growing up in south Orange County (in a working class family) during the prime of this era was wild. The constant comparison, sense of inferiority, and the stress of my household living paycheck to paycheck had a big impact on my relationship with money for a long time
I definitely saw this with the daughter of one of my mom’s friends. She’s a long term resident of Laguna Beach, but a middle class teacher. Her daughter really struggled with being outside of the “ideal” of the expectations created by reality tv at the time.
I mean that's all of Hollywood. I live in studio city and it's normal for 20 somethings to get botox here who aren't even in show biz. Leaving here and going to the midwest is a culture shock comparison.
It felt weird when Teresa made fun of Caroline’s body during the reunion. Have you seen Teresa’s face lately? The fake lips, the orange leather tan, etc…
I don’t think money is the most toxic aspect of the Real Housewives, I think it’s the absolutely damaging normalization of bullying and cruelty between women. They’ve essentially glamorized relational aggression and knighted women like this as “Queens”. Like the more cruel and cunning you are, the better. I’ve seen in real time how women that watch this show mimic these dynamics in their own lives. I watch some of the franchises myself but I can separate it from my own behavior. If anything, it’s a case study in how NOT to relate to other women. I personally dislike the drama and would prefer just to see them working on their businesses and getting along. The fashion and beautiful homes are fun too but that’s about it.
This was very well said. My mom has become sucked into this franchise and it definitely shows in her behavior and spending habits. She just brought a new SUV and won't stop bragging about it. She talks about her friends, but always goes to lunches and dinners with them, she talks about how they dress, their relationships, their children etc. she's also in a pretty toxic non-relationship herself. It breaks my heart because she's very lonely, and I wish I could help.
The vacation spots are fun, but it is ratings mostly built upon heat (the fights and teams) versus light (moments of all too rare clarity and wisdom, friendship).
I grew up in Coto de Caza, and there are two areas of the neighborhood, the 1% and the 1% of the 1%. It was a weird area to grow up in. We were upper middle class, and my parents worked extremely hard to just barely afford the area, as opposed to a lot of our neighbors who had multiple houses and looked down on us because we drove a Mazda. It really impacted me, because I saw how sad, lonely, and fake everyone was there, the best thing my parents ever did for me was move out of the neighborhood. People were just sad there, they couldn't be happy because they had to be better than their neighbors, and they were so obsessed with image, they couldn’t be okay with just being themselves, it was just depressing.
As an insider, are you able to share some example stories of why you thought they were sad? Was it the alcoholism, prevalent cheating or neglect of parenting? Im sure I’m not the only one curious! And how were they condescending of your family car?
@@GildedFashion once you have a certain amount of money and can essentially buy or do anything, you no longer have anything to work for. Nothing to look forward to, because when you can have anything at any time, luxury becomes commonplace and there’s nothing else to strive for, to do or to work towards. Humans need goals, they need aims, they need to feel they’ve earned something. When you can just get anything you want, you simply don’t get the dopamine hit you get from earning something through work because your brain simply doesn’t register you as having done anything. Being hyper-rich robs you of of the drive for the future that makes us human, much like depression does. Being so rich that you can’t get meaningfully richer is possibly one of the most depressing prisons one can put themselves in, but frankly you can always divorce yourself from the rich lifestyle so I feel very little sympathy for these situations people choose for themselves, because a lot of people are dying of starvation while they choose to live lavishly at their own expense
@@emilybarclay8831 Well thats a bunch of crap. There are millions of things you can work for when you have money. In fact - its easier to work for what you want when you are not bothered to think about your next pay check. There is a reason why insanly rich people keep working and not just be on a holiday 24/7 - they enjoy working!
@@alexforce9 very few insanely rich people actually work. You realise most Uber rich people aren’t celebrities or CEOs, right? There’s communities of extremely rich heirs and old-money families that do literally nothing except live in opulence because they’re rich enough to not have to ever do anything. At best, they’ll start a charity that other people run or they’ll start some clothing line that again, they’re nothing but a figurehead for. Or they’ll star in some reality TV show in their spare time. Even Jeff Bezos isn’t actually actively running his company as much as sub-contracting it out to managers and heads and other middle management. There are very few Uber rich people who actually do any real work aside from sitting in meetings discussing work that other people have done
Hot take: part of the working rich issue is/was influenced by the American obsession with telling the poor they get what they work for and that they are just lazy. So with the wealthy going outside of their gates and onto our screens they open themselves up to judgement from the poor who are working hard and still poor. So the rich take on the facade of see I work 80 hours a week so I deserve to never need to work again a day in my life. While disregarding the fact that their wealth gives them the privileges to pon off other time consuming duties (nannies, housekeeping, etc) in order to have time for their ridiculous work schedule.
Every single MFing thing you typed + a lot of these folks are working "rich" not actual rich or wealthy. This was undeniable on RHOC after the crash of 2008. You can also see even with a surface view of RHOA or RHOP that rich is a sliding scale relative to the target demo of the viewer. Nobody I know thinks for a minute that Gizelle, Robin or Porsha even with some level of family name recognition and pedigree is handing down serious amounts of generational wealth to future generations.
I've never watched any of these shows so I don't have a lot of context for this comment, but I know the rich people that I have known have very different ideas about what constitutes "work"
LMAO!! Do you remember that meeting she has with that man (I'm pretty sure it was concerning the She brand) I thought they were going to have a physical altercation.... afterward she sang that iconic little jingle Oh hell to the naw, to the naw, naw, naw 😁
When I watch Real Housewives, I never forget that I am watching a highly produced television show. It was obvious to me that Bravo pays for expensive trips and parties. And when a housewife is in a new house every season, I know that they likely are on shaky financial ground. Also be suspicious of anybody who brags about the “platinum “ credit card that they carry. Most people with real wealth probably wouldn’t want to be any near these shows.
Yeah, Im pretty sure that for a lot of realy rich people , life is pretty ordinary - they work, they go home, they chill with the family. They just spend a lot more on stuff like food or houses and trips - just coz they can afford it.
A lot of people have that you wouldn't even know. There are a lot of people who need to show but there are just as many who really do go to work on what they love instead. The difference is choice.
Exactly! Do you remember when Denise Richards came on RHOBH and she looked normal/natural, so beautiful without any botox and fillers. Then sure enough when the season 1 reunion came she had been toxed and filled to the max. Toxic culture.
Wow, this is right on time! I am a casual RHOA watcher and I think often about the ridiculous classism like Sheree and Kenya arguing over who can build their mansion the fastest and whose is better. Even the comment Nene made about someone having a white fridge. As someone who has lived in apartments my adult life, I didn't realize white fridges were a sign of "poverty" 😂😭
just because someone doesnt want to shell out 6k on a stainless steel fridge or another expensive fridge doesnt mean they are poor. damn I will take a working white fridge and keep the 6k
I had to stop watching these shows. At first , it was funny and entertaining but now... these AWFUL humans tear each other apart. It wasn’t even about the money for me. I just felt like I was watching a herd of bullies eat their own. Blech! Now I go outside and garden. I feed my family, friends and soul instead of poisoning it.
Watching RHOBH when Denise Richards was on (they did her dirty) I loved her laid back messy bun, jeans, and jacket looks. Its a big contrast to all the other ladies who use get togethers as a way of having a "who looks the most expensive and polished tonight" it always annoyed me.
Yes Denise Richards was a amazing and is a real working successful actress. Miss and Loved Lisa Vanderpump as well, she’s also a very successful business woman. Cheers 🇨🇦
I remember the OG housewives of Orange County looked semi normal in the first season and then the ladies said people started noticing them in public and they kept stepping up their game and it became miserable.
I remember a time when Bravo used to be a really great channel to watch, focusing on art and design and culture. I even recall some movies that they would play. I am so disappointed they turned to complete reality show drivel.
If you have never watched an episode, how can you understand what she is talking about? I think you are lying that you have not watched an episode. You may not be a fan and have probably watched a few or less but you cannot comment on something you don't know.
This was a sobering reality, I felt better after realising it was fake and me with a simple life was probably more luxurious because the stress of keeping a fascade is 0
How about the girl with the $25,000 sunglasses going to jail for tax fraud.... why would you flaunt wealth and not pay taxes?! At least pay your taxes.
Not to mention ruining Italian women. "Hi! My husband is in the mafia and is going to prison for embezzlement and I'm playing dumb". Way to increase sterotypes. Theresa from New Jersey
I love re wearing my clothes and changing them up. I think the more we look at things in pop culture and on social media more as entertainment and not as very real it’s much easier to stay true to who you really and and not get sucked into the brainwashing of the shows. Love your vids!
