B-Side Blog

Cindy Barshop Might Be Leaving ‘Real Housewives of New York City.’ I mean… seriously?

It’s that time again! That time when rumors swirl over possible cast changes on a Real Housewives franchise. Gossip spread over the Internets today that Cindy Barshop will be leaving the Real Housewives of New York City after having nary saying a word during most of the reunion taping (which occurred last week) or speaking tersely and in the past tense about the show — as if she has ALREADY LEFT. Of course, the rumors all stem from an anonymous “insider;” so who knows what to believe.

Additionally, “insiders” have noted that Alex McCord will be leaving the series after this season too, but the outspoken Housewife told PopEater.com “If I had a dollar every time an ‘inside source,’ i.e. a cast member, leaked a ‘story’ that I was out of RHONY, I’d be a multi-millionairess!”

Hmmmm…

To read more about this scandalous turn of events, check out the full article here.

REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NYC PHOTOCAP: Party Time, Excellent!

Not a lot of drama (or ANY, for that matter) on the latest episode of Real Housewives of New York City, but that’s okay because the hour served as an amusing trifle of sorts. It all centered on parties: Sweet Sixteens for Avery and Victoria and a surprise bash for Jill. In the midst of it all, we saw Jill get a “liquid face lift,” which looked about as pleasant as reclining on a chaise-lounge made of glass shards and razors. We also got to enjoy some of the party-planning process. Avery, it saddens me to say, has finally and inevitably taken on many characteristics of her mother. She flails her arms in the same way, makes fussy demands in the same way, and generally speaks in the same way (with just a touch more patrician haughtiness, thanks to her tony Upper East Side environs). Avery wanted an understated, performer-free, winter-themed bash in a loft, which may have been the first time someone on a reality show has elected for the less-is-more approach for… anything. Kudos also go to Victoria, who also wanted to stay away from cheese and excess (although, I did spy a few circus performers traipsing around her party, which was held at a club). Both events looked refreshingly appropriate, and methinks Taylor Armstrong (she of the $60,000 tea party for a four-year-old) could learn a thing or too from these New York ladies. Of course, Victoria did manage to besmirch the event with a dress so short that a v-slip seemed destined to happen (and for those unfamiliar with the legal system, that qualifies as child pornography).

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HOUSEWIFE HOEDOWN, Episode 25: All About LuAnn

Video streaming by Ustream

We taped a special Friday episode of Housewife Hoedown this week, and of course we just had to spend the bulk of our time talking about LuAnn and Alex from The Real Housewives of New York City. Of course, we covered much more, including New Jersey and a smidgen of O.C. too.

Next week is the season finale of the web show; so be sure to check it out at its normal time: 12:30 PM PDT at http://talkmedianetworks.com/live. You can also call in at 424-238-0611 and subscribe to the show on iTunes here.

Kennedys Winner Chosen!

Last month, I implored readers to submit haikus about the Reelz channel miniseries The Kennedys. Winners would receive a free copy of the entire production. Well, I haven’t forgotten about the contest. In fact, I’ve chosen a winner.

And the winning haiku is…

There should be a drink
Inspired by the Kennedys
Is that in bad taste?

Great work Vanessa! Email me at bsideblog at gmail dotcom, and I’ll hook you up with your copy of The Kennedys!

Cecconi’s in West Hollywood Offers $50 Meal for FOUR

In the interest of informing my readers of frugal deals in the greater Los Angeles area, I come to you with news of a rather impressive offer from Cecconi’s in West Hollywood. On Sundays, the restaurant features “Sunday Suppers,” which includes an artisanal pizza, pasta, and salad — enough to feed up to four people all for a total of $50. That’s about $12.50 per person. Not a bad deal for a swanky restaurant. Wine deals start at $25/bottle, and additional pizza or pasta can be purchased for $12.50 if your party includes a fifth member.

I have yet to try this Sunday Supper bidness myself (nor have I been to Cecconi’s), but I will try to make my way over there and let you know if it’s worth your time. I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be though.

REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NJ PHOTOCAP: Teresa Talks with Gorgas, No Brawls Ensue

After several weeks of build-up, Teresa Giudice finally came face to face with her estranged brother Joe on this week’s episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey, and the results were… well… not explosive, but… emotional? It was actually a rather intense discussion, with both sides airing out grievances. They went tit for tat, with each one blaming the other’s spouses for their problems. Joe busted Teresa on some issues, Teresa busted Joe on some others, and in the end, the two decided that they had to somehow move past this roadblock, lest their father die with his kids still feuding. It was actually a truly moving moment Teresa choked up talking about the tolls this was taking on “Daddy” while Joe stood there stone-faced, presumably keeping his emotions in check (we could see his eyes glassing over. Cryer! CRYER!). Ultimately, Joe ordered Teresa to talk it out with Melissa next, and pending the outcome of that, they could then reassess the future of their relationship. And so a new plan was hatched…

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Raphael in Studio City Reminds Us That There Really Is Sophistication in The Valley

There’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to Los Angeles: this side of the hills is good, and that side is bad. And by “that side,” I mean the San Fernando Valley, home of strip malls, the porn industry, and the iconic “Valley girl.” Of course, strip malls, porn, and Valley girls all exist in Hollywood and Beverly Hills and all over Southern California, but it’s just so damn fun to be snobby about the 818.

