 |
| Shame on F8F, Puddle Monkey Productions and TLC! |
I knew it was bad when my BFF called me Monday saying that her DVR cut off early and she missed Robyn's announcement. I told my BFF apparently TLC and the production company "planned" to have everyone's DVR cut off those last precious seconds of the show possibly as a way to drive up viewership of the Tell All episode. She was not alone.
So here it is. There was no announcement from Robyn. The episode ended with Robyn running to answer her phone instead of telling her family (and the audience) her "big announcement." And as the credits ran, there was Robyn's smug face saying "Sometimes you have to take an important phone call. That's really all I'm gonna say about that."
All I have to say is, Robyn better have a Robun in that oven of hers, cause she's really not living up to her job of giving birth to Kody's spirit babies and face it, she's no spring chicken. Time will tell.
Back to the show, it wasn't 'funner' to waste an hour watching a rehash of four years of the Browns. Lord knows, their story has been told, and told, and retold over and over again.
So here's my short review:
 |
| Kody and his gosh awful ponytail. |
Janelle didn't want to have any more babies because she was afraid she would get another Gabriel instead of a Savanah.
I think there are a lot of spirit babies up in celestial heaven who are applauding that decision. Janelle and Kody definitely would not make the cut for Parents of the Year, that's for damn sure.
 |
| Janelle describing when Love struck her and Kody |
It became even more obvious that Janelle had set her sights on her brother-in-law Kody even before he became her ex brother-in-law when she divorced Meri's brother. And when Janelle speaks about that old Thunderbolt of Love (i.e. this is the man I want to procreate platonically with), we are left wondering when exactly did it hit her? Was it before Kody became her ex-brother in law or was it after he became her spiritual step brother? At any rate, it's no wonder Meri was not so nice to her brother's ex-wife when she positioned herself into Meri's happy marriage and almost immediately started popping out Kody's babies!
I don't think Meri will be going on a relationship building cruise with Janelle anytime soon.
It's not easy being a middle child in the Brown Family Units.
Now, the reason I didn't mention Gabriel being involved in Valve-gate is because if he had been involved, I think he would have rigged the RV blackwater tank to spew Brown sewer goo directly in the face of his daddy dearest, covering him from head to foot.
I've only mentioned the male middle children because the female middle children are still being called pixies. Wait until those pixies get a little older, and become boy crazy pixies. Janelle, Christine and Robyn ain't seen nothing yet!
 |
| Excuse me. My phone is ringing and I must answer it, NOW. |
And before I take my leave, I just have one more thing to say...
If Joan Crawford were alive today, I'm sure she would be saying "See Christina, I wasn't so bad a parent after all!"
That's all for now....
Now it's time for My Living Room's favorite past-time...
Where's Mindy?
How unsurprising is it that the Browns are on yet another Family Road Trip, however, it's not known if they were accompanied by a film crew, though. And from the pictures provided by Mariah, it also looks like they did not travel by RV AND they bypassed Disneyland. Can you believe it?
Here's Mariah's Twitter chronicle of the recent Brown Family Road Trip to the hinterlands of Montana via Utah and possibly Wyoming.
day 1 of brown family road trip pic.twitter.com/nNq8d0an8G
— mariah brown (@mariahlian) July 16, 2014
day 2 of brown family road trip pic.twitter.com/8OKwaUe8OO
— mariah brown (@mariahlian) July 18, 2014
day 3 of brown family road trip pic.twitter.com/po9e745UGC
— mariah brown (@mariahlian) July 19, 2014
((it's a little late but here's)) day 4 of brown family road trip pic.twitter.com/8PMKV8Sr8x
— mariah brown (@mariahlian) July 20, 2014
day 5 of brown family road trip. i love my little favorite person pic.twitter.com/VeGfxxJE3v
— mariah brown (@mariahlian) July 21, 2014
Typical Brown form, day 6 is missing...perhaps the Browns took a day of rest? Or maybe Mariah had to answer her phone...
day 7 of brown family road trip pic.twitter.com/rTJxSp1UAq
— mariah brown (@mariahlian) July 23, 2014
Oh dear....
I just saw this tweet from Janelle. She needs an intervention all right. Is it me or does it seem these people just don't give a hoot any more?
Just saying I could prob use an intervention on buffalo chicken wings. LOL I was afraid to try them for ages and now...💜 any sauce version
— Janelle Brown (@JanelleBrown117) July 23, 2014
Please continue your discussion here:
Off Topic Saturday 7/26/14 So What Else is Happening?
Funniest non-review ever! The pictures are hysterical/disturbing!
ReplyDeleteIn the picture with Meri getting squished, who is the guy behind her?
I think that's a production crew member so maybe the trip is being timed after all. There's a guy wearing headphones too!
DeleteYou're right CJ - that's definitely a sound man w/headphones in trip pic #2 above. This is definitely being filmed!
DeleteDayton's eye looks great in that photo from the road trip! It's actually fully open. I hope it's healing and he's getting some control of it. He seems like a nice kid.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that too.
DeleteHe is a nice-looking kid.
I wish nothing but the best for the kids. Glad to see Dayton is on the mend.
DeleteYay, glad to see he is better. Dayton always made me laugh in the beginning of the show, he had a fun personality from the looks of it. I have missed seeing more of him on the show, but it is probably for the best if it's his choice.
DeleteGreat. Does that mean the trainwreck has been picked up for another season? My god...I would rather watch grass grow. I am very serious. Growing grass is boring, but at least it does not make me angry.
ReplyDeleteRobyn's picture...smug and complacent is right!
ReplyDeleteYes, I noticed the headphones on the gal in the back too. Filming another season. Boring.
ReplyDeletethat is gwendolyn squashing meri and wearing a flower watch from mswc?
ReplyDeleteLooks like Gwennie all right...
DeleteMeri does not look happy - in pain?
DeleteDayton's right eye is wide open! Praying that means whatever caused the problem is now resolved.
ReplyDeleteI hate saying this (because I truly believe Robin may be one of the stupidest people on reality tv) but I'm starting to *almost* respect that Robin doesn't seem to air her children's dirty laundry like the rest of the family.
DeleteI mean her kids still do spazzy kid things, and her older daughter displays some odd attention seeking behaviors, but nothing like the complaints or trash talking that Christine, Kody, and Janelle have done.
Meri rarely says anything 'bad' about Mariah, but I think that has more to do with Meri being unable to imagine the sole fruit of her loins being anything other than perfect. It's pretty terrible when a positive parenting example comes from Robin.
Get it together Brown family.
LPT - agree with you. I have to say that Robyn appears to be very sensitive to Dayton's needs and requests. I applaud her for that.
DeleteIn the beginning, the Browns alluded to the fact that Robyn babied her kids more than they do. Her mothering technique seems to be a lot more sensitive than say Janelle (whose kids seem to be really rough and fight a lot) or say Christine (whose kids seem to be wild and all over the place sometimes). Not an indictment against any of these moms or their parenting styles, just something I've noticed. Anyway, Dayton does seem like a great kid.
DeleteI think Robyn probably does baby her kids more than the other wives, but bashing their biological father is so detrimental to their developing self-esteem and self-concept. The way she aired her dirty laundry out and basically said their dad forced her to sleep with him must have been humiliating and deeply hurtful. Nevermind how she has forced Kody onto her older 3 kids as dad, it is strange and won't be without repercussions later.
DeleteAnon 7:09, I so agree with you! Robyn will one day regret what she did or has said in front of those kids... sad
Deletedj
If you notice ther is no tweet picture of Robyn. Wonder if Robyn is "hiding" in order to cause speculation if she is pregnant or perhaps is really indeed pregnant again and trying to get another season out of it.
ReplyDeleteWell there's no tweet picture of Janelle either but I don't think she's missing because she's pregnant.
DeleteWatched 3 of the first episodes. WOW. They were all thinner, smiling and seemed happy. But now... Wow.
ReplyDeleteI know! I can't get over how rough Meri and Mariah look in comparison. Everyone else aged about how I'd expected, but the last few years have not been good for the legal family brown.
DeleteI think that they all look much older and more haggard (I exclude all of the kids from this due to the fact that children, teenagers and even late teens are at a stage where their appearances can change a lot, really quickly, and often -- so I, personally, try not to be mean about them), but being in the dim limelight of d-list celebrity-hood and trying to keep all of the lies straight while still dealing with the jealousy, anger, passive-aggressive bs, and all of the kids is probably not helping their youthfulness.
DeleteMan, I typed all of that was a single sentence. :)
Meri's color has changed as well. She always looks orange now. I had thought maybe it was something to do with being on TV but she did look much different earlier. I remember watching the first episode and thinking how full of life Christine was. I wonder do they think this has all been worth it.
DeleteCJ your review is way funner than the awful finale!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, chrissy l !!
DeleteDayton looks great! so happy to see his eye open..so relieved for him. On another topic, Gwennie has always been rough. She kicked Breanna in the eye in a couch session in season 1. Iv'e noticed she is quite physical with the kids. When Kody said Christines kids destroyed her living room I wondered which kids. So i guess it looks like another season...
