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Check out this guy and his bird.
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What is this, your first date? Oh, no.
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Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.
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Liberty. Liberty.
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Liberty.
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Liberty.
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You're crazy.
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What's going. What's going on, everybody? Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Vile Files reality recap edition. I'm your host, Stick Stick. I'm your host, Nick. Unfortunately, your favorite co host of this show, Natalie Joy, is not feeling well today. We are in that third trimester of twins, and not every day. No days are the same. Do you guys know what Braxton Hicks is?
C
No, I'm familiar.
A
I didn't either, apparently. And I probably am getting this wrong out there. Internet moms out there who have. It's. It's like they're contractions that feel like you're going into labor, but you're not really going into labor.
D
Yeah.
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Very uncomfortable.
E
So it says they're often called practice contractions or false labor. Yeah.
C
To prepare the body for childbirth.
A
Right. Also, just a big pain in the ass for anyone out there who is experiencing Nelly, your best, she is doing okay, but she's taken. She's taken today off as she's showing. But we have a great week lined up for you. We got three reality recap episodes this week with some amazing guests. Obviously, Perfect Match is up and running. We're enjoying it. It's a great season thus far, and we got all the interviews that you can possibly ask for and more. In addition to that, we got the incomparable, talented, and iconic Cynthia Bailey with us today to get into all things Atlanta Housewives. She is immersed in the drama, and we are excited to have Cynthia join us to help break it all down with us. I'm glad we finally got back into Atlanta. I know Justin's always been in it. I finally caught up.
C
So good.
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What a Fun, messy group.
F
Yeah, messy. Oh, my gosh, I'm shocked.
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Anyways, we are excited to have Cynthia with us, and she joins us in just a moment. But before we get to Cynthia, now's a good time to remind you that Val Files plus is ad free. And get some amazing bonus content available on that, like a reality recap. Deep dives. Dive deep into your favorite reality TV shows and into our lives. We tell stories. We get deep, we get vulnerable. We also have our pop culture Pop extra roundup where we talk about. We get into the weeds of your pop culture topics. Plus, you got your update specials. All your favorite updates from your favorite Ask Nick callers. So be sure to check that out. Just go to vilefalls.com to sign up and you'll be glad that you did.
C
And then Justin and I did a little takeover on plus as well.
E
Yeah, if you like listening to us,
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gab, get your Gen Z takes all from Justin and Mary. Lots going on in the world of pop culture and reality tv. But before we do, Natalie and I, we are. We're up at the lake. It's really enjoyable. It's wonderful. We went to a Luke Combs concert, Natalie. It's always nice because when we're at the lake, it's like we're kind of in the middle of nowhere. I mean, I wouldn't say middle of nowhere. I mean, we're fine. That's a little dramatic saying, middle of nowhere, but it's a. It's a bit rural.
E
Where's the closest city?
A
There's a Walmart 20 minutes from us.
C
Yeah, brother.
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Yeah.
F
Yeah. Do you ever go sit in the parking lot just for fun?
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No.
B
No.
D
Oh.
C
You ever drink a 40 in a Walmart parking lot, Nick?
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I haven't. Is that a thing?
F
Yeah, but we're from the other side of the country. Sorry.
C
You got a Florida Virginia girl.
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Anyways, shout out to Luke Combs. That man. That man.
E
Fox, you said it was a last minute concert. That's what I saw Natalie post last minute for us.
A
I think Luke Combs and his team have been planning this for some time. It was at Lambeau Field. It was a two night extravaganza. We went to the first night, but Natalie discovered it last minute, which was kind of cool, was kind of my point, because it's like usually when we come up here, it's very much like nesting. Relaxing. Enjoying the lake, obviously. The house that we did, it's very relaxing. It's very comfortable. I sauna. I hot tub. Natalie can't do any of that stuff right now, obviously, because she's pregnant, but there's a lot of things that she can enjoy. But it's nice that when we get to go out and get outside of the house, it's really nice. Luke Combs, what a talented man. I'm wearing a sweat. I got honest. Concert merch is great.
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Merch.
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Nick, what is your favorite concert merch you've ever gotten?
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Easy answer. Easy answer. Ariana Grande. Coachella black hoodie.
E
Ariana Grande.
F
Oh, nice.
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I wore it the day I met Natalie.
D
Cute.
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And it's also just, like, a dope sweatshirt. It was before the oversized era.
E
Well, she created the oversized era.
C
She did create the oversized era.
A
I don't think. I mean, as much as I think my wife is very talented, very much of a visionary in fashion and has great taste. I don't think she invented that.
E
No.
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Ariana Grande.
E
Ariana Grande cream.
A
Oh, she did? Okay. She didn't.
C
But she kind of brought it back for that generation.
E
Yeah. I was like, wait, what are you talking about?
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I thought you were, like, trying to get to say, like, Natalie invented the oversized. I'm like, don't, like, why are you trying to get the Internet coming for us?
E
Just a little rage bait.
F
I love how you nicely, like, declined
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it, though, for her politely. She's incredible and amazing. However, I do not think we can attribute the fashion ideology of oversized to Natalie.
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I am very excited to pass that hoodie down to my daughters.
F
Oh, that's cute.
C
It's going to be vintage. Vintage on a tour. Merch for your daughters. That's so chic.
F
Yeah.
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Shout out to my Wisconsin people. It's always good to be back at the lake, get back with my roots. I'm also just very thankful that my wife has embraced lake life. It's also something I feel like I'm really grateful that Natalie and I do, because obviously we, you know, she's from the South, I'm from the Midwest, and we both kind of left the nest, so to speak. We moved out to the coast. And I'm always like, you know, I was up at the lake with my uncle. Maybe I've told this story, I don't know, and I'm just going to tell it again. But I was at the lake with my uncle. He was up visiting my mom's brother. So obviously the lake is very important to him as well. And it was over Christmas, and he's like, you know, you're really lucky, man. And I was like, what do you mean? He's like, you know, my Aunt, his wife, she, like, she never really enjoyed the lake life, so to speak. And the reality is when, like, you marry someone who's, like, not from your community and, like, not from your hometown, it's not a foregone conclusion that they're going to embrace it. Like, you embrace it.
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Yeah.
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And I always know, like, how important, like, Savannah, Georgia and Alabama are to Natalie, and obviously the farmhouse, her sister's farmhouse, and how important that is to her. Obviously, we got married there, so there's a sentimental, like, connection that I have to it. But, like, I'm really grateful that we both, like, recognize the importance we both have to, like, what we call home. And we both, like, encourage each other to spend time there. And, like, we both, you know, we don't make it difficult for each other to, like, go home, so to speak. And that's something I've always really been grateful for of Natalie. And also just, like, it's just good to, like, you know, now that we have the leg to really kind of get back, you know, I've been out of Wisconsin for so long. They're still my people, you know? Anyways, it was good to experience. And Also just in 2026, I feel like concerts are saving humanity.
C
I agree.
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Human experience, they're getting people outside. You're connecting, you know, no one's. No one's othering each other. Everyone's just. They're all there to just experience great music, great vibes, good people.
F
Agree.
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I think we're also moving away from the super overly expensive, scalloped prices of, like, concerts. Like, now a lot of the websites are cracking down on that. And, like, I'm going to a kesha concert for $50.
F
Oh, fun.
A
You know, so it's like, a lot
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of, like, it's coming back, like, oh,
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I would like to see Kesha concert.
C
Is. Are. Are there still tickets on sale to this Kesha concert?
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I think.
C
Okay, interesting.
E
But anyways, like, you can go to concerts now, and it's, like, getting back to, like, the normal prices where, like, artists are. And it was never the artists that were trying to.
C
No, it was.
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Ticket.
D
Yeah.
F
Yeah.
C
May I tell the most incredible experience I recently had at a concert that reaffirmed my belief in humanity.
F
Yeah. That's so nice.
C
So I saw Haley Williams this last Tuesday. She played at the Wilter, and it was incredible. It was amazing. And this thing happened where I got my contact stuck behind my eye, and I could not get it out. And so I went to the bathroom during the one song in the album. That I'm not, like, completely obsessed with. And so I go to the bathroom, and I still can't get it out. So then I go to. There's, like, this mirror outside of the bathroom that's, like, well lit. I think maybe I can get it out. Also, full disclosure, perhaps I had had some weed and also a beer. So I was not exactly in a place where it was going to be as easy for me as it could have been to get this contact out there. I still cannot get it out. I'm, like, kind of tweaking, freaking out. This girl walks out of the bathroom, and she is gorgeous. Gorgeous girl, tatted up, like, really cool. Exactly the type of baddie you would expect to see at Hayley Williams. And she goes, do you need any help? And I was like, yes, I do. And so she goes, let me wash my hands. She runs to the bathroom, washes her hands. She is like, girl, I've been there before.
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What a thoughtful queen.
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She gets up in my eye and is like, I can help you. And she's really helping me out. And then this other woman from the corner was like, do you two know each other? And we both go, no. And she goes, that's amazing. Anyway, we located the contact. I get it back. I had eye drops. Put it back in. We go back out. I give her a huge hug, and I was like, thank you so much. You saved my life. She was like, I have been there, girl.
D
Wait.
F
This is so nice.
C
And I just felt so sick. Safe and, like, held by every single person at that Haley Williams concert.
E
It's a good story.
C
And I do just want to say, if this girl hears that. Thank you so much, mama. And two, that's the power of Haley Williams. And that's the power of live music.
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Yeah.
C
Nick, you're absolutely right.
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Susie.
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Welcome back.
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Susie's back with us, joining the household. What have you been up to?
D
Good.
F
Oh, my gosh. I've missed. I gave everyone hugs today. When I came in, I was like, I miss you guys, but I'm good. I froze my eggs. I was in Chicago, got these eggs on ice. Yeah. Hoping to be a mama bear someday.
A
Is that, like, our congratulations in order for freezing eggs? Is that what's.
F
Yeah, sure, I'll accept it.
A
Conversations around freezing eggs. Did you learn something new that you didn't know about the freezing egg process that you maybe, like, heard from? Like, you know, because I feel like a lot of people are talking about it more and more.
D
Yeah.
A
But were there still any surprises?
F
For sure. I think I Mean, the whole process, I wish I'd started sooner. And I posted about it, and so many people reached out that were like, 38, 39, that are either trying to get pregnant or going through ivf. And they're like, I wish I had done this when I was your age. You're gonna be so grateful that you're doing this now. And I even waited until I was 32 because I thought, like, oh, I don't want to take away from my future eggs. Like, what if I want to just get pregnant naturally? Is this gonna, like, affect that? And I just assumed that I was taking eggs from my future, and I learned through this process, and I was like, am I dumb? But the ova where I got it done, they're like, no. People come in all the time, and they have the same thought about it that you're taking your future eggs, but you're not. Every month, your body recruits, like, it could be 2, it could be 30. Depends kind of, like your levels and stuff. But follicles, and they all have the potential to be an egg. But your body only creates one egg from those follicles. But the process matures as many as you can, like, retrieve. So you're not taking away from future fertility. You're just preserving what you have, like, literally in that moment, that month. So some people get 50 eggs, like crazy. I got 11. So I might go back and do another round in a few months.
A
But are eggs follicles?
F
So each. They call the follicle, like, a house for the egg. So a follicle may not have an egg in it. So like, when I. They could see 14 follicles, and they. They actually extracted 14 follicles, but I think only 12 had eggs, and then only 11 were, like, mature or something like that. So they only froze 11.
E
Because you're born with the same amount of eggs that you have throughout life.
C
Yeah. It does make a lot of sense that you would have that. That question, because you are taught as a woman growing up that you have a certain amount of eggs, and so it would make sense to be like, oh, I'm taking away from that supply. That seems scary, but that is, like, really interesting to kind of, like, recontextualize that. Yeah.
F
And it's like, because you know how you learn growing up, it's like, oh, you only have one egg a month, but you have multiple follicles. And, like, as you get older, it goes lower and lower. So I wish I had started, like, because I've been thinking about this for years. I Wish I'd done it like when I was 30, because maybe I would have had 20 or 30 follicles to choose from. But now I've got 11 or got 11 eggs, but I'm still really happy with that number.
C
Yeah.
A
Now is it. And this is something you're doing. Like, is it like a just in case type of thing? Like, what, what is the thought? Or other women who decide to do this at any stage of life, like, what are, what are reasons or indicators that might make you do it? Because it sounds like when you say, oh, I don't want to take like future eggs away from possible fertility, is that like, if and when you meet a man of your dreams, it sounds like you still might do it the old fashioned way, so to speak. Right. And then, like, if complications arise for whatever reason, then you have these on standby.
F
Yeah, exactly. So as you age, the. The reserve goes lower and lower. So also something I learned, like you can at any age just go get your levels checked. Like, there's, you can look it up and there's like, things you can look for in your blood work. And then ultrasound, like an internal ultrasound will show you kind of like what you're working with. So you kind of can, you can have an idea of like, where your fertility is. Because, like, my cousin did it at 29 and she only got six eggs. And so keep in mind, 11 eggs doesn't mean 11 babies for every 16 eggs, that it like, statistically equals one child.
C
So.
F
I know. So that's like another misconception is you think 11 eggs, like, oh, you don't need 11 kids. But like, just based on, like, the process, like, you lose so many along the way.
C
Yeah.
F
So 16 kind of is like the number of like, for one. So the idea is that hopefully I meet somebody, you know, yesterday and can try the old fashioned way. But like, if I'm, you know, 38 by the time I want my second kid and I'm having trouble, then I'll have these eggs that are preserved at the quality of my eggs right now at 32.
A
Interesting.
F
Yeah.
A
I didn't know what a follicle was until like this pregnancy with Natalie.
D
Yeah.
F
Because you guys had two follicles, right?
A
Yeah.
F
Like, is that what they said? There was like two follicles that. Or two that were developing into eggs? Because that's how you got.
A
Yeah.
F
You guys got twins.
A
Yeah, something like that. Natalie would be better at answering that question.
F
Yeah.
A
But yeah, I remember when we were. Because we had to see a specialist when. Because of the miscarriages and just kind a bunch of, like, analysis, mostly on Natalie, but a little bit on me. And then obviously all the ultrasounds she did. I remember her doctor talking about how many follicles she had and things like that.
F
Yeah.
A
So I didn't know what that was as it relates to, like, eggs.
F
But I'm so happy to share about it and I'm glad I'm posting about it because I wish I knew more. Like, I wish I had done this two years ago because I think I would have had even more and, you know, be even better quality and things like that. And I just. I'm like, everyone should do it.
D
Like, there's.
F
There's very little downside other than the fact that it is an expensive process.
E
Yeah, I appreciate that you're sharing it too, because we were talking about this where I feel like a lot of people know about, like, insemination or they assume that the process of freezing your eggs is that process, but it's like, yeah, are two different. I mean, they go hand in hand. Right. But like, the journey of freezing their eggs is its own thing as well.