The dirty little secret though is that that Studio City and Sherman Oaks (two proud Valley communities) boast dozens of great restaurants. Most of them, however, are just really tasty eateries. Despite Ventura Boulevard’s impressive restaurant row, there’s not a ton of culinary excitement going on over the hill. Luckily, Raphael in Studio City reminds us that urbane food does exist in the Valley. I recently visited the restaurant as part of a media-comped dinner, and I was certainly surprised by the quality and artistry on display. Pictures after the jump…

Continue reading “Raphael in Studio City Reminds Us That There Really Is Sophistication in The Valley”

REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NYC PHOTOCAP: Taking ‘Alex Class’ with the Countess

This week’s episode of The Real Housewives of New York City was ostensibly about Sonja Morgan’s dwindling empire (much like Teresa Giudice, she faces a multi-million dollar debt), but let’s be real: all that mattered was the wonderful fight between Alex and LuAnn at the end of the show. The rest of the stuff was just filler. Sure, it was entertaining filler — Ramona’s awkward date night with Mario, Alex’s more awkward date night with Simon, Jill pushing Ramona out of her shapewear focus group, Sonja pushing Cindy out of the Moroccan camel photos — but it was all about Countess vs. Brooklyn. Here’s the quick back story:

In the wake of their blowups in Morocco, Alex felt it important to sit down with LuAnn and explain why she had acted so bizarre at henna. LuAnn, however, was expecting an apology. That didn’t happen. Instead, Alex basically accused LuAnn of being haughty, a bad listener, and a meddler (pot, kettle, black, etc). This led to many fervent denials by all parties on all fronts, but more importantly, LuAnn leveled some wonderfully condescending remarks. There was the Herman Munster bit about Alex’s shoes, but I preferred the sarcastic and vicious line “I didn’t realize this was Alex class, and you were the teacher.” I think we rewound and watched that three times over? Maybe four?

It’s hard to say who’s right or wrong in this situation because quite frankly, both women acted egregiously. Alex was right in that LuAnn was reprimanding Ramona, but LuAnn was right in that Alex shouldn’t have gotten involved. But Alex was right in that LuAnn is haughty and doesn’t listen. But LuAnn was right in that Alex’s henna scene was totally mishandled. In the end, it doesn’t look like either women will ever be terribly close — not that they were, according to LuAnn (who managed to literally brush off her relationship with Alex with a casual flick of the hand during one wonderfully haughty interview).

Nevertheless, photocap after the jump… Continue reading “REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NYC PHOTOCAP: Taking ‘Alex Class’ with the Countess”

My First Ever Manicure, Courtesy of ‘The Nail Files’

As some of you may know, my friend Katie has landed herself a full-on reality show called The Nail Files on the TV Guide Channel, and guess what? It premieres tomorrow night! The series revolves around Katie and her nail salon, The Painted Nail, and in an attempt to get the word out, TV Guide held a little press junket at the PN (that’s what I call it when I’m trying to sound cool) and invited various members of the media to receive their own complimentary manicures. I’m never one to turn down a freebie, especially if it helps promote my friend’s business / reality show. And so I traveled on over to The Painted Nail and submitted myself to my first ever manicure. Pictures of the experience after the jump…

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REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NJ PHOTOCAP: Melissa Sings, Gia Tumbles

There was a definitely lack of drama on this week’s Real Housewives of New Jersey episode, but I still found the show immensely watchable, thanks to the tension brimming in the Gorga family. Unlike previous installments of this season, this week was less “crazy/funny” and more “sad/depressing.” It was all about family, and we got to see firsthand the toll that’s been taken on Gia (as well as her cousins, who are kept apart thanks to the Gorga rift).

The crux of the show was that Gia had a gymnastics event that Joe said he’d attend, but oops, he showed up at the end and missed it all. Oh wait, he did get to see Gia take LAST PLACE on her team. Not a stellar outing for Lil G. If you ask Teresa, it’s all Joe’s fault. Gia was so excited to see her uncle that she couldn’t focus when he wasn’t there. Perhaps some of that is true, but I think the real culprit was Teresa, who got so in her daughter’s ear about Joe that the poor girl could feel nothing short of disappointment over the whole situation. Don’t get me wrong: it was pretty obnoxious for Joe and Melissa to arrive late, but it was even more obnoxious for Teresa to pit her daughter against her brother. However, I’m getting the sense that that’s the way the Gorga kids were raised: to passive-aggressively compete at all times.

Nevertheless, the whole thing was just sad, and a complete juxtaposition to the other happy family moments on the show: Kathy making her sweet kids sign familial contracts, Caroline clucking proudly about her kids again, and Jacqueline buying her spoiled daughter another car. On that latter point, it was ridiculous enough that she and Chris caved to Ashley’s dumb demands, but it was even more ridiculous that they bought her a rather expensive Jeep and then expected her to pay for it herself. Clearly she won’t be able to, which will lead to Chris repossessing it, which will lead to more complaints from Ashley, more whining, and ultimately no life lessons. How about next time get the girl a used Corolla? Or better yet — a month pass on New Jersey transit (cheapest option of all!).

After the jump, the photocap… Continue reading “REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NJ PHOTOCAP: Melissa Sings, Gia Tumbles”