The bottom is currently falling out of the sky and cable is down. So I am going to watch RHONY on the laptop unless that goes down next. Hell, power may go at this point. It’s been an interesting week. Also it is monsooning and there is thunder and lightning and Banjo hasn’t pooped today. So how is your day going?
So a lot of the white women are confused about what to wear to Harlem Ramona has a convenient new friend who just happens to be black. Oh dear Lord. First up on the trip is and old timey speak easy. Im already concerned we will not be getting to see Dapper Dan. Everyone is also on edge for the election results. Then Ramona says that she is bothered that people are separated by color. Only Ramona would say that. But somehow everyone is fine with it? Eboni gives everyone a “Harlem” candle. Each one has their own scent. I want one!
Eboni Teaches The RHONY About Harlem
I love that Eboni gave everyone a photo of a famous black man in Harlem. I know all of this as I suspect most of your do. I’m going to pause here and inject a bit of politics involving critical race theory. I have (somewhere) some very beautiful and intriguing photos of famous black authors. I may have mentioned them before because I love them. They are basically post cards. I used them in my college reading classes at an HBCU and in my second grade class where there was only one white female student. My assignment was the same at both levels. Everyone gets a different card and writes about their thoughts on what the person is thinking in the photo. In the second grade class I posted the photos and essays in the hall, as one does.
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A few days later, my principal called me into the office. This was never good for me. The black child apparently told her parents about the assignment. They came raging into the office because I was “teaching about slavery.” The word slavery never came out of my mouth. The word black never came out of my mouth. I simply gave everyone a random card and told them to write about what they saw. Their essays were brilliant and didn’t mention race at all. It was things like, he is sad because he is waiting for his girlfriend and she isn’t coming. Or she is happy because it is her birthday. All right there on display in the hallway.
It was Black History Month and the other teachers praised me. They girl, whose name was something like Miracle or Heaven was out of district, and I immediately knew she was being abused and kept reporting her abuse to the counselor. I feel like that was the real problem. She was out of area probably because of previous abuse concerns and my fucktard principal kicked her out of school shortly thereafter. This situation has been on my mind a lot lately. Currently, there is a lot of drama over something called “Critical Race History.” It seems to be a very convoluted topic. But it reminded me of those irate parents who didn’t want me to “teach about slavery.” It’s my belief that we should teach ALL THE HISTORY. Sorry for the long off topic kind of political rant.
And Now, Back To The Show…
The ladies don’t like the educational aspect of the cards. I love it. Even Ramona’s new black friend is over it. I could talk about the Harlem Renaissance with Eboni all day long. This is the first time I’ve actually liked Eboni. Ramona leaves early. Off to fuck someone, but she blamed it on vertigo? This opens the door to talk about penises. As one does at the dinner table. Wait! Is that it for Harlem? They didn’t see a thing!
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I could care less about Leah or her kid going to high school. Ramona invites Eboni over. Because, production. Eboni brings up politics and how happy she is to have a female, black vice-president and Ramona shuts her down right away. She can’t even say it is great to have a female vice-president. She’s just refusing to talk about it. The re-education of Ramona doesn’t go well. Ramona feels like she is being preached to. Eboni tosses out the “white fragility” term. And here we go. Yet, somehow they hug it out. I’m so pissed I wanted to go to Dapper Dan’s atelier!
So now I’m not watching Below Deck AND this one. Thanks for the recap. Doesn’t sound like I missed much.
Clearly, Eboni wants to school us on who was the “most prolific” author of the Harlem renaissance and I’d may be prejudiced because I am not a Zora Neale Hurston fan though I have every single one of her books. But Eboni seems to forget, Claude McKay, Who I feel was the most prolific writer of that time. Joseph Seamon Cotter, Jr I can see her not mentioning because he died in 1919 but he was also very influential. His play, “On the Field of France ” Is something we could all be reading or rereading today in this hostile racial climate.
But if we MUST pick just one, I suggest Eboni read the works of Jessie Redmon Fauset.
That said, no offense to Hurston, but there were MANY prolific writers during the Harlem Renaissance and she can’t just randomly assign the “most prolific” title to just anyone. Especially one I am not overly fond of. There are many better options.
First time commenter, just finished reading Hurston, I’ll check out the writers you mention next. Always looking for a good book and a different prospective.
TT, you’re always good, but sometimes you’re transcendent. 😊
I love it when I get new reading assignments here!
