E844 Going Deeper with Bronwyn Newport

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Viall Files - Episode E844 "Going Deeper with Bronwyn Newport"

Introduction

In Episode E844 of The Viall Files, host Nick Viall welcomes Whitney Newport, a standout personality from Bravo's reality TV landscape. Joined by co-host Bronwyn and contributor Meredith, the trio delves into Whitney's personal journey, her experiences on reality television, and the complexities of her relationships and motherhood. This episode offers listeners an intimate look into Whitney's life, providing valuable insights and candid reflections.

Early Life and Background

Whitney opens up about her multicultural upbringing, sharing that she was born in Brazil to non-American parents who frequently relocated due to her father's career with Chevron. This nomadic lifestyle exposed her to diverse cultures, including a significant stint in Amsterdam during her formative years.

"I was born in Brazil. My mom and dad, both of them are not from the US... We were in Amsterdam for part of elementary, middle school..." [03:07]

Growing up across different continents instilled in Whitney a sense of adaptability and resilience. She recounts her experiences at BYU, where her rebellious spirit led to multiple expulsions due to various infractions, including throwing mini sorority parties and pushing the boundaries of the institution's strict dress codes.

"I tried to throw mini sorority parties. I made this one guy... buy me a pet chick, which apparently you're not allowed to have a dyed pink baby chick in your apartment." [10:09]

Journey Through Motherhood

At 19, Whitney became a single mother to her daughter, Gwen. She discusses the challenges of balancing work in finance with the responsibilities of motherhood, highlighting her determination to provide for her child despite societal judgments and personal hardships.

"I had Gwen on everything I do. Of course, I'm here..." [15:26]

Whitney emphasizes the profound impact Gwen has had on her life, describing her daughter as the primary motivator behind her resilience and dedication.

"There's a lot for me to prove in choosing to keep Gwen and to raise her by myself." [16:09]

Relationship with Todd

Whitney introduces Todd, her husband, who is 26 years her senior. Their relationship is marked by mutual respect and contrasting personalities. While Whitney is outspoken and fiery, Todd is calm and protective, often acting as the boundary enforcer in their dynamic.

"Todd is wealthy enough to buy a car that parallel parks for him." [47:05]

Their age gap and differing temperaments have led to both admiration and criticism from fans. Whitney acknowledges the skepticism surrounding their relationship but defends their compatibility and the genuine support they offer each other.

"Todd really stands on that. I do this thing where I'm always like, I want everyone to like me. I have a crazy, aggressive mouth... Todd does not care whatsoever people like him or not." [45:28]

Navigating Reality Television

Whitney reflects on her experience filming The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, discussing the authenticity she strives for amidst the orchestrated nature of reality TV. She shares insights into her interactions with fellow cast members, particularly Lisa, and the evolving dynamics that have emerged on the show.

"I've been very committed to this. Has it caused any friction in your relationship with Todd? It has." [38:28]

Whitney candidly addresses the challenges of maintaining genuine relationships while under the scrutiny of cameras, expressing both her frustrations and the personal growth she's experienced.

"It's easier to film it than it is to watch it back." [38:09]

Friendships and Conflicts

A significant portion of the conversation delves into Whitney's strained relationship with Lisa and Heather, fellow cast members. Whitney admits to feelings of jealousy and misunderstanding, highlighting the complexities of forming friendships under the pressures of reality TV.

"Maybe I'm the problem. Maybe if she got to know me better, she didn't like me." [51:40]

She also touches on the impact of external perceptions and the difficulty of reconciling personal relationships with public personas.

"If you can buy your wife a $5 million necklace... It gives it enough time, give it time." [48:10]

Personal Growth and Reflection

Whitney discusses her ongoing journey of self-improvement, therapy, and the balancing act of staying true to herself while adapting to feedback from both personal interactions and public reception.

"I like therapy. I like a self-help book. Kind of a masochist about it." [66:59]

She emphasizes the importance of accountability and the desire to evolve without compromising her authenticity, despite the overwhelming feedback she receives.

"I have to make sure it was real. It's not anybody editing us weird. It's that our process." [43:05]

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Whitney teasing upcoming appearances and projects, including the launch of a House of Cards-themed ice cream flavor. She reiterates her commitment to authenticity and maintaining healthy relationships, both on and off the screen.

"I've worked really hard to have a good relationship with her... There's nothing I was ever going to do that was going to make up for that absence." [27:34]

Whitney's candid revelations and heartfelt reflections offer listeners a profound understanding of her life beyond the reality TV facade, showcasing her strength, vulnerabilities, and unwavering dedication to her daughter and personal growth.

Notable Quotes

• "I have a tendency to come in real hot. I always do. If I could give myself advice, I would never take it, but I would give myself the advice to go easier on them." — Whitney [04:26]

• "Todd's never listen to this. But we are very much being a housewife." — Whitney [42:34]

• "We are all delusional bitches. Yes. We're all like, I don't like when you do this as we're doing it, you know?" — Whitney [63:07]

Key Takeaways

• Resilience in Motherhood: Whitney's dedication to her daughter Gwen underscores her resilience and commitment as a single mother navigating the complexities of work and parenthood.

• Complex Relationships: Her relationship with Todd highlights the challenges and strengths found in partnerships with significant age gaps and differing personalities.

• Authenticity in Reality TV: Whitney's quest for authenticity amidst the orchestrated environment of reality television offers a nuanced perspective on personal integrity and public perception.

• Navigating Friendships: The episode sheds light on the difficulties of forming and maintaining friendships under the pressures of fame and reality TV dynamics.

Final Thoughts

Episode E844 of The Viall Files provides an in-depth exploration of Whitney Newport's life, blending personal anecdotes with broader discussions on reality TV, relationships, and personal growth. Listeners gain valuable insights into the woman behind the screen, appreciating her strengths, acknowledging her flaws, and witnessing her journey toward self-improvement and authentic living.

Transcript

[Bronwyn]

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[Whitney]

You're crazy.

[Bronwyn]

Rowan.

[Whitney]

Hi, guys.

[Bronwyn]

How are you? Welcome to the podcast.

[Whitney]

Thank you. Not just the podcast. My first podcast.

[Bronwyn]

Your first We Are Cherry popping podcast.

[Meredith]

Oh, my God.

[Bronwyn]

Yes. Congratulations on being an exquisite housewife.

[Whitney]

Thank you. I don't know if that's. I don't know if that's a compliment. People are like, you're made for this. I'm like, oh, my. The worst.

[Bronwyn]

No, you're making me. I feel like I'm not. I. You know, I haven't been immersed in Bravo world that long, but it really feels like not only with the fans, but even with your peers, there's like an initiation process, it seems like, you know, do you feel that less with.

[Whitney]

The ladies on other cities than on my own, there's a much steeper initiation process with the women I film with.

[Bronwyn]

Yes, that's what I mean.

[Whitney]

Any other city. Yeah, of course.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

The other cities have been really nice to me.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah. But that's. Yeah, it feels like with the women on your season, it's. Who's this new person?

[Whitney]

Yeah. And you know, to be fair, they've had a rough time with new people.

[Meredith]

Sure, sure.

[Whitney]

After I filmed, I went back and watched all the episodes, I would have hated. Me too. I would have hated any new person coming in after what they've been through. But every time someone new comes on the show, they get burned.

[Bronwyn]

I mean, do you really think they're totally the victims in all this, given how you've gotten to know some of them?

[Whitney]

Can I plead the fifth already? Like, we're so early on. No, they're not totally the victims. Of course not. But I want to give everybody the benefit of the doubt. Maybe some of it was just, we don't like new people.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah, it gives that vibe. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Meredith]

So watching some of the episodes back, you kind of. Are you rethinking some of your behavior or words that you said to these people, or are you just like, yeah.

[Whitney]

I have a tendency to come in real hot. I always do. If I could give myself advice, I would never take it, but I would give myself the advice to go easier on them. Like Let them. Let them get to know you a little bit at a time versus kicking the door in, which is kind of what I did.

[Bronwyn]

Not that my opinion matters.

[Whitney]

It matters to me. Tell me.

[Bronwyn]

I don't think it should change anything.

[Whitney]

Okay, great. I mean, say that one more time, and I might just stick with it.

[Bronwyn]

I don't think you should change anything. I. You know, I really. I think Salt Lake City is the premier Housewives show right now on Bravo.

[Whitney]

It's everything.

[Bronwyn]

There's a lot of expectations that come in. And just even as fans, like, I think as fans of anything, we are hesitant to accept new. We're always like, I don't know, are they going to be as good? Right. And. And you. And even Britney, like, you really, you two are kind of caring this season so far.

[Whitney]

I mean, I want to be very clear that I'm nodding in agreement with what you're saying about me, not about what you're saying about Britney.

[Bronwyn]

That's fine.

[Whitney]

Or talk your shit.

[Meredith]

Talk your shit.

[Bronwyn]

Well, she. Listen, we love her differently when people are differently.

[Whitney]

Yeah. When people are like, Bronwyn and Britney are new, I'm like, bronwyn and Brittany don't belong in the same sentence.

[Bronwyn]

That may be true.

[Whitney]

Just quick catch up from Bronwyn's perspective.

[Bronwyn]

And we love Bronwyn's perspective, but we don't have to focus too much on Britney. But she is at least messy and vulnerable, and I am interested in her mess.

[Whitney]

I cannot turn away from it. I was so many times I would be just like, mouth open, watching her, like, what is this woman gonna say next? What's she gonna ching her glass for? To make an announcement about today.

[Bronwyn]

I was also invested when she was conducting.

[Whitney]

See, I wasn't invited to that.

[Bronwyn]

In her living room.

[Whitney]

You don't get invited. You don't know. I had to watch that when everyone else watched it.

[Bronwyn]

So you two don't like each other?

[Whitney]

Does Britney like me? I wouldn't know because I don't talk to her. Because I don't like her, period. Period.