Same! I wear the same 3 dresses to work every week (im only in person 3 days) and i get compliments every single time! People do not need a ton of outfits
Kandi is literally the MAIN reason I watch ANY Housewives show (so obviously only RHOA). Her resilience to the shallow behaviour promoted by some of her colleagues on the show while her empire expands help remind me how and why it's important to stay grounded.
It’s interesting to me how little interest I’ve found in the Real Housewives ouvre, given that the neighborhood I grew up in rapidly rose in value during my childhood and I started to see real expressions of wealth around me as I grew up. For some reason, the whole thing just leaves me exhausted by the thoughts of the maintenance involved in that sort of lifestyle. If you have infinite money, sure, but most people don’t and I see these mansions being built and all I can see is 10,000 sq. feet you have to air condition and check for roof leaks. I have friends involved in the Orange County yacht club scene, and I’ll just say that being a tourist is great but I wouldn’t want to live in that culture all the time. I don’t want a boat, I want to ride on someone else’s boat.
This was an interesting take into in what way reality shows can affect our lives. I would be interested in a similar video in regards to the Kardashians that also have had many businesses along the years. From Dash to Kylie Cosmetics and everything in between.
Omg! This can be a college course. You did a WONDERFUL job with this video. There are so many different social constructs that can be extracted from the Bravo series. On a play of words BRAVO to this video!
If your only dream is money no wonder why people are unhappy and hate themselves and others and superficial ... I'm no saint but it's called being a adult and having a soul.
Exactly! We are not just blank slates for other people or "capitalism" to influence. We may be influenced by those around us, but ultimately what we do with our money is our decision and responsibility.
Love that you are addressing this! The entire franchise has promoted the idea that the average working class person is “failing” because they cannot afford super lavish things.
Given that Tracy from Million Dollar Listing LA also went to Dubai for the story line that she was selling apartments there and Dubai was pushing tourism like crazy at the time, there was never any doubt in my mind that the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills trip was sponsored by Dubai Tourism. There's also absolutely no way those women are paying for any of those clothes, Rent the Runway probably stays afloat because of them.
Kandi is most definitely the most well wounded housewife of all time. The amount of specials and businesses she has successfully launched during her tenure on the show is impressive. She has gained so much and been almost unscathed by the drama attached to the show. The closest she got was season 9. And she launched an entire successful show from that.
@@jennifermelton4147 this is incorrect/completely dependent on what role you play in music. Writers (especially those who've written for successful artists'') get an incredible check and so do producers and sound engineers.
I wish I could take multiple international trips per year (28 y.o.). I haven’t been on a real vacation in about 7 years. Downside to remaining in academia pursuing higher Ed I suppose. But I’ve got dreams 🤩
Okay, maybe I’m the crazy one but who are these fellow young people taking five trips a YEAR, three of which are international?! I love to travel and I have to work to set aside money for maybe three trips a year, one of which may or may not be international. That is just crazy to me.
I think college kids who take actual trips for winter/spring/summer break has to factor in somehow. I’m 30 and have been on maybe 3 trips total, all domestic, since I graduated (all were to visit family/friends). I took no trips during school, because I was with family during my breaks. Most of my friends are the same way. Who has time for vacations when the average 9-5 job gives you 2 weeks paid vacation per year (assuming it comes with benefits)?
BRO that’s exactly what I was thinking!!!! My jaw DROPPED. There’s no way, there’s absolutely no way. I’m sure credit card debt must be the only way that is true. I have no debt (very rare for someone my age in the US) and a 9-5, in a high wage state, and I could maybe travel out of the country once maximum. Make it make sense??
@@ellesteersky That's almost my exact situation, except I do have student loan debt. Even if I had no student loans I don't think that would make a big difference!
Phrases like "sad muffins" being used alongside "women can be perpetrators of exploitation under capitalism just like a man can" are why I keep coming back. **standing ovation**
It's true. I was watching someone else's video on "girl boss" culture the other day and she said something along the lines of "women can exploit the work place just as badly as men can" and I felt that because I've had at least one terrible woman manager that made my life hell.
I love the way you're using trashy pop culture to make a statement, because it does make a statement about what we find entertaining as a society. I've read many articles that discuss how while Bravo does pay these women a salary, it's not enough to cover the expense of the outfits, makeup, hair, workouts, tanning, plastic surgery, cars, and interior design projects necessary to look good on these shows.
... Why did women initially start watching these? The only reason was because they wanted to see what these women were wearing so they could go out and buy the same clothes and dress and look like them. We caught early on why women were drawn to these shows like bees to honey. They wanted to wear the same styles. Alright, that’s real uncreative but women followed it. So it was the precursor to Instagram Selfies but the show helped SELL a lifestyle, a style and THINGS. Today, it sells attitudes and personalities...
@@CatsInHats-S.CrouchingTiger I started watching out of curiosity of what other women live like in other cities. I have lived in CA my whole life so found it interesting to see the homes, the social settings, the personalities of different women. Some my age, many younger. I didnt want to run out and buy their looks, but I can see that some watch and have favorites so they probably do. I watched them all if I am honest. I had favorite cities and also cast members and I had cities that I just could not relate to at all!! Miami sucked!! So did DC and I figured a lot of people thought that too since they were canceled. I have always wanted to see stronger marriages and for them to have more wives that juggled actual jobs and families like I did, but then I realized that was what I was actually watching for. Different ways of life. I have a group of girlfriends that watch too and we love to talk about who we love, who we hate, who we are cheering for, who do we relate to or side with in their crazy fights. Lol It is my guilty pleasure. I agree that at times I have a hard time watching certain throwdowns or when they gang up on a HW I like ( Team Jackie for NJ!!) 😂 but I have fun watching most of it. My voyeurism to share with my real friends. 🙂😎
@@CatsInHats-S.CrouchingTiger Not sure what the exact demographics of this show audience is, but I can assure you that in my home it is mu husband who watches this $&!tt and I immediately leave the room...
So infuriatingly out of touch...My blood boils when I think of the RHOBH episode that occurred after the Malibu fire and Camille was going on and on about buying her husband skies and a dusty (used) Luxury coat. Furthermore, she was going to miss that house which burned down cause it was her main house....even though she has multiple homes and can afford to rent a place on top of it all.
I agree with you too. Same here for me. It’s just so stupid I can’t even associate with them. I watch it for fun and fashion (which I can’t be bothered to imitate anyway) Absolute guilty pleasure 😄
love this video, as a fully fledged housewives stan, I find this sort of commentary refreshing in the sea of superficial conversations both onscreen and about the shows. Altho, I must disagree on the NJ housewives, that one is one of my favourites, they're truly OG vloggers, giving viewers a glimpse into their "realities" however real or sensationalized. If they were just like regular people, would they be as big as they are? I doubt it, especially with Beverly Hills, it has become a show that we watch for the spectacle of rich people, being rich people and doing crazy things in a world that a majority of us will never get access too. A form of escapism I guess, but still, I find its easier to watch when you step back and notice all the production and how its a TV show, not necessarily their living reality.
Omg YAS queen love seeing your comment on this vid!! I love RHONY and RHOBH but I find their levels of keeping up so wild. Imagine feeling the pressure to spend so much money on clothes you can only be seen in once.
@@dolledupbyj omg !!! Love this, yeah it probably does get super expensive and difficult. However, they also set the pace at which they want to keep up with each other 😂 like Dorit is just wild with her fashion, new outfit and full look each scene
It seems like you really have to have multiple hustles as a cast member in order to keep up with the lifestyle, and I am really curious about what they get paid for being on the show vs what they have to spend on wardrobe, hair, homes, etc.There is a rumor that Latoya, a new cast member of RHOA is only getting paid $1000 an episode. I don't know if that's true, but I bet there is a bit of a pay gap for new cast members.
That's because she was a "friend of" and not a cast member. Drew was a new cast member and she got a decent deal. I am not sure if Latoya only got paid $1,000 an episode but if her deal was that low, it is because she was not a cast member.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention about the Bethenny clause. I hear that changed how reality stars negotiate their contracts so the network/production company cannot claim any ownership of the stars company stakes if it was created during their time on the show
There was a time where I was ashamed of watching the housewives but recently it taught me a lot about vulnerability, how people deal with their traumas, and also how these women really got their money!!! I’m glad that you did this video.
TRH franchise is my favourite! Definitely a guilty pleasure of mine ☺️. One housewife that comes to mind who is part of “the working rich” is Tiffany from Dallas. She has hundreds of Birkins yet works overtime and has a boss she reports to. The two just don’t add up.