F
100%. I got a few DMs from mostly, like, guys that thought I was, like, getting pregnant. I think that they were like, congrats, which. And I couldn't tell if they thought, like, that I was going straight from this to, like, making, like, having a baby on my own, which I could do eventually, but I'm not. I'm freezing. But I think there's just so much confusion because when people go through this process, a lot of times they're going straight into, like, creating a baby from it.
C
Yeah. It really does just go to show how limited of an understanding most people have on, like, reproductive health. Like, my sister is literally an obgyn, and the way I don't know anything
F
at all, you know, so much to learn.
C
There's so much to learn, and there's so much to it. Especially, like, as women, it's like you're taught, like, in basic sex ed as a kid that there are these certain things, but then it, like, completely goes out the window for, like, an actual, like, adult woman's body. Or, like, if you're, like, queer and you're, like, not. You know what I mean? There's, like, so much stuff that you just don't know and you have to find out yourself. So I think it's really, really cool that you've. Thank you.
F
I spent my whole twenties scared that I was gonna get pregnant. Really. Not. Not realizing that you can't get pregnant every single day of the month. Like, I didn't. I didn't understand that, which is so dumb. But I. But like, I just was like a young 20 year old that was like, every time I did anything, I was
D
like, oh, my God, I'm gonna be pregnant.
F
Yeah.
A
Oh, my God. Like, the first time I made out with a girl, I was.
D
Yeah.
A
Oh.
C
Because my name was Mary and my dad was a pastor, I was convinced I was going to immaculately conceive.
A
I mean, there was a time where I was in high school.
C
I'm still not convinced. I won't.
A
There was a time in high school makeout sesh I was supposed to be babysitting through in the Disney movie for.
D
This is crazy.
E
Where were the kids?
F
Yeah, where were the children?
A
My younger siblings.
E
Okay.
A
I'm like 17, 18. Girl from high school comes over second. Third base, right? That's all that happens.
D
Third.
E
Good friend.
A
We rounded. We rounded second, you know, for a high school kid.
D
Yeah.
A
But it was enough that, like, afterwards I was. I was like, I don't know, I think she's pregnant. And there, by the way, there was no possible way she could be pregnant. And I was so neurotic that, like, I remember, like, counting, like, I got my calendar out.
D
Oh, Nick.
A
And then, like, for the next three or two weeks, I'd, like, call her up and be like, so how you feeling?
E
Any. So you kept her.
D
Any symptoms?
A
You feeling normal? I was so, like, stare.
E
When was the moment you realized it wasn't an issue with her?
A
I don't know. Four months later, probably.
F
Okay, you guys, I.
C
She's still looking hot.
F
Literally. Moved to Japan, didn't have sex for a long time. And like, for the first seven months, I would take a pregnancy test because I was so scared, which nothing was even happening. I just kept convincing myself. I was like, I think I. I think I'm pregnant sometimes from my boyfriend before I left. And I was like seven months into living there, and I was like, is this blo doing or like, what's. And I would every month pee on a test.
E
And you said you live in Japan. Yeah, Well, I didn't know that.
F
How long did. Two years.
A
She was a Disney princess. Wow.
E
Oh, that's right.
C
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
A
I knew that. Well, speaking of motherhood, you guys all watched the most recent episode of the Valley?
F
We did.
E
Do we want to talk James Charles first?
A
Do you want to talk to James Charles first?
F
I think Mary has something to say.
C
I got some reads prepared for him.
E
Yeah.
A
Table this. James Charles is popping off on customer service. This is an insane story.
E
I'm sorry, y', all, like, whatever you want to say about James Charles. The video that we're all seeing is just the most example of, like, out of touch, like, rude. Yeah, gross. Like, not knowing.
A
This is sadly one of the least problematic things about James Charles.
E
Yeah, true.
C
James Charles is kind of like. He's kind of like the beauty community's Pennywise and that every, like, certain number of years he pops up from a little gutter and just like, like reeks.
D
Have it.
A
Comes back from the dead on the people of Derry.
C
Yeah, yeah.
E
Well, and to give the audience, like, context of what we're talking about, basically, we know Spirit Airlines closed in the last month and someone was laid off by Spirit Airlines. DM'd James Charles saying, okay, like, I just got laid off. Like, here's my GoFundMe link, if you can, like, contribute. She DM'd it to multiple influencers. James Charles saw it, saw that she wasn't following him and, like, didn't engage with his tick tocks and decided to send her a video. And it's like the most atrocious, like, disgusting, out of touch things that he was saying. Mary's gonna do a dramatic read. Like, it's crazy.
C
Yes. James Charles posted this video.
A
He sends a video DM to this person.
E
Yes.
C
He sends a video dm. And with this tone. You're a lazy piece of and you're entitled and you think that influencers and celebrities should fund your life for you. You think I'm just gonna give you money because you lost your job? Oh, my God. Welcome to the real world, sweetheart.
A
That's literally why people give money away sometimes. Yeah.
C
All you did was lost your job. Okay. Welcome to the real world. Why? Why would I ever help you? You're not a fan. You don't even follow me. You've never supported me. This is your first time DMing. I could at least understand if you were like, james, I'm a long time fan. Here's a trillion years of dms and my support for you. I love you. I'm suffering with a really rare genetic disease that there's no cure for. And I'm trying to raise money for myself. And all the other people have this. Maybe I would help then.
F
Maybe that was well done.
A
Only maybe he would help then.
C
Yeah, it's just.
E
It's just like. It's so. You hear it and you think it's fake and you think it's AI because you're like, this is like, the things he was saying is just so delusional and so, like, mean.
C
Again, Penny was of the beauty community.
A
Why couldn't he have just read it and moved on?
E
Yeah, yeah.
A
You know why?
C
Sometimes you don't have to speak. And I remind myself of that all the time.
A
Although, do people have a problem with the GoFundMe movement out there? Like, what's. What's.
E
I don't think so. I donated to one, like, a week ago.
F
Oh, I donate. Yeah. Yeah, A lot.
A
You know, if you don't want to, you don't have to. And if you want to, you can. It's like the perfect.
E
I'm also just free.
D
Will.
C
She.
E
She reached out to you because she's in a position of, like, needing help, and you decided to, like, destroy her. Like, I just feel like that was unnecessary when, like, you could have just at least let her have her peace.
C
It's so rude. And it's also, like, just thinking about what's happening to so many people in the world right now, in the economy and, like, how many people are going on.
A
Exactly.
C
Struggling through hard times. And, like, there are GoFundMes that are literally saving people's lives, literally. And it's a way to, like, crowdsource from your community and just, like, actually have people go and help you and support you. And if you're on hard times and you DM celebrities just to see that's not a bad thing. That's like, shoot your shot. Just.
F
Yeah.
E
And by the way, her GoFundMe, like, was really low. Like, it wasn't a large number. So, like, he probably could have maxed it out with, like, a small donation. But, like, now he's going viral. People are going after him and posting, like, their own videos of when they got laid off and using it as an audio to be, like, reminder that this is a reality people face.
F
Yeah.
E
And luckily, this person, like, her GoFundMe link, has popped off, as it should, and, like, I think he DM'd her an apology. And he also did donate now. But, like, it's. Yeah, she posted a video being like, I'm not accepting this apology, like, just because you got called out for something so crazy.
A
Now, listen, if you. If you send a request to anyone and they, for whatever reason, don't reply or don't send you anything, that's also okay. Right? Shoot your shot. You know, a lot of people who, you know, get requests, sometimes people, like, well, you know, even on the street, you Know, like, side of the road, sometimes there's someone asking for money. Sometimes you have a little cash on hand, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you give it away, sometimes you don't. It's all okay, you know, as long as. As long as you're doing what you can. And that's up for you to decide. It's not for anyone else to decide what you can and can't give. No one knows your situation. I was reminded of that, you know, like, there was a situation that happened a few months back, and Nally was, like, kind of wishing she got a call from a friend and we were dealing with a bit of a crisis. Not a crisis, but we were like. And. And she was kind of wishing she'd got a call from a friend. That friend didn't call. Whatever, whatever. And a couple weeks go by, they reconnect. Well, it turns out that friend at that particular time was going through their own crisis. So it's kind of like, you know, and you don't really think about it. Right. When things are going on in your world, you're the center of your universe, and it's so quick to forget that everyone else has their own problems and things like that. But, like, yeah, if you can give away some, you know, a few bucks, give it away. And if. If you ask and they don't reply, that's also okay.
F
Or they don't. You may not see it. Like, there's so many. Especially James Charles. I feel like he has a huge following.
A
Yeah.
F
But I think with this particular case, it's such a reminder. Like, he was a YouTuber before he was even, like, 18, I think. So he's really never worked a normal job. He has faced a lot of, like, tough stuff online. I think it's really hard to, like, get canceled and stuff. I know that's. That's a horrible feeling.
A
But he's done some pretty bad stuff for sure.
F
That's the thing.
C
Is that my sister?
F
Yeah, totally. But I think it just shows, like, how out of touch some people, like, in. In entertainment can be when it comes to understanding how normal everyday people live and struggle. Like, it's just so. I think he probably is truly unaware to understand, like, how people. Because people are seriously struggling.
C
And it's literally like, I'm sorry that people online got mad at you and said some awful, disgusting things about you after you actively, like, did shitty things to other people and you got your comeuppance. Sorry, buddy. But, you know, you did get to cry about it, and you're like, Giant house and with your money that you made off of your YouTube AdSense and stuff. So it's just like, yeah, this.
F
Wiping their tears with hundreds.
C
Yeah. And it's like, girl, give me a break. You're really, like, going to victimize yourself. Like, going after someone that literally lost their job.
E
Like, he's also a rage baiter. But I'm just like, this is not what you're. You're not rage baiting. Someone's like, hurt like this. I just feel like, why did we choose this? Like, where was your publicist? Obviously, he was not.
A
I very much doubt he ran that by his public.
E
No, not at all.
F
No.
E
He didn't think that sending that video to the person was going to then be posted and go viral.
C
Just like, don't be dumb. Yeah. Like, why did you do that?
E
It's just crazy. You hear it and you're literally like, what?
A
Probably because, like, you know, I think probably deep down, he's probably not. You know, there's. There's good people, there's bad people. There's a lot of people in between. Most of people are good people who sometimes do bad things and have to, like, be accountable and learn and apologize and blah. And then there's people who just, like, at their core, aren't great.
F
A little rotten.
A
In the celebrity breakup news, sadly, Pete Davidson and his girlfriend, also the mother of his child, Elsie Hewitt, they broke up. But then it reminded me of the episode of the Valley. Everyone's been talking about Danny Darko this episode or these past couple episodes. And I honestly, as someone who's wanted, like, I, you know, I've got. Danny seemed like one of the decent guys on the Valley. I know last season it was always like, Danny Darko. But it never really landed for me where it was just like, I don't know, all we got was like a couple times he was drunk. Not that that, like, is acceptable to, like, get carried away, but it seemed like they kept referring to this one moment, but now it seems like maybe there's something there. They basically went on this. They went to what, San Diego. They live in la. They went to San Diego. And it seemed like Danny was like, well, we have a nanny. So, like, I'm off the clock. Which I was just like, I couldn't process that. Like, I just don't operate that way. And then I was thinking about, you know, we're watching Summerhouse and we have Kyle throughout these seasons speak to his wife in a way that's inappropriate and unacceptable. You know, the fuck you. You Fucking bitch. You know, stuff like that. Obviously, no excuse for that, but if we have to pick between two horrible things, I think that, honestly, being an unhelpful partner to your wife or partner. If you're a man and you don't participate. 50, 50, and you play the, like, 1950s version of a man, where you're just like, your job is done. And, like, you, like, what, nine to five or whatever it is. I just feel like not participating in helping your wife, like, not sharing full responsibility. Like that scene from two weeks ago. Nia's eating a sandwich. Danny's on his phone. He's on his phone. He's just on his. I don't know what. He's on his phone, maybe. I don't know. Didn't seem like work. And even if it was, but the way he looked at her, like, as if she was interrupting his screen time literally while she was trying to eat a sandwich, I can honestly say I just would. I would never do that. I just would never. If I see Natalie struggling, like, she has my. And I'm an aloof guy. I'm in my head a lot. I am often not paying attention. But, like, as soon as Natalie can get my attention, which sometimes can be a struggle, because in my head a little bit, once she has my attention, she has my full attention and helps.
F
It's a nightmare, to be honest, as someone that does want to be a mom and has been around children and loves children, like, it doesn't matter how much you love being a mom. It's like if you are in a partnership. Yeah, I agree. Like, there is this, like, 19. Some people still live by that. Where they think these gender roles are like. Like, okay, well, it's. You're the. You're the mom. So, like, you have to take care of it. And I'm like, that would literally be. Yeah, I would rather not be a mom than be. Or be a single mom than be a mom with a husband that does not participate in help.
D
Yeah.
C
Unfortunately, men today are not. You are. No. Don Draper, and Don Draper also should not have been doing that shit in the 60s, you know? And it's just, like, it's crazy that there is this thought that there's this expectation that some. Some men have that you're just gonna be served by your wife and your. And she's also going to take care of your child. And to go back to the Danny thing really quick, though, what. My issue with this with Danny is that he's doing both of those two things. Nick, he is Also speaking terribly to Nia.
A
Well, he didn't Kyle cook him.
C
He was drunk.
A
Did he?
C
He didn't Kyle cook him. But in the energy that he said, like the way.
A
Yeah, but there's a huge difference. Yeah, but like, I just want to. I just.
C
It sent a chill up my spine, man.
A
There is a huge difference between. If all Danny did in between being incredibly helpful and very present, helping with the kids is be kind of a poor sport in this.
C
That was a bit more than kind of a poor sport.
A
Okay, A major poor sport. I'm just saying if that's all he did, then you could be like, maybe he's having a bad day, you know, whatever. That's not the same as telling your wife that she's a fucking bitch. It's not remotely close.
F
I think I might have a hot take on this. I don't know what is your. I may have a hot take on this and I don't. I could be completely off. But let me start by saying I am so partial to Nia. I love her.
D
She's great.
F
I love Nia so much and whatever that means. I want her to have the best life, the best relationship. I just want her like, I love her so much. I will say, like watching that scene from the. The pageant where she's trying to get him ready and she's like, stop talking to me this way. Stop disrespecting me. And she's like cutting in like this. I was like. Like I was proud of her, but I. I almost felt like I was watching a little. Almost like a little boy who was like in his own world where he was like playing a character that he was like. I think he thought he was being funny. Almost like I was watching and I'm like, do you think you're being funny? And like. And you're talking to her this way like as a bit, like. It almost felt like a bit. And then it's like. But he was probably drunk so he couldn't like, take himself out of it. And then he was offended that Lala said something, which I was also so proud of Lala for saying something.
A
I actually kind of agree with you, Susie. I. It felt like he thought he was being funn. Well, drunk.
F
Yeah, exactly.
E
The problem though is he's too comfortable doing that. Which means he probably does this outside of just that scene.
