Episode Synopsis: The Salahis prepare to Crash (Allegedly) a White House State Dinner, while the other cast members basically spend the entire episode trashing on the Salahis (YAWN, although their criticisms are well taken in large part). Plus Stacie moves a big step closer to finding her birthfather.Segment 1: Lynda is at her modeling agency working on casting for a fashion show at Union Station being held by the embassy of Burkina Faso (an African country). She’s with Heather, who does marketing/PR at the agency. Nenye, the producer of the event (who's quite hot), and Klubo, a member of the embassy, then show up to work on casting with Lynda and Heather. Myriad female and male models then start strutting around in front of them. Lynda dresses down one of the male models for his hair being too long. Off camera, Michaele Salahi (who’s not even at this event) calls Lynda a “bully.”
At Stacie’s house, she’s with husband Jason in the living room. They are on the laptop working on a Facebook message to the son of her birthmother. Stacie wants info on her birthfather, but mama so far has refused, and thus Stacie is trying to circumvent mama by hitting up the son (her half-brother, BTW) – who doesn’t even know she exists (or that mama had a daughter by a different man).
At The Madison restaurant, Lynda, Cat and Mary are having lunch and talking about all the stress that Cat is under with her upcoming book, two daughters at home, and a husband who’s always away on business. Then they start talking about Michaele and the (allegedly) false story that Michaele has been spreading about previously being a Washington Redskins cheerleader. Cat comments that if the Salahis would just come out and admit that they are having financial problems (instead of pretending that they don’t), then people would be understanding and would sympathize with them. Lynda comments that the Salahis have not made a house payment in two years. She also describes them as “very disturbed.”
Meantime Michaele is riding around in a stretch limo (what else?) in the countryside with husband Tareq Salahi. They arrive at The Inn at Little Washington, which appears to be a bed-and-breakfast. Tareq indicated in the limo that this is where the couple ate on their first date. They sit down to lunch with another couple who’s staying there (as is common at such joints). The Salahis start talking about India, how they once visited there for several weeks, and how they (through Tareq’s involvement in polo) have politically been trying to build a strong bridge between the two countries (put another way, he’s puffing and blustering). Tareq also mentions that Obama is hosting an Indian contingent at the White House at an upcoming state dinner (HERE WE GO!). Tareq noticeably does NOT say that they are invited to the dinner, but does say that they plan to attend.
Segment 2: At the Burkino Faso embassy, Lynda is meeting again with fashion show producer Nenye, fashion designer Clara Lawson-Ames, and Araba Yonli (the Burkino Faso Ambassador’s wife). They say the event is about showing a whole new face to the world in terms of Africa and showing that Africa is not all about poverty, hardship and war as normally portrayed in the media. Lynda says she wants to help and notes that Burkino Faso is the third most impoverished nation in the world.
At Cat’s house, her husband Charles is actually at home! Cat says that she and Charles have been invited to the White House Christmas party (Charles is a White House photographer). Cat is excited to “meet Obama for the first time.” She says also that she would like to give Obama a framed copy of Charles’ award-winning picture of Obama from his inauguration. Charles indicates he’s talked to Obama about Cat and says that Obama’s looking forward to meeting her.
Back at Stacie’s house, she says that it’s now been a week since she and Jason sent her half-brother a Facebook e-mail, but yet brother has not responded. Jason suggests that they might next try contacting the Nigerian embassy for help in communicating with Stacie’s birthfather (who’s Nigerian).
At Lynda’s apartment (apparently she has not completely moved into her new house yet), Lynda is on the blower with Mary, who says that she (Mary) and daughter Lolly will be attending the Burkino Faso fashion show. Lynda then rather hilariously remarks that she has posted a picture of the Salahis with event security so that the Salahis can’t crash the event (as they’ve allegedly been known to do)! Mary says that she will never again attend an event with the Salahis after Tareq’s recent accusations concerning Lolly being connected to the theft of his car and polo gear. Mary also says that she would fear for the safety of the Salahis if they do crash the event because “Lolly is furious” with them. Michaele comments off camera that Mary and Lynda have become “very destructive and ‘cliquey’”.
Segment 3: Lynda is back at her apartment and starting to get ready for the fashion show. She has a dress to wear that was provided to her by the Burkino Faso embassy. Her hairstylist, Ishmael, is there to assist in her preparation. Then Lynda’s much larger and half-her-age boyfriend, Ebong, shows up. Lynda immediately dispatches him to go fetch a scotch-on-the-rocks for her. Next Lynda starts barking orders at her personal assistant, KC -- telling KC to help Lynda fit into her dress and, just for good measure, to fetch Lynda’s astrological chart from the other room. The chart appears to confirm for Lynda that everything’s on the up-and-up for tonight’s event.