She is one of the few that fully does add up for me lol, her husband is mega wealthy they own hotels, a wine brand, etc. I thought it was really interesting to see another housewife who genuinely defines herself by her career (like Vicki the OG from the OC) ... but it does seem like Tiffany is a person who wouldn’t know what to do with herself if she wasn’t working, which is a whole other problem and one that we got to see her realize for herself during the season. I think she’s such a great addition to the Dallas cast!
Many years ago I had pneumonia and was stuck on the couch for a few days... I decided to watch RHOOC even tho it was a few seasons in at that point. I made it through Season 1, after having lived the entire 90s in Los Angeles, and went from "Oh how cartoonish" to the absolute certainty that these people are beyond revolting and should be marooned on an island so they don't infect the rest of humanity.
When naming all of the ways that people can "afford" to take trips on limited means I'm surprised she didn't mention the principal way millennials do this: CREDIT CARD DEBT!
I was thinking this same thing. I feel like most people are finding the money for these trips by accruing tons of cc debt plus not saving and spending their money on other expenses like student loans. A lot of folks are traveling but can’t pay to get their car fixed, don’t have 6 months worth of expenses saved, and can barely afford to pay more than the minimum on their credit card bills.
Bethenny was successful specifically because of the exposure she got on the show. You were always able to make a "skinny" margarita with the sugar free margarita mixes that existed on the market pre Bethenny. She was hardly the innovator of the ready to drink cocktail, they were available in liquor stores at LEAST as early as the 90's when I was in college, maybe before but I wasn't old enough to go into liquor stores before that.
Yes. I watched a recent interview with Kristen Teakman of the New York franchise, and she said there's actually a 'Bethenny clause' in the contract now. If a new woman enters the franchise, and builds their brand whilst on the show, Bravo can take a significant proportion of the earnings.
I believe Chelsea's Maryland hometown she's referring to is Annapolis. I'm from South Carolina but lived in Annapolis for two-and-a-half years immediately after the 2008 financial crisis. We moved for my (now ex) husband's job. I was only 23 years old when I arrived, and it was hard to find a job that would even cover household bills due to said financial crisis and having a limited amount of job experience. And then on top of that, the people I spent the most time with outside of work were influenced by the extreme amount of privilege and wealth they enjoyed. Even though I was fortunate enough to grow up in an upper-middle class area, my parents are immigrants who really stressed the value of money and not spending it on loads of luxury items. So it was shocking for me to see how much effort and money the other women in Annapolis were putting into their appearance. It only took those two-and-a-half years for me to realize that the culture of conspicuous consumption in that city was always going to be contrary to my personal values. It's part of the reason I decided to get divorced and move away from there.
I was thinking Annapolis too. I had family friends that lived there and would work at restaurants there in summer to pay for college. Very affluent area.
This is definitely the most on point take I’ve ever seen someone have on the real housewives in totality.. only fact I disagree with is that I want to see Italians screaming at eachother ! RHONJ is arguably the best franchise BECAUSE of how genuine their family drama really is and the fact that they have cast like Teresa/Joe and Frank/Dolores who all go back like 20 years...
I’d love to know where the not being seen in the same outfit twice or buying for each outing/event comes from. I 1st saw Claire call out Lizzie McGuire for repeat wearing her dress, but just wanna know the source that put this idea out there
It’s always been that way didn’t ya know? Wear an outfit once, and either put it back in your closet to show off your enormous wardrobe or toss it in the trash bin…said no one in my life ever.
I remember hearing Paris H saying she never wore anything twice yrs ago when she had her show with Nichole. I thought that was the craziest thing I heard. Now, its prob the norm for some of those supee rich woman
This just drives home the law of “ Reality T.V., Instagram, Facebook etc.” it’s not Real. My parents taught me back in the day when shows like Beverly Hills 90201 and the Cosby show. I now teach my kids to look up to what people do and not what they think or is projected to them what those people have. Materialism is not realism whether you can afford it or not. Live in the real world and stop hyper focusing on what’s presented to you through a screen.
More importantly than money, these kind of shows promote and reward bullying and violence. In some versions, they even film and air cast members relapse. It’s insane
We lived in the OC and some friends lived in Cota De Casa, as they had just won a big lawsuit. One time my husband visiting our friends drove up in our old Honda Civic at the gate and was told to take the “workers” entrance😹
I always liked how we got to see Bethany make business deals and grow her company, sell her company, dabble in real estate. It made it more realistic when she would spend money cause we actually got to WATCH her make money not just tell us she was
I was that person who felt like I could never wear the same outfit when I go out… 🤦🏾♀️ Then I just decided to go with what I truly liked and get back to my capsule wardrobe and it was the best idea ever. We really have to unlearn what we are taught on social media/TV
Chelsea you gotta take a look at your camera settings, this is the third video where your (albeit lovely) dining area is in focus, but your face isn’t.
I heard that the trips are paid in part by Bravo, but if the cast members want extra things like flying private or room upgrades that comes out of their own pockets. That’s why we see in Potomac that since they aren’t the wealthiest of the franchises fly commercial while in BH they often charter jets like when they went to Amsterdam
I love how watching TFD makes me feel smarter about enjoying the things I enjoy. Am I watching another TH-cam video on Real Housewives no I'm watching an in depth expose of a cultural phenomenon on a financial journalism channel.
I don't watch THE REAL HOUSEWIVES, but I wouldn't contribute the phenomenon of "Wealthy Who Work but Don't Have To" to them. I would contribute it to Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's show THE SIMPLE LIFE. People tuned in week after week IN DROVES to a show to watch an heiress and her wealthy friend play work. They worked on farms and did jobs they didn't need to do. This was really the prototype of what you're talking about, Chelsea. These young thin wealthy women were glamourous, and they made millions between the show and the side deals the got as a result of the success of the show
I don't think that I would agree. The Simple Life was really about fish out of water stories. Girls from way up the social class doing jobs that they would never normally have deigned to do. Shows was like The Real Housewives are more about entrepreneurialship, an attempt to prove that you've legitimately earned all the wealth that you have
@@supernova622 Fine that you don't agree. As I said, TSL feels like a prototype (it started before RH), because it showed wealthy people working. I agree the premise of the show was more about laughing at these women who had no skills and were working jobs they 1) didn't have to and 2) were clearly not qualified for. But I think the larger reading of the show is that two wealthy women who didn't have to work started a huge empire built on the show's success. Furthermore, at the time Hilton + Richie were socialites, and had an image of being reckless and irresponsible. The show in many ways was like an attempt to paint them as respectable by showing them as regular folk.
Thank you so much for pointing out how detrimental criminal activity is for the poor vs. the rich. For a poor person and even for some middle class people, getting arrested could mean losing a job, losing a custody fight over kids and so much more. Many prison programs discriminate or do not provide enough educational / mental health resources. Then, when people get out, re entering society is nearly impossible. We treat people who have served their time as if they are lesser, and only worthy of certain jobs. If we want people to reenter and contribute to society , we need to treat them like people. That being said, don't get me started on the number of violent murderers or sex offenders that get lenient sentences while people who did a robbery or possessed cocaine are in jail for life.
I've never watched Real Housewives, but I'm almost tempted to now. It seems like accidental anti-capitalist propaganda. At any rate, I'm glad that I'm not really a part of most social media- twitter, instagram, pintrest, whatever else people use to glamorize themselves. Sure, I'm a youtube comment troll, but I think that avoiding that weird exhibitionistic/voyeuristic pressure that those sites perpetuate has been good for my already fragile self esteem. I'm perfectly capable of sabotaging my own happiness without trying to conform to a certain aesthetic. I much prefer video articles dissecting these things than participating myself.
Does anyone still remember that the whole Real Housewives series was inspired by the tv show Desperate Housewives that premiered in 2004? Especially with the parallels of the Desperate Housewives holding the apples versus the Real Housewives of Orange County with the orange theme?
What annoys me about the real housewives is that they argue EVERY single episode. It's like none of those ladies can go a minute without bringing something up that's personal and begin tearing at each other's throats.
This was very informative. Really appreciate the deep dive into the sociological influences the franchise has on us. Everything you described is actually why I enjoy watching the show. It’s also made recent seasons a little more difficult to watch now that drama usually surrounds very petty and minuscule things but nonetheless this idea remains present. Good shit!!!
I have one small cupboard of clothes and 3 eyeshadow palettes and I still manage to never repeat my looks because there are literally thousands of possible combinations!! Who actually needs a million different items I don't understand.
love your content. It's very empowering. I don't know if you've done one on Vanderpump Rules, but that one would be Amazing to get your perspective on.
You caught my eye with the SATC video, but now I'm a true fan with this one. The way your vibe changed when you started talking about Erika Jayne tho. The head bobs, shoulder lean, clapping, AND hand grabs? I'm subscribed.