C
Exactly. And it's something that obviously bothers Nia. And again, Susie, you're saying that. See, but yeah, Nia is just such, like. She's such a gentle soul. She's such a kind soul. She's. She's got four kids, she's on a TV show. She's taking care of Danny also. Like, that man is no help. And he has the audacity, as she's putting him in drag. That's supposed to be a silly evening to be so. Just condescending and rude and. And having these expectations as if he is, like. As if he is goddamn Cher sitting in a chair, having hair and makeup done. Like, who do you think you are? The drag wasn't the Danny.
A
Yeah.
C
And it's like, sorry, you don't look. Sorry. Like, Tom Sandoval looked hotter than you in drag. Like, I don't know what you want. Danny.
E
No need to reference him.
C
What? I'll say it.
A
I think every. Every happy husband who has a wife kind of secretly or unsecretly kind of feels like his partner is the best he can ever get, you know, like, he couldn't do better, you know, not in a way like, I don't deserve you, but in a way where it's kind of like, I can't believe you're with me.
C
I bagged a baddie.
A
Yeah.
E
Aw.
C
Yeah.
A
And I think every, like, real happy husband has that kind of feeling. But I feel like, unfortunately, Danny doesn't seem to do a good job of showing that. In a way, it's almost like. I don't know if it comes from a place of insecurity, of, like, not wanting to acknowledge that he landed this seemingly great partner in nia, where a lot of people might be like, how'd you do it, man? He doesn't want to embrace the whole, like, I don't know, you know, and maybe just show him through, like, his actions, like, of, like, not being a jerk. And again, we can pick apart the whole, like, was he drinking? I don't know. Like. Like, was he kidding? I don't know. It does seem like maybe he's like. Like, if you abuse alcohol on a regular basis, where it changes your behavior, where you're someone different, where it causes, like, issues in your relationships, friends, romantic. Like, that's a problem. Obviously, it's always the shots.
C
It's always shots, which I love.
D
I'm not a shotgirl.
A
But, like, at this stage of the game, why is Danny doing shots on camera if he knows that he goes to, like, a different side? I'm honestly was surprised that. Not that it's Nia's fault, but that she was, like, watching him take all those shots and, like, they seem to be the couple who, like, we handle things behind closed doors, which I think is.
E
I respect that.
A
I respect the hell out of that. Like, the way Lacy was, like, it seemed like she was doing a scene, though, when she was trying to call out Jesse for being like, you know, you yelled at me. It's just like, well, fine if, like, don't do that in front of all the friends and use words like that. I was just triggered. Like, you're using buzzwords with your partner in front of his friends to pick a fight, and it kind of feels like you're doing a scene. And even if you're not doing a scene, it was like, I don't know how that's like. And not to defend the action of Jesse. It's just more like, that's not how you go about, like, creating a safe space for you and your partner to, like, work through, like, your issues. And, like, we all have done and said things that, like, made our partner feel unappreciated. We had, like. We've all had to been like, hey, don't, like, don't talk to me that way. You're like, it's not me you're mad at. You know? And a lot of times it's like, you're right. I'm sorry. You know? But I guess that all that aside, there's a million different. Like, oh, well, maybe this happened. Or maybe that happened. When it comes to watching Danny be on his phone and look at his wife in disgust while, like, she's asking for help with the kids, I just. There's no. There's no middle ground for me. There's no, like, how could you. Like, dude, I'm just like, all the excuses we want to make for reality TV stars. Oh, maybe it was editing. Maybe something's taken out of context. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Just, like, there's no world where I would have allowed that to be the case or the context in which something was filmed. And I'm so, like, if you're just. If you're just. There's this. There were too many moments on that day where Danny kept referencing, like, well, I just. We have a nanny. I just want to have fun with my wife. I mean, have fun with your wife. Like, your kid. I mean, I understand. And listen, they have four under four. I don't know what it's like yet. I'm sure our world will change drastically when the twins show up. That all being said, like, you just. It's. You're taking care of your kid. It's part of your family. Like, it doesn't have to stop you from having fun. And the moment you look at your kid as, like, the thing that stops you from having fun. I don't know. It's just like, you know, for example, like, Nia, right, she wants to have fun with Danny. She wants to have fun just as much as Daniwana has fun. But, like, you know what? Sometimes the kids need you. You know, Sometimes things happen and she doesn't throw a fit. She's not stomping her feet. She's not like. Like, Danny is literally being like, you know what? I'm going to have fun either way. So either Nia or a nanny can, like, they can deal with it, but I'm not. And I just can't believe I'm watching that on this television show. Like, I just can't believe that Danny wouldn't want to, like, be thought of as a guy who shows up for his family and is always ready to say, yes, I can help. I just, like, it's crazy to me.
E
We don't know that he thinks of his children that way, though, right? So we're just kind of extrapolating. We don't know that he's saying, like, his kids are. This isn't me defending him. I'm just saying, like, we don't know that he's looking at his kids as, like, a barrier to him having fun. But we're just seeing the way he
A
treats me in that episode. He just kept talking about how, like, you know, this was the weekend of fun with his wife. Why did we get a nanny if she's not gonna be the one, like, taking. You know, like, we are lucky enough to afford some help when it comes to childcare. We also have, like, our. Our parents who are incredibly helpful, but for us, that has just never been, like, something that allow. You know, we don't check out. You know, we're still there. They're there to help. It's like, it's a help. It's a. It's another hand. But, like, we're never, like, obviously when we're recording the podcast and we can't, like, attend to, like, or we're not there and we have a thing. But when we're around and we're here, sometimes we still have some extra set of hands, and that's very helpful. But, like, we're still the parents. We're still there. We're still in charge. You know what I'm saying? Like, dad's still there. It's never, like, I'm not here. Talk to the nanny or talk to Mom. And I guess that was that mentality that he kept kind of echoing and parroting throughout the episode that, like, seems to me that, like, he has this mindset where it's just like. It's. It was almost like, hey, Nia, we got a nanny, so figure out how to use the nanny. You know what I'm saying? It wasn't. You know what I'm saying? It was never. It just. I just think that's horrendous. I just. I can't. I can't fathom that type of behavior.
F
I feel like they were on just different pages of, like, what fun was too. You know, like, she was like, I'm happy. Like, she was so cute. And she's like, yeah. She's like, stop talking to me like that. Like, I wanna. I'm doing it. And she's, like, just trying to, like. She's just trying to have, like, wholesome fun where I feel like he was, like, playing this character where I was like, you guys are having two different kinds of fun. And, like, it's definitely not fun for Nia.
D
Yeah.
C
She's like, I just want to put you in makeup. And he's like, we have to win right now.
F
Yeah, exactly.
A
That's not fun with your wife. She was literally like, I want you to connect with me.
F
Yeah, literally, she was.
C
She was reaching her arm out and he just, like, slapped it away is what it felt.
E
I would have eliminated him. And I just like, you're not in my pageant.
A
I don't know.
D
It just.
F
I'm the director, and you're out.
C
Okay, Danny, Abby Lee Miller Dance Company, bottom of the pyramid. You're cut for your behavior.
E
Yeah, Yeah, I acknowledge that.
C
Yeah.
E
It's like this show is already kind of, like, used Danny as, like, a storyline, and you would think he would counter correct the season approaching rise to the occasion.
C
Maybe that's just who he is.
A
I also just mean in culture in general. I think there's enough of, like, families and couples that, like, don't have this kind of Don Draper mentality who share in the responsibility of being parents.
C
And look at Luke on the Valley.
F
Yeah.
C
Like, even with all of his issues with Kristen, which much trust I have
A
takes on, but, like, I mean, postpartum, like, we were fortunate enough not to deal with what they're dealing with. And I just think it seems like a very difficult thing for. For both parties.
C
But at least Luke is, like, trying.
F
He is trying. I know he might give him a lot of Credit. Yeah, I think that I, I, I think that I can tell it's heavy, that whole situation. I'm like, wow, this is very heavy. And they probably brought things from before into the postpartum era as well. And I'm like, wow, this is, like, a lot. But I will. I, I do give him credit because I do think he. I think he wants to show up, and I think he feels like he's. Nothing he's doing is right, and I think that's probably very common for people that are dealing with, like, postpartum relationships.
C
Yeah.
A
Yeah. I, I did think it was crazy, though, that he sent Kristen home and
D
then went back alone.
A
That was crazy.
C
That was crazy.
A
Just go 100. Just go home, man.
C
That was.
F
I was like, what are you doing? Go home with her.
C
I think the thing, the difference between Luke and Dany, to me, of, like, two guys doing annoying things. Right. To their wives that you're just. Or, you know, two guys doing annoying things to their partners.
F
Yeah.
C
But I think the thing is Luke does seem to genuinely love Kristen and is doing his best and just not really doing it in the best way. But his intent, he does have good intentions and a good heart about it and at least how Dani is presenting. Not gonna assume to know what's in his heart or whatnot. But he's being selfish. He's being completely selfish and only thinking about how he feels in a situation, and it's like, girly pop, you got four kids and a wife. You need to grow the up.
E
Lala said it perfectly where she was like, I don't need to know what. Like, I don't know what's going on in your relationship, but what I'm seeing right now is enough for me to speak out again.
C
Yeah. Like, cut the yeah is kind of how Danny's doing it. And anyway, that's just. Just maybe I'm being mean to Danny.
D
But whatever.
F
I think. I think the takeaway, like, at least for me, is I do hope. I think sometimes reality TV can offer reflection, not just for them, but for anybody watching, where it's like, from the outside looking in, it's almost so obvious where you're like, okay, Danny, you just need to, one, stop taking shots. Probably to, like, be a little bit more aware and sensitive and be there, really show up for Nia. But I do hope the takeaway and I do hope that, like, like watching this back, I. I want them to work out like I want them to, and I want them to be healthy. I don't want them just to fight through, like, misery. But I do hope he can, like, have some takeaways where he's like, oh, yeah, I like, definitely need to. Course correct. Because Nia is a queen, like, literally the best. I feel like.
C
Yeah, I know, but you bagged a bad.
A
But regardless of that, just regardless of what your wife looks like.
F
Yeah. But it's also the inside too.
A
Show up. Show up as a man, show up as a dad. Be a, like, be the, like you. It's a tough beat to like again. I don't know if there's editing. I don't know if he's leaning in. But like, I would, I would never even like, lean into that aspect of not showing up as a parent, you know, and kind of leaving your partner hanging. I just, I can't relate to that experience. It's just crazy to me. I don't know. Wild stuff.
F
Yeah, it is wild.
A
You know, marriage is tough. You get at each other's, you know, you know each other. Maybe sometimes you speak to your partner in a way that you have to apologize. Okay. But like, there's a humans. But like, if you, if you can't just want to show up for your partner and your kid in a way that's like, you know, where you have, you know. Yeah. You prioritize your own own immediate needs and not even like your career goals, like, big picture, like you're today because. Because it's Saturday and Saturday's for Danny. You know what I'm saying? It's like, that's crazy.
D
Yeah.
A
Wild stuff. Anyway, we do have a jam packed episode lined up for you coming up later. This epis. We got Chris from Perfect Match, formerly of Age of Attraction and outside of giving women he just met luxury purses and bags that he himself names as love bombing. I just like, again, he's kind of giving a little West Wilson. He's very endearing, he's very charming, he's very cute. He's a bit of a fast talker. Everyone loves him. But he does this thing where he's falling in love with everyone and like. And not in a way where he's joking. I don't know. We'll get into that. We have Chris with us, but now up next, we have the iconic Cynthia Bailey joining us to talk about all things Real Housewives of Atlanta. Well, I'm excited to share that this podcast is sponsored by the Real Real. Now you might be thinking, why isn't nally talking? Well, I'm going to tell you because whether ladies, you are listening. Or maybe One of the men you're maybe you're in a car on a road trip, making them listen to the vile files. Well, men, if you are, listen up. Your lady likes designer purses. I just know that she does. They do. They all do. The cool thing about designer purse is that they keep their quality, they keep their prices, and you can find great discounts at the realreal. So when your girl says, I want this back, chances are you can get it used, Save a bunch of money and she'll thank you for it. It seems too good to be true. It's not. It's the real real. Natalie is a big fan of finding those standout designer pieces that feel a little unique. And I'm a big fan of saving money. And together we do that by experiencing the realreal together. It makes it easy to both clean out my closet and find something new without always buying the retail. Also, while nally never wants to sell any of her purses, you can sell a purse and make a little bit of money back as well. Maybe you have something in your closet. Clean out your closet. You're like, I haven't used this, but like, oh, it's a designer bag. Well, if you don't want it, the realreal does. And you can be giving a great gift to someone else. Maybe you got a cool party to go to. Maybe it's a nice gift you want to give your partner and give them something maybe really, really unique. The realreal, the most trusted name in authentic luxury resale. They had over 10,000 new items every day from brands like gucci, Prada, fendi, Louis vuitton, Tiffany Co. And Cartier. The list goes on. Can't say enough of great things about the realreal, both for her and him. Honestly, it makes the experience wonderful. You get some amazing pieces and you can be a hero giving a gift from the RealReal. Get $25 off your first purchase when you go to therealreal.com files. Plus, this may only you can get an extra $200 to shop when you sell for the first time. That's therealreal.com files therealreal.com files it's mental health awareness month, so this episode is sponsored by betterhelp. You guys know we talk a lot about relationships, anxiety, communication, overthinking. Self awareness is great, but eventually you have to actually work on yourself. This is so true. Sometimes we just use self awareness as an excuse for why we are the way that we are. But sometimes you have to work it out with a good therapist and betterhelp is helping you connect with therapy like never before. They help alleviate all those pain points in therapy, whether it's cost, inconvenience or just plain old finding the therapist that's right for you, they make that so much easier. They're working with over 30,000 therapists nationwide to help ensure that you can connect with therapists that you love. And you can switch to therapists for free as much as you want until that happens. They've served over 6 million people globally. Whatever is weighing you down, stress at work, relationship problems, money problems, or just maybe general worries, you know, sometime they just worry. Sometimes you just have to talk about it. And BetterHelp is helping people like never before. It's incredibly convenient. All you need is a device to connect. BetterHelp is now accepting insurance in many states with average co pays around 23 for eligible members. So chances are that if you have health insurance, you can have your therapy covered through better help. So just go to betterhelp.com, answer a few questions about the type of therapy you are looking for, and they'll help connect you with a therapist in no time. Also look in to see if your insurance take better help. Chances are it does. BetterHelp is in network with major health plans like UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna, and more with average co pays around $23 for eligible members. Fill out the questionnaire and check out your coverage today@betterhelp.com vi a l l that's BetterHelp. H e l p.com v I a L L Average copay is based on eligible members. Actual cost and coverage may vary by plan. Plan. Cynthia, welcome back to the show.
D
Hi. Hi, family.
A
How are you?
F
Hi.
D
I'm doing good.
A
Do you like after each episode or is it. What's your, like, decompressed process? Do you. Do you watch. Are you online or you are just like completely disconnected from it?
D
Okay, so we get screeners. So I usually watch it on Friday and then on Sunday night, I am, you know, aware, obviously to everyone, the world's gonna watch it. And then as soon as it goes off, I go right to social media to see everyone's thoughts.
