The Delusion Scale (RHONY binge - season 2)
Ok so I watched the first few seasons of RHONY years ago, but recently decided to go on a Bravo binge & rewatch/watch it all because I didnt remember much …. but let me say… the level of delusion in RHONY is both astounding & hilarious at the same time.
Now we know the amount of wealth of all the housewives comes with an inherent disconnect to “normal” society, but thats honestly what we love about them & keeps us entertained (at least that’s the case for me). HOWEVER, there are a select few old RHONY housewives that I think cross the line from ✨reality delulu✨ to candidate-for-a-lobotomy because I’m legitimately appalled someone is so seemingly disconnected from reality. So below, I rank the housewives on my Delusion Scale & I’d love to hear yalls thoughts!
Relatively Normal RHs:
Bethenny - I know she’s a favorite & I loved her the first time around, but as a ~ more mature ~ adult rewatching, I stan Bethenny even more. She keeps her cool in arguments, she realizes & calls out ignorant moments of costars in her confessionals, she’s (usually) confident single-girling it, & her impressions of Jill have me absolutely dying of laughter every time. Although I sometimes wanna shake her when she gets all mopey, I remind myself everyone has those moments & it actually makes her more relatable.
Jill - Yes she has obscene wealth & says some ridiculous things, but I feel like she’s so reflective of any rich, Jewish mom & she has a good heart. Even when she does some not-so-great things (talking shit about Simon to Page Six), she was able to later step back & apologize (& I know plenty of non-RHs that can’t even do that). I’m always laughing when she’s on screen & I feel like she’d be approachable & fun in real life.
Reality Delulus:
Countess Luanne - Yall, her & her insistence on her title & manners has me cringing every single time, but boy, do I love having her on my tv screen. Watching her is like a glimpse into a life I would never understand or see otherwise, so I can cut her slack for some of her odder moments (like telling the girl at Boys & Girls Club she had to lose weight or that women need to be more “demure” for men to like them) because I dont think she knew any different & truly think that she thought she was being helpful & relatable at the time - which in itself is pretty hilarious. Overall she was a fabulous choice for a housewife, but boy do I hope she grows for the better over time.
Ramona - Homegirl is controversial & a bit cray cray, but she too was an incredible choice to put on RHONY & I am entertained af. She would absolutely wear me out in real life, but for tv, I love watching her because I never know what’s going to come out of her mouth & I can count on her to stir the pot so I’m never bored. She knows she’s wild, but I often wonder if she knows the true extent of just how off-the-wall she actually is. But again, shes reality tv gold.
Are You Ok?:
Alex - Obviously she was going to be far into the Delusion Scale… she’s hypocritical yet instead of realizing it, she vehemently denies things that were so obviously caught on tape…? Watching the Season 1 reunion, I was shocked at her denial of wanting to be a socialite even though she so clearly states she does & I was appalled at her “I regret nothing“ comment. Like girl… are you watching the same show I am? & ok… your kids are wild. That’s fine if you wanna parent with that level of freedom, but the fact she can’t even acknowledge that her boys behavior makes her friends uncomfortable makes me wonder if she truly lacks the ability to read the room. At first I thought she was just a little ~different~ (I pictured a middle school band geek that all of a sudden is hot & surrounded by former cool girls as an adult & just doesn’t know how to act - like Whitney from Secret Lives of Mormon Wives), but her growth, at least by season 2, is just non-existent. So I bare the honest question, Alex, are you alright?
Kelly - I stg I wanna stomp out of the room everytime I see her. I don’t even want to hate-watch her, I just legitimately want her off my screen & out of my life forever. I don’t know why I don’t remember her from the first time around… maybe my mind blocked her because I hated her so much? Or did I somehow not realize her level of fakeness & lack of awareness & self-centered-ness the first time around? & if that’s so, I’m concerned for myself as a youngin. She at first seemed normal for a former-model, but each time she talked, I more & more questioned whether she lives in the same reality as the rest of the world. My problem with her is not just her lack of situational awareness, but the fact that she honestly believes she’s the coolest, most famous, most beautiful person in every room & that she is always right. Narcissistic doesn’t even begin to cover it. Her ONLY redeeming moment was her running & prancing through New York traffic. I was just so confused about the entire situation that I couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness & I wanna start using it as a meme/gif for ”this is fine” instead of the dog sitting around the fire. BUT BESIDES THAT ONE SCENE, I really can’t stand this woman & I need someone who’s already watched RHONY through to tell me that other people eventually realize how delulu she is & she’s off the show soon… because I dont know how much longer I can tolerate her level of ignorance.
All in all, what a great show & cast of characters. *Chef’s Kiss* to the producers.