I just don't get the thing with only wearing an outfit once. I'm wearing my clothes until they don't fit or they fall apart, often after patching it up a couple of times.
It's the first time that I see your channel and I guess you popped in my real because I see Real Housewife's videos one after another. Anyway, I would like to point a couple of things about each point: a) Image: for me it's kind of shocking how much it has changed through the seasons. I think that initially, the series was closer to a "Desperate housewifes" real version, where the lifes of afgfluent women were depicted. However, with time, it has evolved to a much more exagerated exhibition of wealth, turning the characters into something closer to a "Dynasty" or "Dallas" cast. The exposure of clothes also changes a lot depending on the installment, being the most exacerbated Beverly Hills, were Erika and Dorit even got their respectives "glam squads" in pay roll. Being honest, I preferred the older versions, as the newest ones seemed a bit out of touch. In a footnote, I also would like to point to the case of Jill Zarin, who, allegedly, was blacklisted in several New York shops after buying, filming with, and returning several clothes. I mean... If the own cast of the show can't keep up with it, you know there's something there. Another footnote would be Denise Richards, who kept cool and laid back with a simple white T-shirt most of her seasons. b) Travels: this is another topic that I think that has been converted into a window of wealth. With the rise of social media, it has become imperative to travel as much as possible (and to post it). I've felt real embarrasment when going into a friend's house, they had this world map where they had to scratch the countries they had visited. It felt pornographic, as catching Pokemon, as treating whole countries as a backstage of your life, or visiting an amusement park. It's good to know that the Real Housewifes travels aren't real. I always suspected it, but i'm glad to hear it from the horse's mouth. Alex McCord, keeping it straight since day one. And I leave aside all the environment problems that irresponsible massive turism are already causing. c) Work: That's another fact of the shows that unravel me. The housewifes go into ventures often without having a single clue about the businesses they get into. Every single season there's one of them having a lingerie/jewelry/clothes/make-up brand. I know people in the sector and they are really burn out about this certain belief that every single celebrity has to have her own brand of panties. Seriously, a famous rarely brings nothing to a brand rather than visibility. What I find even more exhausting is how some of the housewifes are often invited to talks where they give empty spechees about "how easy is to have it done". I'm sorry, but no, having a business is very hard and launching that idea to an audience who hasn't been born with your same safety net is very irresponsible. In the footnote section, I have to say that I have a certain respect for Bethenny for the way she handled her career. Is almost the only cast member whose job didn't seem a plot device. Moreover, I have seen in certain talks and don't seem unaware of the struggles of a business. Anotrher footnote, Alex McCord, who had her own job (she was an illustrator), and never made a world out of it just for the cameras. d) Jail and so: (I'm a bit tired of writing, so I'll sum up a bit): while Erika's future was already pending last season, the ladies were talking about the Puppygate. As you said "You go, Teddi, bring us nothing". Another footnote: RHONJ is also my least favourite. I can't stand that many screams and pageant dresses. I used to love RHOBH, but it's too full of itself. RHONY, however, I felt like the more mature installment. Are the women often a mess, yes, but at least they don't have their glam done just to go to a brunch were they discuss nothing.
I lived in Covenant Hills during this time. My neighbors were some of the O.C. Housewives. It was a magical time. I had the best time of my life! If you had the money, life was great!
This is why the recent season of #RHOBH is so refreshing with Kathy Hilton joining the show. I mean, home girl has got the biggest amount of money but she's chilling in sweats and running around in dirty socks😭🤣.
I really love this video about keeping our perspectives on what is real and not. And how these tv warp our sense of reality and what is acceptable and not.
growing up in south Orange County (in a working class family) during the prime of this era was wild. The constant comparison, sense of inferiority, and the stress of my household living paycheck to paycheck had a big impact on my relationship with money for a long time
Wow, this would be a really interesting video topic to hear from your perspective
Please do a video on this!!
-C
I definitely saw this with the daughter of one of my mom’s friends. She’s a long term resident of Laguna Beach, but a middle class teacher. Her daughter really struggled with being outside of the “ideal” of the expectations created by reality tv at the time.
video me, please.
This would make a great video idea!
These shows also have a negative impact on the way women view the aging processes for sure.
For sure! Women below 40 are getting Botox and fillers because of these shows.
I mean that's all of Hollywood. I live in studio city and it's normal for 20 somethings to get botox here who aren't even in show biz. Leaving here and going to the midwest is a culture shock comparison.
Like my mother said once: "Effers won't even let us age with some dignity!" (Only that in Spanish, and without the profanity).
It felt weird when Teresa made fun of Caroline’s body during the reunion. Have you seen Teresa’s face lately? The fake lips, the orange leather tan, etc…
And friendships between women.
Fashion show with no fashions is a line that will forever be in my vocabulary
Bring back Dwight
How dreadful!
@@medical4652 😂😂
"Building a man cave with no man, fashion show with no fashions" 😂😂😂
Yes!!
I don’t think money is the most toxic aspect of the Real Housewives, I think it’s the absolutely damaging normalization of bullying and cruelty between women. They’ve essentially glamorized relational aggression and knighted women like this as “Queens”. Like the more cruel and cunning you are, the better. I’ve seen in real time how women that watch this show mimic these dynamics in their own lives. I watch some of the franchises myself but I can separate it from my own behavior. If anything, it’s a case study in how NOT to relate to other women. I personally dislike the drama and would prefer just to see them working on their businesses and getting along. The fashion and beautiful homes are fun too but that’s about it.
This actually effected me i had a phase of being shady and bitchy to all my friends
Yh be mean and bullying you get admired
This was very well said. My mom has become sucked into this franchise and it definitely shows in her behavior and spending habits. She just brought a new SUV and won't stop bragging about it. She talks about her friends, but always goes to lunches and dinners with them, she talks about how they dress, their relationships, their children etc. she's also in a pretty toxic non-relationship herself. It breaks my heart because she's very lonely, and I wish I could help.
The vacation spots are fun, but it is ratings mostly built upon heat (the fights and teams) versus light (moments of all too rare clarity and wisdom, friendship).
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 totally agree
I grew up in Coto de Caza, and there are two areas of the neighborhood, the 1% and the 1% of the 1%. It was a weird area to grow up in. We were upper middle class, and my parents worked extremely hard to just barely afford the area, as opposed to a lot of our neighbors who had multiple houses and looked down on us because we drove a Mazda. It really impacted me, because I saw how sad, lonely, and fake everyone was there, the best thing my parents ever did for me was move out of the neighborhood. People were just sad there, they couldn't be happy because they had to be better than their neighbors, and they were so obsessed with image, they couldn’t be okay with just being themselves, it was just depressing.
As an insider, are you able to share some example stories of why you thought they were sad? Was it the alcoholism, prevalent cheating or neglect of parenting? Im sure I’m not the only one curious! And how were they condescending of your family car?
@@GildedFashion once you have a certain amount of money and can essentially buy or do anything, you no longer have anything to work for. Nothing to look forward to, because when you can have anything at any time, luxury becomes commonplace and there’s nothing else to strive for, to do or to work towards. Humans need goals, they need aims, they need to feel they’ve earned something. When you can just get anything you want, you simply don’t get the dopamine hit you get from earning something through work because your brain simply doesn’t register you as having done anything. Being hyper-rich robs you of of the drive for the future that makes us human, much like depression does. Being so rich that you can’t get meaningfully richer is possibly one of the most depressing prisons one can put themselves in, but frankly you can always divorce yourself from the rich lifestyle so I feel very little sympathy for these situations people choose for themselves, because a lot of people are dying of starvation while they choose to live lavishly at their own expense
@@emilybarclay8831 Well thats a bunch of crap. There are millions of things you can work for when you have money. In fact - its easier to work for what you want when you are not bothered to think about your next pay check. There is a reason why insanly rich people keep working and not just be on a holiday 24/7 - they enjoy working!
@@alexforce9 very few insanely rich people actually work. You realise most Uber rich people aren’t celebrities or CEOs, right? There’s communities of extremely rich heirs and old-money families that do literally nothing except live in opulence because they’re rich enough to not have to ever do anything. At best, they’ll start a charity that other people run or they’ll start some clothing line that again, they’re nothing but a figurehead for. Or they’ll star in some reality TV show in their spare time. Even Jeff Bezos isn’t actually actively running his company as much as sub-contracting it out to managers and heads and other middle management. There are very few Uber rich people who actually do any real work aside from sitting in meetings discussing work that other people have done
Thank you for sharing your experience! It helps lower middle class people see that money and image is not the answer.