Sorry you don’t like Zora- but your comment did open my mind to go deeper and read more of these wonderful writers’ material (which is what a good teacher does). Thanks, TT- much love…
I liked Luanns honest conversation with her daughter, she actually seemed to take some responsibility and I respected this side of Luann.
I felt for Ramona, frankly. You’d have to be crazy to discuss politics on TV, if you’re not a paid talking head for a news network. Nothing good will come of it. Let’s keep it fun.
The speakeasy and the restaurant were lovely but they literally could’ve been anywhere. My husband used to live in NYC and said Harlem is so close to the UWS and so gentrified now there’s no way this is a first trip for any of them. I would have loved a walking tour or something just to see more of it. I feel like the reason I’m not connecting to Eboni is that we don’t really see her ever talk about anything but race. Maybe if she would’ve done either the candles or the notecards? Or only discussed one and left the other for later more intimate discussions? I got fidgety too. And I too love those authors. I don’t know if it’s production, editing, her or all three. I want to like her and occasionally do but mostly when I see her I start thinking what’s the problem going to be now?
I mean there is no talking to Ramona. But I did think she was TRYING. Once Ramona was resistant to even admit we have an amazing female president and let alone a black one. She should have realized she has to go VERY slowly with her. You can’t shove STOP BEING A FUCKING RACIST down someone’s throat. She’s a bit preachy at times but I thought she was great on this episode.
Agree. Wholeheartedly.
That was so cringeworthy. Ramona actually tried to leave her own apartment. She couldn’t even acknowledge that having a female vp was historic. She’s a moron. She became successful during a period in NY where if you were attractive you made money. I know because I was one of them. I do have the brains but I knew how to work my assets to my advantage.
It was great to see Eboni having the ladies come out of their upper east side bubble. Idk about the ladies but they live in the greatest city in the world and they only go within their two block radius.. that’s sad. I live outside of LA and OC I love to explore new areas. Back to Eboni, it was great too see her to give the ladies a Harlem candle and the photo. The sex talk is good to have once in a while but every time they eat!? Sometime it even gets vulgar, but I guess that’s Leah for you. I like barshan, she came off very well with the other ladies but the whole I don’t see color type of mentality wasn’t great. Overall, I would like to see what she brings this season, btw I was surprised she appeared on the wendy show, good for her. Good for Luann to have a heart to heart with her daughter. Leah, yawn! I like that Eboni isn’t afraid to talk to Ramona about politics and race, it made Ramona real uncomfortable. I thought it was funny she was so uncomfortable she was ready to leave her own apartment. That scene was such a rollercoaster of emotions but glad to see they hugged it out.
Btw: TT thank you sharing your side story, always like to hear/read about you outside the blog. It’s great see moments like that stick out to you.
For everyone complaining that Eboni only talks about race and “we know nothing else about her.”
Y’all aren’t paying attention!!
We know she has a terminally ill grandmother, just like we knew that about Leah
We know her Mom doesn’t want to take responsibility for ending Grandma’s life
We know she graduated school at 16 and became one of the youngest graduates of law school ( Do we know where any of the other women went to school?)
We know she struggled greatly before her current career and used to hide her car so it wouldn’t get repossessed.
We know it was repossessed anyway! (Has any other housewife admitted something like this?)
We know she’s buying a brownstone (Just like we know about Luann getting an apartment near her ex, Tom)
We know she might have an illegitimate sister
We know her father wasn’t involved in her life
We know who a few of her other friends
We know she is patient, doesn’t easily fly off the handle, and refuses to be baited by Luann or Ramona
If Luann can go on and on about her insufferable cabaret “career” and insist on “performing” every season, dragging the women to see her show after show after show, we can certainly spend one night in Harlem with Eboni if that’s what she’s interested in.
Methinks the complaints about her “constantly talking about Race” say more about the people who are complaining and insist on reducing her to only one element of her personality, than they do about Eboni herself.
Preach
Thank you!
Carson
You nailed it! Thank you
Well said Carson!
Amen.
I agree. The world is truly a different place for POC. From teachers to employers to law enforcement and the justice system to finding housing, to the little daily things we do, like shopping, they are treated differently. That is just a fact. I empathize but do I know what that daily experience is like or how it would affect me? No. But I understand why Ebony would think about it a lot and want to use her platform to educate and improve things.
Love this!
You betta “hush your mouth” and keep on preaching!!!
Let the church say amen! She’s also in the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha and support HBCUs.
Thank you!!!
