I’ve been sitting on ready to write the RHONY Reunion Recap for two weeks now. It looks like we are going to get right into the hurt feelings between Dorinda and Luann tonight. Many of these relationships are raw and real. Especially, this one. Dorinda did a lot for Luann, just like Bethenny and Barbara. And Luann treated everyone like crap. I have to hand it to Luann, she knows she is going to have a lot of people coming for her at this reunion. Yet, unlike someone else we know, she showed up to face the music. And after everyone waddles to the couch and Sonja tapes her face back, we are ready to start this RHONY Reunion Recap!
The cattiness begins with the introductions. Sonja’s dress is from her collection. It costs $105. It looks it. Sonja’s “collection” is merely overstock, usually from Target. Dorinda is not wearing Jovani, she is wearing Naeem Khan. That dress is likely $7K or more. It’s also the designer that Luann asked to lend her dresses in 2011. He’s supposedly a friend of Carole Radziwill. Then she looks at Luann and says, “You can keep your $400 dress.” And the arrows begin to fly.
Andy asks Luann de Lesseps feels about herself after watching the last few episodes. She says she fells humble because she came off as really self-absorbed. She is already starting to make excuses for her behavior. Tinsley has a new line of eye lashes. Ramona is wearing a deeper shade of Ramona blue. Ramona had her teeth done. They look very natural.
RHONY REUNION Recap Related Post: The Countess In Handcuffs!
Bethenny is greeted last by Andy in some what of an awkward fashion. He brings up that Dennis Shields used to come to the reunions and was at the last one. Dennis has since died and Bethenny’s grief was part of her storyline. Bethenny is already crying. It was sort of rude to bring up those memories right before the reunion.
RHONY REUNION Recap Related Post: Dennis Shields Dies Of Apparent Overdose
I’m going to skip over all the new apartment discussions. They pretty much all got new places this season. Everyone loves their apartments. No one believes that Luann left The Hamptons because she was being hounded by paparazzi. Bethenny name drops all her neighbors including Madonna and says they are never bothered by the press there.
Bethenny’s New Boyfriend
Bethenny talks about her on again, off again relationship with Dennis Shields. She says even when they were broken up, they would still be in touch. He would promise her that he was going to get himself together and beg her to marry him. Bethenny said because of her age she wondered if she should just marry Dennis. Maybe the fairytale wasn’t going to come for her. She also had him to spend holidays with if she wasn’t wish someone else. She was afraid to let him go on the hope of getting the type of relationship she truly deserved. I totally get that.
RHONY REUNION Recap Related Post: Jason Brings Dennis’s Cause of Death Into Custody Hearing
Bethenny was in shock and very alone after Dennis died. She doesn’t have family other than Bryn. There was a lot going on with Jason. She had been through hell and it was hard for her to come back to work. But unlike someone else we know, she showed up. Andy tries to pry out of Luann what Dennis did for her. He is the one that got her in with Doug Duncan the best lawyer in the area. He handled Tiger Woods case and got him a very similar deal. Dennis paid for the lawyer. Bethenny explains that Luann also called her in a maniac state asking for six million dollars.
Bethenny’s Dating Life
I don’t know why people feel the need to know the entire timeline of who Bethenny dated when. There is no need for her to explain her dating timeline on national TV. Everyone including Andy talk about how hot the catering guy, Russ. Andy says he is the hottest guy on the plant. They dated for about six weeks to two months. Bethenny says that there was an age difference and she wasn’t ready for that.
When it comes to current boyfriend Paul, she met him one December and really liked him. She remembers telling Tinsley that she thought he could be the one. But she wasn’t ready for him either. She was too needy and in too big of a hurry. So they parted ways and then after Dennis died he sort of rode in like a white knight and took care of her. All the ladies except for Luann have met him under different circumstances. They all love him. I love how much time these ladies spend together when the cameras are not around.
RHONY REUNION Recap Related Post: Bethenny Frankel’s Near Death Experience
Paul wants nothing to do with RHONY. That seems fine with Bravo for Bethenny, so why isn’t it for RHOA? They practically force them to produce someone to date each season. And fire you if you don’t put your relationship out there.
Was Tinsley Held To A Double Standard?
