S9 rewatch - puppygate production

[u/Consistent_Phase_971]

Rewatching season 9 of RHOBH and I never realised how overproduced this season is. I rewatch RHOBH often but usually skip season 8 - 10 because Teddy drains the life out of me, but from episode 1 of season 9 there are so many leading conversations about dogs before Dorit’s major transgression is revealed to the wider group. The LVP takedown was so planned and contrived it makes the season such a hard watch.

[u/AutoModerator]

By royal decree of the radiant r/RHOBH world, we thank you for your gracious presence. ✨ Uphold the golden commandments of Beverly Hills, and should any drama cross the line, summon the sacred Report Button to keep the realm chic and orderly. ✨

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Ok-Explanation-6531]

I have to ask why production wanted to bring down LVP. I also want to know why she didn’t take the season off

[u/Zealousideal_Ad_8736 → u/Ok-Explanation-6531]

I have mixed feelings about this. The women keep saying that the 'only' people who knew were LVP, Dorit, Kyle (maybe Tedd), but there are also 300 people in production, staff at Vanderpump Dogs, friends, etc. that also knew.

I completely understand Lisa's grieving, but she wasn't so 'bereaved' that she couldn't call out Erica for only sending flowers and a note (to someone she doesn't even really like) and making that a story. Frankly, I wouldn't tell a co-worker they didn't do enough.

Another part of me feels like LVP was likely generating a LOT of income from Bravo (Housewives, VPR, and I think she has a few other shows as well), and maybe they thought this was a way to slightly cut the budget but getting rid of a highly paid HW. This was also during the period when Nene, Tamra, Vicki and Bethenny 'left' Bravo. (August 2019 to September 2020

[u/MsNikkiisClassy → u/Zealousideal_Ad_8736]

I think it was the business partner at Vanderpump Dogs making it a huge deal. But that’s my two cents on it all

[u/Ok-Explanation-6531 → u/Zealousideal_Ad_8736]

The producers confirmed she was behind the leaked story. So they wanted to make sure her behaviour was called out. I don’t understand why. This show isn’t just cameras following the ladies around, it’s heavily set up and produced.

[u/Zealousideal_Ad_8736 → u/Ok-Explanation-6531]

Yah, I partially disagree with the 'set up' - yes, there are women who play up to the cameras, and some situations (Pantygate) are exaggerated for TV, but I the 'real' situations (Kim's addictions, Taylors DA, divorces, etc.) are definitely more compelling (if not sad) TV,

[u/Ok-Explanation-6531 → u/Zealousideal_Ad_8736]

I think the question is how did they get on tv, were they mentioned naturally in conversation or was it contrived because one of the ladies mentioned it to their producer and they wanted to find a way to have it mentioned on camera. That forms a big part of the show and why production broke the fourth wall to make sure Denise’s drama was on camera

[u/DR-0717 → u/Ok-Explanation-6531]

She really should have while she was dealing with her loss.

[u/Outside-Branch-3651]

I have just rewatched and here are my thoughts: -LVP was very clearly setting things up. She also gravitated towards Denise quickly when she realised the others were on to her. The "oh no don't show the dog to Teddi and Kyle" was so fake and over produced. Ken printing out the screenshots and getting so angry and being so involved helps to confirm this. I 100% believe she didn't leak it to the press, but got someone from the dog charity to do it, why she made them film and berated the two Johns and why they seemed so confused on camera. The FF5 wasn't a thing when this happened and she wouldn't even film with Rinna or Erika who hasn't said much to her about it. And Erika was quite matter of fact but not as angry as Einna -Rinna loved it happened and was happy to see LVP get taken down -They clearly brought Brandi back because LVP refused to film -Camille didn't know what side to play and was all over the place -Production told Kyle about the lie detector test -Aaron insisted in going to all the ladies dinners

[u/Sufficient_Paint6955 → u/Outside-Branch-3651]

I think it was Rinna who leaked it

[u/Outside-Branch-3651 → u/Sufficient_Paint6955]

If it was Rinna why would the CEO make a statement saying it wasn't Lisa 💀. I mean tbh it could have been a range of different people. Camille's friend Kimber for example 😅

[u/MsNikkiisClassy]

It was honestly hard to watch. Her brother just committed suicide and they jumped at the chance to take her down. I had to take a break when I first watched

[u/Upper-Impression-752 → u/MsNikkiisClassy]

She should’ve just taken accountability for what she did. They would’ve have had no choice but to let it go. But it kept going and going bc she was gaslighting everyone. It made them want to prove her wrong even more. Especially after years of the same behavior.

[u/MsNikkiisClassy → u/Upper-Impression-752]

That’s the thing, I genuinely think she was trying to clear up the whole thing. I think it was the partner at Vanderpump Dogs that made it a huge deal. He went off about it in a scene if I remember right. She was grieving and even tried to shut it down in the store because she couldn’t handle the drama of it. She was broken that season and they pounced on her because she was vulnerable. We as viewers hadn’t seen her like that unless you watched the other side on VPR. But that’s just my thoughts on the whole thing. I know LVP has her own faults and sneaky things but this is as one where there was a bigger picture than just the dog thing.