Hot take: part of the working rich issue is/was influenced by the American obsession with telling the poor they get what they work for and that they are just lazy. So with the wealthy going outside of their gates and onto our screens they open themselves up to judgement from the poor who are working hard and still poor. So the rich take on the facade of see I work 80 hours a week so I deserve to never need to work again a day in my life. While disregarding the fact that their wealth gives them the privileges to pon off other time consuming duties (nannies, housekeeping, etc) in order to have time for their ridiculous work schedule.
Every single MFing thing you typed + a lot of these folks are working "rich" not actual rich or wealthy. This was undeniable on RHOC after the crash of 2008. You can also see even with a surface view of RHOA or RHOP that rich is a sliding scale relative to the target demo of the viewer. Nobody I know thinks for a minute that Gizelle, Robin or Porsha even with some level of family name recognition and pedigree is handing down serious amounts of generational wealth to future generations.
Preach! 🙌
I've never watched any of these shows so I don't have a lot of context for this comment, but I know the rich people that I have known have very different ideas about what constitutes "work"
Came to the comment section to say this.
Most of them were broke/in debt up to their eyeballs. Most real rich folks are smarter with money than these frauds.
I still randomly think about She by Sheree all these years later. Truly iconique.
LMAO!! Do you remember that meeting she has with that man (I'm pretty sure it was concerning the She brand) I thought they were going to have a physical altercation.... afterward she sang that iconic little jingle
Oh hell to the naw, to the naw, naw, naw 😁
Joggers! Lifestyle.
@@ironsnowflake1076 That meeting scene was hilarious. "Whose gonna check me boo?"
@@ironsnowflake1076 I remember that so vividly
@@tacrewgirl Iconic. I miss Sheree
When I watch Real Housewives, I never forget that I am watching a highly produced television show. It was obvious to me that Bravo pays for expensive trips and parties. And when a housewife is in a new house every season, I know that they likely are on shaky financial ground.
Also be suspicious of anybody who brags about the “platinum “ credit card that they carry. Most people with real wealth probably wouldn’t want to be any near these shows.
Yeah, Im pretty sure that for a lot of realy rich people , life is pretty ordinary - they work, they go home, they chill with the family. They just spend a lot more on stuff like food or houses and trips - just coz they can afford it.
A lot of people have that you wouldn't even know. There are a lot of people who need to show but there are just as many who really do go to work on what they love instead. The difference is choice.
Your last sentence said it all.
I feel like there’s also a pressure to get Botox, fillers, and a BBL since the RHOA. I’m not done watching the video so you may have brought this up.
Yes! Let's talk about it.
Exactly! Do you remember when Denise Richards came on RHOBH and she looked normal/natural, so beautiful without any botox and fillers. Then sure enough when the season 1 reunion came she had been toxed and filled to the max. Toxic culture.
Wow, this is right on time! I am a casual RHOA watcher and I think often about the ridiculous classism like Sheree and Kenya arguing over who can build their mansion the fastest and whose is better. Even the comment Nene made about someone having a white fridge. As someone who has lived in apartments my adult life, I didn't realize white fridges were a sign of "poverty" 😂😭
Gross
Is that the time she said “we need to get you a home” 😂😂
@@XiuLiwa1996 Yes🤣
just because someone doesnt want to shell out 6k on a stainless steel fridge or another expensive fridge doesnt mean they are poor. damn I will take a working white fridge and keep the 6k
@@ayanomar1408 Same! A lot I could do with that 6k.
I had to stop watching these shows. At first , it was funny and entertaining but now... these AWFUL humans tear each other apart. It wasn’t even about the money for me. I just felt like I was watching a herd of bullies eat their own. Blech! Now I go outside and garden. I feed my family, friends and soul instead of poisoning it.
Yesss, same!!!
totally..I felt so sad seeing how they treated their "friends"
@@joangel24 they way RHBH treated Denise Richards during that Brandi scandal made my stomach turn. That was it for me; I said “I’m outta here.”
Same!
Go you! That's exactly what you should be doing.
Watching RHOBH when Denise Richards was on (they did her dirty) I loved her laid back messy bun, jeans, and jacket looks. Its a big contrast to all the other ladies who use get togethers as a way of having a "who looks the most expensive and polished tonight" it always annoyed me.
I love Denise Richards!
Yet you would consider her the most successful career wise
Yes Denise Richards was a amazing and is a real working successful actress.
Miss and Loved Lisa Vanderpump as well, she’s also a very successful business woman.
Cheers 🇨🇦
They were all so jealous of Denise and bullied her. Probably felt intimidated by her notoriety
Pleased your research. Denise's not innocent. Look into her past, deep dive. They all play a roll to distract while pushing agendas.
I remember the OG housewives of Orange County looked semi normal in the first season and then the ladies said people started noticing them in public and they kept stepping up their game and it became miserable.
I remember a time when Bravo used to be a really great channel to watch, focusing on art and design and culture. I even recall some movies that they would play. I am so disappointed they turned to complete reality show drivel.
There was a time when they used to show art films more like Sundance
You can blame Andy for all that. That man is toxic AF
Too much money to be made, sad really.
Really?! I’m kinda young so I didn’t even know this was a thing!
Me too. My favorite shows were the one based on a skills like art, cooking, and business instead of faux interpersonal conflicts.
Me: never watched a single episode
Also Me: yes, absolutely
Yes
Hahahah same
These shows never had any appeal for me. But I am loving watching Chelsea roast them. lol
Ikr?
If you have never watched an episode, how can you understand what she is talking about?
I think you are lying that you have not watched an episode. You may not be a fan and have probably watched a few or less but you cannot comment on something you don't know.
It's like Instagram , everyone is living in luxury when in reality majority are broke
Exactly they’re all broke and fake that’s why I don’t feel jealous of them it’s all a show lmao
I never watched the show thankfully but I was curious to hear
And everyone is ‘beautiful’ on Instagram.
This^
This was a sobering reality, I felt better after realising it was fake and me with a simple life was probably more luxurious because the stress of keeping a fascade is 0
You forgot to bring up Phaedra and Apollo’s scamming ways.
Phaedra just gave me the creeps she seems so shady
@The Fínancîal Díét fake ass account
Phaedra took that wad of cold, hard cash ON CAMERA like it was the completely normal and legal thing to do!
Phaedra got off very lightly from that, I can’t believe someone with her level of education and expertise had no clue about what was going down.
I think she didn't mention the bc both Phaedra and Apollo got kicked off the show. They were not rewarded by Bravo for their bad behavior.
When Dorit purchased $18,000 of Hermes China to entertain two guests I was shocked. The level of keeping up in these shows is so unsustainable
Dorit gets on my nerves.
Unsustainable!!!
How about the girl with the $25,000 sunglasses going to jail for tax fraud.... why would you flaunt wealth and not pay taxes?! At least pay your taxes.
Love that for her
By the way she now has a TH-cam channel. I remember her $25k sunglasses🤣🤣
@@acapellaz1 🤣🤣🤣 I had no idea she had a TH-cam channel. I have to check that out!
At that moment, she was auditioning for a regular spot on the show.
$25000 sunglasses! Even if I was wealthy, I wouldn't spend a dime on it.
So, basically the RH franchise predicted flex cult(ure). Which affects a young(er) generation now.
Flex culture has always existed. It used to be called “Keeping up with the Jones’”
@@pisceanbeauty2503 True, but the crazy thing is if a young(er) generation is pushed to "flex" that does not even work for the products yet.
Also, the Beverly Hills franchise is the only one that still lists on the screen the price of things (shopping, trips, etc) when airing the show😒
Chelsea yelling angrily and clapping about these housewives is exactly the energy I needed today 👏
I loved the "gehhrohhsss" 🤣
Not to mention ruining Italian women. "Hi! My husband is in the mafia and is going to prison for embezzlement and I'm playing dumb". Way to increase sterotypes.
Theresa from New Jersey
I love re wearing my clothes and changing them up. I think the more we look at things in pop culture and on social media more as entertainment and not as very real it’s much easier to stay true to who you really and and not get sucked into the brainwashing of the shows. Love your vids!
Same! I wear the same 3 dresses to work every week (im only in person 3 days) and i get compliments every single time! People do not need a ton of outfits
Kandi is literally the MAIN reason I watch ANY Housewives show (so obviously only RHOA). Her resilience to the shallow behaviour promoted by some of her colleagues on the show while her empire expands help remind me how and why it's important to stay grounded.
And she did it while dealing with her toxic mama!
💯 Absolutely! That’s why I love Kandi. She’s built her wealth and stays frugal.