B
Oh, you do.
A
Wow. But you, yeah, you plan the chaos.
D
Oh, no, for sure. Because it's like, you know, when you're in it and you're living it and it's your reality, it's always interesting to see what everyone else thought happened in the episode.
A
I got a question for you. What offends you the most as a host of a party pop Off. By the way, great party.
D
Thank you.
A
What offends you the most? Someone showing up when the party's over or someone starting a fight at your party that kind of cannibalizes the vibe of the whole party? Wow.
D
That's a good question. Okay. I don't like either, to be honest. But at the same time, I think. I think the worst is starting to fight. Like, in real life is starting to fight. On reality tv, fights kind of are good because that means you're seeing states, but in real life, I would be pissed, but I'd rather someone just not come if they're going to be super late, to be honest.
A
Well, and I appreciate you recognizing the TV element of it. But that being said, like, how does Drew show up that late? Like. Like, she. Did she not know? Does she not care? What? Like, which one is it more of?
D
Okay, so there's a lot of backstory to that. Number one, I don't think Drew, like, set out to be intentionally late.
A
Okay.
D
You know, Drew has always been super supportive of all of my events. She always. She always shows up for me. She always supports me, to be completely honest. Because if you guys think back in the episode, when it was time to start getting dressed, Shamia called a meeting. So one of the reasons why I was super quiet and kind of stressed out, because the entire time Shamia's meeting was going on and you was eating into our time to get ready. And, you know, with that said, I knew, you know, it just takes some women longer than others, and to be completely transparent, because I'd love to just break the fourth wall at this point. We were having some glam issues. You know, glam was doubling up, trying to do the girls, they had a theme. It wasn't like they could throw in a baseball cap and come to the event. It was a whole Dallas Dynasty theme. So it just took some time. And Drew's glam was held up, actually, in my room for a little bit because I was filming something else, and it's a whole thing. She didn't intentionally try to be late, and she has apologized for it, which. Which I'm totally fine with.
A
Okay, so you guys are.
D
I'm totally fine.
A
So where do you land on the. The K. Michelle side of things in terms of what. What she's upset about? Like, she. That she thinks that all the plot. Yeah. Do you believe that there's a plot, or do you think it's more in her head?
D
Well, I. I'm going to always validate how she feels. You know, she Obviously can, you know, feel how she wants to feel. I would never invalidate that. However, the one thing I can say is I'm not a part of any kind of plot or scheme as it. As it relates to Kate Michelle. I love K on this show. I was excited for her to be a part of this cast. I still think, you know, we're only, what, like, seven episodes in. Like, you guys are still going to see a lot of K. We still have a lot of episodes to go, but at this point, I just was concerned and we all were concerned that she was upset, and we're just, you know, we were just trying to figure out what. What is the plot like, what. What is it that she's been told that we don't know about? All I know is I'm not a part of it for sure.
E
Do you have speculation on who told K. Michelle this? Because I know everybody was thinking Shamia might have had a part.
D
No, I don't know. I don't know where she got the information from. And I think Kay said in the scene that it wasn't Shamia, so I honestly don't know. No.
A
Do you. What about, like, the little, like, comments, like, on one side, like, when you bring oysters out, like, there's always like, a. A dirty joke about private parts. You know, sometimes. On the flip side, if you're K. Michelle, is there always.
D
Wait, is there always a dirty joke about private parts?
A
No, it always stirs. I think sometimes with oysters, there's always some kind of connection between that and,
F
you know, the aphrodisiac.
D
Right.
F
I feel like it's.
A
Sure.
D
Right, right, right. That. That part. That part. Yeah.
C
Yeah.
A
Okay. But maybe I'm crazy, but, like, I guess what I'm saying is it's more like if I'm K. And I'm in my head about this and I feel like, you know, like, it would seem like maybe they are making comments at me referencing this thing. Or do you think it's just a projection of her insecurities?
D
Well, I think, number one, the people that he's talking about would have to know the situation. You know what I'm saying? Like, we all have different traumas that we've been through, and everyone does it. Know what my traumas are or what my triggers are. What I can tell you is if I go to dinner and oysters is on the menu, I'm going to order them. I love oysters. So with that said, I didn't, like, I didn't read into any of it to Be honest. Like, you know, we. This is a reality show. We act silly. We have fun. We're just playing around. It is what it is. I didn't know until watching it back that K was even upset. I couldn't even tell in the moment because we were just eating and, you know, I was dealing with Pinky in the bathroom. She drank too much tequila. It was a lot of moving parts. So it wasn't like, you know, had she said something. And I really honestly wish she had said in that moment. You know, guys, you know, I'm a little triggered right now. I had a horrible situation in the past where, you know, someone that I was seeing said some horrible lies about me or whatever. And that could have really opened up a whole conversation for the table because guess what? Like, you know, we all have vaginas. We all have had different experiences. And I think that that could have been a moment where we could have actually connected and kind of loved on K and really just moved on. But now you guys gotta wait until next week to kind of see how this whole thing plays out.
C
I have a question about your theme. Were you the one that came up with the Dallas Dynasty?
D
Yes.
C
What was the inspiration behind that?
D
Well, the inspiration behind the theme was my Tequila commissario. One of our biggest markets here is Dallas. So when I think about Dallas, I think big hair, I think about the TV show, I think about diamonds. I just think about this, like, whole Dallas lifestyle. And. And I grew up watching Dynasty and Dallas, so I was like, you know what, let's have some fun. And I just love a theme. Anyway, so let's get the girls all done up and do like a whole thing. Let's do our big one. And for me, I was doing my big one, so it was like kind of go big, go home, you know. So that's how I came up with the theme.
A
I love the part when you brought the jewelers in the frost. The ladies. Yes, yes. The jeweler was like, oh, this is a hundred thousand dollars. And Phaedra was like, oh, that's not that bad. Was that Phaedra knowing being the professional TV maker that she is and like the. The great one liner or. Or is that really not that big of a deal to Phaedra?
D
Probably both. Probably both. You know, Phaedra's funny. And you know, this is Atlanta. These girls live very, very well. And, you know, they do have a very expensive lifestyle. So maybe a hundred thousand dollar necklace is not a big deal for Phaedra. But I can tell you I Was, like, clasping mine the whole night. Like, is this thing still on my neck? Because I was very relieved to actually return it to him at the end because it was like, security, and we had to go back.
C
I was gonna say Ocean's Eight. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
E
Cynthia going back to K and Portia. Why do you think Kay has felt so unsupported by Portia, given that Portia brought her into the group?
D
I don't know. I don't know. And I'm looking forward to us getting more to the bottom of that, you know, as the episodes go on. Are you guys kind of seeing how all of that play? But I will say that from what I have seen, Portia has. Well, first of all, I know she was very excited for Kay to come on the show as well as I was. And, you know, I've seen her really make a real effort to, you know, be friends with Kate. Like, she was very excited to bring Kate into the circle. So I don't know where it kind of went left. But it's unfortunate because I have known Portia for a really long time, and I'm just really getting to know Kay, and if Portia doesn't want to deal with you, she's just not going to deal with you. So I feel like if she's making an effort to show you love and give you love and support, like, even when, you know, Kay started crying, we were all, like, sitting there with her. Portia was like, who is it? You know, even if it's me, tell me, what can I do? I want to address it, but. Or whatever. Like, Portia was really, really overextending herself and trying to, you know, help Kay get to the bottom of it or just, you know, we were all loving on her. Just. I mean, we obviously want, you know, we got a lot of drama in this group, but at the same time, it is still a sisterhood. And at the end of the day, if somebody breaks down crying, you're like, wait a minute. Like, we don't want that. We don't want anyone to be really upset and hurt about anything.
E
Yeah, I do really like K's perspective that she brings to the group of being like, why are we breaking each other down when we could, like, be coming together?
D
Yeah, I. I agree. I agree with that. And, you know, like, for someone who's been a part of it for so long, you know, I've seen. I've seen it all, so I guess I'm a little more numb to the situation, and I really know and understand how this group, this friend dynamic, this formula works for Housewives of Atlanta, and it's always like a bunch of ups and downs and twists and turns and everything. And I think what. What I try to do, because I can only speak for myself, is when I do have an issue with someone, as you guys saw, I did, you know, have an issue with Shami and Kelly, and then I had a little bit of an issue with Pinky. I'm okay to have the conversation and get to the other side and apologize if I. If I. If and when I need to. I don't have a problem doing that.
E
Can we talk about the accommodations? Because I felt like you had it prepared and ready, and they came.
A
It looked like a beautiful house.
D
Yeah, yeah.
C
If there's one thing we know about you, it's that you take pride in your accommodations and you do it well.
D
Oh, yeah, the house. Okay, first of all, let me just give a shout out to the owner of the house. The house was absolutely amazing. It was beautiful. But like most houses, you know, for these cash trips, they don't have 12 bedrooms in the actual house. It's like guest house and pool houses and all that stuff. So somebody always has to get, like, you know, maybe a lesser room. Now, the problem is, you know, because I. I only get the good room if it's my trip. Nobody's, like, setting me up in the main room, so. And I may or may not be in the main house. You know what I'm saying? It just depends on the host and where I'm at with the host or just what the host wants to do. So my issue, and this is where I completely agree and understand why Shamia and Kelly was upset if they didn't feel like the room was clean, even if it just wasn't clean to their standards. I received that, and I was definitely trying to rectify it in a timely manner on my end. Now, here's the thing. We're shooting a whole show. It's not like we could shut down production and clean the room. You know what I mean? So we're still filming, and I'm checking in, like, did they get their room together? Did they clean the room? Like, yeah, they're working on.
A
They're dealing with.
D
They're dealing with here. We need you to be in the. In the scene over here. So unless I stopped and went to clean room myself, I was being told that it was being taken care of. So every time I saw them, I kept thinking that, you know, we had moved past it. And then my issue was Once I realized, you know, they were still upset, I'm thinking, oh, so this has been rectified. I just felt like their issue was valid if that was how they felt. Where I had an issue was, why do we keep dragging it on a business trip? Like, give me that little bit of grace. You know, we're not even in the room at this point. We're, like, out filming and doing all kind of things. So I just wish that they had given me a little bit more grace in that moment to say, hey, we're not trying to make this. We're not trying to ruin your trip at this point. We just want this rectified and we could just move on. And we do end up moving on. Like, what you guys didn't see was, you know, after the back and forth with Shamia and I, I. We were laughing and having a good time, and, you know, I, like, twerked on Shamia, you know, her favorite thing. And, you know, we, like, twerked and made up. You know how you hug and made up? We twerked and made up. It was good.
E
So do you think they were overreacting prior to the makeup? Like, do you think it was doing too much?
F
I just.
D
I. Again, I'm not invalidating their feelings. I just think it drug on longer than it had to, especially when we kind of know the deal. I'm, like, in situations like this all the time, and. And my whole thing is, A, I'm at work. B, you know, this is someone's business trip. C, as long as it's taken care of, Like, I don't. I don't want it to stop. Like, interfere with me having a good time on a trip. Like, I felt like at one point, I'm like, you know, if you guys are having fun at this point, like, I don't know what to do. Like, why are you guys here? It just feels like, yeah, like, we just keep going back to this, and I keep being told that it's rectified, and so, you know, obviously stay to move on. Yeah. So I just felt like I wouldn't have drug it that long. I just would have been like, okay, let me just work this out. And, you know, it just, you know, to each his own.
A
Who started the rumor that Phaedra eats dead people?
D
You know what? It came from Pinky. That was the first time I heard it. I have no idea where Pinky got it from. Though.
A
Is it. Was that in response to someone accusing her that she eats meat?
F
That's what I was thinking.
D
I don't know, because I felt like I heard about Phaedra eating dead people. People a little earlier on.
A
Okay.
D
Before it was revealed, allegedly that Pinky was eating meat.
A
Like, no one believes that rumor, right? Are we not.
D
Yeah. A cannibal. What do you call people that eat meat? A cannibal. Right. Yeah. Well, I think cannibals eat live people. They don't eat dead people, Right?
E
Well, I think it. All of the above, probably.
C
Yeah. I mean, I think typically once you eat a person, they're dead, you know?
A
Well, no, I mean, you could, like, you could chew a finger off. And their kids, I don't know.
C
Okay, so if we're going, Hannibal Lecter rules, Right. He was starting when they were alive, but they ended up dead, and he still finished them. So I think the cannibalism is really just the human flesh of it. All.
F
Right, Right.
D
I do not believe that Phaedra eats dead people. And Pinky has made it very clear that she does not eat meat. Trust me. When we were on my trip in Dallas, that was one of the issues that we were having, that she didn't feel like there was enough vegan options.
C
Yes.
D
On the menu, which I am here to say, you know, she ended up ordering fries. But there was. There were definitely some other food, vegan options, salads and, you know, all kinds of stuff on the menu. So. But, you know, here's the thing with vegans, and I love vegans. My boyfriend is, like, pretty much a vegan at this point. I have tons of vegan friends. And, you know, usually if we go to dinner, like, they already know they're going to have to, like, kind of try to figure it out, because this is a lifestyle choice that they have chosen for themselves. And sometimes, you know, they just don't have. Well, most times they just don't have as many options as someone who's not vegan, so.
F
Right.
E
So do you see Pinky's perspective or do you think, like, was there a discussion prior to going to the restaurant if Pinky could eat there?
D
I was told by production that there was all kind of food options. But, you know, we're in Texas, so I knew that, you know, for me, yeah, you know, like, there was gonna be a lot of meat around.
C
Yeah.
D
But then, you know what, the whole vegan thing, like, I don't know. Like, you know, some vegans, they don't actually to see people eat meat either. You know what I mean? Because they don't eat it. But, you know, I don't know. I mean, it depends. It depends on how deep you go with your veganism.
C
Yeah.
D
Is that a word? Veganism?
C
Veganism, yeah.
A
Who did you warm up to faster? Or. Who are you closest with now? K. Michelle or. Or. Or Pinky?
D
Oh, wow. That's a good question. I actually have a great relationship with both of them, to be honest. Like, they're two very different people. I love them both. I love them both as part of this cast. I think they bring two very different things to the show. You know, I love the fresh energy that they bring. Like, right now, it's kind of, like, all over the place, and everybody's watching. Everybody's watching the show, which I'm really super excited about. But I'm at a good place with both of them. I'm still getting to know both of them. It takes me a while to really get to know people, and I don't really force myself on people. I really am just letting it organically play out. But I think they're both great.
C
I feel like you are. So you're a Pisces, and you're just so great at conflict resolution amongst and keeping peace between all of the world.
D
Am I?
C
I think you are.
D
No, I think 50 Cent. 50 Cynthia is great at public resolution.
C
Okay. Yeah, you're right about that.
D
Once I get this off. Yeah. Then it's a whole other thing. But I do try until I have to tap into my little offense.
A
Well, it's more like the. The 50 cents good at the conflict and the Cynthia Bailey Cynthia comes in resolution.
D
Exactly.
