On Display with Melissa Gorga - Winning? At What Cost? (w/ Ben from Watch What Crappens)

Episode Date: July 25, 2024

He's the co-host of one of the funniest world-of-Bravo podcasts and now Melissa has him on the show!  Melissa is joined by the lovely and always hilarious, Ben Mandelker from Watch What Crappens, to talk about the very meta world of reality tv podcasting, how roasting housewives actually comes from a very sweet place, and why certain off-screen antics made some on-screen relationships far beyond repair. This week's sponsors:  Apartments.com - The Place to Find a Place: Apartments.com Beverly Hills MD - Deep Wrinkle Filler: BeverlyHillsMD.com/melissa (up to 72% off!) GDefy Shoes - Ultimate Comfort and Relief: GDefy.com , promo code: Melissa ($20 off orders of $100 or more!) Pluto.TV - 100s of Free Movies: Pluto.TV Progressive - "Name-Your-Price" Tool: Progressive.com

I want like prima donna Melissa, okay? Okay, you got it. You got it. Hey, hey, hey guys. Welcome to another episode of On Display with Melissa Gorga. I have such a fun guest for you today. You guys know him as the co-host of Watch What Crappens, one of the most popular podcasts that covers all things Bravo. I'm so happy

to have him on my podcast today. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Ben Mandelker. What's up, Ben? Hi, Melissa. How are you? Or as the lawyers would say, hi, Melissa Gorga. How's it going? Oh my God. See, this is going to be so much fun because that's exactly what she says every time she sees my face. Every time I love it on the show, she goes, hi, Melissa Gorga.

I love the most, by the way. Hi, Melissa Gorga. It's always first and last name, always when she calls my name. Always. Exactly. She used to call me hi, hi, little hi, little Melissa. That's what she used to call me. Hi, little Melissa. I'm like, what happened to little Melissa? Now I'm big Melissa. Like she, I think I'm getting too old for her to call me little Melissa now because she met me when I met Dolores. She was, I was 24 years old. So she, yes, she met me as a 24 year old.

Cause that's how old I was when I started dating Joe. So I think she, and you know, Dolores Teresa, the girl, like even Joe is five years older than me. So when I came into the family, I was little Melissa, little Melissa, little Melissa. And now you're, now you're Melissa Gorgia. You're, you get a formal introduction every time you see Dolores, just in case there's any other Melissa's in the room.

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Love that. Well, I want to talk a little bit about you and watch what crappens podcast because let me just tell you, I've always seen you guys like floating around. I've definitely heard clips, but recently I listened to one of your most recent podcasts and it was kind of like a little wrap up and your impersonations, by the way, who is it? Is it you or Ronnie that does like the impersonations or both? We both do impersonations. We overlap on a lot of them. There are some that are definitely like more his wheelhouse or some that are more my wheelhouse.

And sometimes I just wind up impersonating Ronnie, impersonating one of you guys. It becomes this whole meta thing. But yeah, we just kind of like make silly voices and we're just kind of like, you know, we always try to capture what it's like to watch these shows with your friend. Like when you're just sitting at home on a sofa watching shows and you're just like snickering with each other and making fun of people on screen. And that's kind of what we try to capture, you know, more or less, you know, and throw in some strange voices. Our impersonations are not very good, by the way. We sound crazy

all the time, but we have a lot of fun doing them. So we just lean into it. I actually like them. I thought they were great. Like, I mean, listen, the ones that I've heard, I thought they were funny because they're not like, they're not like head-on impersonations where it's exact, but it's kind of just like you get the vibe of like how that person walks, just by listening to you guys. I'm like, you can feel the person in the room

with their little like snarkiness that you guys do. I actually thought it was really funny. But how did you guys, so let me just ask you a little bit about watch your crap and for my listeners who might not know, how did you guys? Get started together and where are you guys out of the East Coast the West Coast? Where you at? Well, we are we are out of LA. I live in LA Ronnie just moved here to LA

Although he still is living part-time in Austin. I'm actually originally from New York. I have my cousin cousin Melissa I have a Melissa my cousin Melissa. I have a Melissa. My cousin Melissa lives right by you guys over there in New Jersey over in like, I forget the name of her. I always forget the name of her town, but over over in that Franklin Lakes sort of Bergen County area, Bergen County, she always like runs into you guys at things. I was like, Oh my God, I saw someone. So and one time we actually, I know this is off topic. One time we were doing, Ronnie and I were doing a live show in Pittsburgh and cousin Melissa ran into Dolores at a restaurant and we, and she

called into the live show from this live audience with Dolores on speakerphone and it was very exciting. So we have a, we have a mole in New Jersey, basically. But anyway, we're out of LA and Ronnie and I started off as TV bloggers, like back in the aughts in the heyday of like the Hills and Laguna Beach and all those shows. The originals. Yes, the best. And I used to have a website.

I blog about all these TV shows. I'd recap them. And then Ronnie came on board as a writer and did that for a while. And then I eventually was hired around like 2010 or 11 to host a web show about the Real Housewives where I would go on and be like, Hey, guys, what's going on? This is what's going on with the Real Housewives. And it was called Housewife hoedown. And I needed to know right. And I always needed to have a gas. And so I would invite Ronnie on because Ronnie's super funny.