Thank you for saying this. I feel Eboni has been great and really thorough in how she explains things to a group of women that only live in their bubble. I stopped watching this show years ago and only started this season because of Eboni. If you’re “tired of hearing about race”, turn the channel. Some people can’t escape that.
We are tired of heariing EBONI screech at the white women on the show and basically trying to tie Ramona down so she can make her see her racist and uniformed thought processes. Her mission would be more successful with either a more subtle delivery or a much younger audience. BTW, we are also tired of COVID, the 2020 election, drunken brawlings at every meal, geriatric inconvenience, Sonja’s tall tales and JP Morgan. Many of us here since you are new, participated in the protests and had many, many, many discussions about race here. Many readers ran off with their fingers in their ears, but the majority of people at this site that includes a significant amount of POC discussed the racial unrest and the election frequently.
We would also like to have conversations about other things and the Real Housewives shows used to be an mindless escape from all the heavy she we are dealing with as a country. Eboni’s attacks on the “racist white ladies” on the show are not opening their eyes to anything. It’s just inserting more chaos. And the Channel has been turned by a good forty percent of the viewers. The show is being run into the ground by Eboni and Leah. Actually, most of us feel that if LEAH was removed from the equation, Eboni would take an approach that more people could respond to, just like she did on FOX News until she got fired, that more people would actually listen to her message.
“I used them in my college reading classes at an HBCU and in my second grade class where there was only one white female student. My assignment was the same at both levels. Everyone gets a different card and writes about their thoughts on what the person is thinking in the photo. In the second grade class I posted the photos and essays in the hall, as one does.
A few days later, my principal called me into the office. This was never good for me. The black child apparently told her parents about the assignment.”
This is confusing. Was the child black or white?
She clearly says the child was black at the beginning.
Where? That doesn’t make sense.
She said three was only “one white” girl in the class then in the next paragraph she said the “black girl told her parents..” So perhaps it was just a typo sort of thing and there was “only one” black child in the class.
I only enjoyed watching them navigate the stairs. Is Leah’s sister going to be getting an apple next season?
Luann looks naturally beautiful. I haven’t seen the episode. Sonja has been upfront about work done. Ramona definitely looks altered. I just love Luann’s look. Especially with longer hair. She’s aged well in that she doesn’t look overly done with whatever maintenance she does. We all know they do lasers and botox, etc. But I appreciate a more natural look. OC Heather Dubrow would admit to botox but joked she wanted her kids to know she was mad at them! I can relate to that! Haha
Agree Luann is stunning! She’s had work but out of all the ladies looks mostly close to natural. This has bugged me with Ramona, do you notice one nostril is flatter? She also has a droop on one side too. Could be the effects of too much botox/injections?
I know what you’re saying about Ramona. She looks off. Asymmetric. Luann always looks amazing. Minus wardrobe and statement jewelry.
I kinda wondered if she had a stroke? I haven’t watched this episode. Since last season she seemed off to me. All the cosmetic procedures and heavy drinking will take a toll on you sooner or later. Luann has stopped drinking but I think there is more of a health concern why.
Agreed; Luann looks really good! Ramona looks so artificial and awkward.
I think Leah is very pretty, but is on the edge of going from beautiful to alien fake. Her face looks a bit too tight already. Any more, and she will destroy her natural features and beauty.
How do these women not know when to stop?
Eboni and Leah have ruined NY! People watch for the fun, lifestyles, escapism, etc. This is the one cast where they have genuine friendships — they can argue, fight and move on!!! Eboni is tedious. Bravo is not the place to get a Black History education! She turns every moment into a lecture, speech, teaching moment and you can see cast is on eggshells because they may express themselves incorrectly in Eboni’s presence. Ramona didn’t want to engage in political talk and Eboni wouldn’t let up. So obvious and always looking for a fight/argument. I.e. Luann said she was angry, which she was, and Eboni turns it into Angry Black Woman!!! I can see why Ramona wanted to escape her own apartment. This show gets worse w/every week. Leah brings nothing but noise horrible behavior; enough w/her and her sister. Please bring back Tinsley.
And tell us how you really feel….yes Eboni is the poster child for black history month and Leah is desperately trying to hold on to her misguided “bad girl” self image.
I don’t watch anymore. I only watch Below Deck sailing yacht, Below Deck with Captain Lee, Married to Medicine and use to love M2M but Heavenly ruined it for me. I catch up by reading these recaps. Soon I will be totally weaned off BRAVO and not even read the recaps.
The Sheriff killed my horse today while I was working and no one cares.