ReplyDeleteAgreed. It seems like some of the middle kids act out a lot... maybe for attention, but imo it's a concern that they seem to have a disregard for how their actions might physically hurt other people.
DeleteThe "middle kids" are also the ones who've had more of their "child rearing" take place after the family went public, after they became "tv stars" and after the move to Las Vegas….
DeleteI hope when these pictures were taken that the van wasn't actually moving because I don't see truely or sol in car seats or seatbelts. I guess we should give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they were not moving.
ReplyDeleteSo glad I'm not the only one who noticed that! I saw that picture and said "SEATBELTS!".
DeleteSisi, I looked at the picture and said, "Aargh! Christine, GET A CLUE! (Save that pose for every fourth night in the culdesac, woman. Geez.)
DeleteMan, now I want some buffalo wings. But seriously, she is just now trying them? How cloistered was her life before TLC?
ReplyDeleteJanelle better not eat too many buffalo wings with all the sauces or all of her 25 pounds lost, are going to come back fast.
DeleteThat's why I don't eat them. I'm worried I'll gain 25 lbs just by thinking about them too much!
DeleteRobyn is preggers - an announcement came out about it yesterday i believe. Congrats i guess?? o_O
ReplyDeleteNo official announcement from the family yet. Until that announcement is made it's just speculation.
DeleteI don't get Christine just now looking for a hobby for Paedon. How long have they been in Las Vegas? Then she goes to twitter for ideas. Christine needs to look no farther than his school. I am sure there are plenty of opportunities for extra curricular activities.
ReplyDeleteAnd how humiliating to tweet that. What kid that age wants his mommy asking her followers what her son should do for fun? Paedon, keep your head up.....you are a fun kid and you will find your place in this world.
DeleteOut of all the kids, I feel the worse for Paedon. He has to live in a house full of women 75% of the time and his mom is a loose canon. I hope he can find some things that will keep him out of the house for a while.
DeleteOh my. That photo of Christine in the van. She should really put her legs down. I didn't want to see that. Choose your twitter pics wisely Mariah.
ReplyDeleteI don't think she cares who is looking at her twitter pictures and I would hope Christine would at least ask to look at the pictures before they tweet them for heavens sake.
DeleteYou know these kids are being raised in a herd. The oldest get attention for what they do for the adults and small kids and the little ones are cute, but if you are anywhere in between they just want you to "move along doggy, move along"
DeleteThere were things we heard about for the the first time, ROTC, Gabe being mechanical and techy. With all the constant retreads of past scenes and still pictures couldn't they have thrown in something new these past seasons.
I don't know about you but if I have to see that cheesy white and blue matching sweater photo of Kody and Meri again I will puke!
I would be quite embarrassed to see my child tweeted a picture of my crotch, but hey, that's just me...
DeleteModest is hottest!
DeleteGarrison - Good for him and ROTC. The service is a good option - you get educated and you get a one-way ticket away from wherever you happen to be. I was wondering when someone in the family was going to start seriously pursuing it (Mariah's interest seemed to wane with the appointment conversation).
ReplyDeletePhaedon - He seems like he might be developing middle-kiditus exacerbated by an extra large family, which is probably what made Kody happen. Poor kid. :( Also, there might be extra prods on him towards The Principle since he may/may not be the Browns' only shot at a male of the Allred line. But otherwise this is a rehash of the " can't find his niche in Vegas :'(" storyline. Yawn.
I hope Phaedon finds his way, though. Christine seems to be going Janelle route (cast a net out, see what hooks him). If one of the people they're soliciting opinions from is Phaedon himself, he might like judo, art class, Robyn's guitar (she's probably too 'busy' for "Paper Roses" anyway), a copy of Rosetta Stone, whatever he might be into...if Christine's irrational fear of gentiles and Kody's over-the-top man's man manly man-ness doesn't get in the way.
Other stuff -
Were Robyn and Christine really that supportive of the Meri-Janelle cruise? Sure, pick the two who hate each other the most and put them on a boat with no hope of escape while everyone else gets an extra share of Kodilocks time. That's so evil.
At this point, I'm waiting for someone on the show to have a Paula Deen/Duck Dynasty moment to expedite an disgraceful exit. But nothing seems to stick.
Gee, a cruise... What a brilliant (NOT) idea for another lame episode and a way to finagle a luxury vacation out of TLC. They could film a few scripted interactions together but enjoy the rest of their time in separate cabins, doing separate activities - probably with family and friends tagging along - as usual.
DeleteRobyn's announcement... could it be that Kody formally adopted her kids? I wondered since they made a point of using "Brown" for her kids last name.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I hope that isn't the case. Their father is very much still a part of their lives and for Kody to formally adopt them would be so wrong, imo. It would be different if he'd abandoned them, they never saw him, etc, but he sees his kids. No matter how many ways (using Brown for their last names on screen is one) Robyn and TLC try to make the public think her kids are Kody's, they're not.
DeleteNaah, Jellybeans. If something as momentous as Kody adopting Robyn's kids was happening, the show would have already pounded the viewers with repetitive scenes and ham-handed "hints." Remember when Robyn made a xmas gift to Kody of the paperwork showing she was getting a legal name-change to Brown? We saw five billion previews about that. This would be even more extreme.
DeleteThat name change thing was so ridiculous. Robyn had already changed her last name twice so they had to see it coming. Plus, Kody saying he was "shocked and awed" and never so surprised in his life. Guess he forgot Janelle and Christine did the same thing a couple decades ago? Or maybe it was just more special because Robyn did it.
DeleteI don't think he really can adopt Robyn's kids. They aren't legally married and their dad still has custody rights of some form. I don't know the logistics but I can't imagine it's legal to do, and if it is, I don't think a judge is going to grant it from a moral standpoint.
DeleteI don't think Kody can legally adopt Robyn's kids unless the dad has given up all parental rights, and I don't think he has. It would probably be sticky to legally adopt her kids when he has a legal wife, Meri, who wouldn't be adopting them. Would Kody really want to be on the hook for her kids support-wise either if anything should go wrong between him and Robyn?
DeleteCan someone please explain to me the whole afterlife thing? Once they die Kody gets a planet to himself and his wives and kids join him there for eternity? If that is the case wouldn't the boys that follow the faith also get their own plants? Wouldn't the girls end up on their husband's planet? I am so confused. Thanks! Deb
ReplyDeleteI have asked that as well. It is definately confusing and frankly if they would explain stuff like that belief this show might have some interest left in it where I'm concerned.
DeleteYes! I have wondered that too!! Any LDS here that can explain? Do you get to travel to other planets to visit your adult kids? I don't understand the logistics part.
DeleteI also would welcome a cogent, logical explanation from Kody on how it all works, but I do not think he can provide such an explanation because there isn't one. However, I challenge him, here and now, to step up to the plate and give it a try...and he cannot hide behind any caveats such as "well, I can't tell you everything because it is secret and sacred" or something of a similar ilk. If the Browns TRULY believe they are on the only path to the best afterlife then why are they not openly sharing and declaring to the rest of humanity how to get on that same path? Kody? Meri? Janelle? Christine? Robyn? What say you?
Deletewhy are they not openly sharing and declaring to the rest of humanity how to get on that same path?
DeleteBecause their religion is not for everyone. That's why they don't fight for legalization - to legalize polygamy would allow anyone to practice polygamy, which takes away from the "specialness" of the members who do follow the Principle. That's the one thing Kody and Krew has done right, and I would bet they were advised by the AUB exactly what to say, when to say it and how to say it. For example, modesty, purity, how wonderful it is to have sisterwives and how boring monogamy must be in comparison to polygamy.
In my understanding is the reason to have a ton of kids here on earth is to populate your own planet. So there is a really big glich in the system if your adult male children all get their own planets then all that is left is your celestrial wives having more spirit babies (always prego) and unmarried girl children...huh? none of this makes sense. If someone could please clarify I would be so grateful. I mean they say the family is eternal, but then they go off and start their own eternal family. Maybe in the highest level of heaven you can be two places at once. :-)
DeleteSorry for all the typos, I was on my iphone and never proofed.
DeleteBut if it is THE "way", CJ, and per the Browns, their way is the way, then not trying to get the rest of humanity on board is, as I said before, pure selfishness. Compare to Christianity where Jesus tells his followers to go out and tell the world about Him. Again, I don't think any of the Browns can explain their religion (if they really practice one) in a cohesive manner, much less make it attractive to anyone else. But, I still challenge them to do so.
DeleteIf someone could please clarify I would be so grateful.
DeleteThis is part of the Mormon theology. I've seen this question asked many times and have not seen one really good answer. And it gets more complicated when polygamy is factored in the equation.