And he he watches the shows. So I was like, I'm gonna bring Ronnie on and I bring had rotating people. And I just felt like I have really good chemistry with Ronnie. And then there's another guy named Matt and the three of us had great chemistry. And after about a year of the web show kind of like the whole platform that was on went under. And we're like, Well, why don't we try podcasting podcast? Like 2012 podcasting was like this newish thing that people were trying.

So we're like, let's just do this. So we started doing it. And after about a year, Matt, he actually had a real job. So he went off and like had like a proper profession. But Ron and I kept on doing it kind of like talking shit on the internet. And then podcasting kind of exploded and we were like at the right place at the right time. And like our show has just grown and grown from there. Yeah. I mean, well, congratulations on that because for real, you guys, I feel like I've known your names just like, or the Watch What Crappens name, because it's like a little spin on Watch What Happens, obviously. And I see you guys on the

charts too, a lot of the times. You guys are at the top of the charts. You're a very listened to podcast. So congrats. That's pretty amazing. Thank you. Thank you very much. You're welcome. That's not easy to do. Listen, especially when you're up against the actual reality stars that you are discussing. I had a lot of respect for it when I looked into it for a minute. So I was like, look at these guys. I was like, like they're, they're doing like this is pretty amazing. So you guys are whatever you're doing is so meta. Right. Isn't it so meta like, like we need you guys to go on TV and fight with each other. And then we

sit here and we're snarky and we talk about it and then that like brings us success and then it's like oh podcasts are doing well now reality stars are creating their podcasts so it's this big circle but i actually think it's great i don't actually view podcasts as like like oh no melissa gorga has a podcast now like she's our competition i think that actually all the podcasts have always felt this way i feel like it's like a true rising tide lifts all the boats because people learn about other podcasts through other podcasts. One of the ways that we had our one of we had our history of our podcast is that we had a series of really big surges where we would be mentioned somewhere and we'd have like this boost of traffic and then would go away but then some people would stay and like it's always those people that stay that like sort of generate the next layer

of like foundation for the podcast. And I remember by 2015 or 16, Saucy Schroeder mentioned us on her podcast, Saucy from Vanderpump Rules. And it was like, we were number one for like three weeks after that. And so like, we all help each other out. And I think it's great. And it's not like a, if you're listening to Melissa, you're not listening to Ben. That's like, we can all listen to everyone's podcasts and we can all flourish.

For sure. And I think especially like things like this where you're recapping a show, right? So you're not going to just get like, so everyone who's listening to this podcast, who thank God like this, it does amazing. It has been amazing for two years. And like I have an incredible group of listeners. But like the people who are going to listen to this podcast are probably Melissa fans, right? But you're going to get people who listen to your podcast that are all five, right? They're like all five of our girls or the

Vanderpump rules. You're getting everyone just coming in to listen to a recap in a funny way because you guys, and this is another thing, so you guys kind of bash the housewives a little bit, but in the nicest, in the funniest way possible. For instance, like I said, I just didn't, I don't want to use the word bash because you don't bash, but you definitely make fun of, you roast, that's a good word. You roast a little bit and make fun of you roast. That's a good word. Yeah, you roast a little bit and make fun of a little bit and you know, you have like your opinions. And in a way where it's like, I wasn't pissed off. I was listening to it. And you guys were just recapping the most recent episode was like that I

listened to was the envy fashion show the stuff about me was the envy fashion show it was are you having me on your podcast right now we made fun of you so much. Now here we are. Now face to face. I know because the way you did it was like snarky. That's what I'm trying to ask you. Like how do you get away with like where I wasn't pissed off I was giggling at you talked about my mother for 20 minutes.

I love my mother. First of all, I love the life. Thank you. She is the life of the party. If you ever met her in real life, you would be like, wow. She's the funniest human. But I giggled because I think that's how you started the episode because that's how the episode started. I giggled at what you guys said about Donna Margo for 20 minutes to the point where I almost wanted to send her and be like, my, you have to listen to this. It's actually so funny. But yeah, I don't know how you were able to make that happen. Do you ever have any housewives that are pissed off in your DMs and they're like, what's going on? They really, no. I think maybe one over the years, Heather Gay got mad at us recently

because we do every year an award show. It's like a fake award awards. It's literally not a real award show because it's like, it's a podcast. And we we always nominated things like best reality star best villain, you know, stuff like that. We call it the golden crappies. And we nominated Monica for best new housewife on Salt Lake City and Heather did not like that at all. And like justifiably so because you know, Monica harassed Heather, but Heather really did not like that we gave her like, like even gave her the suggestion that she could be the best at anything.

And so she got really mad at us. I don't know if she is still mad at us or not. But that's like the only real dust up that I've ever noticed. But everyone's actually been remarkably cool. That's the strangest part is that we say we're so mean, I feel like we're so mean. But I think that the key is, I think maybe one of the reasons why people don't get mad at us is that I think despite us being mean, we are ultimately still fans. And so we're not trolls. And I think it's really important for us that we don't come Wow, yes, big difference, right?