Tinsley Mortimer was also required to discuss Scott on the show. Tinsley said Scott didn’t want to be on the show. Really? He sure showed up a lot and bought a ton of advertising. Nonetheless, it is hypocritical of Bethenny to do things like push Tinsley to prank call Scott on camera. Or to shove dating in advice down her throat. Andy and Bethenny both think that because Scott met her on the show, her arguement doesn’t hold water. They do have a point, but there was a lot of unnecessary pressure on Tinsley to discuss every break up. The playing field is definitely not equal.
RHONY REUNION Recap Related Post: Bethenny Frankel’s Near Death Experience
Bethenny says that not only did he sign a release and agree to be on the show, he sent ginormous floral arrangements to their cast trips. Andy asks if Tinsley asked her to prank call Paul on camera if she would do it. She says not on speaker phone but maybe off speaker phone. But she would have to get his permission first. Isn’t that exactly what Bethenny mocked Tinsley for? Then Andy moves on to the fish allergy story that I am tired of hearing about. See link above.
I am so far behind and we are not even to the main event yet!
The Main Event: Dorinda Versus Luann
These two are talking over each other about the same old stuff. It’s impossible to recap. Basically, Dorinda is hurt that Luann didn’t appreciate anything she has done for her. Luann feels like no one knows what she is going through and everyone is judging her. Dorinda says she was the for Luann “the first time she went to jail.” Andy clarified it was the only time she went to jail. The truth of the matter is that filming this reunion was moved up at the last minute because of Luann’s probation violations. I mentioned that in this post that was posted on the same day that Luann was standing in a courtroom in hand cuffs!
RHONY REUNION Recap Related Post: The Countess In Handcuffs!
After more bickering where Andy seems to be jumping in more than usual to defend Luann, Dorinda says she doesn’t feel like Luann has any substance anymore. The bell rings, signifying the end of round one.
The Main Event: Dorinda Versus Luann Round Two
The crux of this blowout is that Luann was mad that Dorinda went to The Hamptons and stayed with Ramona and didn’t call or text Luann at all. Dorinda was mad because Luann was making fun of her in her cabaret act for heckling her over Jovani. Dorinda misses the old Luann before the cabaret success. Her success has made her so into herself she doesn’t care about anyone else. Luann says she the same old Lu. Dorinda says then apparently she never knew her.
A viewer asked how Luann felt when she watched the show and saw how legitimately hurt Dorinda was. Luann said, she was hurt too. Dorinda said she was arrogant. Luann said no, she was just slow to warm up because she was hurt. Luann starts a sentence with “I’m sorry” and I think we might be getting somewhere. Then she finishes with, “that I was slow to warm up, but that’s just how I felt.”
RHONY REUNION Recap Related Post: Jovani! Jovani! Jovani!
Dorinda starts to break down crying. She tells Luann that at some point she decided that she (Dorinda) could never do right by her. She After she stood by her like a soldier though these reunions. Luann says that Dorinda stood by her like a soldier and then she let her down. Oh Luann. Grow a heart.
Dorinda is sobbing, “I gave you a prayer card of mine that I got at first communion. I carried it through everything including Richard’s death, And I gave it to you with my heart and you treated me like an animal!” This may be the most heartbreaking speech ever given on a reunion. The sobbing is killing me.
Luann’s response was, “You know why? Because you treated me like an animal! When you heckled me in the audience like that. You broke my heart!” My God this woman has no ability at all to empathize. On the other hand Dorinda had all season to apologize to Lu about that. Lu did deserve and apology for that.
Your Receipts Don’t Show What You Said You Purchased…
Dorinda says that she did that because she didn’t invite John to her event. She decided to piss all over another person that she loves. Luann swears she has texts to prove she invited him. Dorinda demands receipts. Dorinda denies heckling Luann. When Andy reads the receipts that Lu provided, it’s clear she didn’t invite John. Round two goes to Dorinda.
Moving on, another viewer wants to know why Luann was so entitled when staying in The Berkshires and flipping out over the fish room. Did she not see how much Dorinda was doing to try to make it nice for her? Luann only admits that she over reacted. Much like LVP Luann can’t stand to simply apologize. The sound cuts out a bit after the commercial. I’m pretty sure Luann didn’t apologize. Instead she said “I felt really could about that.
And she gets up and gives Dorinda hug?