At any rate, PBS ran a series about Mormons a few years ago which was very informative. I think one should understand what Mormon beliefs are before tackling what makes more modern thinking Mormons (post 1978 revelations) different from the average fundamentalist Mormon like the Browns. Here's a link:
Frequently Asked Questions
There are also some Facebook groups that have former AUB/FLDS as members. One group I read is called "Sister Wives and Other Lies". You will need to join the group in order to participate.
Sister Wives and Other Lies
Happy Researching!
It's my understanding that no one really understands the logistics exactly, they just learn the "rules" and the outcome. From what I have gathered, most former FLDS/AUB/etc haven't ever been able to explain how it works in great detail. I suppose it's a lot like Christian heaven; you won't really know until you get there.
Delete@ Anon 2:50, thanks for your explanation and good luck with all your boys!
DeleteHaha! Thanks. I love having boys but how do they have so much energy? -Becca
DeleteCJ - I don't think the reason they don't want to "legalize" polygamy is to keep it special and limit the number of people practicing it. It's a financial decision. if it's legalized, then the men can be held accountable for the children and supporting them. If it's just "decriminalized", they can avoid prosecution and avoid having to name the fathers. The women become single mothers and are eligible for government assistance so the taxpayers can pay for these enormous families. It's not about keeping it "special", it's about "bleeding the beast" and bilking taxpayers out of a lot of money.
DeleteSW has strayed far away from the reason I started watching it. I am interested in religious history and its modern-day perception/reception. I am fascinated with original Mormonism (I won't use the word "fundamentalist," because that word is loaded), and the way the original Mormon doctrines have been manipulated and expressed through and into the various forms of Mormonism we see today, including the LDS. I am not Mormon, but I have family who are LDS and family who are Community of Christ and more distant family who don't name names, but simply call their church "The Faith" and bring their Aunt Dolores and her kids, or their Nanny Marlene, or their oldest daughter's live-in friend Lee Ann and her baby, or their Niece Mindy to all the family functions, and most certainly on all their RV trips.
ReplyDeleteSister Wives started out with promise, but turned a sharp corner with the move to Vegas. SW turned from a show about a fundamentalist Mormon family into just another reality soap opera about a big family, with the twist of polyamory.
Polygamy USA did it right. Polygamy USA gave me a tantalizing glimpse into the life of modern day Mormon religious polygamists. I say "tantalizing glimpse" because the representatives of the culture wisely (and FRUSTRATINGLY!) quit at one season, while they were still masters of the situation, before they were dealing with either the temptations of faux-celebrity or facing manipulations into fake story lines such as those alleged by the religious community used for National Geographic's "American Colony: Meet the Hutterites."
I still watch Sister Wives, but for different reasons now, the same reasons my Grandma watched "General Hospital" and "The Secret Storm." But this season of SW didn't even meet that mark. If they are going to give us fake story lines, at least give us *interesting* fake story lines.
Sadly what usually comes next after such a non-season is that the show will be milked and the story lines will be pumped up until the family explodes.
I LOVED Polygamy USA, that show was brilliant. I so wish that we could get an update on those families.
DeleteAnd I'm with you on the fake storylines, if they are going to do them, could they at least make them interesting, pretty please?
Totally agree Carol, it was so interesting to see how a true polygamy community operates. I know they only showed what they thought put them in their best light but the events and story lines were great. I can't get enough of the younger trio and who could dare turn away from Michael Crawley and his creep voice and sacred scroll Just loved it
DeleteI'm sure this has already been Said by I LOVED janelle's face when kody changed the cruise from Meri and christine to janelle and christine. I mean, we could ALL pick up on exactly what she was thinking. It was hilarious. She was like " EFF that, Kody" Clearly these women cannot stand eachother!
ReplyDeleteMeri and all of the Browns are such moochers though. She only said that because she knew that TLC would comp the entire trip.
They are all going to be a bunch of sad, broke folks once people get tired of watching them sit on their fattasses, crying, and not doing anything but constantly contradicting everything that they ever say!
Safe to say that if years of therapy and a retreat haven't fixed their issues, cruising around the high seas certainly won't work!
DeleteA nice cruise buffet could help them with their favorite therapy: eating their feelings.
DeleteSo who's going to go overboard by the end of the trip? A cruise ship isn't like an RV, you can't stop and get out or turn around go home whenever you want. Very close quarters. Just sayin...
DeleteHaven't bothered to watch Sunday's ep. Won't bother now. and won't bother with the erzatz "Tell all" either. Tired of it! I can snark plenty without seeing it.
ReplyDeleteI agree!! There's plenty to snark about this show and many other shows. I wish we could all band together to get this show off the air. It's done, done, done....same, boring story
DeleteIt wasn't worth watching at all! I won't be watching next season, I will just come here to read the re-caps and comments.
DeleteQuestion. At what point does this show become exploitation like the Jerry Springer Show? I understand these people are adults, but it sickens me to see them make fools of themselves and their children. I feel like I'm rubbernecking a horrendous car accident. I don't watch the show anymore, but even reading about these people makes me cringe. If the Browns are so immature as to make the decision to air their sad dysfunction for all the world to see, TLC needs to take responsibility and pull the plug.
ReplyDeleteAt what point does this show become exploitation like the Jerry Springer Show?
DeleteYou never know with TLC. Just remember this is the same TLC that gave us Kate Gosselin, Honey Boo Boo and a host of other dysfunctional human beings on this planet. TLC won't pull the plug until it can't make a profit and THEN they will sell the show in a monthly special "What are they doing now" type format.
Boycott TLC. Tender Loving Care they are NOT. I much prefer NGW's Dr. Pol for a reality show.
DeleteTLC was formerly an abbreviation for The Learning Channel...I am learning a lot about how not to be.
DeleteHate to burst your bubble but TLC hasn't been The Learning Channel since 1999. It became TLC, just like American Movie Channel became AMC. It's still part of the Discovery Network, but it is definitely on a lower tier.
Delete"Boycott TLC"
DeleteNo can do! Love me some Bill, Jen, Will, and Zoey!
I'll probably still watch SW out of curiosity, (on VHS so I can fast forward through commercials and "coming up"), but I doubt that I'll ever abandon The Little Couple. Bill, Jen, Will & Zoey are the BEST!
DeleteOh and I have to say this...regarding "Trainer Sean"'s abilities. I mean "TVTrainer" Sean.
ReplyDeleteI'm 51 years old, older than Janelle, with less weight to lose. Just started working with a trainer who is 23 years old, probably less than half Mr. Know It All Sean's age...I started at 152 a week ago and now I'm at 145 as of this morning (it's my first week, so a lot of that is more than likely water loss, but still).
He switched out my workouts a bit, but it's mostly nutrition and meal portioning/planning, which of course we NEVER see Sean really address, either on the show or via his Twit Feed other than sharing memes about how a McDonald's fry will last 4 years in your car and therefore you should never eat them (but of course that same theory won't carry over to dried beans, dried fruit, beef jerky or whatever...)
Summary: 1) Sean is less than effective as a motivational trainer and not focusing on the real issues and 2) Janelle is not very motivated to make changes in her diet and probably still believes that if she works out, she doesn't need to really be concerned about her diet and she can eat all the buffalo wings she wants.
...just an observation.
If I were Trainer Sean IF I wanted to maintain my integrity as a personal trainer, I would drop Janelle from my client list.
DeleteThe lady isn't doing him any favors, and right now, he's looking kind of foolish...The first thing I thought when I saw the tweet was 'No wonder she isn't losing weight'. She should have just kept her new food addiction to herself.
On second thought, I just came up with a scathingly brilliant idea!!
I agree with you CJ, but I don't think that's how "TV Trainer"'s mind works. He's old school and believes that if Janelle works out like crazy the weight will just eventually drop off. My trainer has actually REDUCED my cardio workout frequency and is emphasizing proper nutrition at this point, along with a weight training split of three days training/one day rest. I can do my weights in about 35-40 minutes. and no, they don't involve using a sledgehammer on my scale...and I am weighing every other day, at least for the next week or so. Amazing that a 23 year old kid has more knowledge and insight than a trainer who's purportedly been in the industry for decades. I bet my trainer knows more about macronutrients and muscle efficiency than Sean ever will.
DeleteI have two words for you: JOB SECURITY.
DeleteAs long as Janelle is his client, she is bringing in $$$ -- her own fees plus any people who straggle in and sign up to see a d-lister like Janelle. As long as she stays obese, he stays on tv.
But I just might be jaded. lol!
Andrea, that won't last long, if Janelle doesn't lose a significant amount of weight. A reputable PT would fire Janelle, or at least give her a warning that if she doesn't straighten up and make an effort to stick to her eating plan then she's going to have to find another trainer. And he's a *personal* trainer, which means that he is supposed to be giving her private sessions, meaning that people shouldn't sign up with him just to "see" Janelle. Ultimately, his success or failure as a PT relies mostly on the success/failure of his clients.
DeleteAgreed!
DeleteBut it just wouldn't be an overused storyline if they had a reputable trainer who was truly successful in slapping the food out of Janelle's mouth and making her work! :)
Why did he reduce your cardio workouts DJ? Don't they burn the fat while weight training shapes the body?