C
Ultimately, Housewives duo, it's a collaborative effort. Well, in the. In the name of the collaborative effort between 50 Cent and Cynthia Bailey, what do you think is your advice to Housewives on the perfect amount of conflict and then resolution?
D
I think it's totally fine to disagree about things or go back and forth about things. I think that's normal in a group of women. However, I do think it's good to actually agree to disagree and not drag it too long and just get on the other side of it. Like, I'm me. I, you know, believe what I believe, and I feel how I feel. And I don't expect everyone to feel and believe the same thing that I feel and believe. Like, it's. It just doesn't. You know, that doesn't exist. But again, one of the things that I learned was to try not to, like, stay in my feelings too long. And that was, like, very hard for me because, like, when I get mad, I'm like, I just really don't want to be around you anymore or really have to deal with you. But on a reality show, something happens, and then you're eating a crab cake next to them in the next 20 minutes, like, 20 minutes after, so. Or having a margarita with them. So it just doesn't. Like, you kind of have to understand that it's good to try to be able to move on. I don't even think the fans, like, when we stayed mad too long. Cause they're like, all right, girl, get over it. We're like, wait a minute. It's only been one episode. I was mad. Dang. Can I, like, be mad at this girl for at least two episodes? They're like, girl, we're over it already. It was not that deep. You know what I mean?
A
I feel like everyone's out of tune when you're in comedy conflict, Cynthia, because you're usually, like, the voice of reason.
D
Well, I try. I try. And I do choose peace. I choose peace. I don't always get peace. And I will say, and I think you guys would agree, I don't really go into anything trying to have conflict. I really, really don't. Like, I'm more of a responder to smoke. I'm not really coming in. Like, you know, it's not like the cast is looking at me like, oh, Lord, here comes Cynthia. We know it's about to be some smoke now. Like, she's about to come in and, like, you know, turn it up, up. That's not my role. That's not who I am in real life. You know, I like trying to be a mediator. I like trying to have, like, real conversations and just get to the other side of it. I. I don't want any smoke, but if you bring me some smoke, then we gonna smoke.
A
There we go. Why do you think there's so many rumors in this group about women sleeping with other people's husbands?
D
I don't know. It seems to be super heavy for Atlanta. Right. And I feel like. Like it's every season.
A
Do you think there's, like, some stuff going on there? Or do you think it's, like, something in this group or that's the mud lay, like, the throw because of. Of. Of the damage it can do.
D
Yeah.
A
And I'm. I can't help but wonder if, like, is. Do you. Do you think there are, you know, where there's smoke, they're fire, so to speak, or do you think it's just, you know, in the heat of the moment, saying things that maybe you regret?
D
I don't know why the whole sleeping with the merit men thing continuously comes up on Atlanta. It's. I really honestly don't. And I don't even know what's really true and what's not really true when it comes to that stuff. I do think that sometimes when you're in a friend circle like this and you have different women and different personalities on the show, I think that when you're in a fight with someone, I think some people are just more comfortable just throwing out anything they can. And I'm not saying that some of the accusations are not true. What I am saying is I definitely know that, you know, I've definitely been in this friend circle a long time, and a lot of the women are not beneath lying as well, so it could just go either way. So it could be true. It could be a lie. I've seen people get caught in lies, and I've seen people be, you know, caught in a situation where it was their truth.
E
Well, speaking of this, and I will preface this with saying I love Kelly, but do you think Kelly is kind of being a mean girl towards Portia's efforts to, like, fix what she brought up? And I'm referencing, like, the roses. And, like, even after that, I think
D
that, first of all, I don't think what's going on with Kelly and Portia is beyond repair. I mean, you know, some horrible things have been said on both sides, and it's just where they are. I think that, you know, they've just taken it to hell at this point. So now, you know, when they get tired of being in hell, I think that there's a conversation that can be had for sure. I do think it's workoutable, for sure. But I think that Kelly. I felt like Portia sending the flowers was kind of an olive branch, to be honest. And I just don't think Kelly was ready. Like, I don't think she is interested in trying to fix it right now. I think she just needs more time for whatever reason, and that's. That's her choice.
C
Why do you think everyone is so obsessed with Black? It seems like he gets so much attention.
D
I don't know. That would have to be a question. Like, that whole conversation is really between Drew and K. Michelle. I don't know Black. I've met him on the five hour zoom call. So that was happening at Portia's dinner, and he seemed like a nice guy. I know he's a successful business person. He was, you know, I don't know. I really can't really answer that because I've never met the man before, but he seems like a likable person, so I don't know.
A
That FaceTime Darren thing was crazy.
D
I know, right? Well, she said bring a date. She didn't say it couldn't be a zoom date.
E
I respect it.
C
It's true. And you. You had your. Your man on your zoom date?
D
Well, no, he wasn't there from the beginning.
C
He just said he was there in the beginning.
A
No, that's the thing. It's the whole time just sitting there.
C
It's like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He was there the entire time with the rest.
D
No, that was. That was a different kind of commitment. Prince basically was like, hey, let's say hi to everyone, and I'm out. Like, he was in. He was in. And he was in another country. He was in the net. He was in the Netherlands. So he had a. A very valid excuse not to be there. Yeah. Otherwise he would have been.
E
I have a quick final question. Who won the duel, Angela or Pinky?
D
Oh, man. Oh, I'm gonna have to give it to Angela because she just kept her cool, stayed in her seat, you know, Just was so effortless with, like. She's just so smooth with her shade. You know what I mean? You know, one of my prayers every time I film is like, lord, please let me never get into it with Angela Oakley, because she will read me under the table, because I'm not that quick, and, like, I need some. I need some time to kind of, like, for my comeback backs. However. However, Pinky did not go down easily. She did not go down without a fight.
E
She sat back down.
D
I felt like she did. She sat back down. She got back up.
C
Nevertheless, she persisted.
D
Yeah, but. But Pinky. Pinky was a good sparring partner. Pinky did her thing. I just felt like, you know, the one that. The smoother one won, because if Angela was sweating, we never saw. You know, with. When you're playing a game like that, when you're going back and forth is like, even if you are sweaty, you never let them see you sweaty.
E
Wasn't even on.
D
Like, for someone who has a whole fan line, I never saw that woman sweat. Okay.
A
Do you think Angela is more comfortable with the group in her sophomore season?
D
Oh, yeah. I think Angela is very comfortable with herself, and I think she's a great addition to the show. And I feel like. I feel like Angela. You know what I love about Angela? Angela's the kind of person. She sits back and she observes a lot. Like, she. I know you guys see her like, reading people all the time. But she's not really, like a super talkative person.
F
Like, she.
D
She takes in everything. So when she does have something to say, I'm always listening because I'm kind of all over the place in the scene. I'm like, oh, my God, what's happening? Da da, da, da. I. I don't. I'm not always the most observant and everything goes over my head. Like, the whole Worcester thing, like, whatever. Like, I'm always like, wait, what? What happened? Who said what? You know, But Angela's like, like, you know, laser focused on everything that everyone says. And. And to a point, too, to her credit, she remembers stuff like that was said. Like, literally when a scene is over, I literally forget everything that happened in the scene. So when I'm doing my interviews, a lot of times they're like, so. So when you said this in the scene, whatever, I was like, what? I said what? What happened? And then they would literally have to, like, tell me what happened in the scene. I'd be like, oh, I did say that. Okay, all right, well, let me address that. But I am like, girl, as soon as we wrap up, I completely forget everything.
A
Yeah.
D
Which is not. Which is not useful because at the reunion, which is coming up, we're getting ready to shoot that in a couple of weeks. We have to relive all this stuff. And, you know, when I'm responding to certain things, if I forget, like, some of the main things that happened when I was going back and forth with someone or just something that happened to someone else and I'm chiming in on, I'm like, I have to really kind of know my facts a little bit more because I can't defend something or even defend myself if I don't remember what the hell happened.
C
So.
D
Yeah.
C
What is the main and energy you're bringing into this reunion?
D
I always try to bring love and light, but, you know, I definitely have. I'm definitely locked and loaded if I need it.
E
You will be bringing smoke.
C
You have the smoke. You got the smoke in a bottle.
D
Well, I'm just saying this. I. Again, I am completely fine with having conversations for the most part. You know, I already know what happens in the season. I really don't have a real, real, real issue. However, you know, I've had disagreements. I've definitely been pulled into things where I've had strong opinions about it. So if I need to, you know, step up, then I'm fine with doing that. You know what I mean? It's just like it is what it is. Like, it's good to, like, be locked and loaded at the reunion than not be now. If I don't have to use anything, you know, I mean, if I don't have to, you know, shoot any shots or whatever, then great, I'll just take my lock and load itself back to Lake Bailey after. But it's good to be prepared because I don't know what's coming my way. I ended up being a lot more, you know, as a friend of the show, I actually ended up being a lot more involved in the season that I even had planned to like. I was just excited that I got a chance to do the girls trip for Tequila Commissario. Shout out to Adrienne Maloof and her family for bringing me into that and my partner JC as well. But I just thought, like, okay, you know, I'll be in it a little bit. But I didn't really think I was gonna have any real. Real back and forth.
E
So you opened the whole season.
F
I did.
A
I think they just give you your damn peach.
D
Well, thank you. I appreciate that. Well, we'll see. I mean, I never say never.
A
Segue a little bit. Cynthia, have you ever met Bethany Frankel?
D
You know what? I don't know that I've actually met Bethany. I feel like I must have been around her at some point. We have so many friends in common, but I don't think I've ever really spent any real time where I could say, like, we ever had any real conversations.
A
Have you seen the latest online drama that she's a part of?
D
Oh, I saw something about, like, some shoes that she didn't tag or something.
A
Something like that. Justin, you. Can you explain it for our audience? It's like she. I'm kind of team Bethany.
E
Well, I was gonna ask Cynthia, do you know Dina Manzo?
D
Yeah, I do.
E
So what happened is Dina Manzo's daughter has a brand, a clothing brand, and she sent shoes to Bethany a couple months ago. And Bethany has posted videos and photos in these shoes, but never tagged the brand until recently. And she tagged a dupe instead with an affiliate link. So she didn't even tag Dina's daughter's brand. So basically, Dina's daughter, like, called her out, I guess, is a way to say, and just said, like, I looked up to you. I sent these to you because you're an entrepreneur. You've been on Shark Tank. She just feels like she's been duped because they never promoted the brand. And then basically, Bethany clapped back and was like, Well, I think this is a good like business learning experience.
A
What did Bethany say in her response?
E
She just says like, I don't usually respond to things, but I think there's a business lesson here.
A
But what was the business lesson?
F
I think it was, I think the gist of it was like, don't send
D
celebrities free stuff or like once it's
F
in my, once it's in my hands, like you don't get a say in what I do with it kind of a thing.
E
Yeah.
A
What's the lesson?
F
I.
E
You're sending like product to an influencer.
F
Yeah. Or maybe a follow up. Because I, they did, she did post the DM where she said beth. And he was like, sure. It was like very brief. It wasn't like, oh my God, I would love to tag your product and link back. I think they just offered to send the product and they, she said sure and like listed an email where I feel like the business lesson to, to infer from my perspective would be like, okay, well if you're expecting a post or a link, then you need to go through and, and make sure that there's confirmation that she's going to link it back or post about it or whatever.
C
I feel like the business lesson from Bethany was like, like, don't expect people
D
to give you free promo.
C
Free promo. If you're not going to like count them on it.
F
Yeah, yeah.
D
All right. So here's the thing with that because I get free stuff all the time and I've also sent some of my products, my skincare and different things to celebrities. When you send any of your products to a celebrity or anyone, an influencer, there is no guarantee that they are
A
going to post it, especially if it's unsolicited. Right. Like if you're just like, hey, we'd love to send you product, hope that you like, like it.
D
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well now usually most people say it would be great if you could tag me in the post if you do post it. Like you, you always are hopeful that they actually do tag you if they do wear or use the product. However, it's never a guarantee unless you have a contract with them where you actually paying them to post and tag you and, and tag the, the company or whatever, that's a whole different situation. But if it's just like we're going to send you these shoes, it's pretty much up to Bethany to, to do it. But I will just say for me, because I've been, you know, I get sent a lot of free stuff all the Time, if I actually wear something, a piece of clothing, like, first of all, I already forgot where I got it from half of the time. And even if it was free, a lot, so. But if the company says, hey, because a lot of times they'll take the picture if they see me in it, and then they will say what it is, and then put it in and then ask me to. And put it in the story to, like, share it, and then I'll just reshare it. Like, I would. I'd be like, oh, my God, that's right. I got this shirt from this. This company. And I'll just reshare. Like, I won't even think, like, I actually have the intention to tag people. But sometimes you just forget or whatever. But if it's brought to my attention, and clearly this girl brought it to her attention in a very big way, I would have no problem saying, girl, here's your tag. Like, why do I want to go back and forth with you about that? I think that's crazy. And just a little like. Like, you know, like, why not? Like, what does it cost to, like, tag somebody for a free pair of shoes if. If. Especially if they do all the work for you.
A
Yeah.
D
You just got to repost it.
A
It seemed like Beth, Bethany's response was after her daughter, like, called, like, put her on blast online. But I. I agree with you. I'm sure you get sent a ton of stuff now. I get sent a ton of stuff. Even if you have the best intentions, you often forget or lose track.
D
Yeah.
A
Yeah. And so it's like. And. And so sometimes now, like, sometimes when people ask, ask, you know, sometimes I know. Well, you'll just say no because you're like, I don't know what these people expect or want. I'm not sure if I need it, you know, and sometimes you want to avoid putting yourself in that situation. And it seemed like Dina's daughter. It's almost as if, like, she assumed the con, like, the. The association between her mom and Bethany being kind of, like, associates, that she kind of assumed that Bethany would, like, do something about it. I don't know. I mean, maybe the lessons, like, don't assume. I don't. I don't know.
D
Yeah, well. Well, yeah, that is. That is a good lesson. But I do think, like, now if, you know, I get stuff from all kind of people now, if I'm getting someone from anyone in the Bravo verse, because I feel like a certain sisterhood with most of these. Most of these people, whether I've met them or not. And their kid is sending me something like, it's going to be a little bit more on my radar because I'm like, I probably know their mom or whatever. I've probably seen them at Bravo Con. Like, I feel like. I feel like there is somewhat of a connection. Connection to that as opposed to someone that is not in the Bravo verse. So I would be a little bit more like, oh, this is Dano's daughter. Oh, shit, let me make sure I tag her stuff.
A
What would you do if your child started a business line of some kind and did what Dina's daughter did and without you knowing, went out and put one of your housewife friends or associates on blast because they felt like they didn't tag their product? What would you say, if anything, to your kid?
D
Well, first of all, Noah wouldn't do that.
F
She's.