It’s interesting to me how little interest I’ve found in the Real Housewives ouvre, given that the neighborhood I grew up in rapidly rose in value during my childhood and I started to see real expressions of wealth around me as I grew up. For some reason, the whole thing just leaves me exhausted by the thoughts of the maintenance involved in that sort of lifestyle. If you have infinite money, sure, but most people don’t and I see these mansions being built and all I can see is 10,000 sq. feet you have to air condition and check for roof leaks.
I have friends involved in the Orange County yacht club scene, and I’ll just say that being a tourist is great but I wouldn’t want to live in that culture all the time. I don’t want a boat, I want to ride on someone else’s boat.
This was an interesting take into in what way reality shows can affect our lives. I would be interested in a similar video in regards to the Kardashians that also have had many businesses along the years. From Dash to Kylie Cosmetics and everything in between.
Omg! This can be a college course. You did a WONDERFUL job with this video. There are so many different social constructs that can be extracted from the Bravo series. On a play of words BRAVO to this video!
If your only dream is money no wonder why people are unhappy and hate themselves and others and superficial ... I'm no saint but it's called being a adult and having a soul.
Lol. This is an interesting side of the argument.
.
Exactly! We are not just blank slates for other people or "capitalism" to influence. We may be influenced by those around us, but ultimately what we do with our money is our decision and responsibility.
“Scholars like myself will recall the season one dichotomy....” whenever I forget why I subbed to this channel, just play me this line 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Love that you are addressing this! The entire franchise has promoted the idea that the average working class person is “failing” because they cannot afford super lavish things.
Girl, u killing me with the Dwight reference. "...a fashion show with no fashions" 😂😂😂
🤣🤣🤣 I’ve never watched any of these housewives shows, but this is hilarious to see you address!
Same 😂
I think its kind of sad that she and so many others are sucked into this.
Given that Tracy from Million Dollar Listing LA also went to Dubai for the story line that she was selling apartments there and Dubai was pushing tourism like crazy at the time, there was never any doubt in my mind that the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills trip was sponsored by Dubai Tourism.
There's also absolutely no way those women are paying for any of those clothes, Rent the Runway probably stays afloat because of them.
Chelsea getting visibly angrier as this video goes on is a mood lmao
Lisa Van Der Pump is probably the most legit entrepreneurs of the franchise
And Kandi Burruss!!
Yeah, she and Kandi are filthy rich.
Let’s not forget Bethenny Frankel. We literally watched her build her empire from scratch!
and the one that got bullied smh. She’s the face of RHO BEVERLY HILLS
Kandi is most definitely the most well wounded housewife of all time. The amount of specials and businesses she has successfully launched during her tenure on the show is impressive. She has gained so much and been almost unscathed by the drama attached to the show. The closest she got was season 9. And she launched an entire successful show from that.
Hi friend I know of a man who can help you get your ex back and restore your broken marriage
Just text him on WhatsApp for help
Is that before or after Kandi's tax fraud? The payouts in music now mostly come from touring and marketing.
@@jennifermelton4147 this is incorrect/completely dependent on what role you play in music. Writers (especially those who've written for successful artists'') get an incredible check and so do producers and sound engineers.
💯
It not only affected clothes but also in home decor. Now "the common people" want a dressing room where they can display their designer shoes
I wish I could take multiple international trips per year (28 y.o.). I haven’t been on a real vacation in about 7 years. Downside to remaining in academia pursuing higher Ed I suppose. But I’ve got dreams 🤩
Okay, maybe I’m the crazy one but who are these fellow young people taking five trips a YEAR, three of which are international?! I love to travel and I have to work to set aside money for maybe three trips a year, one of which may or may not be international. That is just crazy to me.
I think college kids who take actual trips for winter/spring/summer break has to factor in somehow. I’m 30 and have been on maybe 3 trips total, all domestic, since I graduated (all were to visit family/friends). I took no trips during school, because I was with family during my breaks. Most of my friends are the same way. Who has time for vacations when the average 9-5 job gives you 2 weeks paid vacation per year (assuming it comes with benefits)?
BRO that’s exactly what I was thinking!!!! My jaw DROPPED. There’s no way, there’s absolutely no way. I’m sure credit card debt must be the only way that is true. I have no debt (very rare for someone my age in the US) and a 9-5, in a high wage state, and I could maybe travel out of the country once maximum. Make it make sense??
I know right ?! Five a year !!! How are you not broke?
Parents pay for it. That's how my kid travels, granted she is six years old 😉😂😂😂.
@@ellesteersky That's almost my exact situation, except I do have student loan debt. Even if I had no student loans I don't think that would make a big difference!
Phrases like "sad muffins" being used alongside "women can be perpetrators of exploitation under capitalism just like a man can" are why I keep coming back.
**standing ovation**
It's true. I was watching someone else's video on "girl boss" culture the other day and she said something along the lines of "women can exploit the work place just as badly as men can" and I felt that because I've had at least one terrible woman manager that made my life hell.
@@kgal1298 yes, as much as I'd like to think there's a "good person" gene on the X chromosome, I just don't think it's there...
@@kgal1298 Definitely! And some female bosses can be super manipulative and I'm so happy that more people are acknowledging and speaking about it
I love the way you're using trashy pop culture to make a statement, because it does make a statement about what we find entertaining as a society. I've read many articles that discuss how while Bravo does pay these women a salary, it's not enough to cover the expense of the outfits, makeup, hair, workouts, tanning, plastic surgery, cars, and interior design projects necessary to look good on these shows.
Came for the sass, stayed for the dragging of societal divisions of legal fairness dependent on wealth.
... Why did women initially start watching these?
The only reason was because they wanted to see what these women were wearing so they could go out and buy the same clothes and dress and look like them.
We caught early on why women were drawn to these shows like bees to honey. They wanted to wear the same styles. Alright, that’s real uncreative but women followed it. So it was the precursor to Instagram Selfies but the show helped SELL a lifestyle, a style and THINGS. Today, it sells attitudes and personalities...
@@CatsInHats-S.CrouchingTiger I started watching out of curiosity of what other women live like in other cities. I have lived in CA my whole life so found it interesting to see the homes, the social settings, the personalities of different women. Some my age, many younger. I didnt want to run out and buy their looks, but I can see that some watch and have favorites so they probably do. I watched them all if I am honest. I had favorite cities and also cast members and I had cities that I just could not relate to at all!! Miami sucked!! So did DC and I figured a lot of people thought that too since they were canceled. I have always wanted to see stronger marriages and for them to have more wives that juggled actual jobs and families like I did, but then I realized that was what I was actually watching for. Different ways of life. I have a group of girlfriends that watch too and we love to talk about who we love, who we hate, who we are cheering for, who do we relate to or side with in their crazy fights. Lol It is my guilty pleasure. I agree that at times I have a hard time watching certain throwdowns or when they gang up on a HW I like ( Team Jackie for NJ!!) 😂 but I have fun watching most of it. My voyeurism to share with my real friends. 🙂😎
@@CatsInHats-S.CrouchingTiger Not sure what the exact demographics of this show audience is, but I can assure you that in my home it is mu husband who watches this $&!tt and I immediately leave the room...
The housewives are totally my guilty pleasure. They feel so out of touch with reality that it is easy for me to not let it affect my money mentality
Yes, it is like watching comedy. I love it but it is too much to let it influence you.
@@smarimer1 Right?
So infuriatingly out of touch...My blood boils when I think of the RHOBH episode that occurred after the Malibu fire and Camille was going on and on about buying her husband skies and a dusty (used) Luxury coat. Furthermore, she was going to miss that house which burned down cause it was her main house....even though she has multiple homes and can afford to rent a place on top of it all.
I agree with you too. Same here for me. It’s just so stupid I can’t even associate with them. I watch it for fun and fashion (which I can’t be bothered to imitate anyway) Absolute guilty pleasure 😄
love this video, as a fully fledged housewives stan, I find this sort of commentary refreshing in the sea of superficial conversations both onscreen and about the shows. Altho, I must disagree on the NJ housewives, that one is one of my favourites, they're truly OG vloggers, giving viewers a glimpse into their "realities" however real or sensationalized. If they were just like regular people, would they be as big as they are? I doubt it, especially with Beverly Hills, it has become a show that we watch for the spectacle of rich people, being rich people and doing crazy things in a world that a majority of us will never get access too. A form of escapism I guess, but still, I find its easier to watch when you step back and notice all the production and how its a TV show, not necessarily their living reality.
Omg YAS queen love seeing your comment on this vid!! I love RHONY and RHOBH but I find their levels of keeping up so wild. Imagine feeling the pressure to spend so much money on clothes you can only be seen in once.