Next we’re at the Nigerian embassy, where Stacie (following up on Jason’s earlier suggestion) has just visited. She’s with Stella Onuoha, an embassy member who just gave Stacie a tour of the premises. Stella then embarks with Stacie and Jason for lunch so that they can talk more about Stacie’s birthfather situation. The three discern that Stacie’s birthfather is from the same state in Nigeria as Stella (who seems excited about helping them find the man). Stella thinks she knows of a male professor in that region who would be able to help them look for daddy. The personal connection struck up here out of the blue between Stella and Stacie is a very nice sight to behold.
Now it’s on to Union Station for the Burkino Faso fashion show. Lynda & Ebong arrive. David Catania (DC councilmember) is there too. Lynda reminds security not to let the Salahis in if they try to crash (and she seems a bit worried that apparently, through a mix up, the Salahis’ photo did not get into security’s hands prior to the event). Mary, Lolly, Cat, Charles and Paul Wharton are the next to arrive. Also attending is Cat’s new arch-enemy, Erika, who got into an awful verbal altercation with Cat on last week’s episode. Cat’s seat is only two seats away from Erika (with Mary between them), and the two do not exchange pleasantries, as you might expect. The fashion show then proceeds, with a host of gorgeous ladies (and a few dudes) walkin’ the runway.
Jason Backe, Ted Gibson’s partner, is also there, and Lynda intros him to David Catania. And with that, as Lynda launches into a little speech, we’re back to the gay marriage issue! (See my recap of last week’s episode, which was gay marriage, gay marriage, and then a bit more gay marriage – not that there’s anything wrong that.) Obviously, the producers of the show hold this issue very close to their hearts, or else we wouldn’t be constantly beaten about the head, breast and neck with it in multiple episodes. I don’t mind the focus on the issue, but the incessant focus gets a bit old (not to mention, boring), sorry.
Lynda then talks to Paul Wharton and expresses again her worry about the fact that security did not receive the Salahis’ photo as she had intended. AGAIN, we see Michaele off-camera spouting off about Lynda. This time, Michaele brags, “I’m the prettiest, I’m the hottest, I have the most friends – I’m Miss DC!” I was just waiting for a “Nature Boy” Ric Flair-like “WOOOO!” to next emanate from Michaele’s sorry mug, but none was forthcoming, unfortunately.
Segment 4: Michaele and Tareq Salahi arrive at a fashion salon, remarking that they “have a big night” ahead of them. Michaele meets there with make-up artist Erwin Gomez. While having her make-up done, Michaelle OFFICIALLY SPILLS THE BEANS: The Salahis are planning to attend the Indian state dinner at the White House!!! Michaele further states her hope that Oprah shows her face at the event as well! AND, Michaele gives Erwin The Make-up Artist the impression that the Salahis have been INVITED to this state dinner! Next she tells the hairstylist (Peggy) that she and Tareq “just” received their invitation to this event.
Then there’s this extremely awkward on-camera exchange between Michaele and the actual producer of The Real Housewives of DC. Michaele is trying to explain to the producer that the Salahis have apparently “lost” their invitation to this state dinner (Go Figure!). Michaele next puts on this little act (or was it real?) about not only the invitation being left behind at the mansion by the personal assistants, but (damn it) they also left her bra and preferred shoes back there too! Oh, the Humanity!!! Then Tareq chimes in that the invitation is just a “formality” that they will not need to enter the event.
Segment 5: Michaele is making final dress preparations for the Salahis’s (alleged) crash (errr, attendance) at the White House state dinner. As noted before, Michaele -- while long, leggy and attractive as a general proposition -- has no physical endowments upstairs whatsoever, and so I continue to fail to see how the hell she’s going to pose for Playboy? I mean, pose as what, the lamp-pole outside an Alabama shithouse? But I digress.
Anyway, she’s having trouble figuring out how to put on her dress, so her make-up artist, Erwin, lends her a hand: “This has to go like this, see?”, he chirps. As she’s finally ready to go, Tareq proclaims, “Ready to Go to the White House?!” They jump into a stretch limo (again, what else?), and Michaele starts talking to Stacie on the phone. Michaele brags that she and Tareq are off to the state dinner. “You’re Going to the White House!,” Stacie gushes. “YES,” confirms Michaele. END OF (YET ANOTHER FAKE SEASON FINALE) EPISODE.
Final Comment: For the second straight week, Bravo has implicitly hyped an episode of this show to be the season finale, only for it NOT to be the season finale. This disingenuous behavior has me frankly disgusted, but yet I continue on in my coverage of this rather pathetic show since I’ve never quit on anything in my life once I’ve started it. And so yes, I will cover next week yet ANOTHER season finale episode (but will it actually even be the season finale?). So see ya next week. Have I mentioned before (yes, last week, in fact) that I will NEVER again cover another Bravo reality series?
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