DeleteOk, my first thought when reading Janelle's tweet was what CJ thought, this explains why she isn't losing weight. Come on, who really thinks she's working out for an hour a day and changing her eating habits? I know I don't.
DeleteAny thoughts on Janelle getting a lap band?
Oh come on now! Janelle only eats 1500 calories a day....she said it so it must be true! ;o)
DeleteDakotaJustice, I'm also curious about why your trainer reduced your cardio. I have been doing about 3 hours of cardio a day and sticking to 1400 cals but have only lost 1 lb in the last month. Do weights make that big of a difference. I'm kinda bummed about it and thinking about "pulling a Janelle" and burying my frustration in some chicken wings ;)
DeleteAnon 3:24 that is an excellent question and here is my 23,year old brilliant trainer's answer:
Delete"Because it's too hard to track...your body can and will only burn fat if it doesn't feel it is starved.. if you're burning 10,000 calories biking and eating 1500 cals you'll only lose weight for so long before your body says Eff you and holds on to fat.. which is what was happening to you."
Nico has more knowledge about nutrition and macronutrients and weight loss and muscle gain in his pinky toe than Sean has in his whole body.
Anon 7:26 weights definitely do make a difference. Muscle looks good and burns calories too!
Deleteanon 7:26 Yes weight training makes an amazing difference. I used to be a cardio queen then I switched to a 20 minute cardio warm up, then 45 minutes of weight training 3 times a week. It made a lot of difference I promise. I had a trainer tell me that you should lift at least 4 times a week, with a day of 45 minutes of cardio.
DeleteI notice at the park that so many runners have big legs and aren't that slim, but the pilates people are. I wish the classes weren't so priceyor I would take several a week.
I can't really answer that but I have seen great results reducing cardio amd adding weights. I used to do cardio 4 - 5 times a week, and no matter how hard I exercised, the weight (30 pounds) wouldn't budge. I reduced cardio frequency and added in weivhts twice a week, and the results were amazing. I am committed to weivhts permanently now and would never go back to not doing them. Also, I used to always be ravenous in the afternoons after my lunchtime cardio workouts - and overate. Changing my routine reduced my cravings so I could eat less and not be hungry. It was a big leap of faith to cut back the cardio ... but it worked for me. I still do 1-2 moderate to hard cardio a week (running or spin class). One other activity I recommend mixing in is swimming. I try to do that at least twice a month (wish I had time to do more). Bug anyway ... after being a cardio only girl my whole life (and having that work pretty well in my 20s and 30s), I have realized in my 40s that weights (and getting out of the mindset that you can burn off the calories with cardio) are a must. Now when I do cardio, I think about the heart healthy benefits and endurance/strength and not the calories i am burning. Then i eat my packed lunch from home instead of cafeteria food and leave the vending machine alone in the afternoon.. I sip on ice water instead or if having a really strong craving get a hot chocolate to drink.
Deleteoh and just because F8F is filming the trip, doesn't mean that they've been approved by TLC for another season. Getting some film in the can in order to present to TLC I believe...I doubt that TLC approves new seasons without seeing what is planned. but what do I know.
ReplyDeleteI only watched about 10 minutes Sunday, and then just couldn't stomach any more bullshit.
ReplyDeleteThe capture of Robyn's face that CJ put at the top of this post says it all: the Browns are so deluded about their relative popularity that they are SMUG about the stupid faux cliffhanger ending of Sunday's show. Newsflash, TLC: No one really cares. People are talking about the missing ending, not because they really give a shit, but because the show rammed down our throats the notion that there would be an announcement, and then there was...nothingness. Nothingness that was supposed to tantalize but simply caused a bored collective "huh?"
We all know Robyn is pregnant with Kody's 15th kid, which only goes to prove that he has sex with women--which is, you know, not exactly a groundbreaking accomplishment. And probably the urgent phone call was the faux investors throwing some stray cash at MSWC (bye-bye, Benjamins!) I'm so excited I may have to snort cocaine to stay awake.
CJ. thanks for your nonreview! I agree with your points. I especially agree with your inquiring about when exactly Janelle got that "lightening bolt". Maybe she did leave Adam for Kody...and if she did, no wonder Meri hates her. Adam turned monogamist for Janelle and then she turns and leaves him for a polygamist. And you know Kody probably shared Meri's fertility issue with Janelle who probably said "well as a practicality, you need children and Meri can't give them to you...why don't you and I get married...I will have your children"....and thus that is how the whole thing happened. So given those potential "real" reasons for the marriage between Kody and Janelle (who lusted after him all the while), no wonder Meri hates her. I almost (I did say almost) forgive Meri the whole wet bar thing now.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I've thought all along that something really, really bad must've gone down between Janelle and Meri years ago (besides the 1st wife vs other wives crap). You could tell there was something they weren't saying. Funny thing is, Janelle seems to not care while Meri seems to still be hurting over it. I always thought it was just their differing personalities and how they handle conflict, but now y'all have me wondering! Maybe Janelle was really lowdown and shady, and Meri's tired of everybody blaming her for their problems. I'm late to the game on this, but I could see that as a possibility now. If it's true, then Janelle has skills - she had/has a lot of folks fooled. But let's face it -- she's still not stealth enough to fool CJ and company - LOL!
DeleteJanelle did a TH when the wives were figuring out all of the house upgrades. She talked about Meri's need for a large home and a swimming pool when they got the rentals. At the end she said, I don't care what Meri does. I think a lot of it is over money and Janelle's need for more because she had more kids.
DeleteMeri is totally getting 1/5 of the money that the adults are being paid for this show and she ain't sharing it with the other wives. I can't really blame her, they aren't really one big family, they are 4 different families. And yeah, you can tell Janelle is pissed about it.
DeleteThe other wives should maybe think about being pissed with Kody, who also takes 1/5th of the money but does not seem to put a single red cent towards the kids' housing, food, college, etc. Of all the adults, he should be the one to sacrifice the most as he in the only one biologically responsible for all the kids!
DeleteI love your living room CJ, and everyone in it…but I have to respectfully disagree with those who feel Janelle was some wicked witch home wrecker who ruined Meri’s world (how’s that for alliteration?) After having read the book and seen all the shows and interviews etc. I don’t see any evidence showing that Janelle somehow “screwed over her brother and targeted her husband”…
Delete1 – According to the book Janelle was in the “middle of a divorce” when she met Kody at a Barber family function, and although their divorce was not official, Janelle and Adam were amicable and that is why she was at Meri and Kody’s wedding
2 – Meri and Kody vocalized both privately to each other and publicly within their families and community that they intended to live plural marriage
3– Meri and Kody had been married for over 3 years and even courted and were engaged to a girl PRIOR to Janelle coming on the scene. (they were “on the market” so to speak)
4 – If anything, Kody targeted Janelle (Kody and Meri were bouncing around between minimum wage jobs, Janelle was stable and employed, and Kody knew Meri wouldn’t be overly threatened by her)
5 – If Janelle “targeted” Kody, then didn’t Christine also “target” him? She admits to pining over him for years. Why is Janelle’s situation viewed differently than Christine’s?
That's assuming that they're telling the truth in the book. Didn't Meri recently say she was blindsided by Janelle wanting to be Kody's wife? They contradict the book a lot.
DeleteNone of that says that Meri and Janelle ever got along well before Janelle met Kody. Maybe they were feuding in-laws who couldn't stand each other! lol!
Playing devil's advocate here with HH's points:
Delete1. How on earth would Janelle have married Meri's brother without ever meeting Meri and likely Kody at the same time? I mean, that makes literally no sense, unless she married a man without meeting his family at all. I find it very unlikely that the first time Janelle met Kody was when she was divorcing Meri's brother. I think that's a straight up lie told to make things sound more palatable. I mean, come on, her MOTHER was marrying Kody's FATHER somewhere in this mix. Let's not pretend Janelle didn't know Kody. She often says she had known him for quite a long time. "They were my plyg friends."
2 Just because Meri and Kody said they wanted to live plural marriage doesn't mean Meri wanted to live it with her brother's ex wife.
3. The courtship with the other girl didn't work out. They did not engage in plural marriage until Janelle wanted in. Janelle proposed to Kody.
4. False. Janelle proposed to Kody AND wanted to be married on Meri's birthday. Meri was blindsided by it. Maybe Kody was involved on some level, but Janelle was the one who pulled the trigger.
5. Christine did target Kody. But Christine was a plyg princess who had grown up in the culture of polygamy. She specifically wanted to be a third wife so as not to put a wedge between husband and first wife. Christine's context for entering the family is completely different from Janelle, who was raised in monogamy and jumped her sister-in-law's husband at the earliest available opportunity.