[Bronwyn]

Why don't.

[Whitney]

No, no, no, no, no, no. That's. We had a rough go of it.

[Meredith]

It started off bad, to be okay.

[Whitney]

To be fair, I was not actually that mad that night. I thought it was kind of funny.

[Meredith]

With the costume comment.

[Whitney]

Yeah, I. That is not. Far cooler people than Britney have offended my clothes before. Like, that was not. I was not surprised. People don't like my clothes. No, I was kind of joking around. I did feel bad for her in between Mary and I On the couch. That's a hard. She was in the wrong spot sitting between the two of us, but I was kind of rubbing her back. Like, I was like, ooh, girl, you're really putting your foot in your mouth. There were other things that progressed where I just got this vibe of, like, I don't think she so lovably puts her foot in her mouth. I think she does it on purpose. And then it's like, oops, I didn't mean to say that. I think she means to say it. And I'd rather somebody say it with their whole chest. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Period.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Let's rewind a little bit. Let's. And then we'll get back into Salt Lake City. But we. We and the audience, we want to get to know you.

[Whitney]

Okay.

[Bronwyn]

Your backstory, like, who you are. Where do you come from?

[Whitney]

Talking about themselves. I don't see anything. I'm here. What do you want to know?

[Bronwyn]

So, like, where were you born?

[Whitney]

I was born in Brazil.

[Bronwyn]

What?

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Really?

[Whitney]

Yeah. I was born in Brazil. My mom and dad, both of them are not from the US and my dad worked for Chevron for forever and moved around, and they just happened to be in Brazil. This will tell you a ton about me. My mom had. Had other kids. Big age gaps. They had two girls and a boy. Totally done. She thought she had some kind of, like, a stomach tumor. And the doctor in Brazil was like, no. Amazing news. It's like, it's a. It's a pregnancy. Like, this is a cause for celebration. She was like, stomach tumor might have been easier. And shockingly enough, I'm her hardest child, so a tumor might have been easier. Tumor. She could have potentially. And that should tell you a lot about my family. That. That's, like, the first Bronwyn story my family's ever started repeating. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Did you grow up?

[Whitney]

Where'd you grow up? I was about one when we moved to California.

[Bronwyn]

Okay.

[Whitney]

And then we were outside of San Francisco in the East Bay, and then my dad moved again for Chevron, and he was working with refineries in Europe, so we were in Amsterdam. We were in a suburb of Amsterdam in Vasanar. I was there for part of elementary, middle school, and then back to the same house in the East Bay in California for high school and everything. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Wow.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Cultured. World traveled.

[Whitney]

I mean, the suburbs of San Francisco are not real hard place to grow. Yeah. But a little stint in Amsterdam, my siblings were all in high school and everything, so they probably saw more than I did.

[Bronwyn]

Okay.

[Meredith]

Do you have to Speak any other languages.

[Whitney]

So we took Dutch. We went to an American school in Holland, but we had to take Dutch. And honestly, I've been pretty high maintenance and fussy since birth, so I was not up for the gutturalness of the language. I wouldn't say I was, like, deeply invested in the second grade and learning Dutch.

[Bronwyn]

You've always been fancy.

[Whitney]

Always been fancy, Nancy. Yes, yes. My parents tell this story. When we moved to Holland, I had this whole outfit on. I was moving to a new school in the middle of the school year. Like a little plaid skirt and a matching beret. The shoes matched. And this kid in my class told our teacher in front of my parents, oh, we have ourselves a real California babe. And they, like all the adults, thought this was hysterical. And I was so mad. I was like, obviously this is a French look. Like, whether or not I'm from California, this moron does the beret. Like I've always been. For sure. Yeah. Yeah. Britney had no chance. Second graders had no chance. I don't take. I have no chill about my outfits. Oh, my God.

[Meredith]

That's funny.

[Bronwyn]

In adulthood, did you, like, what? Did you. Did you go to college? Not to go to college?

[Whitney]

Yeah, I went to byu. Run successfully or really successfully, depending on. I got kicked out. I got kicked out of byu. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

For what? You hook up with a boy.

[Whitney]

I mean, I left pregnant, so yes on that, but pretty much.

[Bronwyn]

Did he also get kicked out?

[Whitney]

No.

[Bronwyn]

Sexist.

[Meredith]

That is so fucked up.

[Whitney]

It's.

[Bronwyn]

That's fucked up.

[Whitney]

I mean, I hear things are different there. I'd be surprised. No, he did not. The list of things I didn't get kicked out for is probably shorter than the list of things I did. I tried to throw, like, mini sorority parties. I used to. I made this one guy who wanted to go on a date with me buy me a pet chick, which apparently you're not allowed to have a dyed pink baby chick in your apartment. I definitely. I have hundreds of parking tickets. At byu, you have to wear certain clothes to go in the testing center. And I would push that boundary every time.

[Bronwyn]

The testing center?

[Whitney]

Yeah. So, like, when you go to take a test or turn in a paper, you don't take it in class. You go to a. They used to have, like a center that proctored the test for you. And you had to be clean shaven, no unnaturally dyed hair, shorts or skirt to the. The knee, fully covered shoulder. So, yeah, I'd come in, in like a unitard, you know, and be like, can I not take my Test like this. Like.

[Bronwyn]

Sorry, did you go to byu? Are you. Are you part of Mormonism? Am I saying it right? The Church of Latter Day Saints.

[Whitney]

Yeah. So my parents are my parents. When my parents moved to the US they met a couple. My mom worked at a bank, and the teller next to her husband worked with my dad, and they were a Mormon couple. So this whole. They introduced my parents to each other and to the Mormon Church.

[Bronwyn]

Okay.

[Whitney]

So that couple is a really big deal in. My parents. My parents are still Mormon. My dad worked for the church when I was at byu, so he was so proud of me getting kicked out. My siblings. My siblings don't listen to podcasts. I'll just fully put them on blast. My siblings definitely don't care about it, but pretend to my parents that they do. I'm fully not Mormon anymore, obviously. Big Daddy Todd drinks wine by the gallon, so. And we lived together before we got married, and I'd already had Gwen years before the dick was up.

[Bronwyn]

How. How did you meet Todd?

[Whitney]

There's a place in San Francisco called the Battery. It's like a Soho house. And we were both having lunch alone in the middle of the week, and he was talking to me, and I totally thought he was a bullshitter. Everything out of his mouth was, like, so extravagant and so over the top and really funny. And I sat there all afternoon and talked to him, and then he invited me to go to Mexico with him. He was building a house in Mexico, and I was like, oh, this is how you end up in a bathtub full of ice. You know, with no kidneys. You wake up just like, I hope it was worth it. So I didn't go to Mexico with him. We did other dates first, and when I trusted him, then I went to Mexico.

[Meredith]

Wow. You open up, obviously, about Gwen and her and her father and his family and all of that. I feel like we're kind of getting a little bit more into that.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Meredith]

As the episodes go on. But if you wouldn't mind, I would like to pull a little bit more out of you.

[Whitney]

Of course. Yeah, of course. There's always a fine line of telling my story and not telling Gwen's and definitely not veering into her family's.

[Meredith]

Well, it's also you.

[Whitney]

We could explore that line.

[Meredith]

You're not in charge of what's edited and what's put into these shows. So, you know, I guess we don't know as audience how much you do say and how much makes it into the final cut.

[Whitney]

I'll go against the grain and Say, I think the producers and editors do a really fair job. I don't know who else says they don't. I know that's always like a. People regret things they've done on TV and then try to say, oh, I was edited badly. It came out of my mouth. They should play it for sure.

[Bronwyn]

I love that you say that. Yeah.

[Meredith]

Love that. Okay, so you. Was this your boyfriend in college?

[Whitney]

Yeah. Okay. So even from there, see, this is gonna be a disaster of a story to tell. I thought he was my boyfriend. When I found out I was pregnant, he was shocked that I thought he was my boyfriend. There was definitely other girls he was seeing. So it's a lot to process at once for a Ryan Classic situationship. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn't know in 2005 where situationships like, that wasn't a hashtag.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah, that wasn't a thing yet.

[Whitney]

No. And definitely not in Provo, Utah. So.

[Meredith]

Wow. So you found out you're pregnant and you found out that your boyfriend was not your boyfriend.

[Whitney]

He was not serious about me. He's not serious about you. No.

[Meredith]

So you open up and you kind of say, like, him and his family were very much like, this is not something we want to do.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Meredith]

Your family was on board or not on board.

[Whitney]

Not on board. My family has done a really beautiful job from the beginning of supporting Gwen and the. Or the baby I was going to have. But not necessarily being proud of maybe the choices I'd made, which at the time felt like a really hard line for me, that they couldn't find a way to be supportive of me, but they were really upset with the choices I'd made in the situation I found myself in. For sure.

[Meredith]

I do appreciate that in a way of, like, being able to separate the two and not putting all of that blame on this unborn child.

[Whitney]

Yes. You know, and my parents have. I should know. I 16 or 17 grandkids. Gwen's definitely their favorite. Gwen's definitely the closest one with them, even though she was born under these auspicious circumstances. They've done a really beautiful job. Especially when I first had Gwen, my mom, like, didn't want me to have a baby shower. Like, no celebrating what Bronwyn's done kind of a thing. But when I. I had Gwen on a Monday and I went to work on Wednesday, I was a single mom. Yeah. I went to work on Wednesday. Yeah. Oh, yeah. What was your job? I worked in finance at the time. Yeah. And a lot of it is killer be killed. For sure. Somebody else would have wanted that spot if I wasn't going to go. I hadn't been there long enough to have this big maternity, you know, whatever. So my parents weren't like they were never going to give me money. But if I needed someone to watch Gwen, they would have watched Gwen.

[Bronwyn]

That says so much about you.

[Whitney]

Yeah, it's the fact that you went.

[Bronwyn]

To work two days after the fact.

