Gretchen gets the Slade Smiley smooch

For those with Real Housewives of Orange County withdrawal symptoms, it’s casting calls for new housewives next season, who was nominated as “Reality’s Guiltiest Pleasure” at Bravo’s A-List awards, and who’s Gretchen Rossi’s new squeeze. Plus, some the “sordid” details the OC housewives kept hidden from viewers while opting to publicly cast aspersions on Gretchen.

First up, open casting calls were held at the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California in early April, which begs the question of whether someone got the boot, or left by their own volition, or whether the producers are looking to add a new addition.

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Real Housewives of Orange County: DBKP Library of Articles

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On April 5th, all the Housewives from season four, including Lauri Waring Peterson, attended Bravo’s “A-List” Awards held in downtown Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theatre. What was amusing about the awards was the fact that it was Gretchen who was up for “Reality’s Guiltiest Pleasure, presented to the most popular and entertaining individual in a reality TV series”. Amusing to me, most likely not as amusing to Tamra Barney or Vicki Gunvalson, Gretchen’s arch-nemesis’.

Tamra, “I am hot, am I not” Barney

Tamra, 41, staked her claim as O.C.’s most “hottest” housewife in season three and tried to “cement” it in season four. Much to Tamra’s chagrin, the arrival of 31-yr-old Gretchen, with model looks and a sunshine disposition, called into question Tamra’s Her Royal Hotness crown. Gretchen’s arrival also flustered Vicki Gunvalson, 45, self-confessed workaholic and devout Christian, whose constant complaint was that Gretchen was a center of attention hog as well as that Gretchen couldn’t be “trusted”.

Last season ended with a reunion episode complete with melodrama worthy of The Days of Our Resplendent and Redundant Lives, with sour pusses Tamra and Vicki unleashing what they believed to be a mass weapon of Gretchen destruction, the “why we can’t trust Gretchen” story whom Tamra pretended she was reluctant to tell. After Tamra’s tale came tumbling out, Vicki sat as the wise Housewife sage while twisting the literal knife she stuck in Gretchen’s back by padding Tamra’s tale with Vicki’s own contributions of mock concern.

I argued that both Tamra and Vicki had not only dissed Gretchen but had also “dissed a dead man”, Gretchen’s now deceased boyfriend, Jeff, in “Despicable Housewives Tamra and Vicki “Diss” a Dead Man“:

“The accusation was based on a series of phone calls. At no time did Tamra, or her husband, meet this man to verify if he really was who he said he was. At no time did Tamra give Gretchen or Jeff a chance to defend themselves. Instead, the accusation was kept under wraps until well after Jeff was dead. Jeff will never be able to defend himself or Gretchen.

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Not only did Tamra not go to Jeff so he could defend himself, but she didn’t go to Gretchen, whom Tamra had extended her friendship. As the old saying goes, “with friends like these, who needs enemies?” Not only did Tamra not talk to Jeff or Gretchen, but she took her tale to Vicki and Jeanna, where the three played “I’ve got a nasty secret”. A “nasty secret” based on accusations from a man Tamra never bothered to confirm his real identity, and never met face to face. Accusations which she didn’t share with the accused. This was unfair and showed Tamra’s true intent, to harm Gretchen. Instead of a “nasty secret” it exposed Tamra as a “nasty piece of work”.

While Gretchen failed to win–Ne-Ne Leaks, an Atlanta Real Housewife took the trophy home–the nomination sealed Gretchen’s popularity with the show, despite the “dire” warnings from Vicki and Tamra during the season end “reunion”, that Gretchen “couldn’t be trusted” and that Gretchen was a “fraud”.

The wives posed at the Bravo awards for a group photo, which proved that even those who despise one another can put their animosity aside for photo ops. At the awards Barney was quoted saying something about bringing on new housewives that the originals had something in common.

And yet, one can’t help but wonder what the “in common with” alludes to? Would it be a penchant for expensive Rolex watches, partying, and fake boobs, or the ability to “snub” and “shun” housewives in public places? Behaviors which Vicki and Tamra, based on their antics last season, are masters of? Or the ability to be malicious and backstabbing, airing accusations on public tv about Gretchen, while being complicit about not revealing the other housewives’ “secrets”? Secrets which viewers were never privy to in prior seasons, such as Jeanna’s husband Matt Keough?