Safetalk - I agree that there are many things in their past that they have revised to make things more palatable. They took a very LONG time to say that Janelle's mother was married to Kody's father. They have revised their family history several times so I don't really believe anything they 'officially' say. But when you start connecting the dots with the sometimes random things they say (not thinking anyone really pays attention), I really think there is validity to my theory of Janelle being hit by the lightening bolt when she was married to Adam. Of course they aren't going to publicly say Janelle divorced Adam so that she could be available to be with Kody. That is not how they are going to start a new show with that ickiness, along with Janelle's mom and Kodys'dad. So, they whitewash things in their official story. "Amicable" divorce with Adam...started randomly hanging out with Meri and Kody...lived in a teepee on their property...
DeleteI believe that Janelle plotted to "convince" Kody that she should be his second wife. She had to know something was up with Meri's fertility since they hadn't had a baby yet. She presented it as "I can have your babies. I have a steady job, I can help financially, etc". That's why Kody always says that there relationship never had any romance....because he was sold on the babies and the steady stream of income. He didn't feel it needed to be romantic because Janelle talked him out of that notion.
Christine is a different story, she tells everyone that she shamelessly flirted with Kody and had her sights set on him. She owns that, so there is no mystery there.
I think one of the other red flags about Janelle is that they never mention her marriage to Adam. They hide it. Robyn had the ick factor because she was previously married yet Janelle's previous marriage is never brought up. Kody was asked about divorce in their religion (although how you can get a divorce when you aren't even really married unless you are a first "wife" is beyond me) and he said it absolutely exists and he used Robyn as an example, but never mentions Janelle.
DeleteJanelle mentions repeatedly knowing Kody and Meri. They were the "golden couple" that everyone admired and everyone wanted to be around them. And as Safe Talk mentioned, how can you be married to someone's brother yet not actually meet them until you are in the midst of divorcing their brother. That's just another lie.
Robyn is unpalatable because of her personality, not her past. Janelle is the one with the ick factor. Seriously, I look at my brothers-in-law and think about marrying them like Janelle did and I throw up a little in my mouth! I totally love them but I love them like what they are--brothers. If Robyn has the ick factor then Janelle has the GAG factor.
I agree with the GAG factor. The book says Janelle would hang out with Kody and Meri all the time before and after the final divorce from Adam. She would visit them at their house in Montana. It almost sounded like she followed them around. Kody would have lunch with her without Meri so I wonder if there was more than lunch but there is no evidence of that. She asked Meri to leave the room so she could talk to Kody about joining their family. How rude. That is what is written in the book so who knows what the truth is but it sounds like both Janelle and Kody were inappropriate and inconsiderate of Meri. Meri probably thought she and Janelle were friends until this happened. I want to know why Meri just didn't say NO WAY. Maybe Meri liked the income stream too? I would love to hear Adam's side of the story. He does go on Facebook to defend his sister.
DeleteWife #1-3 are a mess. Kody and Robyn are lazy manipulators so they don't have the heartache of the other three.
I just wanted to quickly clarify myself if possible…assuming that the book is more or less accurate timeline wise, Janelle first met Adam Barber toward the end of high school, and was apparently very friendly with his family (and Meri), but she felt she and Adam rushed too quickly into marriage. I think it is important to remember that Kody and Meri went from meeting each other for the first time, to married in less than 6 months (and in that 6 months there were maybe a dozen or two "outings" or "dates" because she was in UT and he was in WY). By the time Janelle first met Kody, he and Merri were engaged (after knowing each other for 4 months), and at their wedding less than 2 months later, Janelle and Adam’s divorce was nearly finalized (which indicates to me the process would have had to start considerably earlier). Janelle didn’t start spending time with Meri and Kody until after Meri and Kody were married, and she and Adam were divorced. Over the course of the next 3 years Meri, Kody and Janelle, did frequently socialize together, partly because of Janelle’s Mom marrying Kody’s Dad. In terms of Janelle proposing to Kody I was under the impression, that it was customary for the woman to approach the man that she was interested in joining the family, because it would be inappropriate for a “married” man to pursue a woman. I just don’t think Janelle did anything so terrible as to justify Meri’s wrath for 20 plus years. The truth is if Meri truly couldn’t stand Janelle, then why spend time with her prior to her “marrying” Kody? Meri agreed to the marriage, and she even says she was even “relieved” that Janelle and Kody weren’t overly romantic and affectionate, but once Meri had to “share” Kody, she was downright brutal to Janelle. I think Meri believes in plural marriage “in theory”, but boy is she bad at living it.
DeleteI have just one thing to say about this season...It was sooooo nice not hearing Robchin talk so much. And it was great when they showed her almost say, "I don't give a S**T !" about disturbing the neighbors in the motorhome park. Really shows her true temperament.
ReplyDeleteThank you TLC F8 for not giving us endless couch sessions and scenes of whining and crying from both Robchin and old Mare'
Less Sobyn was the best part about this season! Too bad the rest of it was pretty boring.
DeleteIf there is a next season and if that cruise plot goes through, and if TLC is smartly desperate to keep SW on ICU life support....and has a feel for satire.......
ReplyDeleteThey should do a one-off episode of Meri and Janelle marooned for a couple of days on an island after taking a day trip from the cruise ship in a small boat....ala Gilligan's Island and the SS Minnow.
The show has already reached level 1000 of stupid..so why not get even more stupid !!!!
Hope it's ok to post this on here: Anyone watch RHONJ? I just caught up on the first two episodes. I really don't like the new housewives so far, but hopefully they grow on me. I miss Caroline. I'm glad Dina is back. I feel so horrible for Joe & Teresa's kids. Especially Gia who is obviously fully aware of what's going on, but still to young to be worrying about those things. So, so, so sad.
ReplyDeleteHope it's ok to post this on here: Anyone watch RHONJ?
DeleteSisi hon, sit right down next to me.
I'm not missing Caroline (or is it I'm not missing Caroline's over-pampered ne-er do well sons and that poor ignored daughter) and I'm definitely not missing Jacquie at all. Yes, I also feel bad for Gia.
I haven't watched RHoNJ for a couple of seasons (when were the Blackwater episodes?) because of Caroline and Jacqueline - oh and that Rich Wakile guy was way too much.
Anyway, I caught myself feeling a bit sorry for Juicy Joe. It seemed for a second or two, he had this look of regret in his eyes, especially when his father was talking to him (I think). BUT...Teresa, sorry nope no compassion from me. I still see that pile of bills she peeled off to pay for her excessive spending sprees in my mind's eye. I remember an episode when Teresa visited Joe at his pizzeria and Joe took her through the apartment upstairs. She made some sort of comment about it, but Joe said something like "We might have to live here" that went totally over her dense head. Then we found out later the pizzeria was a source of Joe's income he didn't disclose in his bankruptcy petition. Oh well...
Ugh, I just typed a big long reply and lost it. :(
DeleteLet's try again...
Yay! A fellow RHoNJ fan!!
I hated Caroline but grew a soft spot for her last season as she actually showed some compassion and empathy. It was a refreshing change. I like Jackie in the early seasons, but she became so negative in the recent seasons. Although I can imagine what a huge load of stress she had with her son's diagnosis.
I am pretty neutral on Kathy (although her passive-aggressive ways are super irritating), but Rich is THE WORST. I cannot stand any word that comes out of his mouth. For that reason I am glad they were downgraded solely because of Rich.
Yes, Juicy Joe seems to have turned a new leaf (time will tell...). I feel badly for him, you could see how close he was to his dad. Terrible to lose him at an already awful time. I am not sure how much culpability Teresa has in the whole fraud / bankruptcy thing, but I hope this season we see her have a GIANT reality check. And let's hope Joe has stopped cheating (if those many, many, many rumors are true). If this can't open your eyes to the importance of family I don't know what can.
I just started watching RHONJ again this season after taking a season and a half break. I couldn't deal with the fake Teresa feud with everyone and the Joe vs Joe crap. It got so heavily staged I couldn't stand it anymore. I also couldn't stand Caroline and Jacqueline and completely skipped their parts. I figured I'd give it another go with the new cast. It's okay so far, glad to be done with preachy fake Caroline and boring whiny Jacqueline. I missed Dina!
DeleteOh, and Caroline's "we were never friends anyway" about Teresa just proved how fake she really is. She never spoke "truth" like her tagline said. She's just as full of it as the rest of them. I seriously hope her Manzo'd with Children gets canned quickly.
Caroline's "we were never friends anyway" about Teresa just proved how fake she really is
DeleteRemember the cruise episode when Caroline and hubby had to babysit Teresa's older 3 girls (Gia, Milania and Gabrielle)? It was soooo obvious that was producer inspired, with Teresa needing to have sex with Joe instead of taking care of their girls. Carolyn was such a poor sport - even threatening to throw the girls overboard if they didn't behave!
Later, Caroline said she had a migraine and that's why she was so out of sorts with the girls. Yeah right. I have to commend her hubby (I've forgotten his name) because it seemed he was enjoying himself.