You know, right? It's like one thing to be like a fan, but you like, you make fun of someone, but like you're secretly like, but I still love them. You know, it. It's like one thing to be like a fan, but you like, you make fun of someone but like you're secretly like, I still love them, you know, it's like, it's a really weird thing. And it's also strange because that line between being a podcaster who is being honest about what I'm seeing on TV, and this is my emotional response to it, but also being a fan. So then when you like, meet the Real Housewives, you want to be honest to the podcaster self of you, but you also want to be excited for the fan side of you. So it's a really weird.

Life is hard. That's what I'm trying to say. Life is very hard. It's so hard being a podcaster and trying to balance it all and not piss off every housewife on Bravo. No, I know you were saying this stuff about envy, but I don't take offense to it honestly, because with the fashion show stuff, it is all in good fun. It is for, you know, we do it for Bravo, but we also, I really did do it for it, whether you believe it or not. The greatest marketing. You don't even know what happens to my website the night that this show airs. And also like the town, they get excited that we're around and like we throw this event. I had 500 tickets sold out to that

thing in like minutes and I could have probably sold. Yeah, so it actually and we raised money for charity and all that too. So it's, it's definitely like a it's a it's an event to throw and it's so fun because all the girls are together. You know, if there's drop it depends. It also depends where it lands. I was giggling when you said like, every time we do Kim D's fashion show, there's so or somebody said, I'm not sure which one of you, there's so much drama. And that's because Kim would literally sit back and be like, who is going to fight today? Yeah, to

like make sure this airs on TV. Because with Kim, I always giggled, you know, she was never a housewife, we all know that. But she was I always giggled you know, she was never a housewife we all know that but she was never even like a friend of like she was never an official cast member on the Real House you have to take your hat off to Kim once in a while because it's like this woman managed to literally she now has a podcast like recapping our show. She has she threw these fashion shows not even like Jen Fessler is a friend of right that's like an official friend of role right him he's never even been a

friend of like it was just a lady that had the boutique but she is like famous in the Bravo world like you know like we've see fashion shows on Bravo all the time across all the franchises outside of Real Housewives on Real Housewives. But it's sort of known that Kim D is like the number one fashion show. No offense. I know I'm saying this to the the owner and proprietor of the envy fashion show. But the Kim the posh fashion show has such a legendary status. Because it's just so ridiculous. It's so campy. It's so over the top. And there's always like you said, she is ready for that drama to start. So like it is funny that

she literally what it's about. She has girls just walking through like, through the dining room of a restaurant. That's how she kind of did it. So I get what you're saying with that you want to see the ratchet like, you want to get it. I get that. So I don't take offense to it. I think it's funny. Would I ever throw a fashion show like that? Absolutely freaking not. But I get why as a viewer, you want to- You should consider it. Yeah, I should just consider high boots, furs, walking through the middle of a restaurant. What about a slab? Posh by Envy.

And this is not a dig to Kim D at all because I actually do have a weird respect for the fact that she was able to pull off as much as she has in the connection with this show without actually being a housewife. So it's not a dig to her, but that's literally what you're saying you miss, which I giggled at that. For me, I didn't find that offensive because I'm like, you're right 100%. I'm never going to do it. He's right. I think that's funny. And my mom, the stuff about my mom, I was giggling because she, if I can just tell you, when we sit there and film, she does this thing where she uncontrollably

laughs hysterical to the point where the cameramen can't control themselves. They're laughing behind the cameras because she gets so weird and giggly and funny and everyone lives through Donna Marco. I've never met a 75 year old woman who has just the spunk that she does and the happiness for life. It looks great by the way. You should tell your mom she's doing a great job. She looks great. I never would have thought she was 75. I know. She's great. She's so single right now. She just goes to Atlantic City and she likes to gamble and pull the slot machines. She's the best. She's so sweet. I was giggling because I'm like, watching that episode, I would have said to, does this woman drink a lot? That's why she is.

She's not even the type that has a bottle of wine in her home. Like if you went to her house right now, there's not a bottle of wine there. Like she doesn't drink unless she's filming with us or she's like out at a party. So but we giggled at your recap was great. And so somehow you managed to make me laugh without offending me. So I was like, I want to have these guys. Where's Ronnie? Where's Ronnie? Ronnie, Ronnie's traveling actually, he's on a plane like so I said, like he's, he's New York, I'm sorry, LA, Texas, everything he is. So he's renovating a place here in LA. And he's got his dog in Texas. He has the most chaotic schedule. It's a miracle that I can even podcast with him. But, you know, it's,

I'm sorry that it can't be both of us right now But Ronnie is hilarious and he does the most fun He does the funniest impersonations and he goes in but again, even when Ronnie goes in it's that same vibe of of like Again, we don't want to be trolls We just react to what we're seeing on TV and what he always likes to say is that what we're watching is kind of like cartoons It's like it that what we're watching is kind of like cartoons. It's like, it's like we're watching, you know, just like lots of silliness on screen. And we also are keenly aware that what we're seeing on camera is really just what Bravo is presenting us. We know this is edited. We're only seeing like, you know, a snippet of what's going on in these people's lives.