[Whitney]

Yeah, I had Gwen Monday morning I went home from the hospital. Tuesday I stopped to pick up some clothes that had been being altered on my way home. Gwen has been baby on the go since the beginning. She went on an errand with me on her way home from the hospital and I went to work Wednesday morning.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah, well, because obviously a part of your storyline has been like, you know, gold digger kind of vibes and things like that. And you know, now we find out were talking to a woman who went to work two days after she had a baby.

[Whitney]

Yeah, I mean, I wasn't curing cancer, I wasn't changing the world.

[Bronwyn]

You were surviving.

[Whitney]

But I was paying for my everything for my child for sure. Yeah.

[Meredith]

I mean it's hard enough to get out of bed right after you have a baby. So to even get up and go to work is.

[Whitney]

Yeah, there is, there's a lot of motivation when it's just you. When it's just you and somebody else is depending on you. And there's this huge shadow from. I've had Gwen on everything I do of is a single mom good enough? Could I do this by myself? There was a lot for me to prove in choosing to keep Gwen and to raise her by myself. And that has really motivated and dictated a lot of my choices. Oh yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Wow.

[Meredith]

Yeah, I bet.

[Bronwyn]

When you met Todd, how did you break the ice in terms of being a single mother?

[Whitney]

So Gwen has actually been the greatest dealbreaker for me ever. I mean, I was 19 when I had Gwen and she weeded every asshole out from the jump. I mean anybody in my age range up until she was, you know, six, seven years old was not interested in somebody with a four year old or a five year old, that kind of a thing. And it was really easy when I was dating people to be like, they're a lot of fun or they're really sexy or whatever, but they're not getting up at 8 o'clock on a Saturday to take her for donuts or sitting through a swim lesson on a Wednesday night, that kind of a thing. Todd was totally different. He was like, oh, I see how this has really shaped you as a person. So much of the choices you make are about providing for this child and making sure she's really well taken care of. And it was never this question of was he going to accept Gwen or not. Between the two of them, it was always super easy. Gwen and I now joke that Todd is, like, boss, baby. He was never actually a child who, like, was sticky or ran around and played with his friends. Like, I always picture Todd at like six in a suit, you know, giving a word presentation to his dad about his allowance. You know, Todd's real serious.

[Bronwyn]

We can tell.

[Whitney]

Yeah, yeah. Todd's no nonsense. Don't fall with Todd. Oh. Oh, I should have asked. What?

[Bronwyn]

I can swear.

[Whitney]

Oh, great. Okay. I'm in a good company. Okay. Okay. Andy was beeping me and getting real mad on Watch what happens live. So I have to make sure.

[Bronwyn]

Well, that's, you know, television.

[Whitney]

Live tv.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah.

[Meredith]

We have some moms who are like, I'm trying to listen to this in the car with my kids. Can we slow down on the F bombs? And we're like, yeah, we're so fucking sorry. I mean.

[Whitney]

I love that.

[Bronwyn]

Welcome to new media.

[Whitney]

There we go. I was kind of worried, like, how they would relate to each other. And actually, I find myself being the odd one out more and more. Gwen and Todd are very close. They're kind of the same person and they both really are sick of my shit. So they really have bonded almost from the jump. Yeah.

[Meredith]

How and how old was Gwen when Todd came into her life?

[Whitney]

She was just turning 8 because I still was taking Gwen to church at that point. I was still taking Gwen to Mormon church. So Gwen got baptized in the Mormon faith. That's. And you do that at 8. And that was the first time Todd met my whole family was when it came to Gwen's baptism, which is a wild ride.

[Bronwyn]

How old were you and how old was he when you guys met?

[Whitney]

Okay, so I would have been 27 and Todd would have been. I'm trying to think back. Todd would have been 54, 55.

[Bronwyn]

What's the age gap?

[Whitney]

We're 26 years apart. Yeah.

[Meredith]

Nick and I are 18. Yeah. Okay, well, so you're in good company.

[Whitney]

It's kind of cute.

[Bronwyn]

We love age gap.

[Whitney]

I love an age gap, too. It does. Lovably. It does put me in a weird position. Everyone thinks I'm a gold digger. Everyone thinks, you know, I suck dick for B. Todd Stodgy. I'm gonna push him around Anna Nicole Smith style in his wheelchair one day. Like, the jokes kind of right Themselves.

[Meredith]

Oh, I was child bride. I was not.

[Whitney]

Childbirth.

[Meredith]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Okay. I've never gotten that. I guess I don't look as young as Yale. What the fuck, guys?

[Bronwyn]

Give it time, Give it time.

[Whitney]

Come on. I gotta get that Utah Botox going and then maybe I'll get child bride. Yeah, it works for us.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah. Can you next. When any. If any of the ladies go lean into this whole, like, you suck dick for whatever the fuck.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Can you just be like, like, bitch, I went to work two days after I had a baby. What were you doing?

[Whitney]

Yeah, exactly.

[Bronwyn]

Lisa can't even fly. Lisa can't even fly coach. I mean, did you fly coach here?

[Whitney]

I did not fly coach here, but I flew in the bulkhead and I almost hate that as much as I hate. Okay, I don't like when I don't have all my stuff with me. Like, what if I need chapstick? What if I have to plug something in? I feel real antsy when my stuff is overhead.

[Bronwyn]

You're really rich. Like, you have wealth.

[Whitney]

I mean, enunciate the points everyone else would make. My husband is whatever the fuck.

[Bronwyn]

No, you.

[Whitney]

No, you're married. You're married. A lot of people ask. We do not have a prenup. And it's not like, oh, we don't have a prenup because we have a post up. We don't have a post up either. And it's not like, oh, we don't have a pre or post. Not because he has trust. No. It's all mutual. It's all shared.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah. So you're rich.

[Meredith]

Yeah, you're rich.

[Bronwyn]

You're so rich.

[Whitney]

I'm going to sugar baby somebody one day.

[Meredith]

Hell yeah.

[Whitney]

Or sugar mama.

[Meredith]

You're going to sugar mama.

[Whitney]

We're going to flip the script on this. Yeah. Season 17, Bronwyn has a 26 year younger lover. Yeah. Here we go.

[Bronwyn]

I've known you for a few minutes. I already can tell you're pretty down to earth. Earth.

[Whitney]

I went to work two days after I had a baby and everyone was calling me a at the Mormon church. Like, I've seen some things and Lisa.

[Bronwyn]

Pretends to be wealthy.

[Whitney]

Oh, shade.

[Meredith]

Well, you know are better than we know.

[Whitney]

Wendy's chats.

[Bronwyn]

Do you disagree with me?

[Whitney]

No.

[Bronwyn]

Okay, thank you.

[Meredith]

Does. Does Lisa know you're on this podcast? Did you give her a heads up?

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Did you get permission?

[Whitney]

Okay, so this podcast and Lisa are not friends. What? See, if only I'd known you gu. Before I started filming, I walked in not knowing that your podcast was destroying this friend group all because Whitney said.

[Meredith]

She thinks Lisa is a villain.

[Whitney]

But I think. I think I'm okay now because then Lisa went on TV and called me a villain. So is this podcast your game?

[Meredith]

She thinks you're too faced.

[Bronwyn]

I don't think Lisa sees anyone's perspective other than Lisa's.

[Whitney]

Yeah, Lisa definitely has Lisa color goggles. Not rose color goggles or glasses or whatever you want to call them. And honestly, good for her. If I could live in a world in which what I went 100% of the time and no one checked me and no one questioned me, I would kind of love that.

[Bronwyn]

What do you mean no one's checking her? Are we the only ones?

[Whitney]

I mean, I'm trying. Do you not see that?

[Bronwyn]

That's a good question. How does it feel like we have a perception of you? I don't like, read your comments.

[Whitney]

I'm not.

[Bronwyn]

I don't go on the blogs.

[Whitney]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[Bronwyn]

But I feel like I have a pretty good.

[Whitney]

You said they're nasty.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah, but I. I think I have a pretty good read of like the world in life and what's going and what people are saying. And again, I think you're pretty beloved. I think you're overall really appreciated as a new housewife.

[Whitney]

Thank you.

[Bronwyn]

Does Bravo give like awards at BravoCon or something? Do they have like New Housewife of the year? You know, like, because you should win it.

[Whitney]

We should create it. We should start it. Maybe Todd will do a scholarship for New house award.

[Bronwyn]

The new housewife of 2024.

[Whitney]

Thank you. It's pretty. I mean, we still have a long way to go. You could hate me. Who knows what's to come?

[Bronwyn]

I don't hate people. I might talk some shit. I don't know.

[Meredith]

We might talk shit.

[Whitney]

That's fine.

[Meredith]

But that is the thing is like, we. We do not know Lisa. We've never met Lisa. Okay. O.

[Bronwyn]

Okay.

[Meredith]

So all we know about her is what the show edits her to be. So we always, you know, we always say we have. We reserve the right to be wrong about these people. We're talking about characters on TV shows.

[Whitney]

Of course. Of course.

[Meredith]

You know, So, I mean, we had.

[Bronwyn]

A bit of fun with your. Like, only three people own this garbage bag.

[Whitney]

Oh, man, the things I've learned. The things I've learned. Not garbage bags. Okay. Not the first go.

[Bronwyn]

Red garbage bag for what? Was it a heart or something?

[Whitney]

It was. It was a heart shaped. Yeah.

[Meredith]

Garbage bag.

[Whitney]

Garbage bag.

[Meredith]

Rihanna is quite.

[Whitney]

I thought Rihanna and I became friends.

[Meredith]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

That could be a bag of dog shit for us all. I care if it got me into Rihanna.

[Meredith]

I mean, speaking of dog shit, did you know there was dog shit?

[Bronwyn]

Yeah. Did you get set up?

[Whitney]

Oh, my gosh. The dog poop. Okay. I mean, I have a lot of dogs.