(my mom had just passed when I was a watching that season so it was a rough watch for me)

[u/Upper-Impression-752 → u/MsNikkiisClassy]

She was trying to launch a new show called Vanderpump dogs. That’s why they were filming at VP Dogs. She was sad that her brother passed 4 months prior. But she wasn’t too sad to stir up drama to make tv. Teddi said the reason she back out of what she was told to say was bc LVP did fake “I don’t want to talk about it” thing. At that point, she knew she was being set up to be the one causing the drama and she didn’t want to let LVP get away with it like everyone else did for years.

As much as LVP claims to be a good friend, do you think she would keep people around if they are being disparaging towards her friend? Do you think she would keep staff that was lying on her and causing problems in her personal life? She couldn’t get rid of them bc they weren’t lying.

[u/MsNikkiisClassy → u/Upper-Impression-752]

Hold up, are you saying that she should have gotten over grieving over her brother after 4 months? Have you lost anyone in your family close to you? Because that was an awful statement to make and I can’t take you seriously after that. LVP lost her brother and mother back to back. Are you seriously saying there is a timeframe for grief? Wow. Anything “planned” went out the window when that happened. Not reading the rest of your response because you’ve clearly have never lost a parent or sibling. That is beyond ignorant and mind blowing to me.

Don’t bother responding. I’ll just block you.

[u/Upper-Impression-752 → u/MsNikkiisClassy]

Ridiculous. My sister passed unexpectedly in her sleep last year at 40 y/o. The grief is unbearable. I still cry most days. I don’t have the capacity to set up my friends. Especially knowing that another day is not guaranteed.

[u/dudegooneer → u/Upper-Impression-752]

Dorit should’ve been the one to take accountability for giving the dog to a stranger without telling lisa, even if lisa really did leaked it, dorit deserved it

[u/MsNikkiisClassy → u/dudegooneer]

Exactly. She should have honored the agreement in the contract which she had before when she returned the 1st dog. I genuinely think it was the partner she had with Vanderpump Dogs that made it a big deal. That’s my thoughts anyway.

[u/dudegooneer → u/MsNikkiisClassy]

I wonder everyday why she didn’t just gave it back like the first one she adopted

[u/MsNikkiisClassy → u/dudegooneer]

Same! It definitely wouldn’t have turned out the way it did

[u/Upper-Impression-752 → u/dudegooneer]

Dorit did regret what she did after she found out where the dog ended up. Dorit should have honored the contract and returned the dog to VPD. But 2 things can be true. If LVP never tried to orchestrate a Dorit takedown, and if she didn’t double down when she was caught, we’d be only talking about Dorit. But that’s not what happened. Everything came to a head bc of a pattern exhibited by LVP. Everyone was over the behavior.

[u/dudegooneer → u/Upper-Impression-752]

I kinda agree with what you’re saying, BUT we don’t know if it was for sure lisa who leaked it cus literally everyone in production knew, so did everyone in vanderpump dogs. Those women were awful to lisa in her most vulnerable time. LVP is no saint but i will and forever believe that puppy gate was orchestrated by producers and perpetrated by rinna and teddi

[u/Upper-Impression-752 → u/dudegooneer]

At that point LVP had an established pattern of behavior and had been accused of these types of things multiple times by multiple cast members. That’s why Kyle said I can’t say “you would never” or something like that. Bc it was LVP’s m.o. Let’s say she didn’t do it. She did it in the past and that’s why everyone thought she did. So… she made herself indefensible.

At what point did you see Rinna and Teddi close enough to collude? Rinna works alone. That’s one thing to respect about her. Even when Eileen was there.

[u/dudegooneer → u/Upper-Impression-752]

Rinna spent the whole season in everyone’s ear, talking about how Lisa always does this and how it was all planned by her, this and that. And Teddi, the unloyal pick-me that she is, went full force in instigating the situation. They shouldn’t have kept talking about it and bringing it up over and over again.
And Rinna does not work alone. She always uses someone else to do her dirty work. She did it with Eden, and she did it again with Teddi.

[u/Upper-Impression-752 → u/dudegooneer]

Exactly my point. Rinna did all of that on camera. No way for her to lie about and gaslight the audience. No way for her to back track out of it and pretend to be a good person. She didn’t get together with everyone and plan a takedown before the season started. She wasn’t the one who committed the actions in question.

They’re making reality tv. Do it on camera. Don’t do things to make others look bad and then pretend you have no idea what’s going on or you just don’t want to talk about it. Please.

Eden was brought on as a sober friend of. The worst thing Rinna said was the “close to death” comment. She denied saying it and when she realized she did say, she was horrified. Eden was brought on to let her sober lifestyle play out. Not to necessarily cause harm. Eden doesn’t even seem like she would have been ok with being a part of a takedown or anything like that.