And the truth is that like, for as much as we go in on everyone on these shows, we've met a bunch of people at this point, and they've all been super nice. And we always feel kind of guilty, like, Oh, God, we just were, we just went in on this person. And when we just met them, and they were really nice. And we just try to kind of like, compartmentalize with it. But, you know, it's, it's a funny position that we're in for sure. I'm sure it is because especially when you're in this world, you're going to run into people or you probably have- Especially in LA. Yes. Are you in pain after walking, running, or even just standing? It's not your feet,

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every time you use it. I love how easy this is to apply, how incredible it smells and how great my skin looks afterwards. I can really see a difference in my fine lines and wrinkles. Go to Beverly Hills md.com slash Melissa right now and get 72% off your regularly priced order of deep wrinkle filler with a 90-day money back guarantee. If you want to visibly fill in deep wrinkles and fine lines, go to beverlyhilsmd.com slash Melissa today. I know Ronnie doesn't like me and the only reason I know that is because when I went

to comment on the thing on your, you guys had an Instagram post. That's kind of how I figured it out. Somebody sent it to me and I listened to the episode. Somebody wrote on there, which I know this girl because she's actually a fan of mine. She's like, oh no, I'm not going to like this because I know Ronnie doesn't like Melissa and I don't want to hear him or whatever or something. So I was like, oh, Ronnie doesn't like me. Okay, so tell me why he doesn't like me. What did I do? Why? Well, a fan. First of all, it's very easy for Ronnie not to like someone on on

any of these shows. He is he's you know, he comes from this he comes from a world of skepticism. He's like, I don't believe that. But also, again, like I said, he's only reacting. And he would say the same thing. He's only reacting to like the Bravo version. I'm sure like in person, he'd be you know, he probably would love you. But I don't know his whole thing is like, he likes a lady who's gonna be smoking a cigarette and down in a martini. Okay, that's what he wants. He wants a Dorinda. Okay, he wants, you

know, like, you know, I think, I think he wants the original. He wants the Sonia's, the Dorinda's. He wants a Dorinda. He wants, I'm trying to think of Lisa Vanderpump, that kind of thing. A little bit more arch, you know, but it's not, you know, like a little bit of the older queens. I get it. I know exactly. I get that. And I respect it. I respect it. I respect it. Did you ever meet? Why do I think that? Have you ever met Margaret before? Did you guys do an event together? Okay, good. We've done her show and she came to our live show last year. We did a show at town hall

last year and she came on and she was hilarious. Love the March. Okay. I am totally Team Margaret these days. I think she's so funny. She's so smart. She's so shrewd. And she was just throwing shade about Laura left and right because that was last season when it was all about Laura. And she was like, you know what, I love Laura. You know, I tried to get her on the show. But you know what, she's a court reporter. They don't want a court reporter on the show. And she like, she was like, she would just be saying things all innocently and then it'd be like a beam. It was just like a jab and a jab and a jab, but it's so shady and it comes so effortlessly to her. But I just had all the respect. I just love a shady aside

and she just had them left and right. You know what? If you think that was good, wait till you see next week's episode on Sunday. Guys, I happen to see it early because I'm live on Watch What Happens Live this Sunday, so make sure everyone tunes in to watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Sunday. But I had a pre-screener of the episode. Wait, Ben, until you see. I laughed out loud three times at what Margaret does in this episode. It is hysterical. Like it's savage. It's savage. I love how savage she is. I love it. Like I never want it turned on me, but you know, right now it's not. And you know, she was great. And you know what? She sat with my

parents during the show. She came up for the first 10 minutes of our podcast and she sat in the audience and she was sitting next to my parents. My parents afterwards, my dad was like, you know what? She was very funny. That's a big compliment if Larry is like, she's very smart. So she won over my parents, which is a big deal. Yeah. Larry would definitely love Margaret.

You know what? Margaret really works well with the older men. She can schmooze an older man. He sort of has like a little bit of a borscht belt kind of thing going on. So like it works for her. And we had Jackie on the year before on one of our live shows and I love Jackie. I love Jackie and I love Margaret and I'm like so sad that their friendship has fallen apart. And like, I'm so befuddled by by how this happened. Like, was this surprising to you? Were you like shocked that this this Jackie situation unfolded? Yeah, like completely shocked because I was like, to be honest, I'm I was very good friends with Jackie as well. I always have her up.

You know, she's been falling out with you too, right? Or no? Not as much. I mean, not as much for me, but she kind of looped me into it, which is where I got lost a little bit because it was like she wanted me all season long that you're seeing to be mad that she was making up with my sister-in-law or becoming friendly with her. And I was like, I'm not mad. I don't give a shit, but I know it's fake. That's all I have to say that I know that you cannot stand her and I know she can't stand you. I know that for a fact. So this is all just very situational. I'm going to need you now, you're going to need me now, and this is what we're going to do. So I kept calling Jackie out on that. And she just was going in on Margaret.

Margaret was going in on her, but her, Margaret and I were very good friends altogether. Like the three of us were great friends. And the truth is Jackie got into it a lot of times and the things that happen with her rumors about her marriage or whatever on the show, I had her back. I always stood right beside her.