TLC keeps showing a clip with Teresa saying that she doesn't understand why this is happening. I assume she is talking about the possible jail sentence her and her husband. face. It is happening because they knowingly committed mortgage and bankruptcy fraud. Usually people say this because something out of their control happens to them - cancer, lost job due to the economy, etc. Own up Teresa!
DeleteIf they get really desperate, the Brown Clowns can try to do a season "Naked and Afraid" ...
ReplyDeleteOf course, *I* wouldn't watch it, ever, not even if you tied me to a chair and pried my eyeballs open, but I'd definitely come here for CJ's reviews, pics and snark! :D
I just laughed out loud at the thought of the Chubster and his 4 roly poly wives on that show lumbering around the wild naked. Thank you.
DeleteDear gawd! There has to be a law against that horror!!!
Deletewell. there is a porn movie out about the Sisterwives...and the one who plays Janelle? OMG actually they are all fat in it
Delete*faints* x_x
DeleteSo where are all the Brown family neighbors in Las Vegas? I can't believe that someone in Sin City hasn't seen Robyn in the grocery store and run to this blog to spill the beans about her fertility. If she really is preggers, someone who isn't on the family payroll must have seen her sporting a baby bump while getting her french tips touched up. Does the family keep her cloistered in her sisterwife's closet? Will these and all my other burning questions be answered on Sunday's reunion show? Not likely.
ReplyDeleteI know, spill it if you know something! On Reality Tea, a poster whose kids go to school with Robyn's kids said they all thought she looked pregnant again, but couldn't be sure because it could just be more weight gain.
DeleteSomeone posted on the SW TLC FB that they had seen Her, Kody and a few kids at the airport recently and that she did not look pregnant.
DeleteI was bored the other night and turned on the first episode of SW to play in the background. I've viewed and reviewed it before, but the longer I watch the current seasons, the bigger the gap between how the family seemed then, and how it seems now. We who snark and read and post and watch know a lot now that we didn't know when they came on the air (multiple bankruptcies, weird interactions that hearken back to old grudges, Robyn's tale of a lost cookie), but even knowing all those things now, I am seriously gobsmacked by how really different they all seemed in that first episode. There was so much less pretention, there was so much more "normal" interaction due to the connected housing (remember Meri pulling two kids' teeth? When Meri, Janelle and Christine worked together to move Christine's room around for Truely's birth, they honestly seemed comfortable and easy together. Kody seemed as dorky as ever, of course.
ReplyDeleteI'll say it again: Getting a fourth wife and moving to Vegas offered a lot to the children, but threw an irreversible monkey wrench into the family as a unit. Yikes!
Having watched from the very beginning, I now wonder if those first episodes were heavily laden with TLC prompted "Do this and do that" for the camera. Come on, people, we have to sell this show" ....???
DeleteReally, how much of the first episodes were even "real?" Who knows at this point ?
They wrote a book and casually, effortlessly, even contradict their own written words.
What else can explain what happened so quickly...when good times and good dispositions evaporated so completely from the first few episodes once the phony "escape from the law" plot evolved?
Sobbin's entrance into Kodyworld had to have been firmly on the table and on the filming schedule before they even filmed the debut/ pilot episode. Otherwise, they never would have been offered a contract. All the angst about Sobbin and Kody that was "filmed" had to have been already old news for the three wives. What we saw was "recreated."
This all may have been a scripted soap opera from day one.
All it needed was a smidgeon of fact, puffed up with ridiculous drama and cliffhangers.
The tried and true soap opera program.
I just re-watched the first few episodes, too, and I think they were probably as full of BS then as now. I think they had to sell the whole "big happy family" dynamic. As their true colors began to shine through, the wives could conveniently blame Robyn's presence. It's like Meri said in response to one of the many, many fans who think the family has fallen apart since Robyn, we never saw them BEFORE Robyn. Hell, Robyn and Meri were probably spiritually married before the reception we saw. That would explain how giggly and ridiculous she got during that Q & A were she said she was the bathroom wife and the bedroom wife after Truely was born.
Delete" That would explain how giggly and ridiculous she got during that Q & A were she said she was the bathroom wife and the bedroom wife after Truely was born."
DeleteWhat is this madness? I don't think I saw that episode. I don't know wth a bathroom wife is, but I know I don't want to be one....
I would say it was an act how comfortable and happy they appeared together in the beginning, but I don't think it was. I think they were happier living in their polygamous community, having Kody/dad there every day if needed, and having family and support so close. I think being in Vegas has alienated them from their church big time, and some of them are probably beginning to doubt their religion and the purpose of sharing a husband/father. Their unhappiness in shining through in their physical appearance.
Delete"I think being in Vegas has alienated them from their church big time, and some of them are probably beginning to doubt their religion and the purpose of sharing a husband/father."
DeleteI believe this is most likely true of Meri. She has said in the past that she stuck around for Mariah.
I think Christine has major issues she needs to deal with. Janelle is very comfortable with her place in the marriage. And Robyn is the only one who is still even considering more children (if she isn't already knocked up), so she still has the trump card.
In one of the Q&A episodes, a viewer asked if the wives took on all different roles, like shopping at the mall wife, cleaning the bathroom wife, bedroom wife. Robyn jumped to answer (because she's Robyn) and said they ALL were all of it, and specifically--after Truely was born she was helping Christine by being all the types of wife because she was helping with the shopping, the bathroom...then she started like cracking up and blushing and hiding her face. I think she realized she had been a little too honest when it came to "bedroom wife" as she wasn't supposed to be a "wife" right after Truely was born.
DeleteI had a friend in school who backed her dad's BMW into a concrete fence. To avoid telling her parents she had been in an accident she said someone must have hit her while parking and never left a note. She stuck to that story like her life depended on it.
DeleteA few years later, after a new fender bender she remarked that she was an 'excellent' driver and NEVER ever got a ticket or into an accident. I reminded her of the BMW, and she immediately exclaimed that she was hit and run...an innocent victim.
I reminded her that I was with her when she backed into the fence, and it took several moments for her to recall the actual story.
She had told the lie so many times ms for so many years that the truth was nearly forgotten.
I wonder if that is not the case with the Browns?
Who knows which version was the truth and which was a lie? They probably don't even remember the exact course of events or timelines. I imagine quite a bit of editing is done to sooth Kody's ego, and at this point, all that matters is what he believes.
Oh LePetite Terror, you are so right! Brilliant!
DeleteMeant to add, also, that in the first ever episode, Robyn is wearing a very short-sleeved lavender polo shirt in many of the shots of her, including close-up talking head moments. Apparently she had to be brought to heel on that egregious immodesty. Think the "big three" wives sat her down for a chat? Oh to be a fly on that wall...
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that before too. I always wondered if it was something Kody and the wives told her had to change. I've also often wondered why their kids wear sleeveless/short sleeve when they have said multiple times they believe shirts need a 3/4 sleeve or longer.
DeleteShe dressed cuter and more peppy in the beginning episodes and looked a heck of a lot better. Do you think she changed her clothes once they got married due to wearing the special underwear some people in their religion wear? I think Carolyn Jessop (I know she was from a different sect) wrote in her book about how happy she was to never have to wear the underwear again. I like the idea of the "big three" wives sitting her down to have a talk better though.
DeleteOr she just outgrew those clothes during pregnancy and never dropped the weight. When I'm heavier I tend to try to cover my arms more, maybe that's what she's doing too.
Delete@anon 257
DeleteFrom the time she was wearing those clothes to the time she started wearing the brown fashions, she wasn't pregnant. Breanna was 5 and she was still a year away from getting pregnant with Solomon.
Teresa whning about lawyers fees and having no money for her girls college was just a play for more fans to buy her crap. She was wearing a hermes belt and carries hermes bags. I don't think Theresa has learned a thing. She dissed Melissa's daughter for not knowing how to twerk. Malania doing it was not cute at all. Nothing has changed Theresa and her priorities.
ReplyDeleteHer phone call was probably from the VC people.
ReplyDeleteIt would likely NOT be from a doctor's office with pregnancy news...those sort of results don't require a phone call. They require a patient 3 minutes of waiting after peeing on a stick.
So...my guess, based on her huge grin, is that her precious money is finally in. :)
When men, women, and children are happy, others are able to tell. When they are not so happy, it shows in their face, the way they dress, they way they interact with others, etc. These people, particularly the adults, have not been happy in a long, long time. We have all read each others posts about our observations so it is no surprise that Roby would follow suit with the other wives in her competition to be the better wife in terms of her relationship with Kody, the public's view, and even with the kids. The women are in competition for every thing and the sad thing is that they will say it, but they don't own it. When they say things like was I not enough or on a good day or on and on...but they refuse to see that this jealousy is the reason they start hating each other and even themselves. No matter how they bill their marriages to this man, it still comes down to the competition: who makes him happy; who makes him stay longer; who makes his family happier; who is the best cook, the best ..... I cannot imagine how awful that life must be for them. Even when they are given compliments, they quickly say, yeah but. So, on one of the couch sessions, Kody said Christine was the better cook and she smiled and then said but so and so is this. I don't know what they think but in keeping Kody happy, they must also realize they have a fine line to walk with the other wives...to many compliments today for one may create drama from one or more of the others later. I just don't see how all that competition can make the wives better...better what...schemers? I dunno. I watch the show so that I can come here and analyze what I have seen with what you guys have seen. I don't necessarily think I am fixated on this family but they are the ones who are on TV and who make the largest argument against monogamy. Give me the proof and so far they have shown me that they have a very miserable life and no sister wife or bonus mom contributes to any family outside of her own. BTW, I'm Jeannie. I don't know how to make an identity.