Luann says she can’t take how Dorinda is looking at her so angry. Seriously, did I miss an apology? Dorinda says she is just confused because she doesn’t recognize her friend of thirteen years who she used to laugh and have good times with. After a long hug, Dorinda immediately starts defending Luann again. Dorinda just wants to move on. She never wants to hear about Jovani again.
Andy plays the new Jovani song Luann put out for the others at the first time. Dorinda is supportive but you can tell she is annoyed.
Next week’s RHONY REUNION Recap highlights include… More drama with Dorinda and Luann, Ramona and others accusing Tinsley of still seeing Scott, Ramona accuses Luann of continuing to drink, the girls embarrass Barbara over her tanner.
“…I have to hand it to Luann, she knows she is going to have a lot of people coming for her at this reunion. Yet, unlike someone else we know, she showed up to face the music…”
Unlike that other Housewife we know, LuAnn desperately needs the salary from the show to live on. She can’t afford to skip out on the reunion and consequently be fired.
I don’t give her credit for having any special fortitude. She knows that if she wants the checks to keep coming, she doesn’t really have a choice.
And unlike that other housewife we know, Luann may not love apologizing when she’s called out for bad behavior but she will apologize.
I must have missed that part.
How could she desperately need the salary when she has her own popular caberet show? It seems as if she could bank most of her income from that and live quite nicely (unless it is not profitable.) Sonja certainly came out ahead renting her home, didn’t she?! She was the one I always worried about being cash-poor and house-rich.
Who id the “other HW we know”??
Lisa Vanderpump
My favorite part was in the preview for part 2 when Andy asks what everyone thinks of Luanns singing and everyone is super quiet and then Bethanny actually stutters ???
I thought that part was hilarious…..Bethanny stutters reminded me of the sound a seal makes. I rolled.
I rewound and laughed twice.
Me too – lol!!! I…..I…..
Even when Luann started things off by saying she was self-absorbed, she doesn’t apologize for that! She’s just saying of course I need to be self-absorbed because I was going through a lot. Well, what Luann is going through is entirely from her own fault. She still can’t acknowledge what Bethenny was going through is way worse, not to mention not Bethenny’s fault. And she still doesn’t express gratitude to Bethenny for the huge ways Bethenny and Dennis helped her. She lets Bethenny tell what they did, but she doesn’t say, “And I’m so gratetul.” And the fact that Luann thinks her texts exonerate her just shows just how delusional and self-centered she is.
That Dorinda gave Lu something so precious (her prayer card) was amazing and a sign of what a friend she is. And Lu can’t even empathize at all or see how Dorinda is hurt or say she is sorry. I really am astounded at Lu’s lack of humanity. She just can’t see someone else’s point of view; all she wants is everyone to worship her.
I appreciated Betthany’s honesty explaining her complicated relationships because I had been perplexed. They’ve been part of her story and props to her. Girl, there’s epipen and you can afford it. Get it.
Luann may need the check, but she did show up. She’s always had an oversized view of her place in the world. I’m glad cabaret has filled a void, but she’s not Liza Minnelli and better start planning for act 2. Luann fights against being vulnerable, much like Ramona, and becomes insufferable.
I have avoided RH reunions in the past because they’ve just been a bunch of screaming. This one seemed more real, like they really did care about each other, despite the hard feelings.
This so far is one of the better reunions that may end with resolutions and this is why I enjoy New York. They actually spend time together outside of filming and it shows and provides the authenticity too many of the other shows lack.
Bethenney’s willingness to “mention it all” is fabulous and what separates her from the other “OGs”(except Kyle who is also open about her life) and this may be why it appears the OGs are being pushed out.
Tinsley needs more teeth with this group. I like her easy breezy presence on this show but she needs to stand up for herself harder. As Dorinda pointed out last episode, they don’t appreciate weak. We’ll see how she does when they address Scott again.
LuAnn needs to be demoted. The only time she was a little likeable was when she was a friend of the show.
Would there have been a season without Lu and her “show business”?
All drama seems to revolve around her.
I think there would have been and it would have been much more fun, such as watching them do things and travel and just “be.” I think we all like these girls a lot and would love to see more of their regular lives, I least I sure would. I don’t care for the drama Luann creates. But then again I like cooking shows like The Barefoot Contessa more than the frantic Chopped. Maybe I am too old.