I took her side. I knew when she was right. And I told everybody, this is not right. We were doing her. This is wrong. Whether it was my family or not, I stood next to Jackie. So I personally was very disappointed. And I always thought she was stronger than that. Like to me, she was like a rock solid friend. And I was in shock this year when she started filming and just walked up to me and she was saying all these, I was like, who are you? Where do you think it came from? What do you think caused all this? Like Ryan and I have been talking about it on and off all season about like sort of different theories. You know, it's hard to say,

like there was, you know, we don't know, is it wrapped up in the fact that she is, you know, pushing through this? I'm really so, her story has been so wonderful about how she's been really pushing through and taking, going to therapy and everything and wondering, has it been something like is Margaret in an association of a darker time for her? So she wants to push away or maybe you as well. And so she suddenly wants like wants to move away from that or, or is it like, then there's a more cynical view of like, no, she just as wants to like create storyline for herself. Like,

where do you think it comes from? I think it's definitely, she was feeling a little I think Margaret might have been a little cold to her once or twice during filming and not purposely. I think it was because of and not just filming before we started filming. Jackie started to get very like, you know, she would she would complain to Margaret more than she would complain to me about like invites and invitations and I want to be there and post my photo and who's tagging me and this and that. It would start to get like, you know, we're your friend, but this is getting weird, a

little weird, annoying and things that she wouldn't normally care about. So I think Margaret kind of went off on her and she was like, oh my God, will you stop with who's inviting you? And I think Jackie instantly got offended by that. And on top of we have this attorney on the show, which you're going to really see next on this Sunday, woof. And he got Jackie's ear and told her like, listen, you want to make a splash, this is what you got to do.

And she listened to him, which we're in shock that that's, it just isn't it's not who she typically is. Jackie's a tough, like she's not going to go against which right type thing. So, you know, whatever it makes for Good Housewives episodes, right? Though you're watching. It does. I mean, it really has like, it kind of has like stressed me out a little bit, like going into the season, like it really bothered me that this happened. And because I just really enjoyed their friendship. I know you were your friends were there too. And you also had a little bit of a falling out. But it seems like really the Margaret and Jackie stuff was a little bit more

intense of a falling out. And I'm actually I feel like I would like to see a little bit more on the show. I feel like we've spent so much time we spend a lot of time the first half the season about Rachel Fuda and the stupid thing about the drug dealer. And it's like, that just went on for so long. And I think that the stuff with Jack and Margaret's really compelling because I think we've all had friend breakups and the friend breakups suck and they're so

strange and there there's often not a specific reason why it happens. And I just, that's the sort of thing that everyone likes to dig in on and take a side on and talk about their theories on why a friendship broke up. And I feel like the producers did a little bit of a disservice by kind of putting it as more of a B story and seven A story. I agree with you. I agree with you. And we all really were confused this year over, you know, obviously there's some big you've heard when Andy saying there's like big changes coming to our show. So it does kind of feel this year like they like kind of put everything together as much as they could. And it was kind of like, you know, it was, it was

definitely a weirder shorter season this year. There's only two. Are you scared? Are you scared? Are you scared that like you or your close friends may lose your jobs as a result of this? And I know you can't talk about things that are happening, but just emotionally, how do you feel about all this? That's a really good question. I feel like Andy actually just spoke to me about this the other day too. I feel very realistic about, I'm looking at it from a very realistic point of view, where obviously Andy is saying out loud and we now realize that there's two sides here. Teresa and I, we do not even speak to each other. You cannot conduct a show where there's two sides that won't talk, right? So things have to get changed.

There's a couple scenarios that are going to happen. They're going to keep a few, get rid of a few, recast a few. They're going to totally wipe out Jersey and put new girls. Or they're going to keep a few, get rid of a few, recast a few. They're going to totally wipe out Jersey and put new girls, or they're going to keep one side or the other side. That's it. There's no other. You know what? I need to be realistic about the fact that we don't know. We really don't know what's going to happen. I personally don't think they are going to wipe out the whole cast. It is very hard to cast Jersey Housewives. It is not like Beverly Hills or New York, where I feel like there's tons of people in this world that like, here, I think there's such a karma around what Jersey is

and just like everything they've seen throughout the years, that the very affluent and ladies that would be really interesting on this show are like get no freaking way, you know, like their husbands are like no way because for some reason our cast members love to come for our husbands all the time. So it's like they do. They do. What is that? Because your husbands are like, are like basically part of the show. So it's like, you know, it happens a lot. I mean, between your Joe and Louis and really everyone else, Evan got it that one time from Teresa.

Evan got it. John Fuda is getting it. John Fuda. Everyone gets it. But like, I have a question. This is more of a fan question. Okay. Because it just occurred to me. This is an honest question. If people lost their jobs on this show, or if you all lost your jobs on this show, and it's partially because you and Teresa are just not talking, you guys are in a total feud, knowing that if you guys reconciled, then I'm not asking you guys to reconcile, but knowing like, oh, if we reconciled and we all shot together, maybe we all would have had our jobs, or maybe some of these people wouldn't have been let go. Like

does that weigh on you at all a little bit? And this is not a from a gotcha place. I'm just like, curious, it just occurred to me right now. Like, what does it feel like to be in that place? Yeah, for sure. It's it does suck. I mean, listen, at the end of the day, it's not my decision. It's not it's, you know, Bravo, the Bravo gods, there's like four of them that are going to sit around a table and make this decision, right? But no, I don't think it had to get to the point of there's

a lot going on on this show behind the scenes. I don't know if you're seeing it all with the bloggers and the Twitter stuff and like how there was a person who was literally basically hired by two of our cast members to wreck the rest of us, to wreck our businesses, to dig in. They're literally calling people that it might have been in our lives 20 years ago. That's when we're like, you know what? We get paid, but not that much. Hold on. You're calling, for instance, with Margaret, they were calling her Walmart, where she has deals with Walmart, they were sending emails to Walmart, like, like, this is stuff that's like, guys, you're taking this a little too seriously.