[Meredith]

You have a lot of dogs?

[Whitney]

I have a lot of dogs, yeah.

[Bronwyn]

But are you filthy?

[Whitney]

I'm not filthy.

[Bronwyn]

What, did you get set up?

[Whitney]

I wouldn't say I got set up. It was. It was a perfect storm. It was a perfect storm.

[Bronwyn]

You were talking to Heather.

[Whitney]

Cameras are in my house. I was anxious. I was anxious about Heather. I'd also called Lisa on FaceTime that day. I'd had a very long FaceTime with Lisa really trying to, like, make sure she was comfortable coming. It was snowing outside. My dogs don't want to go out when it's snowing. I had a puppy. We could make all the excuses. Ultimately, my dogs got caught with their pants down. There was dog shit in my house.

[Bronwyn]

But to be clear, they couldn't film.

[Whitney]

It if it wasn't there.

[Bronwyn]

You're not normally just leaving dog shit around your house.

[Whitney]

No. Me and my dogs do not utilize the floor as a restroom.

[Bronwyn]

Okay.

[Whitney]

On a regular basis. No.

[Meredith]

Do you. Would you pick that up yourself or do you have some.

[Whitney]

Yes, I pick it up myself.

[Meredith]

I was like, Brahman is the type that she would pick it up so much.

[Whitney]

I could tell you which cleaner works and which cleaner doesn't work. And in a way, grosser vein, I can tell you which dog it is.

[Bronwyn]

Ooh.

[Whitney]

If there is a dog poop or pee in my house, I can tell you what.

[Meredith]

Do you have a more naughty dog? The puppy, I'm sure.

[Whitney]

Right? The puppy is not my naughtiest. I have two boys who are brothers. They have the same mom, but different litter. She was bred over and over and over. And we ended up with two runs from two different litters that weren't sellable that we rescued. And the two of them are the naughtiest. There's something about that mom.

[Meredith]

And they're like brothers.

[Whitney]

They're like, let's do naughty together. Yeah. And they are kind of our opposite. One's, like, real skinny and high strung, and one's like a beefcake and just kind of lovably dopey y. But they are my two hardest. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Mary from our team is dying to know why you named your dogs all the House of Cards characters.

[Whitney]

Oh, my gosh. So you just can't. You can't do anything because it'll always bite you in the ass. Later, when we got. We rescued our first dog, and his name was Bo, and he was this badass half, you know, boxer mix. And he just had this, like, gangly under bite, you know, a little snaggle tooth. And he just was too tough to be a beautiful.

[Meredith]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

And my husband loved House of Cards at the time. Pre Kevin Spacey scandal.

[Meredith]

Yes, of course.

[Whitney]

Editor's note. Bronwyn did not know what was to come, so we named him Francis. Yeah. And then he was really quirky. He had a lot of dog. He, like, was scared of other dogs and he'd been abused. And we lived in this condo in San Francisco and it was just this disaster trying to have him out and about on the street in San Francisco. And somebody gave us our dog Claire as a puppy, thinking if he had a friend, he. He would call it like an emotional support dog for my dog. And of course, when we had two, they had to be Frank and Claire and then just spiraled out of control since then. Yeah, dog. 7, 8, 9, 10. Maybe we'll do Succession. Who from Succession is going to let me down now? You know, hopefully not.

[Bronwyn]

But you give it enough time, they always do.

[Meredith]

We're kind of jumping all around here. But I do want to go back and I want to. Yes. I just want to. Obviously, the father of your daughter passed away.

[Whitney]

Yes.

[Meredith]

You found out via Facebook.

[Whitney]

Via Facebook, a mutual friend had just reposted his obituary and came up in my timeline as I was scrolling.

[Meredith]

What was that initial feeling?

[Whitney]

I think I was so surprised. He was young at the time and we had no contact. So it's very shocking. And it feels like a real. An abrupt stop. Right. To break up with somebody, to not see them. I always had this idea in the back of my mind that he and Gwen would have a relationship in the future. I didn't have a paradigm in which her dad would never have a relationship with her. I think I really have had a lot of therapy at that point and continuing since then. And I always felt like maybe he wasn't ready for responsibility then. Maybe he told some untruths to hide himself at that point. And it was really hard. So it was hard to take that first step in the right direction when you've been going the wrong direction. But I thought it was coming. So this felt like a brick wall. Right. We're never going to fix it now. And just so, so, so much sadness for Gwen. She was very little at the time. I mean, this is okay. I'm going to Be really honest. And also a little bit of relief for myself. Like, I never have to share her. We never have to do this custody thing. I know that sounds really awful, but I'm putting myself on reality television and putting myself on your podcast. I'm going to be honest with you. It's tricky to share custody with someone. It's tricky to share custody with somebody.

[Meredith]

You don't like and especially someone who just gave up on you and the baby.

[Whitney]

And I think when you are raising a child by yourself, I'm not speaking to everybody. Me raising a child by myself, I think I always fe like he was going to come in one day and be the cool dad and like swoop in and like want to fix it and she's going to be so grateful to have him. I'm going to be like, what?

[Meredith]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

What about all the times I was here when it's hard and that's so, so selfish. But it's a real feeling that's valid. It's a real feeling. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

You can tell Todd seems to be very protective of that whole situation.

[Whitney]

Yes, he is. When I met Todd, I was super in a great place about it. Gwen and I had been together for a long time, just the two of us. It was all she knew and we were fine. And shortly after Todd and I got engaged, I did have contact with his family and like a big thing kind of came out with them. And Todd watched me go through that whole process then of were they going to meet her then and how upsetting this was to me and when that didn't work out that I really shouldered the responsibility of telling Gwen it wasn't going to work out, you know, and all those kind of things. And I think Todd is still to this day incredibly protective that that not happen again to me or Gwen. Ultimately, I think Todd wants what's best for both of us. And that's also a tricky thing to hold too. What's best for me and what's best for Gwen are probably different in this scenario.

[Meredith]

Yeah, that feels like an impossible conversation to have with Gwen. When did you tell her and how did you tell her?

[Whitney]

I've been telling Gwen since she was little, since she was a baby. We used all the grown up words for everybody's anatomy and she called adults by their first names and I mean, she grew up with a single mom who was not ready to be a parent. I made a lot of mistakes, but I just always told her from the very beginning, even when she couldn't understand super little. When we talk about moms and dads or whatever at 2 and 3 years old. And I'd say, and you have a daddy who's not alive and he wasn't here when you and mommy, when mommy had you. And we just, it was. And I always felt like if it wasn't a shock, it couldn't be hurtful. And that's something I really had to learn later as Gwen grew up, is that it's always hurtful. No matter how you were told, no matter how how a part of your DNA it is. There's nothing I was ever going to do that was going to make up for that absence. Yeah. There is no right way to handle that.

[Meredith]

Yeah, sure.

[Bronwyn]

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[Whitney]

I mean, how did I not end up? Was this. No, it's gonna happen for me.

[Bronwyn]

Yes, you do.

[Meredith]

How are you not on season one?

[Whitney]

I mean, I'm a disaster. Dressed in a red heart for delusionally saying I'm one of three people who have it. Like, I was made for this in a sick way.

[Bronwyn]

But it didn't sound like you were watching as a fan, right? You had to go back and watch.

[Whitney]

I mean, I am a Bravo fan, and I'm a Housewives fan.

[Bronwyn]

You were.

[Whitney]

I was not a Salt Lake fan.

[Bronwyn]

You were sleeping on Salt Lake.

[Whitney]

I was sleeping on Salt Lake. I had talked about it at different points, and I knew Lisa outside of the show before the show, and I knew Meredith socially in Park City, and I love a lot of the places that I would see them on social media, going and acting like idiots, you know? Like, I love Vaulters. You know, don't make Vaulter mad. Like, I respect and love Vaulter. So I just always felt like it was too close to home.

[Meredith]

Right.

[Whitney]

And especially as the show started airing, the Lisa I knew wasn't the Lisa that maybe other people were talking about. Interesting. And it felt like when I saw her, I didn't want to always talk about the show. I wanted us to just be friends. And Todd definitely didn't want to talk about the show when, like, Todd and John and Lisa and I would go to dinner, Todd would have, like, five minutes worth of show talk. And then.

[Bronwyn]

This is before you were on the show.

[Whitney]

Before I was on the show. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bronwyn]

It seems to us in the audience that Todd really got dragged into this and fucking hates it a thousand.

[Whitney]

No, he doesn't hate it. I mean, I Hate it for him now. No, Todd is really supportive of what I want to do, but we are very different people.

[Bronwyn]

Clearly Todd's supportive because, you know, he's.

[Whitney]

Showing up, he's doing it, he's there. He went to Palm Springs, he paid for Palm Springs. I mean, like it's. Todd really supports what I want to do. Todd is wonderful in that he wants nothing to do with what I want to do, but he loves it for me. I think he would love it from a little more far if he could.

[Bronwyn]

Well, I mean, how did he get dragged into not only loving it for you, but he's a pretty big parts of this season, you know, compared to some of the other husbands in the. In the franchise, so to speak.

[Whitney]

I mean, I would say nagging works because that's kind of my M.O. usually about our relationship is if I just ask enough times, Todd, I'll do it. But in this case, it was much more organic than that. I really went on this season not with an idea of who I wanted to portray myself as, but definitely with things in mind that I wanted to film. I do a lot of charity work in Salt Lake. My daughter is turning 18. My husband still really works. I really kind of wanted to showcase what I was really going through at the time, which was what's my next act? Like, what do I do with the rest of my life? And really quickly, this revelation with Lisa, knowing my daughter's family came up. My friendship with Lisa struggles. I did find it hard to integrate in this group of friends. And so you see Gwen and Todd getting brought in in a way that I really didn't plan for them to. But I'm very clear that I said I would do this and I was going to film what was really happening and that's what ended up really happening.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah, you've really, you've been very authentic. What conversations have you had to have with Todd while filming that were kind of unexpected given that, like, because that's you, what you're saying seems very true. It seems you're very committed to being an authentic housewife. You know, there's an expectations of what.

