Cynthia Bailey’s wedding in early October was supposed to be outdoors and COVID safe but thanks to terrible weather, she was forced indoors.
As a result, Bravo chose not to film the wedding at all, worried about the safety of their camera crew. So it appeared the professional videographers that Cynthia hired had to pick up the slack and the quality of what they did have isn’t nearly as good as what Bravo would have gathered.
As a result, there are few if any real “scenes” that you’d normally see on the show before and during the wedding and wedding reception.
At the time, Wendy Williams criticized Bailey for having such a big wedding in the middle of a pandemic, calling her “selfish.”
Cynthia was mildly upset at the time about the backlash, but on her wedding day she wicked all that nonsense away and was at peace because “10/1/20 is in God’s hands.”
This is in major contrast to 10 years earlier, when Cynthia got married to Peter Thomas at the Fernbank Museum with a restricted budget and family members who were so against the wedding, they hid the marriage certificate from her for a time. Before marrying Peter, she felt anxious, wondering if he was the right man for her. This was all captured by Bravo cameras in 2011. In the end, her gut was right. They divorced six years later.
This time around, Cynthia in her heart believes that Mike Hill is the right man for her.
“This is the happiest I’ve been in my whole life,” Cynthia says. “It feels good to have that kind of love. He’s my happy place.”
***
Porsha Williams is a bit miffed that her ex-fiancé Dennis McKinley, a friend of Mike’s, chose to show up at the wedding as a guest as well.
They decide to meet up afterwards to exchange some words.
This is the first time this season Dennis has shot a scene at all for the show and it may be the final time.
Porsha expresses annoyance about him posting on social media about being single although she herself has been very open about being single herself. He doesn’t bring up the gossip blogs saying Porsha had just slept with a stripper.
Confusingly, she finds it annoying that Dennis sometimes acts like they’re still together. He says he’s not dating. She scoffs.
Dennis tries to argue that he always saw marriage as something that needs to be worked on, for better or worse, and he doesn’t even recall why they broke up.
She says it was a lot of little things that added up. She says she tried to be fine with his betrayals and the fact he spent part of his time living in town instead of Duluth. But she couldn’t deal with it anymore.
Porsha says she wants their son to have a father in his life, something she didn’t have. So they need to co-parent together even as they mourn and let go of the romantic part of their relationship.
“I’m not a [expletive],” she says tearfully. “It’s just I have to act this way to protect myself.”
Dennis: “I don’t know what you’re afraid of.”
Porsha: “If we didn’t have a baby, you and me probably wouldn’t even be talking anymore.”
She then tells him to move on so she can move on.
“I’m sure you’re tired,” she says, through tears. “I’m tired.”
He says he just wants her to be happy and they clink glasses and drink up.
***
During the rehearsal dinner earlier in the episode, Eva Marcille, who was a cast member seasons 11 and 12, pops up as a bridesmaid.
Kenya dishes to Eva about Stripper Gate, featuring Porsha and Tanya Sam allegedly sleeping with the stripper Bolo during the earlier beach trip.
Cynthia: “I don’t want to talk about Bolo no more. I just want to get married to my man and live happily ever after.”
Kenya thanks Kandi Burruss for supporting her. Kandi is not thrilled about Kenya spreading the gossip so gleefully but she is not denying that any of it is true either. While Porsha Williams is single, Tanya is not and Kandi is uncomfortable trampling on Tanya’s relationship with her long-time fiancé Paul.
“I don’t feel people should be shamed about what they want to do sexually,” Kandi says. “That’s their business. Leave them alone!”
Kenya says she’s worried others will say she’s lying and she’ll get sued. If so, she says Kandi will be a witness.
A producer asked Kenya why she’s so obsessed with Stripper Gate. “I think it’s important because if you do something with all of these eyes around you, you can’t expect it to not be talked about,” she says. “If it was me, honey, they would be having a parade. Let’s level the playing field here.”
***
While some of the women are at the rehearsal party, others gather for a separate gathering.
Porsha is peeved that Marlo Hampton has become friends again with Kenya.
She thinks Kenya forgave Marlo so she would have an accomplice to help her with her Stripper Gate dirty work. That isn’t remotely true. Cynthia had to actually goad the two of them together.
Then Porsha clashes with LaToya Ali, who has become Kenya’s BFF. While LaToya says she believes Kenya leaked Stripper Gate to Page Six of the New York Post, Porsha says LaToya backed up Kenya with her own cheeky social media “it wasn’t me” campaign.
Later, new “Real Housewives” full-time cast member Drew Sidora remains irritated with LaToya because LaToya keeps critiquing Drew’s marriage, pointing out that Drew did some bumping and grinding with the stripper. Drew doesn’t deny doing so but says Ralph didn’t mind. (He actually did not like it but got over it.)
“I have a perfect marriage, a perfect hairline and three perfect children,” Drew proclaims, indignant. “LaToya, never ever ever [expletive] say my name in regards to things you don’t know for a fact.”
LaToya: “You’re mad because you were up on Bolo?”
Drew gets Chi-Town angry: “You ain’t saying nothing about what you was doing? Keep my name out of your [expletive] mouth!”
LaToya then begins spilling tea to the ladies about Kenya’s marriage, details Kenya hasn’t told all the ladies. Porsha walks away.
“You don’t go around telling hurtful information about your friend,” Porsha says. “She’s glad I’m a good [expletive]. Ooh lord, she sure gave me the ammo!”
Porsha tells LaToya that spreading gossip like this is not being a good friend. LaToya smirks. Porsha, seeing LaToya is not taking her seriously, cuts the conversation off.
“I’m definitely giving LaToya the side eye because this [expletive] is flippin’,” Porsha says to the cameras. “But at the end of the day, you got to do what you got to do to live in Kenya’s [expletive.] Go ahead!”
TRAILER FOR NEXT WEEK
Drew’s oldest son Josiah’s father is reaching out wanting to get to know him. She tells her current husband Ralph that he is the only dad Josiah knows, then adds, tearfully: “I want to keep it like that but it’s not the reality.” Marlo tells Kenya about LaToya telling the ladies about Marc filing for alimony. This causes Kenya to question her friendship with LaToya.
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