Holy Shit. How fucking awful, I am so sorry for your loss.
I sent you an email. This is just horrific. I cannot imagine your pain. I am so very sorry.
Why? That’s insane. I’m so sorry.
I am so sorry! Animal rights and rescue are my passion. That horrible person. I know you don’t feel like sharing the story now, but my heart is breaking for you!
How awful.
I’m so sorry! I hope when you feel up to it you’ll share what happened. Thoughts and prayers are with you 🙏
What?!?!? I’m so sorry to hear this JustJenn. We care & are here for you.
Jenn- WHAT????? This is beyond horrific. WTF!!!!! We care. I am so, so, so sorry….
Check in with us Jenn. I’m worried about you.
JustJenn I’m so sorry for your loss. That’s terrible..
Love Eoboni, she is a beautiful inside and out. She needs a lot of patients to deal with this crew. I totally fail to see why she is friends with the classless Leah.
Eboni needs her Ivory.
I love the exercise you did with the children Tamara. I am curious as to what the college students wrote at that time.
The story about the little girl is so sad I feel like it’s going to stick with me for quite a while. Knowing that she suffered horrible abuse, and that without school, besides the loss of education, she would pretty much also lose any chance of someone seeing and actually helping her. Situations like that worried me every single day of Covid. I really hope that they enrolled her somewhere else and that maybe she got some help, although what that looks like, sadly, and disgustingly, may not be much better.
On another note, I’m also curious if anyone watched WWHL and what they thought about Heather with her speech. I do have to agree with Leah as far as how Heather ALWAYS thinks she’s the authority on everything and seriously just cannot even help herself. I could not believe that she gave an actual speech after all of that. Did she not watch herself on the show and see how she comes off? As I was watching her on RHONY I thought to myself “Heather must be so embarrassed and cringing watching this, at her constant need to explain everything to everyone as if she is the expert on… well… EVERYTHING. I was all but waiting for her to say “I know how it feels to be black because I used to work with Puffy”. I mean she ALMOST did say that. I know she means well, but shut up and sit down already Heather. Good grief.
I think your assignment sounds amazing. Idiot principal. I have been to Harlem many times, back when I was dating a jazz drummer, who knew people that played up there, and all the best clubs. I even smoked a joint with the great Al Hibbler, I didn’t realize he was blind at first!
We moved to KC where he had a place and the parties we threw! (He had a baby grand), and sometimes all the players would be leaving while cars were parking for church located next door. I’m sure they prayed for us. Hey, it was the 80’s, and we had what it took to stay up all night. IYKWIM.
Guys who had played with Basie, just general top notch players were still alive and gigging back then. So us young white folkies got a great education! There was no separation. And you haven’t lived unless you have been to a Black church with an amazing choir. I miss those days.
I refuse to watch the show but thank you for your recap. Eboni acts like a person who just became Black and she is trying to prove her Blackness. That’s all.
I love that Bershan is so open, and so willing to really meet people where they are, instead of making it her “project” to train people. The fact that she connects to Ramona on a human being level, and can be friends with her despite race and politics, is beautiful.
I really think that Bershan has a much greater chance of “changing” Ramona in an authentic way, and opening up her mind and heart to how Black people experience this world (and maybe, just maybe, even changing her politics- but I realize that may be hoping too much, lol), than the preacher/teacher Eboni ever will. You HAVE to connect with people as humans and find your common ground first, then the change will organically follow.
Eboni hasn’t attempted to connect with the women as human beings (except maybe Leah, but I think that’s producer-driven). She wants to force-feed her views, which never works. The women will nod and smile to her face (so they don’t “appear” to be racist), but they won’t be authentically changed.
Personally, I loved, loved, loved the Harlem history, and if it had been infused more organically into the evening, it would have been something that could have opened the women up. Instead, Eboni was preachin and teachin, while the women were hungry- and she completely dominated the evening.
Force feeding never works- it’s just not the way any of us humans are made…
I will throw in a black science fiction author: Octavia Butler. I wouldn’t bring up politics with a casual acquaintance, and especially wouldn’t push it. I know, production.
Thank you Tamara for the recaps. I like RHONY, but Leah is ruining it for me. She’s so classless and crude and has the absolute worse fashion of any housewife. BRAVO. Please replace her, and get her sister off also. I have always loved Sonja, just hope she will stop getting too drunk and screaming at everyone.
I just watched this episode. I still hate Leah. And I’m growing to really hate Eboni. Her Shan seems fun!