintain a modicum of normalcy size-wise. It is a never-ending process that can wear on a person.
ReplyDeletewhy can't she enjoy Sunday dinners with the family? it's not just about the food.
DeleteMost of the family could use some calorie reduction. So make healthy meals, and reduce the portions. Must every Sunday dinner be a Thanksgiving feast?
And MrSpock, I am also one of those people who has to moderate/monitor her caloric intake. The exercise isn't a problem for me, I love it.
So here's a solution for Janelle, this is what *I* do. Stay on track for 6.5 days of the week. Plan the Sunday Dinner to be a free meal - where she can eat what she wants but in moderate portions. Some people call that a cheat meal too.
Pamela Peeke's book Body for Life for Women has some great tips. Bottom line is that if Janelle can't make these lifestyle changes permanent, then any weight loss is bound to be temporary.
The entire family needs to change what they're eating, it is not acceptable for the younger kids to be so overweight.
Deleteshe can't enjoy sunday diners? what she is saying is she can't eat what she wants at sunday diners. I agree she may have a medical reason she always seems to be slow moving and fatigued. She spent a lot of years working to support the family and im sure under a lot of stress. A full medical check up might help her to see if a physialogical reason for her lack of weight loss. I think she looked thinner last fall in halloween pictures. Even though they have money now i would bet their is still a lot of stress in their lifestyle.
DeleteLike Janelle, I've been on a weight loss/health improvement journey for about 18 months. I've lost over 100 lbs, and I spend LOTS of time in the gym. I agree with Janelle--it's hard to enjoy a family dinner or other event where food is a major contributor to the environment. I have to make hard choices about what to eat and how much of it to eat. "Celebration foods" are now off limits, but I still have wonderful memories of enjoying them with my family. Relatives are constantly pressing me to eat their specialties, asking if I've had enought to eat, or questioning why I'm not having a particular dish. Thus, what was once a fun time is now rather stressful.
DeleteI agree that Janelle should see a doctor if she's plateaued--there might be some medical reason for fatigue or an inability to lose weight. She may also need to really change her fitness regime--as one loses weight and is able to do more, the intensity or frequency of exercise may have to increase in order to continue to build strength and drop the pounds. She might even have to change trainers--Sean may not have the expertise she needs to get to the next set of milestones in her health journey. I give Janelle huge props for even attempting to get healthier--it's not easy, but there are rewards if she can reach her goals.
Janelle is simply NOT losing weight like someone her size should be if she has changed her lifestyle the way she is claiming she has. Either she needs to go see an endocrinologist to see if there's something going on, or......she's freaking lying about her efforts, and shoveling in peanut butter fritos at 2am. Trainer Sean is a damn joke. He's playing to the Browns and their fragile egos, and getting a lot of promotion for shit results. Janelle started at what, 270 something a few years ago? She looks like she is still a solid 230-240. What she is doing though, is wearing more form-fitting clothing. At the beginning she looked over 300 because of the size of her clothing, and all of those drapey layers. So when she finally buys clothing the correct size, it makes it look like shes lost more weight than she has.
ReplyDeleteThat's been my thought from the beginning of this show about 3 of the wives, that they all needed to get their thyroids checked. Especially since they've been actively attempting to lose weight, why are they still so large? Are they really trying or is it for show?
DeleteI think a large amount of it is for show, sadly. Not that I don't think that the wives would like to look better in their clothing, which I'm sure they do, but this whole Janelle/Trainer Sean lovefest is totally a publicity(for the Trainer)/storyline thing.
DeleteBut again, if that's the kind of storyline they want to do, I'd love to see TLC take these ladies to an endocrinologist and go from there. It would be far more interesting than having Janelle meet with an uber-fit nutritionist, and smash scales. Oh, and filming Meri's runs. LOL.
They are still heavy because they are consuming more calories than they are burning, they are eating the wrong types of foods (we see this on the show), and they are hitting ages where their metabolism is slowing down. It also appears that some of them stuff their feelings down with food. It's math--calories in versus calories out. Math sucks and food tastes good. :o(
DeleteI frequently say "I just don't know why I stay at this weight!" Um, because I'm taking in more calories than I'm burning? It's very simple but we don't like to say "I'm overweight because I eat too much and exercise too little." It's much more convenient to blame thyroids or whatever, but the truth is the truth. The Biggest Loser really brought that home to me. You're fat because you eat too much and exercise too little. Now if I could just get Dolvett to come to my house everyday and train me....
at the time janelle weighed 270, meri was 213..so if janelle lost 50 pounds and is around 220, meri has gained at least 50 pounds since that wiegh in on season 2..so i belive meri is bigger than janelle easily.