Agreed flenzy! I think this is the 1st season that they didn’t even have an international cast trip which was probably due to Lu’s probation. Yes, Lu added some drama but there was plenty without her and probably some that wasn’t shown because production thought we’d want to see more of her than we actually wanted.
flenzy yes, exactly as I’ve said for the past few years. Season 1 was exactly that, we were shown NYC and their homes and their friends. Easy with a little crazy. Then the drinking began.
Absolutely–my favorite shows are the “Lost Footage” episodes that they sometimes put together after the reunions. No arguing or confrontations, just snippets of their everyday lives. And, lol for Barefoot Contessa vs. Chopped–total agreement there, as well!
Did Lu get alimony from her first marriage which she gave up for that disaster of a 2nd marriage? What an entitled idiot!
Unlike that other housewife, Bethenny considers these ladies her actual friends and they acted as such with kindness and compassion to her when she broke down or lashed out months later, they did not kick her when she was down.
I’m glad Bethenny found love again and is happy. I immediately thought of Kenya when she said she didn’t want her relationship on camera and got pissed off. Bethenny hasn’t really had any of her relationships on the show after Jason, which I don’t personally mind, but Bravo shouldn’t hold others to different standards.
And LuAnn is really coming off as callous and conceited…not a good look.
just wanted to say, i love dorinda. maybe not really drunk dorinda. i wish she would just say yes, she was
hollering out jovanni at the first show. maybe she was a bit tipsy, certainly angered about john not being
invited, but scott was. would piss me off as well. if she just admit that, it would be over, just say she
watched that show, over again a few times, and it certainly appeared so. as far as the ladies dresses
on the reunion, dorinda’s is by far the most gorgeous. just beautiful, and fit was perfect. sonja, just
awful. still love when she wears her outfits of past days. so classic. luanne borrowed one of he her cabaret outfits.necklace, huge earrings, and head jewelry. just too much. tinsley looks good
in most outfits, was not crazy for the bib look. bethanny’s dress was short and was really beautiful. have
not seen reunion part two, so do not know about barbara’s dress. regardless of what people say, i like her, and
think she should get another year. tinsley, brings nothing to the show, and is just too young to be in rhny.
forgot about ramona’s dresses. was waiting for her to break out into a rumba. got to say though,
for her age, she looks great. really so do all the ladies. sonja is just naturally beautiful, great
bone structure. dorinda certainly knows how to wear her clothes.
Yes, I agree Barbara should stay another year. She is a little ruff around the edges but I like her
For the very first time I really enjoyed Bethanny . Always impressed by her business acumen & charitable endeavors yet never able to connect with her on a personal level. Is she getting more mature or am I ? Lu was being petty af towards Dorinda & the rest of the cast. She has been thru hell ( self made albeit) yet her stank behavior is a huge turn off. Great recap !
I hate to say this because it only happened because of someone’s death – but maybe you are responding to a Bethenny that isn’t on the Dennis Roller Coaster any more. It sounds like he really kept her in limbo. I thought it was pretty profound when she mentioned she’d rather be alone than in a relationship and lonely.
worst kind of lonely
Dorinda is being a drama queen. Last season when she went in on Lu she went for the jugular. That’s how she talks to a friend of 13 years? Sure she apologized but its hard to let that mean shit go. I know people think its fun to use Lu as a punching bag and she seems to take it pretty well, but for fuck’s sake when she’s not acting like a countess she gets verbally assaulted and when she is acting like a countess she gets verbally assaulted The bitch can’t win. Oh and the fish room is UGLY and I would’t want to sleep in it either and if I did keep getting put in there I would be posting pics on IG of the ugly fish and how stupid they look. As far as Lu pissing on John, WTF? Dorinda has made it clear that not even John’s toothbrush is welcome in her house and he’s basically around for a roll in the sheets which he can promptly take to dry clean when he leaves. Can Bethenny ever STFU for once? Her constantly interrupting to tell people how they feel and prove herself right is so annoying. Can we please let Dennis rest in peace now? I’m sure he is not spending his time in the afterlife monitoring Bethenny’s life decisions and trying to drag her to the other side.
Hi Countess !
I like your take on it Christi!
Thanks! If someone was supposed to be my good friend for so long and said the things to me Dorinda said and with such contempt, I could forgive but I would never feel quite feel the same way about them. I see that Lu is being snotty and arrogant, but the verbal assaults every season are a bit much.
