Erika Jayne hoped that her two-part documentary, Bet It All on Blonde, would show viewers a different side of herself. But in reality, fans just saw the same 90210 housewife coming across as pretty unbreakable. Dare I say, cold? On The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Erika has been credited with being the fashionista of the group. Hell, half the reason I watched the series in the beginning was for Erika’s glam squad. She was amazing. But after news broke about Tom Girardi’s lawsuits, she and fans had the wind taken out of their sails, and what we started getting was the mean Erika that many know her as today.
The Pity Train
I almost felt bad for Erika as her documentary started telling the tale of her marriage to Tom and her childhood. She seemed like a crushed butterfly, thanks to the weight of life. We all know that Erika Jayne is a persona, but how much has she morphed into the Pretty Mess, and how much is still Erika the Southern Belle
I understood what Bet It All on Blonde was trying to do, which was to garner as much sympathy as possible to rebuild Erika’s brutalized character. She actually did a pretty good job of that herself during RHOBH Season 13.
The documentary showed Erika struggling, losing her beloved dog, and fighting with conflicts due to her old life and inner demons. But, the show’s finale just looked like an older woman trying to get her groove back. How can I feel sorry for someone who says they lost everything but somehow still have a fancy home and luxury items? Not to mention her $10,000-a-month glam squad.
The Finale
Let me start by saying I could not dance on stage in Las Vegas, so I give Erika an A+ for trying. But after watching the entirety of Bet It All on Blonde, I didn’t leave thinking Erika could do that good a job either. I felt for her when she said she couldn’t connect with her formy, sexy siren and how gyrating on a bed used to be so easy for her.
I get it; life has beat her up, and she is second-guessing herself. But even the dance parts that weren’t on a bed fell flat for me. There were times when Erika looked her age and exhausted while flipping her hair on stage.
And I just kept thinking, did people pay real money for what felt like an amateur hour? Erika openly noted during the documentary that she wasn’t into the Las Vegas residency because she was distracted by all of Tom’s legal entanglements. And let me tell you, the audience could see that.
The Story Felt Off
The Eras Tour has nothing on Bet It All on Blonde. While I was watching, I couldn’t help but feel like the rules of the spinoff were that Erika had to f*ck up every number while in rehearsal until she suddenly had a breakthrough and nailed it during the last run-through of the day.
Naturally, I found myself rooting for Erika just a tiny bit during these segments; but I think they knew to play to the underdog theme. More often than not, though, she was giving cold fish vibes during the month of rehearsals.
Mikey Stole Erika’s Flame
I needed Mikey Minden to take his dramatics down a notch while watching Bet It All on Blonde. The man had multiple breakdowns and never seemed pleased with how hard his money-train friend was working. To be perfectly honest, he kinda ruined the show for me since he was always taking Erika’s joy. But my main question is, who exactly asked for this? Beyond Erika’s questionable character, I don’t see how a special about her getting ready for a $7-a-ticket show equals TV entertainment.
Why was Bravo ever convinced the EJ was going to have some big miraculous comeback? Producers acted as if she was the second coming of Britney Spears. Erika Jayne isn’t real as her carer was self-financed and what I would call a hobby. This is a weird choice, even for Bravo. Personally, I’d rather see another season of Family Karma, Mexican Dynasties, or Dancing Queens. Honestly, I’d rather watch eight hours of Kim Fields reading than have to endure a phony comeback story about Erika.
Bet It All on Blonde is available to stream now on Peacock.
TELL US – DID YOU WATCH BET IT ALL ON BLONDE? IF SO, DID YOU ENJOY IT?