D
You know, she wouldn't do that. That's just not how she moves. But if she did. Well, if she did, I would. That would be an issue for me. I wouldn't want her to do that because I'm like, now, you know, you're creating smoke with me between these people. Because, you know, when it's our kids, we're parents like, Nick, you already know. You got little kids. But when they get older, trust and believe, you know, we're very protective over our kids. We don't want their feelings hurt. Hurt. We don't want them upset about anything, you know, any of that stuff. So I would not even want Noelle to put herself in that position for that kind of stuff. Like, if she was interested in sending anyone that I know from the Bravo verse, anything, I would, like, literally call and be like, hey, Noelle wants to send you something from her. Her T line or whatever. You know, would you mind giving her a post or just reposting the what. Whatever it is. Like, I would definitely try to, like, get in the middle of that a little bit to be like, and if you just don't want the stuff, then that's cool, too. We wanted to offer it.
C
Yeah. This is actually. We do have a quote from Bethany on what she. She did say. Bethany said. So playing the short game and whining and being a crybaby about something that didn't go your way in business means you're not a real business person. You have a lot to learn. Because I would have worn all the shoes on your site, and you would have sold thousands of pairs and made hundreds of thousands of dollars. She added before sharing that she'll be exercising her choice not to Promote. Which is a very Bethany fragment.
A
That is a. That is. I mean, listen, not wrong. Little harsh.
D
I think. I think the message. I understand what she. I get the message. I think the delivery is a little harsh. For sure.
C
Yeah.
D
I mean, it's like, damn, Bethany.
C
Like Kim Kardashian. You would know if you had run a business.
F
Yeah.
A
Bethany really cared. She should have called her friend Dina and said, if your daughter's willing, I'd love to talk to her and give her some advice.
D
Exactly, exactly.
A
And she probably could have handled that offline.
F
Yeah, yeah.
D
And. And then, I don't know, I would just say not to cut you off, Nick, that Bethany would just be a little more sensitive with our wording because she has a young daughter. You know what I mean? Like, what if, like, somebody. I think Bethany would definitely feel some kind of way if somebody was. If she felt they were, like, being disrespectful to her kid. You know what I mean? So I think that's where the mom thing comes in. The mom thing comes in thing for me, because I would be like, hey, how would I want someone to speak to my kid or respond to my kid?
A
How old is Dina's daughter?
E
29.
F
29.
A
All right, well, if a 20. If a 29 year old puts you on blast, then I guess it's fair game.
F
I think that's the hard part is like, I think reading between the lines to put somebody on blast like that, you're. Without giving them the opportunity to correct it in dms. DMS don't count because I'm sure a lot of us know, like, you can miss a ton of.
D
We don't always see them.
F
We don't.
D
We don't always see the dms, but I think the.
F
The action and maybe the business lesson that she's referenc. And I'm not saying it's right how Bethany handled it, but it would be like maybe going to Bethany's people, finding an email and getting in touch with me and being like, hey, I sent these shoes. Like my mom and her are friends. I know she posted the affiliate link, but we would love to send her an affiliate link for hours. And yeah, you know, if she could correct it or if you do the tag and maybe Bethany can repost, like,
D
that's the easiest thing. I mean, I think the lesson. We're talking about the lesson. I think the lesson is for anyone that's listening to this and they send any celebrities or influencers, any personal products is to not expect anything and just be excited when you get something, because. And then make it easy. Make it easy for that. That influencer and. And just post it. If you see us wearing it, screenshot it, post it. Post that thing right away. Tag it and tag us in it, and then we'll just repost it, like, nine times out of 10. So nobody is going to, like, not repost it. I mean, it's right there. All you have to do is click
A
the button, especially if, like, whatever it is you're sending, if it.
D
If they like it and we're actually wearing it.
A
But more importantly, if you can't afford them not to reshare, you know, like, if the cost of sending it to them or making it or whatever, like, don't send it, you know, because, like, I think that's true a lot where it's just like, obviously if you have a small business, you're putting your heart and soul and sweat and tears and everything you have into it. So I understand where, like, that passion comes from. But, yeah, it's like, sometimes you kind of project that expectation on someone who's like, I don't. Like, I don't. I didn't ask for this. Like, you asked if I want it. I said sure. I kind of regret saying sure now. It's become work for me. You know, I didn't. I didn't ask for this type of thing. But, yeah, it's a fine line. It's a fine line.
D
Yeah, it's true. It's true. And then just to wrap it on up, even if she had, like, I felt like she could have had a con, Even though she's 29, I think she could have just got some advice from her mom and just said, hey, you know what? I kind of feel some kind of way that, like, Bethany's wearing the shoes and, you know, he's not attacking me or whatever. What do you think I should do? Because Dina knows how this world works a little bit more. So that could have been an option. But in any case, I think what we learned is a, to your point, don't send anything out that you can't afford to send out or you don't feel like you're going to get any. Any value in and sending it to this person. And don't expect them to post. Like, it's always great when they do, but if they don't, like, I don't know if you need to put them on blank last. Like, there's other ways to kind of deal with it, because that would make me, like, you know, not want to get the shoes either. I'm like, wait a minute now. If I don't post it, I'm going to be like on TMZ the next day. Like, what the hell?
E
You know, I think someone needs to say it. I think Dena's daughter is a successful businesswoman and knows how to market her goods.
F
Because now we're all talking about it. I had the same thought.
C
Yes, exactly.
D
And they're cute shoes. I actually matter of fact send me a pair of them cuz they look. They're really cute.
F
They are really cute. They are super cute shoes.
A
Shout out to her, cynthia, always great to have you on. Thank you for coming. Before we let Cynthia go, just know you can listen to Cynthia on Humble brag with her amazing co star Crystal Minkoff every week. And if you can't get enough of that, be sure to watch Cynthia on Real Housewives of Atlanta the rest of the season. We're really enjoying this season. You women are always delivering and you're obviously including that Cynthia. And they really need to give you just a peach. I think it's, um. Let's just, let's, let's just make it official. It's like there's like you and like, I know like Brittany Bayman. So there's some of these like friends of where they're so ingrained in the storyline. Like I don't feel like that's like a friend of type of role where it's like the pop and pop out where like they kind of are there. I don't know, it just seems. But like I'm not, I'm not the producer of these shows. What do I know?
D
Well, the friend role, the friend role is changing. Like I feel like every year it definitely changes. And for me, because I've been, been on a part of the show for so long as a housewife. The ladies, and I give the credit to all of the ladies, they don't treat me like a friend at a show. They all treat me with love and respect. They all. I pretty much do pretty much everything they do. Even doing a trip was like, you know, they were all happy and excited for me to like, you know, to like do my thing. So I, I think for me I'm like a different kind of friend because I've been doing the housewife thing for so long. So I love, I love position. But you know, I'll never say never.
A
Okay, Always a pleasure, Cynthia.
D
All right, love you guys.
A
Bye, love you. Bye.
C
Love you.
A
Well, Nelly and I have been talking about how we've Become a little bit more intentional about what we wear day to day. The seasons are changing. It's always a good time for a refresh and we always go to Quints to stock up on new seasonal wear. Their sweatshirts, their hoodies, their T shirts, their jackets for men or are fantastic. Quince also uses 100% European linen, organic cotton and ultra soft denim. All their fabrics are wonderfully comfortable and soft. If you maybe got a summer trip lined up and maybe you're going to some hot winter, stock up on some high quality linen pieces for you and your family. Everything is priced about 50 to 80% less than similar brands because they cut out the middleman and work directly with ethical factories. So you're really paying for quality, not the markup. I love everything that Quinn's does. Their selection is fantastic. It's really an absolute great one stop shop for you and your family. I love a good jacket. So ladies, if you're trying to give a man in your life something nice, give him a nice like spring jacket. He'll really appreciate it. And Quince has a great selection for you to shop for him. Also. Quince's denim has been a standup for me. I'm particularly picky with my denim. It really needs to hold its form. And Quince fabrics do just that with their jeans. Can't say enough of great things about Quint, from their prices to the product to the whole shopping experience. If you need to refresh, look to Quint. Refresh your everyday with luxury. You'll actually head to quince.comv I a L L for free shipping on Your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Quince. Q U I n c e.com/v I a l l for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.comv I a l l 91% of dog parents say that their pup is basically a member of the family. Include Natalie and I in that 91%. While Ollie is making sure that you can put your app actions where your words are. Because if you feed your family good quality food that is good for them and that they love, Ali is helping pet parents out there feed your dogs high quality dog food that they will love and they will feel good about. Ollie meals are developed by real chefs and backed by vet nutritionists. So it's not just dog food. It's high quality intentional nutrition for your pup. Everything comes tailored to your dog. Meals are perfectly portioned and even sent in a pup tainer. So feeding is simple and organized. Organized through their app, you can also upload photos and get insights from vets on things like weight digestion, teeth, and coat. It's just an easy way to stay in tune with your dog's health over time. Since switching to Ollie, it's obvious how excited Jeff and Steve are to eat all the time. They absolutely love it and I like the things that make my dogs happy and feel good. And their energy is up. They're feeling great and I can't say enough great things about Ollie. Get ready for both you and your pup to become a obsessed. Head to ali.comv tell them about your dog and use our code V I A L l to get 70% off your welcome kit when you subscribe today. Plus, they offer an obsession guarantee. If you're not completely obsessed, you'll get your money back. That's O l l I e.comv I a L L and enter code V I A L l to get 70% off your first box. Ollie, feed the obsession. Always great to have Cynthia join us.
C
I love.
A
I'm just glad we're up and running on Atlanta. Sorry for those listening. Justin and Mary have been like. It's just like we've been so busy with so many other shows. I just like I had to have the right frame of mind.
E
Yeah, I write hard for my housewives in Atlanta. Never fails.
C
And trust that we have been keeping up. We've been taking notes.
A
They're. They're easy to catch up with. So if you haven't started watching Atlanta, you should probably.
C
What are you doing?
A
No, no, Mary, I'm sure they're. I'm sure they're doing something.
C
I know I was. I was being a bit hyperbolic. I just think Atlanta is great.
E
I think since ultimate road trip is coming, if you're not watching any housewife season airing, you're in the wrong spot.
C
Exactly.
A
All right, we got some Perfect Match. We got Chris from Age of Attraction, also star of Perfect Match. What's Chris's last name? I only know these people by the first name and I feel his last
E
name is from Age of Attraction.
C
Chris from Age of Attraction.
A
That's. Is that like everyone's Perfect Match name? Ali Luber.
B
No.
A
Well, see, I know Ali Luber. We said this last week when we were previewing Perfect Match. But isn't Ally so great on the show?
C
Ali has been my absolute favorite part of Perfect Match this season. She is just such a breath of fresh air especially. I just love seeing her like thrive post that DJ you know, dating a dj.
D
Yeah.
F
That's a. That's a pipeline.
C
Yeah.
F
Post dj.
C
It's also just like Amanda Batulo. Look at who you could have been.
A
I don't think I'm. No, I'm going to say. I'm going to say it. No offense to Amanda, because even though we're down on an Amanda right now, we. We can still offend, and that's. And we should be cognizant. Anyway, I don't think. I don't think Amanda has this in her.
E
Yeah. I just feel like Ally has, like, the younger Persona where she can play into, like, the, like, Delulu.
A
It's more than that.
F
I think she knows what she's doing.
C
She knows exactly what she's doing.
F
In a funny way, I think they're
A
relatively the same age. Ally's in her early 30s. Amanda's in her mid-30s.
F
I think when I heard. I heard rumors that Ali was going to be iconic this season.
C
30.
E
Yeah. And Amanda's 34.
F
Okay. I kind of. I don't want to say, like, question that, but I was like, I just don't. I don't know. Like, Perfect Match is a very, like, ostentatious kind of show. And I was like, I don't know that I really see her, like, leaning in. I feel like she knows exactly what she's doing.
C
She understood the assignment.
F
She understood the assignment. She's like, I'm gonna be messy.
E
She was going on the violin in her head.
D
Yeah.
E
She brought the tea.
F
Literally.
A
But not.
C
She.
A
She wasn't, like, messy and, like, showed up just to, like. You know, because some people show up and they're just like, well, I just want to be in tv, so I'm going to be literally messy and sloppy and. And. And. And often that requires them to be careless with other people's feelings.
F
Yeah.
A
You know, if we're. If we're including Amanda in this conversation since, I mean, honestly, shout out to us. We haven't really talked about Summer House once this episode.
C
I did bring us back into it. I apologize.
A
No apology needed.
C
I'm okay.
D
Good.
A
It's the most fantasy, fascinating topic on the Internet right now.
D
Right.
C
To Gaba.
A
Anyways. But, like, we could. You know, we could. There's two more still more to reality recaps this week. Ali is the star of Perfect Match. She is the literal lead of this show. And a show that doesn't necessarily designate a lead like, say, the Bachelor would. Right. Amanda Petulla could never. And I'm not even trying to say that in a snarky, disrespectful way. But, like, I know that a Kyle. Amanda have been like, they're. They're like. They were like the. The main couple, so to speak. But it was never because Amanda, like, led. You know what I'm saying? And by, like, leading a scene, you know, you. You weren't always this. Like, you. You know, now with Allie on your TV screen, when she leaves your TV screen, you're like, give me more Ally.
C
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
A
You know, you're enjoying her moments. She is.
C
She just has such a light presence to her that's so engaging on camera.
A
The only time right now Amanda has really been, like, carrying the show is when she's caught up in this shit, you know, it's not because she is bringing, like, wit. And I'm not even trying to say that I'm. This is not like an Amanda Pylon section. It is. This is, like, giving Ally her flowers and, like, Ali, again, was someone who was the girlfriend of a star of a show. And I use star lightly, but, like, you know, I mean, he was.
E
He was on a show for a long time.
C
He was.
F
He.
C
He had some iconic lines on that show as well. He was a mainstay.
A
He was a main character on a cast full of mainstream characters.
D
Right.
F
That's such a good way to put it.
A
And she, you know, Ally, like, that wasn't her role. And now that she is in this, like, it is, like, crazy. I mean, not crazy. It's awesome to see. She's so. She's so fun to watch.
C
Charming is the perfect word. She likes charm.
E
She's just. She's so wholesome. But then her being. Yeah, let's kiss. And then she wave at Jimmy.
F
Yeah, exactly. Wait, are you mad at me?
D
Are you mad at me?
C
Well, I think that's, like. To your guys's point, and Nick, to your point, too, is like, she's going there. There to have.
D
She's going.
C
She's going there to have fun and be messy, but in a positive way. Like, she's.
F
Yeah.
C
What Ali. What Ali has the ability to do that not everyone on reality TV has the ability to do is to, like, go into a situation with, like, good intentions and you believe it, and she's just there to have fun and have a good time.
F
Yeah.
C
And, like, she's going to be a little messy because it's tv, but she's not going to, like, take it so seriously that she's going to let it, you know, like, hurt her. And I really Love that.
E
Okay, wait. Who's everybody's number one perfect Mouth choices, guys and girls going around the room.
D
Yeah.
E
No, like, if you had to choose
A
your guy and your girl to date or like, to play matchmaker to date. I'm married. I'm married.
E
Okay, but this is the hypothetical.
F
We can play over here.
E
Then if you're out.
A
I cannot be a former reality TV person who says that this would be the person I would date if I was.
E
That's true.
F
You can choose a boy. But we can choose a boy.
