Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald

Episode: BravoCon Secrets and Scams with Brandy and Julie
Date: November 18, 2025
Guests: Brandy Howard and Julie Goldman (Dumb Gay Podcast)

Main Theme & Purpose

This “Vegas edition” of Juicy Scoop finds Heather, Brandy, and Julie reflecting on their wild BravoCon weekend in Las Vegas—from headline shows, exclusive dinners, and impromptu run-ins with Bravolebs, to one-off encounters with grifters and a refreshing avoidance of the convention center madness. The trio recount not just the glamorous (and odd) highlights but spill genuine Bravo tea and share insider perspectives on Housewives dynamics, fan interactions, and BravoCon’s evolving culture. The tone is candid, irreverent, and packed with humor.

Key Discussions & Insights

A Weekend in Vegas: Living Large, Skipping the Lines

• Recorded from their MGM Grand hotel room, the trio reveal they never actually set foot at BravoCon’s convention center, despite being in Vegas for the event.
  • Memorable Quote:
    “We have not even gone near the convention center. We had no complimentary tickets at all. We haven't been to BravoCon. And it was the greatest BravoCon I've ever had”
    — Heather (04:42)
• Instead, they enjoyed VIP dinners, helicopter rides, illusion shows (waiting for David Copperfield to clear the stage), and exclusive parties.
• Highlight: Bottle service and confetti moments at Hakkasan with Heather’s name (“Juicy Scoop”) running around the club, and pop star energy with 3,500 people packed in.
• Heather on the “perfect” BravoCon: “By not attending and just having beautiful dinners and helicopter rides and VIP all the way... that has been the best way.” (05:06)

Star Sightings & Vegas Nightlife

• Thursday: Dinner at Craft Steak, then Margaret Josephs’ Sip Sip Soiree (gift bags, Joe Gorga being delightful, MJ from Shahs of Sunset saying Heather "caused" her divorce, impromptu stripper appearance).
  • Heather on MJ:
    “She said that I caused it, basically. It was the weirdest thing. ...You and I went through the divorce together. I'm like, what?” (18:07-18:45)
• Friday: Headlined the Juicy Scoop live show (performing a new parody song), then wild partying at Hakkasan with Kyle Cooke DJing, and afterpartying with Summer House cast members.
  • Julie describing the Hakkasan scene:
    “Heather's name in Juicy Scoop is going around, like, the stock market, like, around the whole entire club... I'm like, oh my God. It's like we're with Elvis.” (12:17)
• Saturday: “Beauty & Essex” dinner (“perfection”—steak, grilled cheese and tomato soup dumplings), followed by a glitzy steak dinner at SW with the CEO of Cameo and Bravo personalities.
  • Brandy on Beauty & Essex:
    "It was truly one of the most perfect meals I've ever had. For real. And it's every bite." (26:46)

Behind-the-Scenes Tea: Bravo, Cameo, and the Business of Reality TV

• Hanging in the Cameo suite (and the CEO’s messy bedroom), learning about the business of personalized celebrity videos:
  • Cameo’s biggest Bravo earners: Sonia #1, Luann #2.
    Sonia didn’t do "The Traitors" because Cameo earnings paid too well. (41:12)
  • Surprising former top-earner: Gilbert Gottfried, due to his iconic voice. (41:47)
  • Heather on celeb Cameos:
    “I would only want a celebrity that would give me one that actually knows who I am.” (34:05)
• Notable dinner guests included Xzibit (Pimp My Ride), Southern Hospitality cast, and hot TikTok influencers.
  • Banter about stealing lobster tails and documenting the “seafood tower” for absent friend Peter.
• CEO of Cameo says picking up the check is the real flex of being rich:
  • “The best thing about being rich…is just picking up a meal…people remember it and they appreciate it.” (39:31)

Housewife Encounters & Pop Culture Debates

• Delilah’s Nightclub: Glam Great Gatsby vibes, late-night performance by Sheena (“Good as Gold”), photobomb sessions with Gretchen Rossi, Kiki from Real Housewives of Miami flirting with Julie and Brandy.
  • Julie on Kiki: “I go, I love her arms so much…let us see your arms. And then she takes her jacket off and shows me her arms…” (52:29)
• Met and posed with Lisa Barlow and Meredith Marks (Salt Lake City), Lisa “awwing” over being touched in a photo.
  • Julie: “We love Lisa Barlow, Julie and I, so deeply. And I reached over and I was like, I want to touch Lisa…” (45:31)
• Saw OGs like Carol Radziwill (not returning to RHONY), and discussed Real Housewives of Orange County (Vicki’s surprise return, Shannon’s diminishing storylines, pay and grifter culture behind the scenes).
  • Heather on OC shakeups:
    “They handed Vicki her orange, meaning she can come back for season 20. Thank God. ...But as a business woman, I think it's unfortunate… I hope they pay her what she deserves.” (55:01)

