OK. Here we are, Good Vibe Tribe. The end of Season 6. And right back in the middle of Danielle Olivera and Ciara Miller‘s reunion confrontation. (Over the latter pelting the former in the chest with a wine glass during their Italian dinner blow-up. Just in case you were lost.) Hate is a big word, but Danielle throws it out to describe how she feels about Ciara these days. Mostly because she didn’t reach out and apologize again after seeing the fight play back on TV.
I took a lot of heat in the comments about being biased against Lindsay Hubbard last week. But here’s the difference: Ciara actually apologizes. And she doesn’t need to be coached through it either. There’s no “I’m sorry you felt that way…” or any other type of non-apology apology. Instead, she takes accountability, recognizes she shouldn’t have done it, and offers Danielle a sincere apology. Ciara also gives added context as to why she had reached her boiling point at the meal. Apparently, gossip was flying around the house that Lindsay and Austen Kroll had made out, gone skinny-dipping, and slept naked in bed together the weekend before. All coming straight from Lindsay’s mouth. And there’s unaired footage to prove it.
I’m sorry. Why was this key element of the story left on the editing room floor? Lindsay tries to backpedal that she never had sex with Austen. But the detail about sleeping naked together came from no one but her. Lindsay also openly admits in the footage that the only thing that kept her from hooking up with the Charm-er was the fact that he fell asleep. So the argument is basically moot. And whether or not literal penetration was involved, there’s still more than enough reason for Ciara to be justifiably upset. But enough of this. I’m over it. (Also, Ciara admits to hooking up with Austen again one month later? Gross. Just gross.)
Charmed, I’m Sure
Let’s move on to a different Summer House/Southern Charm romance. Yes, I’m talking about the one between Paige DeSorbo and Craig Conover. And I have a confession: I love them together. I don’t care what anyone else thinks or says. I love Paige. I love Craig. Together, they are the Bravo power couple of my dreams. Drag me in the comments, Monique. It seems Andrea Denver is also a fan of the couple. Because as much as viewers and production try to make the love triangle a major plot point, he has nothing but good things to say about his two friends getting together. Plus, he got Lexi back. So really, all’s well that ends well.
There’s also the Kristin Cavallari of it all. And apparently the reality icon has an unprecedentedly talented legal team. Because not even Andy Cohen is allowed to use her full name on camera. The roommates are split on whether Craig actually hooked up with The Hills alum. And if you ask me, he was probably making it up or exaggerating in an attempt to look cool. I mean, Craig has a heart of gold. But this is still the guy who spent multiple seasons lying about passing the bar exam. Still love you, though, Craigy!
There’s also debate over how long Lindsay actually knew about the Kristin rumors before deploying them on camera as ammunition. Was it a month before? Or is Austen lying that he told Lindsay that early? Amanda Batula throws out the accusation that Lindsay loves to insert herself into her cast mates’ relationships under the guise of being a good friend. But really, she just loves launching grenades in front of the cameras. Then again, two things can be true at once. Lindsay’s still not a “girl’s girl,” though. Cue the footage of her “sexy car ride” and nipple licking with Andrea…The part of this whole thing that I hate the most is seeing Paige and Carl Radke still turning on one another.
When Carl Met Lindsay
Next, we’re treated to package about the long road Carl and Lindsay took to coupledom — failed attempt at a relationship and fingerbang included. They’re in love now. I don’t love it. I think Carl deserves so much better. But c’est la vie. One positive element of their new relationship is that it’s caused Lindsay to reevaluate her own relationship with alcohol. Which is nothing but for the best, even if she doesn’t see herself being sober forever.
One negative element is that no one in the cast seems to be all that supportive of RadHouse’s relationship on social media. (Yeah, I’m not calling them that. It doesn’t have the same ring as Kymanda.) When Andy takes an impromptu poll, everyone insists they’re genuinely happy for the happy couple. Even if it’s to, let’s say, varying degrees of enthusiasm. (Cough, cough…Paige.) So…blame it on the algorithm? Everyone just needs to emotionally prepare themselves for Carl and Lindsay to move in together for Season 7.
Whitewashed in the Hamptons
Andy pivots from all the couple updates to a far more sobering topic: Ciara and Mya Allen‘s experience being Black in the predominantly white Hamptons. It was a touching early in the season, even if it was brought on by Andrea‘s thoughtlessness towards Mya. (And now that we know who Lexi is, we also understand where his head was at when he called the newbie by the wrong name.) And once again, the conversation is productive on the reunion couches. Mya admits that, in life, she tends to avoid assuming things are about race. But even Kyle Cooke, arguably the whitest, most ignorantly privileged (and I say that with love) person in the house, explains that the girls sharing their experiences helped open his eyes to being more understanding, compassionate and aware of what other people around him may be going through.
Alex Wach also speaks up during the discussion, recounting a guest at one of the roommates’ first parties of the summer treating him like a member of the staff because he’s Asian. It makes my blood boil thinking that someone thought it was OK to tell Alex he looked like Bruce Lee. So nasty. So rude. Not only is it insensitive, it’s a downright racist microaggression. But sadly, it’s something that all the people of color on the couches have to deal with on a daily basis. Danielle also confronts Ciara for leaving her out of the discussion. But the model tries to clarify that she was speaking about being a Black woman while using the term “person of color.” And the two seem to leave it there.
Prenuptial Disagreements
Finally, it’s time for Kyle and Amanda to relive all the drama leading up to their wedding. But not until after Andy and all the girls point out how attractive Amanda’s dad is. The long-running couple in the house claim their life is wedded bliss these days. But Kyle does take issue with some of the comments his housemates made over the course of the season. Most Paige and a little bit of Ciara if we’re being honest. However, everyone roundly insists they just wanted Kyle and Amanda to be happy before walking down the aisle. Like, really and truly happy. Which they didn’t seem to be for most of the season.
When it comes to the couple’s much-fought-over prenup, they never signed one. With Amanda particularly confessing that she was more than a little naive about what it entailed. All she knew was that it had a sort of negative cultural connotation — probably from watching lots of Bravo — and didn’t bother doing her research. So now she’s on the hook for half of Kyle‘s four million dollar loan for Loverboy, yes? Andy brings up the idea of having kids. But once they start popping out little Kymandas, won’t they stop doing a share house in the Hamptons every summer?
And with that, the reunion’s pretty much over. Andy tries one more time to address the very obvious tension between Paige and Carl and Lindsay. But Paige really refuses to take the bait. Even in light of Carl trying to offer an apology for their nasty back-and-forth moments all day. Guess we’ll find out how things move forward once Season 2 of Winter House premieres later this year!
TELL US – DO YOU THINK DANIELLE STILL HATES CIARA? DO THE OTHER ROOMMATES REALLY SUPPORT LINDSAY AND CARL’S RELATIONSHIP? HOW DID CIARA AND MYA’S CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE IMPACT YOU AS A VIEWER? SHOULD KYLE AND AMANDA HAVE SIGNED A PRENUP? WHO DO YOU WANT TO RETURN NEXT SEASON?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