A
Jimmy.
F
Okay, Jimmy.
C
Which one?
F
Oh, yeah. Perfect match. Jimmy.
A
Love is blind.
F
Oh, yeah.
E
I like Jimmy.
A
S. No, I'm sorry. Damari.
F
Damari.
E
Oh, Damari is hot, too.
F
Damari.
C
If I'm picking a girl, I'm picking. I'm picking Ali. No question. If I'm picking a boy. Here's the thing. I want to say Damari, but Damari is a little. I don't know, his attitude. A bit of the times I'm just like, what do you mean, his attitude?
A
He's.
C
It's not that he has an attitude. He just. The way he kind of shuts down a little bit sometimes. I understand.
A
I'm on his side with Marissa. Love her, but, like, she showed up to perfect being like, you have to date me or I'll kill you.
C
I know. And I'm not saying I'm. Honestly, I'm more team Damari than team Marissa. I could just see myself if I was dating Damari.
E
I will say maybe getting a little annoyed. Mary is right when they were in the. The boardroom, whatever they call it, and Marissa's like, wait, so you're friends? And, like, so you would go with her if she came after you? And he's like, I don't know. Yeah, that was not the right answer.
C
Yeah. That was the part where I was
F
like, tomorrow, I think he was looking. He's hoping a little bit.
C
Yeah.
D
Yeah.
C
But overall, I would probably pick Damari or that cowboy that came in.
F
Yeah, the cowboy. He's. He's like a part of the singles, right?
C
Yeah.
E
Weston.
A
I need.
F
I need more from him to. To be able to agree or disagree. But, yeah, that was. He was.
C
He came in with an interesting energy that I would maybe want to couple up with.
F
Okay.
A
There's a. There's an intensity to Marisa's dude dating choices I didn't see on Love is Blind.
E
I love her.
A
I don't. I love her, you know, but she is a.
D
Let her cook.
A
She is very intentional.
F
Let's Just say, I think she probably represents how a lot of women would actually be, if I'm being honest. Yeah, you know, a lot of people. Not just women, but people.
A
Well, we have Chris from Perfect Match coming up next. But before we get into Chris, I, I, I, listen, I, I, I, I appreciate the cast members like Nelly and I have talked about some Age of Attraction. We, it's like, there's a closeness that we feel to that cast. We look out for them. We are rooting for all of their successes. We obviously had Chris on Age of Attraction, and we announced his appearance of Perfect Match at the Age of Attraction reunion. And it came up in both our interview with Chris for Age of Attraction at the reunion that he seems to be very, like, aware of reality tv, and it seems to have been, like, something that was on his radar for some time, and that's not a crime. Coupled with that, you see him on the show and he, he acknowledges that he has this habit of, like, moving fast. He even named it as potentially love bombing. And then we see him whip out this, like. Was it like a Prada wallet or something? I don't know. It was a nice wallet, a very nice designer thing. And in, like, strange angley wants to give it to Mackenzie after one night.
E
I would take it.
F
So funny.
A
Would you take it? Susie on a first date, guy whips out designer bag, says, do you want this? I'm just like, I don't know. It's just, like, sitting in my car.
F
I don't actually, in the real world, I actually don't think I would because I think I would be like, oh,
C
there's, like, something behind this.
E
Yeah.
F
I'd be like, oh, like, this has never happened to me before. So I think I would be, like, cautious of it.
C
If you were on Perfect Match, would you take it?
F
If I was on Perfect Match, yeah. I'd be like. And then I'd go to the camera and I'd be like, this guy's crazy taking this home with me.
C
Do you want to match with him?
A
We talk with Chris coming up next. I, I, I challenge him a little bit, like, because, like, again, I'm rooting for Chris. He's a very nice guy in person. He's very lovely. He's, you know, he's just, he's nice. He's charming.
D
Yeah.
A
And you can tell, you can see that how, how the cast feels about him. But he's doing the thing that I've been talking so much about lately, which is, like, I think, you know, connects with the Weston Summer house, which is like this kind of new kind of guy who, like, he knows what love bombing is. He can name the thing. It's all part of the charm. Or it's like, oh, he's self aware. Like, I'm working on being a love bomber. Meanwhile, like, do you want this purse? And it's so like, it's the thing where it's just like these guys, like, Chris is as well intentioned as he claims to be or maybe even is. Like, it's a type of behavior that at 26 years old, I think you have to start, like taking a little bit more seriously and not like, chalk it up as to like a goof and like, my bad. Or. And if you can name the thing that you're working on because, like, good on Mackenzie for like being like, I don't know. That's not for me. For me. And obviously that's a little like, like, that's like a little on the nose where, you know, like, I don't think anyone would not feel a little uncomfortable receiving a gift like that. And even if they were, like, really excited about it, there, there's always like, what is. What is this costing me? But more often it's not as obvious. It's a more subtle thing. Then Kayla walks in and then he's like, just as in love with her. And like when he talks to these women, both of these women, he's just like being like, hey, listen, I'm feeling really great about this. This is like, I'm locked in. And he's clearly not locked in. He's like locked in in the moment, you know? And like, you know, it's just like, I think a lot of people. And it's not just men. I think a lot of people like that. Well, like, their. Their excuse is like, well, that's how I felt then when I said it,
C
it's like, I'm a lover boy or I'm a lover girl. I feel like that's what's been used. That's the word that gets used now.
F
Yeah.
C
And I'm like, I don't think that's what they. That means. But okay.
A
Anyways, we talked to Chris about this. I wanted to see what he wanted to say because I. He's very smart, he's self aware, he's a nice guy. But he does this thing where it's just like again. And when we interviewed him, when he had him on Age of Attraction, there was a part of me that was this more like, I was more empathetic to Leah because like, the combination of him, like, obviously, like being interested in being on reality TV and moving quickly, quickly. I thought he got careless with Leah's feelings. And, you know, that's always like this fine line in relationships is some. Like when you enter in a romantic relationship and feelings are intense, like sometimes you get hurt. You know, your feelings get hurt. And that doesn't always mean that the other person did something wrong or bad or nefarious. Sometimes like their feelings just changed. And that's okay. But when you watch this type of behavior, like you see from Crazy Chris, and if that is a pattern, that is hard not to say, like, yo, you can't keep moving like this because you are in fact going to be hurting a lot of women that you shouldn't have to hurt just for the sake of trying to make a connection. And yeah, I just. He does the thing where it's just like, oh, I just. I didn't know better. You know, it's very West Wilson coded where it's like, it's really funny and really charming and really cute until. Until it's not.
C
Yeah.
A
You know, until someone really gets up over it.
F
That's. I think you hit the nail on the head on that.
A
Well, we do have Chris up next and we have a conversation about this very thing with Chris. So I'm excited to hear what you guys have to say about it. Tomorrow we will get into all things Perfect Match cover episodes four and five. We also have Ali Luber and Allison from Perfect Match joining us tomorrow as well as we'll cover the Real Housewives of Rhode island island that dropped on Sunday. And then we have a jam packed episode for you on Thursday as well. But right now it's Chris from Perfect Match. Welcome back, lover boy.
B
I'm happy to be here. I'm excited.
A
You didn't bring your sunglasses.
B
I brought them. I left them. Left him in the lobby.
A
I didn't want.
C
You don't want to be mean to you.
A
Yeah.
B
I was like, let me start on a good, good note here.
A
How did you feel like your perfect MASH experience went, Chris? Let's start there.
B
I feel a lot more confident in myself. I think I was a lot more vulnerable on Perfect Match. I wouldn't say it was good or bad, but it was definitely something different. And I'm excited for the world to watch, honestly.
A
Okay. Okay. Obviously we got to know you a little bit on on Age of Attraction and then we had you on the reunion and I gave you a little bit of about maybe lack of maturity. It Seemed like you. You. You had a little bit. You. Obviously you're a very nice and charming guy. You seem like you have a nice heart and you're energy is calm. But then, like watching you on Perfect Match, it was more like, what's up with the gift giving? The thing that you do. The.
B
Be more specific, like you.
A
Who'd you like getting the girls?
C
Louis Vuitton. Was it a. Yeah.
E
He. You offer a Louis Vuitton wallet to
A
MacKenzie on night one. Wow.
B
That came out, didn't it?
A
No.
E
Okay.
A
So did it not happen? It did. It did. Okay.
B
To be honest with you, I. I mean, they talk about love languages, and I think gift giving is definitely one of my love languages.
A
That's fair.
B
I came on the show with a few things like that. A little wallet. I had. I had two of them. No, I had one of them. I had one wallet. And I had some hats, like from formula one. Some like, that were like, given to me from the team. I thought it was cute. Wasn't planning to give it to someone on day one. But to be honest with you, me and Mackenzie had an interesting connection right off the bat. Like, very friendly, very comfortable. And I could tell that she was overthinking a lot. I'm such an overthinker. I don't know why I offered it on day one, but it really was just. Hey, I opened my backpack, saw it, and I was like, would you like this? And she didn't like it, but she. Her dad.
A
Do you appreciate why she.
B
Absolutely, Absolutely. I completely understand. Too quick. Also not necessary. You know, taking a gift and then expecting something, maybe people take it that way. That's not how I meant it. But at the same time, her dad's into racing and cars, so I was able to give her one of the hats. I think she brought it back for him. So that was cool.
A
Okay.
B
Yeah.
A
You come on the show and you kind of acknowledge that you have. I think you even named it as a bit of like a love bomber kind of habit. And while I don't think we're using love bomb appropriately in those contexts. And you don't seem like you're.
C
You're nefarious.
A
Nefarious about it. But nevertheless, it's always like, it reads a little off to me when someone is self aware enough to name the thing that they know is something they would have to work on. And yet then the very next thing they do is to do the thing that they know that they have a bad habit of. Whether it's the immediate gift Giving Mackenzie, it was like, I love you. I mean, I don't think you said the word I love you, but you spoke in a very intense and intentional way, and you come across as passionate or intentional. And that can read as either too intense for some people or a little unsafe for others because it's like, yo, why are you so intense? And then Kayla walks in, and then the next day you're equally as in love with her, or so it seems. And I am just wondering when self awareness Chris, who can name the thing, is going to meet the Chris who can actually show up differently in relationships.
B
Yeah, I think that that's. I mean, that's fair, for sure. But at the same time. Well, I guess we can get into the detail of, like, Kayla coming in in a second. Right. But to answer that question first, I do think that I'm very intentional with relationships in general. That's why I probably have struggled in dating for a long time, because I'm very quick, and it's probably not a great thing, but I'm very quick to think about the future. Like, okay, I'm ready. I'm going to be with this person now. What if I'm with her a year from now? How does that look? Right. It's something that's going on in my head now, specifically with Mackenzie. I think I was really just comfortable with her and trying to. Even though I was struggling in my mind because anxious for the whole. The whole situation, me trying to be vulnerable with her and being very open. I thought that would allow both of us to feel more comfortable. Clearly, I was wrong. I do have to be maybe more socially aware when I'm in that moment because. Because sometimes sharing everything's a little too much. But nothing that I told her was a lie by any means. I was very much into us. I thought that we. I mean, I thought we could go do really well, honestly on Perfect Match as far as staying together for a long time.
A
But it's almost scarier that it's not a lie in a way. Well, because you know what I'm saying. If you're like. You meet someone and you're like, yo, this relationship means a lot to me. I forgot it's specifically what you said, but it was very deep, and it was very like, yo, like, this is it for me. I'm in.
B
In.
A
And it's almost scarier when people who might not be as in touch with their feelings believe the thing that they are almost trying out on people, or at least how it's called.
B
I wouldn't say, trying out now, I do think it's really important for people to understand where there was a switch between Mackenzie and then Tekayla. So you're moving in with someone on the first night. And like I said, it was very comfortable right off the bat and very cool. Obviously, there is an element moment of you do want to be in a room with someone you're comfortable with that you're friendly with. But after night two, I think MacKenzie was. And it was very nice and fair for her to be honest and say this is a little too much. You know, you're intentional about being in a relationship. I do think it's a little too much. She inferred that. Pretty much said it verbatim, but not exactly. And then said she talked about she had requested somebody to come into the house, and that's when everything changed for me. So she said that she requested someone to come in the the house and that he's there and that he's waiting to come in. As a bombshell now, she kind of insinuated that if he comes in, I'm going to be switching to him. And then that night, she slept on the couch in the room. Nothing wrong with that. But it was funny because when I woke up, I was like, damn, I just got couched. I was the one doing the couching on my last show, and I just. I just woke up and was like, this is a. I was like, it's not good. And, like, kind of was honest about it with her and just was like, hey, this is. You know, but we're together, and I still see us together, and I'm not expecting to wake up tomorrow on switch. And I told her that as well, that I'm. That I'm still in this, you know, although it might not be moving the direction we want, like, I'm still gonna give all that we got. We knew bombshells were coming, and we didn't know who. They wouldn't know who they would pick. So the singles come in, and obviously we have three of them. And very quickly, Kayla was asking about me, and she asked Mackenzie, you know, just the girls. But she was like, hey, who's this guy with? And Mackenzie said, it's, you know, he's with me. I think immediately that made things uncomfortable. Obviously, Mackenzie was already dealing with a lot completely fair. So, you know, everybody's overthinking to a certain, certain degree, and she just came off of a competition show, which is very different than going into a dating show. So I think immediately the fight or flight Kind of kicked in. And that's when she came to me, and I was like, look, I'm not expecting Kayla to pick me tomorrow. We had a great conversation, but she had a great conversation with Damari, and I thought with Jimmy as well. So I said, I'm still in this. I'm not expecting her to pick me tomorrow. Now, if she does, that'd be really cool, obviously, and feel great. And then fast forward. She chose me. Dave chose me. Best case scenario, it was Mackenzie's birthday. I did not want to go on this date, leaving her back at the. At the retreat.
A
I mean, didn't she already tell you that she was, like, waiting for someone else? She didn't.
B
You know, she inferred that she did. So that's why it was very odd that, like, the next day, when Kayla came in and chose me, it was, like, such an issue. I felt like, because I told her, I'm still with it. I'm still in this. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna. I think it's unfair to expect someone's gonna choose you even if you have a good conversation. It's not fair to anybody. But it's also unfair to just start thinking about someone else while you're sleeping in. In. In the same room as somebody. I do think I'm. I wanted to at least be myself, be vulnerable, and I definitely was vulnerable on Perfect Match.
A
So then how did you go from that to, like, whatever you said to Kayla, which was also very intense and very, like, I love you.