ReplyDeleteEVERYTIME I see or hear the word "cookie", I can't help but think of Robchin and her giving hers away. Thanks TLC for turning such a great word into such a horrible mental thought!!
ReplyDeleteI think it is Residence Inn when you check in at the hotel you get a free hot cookie. They are passing them out left and right!!!!!!!! Robchin... PLEASE undo the cookie damage already and tell me this was all... just a BAD dream!
A comment about The Little Couple:
ReplyDeleteI do watch this show, just as I watched Jon and Kate. No doubt the kids are cute but they are exploiting them just as badly as Jon and Kate. Oh sure, they seem like decent human beings, but Zooey and Will are special needs kids that were adopted from foreign countries. I would hope that the parent's would not televise all their issues for money. And so far they have. The surgeries, speech therapy, Zooey's meltdowns. I think Bill and Jen are very show offy in their desires and both are very off putting to me.
I wish someone would start A Little Couple Without Pity Blog.
Haren
I hope we never see another "without pity" blog like the one that was created for the J&K show. That show was a train-wreck and there were obviously lots of issues within that family, but that blog became a very nasty place IMO and lots of people crossed more than a few lines.
DeleteI definitely don't experience The Little Couple show or family that way you do. But we all see different things, I guess.
What I respect about the Little Couple is that you never see them complain. When I watch them navigate the difficulties of daily life without a single pout or pity party, it reminds me to quite whinning and get over myself...
DeleteAs much as I enjoy this chat haven and the folks in it (and I do), my interest if the whys and whens and what ifs of the Brown adults is now approaching close to zero.
ReplyDeleteIt is BS overload.
Four years of full seasons/ half seasons, repetitive BS scenes, insultingly dumb, improbable plots, inane and insane homage to a narcissist who would sell his mother for a solo photo-shoot, women who make me cringe with their stupidity (surely there HAS to be an intelligent plyg-living female out there somewhere, just not in Kodyworld) ...
Bottom line....Four years of five adults who treat their ever increasing lack of truth, integrity and *consistency* (if you are going to lie effectively, you shouldn't keep changing it up)....
as just part of negotiating the agenda and the deals
SInce so much of this show is obviously contrived and their TLC paychecks are more for acting out the scripts and plots than showing reality....
Maybe we should grade them on their performances, rather than on their words?
When Christine was discussing her daughter's headaches she said something interesting. The line about the poor quality of life the family has explains a lot.
ReplyDelete* She lives in Las Vegas.
* She houses her children in a McMansion.
* She takes her children to Disneyland whenever she wants.
* She has plenty of food and clothing for the kids.
So what causes this "poor quailty of life? Hmmmmm?
the debilitating headaches, i assume. i also assume she means migraines. let me tell you from experience, they can make life miserable in a palace and disneyland with all the noise would be hell. interestingly, we have never had any indication of this problem on the show before, ysabel seems pretty spunky and rarely absent. either way, the kid is only about ten, so for heaven's sake, take her to a doctor and have this checked out, because there could be an underlying problem and/or it could get worse over time. fat chance of that, given christine's track record with the health of her kids. sorry for sounding judgemental, but i blame all the parents for neglecting truely as they did.
DeleteIt could also be a cluster headache, or a pituitary gland tumor, a brain tumor, too much spinal fluid or an myriad of other things. She needs to be checked out!
DeleteChristine was talking about her daughters headaches when she said poor quality of life. Prior to that when they showed pictures of ysabels baby pictures they were laughing about her being a bobble head when she was a baby. I didnt think it was funny. Just like Christine laughed off Truelys small size compared to Soloman, I thought, I hope she didn't have health issues that were never addressed and she has headaches as a result. I hope Christine learned her lesson with Truely and is getting health care help for Ysabel. No child should just expect a poor quality of life because she hasnt been properly diagnosed. She is too young to suffer. It floored me Christine seemed to just accept her daughter poor quality of life.
ReplyDeleteme too. There are all kinds of debilitating headaches and all kinds of treatments. If Christine had said something like "nothing has worked yet," or "we haven't found an effective treatment yet," or ANYTHING like that I would be less troubling. But, she said that she has no way to make her feel better, and Robyn's solution was to speak softly. I really, really hope this was editing and they are seeking help for this little girl.
DeleteI really don't know if bobbleheads were popular enough to be on the Browns' radar when Ysabel was born. So, Kody's dumb comment and their joke are even more offensive and unbelievable.
Delete.
Christine once tweeted that Truely was gluten intolerant, and we saw her unappealing birthday cake in the Route 66 diner. I wondered how they decided to diagnose Truely and if Ysabel's headaches are a symptom of gluten intolerance.
I wondered how they decided to diagnose Truely and if Ysabel's headaches are a symptom of gluten intolerance.
DeleteI remember Christine either tweeting or saying that Truely and Ysabel were both gluten intolerant. Whether this was diagnosed by a physician, your guess is as good as mine....
A few years ago I developed a chronic migraine condition. I went through cat scans and MRI, countless appointments and specialists. My mother died of a brain tumor, so that obviously needed to be weeded out.
DeleteOne of the suggestions to manage my migraines was to cut out (and log when they were unable to be avoided) all processed foods and their proximity to migraine events.
Processed and packaged foods did not seem to be a trigger so much as stress, but I could see how some people would take something more manageable (like diet) and assume that is the cause of an illness.
Everyone is different and headaches effect people in vastly different ways, but I would not be surprised if a self diagnosis of intolerance came from the same woman who took a possible gravely injured child to a chiropractor instead of an ER (Mykelti on the horse).
Since polygamy is so beneficial and life affirming, Ysable couldn't possibly be suffering from stress related headaches...it's probably wheat.
Additionally, I know quite a few people who claim gluten intolerance as a way to 'diet' without the stigma of dieting. They cut everything delicious out to be more healthy...and I can't help but wonder, if you can deny yourself all the delicious gluteny foods, why you must diet at all?
DeleteBut now you can get so many goodies such as bread and cookies and muffins etc in gluten free versions. It's just like the fat free craze of the mid 1990s. Course the GF versions generally cost more and probably have as many calories. I love gluten!!!
DeleteIt's never quite the same though DJ! I'm a gluten-aholic.
DeleteNow, I'm Italian, and we eat for everything. Happy? Let's eat something. Sad? You need comfort food. Lonely? Have some pasta. Angry? You need a good piece of fish or avocados. Tired? Have a biscotti.
That's how my family works (and yet my childhood plumpness was a mystery).
I could imagine that's how the Brown's work, only substitute wholesome ingredients and home cooking with Fritos and fried fish stick tacos, or tater tot casserole. We can tell there is a BIG hole in the lives of these women, romantically, intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
Look at Meri's fixations, Janelle's weight, Christine's fear of toasters (and everything else in the world), and Robyn's 'She-rah'. We have all seen these women grasp for any shred of affection or attention they can find, and tether themselves to movements, fads, and affirmations that make them feel secure.
I think Christine in particular would do anything to assure herself she's not wasted her life and marriage.
If that means fixating on easily solvable problems instead of the huge concerns, she will fixate away.
A friend of mine was going through all kinds of stomach problems and eventually had her gallbladder out. After a while some of her problems were still coming back... after going to her dr (maybe some test too, I don't know) told her she was gluten intolerance and put her on a gluten free diet. That being said... she never complained of headaches. It had to do with her digestive system, not headaches. Maybe everyone is different though...
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I finally broke down and ordered the Sister Wives book for my kindle. I was missing too many of the references on this blog! I am about halfway through, but I am finding the timeline of where they lived and when really confusing. They were in Utah and then Wyoming and then Montana and then Utah again. They were in separate homes then together than separate again and finally in "the big house." And they always seemed to be traveling very far distances to attend "youth" functions in the different AUB communities.
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of these stories is that 1) they moved frequently because they were always chasing new minimum wage jobs or 2) running from massive debt/possible evictions/bankruptcies. And that 3) church members are encouraged to attend these youth mixers in different AUB communities for the purpose of meeting your next spouse.
None of this was in the book, just my inferences.
None of this was in the book, just my inferences.
DeleteI think your inferences are, to quote Gordon Ramsay, "Spot On!"
I think a major problem of the book was that it seemed so thrown together at the last moment. No one took the time to read what each wife had to say so and compare with what had been said on the reality show so the book seemed contradictory at times.