Bravolebrity Scams & Grifter Stories

• Expose on a "grifter" Real Housewife who promised a friend seven complimentary rooms for BravoCon—none materialized.
  • Heather on Bravo grifting:
    “Nobody's giving extra free rooms to a real housewife that's barely on the show… If that didn't prove that she was...” (81:06)
• Relates to past experiences chasing around fake tickets and guest lists at events like Coachella and Stagecoach.

Housewives News & Franchise Updates

• RHONJ: Teresa and Joe Gorga reunited off-camera at the mausoleum (after years of feuding); mutual support from wives; speculation on what’s real and what’s for storyline.
  • Heather: “Their relationship…was obviously torn apart because of fame and the show.” (65:00)
  • Melissa praised for being a ‘saint’ in keeping the family together for the cousins. (67:11)
• Spinoffs and Shakeups: Dolores is on the new Real Housewives of Rhode Island (first Bachelor-to-Housewife, Ashley “I”).
• Cult of Mary Cosby docuseries coming in January.
• Beverly Hills: Rachel Zoe joining; questions about alliances and drama potential. Dorit and Erica Jayne’s friendship is ending; Camille Grammer potentially returning.
• Speculation: Andy Cohen teased a possible "Ultimate Couples Trip" show.
• Ozempic/weight loss culture: “This should be called Ozempicon. All the housewives…so thin.” (44:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Heather, on BravoCon:
  “This is my fourth. And by not attending and just having beautiful dinners and helicopter rides and VIP all the way…that has been the best way.” (05:06)

• Julie, entering Hakkasan:
  “[Heather’s] name in Juicy Scoop is going around, like, the stock market, like, around the whole entire club... It’s like we’re with Elvis.” (12:17)

• Heather, on attempting to snoop on David Copperfield’s magic secrets:
  “I could not walk on stage or anything until like, literally 10:05, because they have to make sure that we don’t see anything. None of us ruin the illusions.” (02:43)

• Heather, recounting her favorite kind of BravoCon:
  “No, we haven’t been to BravoCon. And it was the greatest BravoCon I’ve ever had.” (04:52)

• Heather (on MJ, Shahs of Sunset):
  “She goes, well, we’re going through it together. I go, oh, you mean you and Tommy are on this same page? That’s nice. And she’s like, no, you and I went through the divorce together. I’m like, what?” (18:07-18:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Vegas Weekend Unfolds/BravoCon Philosophy: 04:50 – 05:10
• Live Juicy Scoop Show Recap: 07:45 – 08:35
• Hakkasan Confetti & Kyle Cooke DJ Party: 09:55 – 13:16
• Thursday Soiree & MJ Drama: 17:08 – 21:44
• Friday: Beauty & Essex Dinner / Cameo Suite: 26:30 – 34:05
• Big Cameo Money / Top Earners: 41:12 – 41:32
• Delilah’s & Star Sighting Stories: 43:18 – 47:23
• Kiki from RHOM / Housewives Flirting: 49:13 – 53:08
• OC Casting and Vicki’s Return: 55:01 – 58:21
• Grifter Housewife Exposed: 81:05 – 82:39
• Teresa & Joe Gorga Family Reconciliation: 64:59 – 68:23
• RH Rhode Island Announcement: 72:15 – 73:55

Conclusion & Takeaways

• The Juicy Scoop crew crafted their dream BravoCon by skipping the chaos, embracing Vegas excess, and deep-diving into exclusive Bravo and nightlife experiences.
• They emphasize how the real “juice” at BravoCon comes from social connections, exclusive access, and spontaneous encounters, not panel discussions or convention floors.
• The episode is heavy on inside jokes, self-deprecation, and unfiltered gossip, giving listeners a taste of what it’s like to be on the inside of pop culture fandom at its peak.

Where to Watch/Follow

• Juicy Scoop Live Show Replay: heatherbertel.net > Tour > Moment House
• Brandy & Julie (Dumb Gay Podcast): Available wherever you listen to podcasts, with additional content on Patreon
• Social: Follow all for more behind-the-scenes, travel, and Hollywood/Bravo tea.