And what I say about this is like, if your need to win is that bad that you will literally ruin every single thing around you, and take down every single thing around you for a reality show because your need to win is that strong, it gets a little scary at that point. That's where you get like, whoa, okay, so maybe we can't physically work with these people because unless we do the same and hire bad people to dig us and torment us and very similar to like what the Monica will happen with Monica only I feel this is worse if I really I can't get into it but if I could this is definitely worse than whatever Monica did and I think Monica was so entertaining by the way I know Heather don't get mad at me I thought but I she was she's great I was very intrigued um But I think what's happening by two of the cast members on our show was

well way worse. And so we have to see are there going to be consequences or what, you know, so everybody's kind of, we're just at this spot where we're just waiting to see what happens and, but I agree with you. Yeah, it does suck. And it does suck that we can't be a cast that kind of fights to make up, right? Like this show is about a group of girlfriends. It's supposed to be about a group of girlfriends that kind of have problems, go back and forth, have real situations in their life that they're sharing with their girlfriends. Obviously, be catty, funny women, right? Affluent women, funny women with charismatic husbands. I mean,

it's so easy. It's so easy. I don't know why it has to go to the dark, disgusting level. I feel snark is amazing. I love a good snark. I love watching the people snark, like if I'm talking as a fan. But why do we have to get dirty and hurtful to the kids? That's where it's like, okay, nevermind, like pump the brakes. Yeah. Now that being said, I have to say I really enjoy the the the new like, fuck you, Melissa Gorga, not saying fuck you to you, meaning that your vibe of like, you know what, I'm sick of trying to be nice, nice. I say fuck you all. Like I feel

like that came out of the reunion last year. And I was sort of like a Melissa Gorga I was waiting for. I always felt like for so long, you were like, no, no, I'm going to make peace. I'm going to be nice to this person. And then finally you were just like, fuck it. And I love that. I love that energy when you lean into that energy. 1000% is that's how I feel right now. I used to tiptoe. I used to be now I'm like, go fuck off. Like, how about that? I don't give a fuck if you're mad anymore. Okay, like, and that reunion, I just let go and was like spoke really how I feel. And what I've been wanting to say, and I've been very protective for family purposes and for my husband, like my husband's a great guy. He guys know him from reality TV. But he's got the heart of, he's just a big teddy bear or a little teddy bear, but he's just

a teddy bear. I did everything I would do and try and move forward, and that's why I was always in a place that was rough on this show because I couldn't show a lot of what I wanted to do because I didn't want to ruin families outside of the show. So it was rough for me. But now I'm like, you know what? All bets are off. We're going to speak our truth. Fuck off everyone. Like we're not I'm not covering for anyone anymore. I'm not lying for any I'm not tiptoeing anymore. Like you were a piece of shit and you have to own it. And that's kind of my motto with the whole show now with all of them. I'm not speaking about a specific cast member. I now am just like, nope, if I don't like it, and

you say it, I'm going to tell you because, you know, it's authentic. Of course it is. Yes. And I think viewers always can tell authenticity. And I always say, like the shows that I feel like I've struggled the most are when you see cast members really producing themselves really hard, given that there's always going to be some sort of base level amount of, you know, self production, whatever, I guess, you know, human nature, you're always going to try to like look out for yourself. But like the shows where people are just kind of like more, they're not considering really protecting someone else or protecting their image, they just are like, this is just who I am right now. This is my

authentic self and this is my authentic reaction. I feel like as a viewer and as a podcaster, that's why I always respond to the best. And that's where it's always the most interesting TV. And it's also usually where it's the funniest for us because you have just better reactions. And that's why when Dolores walks in and says, hi, Melissa Goga, that's like nothing. It's nothing to say that. But it's so Dolores. It's so authentically Dolores that I love it, you know, and I think that's like so important. And that's why I thought like the best version of you so far was when you sort of came to that reunion and we're like, I'm not going to try to fix this family anymore. Like, fuck you, Teresa and fuck anyone else. Fuck you caterer because I didn't like the coffee you made me.

I mean, I know you didn't say that, but like like I kind of got that vibe like I might have that day possibly. Yeah, you might have said that like don't fuck up my coffee. You know, I like that I want like prima donna Melissa. Okay, okay. You got it. You got it. Moving forward. I'm gonna think of you if we get another chance at the real house. Imagine an app designed to make you use it less seems counterproductive, no? Well Apartments.com's instant alert feature works exactly that way. Instead of scanning rental listings a million times a day, simply set and forget your search to whatever you're looking for in a place and let Apartments.com do the rest. From pet-friendly apartments to balconies to in-unit ACs, Apartments.com's powerful search tools let you know when your perfect combination of features you're seeking is listed.

