Is it possible that I’ve already forgotten half of the story lines from this season’s Love & Hip Hop Hollywood? Thanks goodness that last night’s first reunion installment brought me back up to speed! This time around, Nina Parker is tasked with keeping the cast in check, stirring the pot, rehashing the drama, and getting the heck out of the way when the inevitable messiness begins. She introduces the cast (there are some folks that maybe lasted an episode), and Hazel-E is in desperate need of a bra. Brandi missed the memo that this wasn’t a costume party, so she’s dressed as a fancy ostrich. Nina explains that Omarion and Apryl Jones were not able to join their co-stars because they have way more sense than this crew Omarion needs to focus on his music.
Princess and Ray-J’s turbulent romance is the first story line to be recapped. Ray admits he’s made a lot of mistakes, and Princess is happy to share that the charges against her have been dropped after that whole “Ray-J let me get arrested” fiasco. She reveals that the pair is engaged after Ray popped the question on the finale. Teairra Mari interjects that Ray has TMZ on speed dial, so it’s the perfect segue into Teairra’s two-faced ways with the couple. Teairra takes offense to Ray’s accusation that she was only interfering to get him back in her bed. She calls him a liar, but she fails to come up with another logical reason for inserting herself into their relationship.
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Nina introduces a new segment that allows cast mates to respond to something said about them during the season by one of their cohorts. First up, Princess gets to confront Moniece for taking issue with her fight with Teairra. Princess says she doesn’t know why Moniece hates her so much when she doesn’t even know her. She goes on to say that Moniece should worry about herself more given that she doesn’t even have a roof over her head. Moniece starts chanting (is she saying ‘vino?’) before walking off stage and acknowledging her safe word. Ray jumps to his feet, worried (as he should be) that Moniece was going after Princess. Rich Dollaz intervenes to declare that no one is going to be spreading lies about Moniece. While they are no longer together, she does have a house, and he will always provide for her if she needs it because he’s “Rich.” Priceless. Ray bows up to Rich, and Lil’ Fizz confirms that yes, Moniece does, in fact, have a house. Glad we settled that one.
The first Twitter hashtag battle is presented. Among wedding band averse Max, apartment partying Ray, and two-timing Soulja Boy, which guy most deserves to be in the dog house? Can I #allthree? Moniece returns to the sofas with her mother Marla at her side. Moniece and Rich’s relationship is highlighted, as well as Marla’s meddling. Moniece explains that she wasn’t bothered by Rich’s “Creep Squad” past because everyone has their own history. Is that Nia draped across Soulja as he cheers on the creepster? Rich cites that Marla’s intentions were genuine, but her delivery was horrible before going into a diatribe about exactly how much child support he pays. Know that. He is “Rich,” after all. We’re then treated to footage of Rich tossing an engagement ring at Moniece after Nikki shares the gossip that Moniece expressed her love to Fizz. A teary Moniece cries that her conversation with Fizz wasn’t about a reconciliation but instead about closure. Rich understands, yelling that he’ll always love Moniece, but that doesn’t mean that things always work out the way he wants. Moniece admits that she thought the two were back together, albeit in a rocky place, until she heard Rich say they weren’t while she was backstage practicing her deep breathing.
Fizz is questioned as to whether he believes Rich’s feelings for Moniece were ever sincere, Fizz says yes, but before he can elaborate, Nikki starts screaming that Rich is a player and Fizz needs to protect his baby mama. When Fizz is finally allowed to speak, he admits that he texted with Rich, stating he wasn’t interested in rekindling anything with Moniece and Rich responded he may still use it as his excuse to get out of their relationship. Nikki feels vindicated, Moniece looks humiliated, and Ray wants to know why Nikki is snitching on his homies. Wait, didn’t Ray just have beef with Rich? At least the bro code knows no bounds. Princess shouldn’t worry at all about Ray’s commitment to her. If only there was a sarcasm font! Rich yells that he still loves Moniece but they are absolutely not together which sends gasps (um, why?) through the audience. Moniece looks like she’s been slapped.
Miles and Milan’s tumultuous, secret love affair is highlighted, complete with Miles coming out to Amber and his family. Milan and Miles discuss the difficulties they faced as a couple both while in hiding and after they went public. Amber maintains that she was never concerned that Miles’ friendship with Milan was anything but, as that painfully raw counseling session is shown, along with his family’s initial reaction to his admission. As both Amber’s and Miles’ sister join them on stage, Miles is in tears as Amber expresses the hurt she felt due to Miles’ betrayal. Miles apologizes again, and Amber attempts to regain her composure because she didn’t want to cry again. She admits that his lies were much worse than learning that he was gay, especially given his relationship with her daughter. She gets heated, and Miles reminds her that it wasn’t easy for him to hide his sexual orientation and she wasn’t in a position to understand. Milan concurs that it’s very hard to be a gay black man in this industry, and he recognizes how difficult it was for Miles to come out to his family. Milan admits that his own mother doesn’t speak to him after learning he was homosexual.
Next, Nina recaps Brandi and Max’s crazy marriage. Brandi makes no apologies for her special brand of insanity, and Max regrets not wearing his ring because he recognizes it was disrespectful to his wife. Nina wonders why Brandi thinks Ray is a bad influence on Max in the studio, and Princess pipes up, “Because he is.” Brandi promises to have Princess’ back should she have any marital problems with Ray, but we all know their marriage will be a walk in the park! Who is that other couple on the couches with them? After a break, Fizz’s love of appetizers is revisited. I’d forgotten Kimiah was on this show for a hot second, as well as Nikki being a-okay as to being on part of Fizz’s menu selection. Fizz apologizes if his metaphor was perceived as disrespectful, and Kimaih returns the favor for gossiping about their sex life to Jason Lee. It wasn’t appropriate. Both agree that their brief relationship was fraught with misunderstandings. Nikki and Fizz are still dating, but she has a hard time committing because she is grieving the recent loss of her brother. Fizz comforts her before being bombarded by Brandi who inserts herself into the situation, petting Nikki before she excuses herself from the stage to pull herself together.
As the first half of the reunion draws to a close, Nina shares video of Fizz’s breakdown with Marla and his new understanding of Moniece. As Moniece tries to explain her stance, Brandi and Amber are interrupting, at first under their breath, but later yelling that nothing comes before their kids…which, I believe, is what Moniece was trying to verbalize. Moniece starts yelling that they are not her son’s mother before she charges at Brandi, with Fizz throwing himself in the middle of the feathery pair. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Ray-J won the dog house Twitter poll by a landslide 76%, and Soulja didn’t get a single vote. Nia must be so proud!
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF PART ONE OF THE REUNION? WHOSE BEHAVIOR IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS?
[Photo Credit: VH1]
