I’m playing Erykah Badu on repeat this week to honor Shereé’s romance with the man in Philadelphia wearing an ankle bracelet. We’ve come to know Tyrone mostly via Shereé’s phone, but in tonight’s episode, we come close to seeing the two interact IRL. Seeing as Philadelphia and New York City are a hop skip and a jump from each other, Shereé has been trying to use this trip to see her man. He is nervous about coming to the city and meeting the cast, as they are right under the 100-mile radius he’s allowed to travel while on house arrest, so Shereé splits from the ladies to travel to him instead.
After an excruciating montage of Shereé sitting outside cold and alone for close to two hours, a producer tells her that Tyrone’s attorney says he can’t make it and that the meeting may be a parole violation. Apparently, the attorneys think “something was going on,” and there was an issue because he was approved for the day before but not the day of the lunch. This is all very reasonable, but my problem is that Tyrone never communicated with Shereé to let her know he can’t make it. It seems as if he even blocked her calls.
Witnessing Shereé cry while telling Kenya how stupid she feels for waiting for this man brought me back to so many memories of being let down in a moment of need by someone who claimed to love and care for me. Advice for anyone who needs it: If the person you’re with doesn’t respect your time or your feelings, you deserve more. I pray that Shereé finds a partner that will lift her up and fill her with light and joy. Between her abusive past with Bob and now Tyrone’s inconsistency, I wish the best for my fellow Capricorn boss lady. We don’t always have to carry the whole world on our shoulders and be the “strong” ones; we’re allowed to be soft, loved, and cared for.
Surprisingly, when it is clear that Tyrone isn’t coming, the person Shereé calls is Kenya. I wasn’t expecting this at all, considering their past, but the two may have truly turned over a new leaf. Also, I think we’re getting a new, more evolved Kenya this season. Since her first season, Kenya has been one of the most polarizing Housewives, and she’s a great villain for the show, but what always humanizes her is her family life. No matter what Kenya has said or done, I’ve always rooted for her to find a husband and have a child. Seeing her finally get that for just a blink of an eye but then having it somewhat ripped from underneath her is hard to watch.
Kenya clearly met her match with Marc Daly (remember a few years back when she told us that he is the type of guy to grab dirt off the ground and throw it in your face?), and I think the whole situation has softened her. Since Marc lives and works in New York, Kenya brings their daughter Brooklyn with her on the trip to spend some time with her dad. Marc doesn’t miss a moment to be difficult; instead of spending the night with his child, he expects Kenya to bend over backward to pick Brooklyn up because he has work to do. Mind you, according to Kenya, Marc hasn’t seen his daughter in three months.
Things have escalated so much between Marc and Kenya that Kandi says it may be time just to let Marc reach out when he wants to see Brooklyn. Sadly, like a lot of women, Kenya continuously sacrifices her own feelings to ensure Brooklyn has a relationship with her father. I want better for her and Brooklyn (and any child who has a parent who chooses not to be a part of their life). Beyond that, Marc has been contradicting his season-12 self. The two are still in the process of divorce, and as Radar Online reported, Marc apparently believes he is entitled to a cut of Moore Manor. Again, this is the same man who said in season 12 regarding the couple’s lack of a prenup: “You can take everything, I don’t care. I built it from scratch; I’ll do it again.” Well, how about you do that then, Marc.
While I stand by the fact that this season Kenya seems to have more empathy, she’s still clocked in and throwing shade at Drop It With Drew with Marlo and Shereé. I am laughing hard at the fact that the website did not work, so I took it upon myself to review each of the ladies’ business websites, which I believe I am qualified to do after the (2) design classes I took in my undergrad.
Obviously, we have to start with Drop It With Drew: First off, as of June 4, the signup link does work, so that’s good. However, the design is giving very much spam weight-loss website. I’m still not buying the validity and effectiveness of her business, and the site’s aesthetic doesn’t help. And perhaps Drew should also leave a link to her surgeon.
Next up is Le’Archive: I have to give Marlo props regardless of the incorrect French spelling of her brand. The site is clean, simple, and easy to navigate. The about page describes her business model better than it’s been explained on the show. The IG for the business is popping as well, so good job Marlo.
Sing it with me: KENYA MOORE HAIR CARE! I can hear the marching band now. Kenya’s site is very professional looking and she has a good amount of products in her line. It looks like a viable business and not a half-assed Housewife venture. (I’m looking at you and your dog food, Kameron Westcott).
The most surprising letdown on the list is perhaps the most lucrative: Bedroom Kandi. I need her to give this site a refresh and bring it into 2022. The script typeface and logo feel dated, but I was impressed by the number of things she sells. And omg, yes to Yung Miami’s collection???
Last but never least is She by Shereé. What is there even to say about the enigma that is the lifestyle brand dropping in spring, summer, or September? There are no products on the site unless the pictures that look like stock photos are actually her clothes. I doubt it.
The best part of the episode is hearing what celebrities have hit on the women. As a proud Akronite raised in the same neighborhood as our King LeBron James, I would like to rebuke everything that Drew says. We love you, Savannah! I can somewhat see Prince trying to shoot his shot at Kenya, especially back in the day, and Kandi and Gerald Levert are unexpected, but Gene Simmons and Marlo take the cake for the most random pairing.
All in all, the last episode of the NYC trip gave me the entertainment, shade, and drama we’ve been missing this season. Except, I know I swore up and down the last episode that Kandi did not intend for the women to wear the vibrating panties together as a group activity, but that is actually exactly what she wanted to do. I’m sorry, but imagining wearing vibrating panties around my friends and their husbands on the way to a Broadway show that discusses race relations in America feels like a vodka-induced fever dream. And then did they sit in the audience in their possibly damp panties? Ew. *In my Nene voice* It’s getting weird.
Peach Tea To-Go
• Hearing the feedback about ticket sales for Thoughts of a Colored Man warms my heart. I love that Kandi uses her platform to help bring Broadway back and diversify audiences, as most of the tickets were bought from residents in Texas and Georgia. The theater is so important and she’s doing great work! Some of my favorite memories as a kid involved seeing live shows like Wicked and The Lion King with my grandma.
• Shereé is really holding onto this little grudge with Kandi; I don’t think it was that big of a deal at all. Bringing tea to other cast members is a part of the game, but Drew should note how fast Kandi owned her behavior.
• Marlo is providing great comedic relief this season, but I still want to know more about her past. A few seasons ago, she opened up about having ectopic pregnancies and I’m hoping we get another vulnerable moment like that now that she has a peach.
• Wow, I cannot emphasize enough how much I enjoy not having to hear Ralph’s voice throughout the whole episode! One couple I do love? Sanya and Ross. They are so cute; give me more of them.
