The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City premiered last night. Confession! I’m a Bravo-addict. You might know that if you follow me on Twitter or watch my Instagram Stories.
While I’m not a big fan of contestant shows, like singing competitions — The Challenge is a strong exception — I love a “docuseries” show and have been with the Housewives since the beginning, the OC. I passively watched then, even passively watching New York. Game changer: the Real Housewives of Atlanta premiered October 7, 2008. I just graduated college in the spring, had started a job late summer and I was on some grown woman shit. The following spring, New Jersey premiered and I knew I found my network in Bravo. Not all my friends are Housewives fans. Podcasters are friends in my head. I tell my partner he’s “such a f-ing liar” and giggle. I quote Dorinda Medley to my mother and she’s confused.
My passion for Housewives is like my travel curiosity. Where are we going to go next?
I’ve searched for clips on The Real Housewives of Johannesburg in anticipation of a trip to South Africa and practice my Italian with the Real Housewives of Napoli. It’s always controversial whether or not a community feels their Housewives franchise represent them, but to me, these women are often a travel guide to the cities they’re in! The cast trips give me travel inspiration or planning tips for trips of my own. The Real Housewives of Potomac are in Portugal right now — technically.
I loooove Portugal. I had my 30th birthday there, had a wonderful time in both Lisbon and Porto. Joined my partner on his boy’s surfing trip in Lisbon a year or so later. The Potomac girls are on Madeira Island. I am actually very surprised they haven’t mentioned how close they are to Africa. Did you know Portugal also had a lot of colonies in Africa? Did you know in the early aughts that oil rich Angola had to bail out its debt ridden former colonizer? Madeira is an island that’s maybe equidistant from Morocco and Portugal, maybe a little closer to Morocco, but not as close as the Canary Islands. These are the fun hot tips I hope to give you every week.
Now, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is the snowy franchise I didn’t know I needed! I’ve been following Jen Shah on social media for the last few months and she’s my kind of extra. I love the different take on Mormonism in the show. I knew a friend from NYC who was a Mormon, and I remember the longest conversation with Italian friends in Gallipoli summers ago trying to explain Mormonism and that they are not the Amish, and Mennonites. I love the sense of humor and awareness that most of the ladies seem to have about how people perceive their religion.
Sometimes Bravo’s shooting to premiere has a large gap, so like Potomac, RHOSLC is just removed enough from the pandemic that I can revel in the good times. Seeing Mary and Whitney in that wooden alpine bar warmed my heart. Who knew I’d miss ski season?! Just when I was beginning to like it! Not sure how I feel about Mary yet. The way she handled Jen’s aunt seems unnecessarily cold and dare I say it, not Christian-like. But judging from the after show, they come for each other a lot. Are all our Bravo First Ladies shady? Looking at your Gizelle Bryant!
Now, is Salt Lake City this diverse? This is what we’ve been asking for from Bravo all along. An effortlessly diverse cast. Though if Bravo is a glimpse into America, it’s no wonder the friend groups aren’t diverse. It’s always interesting when they call New York out on the lack of diversity and saying it’s not reflective of the city they live in. I actually think their friend group is for the types of women they are. And a lot of people are. New York can be a melting pot, or it can be a separated lunch tray. So far, in SLC, the friendships seem geniune. I also need to learn more about the Mormon beauty industry and the Gay’s ties to the Howard Hughes fortune. This franchise as some old Hollywood spice to it!
Favorite take aways actually came from WWHL though. Love that Jen had never heard the expression “never look a gift horse in the mouth.” And her back and forth with Mary is Jen – Jackie RHONJ level, so it doesn’t seem like it gets better as the season progresses. Welcome Salt Lake City! Happy to have you in my living room!
Here’s who I’m listening to and watching for my Bravo fix.
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