DeleteYup, and on some level I think Kody likes to keep them overweight. Could you imagine what would happen if these women had high self-esteem and took pride in their health? He'd be left high and dry!
DeleteJanelle doesn't understand food and fitness. Her trainer Shawn should be educating her on moderation vs calorie counting and lifestyle vs workouts. This is how I stay slim and yes I am prone to gaining weight. Instead of eating less, just eat healthy. Instead of working out, stay active - simple. Cut out sugar, trans fats and starch. Add fresh veggies, yogurts, nuts, cheeses, fruit, eggs, fish and a little dark chocolate for fun. Park far away from the store entrance, take the stairs instead of the elevator, do some yoga while watching TV and go for a jog with the dog. The way she treats fitness is so segregated from her daily life (waking up at 4am to go to the gym? No thank you!) it's no wonder she isn't losing weight. I have several friends agonize over weight loss and meticulously count calories but they remain overweight. No wonder people can't lose weight this way, they must be exhausted thinking about every little thing. Please don't get me wrong, I feel empathetic towards Janelle, I just think she is going about it all wrong.
DeleteFor the most part I've kept quiet about Janelle and her weight saga, but I can't keep quiet any longer, especially since it looks like this will be a major story arc this season.
DeleteI agree with everything everybody mentioned in this thread.
Only 50 pounds in what, 2 years? That's better than nothing but damn, her so called journey to losing weight is getting real old, real fast. All I'm seeing is she likes to eat awful, high calorie foods and thinks going to the gym and having some lame-ass trainer yell at her for 2 hours a day is normal and she'll lose weight.
Funny, but I remember Madonna being photographed by paps while she took her DAILY RUN. Or those Hollywood "stars" who jogged up the Hollywood Hills to the Hollywood sign. Now THAT is exercise.
Like mentioned above, cut down on calories, increase daily exercise and if she still doesn't lose weight, SEE A DOCTOR STAT!
The way she treats fitness is so segregated from her daily life (waking up at 4am to go to the gym? No thank you!)
I just don't get her going to a gym and having a personal trainer when she's only lost 50 pounds. Here's something...how about firing Sean the Trainer and don't renew the gym membership. How about just taking a brisk walk AROUND THAT DAMN CUL-DE-SAC every morning and afternoon for 10 laps each time and cutting down on the daily intake of k-cals.
Like I've mentioned before, I lost about 50 pounds by JUST WALKING 1.5 miles a day. Briskly. Sometimes I carried a bag of groceries! And I was 48 at the time!
Like my BFF mentioned to me this week. Can you imagine the money they could have made off that green Kool-Aid if those lard-asses would have LOST WEIGHT and documented that weight loss on their reality show? Talk about a missed business opportunity!
I suppose this season we'll find out she has a glandular problem. Whatever.
I apologize in advance if I have offended, but this makes me soooo mad!
I don't disagree with either CJ or Abreva re. the weight/exercise comments. I sympathize with Janelle---or anyone else in the same boat---because Darn! I love sweets---candy, ice cream, potatoes, etc. and it is soooooo hard to stay away from those things---to do so I don't have any ice cream or candy or cookies or the like in my house---if I want them, it means a special trip. I also walk 30 minutes 5-6 times per week and do weights twice per week. But...even with all that---if I don't do those things, I would immediately gain weight. I don't have any health issues so I can't blame that---it is just the way it is....and my siblings and all of my numerous cousins (except a couple) have the same issue. And that is where I sympathize---because I LOVE food and always want more---and I don't mean more green beans. But, such is life!
Deleteglad that a lot are finally on the same page. i've been saying this about Janelle for a long time when everyone else was going gaga-goo over how much weight she'd lost and how totally different she looked. anyway, i stopped cause i felt like a lone jerk naysayer. but alas - it's really true. something's not right on her words vs. her true actions.