I also get tired of Dorinda being just horrible then crying and saying the person broke her heart. Huh? You were the mean one.
YES. Dorinda is MONSTROUS and spectacularly petty.
I agree with you Christi. Dorinda was horrible last season. One thing I hate about her is that she counts everything she does for her friends. Real friends don’t “mention it all”. Does she do anything from the heart or so she can hold it over their heads.?
I agree Christi. Dorinda doesn’t get that some lines can’t be crossed or forgotten when they are…I don’t blame Lu for being distant. I wonder how Dennis’s family feel about this running dialogue?
Christi, I agree with everything you said!
I agree with everything EXCEPT, if I have you into my home as a guest and it’s not good enough for you then leave! You said you would post pictures of the fish room to show how ugly you think it is, you do that in my house and I will show your ass the door.
Fair point but I do think it is an ugly room. Why though does Bethenny never get assigned the fish room? I get the feeling that at Dorinda’s house this is considered the not so great room and in reserved for the NVIPs.
I would stay the night in Dorinda’s pantry or on that purple velvet sofa. Love the decor or hate the decor that home is beautiful and oozes history. I just don’t sweat about things like room assignment. When I travel/stay with my friends I really don’t care about my room or lack thereof, I’m just glad to be there even if I’m on a couch. That said, to each their own. If I was there I’d just take my bags on up to the ol fish room knowing I’d be left alone if I wanted to be, and at some point I would. ?
I’m not that picky where I sleep either but if I were a Real Housewife I would wonder why the two worst houseguests in the world get the nicest rooms. One of them comes late and is the first to leave, picks fights with the other guests and then turns into a sobbing, hysterical mess that needs to be soothed. The other lets her dog shit on your carpet, talks shit about property location and rips the paint off your walls. Sonya runs a very close second by stealing your lingerie gifted to you by your deceased husband and squeezes her Holland tunnel in it. John can’t clean that up. Put these bitches in the basement.
The fish room is clearly producer driven storyline. Blue Stone Manor is stunning and has been featured in magazines for it’s outstanding (and very expensive) interior design. I don’t understand viewers that buy into the fake storyline to the point that they say things like “I would never stay in the fish room.” That’s what the producers want you to think though. So they are doing a great job.
Dorinda’s long-standing friendship with Luanne began off-show. The show changed how Luanne interacts with her now- and Lu takes no accountability whatsoever. Same thing happened with Lu and Barbara too.
Scott probably really liked Tinsley, but over time he strung her along to have a platform for his company. She is consumed with getting her old status back. It is sad that the girls don’t respect her boundaries, and she’s too unsure of herself to be assertive.
Luanne is the worst. When Dorinda shared about the prayer card and Andy read the text exchange- how could that not have struck a chord with Lu?
Bethenny presented herself well, but she talks over other people sooooooo much. I do understand her attachment to Dennis better now, but at the same time it made me sad to hear her talk about him in a negative way only once he’s dead. She tours herself as really putting her life out there, but really it’s all about image control.
I really have to hand it to Lu. She knows what it is really like to be a target and not just a pretend target. She really doesn’t show any self awareness though. At least she isn’t wearing a pseudo crown.
I feel for Tinsley and I’m not sure why they want to know about her finances.
Bethenny has finally grown on me. Not a fan of her theatrics but that’s a small thing compared to what she gives.
Sonja, Ramona and Dorinda are all in the same category for me. Once in a blue moon they say something redeeming.
Overall, this group seems like real friends and that is really nice to see.
Bethenny doesn’t have to share her boyfriend with us because she shares most everything else, I think way more than any other housewife has. Well, maybe Shannon Beador on OC … Anyway, Bethenny brings so much that I could probably watch her sleep and be entertained, compared to ANY other HW. I was thinking during the finale that I don’t think that I would watch with out her. (I think we’re all getting a little tired of the same ol’ HW crap with an occasional change of face.) Ramona, Tinsley, Dorinda – boring. Sonja – occasionally entertaining but it’s really the same shtick. Lu – UCH. Just UCH. She eats her own shit and thinks it Michelin star. Hey Lu – do you also think that Kim Biermann can sing??? I wish someone would get ME a free rehab!