Keough was incarcerated in jail after violating the terms of his probation, which I wrote about in “Real Housewives: Jeanna’s Husband, 6 Months in Jailhouse“.

Lauri and George Peterson Wedding photo from Real Housewives of Orange County

While I wrote about Matt Keough, whom Jeanna claimed to tv viewers was “away at work”, what I haven’t wrote about is the backstory to Lauri and George Peterson’s “love affair” and marriage, which was presented in fairy tale fashion. It was the “other” details, of which I’m fairly certain the other housewives omitted on Real Housewives, of Peterson’s “relationship” with his ex-wife. Of where George had obtained a court order giving Gina one week to vacate the family home, the home they had built and lived in together, as well as a Cinderella in George’s life prior to Lauri. The “details” are at the OC Register:

For more about former girlfriend whom George bestowed a giant diamond ring prior to Lauri, see the OC Register.

Further complicating an already complicated mess, was the fact that Lauri’s son Josh had, at one time, moved in with Gina allegedly after Lauri booted him out for drinking and drugs. And yet, to be fair to Lauri and George, there was George’s side of the story in relation to his ex-wife, Gina, which the site TMZ reported:

“Gina “Gigi” Peterson, the girlfriend Dennis Rodman allegedly smacked around on Wednesday night, had a restraining order successfully filed against her by her ex-husband and father of her four kids — six weeks ago!

Her ex-husband is actually George Peterson from “The Real Housewives of Orange County.” Gina and George separated in ‘02 and officially divorced in April of 2004.

George then got engaged to his current wife, Lauri Waring, during season two of “Housewives” — and the (not-so) temporary restraining order filed against Gina forces her to leave George, Lauri and her two kids alone for five years. Gina’s list of alleged crazy filed by George is long, and includes gems like:

– “Gina stated that she wished I were dead, she wishes she could kill me, wishes I had a heart attack … (and) if she had a gun, she would shoot me.”

– “Gina also has a history of violence against our children (once resulting in an Emergency Protective Order in favor of my eldest daughter …)

– “Gina has also physically assaulted me resulting in me falling to the ground.”

– “She even was previously ordered to involuntary psychiatric lock down.”

– “Gina threatens me in (an) email by reference to Dorian Gray, a character in Oscar Wilde’s novel, who is found dead at the end with a knife in his heart.”

These are just a few of the examples of the behind the scenes stories on these women. Stories which illustrate the complicity among the housewives to keep some of their lives under wraps and not privy to the public. It was an”unfair” playground, at least in regards to Gretchen, where Vicki and Tamra, and in a slight way, Jeanna, chose to reveal “details” about Gretchen’s life, of which some of the “details” were based on accusations, while they maintained the careful crafted facade of the other housewive’s lives that I objected to. The intentions of both Tamra and Vicki were suspect: they cast their aspersions as being built on moral objections, yet it was plain that their intent was one of being malicious and to harm Gretchen in the eyes of viewers solely because the two women were jealous of the upstart Gretchen.

Tamra and Vicki unleashed their weapon of mass maliciousness on the reunion episode with the intent to further “denigrate” Gretchen and cast enough aspersions on her character that viewers would give Gretchen the thumbs down. Much to their chagrin Gretchen was nominated for the Bravo award. Gretchen was favored to win, while apparently, the other wives weren’t up for any other awards. Yet the producers knew a cash cow when they spied one, and that cash cow was Gretchen as well as the insipid behavior of Tamra and Vicki which generated the most ratings. The award went to Atlanta Housewife, NeNe Leakes.

Guess Who Gretchen’s Date Was?

According to the OC Register, Gretchen attended the awards with Slade Smiley, who, according to the OC, was more than just a “friend”.

For those of you who are appalled that Gretchen is now dating Slade, raise your hands. It seems that Slade is more of a shady character than the shady character he already is.

Slade’s “mug shot” following his arrest on a $10,000 outstanding civil warrant

According to the site, Jezebel, in February, Slade was arrested “near” Gretchen’s address in Costa Mesa on a $10,000 warrant for civil contempt, which may have been for non payment of child support. Slade has two sons, the younger son is battling a rare form of brain cancer.

