Real Housewives of Orange County: Vicki’s Motivational Cruise and Tamra’s Emotional Family Blues

It’s season four of Bravo’s Real Housewives of Orange County and this week’s episode centered on journeys: Tamra’s trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to visit her estranged father, Vicki’s “motivational” cruise, Jeanna’s traveling with daughter Kara to set up an apartment at Berkeley, Gretchen’s visit to Dallas to meet with college girlfriends, and Lynne and husband Frank’s weekend “getaway”.

I skipped writing about last week’s episode, the “wives” getaway to Vegas, but I needed to note it for this reason: the producers of Housewives pulled a “fast” one on viewers, far from being “realistic”, the producers obviously paid for the trip.

---

Real Housewives of Orange County: DBKP Library of Articles

---

Here’s why I felt the trip was paid for and not one that the wives would have taken on their on. In my last review, Real Housewives of Orange County: Slap Happy Vicki and Jeanna’s Trip to Chicago, I cited an interview given by Vicki where she intimated that she did not like Gretchen or Lynne and that she didn’t even have their phone numbers.

“I’m not friends with Gretchen and Lynne. I just met them this year. I don’t know them at all. I don’t even have their phone numbers.”

“I’m friends with Jeanna and Tamra, and that’s it. The other two, I have no desire to spend any time with. I only have 24 hours in a day, and I’m going to spend it with people I like.”

On the heels of this interview the housewives were whisked away to Vegas where they spent a couple of days in a $5,000 plus suite at a fancy resort. Even with large cash reserves I doubt women who can’t stand each other would fork over that kind of dough nor take the time to travel out of town to party together. This is supposed to be a “reality” show yet the producers introduced an “artificial” storyline which was disingenuous to viewers. Which makes me wonder: if these women are living such a “fabulous” life then why resort to fakery?

Once again viewers were treated to the “dynamics” of the group: Tamra and Vicki’s “pronouncements” about Gretchen and Lynne’s “behavior” and intelligence. This was while Vicki was seen being overly flirtatious with a much younger guy on a club dance floor. I’m going to give some “kudos” to Tamra, she stated that her and hubby Simon had an agreement, no going to bars or clubs without each other. She also deferred from flirting while at the club. Apparently son Ryan is the member of the family who has the compunction to flirt. Anyway, I’ve grown weary of Vicki and her antics even though I’ve never met the woman nor want to.

This week’s episode had the cameras following Vicki on her “L.I.F.E” cruise. A cruise where people shelled out $800 bucks to listen to a series of Vicki motivational classes which were designed to “sell” Vicki’s product, insurance. I can’t remember what “L.I.F.E” stood for, but I do remember that one woman who signed up wouldn’t “make” Vicki’s “friends” list, a stripper from Vegas.

Apparently Vicki paid for husband Donn, son Michael, and one of Michael’s friends to take the cruise.
They were supposed to show up at Vicki’s seminar classes. Michael had previously told his mother that he was interested in learning her business, yet when crunch time came, Michael recused himself and spent his time partying on the cruise ship. When Vicki cornered Michael and told him he had to attend the classes, he told her that she had “put him on the spot” and that he wasn’t “interested” in attending nor did he care to learn the business. Nor did Donn spend an inordinate amount of time “supporting” Vicki by showing up. So much for Vicki’s ability to “motivate” members of her family, motivation, in part, by way of paying for their cruise. Somewhere there’s something about the “sharpness of the serpent’s tooth” which applies to Vicki’s situation. Or that Vicki is somewhat clueless as to the desires of her family, they just want to have fun on Vicki’s dime.

Lynne and husband Frank took a “getaway” trip to San Diego to an oceanfront resort, the price tag, $1700 plus per night suite. They showed some “smarts” by inviting “Grandma” to stay with their teen daughters. They discussed their daughters and Frank showed that he obviously “has the hots” for wife Lynne. This was refreshing as the two have been married for quite some time but obviously care for each very much. So much for the “ditzy” housewife moniker placed on Lynne by Vicki, a woman who has an acrimonious relationship with husband Donn.

Gretchen traveled to Dallas to meet with close friends from college. Gretchen’s boyfriend Jeff had been allowed to come home from the hospital where he had been fighting an uphill battle with cancer. Jeff had to return to the hospital so Gretchen took the opportunity to meet with her friends. Jeff’s kids, all seemingly nice and caring towards their father and Gretchen, took up the slack so Gretchen could get away.

Two of Gretchen’s friends had babies which caused Gretchen to remark that once Jeff completed his cancer treatments and was well, they would marry and then have a family of their own. Jeff died in September, so Gretchen’s dream of having a family with her older boyfriend will never come to fruition. Gretchen is a lively and lovely 30-yr-old so hopefully one day so there’s no doubt, at least in my mind, she will accomplish this dream.