[Whitney]

I kind of wish I wasn't so committed to that. Like, it'd be awesome if I had had this pre planned Persona that would have like shielded my real self a little bit.

[Bronwyn]

That's why, you know, listen, it's hard, like we can be critical of our reality TV stars because like we watch it and this show is kind of like covers it. Like we cover sports. You know, we have our favorites. We have the people root for, people root against. But, like, it is not easy to do what you all do, you know, like to bring your lives onto the TV screen and show that authenticity.

[Whitney]

It's easier to film it than it is to watch it back, I'll tell you that. You know?

[Bronwyn]

I know.

[Meredith]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah. It's not. But nevertheless, you, despite even your husband feeling uncomfortable with this, you have been very committed to this. Has it caused any friction in your relationship with Todd?

[Whitney]

It has. I'm going to be honest with you. It has. Of course, I don't want to be micromanaged, and I don't micromanage Todd, and I don't with Gwen either. They are allowed to be whoever it is that they want to be. I've worked really hard to get to a place of. Of Todd could pretty much tell me anything, and I don't know if we'd stay together, but I'd still respect him. We'd still be friends. We'd have, like, a really honest, cool conversation about it at all times. I love Todd enough that I. I don't think there's anything he could tell me that I couldn't handle. Again, I don't know how it changed, like, how we went forward. And I think that Todd feels that way about me, so I didn't, like, prepare him, which now, obviously everyone is upset with me about. After Palm Springs, you really got.

[Bronwyn]

When you say everyone, are you talking about fans, you, Your peers?

[Whitney]

Both. Both. I think the response to Todd has been a little bit of like, does this man not know he's on camera on Housewives? What does he think? They're not going to argue, you know, that kind of thing. That's really what Todd thought. He knew John and Lisa outside the show.

[Bronwyn]

But why are they mad about that?

[Whitney]

I don't know. I'm not mad about it. It. I see what people are saying, and it has caused some really amazing conversations for Todd and I. Watching other people's perspective of your relationship is an interesting thing. Thing. I'm not going to say that it's going to make a ton of changes in our relationship. What it feels like to us is more important than what it looks like to other people, 100%. But you also can't deny what it looks like if everyone sees it that way. So we have talked and, yeah, talk. To be softer when he talks to me, I could stand up for myself.

[Bronwyn]

A little bit more because that's what, you know, when. What it looks like, just an elephant in the room is, you know, you can Say it. Yeah, him. He's older.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

He's a very powerful, rich, wealthy man. Of course you're younger. You have this very demure, very classy way about you.

[Whitney]

Until the ladies and I get into it, that goes right out the window.

[Bronwyn]

And there's been just a couple scenes that we've seen where Todd's laying down what appears to be the law.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

And you're very kind of like Bambi eyed, Like, okay, Daddy.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Not okay, daddy, but you get what I'm saying?

[Whitney]

I do.

[Bronwyn]

So is that just Todd being direct and curt and then we are just seeing a snapshot? We're just seeing a scene without a lot of context, you know, because it does seem like going forward there may be a storyline from the other women trying to poke holes in your relationship with Todd.

[Whitney]

And maybe Taylor does make it look that way for the second half of the season. You got to see. We got to see. No, I can. I can speak about Todd and I. Of course I can. Todd and I are very, very different people. I mean, literally everything about us is different. I handle things in a way that's very different than Todd. I'd rather just say it straight out and talk about it and be real, not aggressive, but very direct. And Todd is also direct. But Todd takes a minute to be in a place to hear somebody else. I love you, Todd. Todd's never listen to this. I can say whatever I want. Todd will tell me how he feels, and I know he needs a minute till he's ready to hear how I feel. So when you see Todd kind of laying down the laws you said, and I do the Bambi thing, I didn't realize I was doing that, but that's really me giving Todd a very clear indicator. I've heard how he feels. I've respected it. I've accepted it. I'm processing it. I'm going to take when Todd is ready for me to respond. It's not that I never do, but can the cameras sit there all day while Todd has a refractory period and then I get. I'm ready to go? No, of course not. So it's not anybody editing us weird. It's that. That's our process.

[Bronwyn]

Well, another thing. When we were picking you up at the airport to do our little bit.

[Whitney]

Thanks for playing along about that. Of course.

[Bronwyn]

Of course, Leah.

[Whitney]

And who knew I loved an airport bit, Right?

[Meredith]

Come on.

[Bronwyn]

Leah and Justin and I were kind of talking about you and Todd and what we watched. We watched last night's episode and I. I pointed out to them. I was just like, well, whatever is going on in their relationship, Bronwyn's on her way here to record with us.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

She's still very much leaning into being a housewife. They've already filmed.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

So clearly, Bronwyn is still being a housewife, and she's still. You know what I'm saying?

[Whitney]

So for anyone shying away from interviews.

[Bronwyn]

Exactly.

[Whitney]

Todd and I are going to Vegas together tonight for Pride.

[Bronwyn]

So for anyone suggesting that Todd, who we can tell clearly hates this whole thing, is somehow in charge of you and you have no agency, well, that clearly can't be true because you're still very much being a housewife. You're still here talking about it.

[Whitney]

Todd was on the phone with me when I came out a baggage claim, and I was like, I have to go. Someone is dressed as a dog. My life is complete. You know what I mean? Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

So you know what I'm saying? So it's just like, you kind of almost have to think past the character that is bra went on household.

[Whitney]

It's not for everyone, but Todd and I have a relationship that works for us. I totally who Todd is. I understand how to talk to him. I understand how he talks to me. I do see what it looks like. I'm not immune to the criticism and the commentary and all of those things. I hear it and I see it. And Todd and I watched this episode together, and at first he was like, is that what everybody's mad about? And I was like, okay, I'm gonna hold your hand while we talk about this. That is what everybody's mad about. And it's fair. It does look like you're, you know, telling me what to do and all these kind of things. And, um. And there is room for him to be softer and to hear my pers. My side of things more. There is also room for me not to be a hot mess that spirals out of control. Todd does know me very well. And I think a lot of the times when you see Todd kind of being like, no, we're not going to do this, is because Todd knows, like, cue the ambulance, the lights. Like, Bronwyn's going to have a full meltdown. And I also know myself well enough. And that scene in Palm Springs, not full Melissa meltdown, but when it comes up about Gwen's family. Right. You see me real there. Like, I'll. I'm just gonna tell you right now so you can watch it with the rest of the season. If I'm playing with my fingers, if I'm touching my chest. If my hand is over my face, I am freaking out internally a thousand percent. Okay. I'm a very twitchy person when I'm upset. And there's also a lot of like, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay. So and so didn't mean to do that. And I did it first. And like, you see that over explaining start. And that's when Todd was like, nope, we're not doing this. He knew I was uncomfortable. I honestly, in his own way, Todd's really protective of me.

[Bronwyn]

I. I was telling Leia and Justin. I personally didn't have a problem with that scene. I get why he's getting the criticism. You know, anytime we see a man, especially older and powerful, who gets aggressive, it can read a certain way. Yeah, we understand that. But like, yeah, it felt. It felt like Todd, someone crossed a boundary. Here he is in this environment. There's cameras around, things are going on, and he's just like, clearly we didn't like talking talk, you know, before we sat down. This would have come up. He was caught off guard and was just like laying down a very clear.

[Whitney]

Yes.

[Bronwyn]

Boundary, regardless of what people might think about him, you know, and that's the thing about boundaries. We all love to talk about boundaries, all love to throw the word around. But.

[Whitney]

But they're not pretty. In reality.

[Bronwyn]

They're not pretty. And everyone finds them on. No one likes your boundary because your boundary is you cutting off access to other people who want access to you in some sort of way. And no one likes a boundary, which is why it's so hard to enforce them.

[Whitney]

Yeah. And I don't need to defend Todd, but I think when you see it the way I saw it, Todd knew that I was not going to handle that well, that I was going to make excuses, I was going to spiral. I was probably going to say something I didn't want to say. I was going to overshare. And he did not care. If he was not well received at that table, if that was what was best for Gwen and I, he was going to shut that conversation down.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Yeah. And Todd really stands on that. I do this thing where I'm always like, I want everyone to like, like me. I have a crazy, aggressive mouth. I can really be a gutter mouth and I can be really eviscerating, especially if I'm upset. But then I regret it and I want people to like me. And I feel so bad. And it's like this, like, where did that come from in me? I've really worked so hard to push that down and have all this therapy. Todd does not care whatsoever people like him or not.

[Bronwyn]

It's a good quality.

[Whitney]

It's a good quality.

[Meredith]

That is a great quality.

[Whitney]

And it's a really good quality to be married to if you don't have it.

[Meredith]

Yeah, yeah. It's kind of.

[Bronwyn]

Do you have that?

[Meredith]

I was about to say.

[Whitney]

Yeah. Who's the. Who's the boundary enforcer here, Nick? A hundred percent.

[Bronwyn]

I got. Fuck.

[Whitney]

Okay. Good for you, good for you, and good for you. You don't have to be the bad guy.

[Meredith]

No, 100%. He makes situations awkward where he's like, yeah, we're not doing this. And he'll walk away or he'll. He definitely is good at drawing boundaries where I'm like, oh, sure, I'll tell you everything about me if that's what you want.

[Whitney]

Yeah, exactly. And it was also a very odd scenario in that we were not planning to discuss this on camera. The last I spoke to Gwen's family, they lived in a really teeny, tiny town. They did not live by anybody I know.

[Meredith]

So with this being out on national television, have they. Has there been another conversation?

[Whitney]

There's been. Yeah, there's been conversation. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, there has.

[Bronwyn]

Any mending.