Deleteonce again, i've never known anyone with a 100+ pounds to lose and adamantly doing what Janelle has claimed to be doing for two years (heck - even just one year!) to make such little (and mostly unnoticeable) progress in so much time. there, i said it ... again! :P
i should be very careful about what i say because i am meant to be losing weight myself. i have about 50 lbs to lose, actually. i knew i was overweight, but it didn't bother me, because my husband loves me and strange men are attracted to me (yes, i'm extremely shallow and rely on outside validation for my self-worth), and it wasn't until my GP started expressing concerns about my health that i took the issue seriously.
Deletei felt like there was nothing i could do and that it was too hard, but my husband reminded me that baby steps are the way to go when it seems hopeless. i lost forty lbs in six months, just by writing down everything i ate and drank, weighing my food (without necessarily reducing the portions much) and chewing more. i also counted calories, but not obsessively so. if i really wanted something, i had it.
since then, i'm afraid that i have put half that weight back on again. we live in paris, which means plenty of fattening food, wine, and air pollution so severe that going for a run or a even walk can be dangerous to your health.
we are moving away next month and my goal this summer - ironically largely inspired by janelle - is to train to run a 5k. as with everything else, i can only say that my husband is usually right, baby steps are the way to go.
if i had to get up at 4 a.m. to drag myself to the gym, i'd last a week or less. if i weren't allowed to eat the occasional sweet, i'd sulk and eventually give up. if i felt that family holidays weren't fun anymore because i had to count calories, i'd lose the will to live.
yes, she should have lost more weight by now. yes, she should be living healthier overall.
i think that the fact that she seems to be torturing herself to lose weight is making it worse. for the love of all that is holy, if you want to move, do something fun. bellydancing is good, but in janelle's case, anything in water might be better for her joints.
if you need to eat healthier, explore new foods and train your taste buds to love them. yes, bacon, cream pies and ice cream are lovely, but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the nutty flavour of quinoa or the crisp freshness of a strips of fresh bell pepper.
and surely, particularly living in the states where everything processed has corn syrup, go for fresh food. the very idea of peanut-butter fritos makes me ill, but i am sure it's oddly addictive. honestly, those mcmansions have great kitchens, not to mention the pantry. janelle should have enough time and space to cook. yes, it's not what she's good at, but you don't get good at things unless you practise. how about eating healthier one recipe at a time?
so many of us here have lost large amounts of weight, some of us (not me) have even kept it off. i don't see why janelle shouldn't and the fact that she's failing so far really frustrates me. rant over.
Well, y'all have heard/read my take on this several billion times or so, but of course I have a tendancy to repeat myself, sometimes ad nauseum.
DeleteI was a fat kid growing up and was on diets from the age of 7 onward. at my heaviest, 265 and at 5'4", I was the same size as Janelle, more or less. So theoretically I should feel some sympathy for her. And I do...a little. But the sympathy has been waning rather quickly to the point where I would want to shake her.
Now I have to say here, that I love moving/working out/riding my bike/indoor climbing/hiking/boxing/whatever sounds like fun. But I do it for FUN. I am painfully aware that If I want to lose weight, all the exercise and cardio and sweating I do isn't gonna make much difference on the scale if I don't reduce the portions and lower the calorie intake. That's just the facts, ma'am. It is what it is.
Sean strikes me more and more as one of those trainers whose mindset/philosophy is to work out as hard and as long and as often as possible and don't count calories - just make sure you're not eating awful horrible junk food and fast food. Maybe that's what works for HIM, but it is obviously not working for Janelle. Four thousand calories a day is going to make most women gain weight, no matter where it comes from - peanut butter fritos, McDonald's, skinned chicken breast meat, mangoes, protein shakes, green goo...our bodies don't discriminate, calorie excess is calorie excess. Your body is going to store those mango and chicken breast calories just as it would store the Big Mac calories. It is what it is.
As far as endocrine/thyroid issues possibly being a factor...mmmmmaybe. But I have to tell you, I DO know several women who have thyroid issues such as Hashimoto's and guess what - they can and do lose weight. It might be a tad more difficult but it can be done. As far as age - I'm 51, older than Janelle, and I can still lose weight. Again, it's all about portion control and permanent healthy lifestyle changes.
