Welcome back friends. We made it through another week of The Next 15, and I’m still not sure how I feel about this show. I’ve decided to ignore the idea that this show would be giving us a “behind the scenes” look at reality television, because besides a wide angle on some interviews and some producers making small talk, this show is just as heavily produced and messy as everything else Carlos King is involved with.
That being said, this week’s episode was pretty entertaining, and I’m gonna break it down stank face by stank face.
Let’s get started!
Just like last week, we start the episode off with a flash forward and a countdown.
Also just like last week, Claudia Jordan is fighting with someone (this week it happens to be New York), and Karamo is there to attempt to break it up.
If this show doesn’t work out, maybe he could look into a career as a bodyguard?
Then it’s 3 days earlier, and we’re back at the board room where Carlos held the focus group. New York is preparing to make her grand entrance, and let her involvement in this “project” be known.
These Heauxs Ain’t Ready
Before New York walks in, Claudia makes one of the boldest statements I’ve heard her make, claiming everyone sitting at the table is “iconic in the reality world.” Something that is so interesting to me about Claudia is that when she was on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, she was constantly talking about her vast work history in the entertainment industry, but now all she’s crediting herself with is being on 1 season of RHOA. Make up your mind girl.
Anyways, so New York makes her grand entrance, and immediately she is throwing shade, claiming she doesn’t even recognize half of the people sitting at the table.
At this point in the show, we get the first of a few TV One promos that pop up in the lower left hand corner of the screen. I’d like to share my favorites with you.
I had no idea TV One had become a combination of TLC and the ID channel, but I’m very much here for it. If any of you have seen these shows, please sound off in the comments.
So, the point of this meeting was basically to brainstorm ideas for what their new talk show could be about. While everyone was throwing out ideas, the one person who had nothing to say was using all her airtime to demonstrate her various “unimpressed” faces.
Oh Jennifer. I could watch you furrow your brow all day. Anyways, some of the original ideas that were pitched at this meeting included social media, and discussing things that are “trending.” Groundbreaking stuff. Claudia mentions her deep concern over social issues, and then we’re treated to some more shots of her ill-fitting orange jumpsuit.
#StillTeamNoBra
At one point, New York and Laura have a bonding moment about how they apply their false lashes, and Karamo talks about how big his manhood is.
Benzino, being the only “straight man” in the equation felt uncomfortable.
Then we’re with Jennifer and her GBF Al. They’re at what looked like a high end restaurant for dogs, because in Jennifer’s own words, “we’re all about being organtic.”
That was not a typo.
While they’re waiting for the food to be prepared, Jennifer tells Al about the other members of this soon-to-be talk show. She starts by mentioning Karamo, and his past as the first gay black man on reality tv.
Single?
The most interesting part of this scene to me was Jennifer mentioning that she wants Benzino to help launch her singing career. I don’t know what it is about people these days, but just because autotune exists, doesn’t mean it can make diamonds out of dirt.
Next we’re with Laura who’s having a meeting with her manager Holly. We learn that Laura has been producing cooking videos on YouTube, and is planning on writing a series of children’s books.
Say What?
Holly tells Laura that doing this talk show with a bunch of reality stars isn’t a good idea, because if she is trying to sell products geared towards children, then she can’t be fighting with people on tv or posting half naked photos of herself on Instagram. So even though she has already signed on to be a part of this show, and is filming a reality show in conjunction with it, her manager, who probably organized the deal, is telling her not to do it.
How stupid does Carlos King think we are?
Then we get a short scene of Jennifer talking to her co-host Diann about Claudia’s idea to do a talkshow. In case you already forgot, because I know I did, Jennifer is the co-host of a show on Black Hollywood Live called Just Saying. Diann basically told Jennifer that it wasn’t a smart idea to give up a show that is already up and running, for a show that may never make it to air.
Is Diann psychic?
Unlike last week when we began the episode with a promise of a fight we never saw, this week we get everything we were promised and more!
Claudia, Karamo and New York are meeting at a diner to discuss some of the details of the show. New York starts off the meeting by showing up an hour late.
New York suggests that instead of being at the round table with the rest of the cast, she could be a “Woman on the Street,” and get the thoughts of the people. While they’re discussing this possibility, New York skyrockets to 100 and starts yelling about something Claudia said about her on The Foxxhole, Jamie Foxx’s radio channel that Claudia used to do something on.
Same.
During all the gibberish New York was shouting, she managed to call Karamo, Quran, “the other bible that I don’t pay attention to,” and after finding out that Claudia and Karamo had appointed themselves the producers of the show, New York took any semblance of sanity she had left and threw it right out the window. New York started yelling about Claudia being a slut, and then once fingers start getting pointed in faces, she stormed out of the restaurant, and asked come cops just trying to pay for their meal to arrest Claudia for “insulting” her. Again, not a typo.
Insult. Assault. Same diff.
New York storms out, and after getting a little pep talk from Karamo, New York makes a 180 degree turn. All of a sudden she starts talking about wanting to make a difference, and wanting to change the world’s misconception of her.
#HappyPills
Then New York starts complimenting Claudia, and she and Claudia hug it out.
Help?
Then we’re with Laura, and I’ve got to give her some props for actually exercising during her exercising scene.
On every other reality show I’ve seen, these girls show up to the gym fully beat ready for the club. +5 points Laura.
She talked about her kids or something with her “friend(?)” Ciara. I want to know more about Ciara.
Finally we’re with Benzino at The Drunken Crab, and he’s supposed to meet up with New York to talk. Surprising to nobody, New York is a no show, and we find out that she texted Carlos King that she needs to take some time off from production, because she isn’t a fan of the cast, and she refuses to work for Claudia.
Next week, Claudia thought this hairstyle was a good idea:
Fix it, Jesus.
Want more TrashTalk? Follow us on Twitter for updates of recaps as they publish, like us on Facebook for a daily update, watch our TV parody vids on YouTube, or for funny TV pics, heart us on Instagram, and get the occasional gif on Tumblr!