[Whitney]

I. I hope so, for Gwen's sake. Yeah, I do. I mean, I think we'll. We'll explore it a little teeny bit more. I always feel gross kind of teasing Gwen's real life as a part of the show. But you will see it. And. And then I also hope that after that you won't see it. I hope that it'll really just be between Gwen and them. She's big enough for that. It's hard for me not to say how upset I am with what happened for me and them and how heavy that's been. There is a part of me that feels like I've carried this secret for them for a really long time. And I still am. In my own way. I really protect their identity and who they are. And I am still to this moment doing that because I think that's what's right for them. And it's the best version of me. Um, so I just kind of keep my feelings about it in so that Gwen can have whatever she wants with them. Yeah. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Can Todd parallel park?

[Whitney]

Todd can parallel park. And also Todd is wealthy enough to buy a car that parallel parks for him. So I don't know why the rest of the cast can't get on. That was.

[Bronwyn]

Was the Was the necklace a little bit of dick measuring?

[Whitney]

Of course I'm not going to act like it wasn't.

[Bronwyn]

I love. I mean, yeah, if you can buy your wife a $5 million necklace around a bunch of people who can't. Kind of fun.

[Whitney]

I mean, I just always want to point out I did not do it in front of anyone. I just wore it in front of.

[Meredith]

Everyone off the side. You did have the meeting.

[Whitney]

We did it. We did it off privately.

[Meredith]

You did it privately.

[Whitney]

You did it privately on national television.

[Meredith]

Exactly.

[Bronwyn]

Are we still not getting along with Heather?

[Whitney]

Heather and I are better. I've always wanted to get along with Heather. I always have.

[Bronwyn]

I find Heather confusing. Oh, I really like.

[Whitney]

Because I. I could take all the. I could take all the help I could get.

[Bronwyn]

I want to like Heather.

[Whitney]

Okay.

[Bronwyn]

Because I think she seems really smart. I really like her at times.

[Whitney]

She's very funny.

[Bronwyn]

She's very funny, but she always is. She's always living in someone's shadow. She's like. When Angie pointed out, like, how she knew her in high school and she always wanted to hang out with the cool kids, it was like I fully understood Heather in that moment.

[Whitney]

I had to pause the episode. I had to, like, pause the episode, change my shirt. I felt so sweaty when she said that. I was like, I don't know what happens for them after this.

[Meredith]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

But Heather seems like she doesn't know how to be the leader that she's capable of being.

[Whitney]

So I don't. I don't.

[Bronwyn]

And it's frustrating to watch.

[Whitney]

But also, maybe I have a little sympathy for her as somebody else who's left the Mormon Church. It is a hard thing to get all the way away from. And I know that Heather's really struggled with finding herself that. Well, that's my take on it. She hasn't told me that. My take on it is that she's wants to be totally free of it, but it's hard to be totally free of something you grew up in.

[Bronwyn]

I'm just more talking about. Just like this season, she seems like Lisa's minion. Minion. So all previous season, it was like she was Jen Shaw's minion.

[Whitney]

All I've known her as is very tight with Lisa. My experience with Lisa, with Heather, she's always been very tight with Lisa, and that did affect my friendship with Lisa, and it has affected me getting to know Heather.

[Meredith]

Do you think it was like, it.

[Whitney]

Sounds like they're happy. Yeah, it's a happy. It's a happy coupling.

[Meredith]

So was there Like a jealousy there? Was it like a Heather not wanting you for. From either side?

[Whitney]

Like, I think I was definitely jealous. I'd known Lisa a long time, and I think it's really interesting when you add other people in the dynamic, to think, did something change or were we never super close? And I just didn't realize in a different setting than this. And that's something that I definitely go through throughout the course of the show. I think you'll see more of that. I don't want to spoil anything, but, yeah, I have to come to terms with. Is it more hurtful that you were close with somebody and it changed or that maybe you were never that close with them to be. Begin with?

[Bronwyn]

I usually find it to be the latter.

[Whitney]

Yeah, the latter's much more hurtful.

[Meredith]

Because if it's so easy, well, it's also.

[Whitney]

Oh, you think. You think people don't really truly change. You think you just realize the truth after a while.

[Bronwyn]

You realize sometimes, you know, Nelly and I have this conversation a lot where I'll be like, these people aren't your friends. They're not our friends.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

You know, at first when you meet people, you hang out, people can be friendly.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

But, like, to me, friends are people who, you know, have your back in uncomfortable situations.

[Whitney]

You know, I love.

[Bronwyn]

And there's very few of those people.

[Whitney]

Yeah. I love in Parks and Rec, Ron Swanson said once, they're not even my coworkers. They're my workplace proximity associates. And, like, sometimes I'm like, that is so true. Like, you have friends, you have acquaintances, you have social people, you know, and then you're like, that person just happens to live down the road. We share a garbage man. Like, that's it. You know what I mean? Like. Yeah. Yeah.

[Meredith]

So has. Is that, like, the most shocking realization you've had about your friendship with Lisa since filming this show is just kind of like, she's not who you thought she was.

[Whitney]

I think Lisa is who she says she is. I do think that. I don't think Lisa's pretending anything. I think Lisa is who she says she is. I think I knew her in a different setting. We were. We were much more social friends, and that's okay.

[Bronwyn]

You have more data points now.

[Whitney]

I have, yeah. And you know what? Maybe I'm the problem. Maybe if she got to know me better, she didn't like me.

[Bronwyn]

Well, I believe that.

[Whitney]

Would that be a trick?

[Bronwyn]

Well, I believe that only because I feel like. Well, from what I'm hearing from, I'm.

[Whitney]

Not gonna blame Lisa, I could definitely be the villain. I mean, she said so. Who knows?

[Meredith]

She did.

[Bronwyn]

She did. In her mind. I see it. But, like, you know, it sounds like you guys were, like, casual friends, acquaintances, knew each other, you were friendly, but now. Now you're sharing, literally, the spotlight, you know, and you don't back down and you don't get in line, so to speak. And I think very much Lisa expected you to get into your place.

[Whitney]

Yeah, I don't back down. And I think Lisa's son knew my daughter. They had spent time together, and Lisa and I done a lot of social things together, and she knew Todd. And I think in the same way that in that little preview, Todd's like, I've never seen you behave this way. Todd absolutely knows my mouth is ruthless. He's just never seen me yell it in a hot tub. And I don't think maybe Lisa had either. And that's a new thing to realize about somebody, is that there's only so far I can push them before they come back. And I can't deal with the way they come back. And I already said on this episode with you guys, I didn't even know that my baby daddy was seeing other people. Like, maybe I misread situations. I thought he and I were together. I thought Lisa and I were much closer. So maybe it's me.

[Meredith]

I mean, Todd did say that her tequila brand is mediocre.

[Whitney]

Todd did say that.

[Bronwyn]

What do you think?

[Meredith]

Are you. Yeah.

[Whitney]

I mean, I'm not an expert. I didn't grow up drinking. I'm Mormon. What would I know? But I do know that Todd does not like it.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah, he seems like he has good taste.

[Whitney]

Todd has great taste.

[Meredith]

Hello. Obviously.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Meredith]

$5 million diamond necklace.

[Whitney]

I mean, I was waving it myself.

[Meredith]

Well, yes, that too.

[Bronwyn]

Did you know that we have the Seattle, Paris, Hawaii, Starbucks cups?

[Whitney]

Oh, good for you.

[Bronwyn]

We started collecting them for, like, a week. And then we were like, we already have five, and we can't keep them.

[Whitney]

And what are you gonna do?

[Meredith]

Like, where else are we gonna put.

[Whitney]

I know. I had to make a whole. Our old house in Austin. We had a whole cabinet for them. And then Todd loved it.

[Bronwyn]

I thought you were gonna say we bought a house for them.

[Whitney]

We bought a house for them in Austin. Taught us to go to Austin to have coffee. No. And then I had to put one in this house. We have a wall of mugs at the.

[Meredith]

How is he choosing his coffee cup each morning? Is he, like, today?

[Whitney]

Sometimes he's real fussy about it.

[Meredith]

Really?

[Whitney]

Yeah. And he loves to come in and be like, do you know why I picked this mug? And I'm like, I don't care if you need coffee. If it's early enough that you need coffee, I don't care what the process, what mug you pick.

[Bronwyn]

Does Todd have a little bit of a naughty, kinky side?

[Whitney]

Of course.

[Bronwyn]

Because it seems like I think we've.

[Whitney]

Stayed together all this long.

[Meredith]

Did y'all answer the favorite sexual position question?

[Whitney]

Of course we did.

[Meredith]

Y'all did?

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Meredith]

It was all of them left.

[Bronwyn]

And you could tell I'm like this. Yeah, this guy likes to get a little naughty.

[Whitney]

I got kicked out of byu. What do you think Todd's doing with me? Yeah, who doesn't? I picked this man up at the airport in costumes. I mean, we don't use them later.

[Meredith]

But we are both weird, hard.

[Whitney]

For sure. Yeah. The inflatables are not lending to any time. Sexy time. No. For sure.

[Bronwyn]

It's like we would use them if.

[Whitney]

We could, but yeah.

[Bronwyn]

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[Meredith]

If you had to give one word to explain each woman. Oh, let's start with Whitney.

[Whitney]

Let's start with Whitney. I think Whitney. Whitney. Whitney. Whitney. I want to pick the right word here. I was not prepared for this. Come back to me with Whitney. Start with someone.

[Meredith]

Angie.

[Whitney]

Angie is fun. Angie's fun. Angie's all fun.

[Meredith]

I was like, she seems like such a fun character.

[Whitney]

She's so fun and my friendship with her is fun. Even when I watch her. Angie and I have. Angie and I have a moment to come. You'll see that is maybe a little shocking. But even in that I was like, damn, it's kind of fun to fight with Angie. Okay, okay.

[Meredith]

Meredith.

