A Hypocrite is a hypocrite is a hypocrite

Hypocrisy: Moral self-contradiction whereby the behavior of one or more people belies their own claimed or implied possession of certain beliefs, standards or values. It's total hypocrisy of Danielle to pick and choose when gay slurs are acceptable, and claim to be an advocate, as they never are.

So calling someone a "faggot” when they aren't gay is more acceptable than calling someone "gay" when we're not actually aware of their sexual preferences? In what world does this logic make sense (Kelly Land?) You did not say anything (as I mentioned in last week's recap) out of protection ? You'd let down a group you "advocate," aka protect, because you were being "protected." That's what I call spineless. Gay slurs are just never acceptable, because no matter how you say it or who you are saying it to the implication is that being Gay is a negative thing worthy of derision (which it's not!).

Who is this Kim "G"ranatell? My mother has apparently met her several times, but can give me no insight. However, is she is so concerned about her son's friendship with Chris, why if she even bothering to hang around Danielle? That's playing with fire! It almost feels like she just wants the screen time, or they're bringing her in to be a cast mate.

Now on to the text message. Since when is "Bye" a synonym for "I am going to kill you?" That's like Kelly levels of delusion. However, was it acceptable for Ashley to send that text message? No, that's not going to solve any problems, and it is as Jacqueline said a bit trashy. It is very high school though, and Ashley is high school age. However, the fact that she and Danielle were going back and forth in some facebook/text flame war? Danielle is 50-year-old woman, why are you trying to tear down a high school girl about her weight (as someone that has struggled with eating issues I do find that particularly abhorrent)? Why are you getting into facebook fights with her? It's really indicative of the type of person Danielle is. That's abnormal. It's bad enough to go after your peers, it's even worse to go after people more than half your age!

Back to Danielle, like she's so convinced that Dina is trying to ambush her or somehow get her. At a public place (ps, that restaurant, Chakra, had some of the worst Calamari I've ever had)? That she needs to bring her entourage with her? And did we notice how Danielle tried to manipulate the situation "I formed my opinion about you based on what Jacqueline told me." Danielle, we all recall how desperately you wanted to be friends with her.

Some final thoughts/comments:

Anyway, the place that I ALWAYS GO to get my supplies for cooking out of Skinny Italian(!) A&S DELI was featured on the show tonight! That fellow, Angelo, is insanely friendly! Fellow Bergen Countyites (and Passaic, and Essex, et al) Go there, I promise you will not be let down!

Who is that random guy that doesn't talk at all but follows Danny Provenzano around? He's like an even bigger stereotype! He just stands there, fist in hand, never says a word but makes funny, reactionary facial expressions.

So who is leaving the show? I think all signs point to Dina. What do you all think? (Also, I guess we know why they brought on Kim Granatell-to replace the outgoing housewife).

Money Can Buy You Photoshop

I'm sure you've all seen this video by now...it was recently leaked.

The good: Her skin looks great. I seriously would like to know how they did that? Like, how do you photoshop a video? She seriously looks nothing like herself here. Though, according to Gawker, some dude is claiming that it's all just make up and lighting. You're about as in denial about that as Luann is about her actual singing abilities. But, ok, if you say so dude. Moving on.

The bad: She's so ridiculously stiff in this video. I do not like the outfits she's wearing (I do not find them particularly flattering). She's not singing. Seriously, they've just autotuned her talking and put it over a techno-esque beat (how European, just like the "countess"). The lyrics, my god, the lyrics (you know the ones she is pretty much talking that have been autotuned and put over a beat) are really unimaginative!

The consensus: I'd call her a drag queen, except drag queens are a lot more self-aware than this woman. However, the camp-level entertainment is all there!

Anyway, I offered to cook dinner for my mother tonight, but she had already promised my sister we'd order in. So no cooking tonight. Come back tomorrow for my thoughts on the New York finale (the last episode for Bethenny?), and again on Saturday when I cook some Skinny Italian!

Episode IV

Well congrats to Teresa for giving birth this episode. Also, for terrifying me about having babies. However, it's very cute to watch parents bond with new babies. I don't have to worry now, I am not having kids for a very long while!

Less cute, the creepy guys at Scores that were totally ok with showing their faces on national television while receiving lap dances. Your buddies will think you're cool for about five minutes, but you're going to regret that at some point!

But this episode was filled with juxtaposition (babies being born, babies falling seriously ill- and all the best to that family, I hope the baby is doing better), stereotypes (guns, felons, Italians, threats, Jersey. Not that I mentioned the "M" word), ambition (the face of strip gentlemen's club car washes) and in the thicket of it all the storm was building to the craziness that will come to a head at the Brownstone. The episode is had two storylines: the joys of cute new life and all the sweetness associated there, and the callousness that comes with age, that somehow people can potentially turn a benefit for a sickly little girl into a rumble.

I have a feeling that most things in Danielle's life are transient in every sense of the word. So she's putting together a gang of her own, a new group for the time being, but will we see them again after next episode? She's recruiting people to go against the Manzo clan for this upcoming rumble at the Brownstone, only adding kerosene to smoldering embers of disdain these people hold for one another. Caroline is no better in this episode though, particularly in those last five minutes of the show! Her rhetoric was near-Jihadist: "don't call them your friends if they're not having me or Dina present the check" kind of sounded like "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" in some sort of way. And it seems like whatever small dissent from the family there might have been in this episode, the family is going to ban together for next week.

All said, next week is going to bring the crazy.

And tomorrow I'm going to update with a delicious new dish. Make sure to check it out!