@@dolledupbyj omg !!! Love this, yeah it probably does get super expensive and difficult. However, they also set the pace at which they want to keep up with each other 😂 like Dorit is just wild with her fashion, new outfit and full look each scene
It seems like you really have to have multiple hustles as a cast member in order to keep up with the lifestyle, and I am really curious about what they get paid for being on the show vs what they have to spend on wardrobe, hair, homes, etc.There is a rumor that Latoya, a new cast member of RHOA is only getting paid $1000 an episode. I don't know if that's true, but I bet there is a bit of a pay gap for new cast members.
That's because she was a "friend of" and not a cast member. Drew was a new cast member and she got a decent deal. I am not sure if Latoya only got paid $1,000 an episode but if her deal was that low, it is because she was not a cast member.
@@ndoni99 Ah! That makes sense. I thought she was a cast member.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention about the Bethenny clause. I hear that changed how reality stars negotiate their contracts so the network/production company cannot claim any ownership of the stars company stakes if it was created during their time on the show
As someone that used to watch the RH’s, I am applauding you. Point we’re made, facts were said.
There was a time where I was ashamed of watching the housewives but recently it taught me a lot about vulnerability, how people deal with their traumas, and also how these women really got their money!!!
I’m glad that you did this video.
This nails it on the head, while calling out instances they just play off to make us numb to the economic injustice. Thanks for this (smiley emoji)
TRH franchise is my favourite! Definitely a guilty pleasure of mine ☺️.
One housewife that comes to mind who is part of “the working rich” is Tiffany from Dallas. She has hundreds of Birkins yet works overtime and has a boss she reports to. The two just don’t add up.
She is one of the few that fully does add up for me lol, her husband is mega wealthy they own hotels, a wine brand, etc. I thought it was really interesting to see another housewife who genuinely defines herself by her career (like Vicki the OG from the OC) ... but it does seem like Tiffany is a person who wouldn’t know what to do with herself if she wasn’t working, which is a whole other problem and one that we got to see her realize for herself during the season. I think she’s such a great addition to the Dallas cast!
It was reported many of those Birkens may be fake. Her husband's family business was busted for selling fake designer goods.
@@jennifermcgee8621 oh noooo lol I finally felt like I could genuinely root for one of them for at least a couple months 🤦♀️
Many years ago I had pneumonia and was stuck on the couch for a few days... I decided to watch RHOOC even tho it was a few seasons in at that point. I made it through Season 1, after having lived the entire 90s in Los Angeles, and went from "Oh how cartoonish" to the absolute certainty that these people are beyond revolting and should be marooned on an island so they don't infect the rest of humanity.
Sheree Whitfield apologist 🤣🤣🤣
I’m not your target audience (male millennial), but I’ve learned so much from you. Thank you for TFD
Chelsea: “My in-laws don’t understand my job”
Chelsea: (makes this video)
I love you so much
I've never seen the show. Thanks for making me glad I never did!
T/H/A/N/K/,/•Y/O/U//• F/O/R// M/O/R/E// I/N/F/O/R/M/A/T/I/O/N// A/N/D// P/R/O/P/E/R//• G/U/I/D/A/N/C/E//
W•H•A•T•S•A•A•P or T•E•X•T
+•1•7•8•6•3•7•3•8•2•2•1
F/O/R C/R/Y/P/T/O I/N/V/E/S/T/M/E/N/T P/L/A/N/S
///// ~~~ S/A/Y/ /I/ /S:E/N/T/ /Y/O/U~~~ ////
When naming all of the ways that people can "afford" to take trips on limited means I'm surprised she didn't mention the principal way millennials do this: CREDIT CARD DEBT!
I was thinking this same thing. I feel like most people are finding the money for these trips by accruing tons of cc debt plus not saving and spending their money on other expenses like student loans. A lot of folks are traveling but can’t pay to get their car fixed, don’t have 6 months worth of expenses saved, and can barely afford to pay more than the minimum on their credit card bills.
The Real Housewives didn't just ruin our relationship to money, they also ruined our relationship to Men and Wine.
Wine? Never. I love a good glass of red 🍷
ot to mention plastic with all their surgery
Wait no, I love wine still 😂
Bethenny was successful specifically because of the exposure she got on the show. You were always able to make a "skinny" margarita with the sugar free margarita mixes that existed on the market pre Bethenny. She was hardly the innovator of the ready to drink cocktail, they were available in liquor stores at LEAST as early as the 90's when I was in college, maybe before but I wasn't old enough to go into liquor stores before that.
I recall her also having "stretchy jeans" which is also nothing new.
Yes. I watched a recent interview with Kristen Teakman of the New York franchise, and she said there's actually a 'Bethenny clause' in the contract now. If a new woman enters the franchise, and builds their brand whilst on the show, Bravo can take a significant proportion of the earnings.
I believe Chelsea's Maryland hometown she's referring to is Annapolis. I'm from South Carolina but lived in Annapolis for two-and-a-half years immediately after the 2008 financial crisis. We moved for my (now ex) husband's job. I was only 23 years old when I arrived, and it was hard to find a job that would even cover household bills due to said financial crisis and having a limited amount of job experience. And then on top of that, the people I spent the most time with outside of work were influenced by the extreme amount of privilege and wealth they enjoyed.
Even though I was fortunate enough to grow up in an upper-middle class area, my parents are immigrants who really stressed the value of money and not spending it on loads of luxury items. So it was shocking for me to see how much effort and money the other women in Annapolis were putting into their appearance. It only took those two-and-a-half years for me to realize that the culture of conspicuous consumption in that city was always going to be contrary to my personal values. It's part of the reason I decided to get divorced and move away from there.
I was thinking Annapolis too. I had family friends that lived there and would work at restaurants there in summer to pay for college. Very affluent area.
Your read on RHOBH and Erika specifically was sooo on point.
Don :" What do women want?"
Roger: " You know what they want? - They want EVERYTHING! Specialy if the other girls have it. Its just..more happines."
This is definitely the most on point take I’ve ever seen someone have on the real housewives in totality.. only fact I disagree with is that I want to see Italians screaming at eachother ! RHONJ is arguably the best franchise BECAUSE of how genuine their family drama really is and the fact that they have cast like Teresa/Joe and Frank/Dolores who all go back like 20 years...
God this is my first video of this woman, and man, I love her. I did not realise 26 minutes has passed! Super entertaining and witty!
I’d love to know where the not being seen in the same outfit twice or buying for each outing/event comes from. I 1st saw Claire call out Lizzie McGuire for repeat wearing her dress, but just wanna know the source that put this idea out there
The comment from "The Financial Diet" on this thread is not from the channel, report for spamming.
@@ornenow4703 i did
Twice
It’s always been that way didn’t ya know? Wear an outfit once, and either put it back in your closet to show off your enormous wardrobe or toss it in the trash bin…said no one in my life ever.
I remember hearing Paris H saying she never wore anything twice yrs ago when she had her show with Nichole. I thought that was the craziest thing I heard. Now, its prob the norm for some of those supee rich woman
This just drives home the law of “ Reality T.V., Instagram, Facebook etc.” it’s not Real. My parents taught me back in the day when shows like Beverly Hills 90201 and the Cosby show. I now teach my kids to look up to what people do and not what they think or is projected to them what those people have. Materialism is not realism whether you can afford it or not. Live in the real world and stop hyper focusing on what’s presented to you through a screen.
More importantly than money, these kind of shows promote and reward bullying and violence. In some versions, they even film and air cast members relapse. It’s insane
We lived in the OC and some friends lived in Cota De Casa, as they had just won a big lawsuit. One time my husband visiting our friends drove up in our old Honda Civic at the gate and was told to take the “workers” entrance😹
Barf
"friends"
🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
I always liked how we got to see Bethany make business deals and grow her company, sell her company, dabble in real estate. It made it more realistic when she would spend money cause we actually got to WATCH her make money not just tell us she was
I haven't even seen Real Housewives, but this video was hella fun to watch.
Ok I’m going to need you to do a regular take on the RH franchise because this is the most entertaining TFD has ever been.
MY WORLDS ARE COLLIDING AND I LIVE!! THANK YOU FOR THIS ANALYSIS AND ALL YOUR SHADE! 🙌🏾🙌🏾
I was that person who felt like I could never wear the same outfit when I go out… 🤦🏾♀️ Then I just decided to go with what I truly liked and get back to my capsule wardrobe and it was the best idea ever. We really have to unlearn what we are taught on social media/TV
Chelsea you gotta take a look at your camera settings, this is the third video where your (albeit lovely) dining area is in focus, but your face isn’t.