Do I think Janelle can continue with her workout regimen on her own? It doesn't look good. Her environment is seriously f**ked up. I doubt she is getting ANY real support from ANY of the other wives and YES, I am including Christine in that. We see lip service on the show, but I'm guessing that especially from Meri (who couldn't even be bothered to be at Janelle's 5k) there is quite a bit of sabotage going on. We all KNOW they don't really "love each other" the way they say on the show. I'm certain that the last thing that the other three wives want to see is Janelle being slimmer than they are, since she's also the smartest of the bunch (which really isn't saying much IMO). I would bet that those Sunday dinners consist of the other three wives bringing dishes that they know will tempt Janelle. And I have to say, sadly, that I see Maddie starting to gain weight, she looks noticably heavier, this to me is partially genetic but largely environmental.
Off my soapbox for now :)
My gut feeling is their home environment must be hell in the culdesac. Maddie can't wait to go back to Utah for college and don't get me started on what's going on with Mykelti except I think we know now why she left Centennial and why Christine said Mykelti was her biggest worry. Yep, she's boy crazy. And that must be driving Christine bonkers ...the girl is rebellious with a capital R.
DeleteThe whole world is watching her, poor thing.
ReplyDeleteWe have seen how they put food out for large gatherings with the commitment ceremony. I bet Sunday dinners are like that. Avoiding gluten just means you are adding protein. More calories per ounce. How to cheaply fill up 20 some people means cheap food with high calorie count. We do see produce on the counter. Good sign. Easy access for all to something that has vitamins and minerals in it.
I do think there is a medical reason some can't gain and some can't lose. She really should stay at a plateau weight for a time and then start trying to lose again, if she wants. The body says maintain the weight you are. So it could be portion size, but you just can't eat 1500 calories daily until you are the weight that requires only 1500 calories. She once said she planned most meals around meat, and with a family full of boys I can see why. Could be a lot of food with empty calories to suit the kids, and the rest of the kids in the family, and the neighborhood in the house.
Regarding medical reasons for not being able to lose weight...here's my take on it.
DeleteSure there MIGHT be, but those are rare indeed. Thyroid issues MIGHT make it more difficult to lose, but it can be done. I've seen it.
I would be willing to bet if we took Janelle and put her in a controlled environment - I'm not talking Biggest Loser ranch here - I'm saying where her calorie intake would be strictly monitored and of course there might be a little exercise such as walking or hiking or cycling - in other words somewhere around 1300 calories a day and maybe an hour of moderate exercise 5 days a week - with no opportunity to cheat on the diet - after a month or so of this, Janelle would be noticeably smaller and lighter.
In other words I am convinced that she doesn't stay on her eating plan. Or the one Sean has cooked up for her doesn't advocate portion control.
so BS on the "medical reasons". if there was a medical reason keeping her from losing weight, then in the above situation, she would be the same after a month. just saying.
in re: produce on the table. the mother's day brunch made my mouth water. not the waffles (though i like pancakes sometimes), but did you see the mountains of delicious-looking fruit? this aired in winter and i nearly cried, i wanted cherries and strawberries so badly.
Deletebtw, i do think what you eat makes a difference, and not just how much. getting to 4000kcal on junk food is easy enough, but on lean protein, complex carbohydrates and fresh fruit and veg, it's a lot of chewing and swallowing.
i don't know if this is a thing in the states, but there is a diet in europe called volumetrics, which emphasises exactly this: filling up on foods high in volume and low in calorific density. anyway, janelle needs to stop eating her feelings and start looking at healthy food as something that can be fun and enjoyable.
So a fan happend to be in the neighborhood and asks for a picture with Meri was she was standing outside in her yard? Seems like an innocent request that could of been easily complied with considering the Browns have gained their popularity through their reality show based on their private lives.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but the Browns houses are in a GATED cul-de-sac. It's obvious if Meri had invited the visitors pass the gates, she would not have reacted the way she did. And if another resident had invited them in, they would be visiting that resident at the opposite end of the cul-de-sac.
Deletehave you ever lived in a gated community? KarenX? especially like the one the Brown;s are in. It's not gaurde gated, you don't have to identify each time you go thru or the gaurd calls the house of the visitor. This gated community is like an apartment complex gated community. Its a false sense of security. The Browns need to realize this andy car can follow another in. The security level is zero. Should the fan have had consideration? yes..but maybe this will be a wake up call for the Brown's. They are not under security behind this kind of gated community. It sells house to have a gate. The Brown's did not think this thru. I f they wanted security they should have gone for another location, paid for security, and less upgrades.