[Whitney]

Meredith. Meredith just gives Me, this vibe of, like, upper echelon. That's two words. But we could hyphenate them. Everything, the accents, you know, she's very serious about her arguments. She's very serious about her outfits. Meredith is all class.

[Meredith]

I love Meredith the lawyer in our.

[Whitney]

I drink a smooth glass of Meredith for sure. Yes.

[Meredith]

Chilled.

[Whitney]

Yeah. Meredith and some smooth jazz. I could almost get hard for Seth if I had enough. Meredith. I regret saying that.

[Meredith]

Mary.

[Whitney]

Mary. Mary is really sweet. I would say sweet. Really? Yeah. There's a real sweetness as I get to know Mary, obviously. I mean, I live in Salt Lake. I have social media. I'd heard. Heard things. Every time I looked at Mary, she and I were both nodding or we were both shaking our heads or rolling our eyes. Like, we really kind of, you know, everything we thought synced up. And I think Mary loves her family, and that's important to me. I think Mary can be real soft and real sweet and real vulnerable.

[Meredith]

Yeah, I love that. Heather.

[Whitney]

Heather is just witty. The first word that comes to mind with me is witty. Look, I've taken out a bad bitch or two in my life, and Heather's. Heather's a formidable opponent. I like it. I want to be friends with you, Heather, but I also love fighting with you. Come for me again. What else do we want to do?

[Bronwyn]

Mary did have a problem with you flying your friends private and then letting them fly car.

[Whitney]

She did. She did. But she also finished that up by saying she would also never get them a plane. So I feel like that was, like, a half from Mary. Like, she understood that. Like, it was uncool for me not to fly them home private. But she also never would have done it in the first place.

[Bronwyn]

It was just kind of fun to see Lisa panic.

[Whitney]

Yeah. I mean, I didn't actually see Lisa panicking because I was not in coach.

[Meredith]

Right. Okay.

[Whitney]

Lisa. Lisa. Lisa is authentic. I would say authentic. Love Lisa or hate Lisa. That's who Lisa is.

[Meredith]

That's her.

[Whitney]

She's not gonna change.

[Bronwyn]

Who? If any of the housewives are misunderstood and how are they misunderstood?

[Whitney]

Who are misunderstood? I hate the conversation this season being about parenting. I really don't love that. I know it comes up because we're all friends and we all have kids and we all parent different ways. But I wish we could, like, slow up a little teeny bit on the parenting talk sometimes. I think all of them, including myself, we want to be good moms. We do our very best. And it's hard. All of us have different kids, and different kids need different things. So the comparison about parenting, I would say all of us are a little misunderstood on our parenting.

[Meredith]

It did feel a little hypocritical to me to have Angie get so upset when Lisa brings up Electra and how, like, you hang up the phone to be with Elektra and then for Meredith to say, you're talking about my son Brooks and how I'm using him at that dinner table. And for Angie. Angie to not be like, okay, you're right. Like, we're not bringing up children. It did feel a little. How did that feel for you sitting right there?

[Whitney]

Yeah. I mean, it's a topic we explore. I keep saying to everybody as I've gone back and watched the old seasons, there's always like a Scooby Doo of it, all, right? Like, are we uncovering Jen as a criminal? Are we figuring out who reality Von Tees is? And I kind of love that. Like, I wish we all just were Scooby Doo for Halloween. I'll even be Scooby Doo if I have to be the dog, just so everyone else can be a cute character. But this season, I always say, I really feel like what I hope everyone takes away is that it's much more about. About friendships. What you want in a friendship, what you give in a friendship, what you accept in a friendship, what it looks like to give and receive different things and want different things from someone. And I think that's a big part of friendship is can you see something in someone else that you don't like in yourself and still appreciate them and love them and care about them? And also, we're all delusional bitches. Yes. We're all like, I don't like when you do this as we're doing it, you know? So, I mean, I gave Heather a pretty half assed apology and then was like, and will you give me a real one? You know, I mean, like, we're all assholes. Of course. Yeah. That's what makes it funny.

[Bronwyn]

Where do you stand with Whitney? How are you guys close?

[Whitney]

I love Whitney. I do love Whitney. I think a big thing for me on the show with these ladies, getting to know them is I didn't really know any of them. And I think once I want to have fun with somebody or I like you, then it becomes Bronwyn's co sign to everything you've ever done or said. And that is not true. I am team Nobody. Not even Team Todd. I'm only Team Bro. No, I'm Team Todd, too. Team Todd and Bronwyn and Like a bit Gwen, but she's very different than me, so it's questionable.

[Bronwyn]

On the midseason teas, it suggests that Whitney reaches out to Monica.

[Whitney]

I mean, you'll have to see who knows? I mean, do it all.

[Bronwyn]

Have you met Monica?

[Whitney]

I have never met Monica.

[Bronwyn]

You haven't?

[Whitney]

No. I don't even know if I've spoken to Monica. I've received a reality Von Te's dm. But it could have been anyone.

[Meredith]

Could have been. It could be Meredith.

[Whitney]

Could be anyone. Could be Tanisha. Is that the hairstyle st?

[Bronwyn]

I think so.

[Whitney]

It could be. Maybe. What did it say?

[Meredith]

Was it talking about someone else?

[Whitney]

It was a video of J. Jen yelling at somebody. A designer, maybe a dress designer of that video and then saying, like, you should buy stuff from him and you should be good to him. And I was like, I mean, lovingly. I'm in Mexico. During COVID my husband and I lived in our house in Mexico. And I was like, I'm just not really buying any dresses right now, but mazel, you know, like, I hope everyone's okay.

[Meredith]

Wishing the best.

[Whitney]

Best of luck for your employees, you know, but no, I don't. I don't like anybody talking to anybody that way. But I was really not involved in it. That's time.

[Meredith]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

And I don't think the reality of on tease of it all is still going on. They don't message me.

[Bronwyn]

Okay.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Meredith]

I wonder. I mean, it would be weird for them to continue to run this account with us knowing everyone that is behind it or also kind of.

[Bronwyn]

We know it's.

[Whitney]

You just keep going. I would love it. So, no, but I've never met her. I've never run into her. I've never seen her.

[Bronwyn]

Do we have some fun fashion looks to look forward to the rest of the season?

[Whitney]

Yes, we have a lot of fun fashion still to come. We have a real Utah moment. I hope you'll notice it when you see it. The first thing I think of when I think of Utah is soda. So there's a soda moment coming.

[Bronwyn]

We learned that on the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Do you guys ever interact with each other?

[Whitney]

I haven't even seen it. Should I be watching Secret Lives of Morbid?

[Bronwyn]

Yeah, that's pretty good.

[Whitney]

Somebody told me a little something about Fruity Pebbles and that's my favorite cereal. And I felt like I might be out once I heard that.

[Bronwyn]

Turns turns out PE tastes like Fruity Pebbles according to some Mormons.

[Whitney]

Okay, I take it back when I said Fruity Pebbles is my favorite Cereal. That is not how I meant that.

[Bronwyn]

I'm more of a Cocoa Pebbles guy.

[Whitney]

Okay. Okay. Good to know you like it. Chocolate.

[Meredith]

I take it you haven't had a lot of strangers comment on you or your life before. How has that been kind of opening that door?

[Whitney]

Yeah, it's. I'm. I'm a weirdo who likes it. I like the feedback. I like therapy. I like a self help book. Kind of a masochist about it. I love it. It's interesting to me. I don't ignore it. I don't immediately say, oh, you jealous hater. No, I'm kind like, ooh, does that hurt because it's true and I need to make a change, or does it hurt because it's malicious? Okay, why do you want to be malicious to me? Did I run over your cat? Did I date your ex boyfriend? Like, I like it. I like a backstory, you know? So, yeah, it's. But it's also an overwhelming amount of feedback. So I'm trying to, like, stand in who I am, but also be open to the idea that I need to evolve. But also I want the season to play out the way it played out. Like, I don't want to. I don't want to start going back and trying to rewrite what happened.

[Meredith]

Right.

[Whitney]

There's some real signs, selfish things that I've done and said. You're gonna see them. There's some real funny things I've said. Hopefully you'll see. Don't cut the funny things out. I. I always seem so. I think they keep you. No, you.

[Meredith]

You're funny. You're funny.

[Whitney]

But, yeah, the commentary is. The commentary is wild.

[Bronwyn]

Who was the last of your housewives that you have hung out with post filming?

[Whitney]

The last person I saw was Angie.

[Bronwyn]

Okay. What did you guys do?

[Whitney]

I saw Angie at the Humane Society gala in Utah. Yeah, we took a picture with our daughters. We did the whole thing together. Yeah. Angie and Whitney and Britney, shocking news. All came to my birthday party in Salt Lake City.

[Meredith]

Ooh, I thought you don't like each other.

[Whitney]

We don't. That's why I said shocking news.

[Meredith]

Did she just, like piggyback?

[Whitney]

No, I invited everyone, Okay? I have an equal opportunity offender. I let everybody come. Just not Heather.

[Meredith]

No, I'm from Springs.

[Whitney]

Well, I've learned my lesson, obviously. Now, in September, you know, after filming, I invited everyone. Now you can say whatever you want about my husband. Please come to my birthday.

[Bronwyn]

You don't think Britney is a victim of her relationship situation?

[Whitney]

She might be. You do think she might be. I don't know. I don't know. When we were filming, I knew very little about her relationships, so I might have over. I might have been harsh about that. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Well, why?

[Whitney]

Because I didn't. I didn't know how devastating she's. What she's gone through. I've learned more since then.

[Bronwyn]

Well, that we may not know.

[Whitney]

I mean, I had to interact with Jared, so.

[Bronwyn]

Oh, yeah, No, I get it. He's scummy, he sucks. But like.

[Whitney]

Yeah, the worst.

[Bronwyn]

At what point is it kind of like your fault?