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save with progressive insurance. Quote today at progressive.com to try the Name Your Price tool for yourself and join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law. You know what? What this said, I'm so happy that our full... Because you know this year, we filmed it already. We filmed like a special, right? So you're going to get one more episode after our crazy finale, which let me tell you is crazy. But I'm so happy that like our full reunion, like I ended up like winner on that because we didn't get another one this year. So if that's my last time with Teresa and, and Andy and myself, I'm walking away just I'm happy if the three if that's the last time I have to sit on the

couch with, with Teresa and I, which I think that's going to be the case. Like they're not putting us back together. You know? Yeah. I mean, look, I mean, I thought you had won that reunion, but also like the the viewers are so divided, you know, like I will say Jersey fans, like people, they choose their side and they stick to their side. And I'm probably gonna get a lot of messages, a lot of emails being like, Oh, then I can't believe you even said that Melissa Gorga won the reunion to which I say, I mean, like literally who cares? Because like, it's not last year. Sorry, like, but like, you know, I always say like, but part of the fun of reality TV too, is that you pick your side and you ride with it. And like, it's like sports, you know, you just like whatever, you don't care in the face of all like reasonable and rational logic.

Like I just have my side that I picked. Some people like to get flip flop. They're like, Oh, this season I'm on this person's side. This time I'm on that person's side. And I guess I'm like that with some people, but like other times I'm just like, yeah, I, uh, you know, like I don't really care. I, I picked my winner for this reunion. I'm sticking by it. I feel good about it. If you pick someone else, more power to happy to talk about it, happy to gab about it. But like, let's not pretend this is anything more serious than it really is.

Because there are larger issues in this world. Facts. Then that's what makes you a great podcaster. And that's what I said, you can throw shade and people that they don't care because you kind of like, which each with, you're going to switch and be like, well, this one was an asshole this episode. This one was like, so you guys have a great platform to just kind of, it's hard for me because I love all the other girls on the other franchises as well. And I know them personally. And it's like, sometimes I want to recap like the OC girls or, and I'm like, oh, I feel bad. I don't want to say that. Like it's just, it's rough. So you guys have

fair play and saying whatever you want. So that's, that's a good thing. Yeah. I mean, that's a good thing and hopefully it won't be a bad thing ever, but for right now it's been a good thing. It's a fun thing. At the very least, it's a super fun thing. Were you disappointed when you heard that we're doing like this special opposed to a reunion? What did you think of that? No, I was actually just talking about that with Ronnie, like this morning before we had to leave, that like I kind of, I'm okay with it

because Bravo sort of like prepared us. It wasn't like that one season of New York where they're like, okay, you've just watched a whole season and guess what, we're not gonna do a reunion. Like we sort of going into it, Bravo's been preparing us, you guys had watched a whole season and guess what? We're not going to do a reunion like we sort of going into it Bravo's been preparing us you guys had different panels at BravoCon and like, you know All the talk has been things are really bad behind the scenes. And so it's like, you know what? That's okay And also for me selfishly as a podcaster reunions are really hard for us to do because There's it's just like an hour of dialogue and we have notes, we

write down notes and we have now we've hired transcribers who actually just transcribe the episodes for us. And so we're, it's like a court reporter like Laura and we're reading all this. Maybe it's, imagine if we hired Laura. It's just like, it's just like a wall of dialogue and it's like really easy to get lost and there's no action. There's not a lot of like, Oh, they come into this diner. Because sometimes we just sit there and we'll talk about like, look at the flowers on her table. Yes, that's what I love. Yes, that's the best part. You're like, first of all, what was the color on that diner wall? And like, did you see the waitress's necklace? Like, stupid

shit. Yes, like Dolores had a party. I think it was Dolores, had a party last year where she put out this giant spread and for whatever reason, she had all these animals made out of focaccia. There was like an alligator that was made out of focaccia. And that was the funniest thing. Like who says, like, you know what, for this potty, let's get an alligator made out of focaccia. Wait, I don't remember eating those. What the hell? Where was I? It was there. It was a giant alligator made out of focaccia. And's like, we remember eating those with the hell. It was there as a giant alligator made out of focaccia. And like, just the

thought we were just cracking up about that. And on a reunion, you don't really have that much of it. So you're just talking about what people say. So long story short, like, they're not being a reunion as a podcaster makes our lives a little easier. But good. You're gonna know we'll see how this I'm excited to see how the special is. I don't know. I'm excited to see it as well. Yeah. Yeah. Very, very uncharted. You filmed it already? It's already filmed. I take it. Yes. Yes. It's done. So we'll tune in to see what you thought of this special. I know. Stay tuned. Wait, I heard, is it you or Ronnie who does

the awesome Ramona? Who does the awesome Ramona? Who does the good Ramona? I feel like we both have a really strong Ramona. I really like doing it. I will literally do it to myself as I'm walking around my kitchen. I'll be like, whoa, you know what? Time to open up the refrigerator, okay? Got to make myself some breakfast. It's time. Everyone knows you always have to make breakfast in order to have a good day, okay? Other than that, I'll say that to myself, just walking around. That is so Ramona though. Isn't she? See, it's something about the ones who've been here, they do these funny, I can't explain it. I don't want to say older, but just like- Oh my God. Thank you so much, okay? That is so her. Have you ever met her? Have you ever met any of the other housewives?