DeleteLOL, as a matter of fact I have and do live in gated communities of various sizes. Let me tell you one thing, the smaller the community the better security. When a community is small, like the cul-de-sac, you know who's a resident and who isn't. Even in gated apartment complexes, in small complexes residents still tended to look out for each other. A trick we used was if a car pulled up behind us, we would open the gate but only drive in enough for our car to get pass the gate and then click our gate remote again which would close the gate behind our back bumper. The other car would be left sitting there still unable to get in! When I got to my apartment I called the security service who then sent an officer to investigate.
DeleteI'm anonymous 11:34. I never really thought much about the security of a gated community. It's a harsh reality to learn that it's nothing more than a gate with a code that hundreds of strangers or near strangers already have.
DeleteThe last time codes were used was almost 20 years ago! The codes at the callbox can only call a resident. I suppose older communities may still have code entry but modern ones just issue a electronic opener device much like a garage door opener.
DeleteKarenX, I'm guessing though the gates were left open and the fans just walked thru. Or called to Meri/Janelle from outside the gates perhaps?
DeleteHi Dj,
DeleteI hope KarenX won't mind, but just from what I've seen of the gates, they are very similar to what I have where I live. The gates should automatically start to close. The only time it doesn't is when it's broken down. I can vouch for what anon 1:04 says that it's a false security. After I moved into my apartments, I discovered that the management open the main gate (near the office) during business hours! Now, I will say that it's a HUGE community, with a main gate and call box (near the rental office) and 2 gates (gate opener access only). However, it is possible to pull the gates apart slightly in order to walk through them - which wrecks the gate mechanism. That's one thing I wondered about - with all those kids going back and forth I can see them squeezing through instead of just using the call box to ask their mother to "buzz" them in.
DJ, do you remember the Mormon Girl who went to the cul-de-sac and took pictures? She knew enough to leave the cul-de-sac when she thought Meri was looking at her from an upstairs window!
I live in a gated community too. You need a key to get into the partking structure, and then one to call the elevator and then select your floor. Still, people are willing to let strangers in and help them get to the floors they want. All the security in the world won't help if someone lets strangers into your space. That said, I think it's inappropriate to visit anyone's home uninvited and just ask for pictures. I call before stopping by friends' and relatives' houses--why wouldn't I extend that same courtesy to strangers?
DeleteThis has nothing to do with privacy or tweets... I'm just asking out of complete curiosity. If the belief system of the Brown family is that Kody is salvation of the wives and if they are not called to his planet they will never see their children again... what about the children's children and their planets? This is so confusing to me. Wouldn't Hunter and Logan and Paedon for example each have their own planets which would consist of their wives and children... oh wait then those sons would have their own planets. Do they get to planet hop or what? No, I'm not trying to be sarcastic even though it sounds humorous I'm truly wondering what the belief is.
ReplyDeleteKelly, the way I understand it, only Priesthood holders who have obtained the highest level of exaltation will be rewarded with their own planet in the celestial kingdom. His children will help populate his kingdom. His sons who are also Priesthood holders and have obtained the highest level of exaltation, will receive the same rewards with their children populating their kingdom. In order to reach the highest level of exaltation, the Priesthood holder must have at least 3 wives.
DeleteYes, it is complicated, and doesn't make a lot of sense but that's what faith is all about.
Actually each wife populates a planet. She bears children in the next life to populate that planet. There are three levels of heaven. The highest level has this god of world thing. You can visit a level lower than you but not a level highest than you. The mortal child who also reach the highest level with see their families no matter their level. But their job in the next life is to populate their own creations. The trouble is when the wife gets the highest level but not her hubby.
ReplyDeleteThe LDS don't have the three wife rule for celestial kingdom. Just one sealed in the temple with everyone being perfect at time of death.
for mainstream LDS - perfection can be obtained in the afterlife. NOT here on earth. No way can any of us be perfect here.
DeleteThink about how Jesus spoke when he was on the earth. Before he died, he said, "Be perfect like the Father."
after he died, he said, "Be perfect like me."
I think we all need to finish perfecting ourselves after we die. :)
In the preview for the interview of the Bradys by Tamron Hall, again, everyone has on way too much makeup. Whoever is behind the interview shows is not doing the Bradys or the Browns any favors by making them look so unnatural.
ReplyDeleteAMEN!
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