Tamra and her children flew to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to meet with her estranged father. Tamra has had “issues” with her dad since he suddenly divorced her mother and then married her mother’s best friend when Tamra was 25. This apparently devastated Tamra who, because of the acrimonious relationship between the new wife and Tamra and her siblings, splintered the relationship with her father.

Tamra’s parent’s divorce deeply affected her. She mentioned to her father that he was the one whom she “loved the most”. She also wanted to hear from her father that he loved her. It seemed that Tamra has felt “deserted” by her father. She also mentioned that she never felt “close” to her mother, that it was her father who was the parent who was involved in her life previous to the divorce.

The divorce had come as shock as Tamra mentioned that her parents hadn’t let on that there were problems in the marriage. What was surprising to me was the depth of anguish Tamra still felt over her parent’s divorce even though Tamra was 25 at the time. Tamra’s parent’s divorce was fifteen years ago and Tamra was still suffering the effects. This was apparently compounded by the fact that her father quickly married her mother’s best friend, a woman whose personality caused a further rift. Of course, this was Tamra and her father’s “side” of the story. Tamra’s father has since divorced the woman, she may have a “different” side to tell of what occurred.

Tamra’s dad had a new “love” and lived in an area of Cedar Rapids that had been severely damaged by a flood the year before. Tamra’s father’s house was in the process of still being repaired. During a trip to a Japanese steak house, Tamra’s son Ryan and an older woman cousin embarrassed Tamra and her dad with their “flirting”. Later, Tamra and her Dad took a trip to a local park where they discussed their relationship. This was where Tamra told her father that she wanted to hear that he really “loved” her. Tamra’s dad responded with “you should know I love you”.

This was painful yet insightful to watch, private pain in a public viewing. I suppose Tamra is no different than those who go on such shows as Oprah or Dr. Phil and discuss their most private pain and intimate matters. Studies have found that parent’s divorces deeply affect older children already grown, the same scenario as Tamra’s. Tamra suffered a psychic wound, a wound that festered for 15 years. At forty, Tamra was finally speaking with her father in an attempt to heal her “wound”.

I suppose some might feel that since Tamra was an adult when her parents divorced, she should have faced the divorce with an “adult” attitude and not let it control her life. Yet on the flip side, it’s apparent that Tamra needed to hear affirmation of her father’s love. Even with Tamra’s nice lifestyle, loving husband, and children, she still needed to hear this from her father in order to heal. Or it could signal something else, that at 25, Tamra was still “enmeshed” in her family’s dynamic and continued to be enmeshed 15 years later. If Tamra’s mother were truly “cold” when she was growing up, then she had only her father to rely on as proof that she was “lovable” and a worthwhile person.

While some grown children could give a “rat’s ass” as to whether their parents “love” them, other grown children still struggle over the issue of their parent’s love towards them. Tamra might benefit from therapy to sift through her past for clues as to why she reached the conclusion that she wasn’t loved by both her parents, and why her father’s “abandonment” affected her so. Hopefully Tamra’s trip to see her father brought her some closure and the ability to feel that she is a worthwhile and lovable person in her own right.

Jeanna, daughter Kara, and friend Frankie, traveled by Suburban to Berkeley where Kara is attending classes. They were setting Kara up in an apartment. Luckily for Kara, Frankie, an interior designer, had a whole house full of furniture for Kara to swipe for her new abode. During the drive, Kara put the pedal to medal with Jeanna cursing her daughter and threatening to “slap” her if she didn’t slow down.

The show ended with Jeanna going out on a date for her birthday. Viewers didn’t get to see the guy’s face, just a shot of pair of feet clad in cowboy boots as they exited a very long stretch limo in front of Jeanna’s house and a hand clutching a bouquet of roses. Not bad for a first date. Jeanna said that she met her mystery date at one of son Shane’s baseball games, that the new fellow was a father of one of Shane’s teammates. Son Colton helped Jeanna pick out a dress to wear for the date.

Jeanna has been separated from husband Matt for some time. Colton told her he was happy she was finally dipping into the dating pool. Colton’s a cute kid, a far cry from older and “angry” brother Shane.

Next week is the season finale of Real Housewives of Orange County. Next up will be the new season of Real Housewives of New York. This season of housewives of OC seemed to be a blur of shopping, trips to swank restaurants and clubs, and resorts and spas. It was also the season of “Vicki”, a 47-yr-old judgmental woman on the cusp of financial success with her insurance business. At her cruise seminar the participants were encouraged to shout out Vicki’s trademark, “woo-hoo”. I, for one, will be infinitely happy to never hear this catch phrase uttered again.

By LBG

Image – Cruise Ship
Back to DBKP Front Page

Sphere: Related Content

Tags: Bravo, ENTERTAINMENT, episodes, Journeys, Real Housewives of Orange County, Season Four, Television