You are brilliant, unbiased, and this is exactly what we need while detoxing from the franchise. 💥💥
I heard that the trips are paid in part by Bravo, but if the cast members want extra things like flying private or room upgrades that comes out of their own pockets. That’s why we see in Potomac that since they aren’t the wealthiest of the franchises fly commercial while in BH they often charter jets like when they went to Amsterdam
I love the Housewives of New York best, just bc I love seeing all the neat things in the city. (I’m a Midwest housewife, lol 😂)
I watch it to see the city as well 🙂
ngl, having never watched any of these Real Housewives shows, I'm pretty lost, but I watched the full video anyway
Same. I know some basic stuff but I'm very lost haha
I love how watching TFD makes me feel smarter about enjoying the things I enjoy. Am I watching another TH-cam video on Real Housewives no I'm watching an in depth expose of a cultural phenomenon on a financial journalism channel.
I don't watch THE REAL HOUSEWIVES, but I wouldn't contribute the phenomenon of "Wealthy Who Work but Don't Have To" to them. I would contribute it to Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's show THE SIMPLE LIFE. People tuned in week after week IN DROVES to a show to watch an heiress and her wealthy friend play work. They worked on farms and did jobs they didn't need to do. This was really the prototype of what you're talking about, Chelsea. These young thin wealthy women were glamourous, and they made millions between the show and the side deals the got as a result of the success of the show
You might be right. I forgot all about that show.
I don't think that I would agree. The Simple Life was really about fish out of water stories. Girls from way up the social class doing jobs that they would never normally have deigned to do. Shows was like The Real Housewives are more about entrepreneurialship, an attempt to prove that you've legitimately earned all the wealth that you have
@@supernova622 Fine that you don't agree. As I said, TSL feels like a prototype (it started before RH), because it showed wealthy people working. I agree the premise of the show was more about laughing at these women who had no skills and were working jobs they 1) didn't have to and 2) were clearly not qualified for. But I think the larger reading of the show is that two wealthy women who didn't have to work started a huge empire built on the show's success. Furthermore, at the time Hilton + Richie were socialites, and had an image of being reckless and irresponsible. The show in many ways was like an attempt to paint them as respectable by showing them as regular folk.
Thank you so much for pointing out how detrimental criminal activity is for the poor vs. the rich. For a poor person and even for some middle class people, getting arrested could mean losing a job, losing a custody fight over kids and so much more. Many prison programs discriminate or do not provide enough educational / mental health resources. Then, when people get out, re entering society is nearly impossible. We treat people who have served their time as if they are lesser, and only worthy of certain jobs. If we want people to reenter and contribute to society , we need to treat them like people. That being said, don't get me started on the number of violent murderers or sex offenders that get lenient sentences while people who did a robbery or possessed cocaine are in jail for life.
Didn't know I could fall in love with this channel even more
Fantastic video, the perfect balance of pop culture, sociology, and analysis. Educating and thought provoking!
I've never watched Real Housewives, but I'm almost tempted to now. It seems like accidental anti-capitalist propaganda.
At any rate, I'm glad that I'm not really a part of most social media- twitter, instagram, pintrest, whatever else people use to glamorize themselves. Sure, I'm a youtube comment troll, but I think that avoiding that weird exhibitionistic/voyeuristic pressure that those sites perpetuate has been good for my already fragile self esteem. I'm perfectly capable of sabotaging my own happiness without trying to conform to a certain aesthetic.
I much prefer video articles dissecting these things than participating myself.
I want to be your friend
Does anyone still remember that the whole Real Housewives series was inspired by the tv show Desperate Housewives that premiered in 2004? Especially with the parallels of the Desperate Housewives holding the apples versus the Real Housewives of Orange County with the orange theme?
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 yasss. She went there! I would like a part 2 that include Kyle & Mauricio, Phaedra & Apollo, any anyone else you forgot to mention. Please!
What annoys me about the real housewives is that they argue EVERY single episode. It's like none of those ladies can go a minute without bringing something up that's personal and begin tearing at each other's throats.
This was very informative. Really appreciate the deep dive into the sociological influences the franchise has on us. Everything you described is actually why I enjoy watching the show. It’s also made recent seasons a little more difficult to watch now that drama usually surrounds very petty and minuscule things but nonetheless this idea remains present. Good shit!!!
I have one small cupboard of clothes and 3 eyeshadow palettes and I still manage to never repeat my looks because there are literally thousands of possible combinations!! Who actually needs a million different items I don't understand.
love your content. It's very empowering. I don't know if you've done one on Vanderpump Rules, but that one would be Amazing to get your perspective on.
You caught my eye with the SATC video, but now I'm a true fan with this one. The way your vibe changed when you started talking about Erika Jayne tho. The head bobs, shoulder lean, clapping, AND hand grabs? I'm subscribed.
I'm so glad we don't get bombarded with The Housewives in Spain (but we still suffered the K).
I just don't get the thing with only wearing an outfit once. I'm wearing my clothes until they don't fit or they fall apart, often after patching it up a couple of times.
It's the first time that I see your channel and I guess you popped in my real because I see Real Housewife's videos one after another. Anyway, I would like to point a couple of things about each point:
a) Image: for me it's kind of shocking how much it has changed through the seasons. I think that initially, the series was closer to a "Desperate housewifes" real version, where the lifes of afgfluent women were depicted. However, with time, it has evolved to a much more exagerated exhibition of wealth, turning the characters into something closer to a "Dynasty" or "Dallas" cast. The exposure of clothes also changes a lot depending on the installment, being the most exacerbated Beverly Hills, were Erika and Dorit even got their respectives "glam squads" in pay roll. Being honest, I preferred the older versions, as the newest ones seemed a bit out of touch. In a footnote, I also would like to point to the case of Jill Zarin, who, allegedly, was blacklisted in several New York shops after buying, filming with, and returning several clothes. I mean... If the own cast of the show can't keep up with it, you know there's something there. Another footnote would be Denise Richards, who kept cool and laid back with a simple white T-shirt most of her seasons.
b) Travels: this is another topic that I think that has been converted into a window of wealth. With the rise of social media, it has become imperative to travel as much as possible (and to post it). I've felt real embarrasment when going into a friend's house, they had this world map where they had to scratch the countries they had visited. It felt pornographic, as catching Pokemon, as treating whole countries as a backstage of your life, or visiting an amusement park. It's good to know that the Real Housewifes travels aren't real. I always suspected it, but i'm glad to hear it from the horse's mouth. Alex McCord, keeping it straight since day one. And I leave aside all the environment problems that irresponsible massive turism are already causing.
c) Work: That's another fact of the shows that unravel me. The housewifes go into ventures often without having a single clue about the businesses they get into. Every single season there's one of them having a lingerie/jewelry/clothes/make-up brand. I know people in the sector and they are really burn out about this certain belief that every single celebrity has to have her own brand of panties. Seriously, a famous rarely brings nothing to a brand rather than visibility. What I find even more exhausting is how some of the housewifes are often invited to talks where they give empty spechees about "how easy is to have it done". I'm sorry, but no, having a business is very hard and launching that idea to an audience who hasn't been born with your same safety net is very irresponsible. In the footnote section, I have to say that I have a certain respect for Bethenny for the way she handled her career. Is almost the only cast member whose job didn't seem a plot device. Moreover, I have seen in certain talks and don't seem unaware of the struggles of a business. Anotrher footnote, Alex McCord, who had her own job (she was an illustrator), and never made a world out of it just for the cameras.
d) Jail and so: (I'm a bit tired of writing, so I'll sum up a bit): while Erika's future was already pending last season, the ladies were talking about the Puppygate. As you said "You go, Teddi, bring us nothing".
Another footnote: RHONJ is also my least favourite. I can't stand that many screams and pageant dresses. I used to love RHOBH, but it's too full of itself. RHONY, however, I felt like the more mature installment. Are the women often a mess, yes, but at least they don't have their glam done just to go to a brunch were they discuss nothing.
I lived in Covenant Hills during this time. My neighbors were some of the O.C. Housewives. It was a magical time. I had the best time of my life! If you had the money, life was great!
wow.... just wow. TY for this honest and refreshing breakdown!
this was an excellent piece of commentary. well done.
Who has money to waste and only wear an outfit once?!? So many of my clothes are a decade old- and I’m not that old.
I'm a hanger-on-er watcher with wife/daughter (NJ/NY/Dallas). Bumped into your video and DANG! you nailed it. Great analysis young lady!
This is why the recent season of #RHOBH is so refreshing with Kathy Hilton joining the show. I mean, home girl has got the biggest amount of money but she's chilling in sweats and running around in dirty socks😭🤣.
I really love this video about keeping our perspectives on what is real and not. And how these tv warp our sense of reality and what is acceptable and not.