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Bravo has brought the powerhouse team for the next season of ‘The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip,’ a premium move celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the franchise in a grand manner. The roster consists of seven iconic women from the ‘Housewives’ universe with a promise of countless surprise appearances from other favorite cast members. The announcement has triggered a hot and immediate reaction from the engaged viewers of the program, expressed through pure excitement to the targeted criticism of the selections being done.
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The network pulled out all the stops to make this major event count towards its anniversary. The original group includes Vicki Gunvalson from ‘Orange County,’ Luann de Lesseps from ‘New York,’ Porsha Williams from ‘Atlanta,’ Teresa Giudice from ‘New Jersey,’ Kyle Richards from ‘Beverly Hills,’ Gizelle Bryant from ‘Potomac,’ and Lisa Barlow from ‘Salt Lake City.’ In the announcement, Bravo suggested that there would be “dozens of very cool Housewives from all the cities and the past,” which hinted a major, party-style crossover between the cities scenario. The event’s host, Andy Cohen, is sure to keep things interesting.
Anyway, the reality is that not everyone is celebrating with champagne. The announcement was followed by a wave of disapproval, and a few viewers quickly pointed out the snubs and redundancy in the selections that they saw. The selection of Porsha Williams as the face of Atlanta came instead of an original cast member like NeNe Leakes or Sheree Whitfield, one of the main issues. “You see this is what I’m talking about… you’re gonna throw Kyle in there right away before securing the mf queen Nene Leakes?!? And where’s the Miami representation? Porsha isn’t even an OG, very disrespectful…,” one person in the comments was basically the spokesperson for the majority.
One of the major drawbacks was the total absence of any representation from the ‘Miami’ side. “Wow Miami erasure is real,” one user said, while another one expressed, “I am so fed up with you guys always leaving Miami out. Justice for my girls.” This exclusion is surprising given the recent buzz around Lisa Hochstein and other Miami stars. The casting of Lisa Barlow from ‘Salt Lake City’ led some to think of Whitney Rose, another SLC housewife, as a better candidate. “I would have much rather it been Whitney and not Lisa from SLC,” a viewer said.
The veterans were not given any of the criticisms directed towards the cast members either. Some questioned the rationale of once again showcasing Kyle Richards, Luann de Lesseps, and Teresa Giudice, all of whom have been in the last seasons of ‘Girls Trip.’ “Luann, Kyle and Teresa AGAIN? We couldn’t have 3 new ones…?” was the voice who made a point, expressing the need for newbies among the stars.
However, criticism did not overshadow the excitement. “Oh my God, yes, so excited for this!!!” one user was ecstatic. Another one was reflecting on the possible interaction, saying, “I am sure Lisa will be on her best behavior with these OGs.” The anticipation of numerous guest spots only added to the speculation, with one person making a big dream: “If we don’t see Nene, Cynthia, Kenya, Kandi, Kim, Sheree, Lisa, and Phaedra all in ATL they can keep it.” A guest appearance by someone like Drew Sidora could add to the Atlanta energy.
The audience’s reaction reveals a quite compelling conflict between the ‘Real Housewives’ devotees. They feel emotionally attached to the legacy of the show and its original stars. A 20th-anniversary event labeled the ultimate one had the highest expectations already. Some regarded the choice of Porsha, a very well-liked figure, but not from the first season, over an Atlanta OG like NeNe or Sheree as a blunder. Likewise, the entire ‘Miami’ cast which had just been through a critically acclaimed, revival this year—the exclusion shocked many as a sign of the franchise not being ready for true family unit, overlooking popular figures such as Adriana de Moura.
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This new ‘Ultimate Girls Trip’ is undeniably an event of the first order, a gigantic thank-you to the viewers that have been there for 20 years through the highs and lows. Bravo’s tactic of introducing true legends like Vicki Gunvalson along with contemporary influencers like Lisa Barlow and pairing it with a parade of guest stars is targeting nothing less than a gigantic event. It is still not clear whether the end product will be able to satisfy the hardcore fans who want more original housewives or if it just rely on its sheer size to win over the viewers. What is certain, however, is that the conversation has begun and is just as dramatic as the show itself. The trip hasn’t even started but the audience is already caught up in the casting drama, a sentiment familiar to fans of other Bravo shows like Southern Charm. In other Bravo news, Lisa Vanderpump continues to make headlines with her ventures.