Yes. Yes. I met Ramona once many years ago. It was I think around season two of New York, season two or three. I used to on Twitter tweet with Alex McCord. And so we had like a little Twitter friendship back in what was it, 2010 or 11. And, and so we had like a little Twitter friendship, you know, back in what was a 2010 or 11. And she was she came to she came to LA. And she was with Countess Luanne and Ramona. And it was on her Twitter and I saw it. This was so stalker of me.

And I was like, I was hoping that Alex would like reach out and be like, Oh my God, come meet up. And so she didn't, but I saw that they were at the Ivy. So I went to, there was a restaurant that was across the street from the Ivy. Oh no, I wasn't even there. I texted, I DM'd her and I said, oh my God, that's so funny that you're here. I said, I'm across the street at the newsroom cafe, which I wasn't, but I live in Los Angeles. I was like, what a coincidence. So I was like, if she says, come on over, I'll just head over.

If she says, that's so funny, I'll just stay at home because I'm not going to drive over there. I'm not going to go full stalker. I'm just going to do a test of what her stalker is like. If she wants to meet me, I'll be there, type vibe. Yes. Yeah. So she goes, oh my God, come over be there, type vibe. Yes. Yeah. So she goes, oh my God, come over and say hi.

I was like, yes. You're like on my way. Because it was so exciting. Yeah, I'd never met a real housewife, I think, even at that point. So I got in my car and then I went to the cafe and I walked across the street and I waved at her like, oh my God, this is so funny that I ran into you here. What a coincidence. And so she was like, come on in, come on in.

So I walked into the Ivy, which the famous Ivy with the white picket fence. And Alex is sitting there with Countess Luanne and Ramona. And then the next table over is Kelly Ben-Symone purely coincidentally. And I'm standing over these two tables of Real Housewives. And Alex is like, everyone, this is Ben. He has and yeah. And then Ramona was there and she had a Blackberry and she was like pressing it really aggressively with her finger. And she looks up to me and she goes, hi, how do you do? And then she goes back to her phone and she goes, Louanne, this isn't working. Can you show it? How does this work? The we, and it's not even working the way in. And I just remember

it was just such a strange thing as I'm standing over Ramona singer, trying to figure out her Blackberry barely even acknowledging me. And I was like, ugh, this is the dream. Unbelievable. You had a whole New York City Housewives moment. The whole cast, basically. Luann looked at me and she goes, how do you do? Then she looked away. They're all like, who is this random person that Alex McCord, who we barely even tolerate, brought to the table? We're at the Ivy. This is not a place for normal people to be standing over our table right now. You know they were all thinking that, every single one of them were thinking that. That

is so funny. Do you go to BravoCon? Are you guys at BravoCon? I haven't been to BravoCon yet. Ronnie went last year and I do plan to go to the next one. Yeah. Okay. So I've never met you or Ronnie in person then before. Have I? No. No, I don't think we've ever met.

I'm trying to think because there's so many random people we've met now over the years, but we have never met Melissa. Oh, man. Okay. I wasn't sure if I… You have to come to the next BravoCon. It's going to be in Vegas at some point, right? I will be there.

Yeah. I think it's what? Like in a year and a half or so, hopefully. I feel like, yeah, that's what they said. October. October, did they say? Or November? I'm going to go. I had big FOMO.

I had big FOMO. When it was in New York, I was like, oh, that would have been cool to go to, but the Vegas one looked pretty amazing. Oh yeah. And you're so close. You can drive there if you really wanted to. You need to come. I want to meet you. Ben, this has been so much fun. And I

love that you love the no bullshit Melissa. Yes, lean into it. Yes, I'm leaning into it. I love that you love the no bullshit. Everyone all my listeners, you need to listen to watch what crap ends. They are hysterical. They have great recaps, not just about Jersey, but about all the shows. Make sure you send my love to Ronnie for me. I will. Even though I don't know if he wants it.

Tell him I love him back. He's a big softie. He's a big softie. I will send your love to him. Okay, good. You send my love to Ronnie. Thank you for coming on today. I appreciate it.

This was so much fun. You're great. Thanks so much for having me. Okay. We'll talk soon. Thank you. Thank you. What if I told you that I just walked away from a wonderful and very high-profile fitness brand to pursue bigger dreams? And I broke away from my own golden handcuffs to pursue a more artistic life. What's up? I'm Kendall Tool.

And I'm Gaylee Alex. And we are so excited to share our new podcast, Pull Hardedly with Kendall and Gaylee. The two of us have taken the uncharted path and felt we were at a great place, or at least at a pivot point in our lives, to share our biggest tragedies and triumphs. So that everyone here with us can learn from our battles, victories, and our total F-ups. And that's from two people who have really been through it. Good Lord, yes. We're both still navigating life,

and we want you to come along on the journey so we can stay in the fight to overcome whatever BS is thrown our way. It's not easy out here, but we'll be walking and talking with you through building careers, self-worth, relationships. Oh, and get some good laughs please tears. There's tears. That's true. There's always tears. That's true. All

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