[Whitney]

I don't know.

[Bronwyn]

Fool me once, film me 13.

[Whitney]

Yeah. I don't know that it's ever your fault, but you definitely don't have to engage anymore. You definitely can.

[Bronwyn]

Well, I guess when I say your fault, it's more like, you know, at what point. Yeah. Are you putting yourself in a situation where the situation's very clear, what the situation is.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

And you're refusing to look at it in an honest way.

[Whitney]

I think you'll see Britney and I talk about ramification of that at some point. I've worked really hard to be good with my daughter. We've had a lot of ups and downs. Being a parent in general, being a single parent, having a stepdad. We're very different people. And I've worked really hard to have a good relationship with her. Even if that meant I needed to change, I needed to apologize. Not even if every time I need to apologize, I need to change. I need to find a way to relate to her in a way that makes. It's the parent's responsibility to be the right parent for the child that you have. So, yeah, I think it was hard for me to feel like maybe the relationships were most important. Important to her. I wanted her to stand up a little bit, but also everyone was telling her that she didn't need me to jump in, you know?

[Bronwyn]

So what you mentioned you were a fan of Housewives before you went on. Which franchises were you watching the most?

[Whitney]

Oh, my gosh. Okay. I love old New York. Sorry, New New York girls. I like your New York.

[Bronwyn]

New York. They need a. They need to shape up real quick. We're falling off.

[Whitney]

I mean, I've yet to watch an entire New York episode all the way through. I watched the clips.

[Bronwyn]

You guys are the big leagues.

[Whitney]

I love All New York. I like the Beverly Hills girls a lot. I've watched everything from. Of that. From the beginning. I love Potomac. I'm scared to death. I could never, ever hang with the Atlanta girls. They would read Me to the ground in a second. I would be in tears. There would be no. I don't ride their dicks. Like, it's my job. That they would. That would not fly in Atlanta. That just would definitely not. Those girls would not tolerate my mouth.

[Bronwyn]

What about O.C.

[Whitney]

I like O.C. i know less of it. I wasn't invested in the beginning, and I went back, and I think it's hard when you go back and rewatch stuff from a long time ago. I didn't watch that. I didn't follow it as it was happening.

[Bronwyn]

Okay, Are you. Are you following this season?

[Whitney]

I'm following this season.

[Bronwyn]

You are?

[Whitney]

Of course, yes. I mean, Team Shannon, first and foremost and always. Yeah. Alexis is the worst.

[Meredith]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Lexi. What are we supposed to be calling her? Johnny J? I can't say any of those things. I. Tamara's nice to me on social media. I see that she has problems with other people. I have not had a problem with Tamara.

[Bronwyn]

Where do you fall with Jen, who, like, both seems very sweet. You want to root for her. But similar. Similar to Britney. At what point is it kind of like, man, you're really putting yourself and potentially your kids in some very uncomfortable situations?

[Whitney]

Yeah, I think that's tricky. I think it's hard to judge what somebody else is going through. And I know a lot of people say it's easy for me because I just spend Todd's money or, you know, Todd came in and swooped in and saved Gwen and I. But I would love to see both of them have, like, an evolution of themselves where they really are in charge of what's best for them and their kids. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna shit on what they already done, but I would love to see both of them really step into being powerful.

[Meredith]

Yeah, Love that. Have you tried this? Van Leeuwen. How do you say the ice cream that just came out with a Salt Lake City flavor for Real Housewives?

[Whitney]

What can I say? I'm. I'm going to help launch it next week.

[Meredith]

You are?

[Whitney]

Yeah. I'm gonna be in New York with two other. I will not name them castmates. And I have an ice cream outfit planned. Of course they asked me. Of course they asked me. They want to make sure there was somebody, you know, dressed as Mr. Frosty to pass this thing out. I'm very excited about it. I love ice cream. And. Yeah, something saltier than us ladies, right? Let's do it. Who would have thought?

[Meredith]

Yeah, it looks really good. It's like salt, lavender, and caramel.

[Whitney]

Yeah. Because it's SLC salt, lavender, caramel. They're so tricky.

[Meredith]

They're so, so tricky. Wow.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

For anyone who is wondering, especially mid season, given how much people think, you know, Todd hates being a house husband. Are you fully committed? Are you back if they want you?

[Whitney]

We'll have to see how things end. We'll have to see how things end. I'm in a tricky place in some of my friendships right now, post filming, and I always want to be in a good place.

[Bronwyn]

But if you get asked to come back, are you in or are you personally unsure?

[Whitney]

I always have more story. I always have more things to say. I always have more insults to scream across a hot tub. I guess it would really depend on how my relationships were able to move forward. A lot hinges on their reunion.

[Meredith]

Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

You're kind of. I feel like you're implying that the Lisas and the Merediths and the Heathers of the world have a say in it.

[Whitney]

Oh, no, no, no. I'm not saying that at all. I'm saying I would want to come back in a really realistic way. If there's no path forward for some of my friendships, then I think I shouldn't be at a dinner, I shouldn't be at your house, you shouldn't be at my event. So if we could figure out a civil path forward, some of us, then I think there's more to explore there. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Wow. What a tease.

[Whitney]

I'm not saying that they could keep me out never, but I'm just saying I would want to make sure it was real.

[Bronwyn]

Okay. All right.

[Whitney]

Okay. What I filmed thus far has been really me like it or not.

[Bronwyn]

We like it.

[Whitney]

We like it.

[Bronwyn]

I like it. I don't know.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Meredith]

Thank you.

[Bronwyn]

I think you've been excellent. Thanks.

[Whitney]

What about Todd? Do you really like Todd?

[Bronwyn]

I don't. Yeah. No, I don't.

[Whitney]

This feels like the pool with me and Lisa. Can you say I'm not too faced? Can I say you're not?

[Meredith]

You were like.

[Whitney]

I was thinking about. I was the most painful.

[Meredith]

Anytime someone repeats the question back to you.

[Whitney]

Stall for time, girl. Stall for time.

[Bronwyn]

I just don't really care one way or the other. He's like, I'm not watching. So maybe Todd shouldn't come back if he wants to. Great. I think it's your an. I think it makes for fun scenes. I think he's a compelling character given, like, obviously his background, his wealth, but, like, he's not the main character and why you're there, you know, and, you know, while I understand the audience's, like, perception of the relationship, but like I said, like, I. I also understood and respect someone who doesn't care what people think and can set a boundary. And, like, it's. It's. You can tell he's doing it for his wife.

[Whitney]

Yes. You know, yes, he very much is.

[Bronwyn]

And is a little surprised, but he's.

[Whitney]

Also a little bit messy. I love when he, like, makes little polygamy jokes on the side at lunch or he's calling tequila mediocre. Todd acts like he's above it and Housewives is not for him. And then he likes to twist that knife a little tiny bit. Yeah.

[Meredith]

What is the best gift Todd has given you? Best gift Todd's minus this 5 million dollar.

[Whitney]

Oh, stop. Years ago.

[Bronwyn]

Todd.

[Whitney]

I love pandas. It's like this weird.

[Bronwyn]

Okay, he bought you a panda.

[Whitney]

I wish he'd bought me a panda. God, Todd, get on this. I want a panda for Christmas. Todd, it's only a couple months away. No, he got me a Louis Vuitton hat box, like a special piece of luggage, and they had my favorite panda painted on it. And I freaked out. I totally freaked out about it. It's not very usable because I want to destroy the painting. So it's just in my office. It's beautiful. Todd likes to buy me art. He likes to buy me art and jewelry. I can already hear the jokes coming. I'm gonna. They're all resellable gifts. They're not resellable gifts, but.

[Bronwyn]

Yeah, but just in case.

[Whitney]

Just in case. I guess, like always an insurance.

[Bronwyn]

It's an appreciable asset.

[Meredith]

What is your favorite brand for a purse?

[Whitney]

My fa. Well, I collect Judith Lers.

[Meredith]

Do you?

[Whitney]

So I have to say Judith Leber. Oh, yeah. I have tons of Judas Lers. Yes. You have to go back and watch in all the episodes and most holding into your Judith Lieber. And I've given a Judith Lieber to Gwen, to Todd's mom, and to a woman who was like a second mom to me, and then Natalie, Joy, and now you. And I give one to one of the ladies at some point during the season.

[Bronwyn]

So I hope they say thank you.

[Whitney]

I mean, serious friendship. I was extending to that serious friendship happening here.

[Bronwyn]

Do you get a little uncomfy wearing $5 million necklaces? Like, or. Or.

[Whitney]

No, no, I always have. I mean, I always, always have tons of jewelry on. No, because something o. First of all, something that ridiculous, nobody thinks it's real. Well, we know nobody would look at that and think, like, of course it looks like costume jewelry. A lot of the pieces I wear that are actually the most expensive, you would not know. Like, I love those Dolce and Gabbana enamel boxes that they make. The purses that are so elaborate. Or the Judith Liebers. I have a couple really rare special Chanel bags. And that's not what people would think is the big, you know, people would think jewelry or like a Birkin or those kind of things. So. Yeah, the weirder you are, the more under the radar you are. Yeah. Yeah.

[Bronwyn]

Well, I know you gotta go.

[Whitney]

Yeah. We thank you for your time.

[Bronwyn]

It's been so much fun.

[Whitney]

This was so easy. Maybe I should film this all the time instead of other things, right? Thank you guys for having me.

[Bronwyn]

We like to have fun with our guests. Well, we, again, I think we really enjoy you on the, on the, on the show. We hope you are back for many more seasons.

[Whitney]

Yay.

[Bronwyn]

You've done such an excellent job of being a housewife and so thanks for being so entertaining.

[Whitney]

Yeah, thanks for having me, both of you.

[Meredith]

Of course.

[Bronwyn]

Thank you guys for listening. We'll see you back tomorrow.

[Whitney]

Bye bye.

[Bronwyn]

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[Whitney]

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