B
I do think, okay, I think that when Mackenzie did talk about requesting someone and coming in, I for sure, mentally and emotionally pulled off. I mean, I'm. I'm definitely the type of person that can, like, in a bad way, just remove myself a little bit emotionally and kind of just took a breath the entire day. Finally, at night, we had another good conversation. But that's when I started looking at myself. I'm like, okay, maybe just hold your tongue for a second. Don't overspeak. It's okay to think certain things. And I tried that. I think I did a good job of that. Again with Kayla, we connected on. I mean, she's beautiful. We connected. We're physically attracted all that. But she has. And that's something that's so important to me. She led with that. It's not even something that we, like, forcefully started talking about, and I think that that just allowed, again, me to be very comfortable. Also, I felt so chosen for the first time on the show. I mean, on any reality, show that somebody sought me out so much that they wanted to get to know me, want to be with me. That wasn't just I'm attracted to you, just like I wanted to get to know your heart. I'm not saying the other women weren't doing that, but that was the first time I'd ever felt that. And I wasn't sure if that was real on reality tv, so I was really happy with that. And then after our first, first date, that's. It wasn't until after the first day was over that I was like, you know what? This is, this is really cool. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. I was, I was really happy in that moment.
C
Okay. Do you, do you think that like the, the idea of being chosen is something that like, like with the gifts giving. Like do you think not to be therapy.
B
Yeah.
C
Therapy person over here, but like are you looking for like someone to choose you? Like that and that's why you like kind of show up in the way you do.
B
That's fair. I do think that I, I do like, I mean, love that feeling of being chosen, but I don't think that's why I like the gift giving. I mean when you give something to somebody, whether it's time or like just, I don't know, a wallet in the end of the day, what. Usually people aren't used to that. And I try to have, you know, the pre. Notion, the pre thought, like I thought enough to bring something that someone I might be giving it to. It's. Sure it's a little too much and I, I could dial it back, but that really is the thought behind it.
A
You seem to, from what we hear from you, your a very financially successful young man.
B
I'm working on it.
A
Well, that's how you present. You talk about it a bit. Do you think there's any truth or maybe something behind. Do you think you talking about the watches and the giving the luxury gifts is a way of talking about your money without talking about your money in a way that might be. Reading is an insecurity.
B
Talk about therapy with Nick. That's a good way to put it. I don't, I don't think it's an insecurity. I don't, I really don't think so, man. I. The gift giving, if you look at like the way I was raised, my mom, I mean we would go to Lebanon and she'd bring two suitcases to bring as gifts and people that we barely even knew.
A
Yeah, but you could, you could give a card and write a sweet note, 100% just as meaningful as, like, the, like, naming the luxury watches that you own or the giving the luxury wallets and purses. In a way, there's There. There. There's a name brand. Brand element to your gift giving that is it says, I have money, I have money, I have money. And I'm just wondering, is that just a coincidence or do you think maybe there's something there?
B
Yeah, I wouldn't say there's too much there, but maybe it's not a coincidence. At the same time, it's part of my culture a little bit, so I do think that's the biggest thing. But is there tads of insecurity? For sure. I mean, I deal with a lot of different insecurities that I think I've grown up to manage much better than I ever have in life. And I feel secure about myself and where I'm at now. That's why, again, I. I think people aren't necessarily used to just someone putting their heart out on the table. And sometimes, you know, I try to do that a little. I probably tried to do that a little too much with MacKenzie early now, looking back, just because sometimes we need to take a breath and understand ourselves as well. But I don't think that being disingenuous is fair at all on this show because I was anything but. But that. I was definitely genuine. I was definitely into McKenzie. I was very into Kayla. And, you know, so you were caught off guard.
A
You felt it was a bit unjust for you to be voted off as the most insincere person.
B
Absolutely. There's no.
A
You didn't understand where anyone was coming from.
B
I did understand where everyone was coming from. They knew that I was not the most genuine disingenuous person there. Everybody in that room knows that, and they know it in their heart. And they may not admit it, but.
A
Why do you think you got voted off?
B
Because, well, me and Kayla were the strongest couple in the house at that point. There's no question about it. She comes in, had a huge target on her back. I mean, to spill the drama. The reality is that I think she.
A
Yeah, I. I think hers was pretty unfair. I mean, she showed up super unfair.
B
The girls talked about, or there was people that talked about, I don't know. I don't know exactly names about how they're going to have each other's backs on the starter, specifically the girls. She came in, huge target, direct across. We sit there that night. Nick Lachey brings us all together, and he's like, I want everybody to go give their definition of love. Why are you trying to be here? And we start around, and my boy Jimmy, he. He starts. And he kind of gave, like. And we laugh about it now, but I'm like, you gave the worst answer you could have possibly given. It was like, honestly, like, this is like a game to me, because getting to the end is going to be success. It was like, like, exactly the opposite of what you want to hear. Now I'm like, jimmy. But anyway, we go around the circle. Of course it gets to me. And I give the whole, you know, I always ready for a speech. I said something like, I've been always an overthinker, but, you know, as I've sat sometimes with overthinking, we miss the blessings right in front of us. Kayla's been such a blessing. I like something cute. And we go around. And then it was finally, well, now you're gonna vote for the person that you feel like is here, not trying to find love. And in the back of my head, I'm like, jimmy, what a fucked. And I was like, damn. But at the same time, I hope this gets spoken about. Me and Jimmy were really cool on the show, and that morning he came and knocked on my door, and we're almost doing the bicep curls or something. He's like, can I do some bicep curls? We're sitting there talking. He's like, bro, you're the on honestly, a homie. I could tell five minutes into the show that you were real. He shook my hand, looked me in the eyes, and he was like, I want to have your back no matter what happens. He wasn't thinking about any vote out, but he's like, I want to have your back. I want to just be honest with each other. And I looked in the eyes, shook his hand. I said, I got your back no matter what. That's exactly what I said. And then that night when the vote started, in the back of my head, of course I had a feeling that it was probably Jimmy or me. I went into that vote. I scratched my vote. I voted on Yemen. I told him after there, and he scratched his vote. I think he voted. Jimmy S. We didn't vote for each other, knowing that we were a big deal target. And then when we went into the votes, it was a deadlock tie, obviously. So pretty interesting and pretty cool. Obviously, at the end, it was me that was voted out, but I was still happy with that. I was still happy that the people that knew me and spent More time with me than anyone else. Allison, Jimmy S. Jimmy P. Natalie. At the time, people that knew me on the show, they didn't vote for me because they knew. They knew that I was being genuine. And, yeah, you know, I do believe. And I know that I just said. I'll say it again. I think that the people in the house knowing the now will go back and say they're the truth.
A
Yeah. I mean, for sure. I mean, as you get to know each other, you. You know, but I. I just want. Are you open to the possibility that you weren't voted off because everyone was afraid of you and Kayla being the perfect match, but maybe because whether they were misreading you or not.
B
Yeah.
A
That your intensity with Mackenzie and your intensity with Kayla, you can't be too in love. You know, it's like you can't fall in love with two people in two. Two days. And. And you were. Regardless of whatever your reasons were, were maybe suggesting that you could and that might be thought of as a bit.
B
That's fair.
A
That's sincere. Yeah.
B
Yeah, 100%. That's fair. That's fair. But I don't believe that's what happened, to be honest.
A
You were there.
B
Yeah.
A
How is. How's your age of attraction cast doing? You came.
B
You know, I love my AOA cast family, honestly. Andrew, my boy, stayed in Miami for a little bit. Libs, Logan and V still doing great, which is awesome to see.
A
Are John and Teresa still pretending to do whatever? They're pretending.
B
John and John and Teresa are out. They're not doing their thing.
A
They're out. I just. There were always a couple, like, you
C
know, good for them.
A
Good for them. It's best that they. But there were a couple like Tik Toks I saw floating on the Internet. You know, I was like, I thought they're not talking.
B
I saw Vanilla yesterday.
A
Two days ago.
B
She went out to eat. She's great. Vanilla's great. Yeah, she's the homie. I love that we really created a cool family. And, like, with all the drama and all the bs, like, I think that all of us are respectful, mature enough to, like, get past that.
A
What's your next big reality TV dream?
B
I kind of want to get into. So I. We've talked about Survivor. How many times we. We said that. And then the first vote out I ever had in my life, I get freaking voted out. So. So I need another chance at a voting show. I want to do something. Some type of game show maybe. Maybe I don't want to drop a name yet, but some type of game show, something that'll allow me to test my speaking ability and hopefully people can find me genuine for real.
C
So, okay, maybe, maybe a less relationship.
B
Maybe.
C
Focus, game show focus for now.
B
Although I had a great time on both shows, and to be honest with you, with all the negative, there's so much more positive. And again, I'm much more confident. Although there's notion of people and what people expect expect or what, you know, love bombing this and that. I do believe I was honest and true on this show. And I think that sometimes I need to dial back and grow. But the growth from Age of Attraction to Perfect Match, I think was huge.
A
What did you learn about yourself?
B
Well, that trying to help other people all the time, sometimes the most. The best thing you can do is just be vulnerable, be yourself. You know, I think with Leah, when we moved into each other together, I was so focused on this routine and trying to be proper and trying to do the things. Things at home so I could show her what my daily life is and trying to keep things right. And I came into this and I was like, just be yourself. Stop overthinking everything. And, you know, the. The back to the thing. Like, the relationship's not going to be valuable if it's not vulnerable. I need to be vulnerable, like, actually vulnerable. So maybe I need to find a little medium happy in between. But I'm trying.
A
Okay.
E
I have a question, Chris.
B
If it shouldn't have been you and
E
Kayla who should have been voted it out there.
B
Great question. Good question. It should have been. Well, no, not even to be strategic. I really think that the. In the moment, I do believe, and this is the reality. I think it should have been Yemen. I think he was the least genuine with any. And it's funny because I actually did vote for him, but that's not why I voted for him. I think he was the least genuine in that moment with any of the. With any of the women on the women's side. I can't specifically say anybody because I did vote for MacKenzie, and I probably would. Would have voted for McKenzie again, because now looking into it, I don't.
A
You voted Mackenzie out?
B
I did. I voted for McKenzie Savage. I knew she was voting for me, and I also. But I voted for us genuinely because she was sitting there with Dave when she had already told me that she's waiting for a guy to come in that was not Dave. Right. So I'm like, kind of odd, I thought, so it's okay. No.
A
Who was the guy? Danny From Temptation Island. He's hot.
B
Yeah,
A
so.
B
And I love Danny, to be honest.
E
Have you learned which boy band Nick Lachey is in?
C
Yeah, that's really important.
B
Backstreet boys.
A
No.
C
No. Thanks for coming on the show, man.
B
Stop. He's my favorite, Nick. I thought you were gonna ask me that.
A
98 degrees.
B
Who's your favorite host? Nick, Come on.
A
It can be Lache. I'm harder on you. I care. Cause I love. You know.
B
I know, bro.
A
I appreciate it. Well, it's good to see you again, man. I wish you nothing but the best. I sure we'll see you on reality TV again.
E
You think?
A
So who was the. Didn't we find out that you had some kind of tryst with when you were 18? What was that like your. Your truth or dare? Like the. The planks.
B
Oh, my gosh. Yeah.
A
And you're like, yeah, he made out with her. I don't know. What. What was it?
B
The made. Hooked up with reality star when I was 18. Yeah.
E
And she was 48.
C
Yeah.
A
Okay.
B
It's actually. Yeah.
C
Is she still on reality TV now?
A
I don't know. No.
C
Okay.
E
Survivor, right?
B
She was not on Survivor.
A
No, but, I mean, it was. It's. It's something you've been passionate about for. For. For some time now.
B
Yeah. Well, that was. All right. So that was when we had the charity going with different contestants.
A
I'm not talking about older women. I'm talking about reality.
B
Yeah. It's a cool. I. Okay. The actual full thing I was. When I went. When my parents went through a divorce, I was like, 16, 17. It's probably the first time I ever actually felt any, like, depression or any type of, like, mental health, whatever. And I definitely found myself losing myself in reality tv, watching other people's lives and trying to, like, not lose, not forget my problems in that. But it was a source of peace, a source of reprieve. And I really. I mean, for two or three years, it's all I wanted to do was go on Survivor. And then once I didn't get on, it started speaking, started getting. You know, I honestly, since. Since 2018, I said the best blessing that ever happened to me was not going on Survivor, but how it all came together, you know? And I think full circle, it is such a blessing. Is it something that I would do now? Probably not. That looks really hard. Yeah. But. But it still was a blessing, and I think how things worked out were amazing. So if I get the opportunity to do another show, you know, God willing, everything works out, and then we can take a look.
A
Well, it's good to catch up with you, buddy.
B
Catch up with you, too, man. I like to.
A
I know you got voted off, but we got you came back and we'll see how things play out for you.
B
Exactly. Well, thanks for having me again to see you, buddy. See you.
A
All right. Well, that will do it for today's episode. Thank you to our guest, Chris and Cynthia Bailey, both for joining us. Also, don't forget, we are back tomorrow with another episode of Reality Recap. We have Ally Luber. We have Allison, also from Perfect Match. We'll be talking Real Housewives of Road island and so much more. We'll see you then. Bye. Bye.
Air date: May 19, 2026
Host: Nick Viall
Notable Guests: Cynthia Bailey (Real Housewives of Atlanta), Chris (Perfect Match/Age of Attraction)
This lively Reality Recap installment features host Nick Viall and the Household (Susie, Mary, Justin, and others) taking listeners on a whirlwind tour of recent reality TV headlines and pop culture drama. The main themes:
[01:03 – 07:39]
[10:14 – 17:00]
[19:10 – 26:18]
[26:42 – 42:58]
[48:01 – 89:16]
[93:47 – 127:07]
[106:12 – 127:07]
| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Highlight | |-----------|-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 07:39 | Nick | “In 2026, I feel like concerts are saving humanity. ...good music, great vibes.” | | 15:39 | Susie | “I wish I had done this two years ago...there's very little downside other than the fact that it is an expensive process.” | | 19:39 | Mary | “James Charles is kind of like the beauty community’s Pennywise...” | | 22:03 | Nick | “If you don’t want to [donate], you don’t have to. ...It’s all okay, you know, as long as you’re doing what you can.” | | 36:58 | Nick | “I just can't believe I'm watching that on this television show. ...Danny kept referencing, like, well, I just. We have a nanny. I just want to have fun with my wife…” | | 49:16 | Cynthia | “On reality tv, fights kind of are good because that means you're seeing stakes, but in real life, I would be pissed...” | | 66:09 | Cynthia | “I try not to stay in my feelings too long...it’s good to try to move on.” | | 79:22 | Cynthia | “There is no guarantee that...they are going to post it, especially if it's unsolicited.” | | 107:25 | Chris | “They talk about love languages, and I think gift giving is definitely one of my love languages.” | | 121:08 | Nick | “You can’t fall in love with two people in two days...and you were maybe suggesting you could, and that might be thought of as a bit insincere.” |
| Segment | Timestamps | |------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Intro & Life Updates | 01:03 – 07:39 | | Fertility & Egg Freezing | 10:14 – 17:00 | | James Charles GoFundMe Controversy | 19:10 – 26:18 | | Bravo/Parenting & Gender Roles (“The Valley” etc.) | 26:42 – 42:58 | | Cynthia Bailey Interview ("RHOA" Deep Dive) | 48:01 – 89:16 | | “Perfect Match” Recap (Ally, Messiness, Love Bombing) | 93:47 – 106:12 | | Interview: Chris from "Perfect Match" | 106:12 – 127:07 |