“Kiss and Tell” Jay Photoglou

Another shady character is Jay Photoglou, the guy who claimed he was dating Gretchen while Jeff was in the hospital. Photoglou alleged that he was the one who called the cops to try to retrieve his clothes that were in Gretchen’s home–he claimed he was “living out a suitcase at the time–and that the cops entered Gretchen’s residence with Photoglou because no one would answer the door. Jay claimed that Slade’s clothes, as well as his wallet and car keys, were in “plain sight”, and that Gretchen and Slade were upstairs. Photoglou also claimed that Slade had called the cops prior to the cops and Photoglou entering Gretchen’s home, and that Slade had told the authorities that no one was at home and that Gretchen and Slade were in Vegas. The cops then questioned Slade and discovered the warrant against him. No doubt that fake license plate on his car as well as his suspended license led to the cops taking a closer look at Slade.

Not only did Slade have an outstanding warrant but the site Astrochicks added new details: Slade’s license was suspended and that he had a “fake” tag on an unregistered car.

According the site, Themortgagemess.com, Slade’s Coto home “wound up in foreclusure” and was up for auction:

“Just a quick note: If you’re heading into foreclosure, you are not alone. Even reality stars are not immune.

Although I never watched the show, it was interesting to see that Real Housewives of Orange County star, Slade Smiley (claiming to be a real estate mogul) over-leveraged himself and wound up in foreclosure. According to a Notice of Trustees Sale dated August 28th, 2007, Slade Smiley owes $1,408,662.07 on his Coto De Caza home.The Notice of Trustees Sale showed that the house was to be sold at auction on September 27, 2007. Apparently, he found a renter for the time being. The irony is that he doesn’t even live in the house that is shown on the new reality show, “Date my Ex” with Jo and Slade.

He was as desperate as everyone else as he attempted a short sale listing it at less than he owed ($1,290,000). In a familiar situation for California homeowners everywhere – no one bought it.

It sounds like the bank finally came in, took possession and unloaded it for 1.25.

According to Trulia.com the home recently sold for a piddly 1.25 million.”

Now we find that Gretchen and Slade attended the Bravo A-List Awards as a “dating” couple. Will Slade will play the same role in Gretchen’s life as he did in Jo’s, a former Real Housewife who left the show to start a singing career with Slade as her manager? Or, will Gretchen have her own dating reality show like Jo and Slade’s “Date My Ex” once Slade and Gretchen’s relationship cools? While time will tell, it doesn’t take a psychic to see next season, where Slade will, once again, be a fixture on Real Housewives and get another shot at “five minutes of fame”. Hopefully Gretchen can clue Slade in on clothing that doesn’t look so, shall we say, tragically unhip for a guy his age?

Last season I went to bat for Gretchen, finding that Vicki and Tamra’s behavior fell to the level of Cinderella’s ugly stepsisters. It was catty and malicious, while Gretchen cast off their crappy behavior with grace, charm, and some tears. Yet I can’t help but wonder about Gretchen’s thinking process, choosing to date Slade. Surely there are other men in Costa Mesa, men who have real jobs, dress like real men, and act like real men, whom Gretchen would be attracted to. Yet it does add another element to next season, of intrigue, such as, what new “project” Slade is planning and just how much of Slade is “real”? We’ll wonder if the car he’s driving is registered, whether the tags are fake, and whether Slade has gotten his driver’s license, “unsuspended”. We’ll also wonder if he’s taken care of the civil warrant and whether he’s failed to pay child support, especially child support where his younger son has brain cancer, which isn’t “fake”.

We’ll also get to see the “new” housewife or wives and whether any of the housewives from last season has departed from the show. Last season, Quinn, the new addition from the prior season three, was no longer on the roster. At no time during season four did anyone mention that Quinn was missing, nor was a reason given by Bravo for her departure. Which calls to mind Lauri Peterson’s tearful goodbye early on in season four. Lauri got to say goodbye, even though, technically, she’s never really left, yet Quinn vanished into the Coto sunset, never to seen or heard from again.

By LBG

Image – Bestweekever.tv – Slade and Gretchen

Image – Examiner.com – Slade’s mug shot
Image - Dlisted. com – Jay Photoglou
Image – Quickblogcast.com – Lauri and George Peterson wedding photo
Image - Poptowercom – Tamra Barney
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