Cannot stand Lu, her looks, her voice, etc. If I were Dorinda I would get my Prayer Card back. The pompous bitch Lu probably threw it in the garbage. She has no feelings.’ Love Sonja, Tinsley, Dorinda and can take Bethenny although I am sick of her whining. I hate that the first part of the reunion was all about Lu, Dorinda and Bethenny. WHY? Ramona, Barbara, Sonja and Tinsley could have stayed home.
Her looks? Her personality may be questionable, but when the camera pans to her I notice how beautiful she is. I think the other women are pretty but she is stunning
I agree, she is stunning. I didn’t love her dress in TT’s pre show fashion roundup but I liked it a lot on camera during the reunion. She knows how to dress her body (Dorinda knows too, we get it Dorinda and I love you too).
I’m tired, I don’t want to get into any big debate about Luann tonight but I will say I have empathy for Lu and her faults which I agree with many of ya’ll here are many, who among us is without a few if not many?
Thank you TT again for a great recap, a wide open space to comment and hear other opinions.
I became obsessed with Naeem Khan after the Princess vs. Countess Dress Skirmish of Season Whatever. Bethenny looks like a million bucks.
Lu still does not get it. Just listen to her bellow at the poor sound tech to turn up her latest musical offering. She still has her sense of entitlement. She had to show up. This is her main job. Say what you want about LVP, she was fine financially before RHBH and she will be fine after…Plus VPRules will still be on the air in addition to their other businesses that they have outside of Bravo.
Bethenny gets away with keeping her relationship off air because unlike RHOA she provides a successful storyline on her own whereas other than Khandi, that crew has nothing substantial going on. No fabulous apartments, no dreamy weekend getaway homes, no wildly successful business ventures.
I am still trying to figure out what Bethenny meant when she said that Lu called her during her manic episode and wanted her to talk to Dennis to get the $6 million and Bethenny told Lu that “Dennis already helped you with your kid and I think that’s enough.” She says it at about the 27:49 mark.
My impression was that Dennis spoke with her children regarding the lawsuit & helped it to be withdrawn from the press. Dennis sounds like a really nice person. It’s a shame they focus on his alleged prescription drug issue & his untimely death. What a compassionate soul he was during Lu’s meltdown.
She sold her 1st Hamptons home, the one from the Count, for 8.1 million. Half was supposed to go into a trust for her kids, but she failed to do that. Allegedly. So they sued her last summer.
@Nick: I know all of that, but how would Dennis have helped her kids in that? He did not help them sue LuAnn.
He probably got her the lawyer that settled that whole mess would be my guess….
Reunions would be so much better (perhaps?) if Andy would control the talking over each other.
I can never hear what is said because everyone just must interrupt.
Should be a rule. Lol.
@CHERYL: I usually end up watching with my closed captioning turned on.
Same here and not just the reunions, do it too during any of the all cast scenes.
I swear to God that Luann was trying to force a tear every time someone else was crying. I’m surprised she didn’t try pulling out a nose hair or something because she never even got misty.
She has no soul.
I watched a completely different reunion than the rest of y’all.
JoJoFLL, I have not commented on the actual show because I only watched parts, I will watch it all soon.So share what you saw so I don’t have to watch it a second or third time.
Lu may have blown a fuse or two from apparently a long history of boozing which allegedly goes back to her open marriage days. Radio friends have indicated she was all loopy during Hampton events and the Count had to intervene. Hearing this, it would seem to me that she has been confronted many times regarding her behavior and most likely shrugs it off. Good luck with long term success.
Part was felt over before it even began…. Luann is insufferable and I’m not feeling overly sympathetic towards Dorinda either.
Lu is acting like the countess this season. Is this her go to behaviour when not in a good place? Wasn’t she like this when her marriage was on the rocks? However, one thing I do like, is that she isn’t scared of BF. I like that a lot. Not intimidated. With that said, I”m happy BF is in a better place.
Dorinda’s dress is beautiful! I remember that arguement with Carole when LuAnn wanted to borrow a dress and said it would be good publicity for him. No offence intended to Lu, but if the man can command thousands for even the simplest of garments, I doubt he needs her help. ?
Also, if Carole has friends that make gorgeous dresses like that, theres no excuse for her reunion looks when she was on the show, LOL.