Reality Recap: Retaliation and racism

The Real Housewives of Atlanta cast is reflecting on their favourite moments from Grenada, which may have been one of the best trips in Housewives history. Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards’ daughters are fighting. Real Housewives of Miami’s Alexia Nepola is setting the record straight on the status of her relationship with Todd. And it looks like Gizelle Bryant has been vindicated after Stacey Rusch revealed that she is, in fact, launching a weed company despite denying rumours that she was. 

Jax gets served after unleashing his pent up rehab wrath 

Jax is out of rehab and within days of being out, he got served with divorce papers – a decision made by Brittany that I think I can safely say everyone is aligned with. Prior to being served, he wasted no time unleashing on his friends for throwing Brit a party at his bar, invited himself to Jesse’s house for the party Zack was throwing for his partner, and raged on Brittany’s friends for packing his stuff in garbage bags instead of boxes. Just wait till he finds out Kristen put his shoes in separate bags.

He really laid it on thick painting himself as some sort of saviour for “not taking anything” that belonged to Brittany, including the $20,000 couch they have in their living room. 

“I’m doing it for my son,” he triumphantly told Jesse.

I think Jax is the first person I’ve seen come out of rehab more aggressive and agitated than they were when they went in. And social media users have every right to be sounding the alarm about what kind of facility he was in in the first place that allowed him to rage text Brittany as frequently as he did while he was in there. 

Jax asking his friends to hold him accountable is becoming so, so played out. And we know that because the entire comment section of his Watch What Happens Live appearance was filled with people who expressed feeling like they’d been watching him apologize for over a decade. Same.

At Zack’s party, the tension between him and Brittany could’ve easily been cut with a knife. Despite not making one attempt to speak to her in person at the party, he went on to complain that Brittany was “keeping” their son from him. I’m so glad that she set the record straight on him having not only access to his son, but to her as well in order to get a visit facilitated. And I’m thrilled that production aired clips of him getting a haircut and Botox in the days after his release just to show that time certainly wasn’t the issue.

Again, his abusive tendencies were on full display. Refusing to return the computer where Brittany is logged into all of her accounts, refusing to log out of the camera system until he got to see Cruz and implying Brittany wasn’t spending enough time with Cruz are all ways of exerting control over Brittany and the narrative. Thankfully his friends are calling him on his bullsh-t. Except Jason of course, who is becoming increasingly disappointing. 

At one point in the episode, Jason slammed Danny in a confessional, saying:

“Being around a person who is going to get blasted, lie about their alcohol consumption and gaslight is just a dangerous person to be around.”

Then why the hell does he hang out with Jax Taylor?

Meanwhile, though, Zack is becoming a fan favourite. The kitchen conversation where he reminds Jax that the only reason he had the bar in the first place was because of the money Britt put into it – classic. But nothing was more classic than telling party guests they could “unclench their butt holes” because Jax Taylor had left the building. Iconic.

Riley rebukes the racism on Next Gen: NYC

Over on Next Gen: NYC, the crew takes a trip to New Jersey to see Gia to air out some dirty laundry. Like, literal laundry. Ariana and Hudson actually brought a few loads of laundry to do at Teresa Giudice’s house because it’s much cheaper than doing it in New York City.

But on the bus ride there, Charlie takes Riley to task over an interaction she had with a friend of his at a previous event. He accuses Riley of being confrontational and “accosting” his friend, and when she staunchly defends doing such a thing, producers, ever on cue, roll the tape.

The interaction that actually plays out is Riley asking the young woman her name, and then shaking her hand and saying she enjoys it when friends of her friends ask her name, as if to imply that Riley felt like she should’ve introduced herself, adding in,

“I’m his friend, you should be nice.”

Charlie then physically mocks her, snapping his finger and rolling his neck in a circle, which is probably the most stereotypical and offensive portrayal of a Black woman, ever. And immediately, Riley is taken aback and becomes emotional, while Charlie lauds the other woman for her handling of the situation (i.e., surviving being attacked by an “angry Black woman”).

Even Georgia, the girl who isn’t necessarily on the best terms with Riley after the pair were at odds over the fact that she touches the bottom of shoes and “doesn’t believe” in washing her hands (I promise I’m not making this up), stood up for Riley, blasting the fact that the young woman and her friend never introduced themselves. 

“Well Riley didn’t introduce herself either,” Charlie said, knowing damn well that the onus should’ve been on the other women to make the introduction given the situation.

“I’m just so mad because every single time ya’ll do this,” Riley said through tears. “I’m trying not to make it a thing but I hate when you play this like I’m scary or I’m scaring a random white girl. It’s a real thing I have to go through everyday. I’m so nice to everybody and whenever I talk to some white girl it’s like I’m trying to scare them.” 

Immediately, Charlie shuts down her claims, saying that the woman’s race was not relevant. 

“There are aspects of this conversation that I feel are a little bit extra,” Charlie says.

“They’re not extra for me,” Riley responds.

To be clear, Riley is not wrong. It’s basic manners to introduce yourself or ask someone’s name when you enter into their space, especially if you’re trying to be chummy with their friend. But beyond that, it’s a visibility issue, which is likely what prompted Riley to be the one to initiate the introduction. She’s making sure that she is seen, a feeling many Black people can relate to.

With Riley being one of only two Black cast members on the entire show besides Ava Dash, who, along with Brooks Marks, proved herself to be a real friend, it came as no surprise that she reached out to her mom, Real Housewives of Atlanta legend, Kandi Burruss, for some support and validation. And as a longtime viewer, seeing Kandi mother her daughter through this incredibly difficult moment was heartwarming and truly drove home the point of the show – which is the integration of the old and next generation.

But beyond that, this was a highly teachable moment for everyone – and that’s what adds value to any given show. Because in this episode, we learned that even your friends can exhibit microaggresions toward you, and that it’s not always about intent, but impact. 

Charlie eventually pulls Riley aside for a conversation and offers her what appears to be a heartfelt apology. But later on, he admits to another group of friends that he didn’t mean it and only said it to appease Riley. And when Riley gets wind of this, she assures him that they were good in the way that you assure someone you’re good when you are not, in fact, good. Charlie ended up becoming so frustrated over the situation he created that he left the party early. That’s that white fragility at play, baby.   

I’m going to go on record right now and say that there is something about Charlie that gives Jax Taylor vibes. He, like Jax, is the oldest guy in the group. He’s obviously got some daddy issues, as did Jax, and the pair also share a certain sense of Peter Pan syndrome and straight up frat boy energy. I’m hopeful that he can make the changes he needs to before it’s too late, but I’m not silly enough to hold my breath.