The format was the same one used earlier by the Dargers but just didn't work well for the Browns who were too scatterbrained and didn't have a professional writer to help them out. Also, I think Robyn's section of Becoming Sister Wives has to be the most transparent gold digging moment I have ever read in a book.
I had skip Robyn's section because she is a gold digger but I think I'll go back and try to read.
Deletewhen reading the book without all of the commentary about how wonderful being a sisterwife was, it was a depressing read. Such a contradiction to what you saw on the show. I noticed when watching the episode when Kody and Robyn got married, Kody's Morman Mission friend from the bromance episode was with Kody at his bachelor party. His wife was there too. Can't remember their names. The episode about the wresting mats.
DeleteRobyn came off as extremely gold digging, didn't she! She also seemed to think she was pretty hot-to-trot, as everyone had to "impress" her. Well, why wouldn't they, I guess. She was looking at a broke, bankrupt, grifter with 12 kids and three unhappy wives with years of baggage. Thank god for TLC to scew that cost/benefit ratio!
DeleteRobyn really shows her true colors in the book. I just went back and read those sections.
DeleteI also noticed that is was Christine who was approached about documentaries etc. while working with Principle Voices... not Kody.
Other notes-Christine had a job for a while and told her employer that she was a Plyg so I guess she wasn't always so scared.
This blog combined with the book is so interesting. I better get some work done now!
I'm sure it was a huge shock to Christine that, in addition to losing the new "special wife" status, Robyn and Kody were the stars of the show and not her.
DeleteI''ve always thought that Robyn was brought on board for the sole purpose of selling the show to TLC, the whole "courting the fourth wife" is what enticed TLC to green light the project. It's kinda sad when you think about it, they seemed to be fairly functional in the Lehi house.
DeleteYep, they seemed way happier in the Lehi house and more functionable. I can't decide if the show, the move, or Robyn has made them all so miserable. Probably all 3. And yes, I think Robyn was only brought in for the show.
DeleteWhat struck me about that comment was Christine saying there was nothing she could do (or something like that) to help her daughter. I suffer from chronic, debilitating headaches and can only hope Christine has taken her to a neurologist.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about that. I remember Rhonda from My Five Wives saying / implying that it was hard for her to seek medical treatment for the breast lump because of guilt due to the fact that in their old religion (i.e., AUB, also the Brown's supposed current religion) you were supposed to rely on faith and if you were good enough God would heal you. Now I'm not sure how far they take that, hopefully not as far as Christian Scientists, but maybe that is why Christine was crying? Maybe she feels like her kids getting sick was a result of her faith not being "strong" enough? This is coming from memory, so someone correct me if I'm wrong.
ReplyDeleteI always thought this was strange. I have never heard anything about Mormon doctrine discouraging the use of modern medicine. Does anyone know if this is common, or perhaps just a belief in Rhonda's family home?
DeleteI think it's due to polygamist afraid of being "found out" by medical professionals. A Kingston clan polygamist refused to take his pregnant wife to the hospital because he was afraid the doctor would discover the girl was not only underaged but also his niece. She died by the time they got her to medical help.
DeleteI think people with a variety of religious backgrounds can think things like this. My grandmother was told by her brother-in-law that her cancer diagnosis was because God punishing her. He was Lutheran and I doubt that is really a common Lutheran belief.
DeleteI was raised southern baptist and everything that went wrong or if i broke an arm or got sick it was the devil punishing me. That's why i did not raise my kid's with any religion. I didn't want them having the devil nightmares i had as a kid, and still to this day 60 years.
Deletewhen I was waiting tables, a group of higher ups and guest speakers from a local, evangelical, mega church sat in my section and managed to condemn pretty much every type of person you could imagine: gay and lesbian, single mothers, women, Hispanics, African Americans, all other faiths, and--possibly most astonishingly--people with cancer. One guy said that people who died of cancer just "let the devil in too much." It was pretty astonishing--and they were awful customers and bad tippers to boot. About a month later, the pastor of the mega church died of leukemia and those same men were out to grieve his loss and talk about what a great man he was. Guess they forgot the devil cancer thing? I think the medical thing can creep into all kinds of religions and secular believes. Like people afraid of vaccines because of "Big Pharma" I just hope that Christine is not one of those people, "scared" as she seems to be of random stuff.
DeleteA catholic priest I know said that women get breast cancer as punishment for sins that they commit.
DeleteJust throwing my two cents in.... My mom passed away from breast cancer and people from the church lovingly visited her and encouraged her. No one ever said it was punishment or the devil or lack of faith. My church also has people of every walks of life. Not trying to get in a religious debate but with all the negative stuff about religion, there can be some good too.
DeleteAnon 7:35pm - Exactly! People too often try to take the fringe, crazy examples and paint with a broad brush. And I'm sorry to hear about your mom, the disease has touched people I loved, too.
DeleteI think most of these comments were recounting negative things PEOPLE within a church said/did, not really saying negative stuff about religion, per se.
DeleteI wonder if the "strong enough" philosophy evolved due to the lack of health insurance. Can you imagine how expensive health insurance would be on the open market? That is the question I want to ask the Browns: Do they have health insurance covering all of the children and adults?
ReplyDeleteI would bet the health insurance would still be a lot cheaper than all the Disney Trips.
DeleteWouldn't it be wonderful if questions like all of the above could/would be asked.......and answered honestly in this week's post finale ep ??
ReplyDeleteEvery tell-all episode has been a fluff piece of 'safe" questions or questions catering to the bogus plotlines of that season with the usual canned answers.
There is more attention to the wives' theatrical make-up then to any credibility.
Remember last season's makeup job where even Kody was sporting eyebrow pencil and so much hair product that he looked like a maniacal drag queen.??!!
Wonder what this Sunday's edition will produce? Sobbin will probably be camouflaging her front somehow. One thing is for sure, the "real" questions which their discrepancies and contradictions generate, won't be tackled.
But we could do a lottery on who will cry first?
Every tell-all episode has been a fluff piece of 'safe" questions
DeleteThat now missing Tell All with Natalie Morales when she asked questions about Becoming Sister Wives was definitely not a fluff piece. Now THAT was fun to watch!
Remember last season's makeup job where even Kody was sporting eyebrow pencil and so much hair product that he looked like a maniacal drag queen.??!!
Maniacal is right! He looked very very bad, but true to Brown form, Janelle and Christine thanked their "friend" for doing their makeup!
But we could do a lottery on who will cry first?
I'm thinking Mariah...
I want one of the tell all questions to go to Christine. Why is ok for you to associate with all your monogamist friends in Vegas, but NOT safe to talk to or have lunch with your Aunt????? Well for that matter send your kids to a youth group at a church that clearly does not believe in polygamy???
Deletedj
Thinking back to Janelle being married to Meri's brother. Wonder if its awkward when Meri's mom visits?
ReplyDeleteLOL. Probably awkward for normal folk but I guarantee you that she has seen things far more awkward in her lifetime as a member of the AUB.
DeleteI'm thinking Sobbin for the First Weepy spot on the tell-all..
ReplyDeleteOnly because they will probably get the VC nonsense out early, and of course, she is now the assistant CEO of the Junk Closet. Will they be tears of despair or tears of an 11th hour triumph ??
Geez..can you stand the suspense?
Yep, you're right, CJ. Forgot about Natalie.
The Morales sit-down was definitely fun to watch. But alas, due to its straight up focus, it has been deep-sixed. They can't have any new viewers who have been saturated with all the BS since that one aired ever seeing that piece.
Just watched the clip "sister wives nacho diss," where Kody is given the chance to explain how the nacho bit in the book, and instead piles on about how unattractive he found Christine to be...in fact to say that he found her unattractive was an "understatement," be he "can't even go there because they have kids together now and stuff. Janelle has the biggest smile and Christine's heart just breaks. Such a family of creeps.
DeleteI just found it for $1.99 on amazon. It wasn't included on season 3 of Netflix.
DeleteWhat is the episode called?
DeleteYes, I watched it too. Kody was sooooooo hurtful toward Christine. He did not need to say that. She started the clip joking about it and ended with hurt written all over her eyes and face. Very disrespectful - I'm getting angry just thinking about it.
DeleteAll Kody had to do was validate Christine by saying, it was just that one time, but I thought she was beautiful before and after (the nachos) but instead he is incredibly hurtful over and over. It is truly unbelievable.
DeletePlease, someone post the whole episode on YouTube. There have to be a few copies floating around out there.
DeleteLaPetitTerror, the episode on Amazon is the other tell-all with Natalie Morales. They did two, and in the second, Natalie brought up a lot from their book and it was super honest and uncomfortable. And then never seen again.
DeleteSo....how can this missing tell all be refloated?
DeleteI have found a few clips but not the entire interview. I think that was the closest to the truth anyone has been able to extract from them. It was the book they wrote that Natalie was questioning them from. It makes the episodes on now pale in comparison..BRING NATALIE MORALES BACK! She really did drill down on their BS. I am still looking for the full episode.
ReplyDelete