Gossip Game: S01E08 Recap

In episode 8 (the season finale??) of "The Gossip Game," we get up close and personal with FCB. FCB originated from an interview by KFoxx, where she called Angela Yee "fake," Sharon Carpenter "conceited," and Vivian Billings a "bitch." The trio reappropriated the words, and thus FCB was born.

Meanwhile, Ms. Drama meets up with Star, who wants her as his show's new gossip girl. He decides the best way to propose this situation would be to take out some condoms to show he really means business. OMFG, srriusly? Star really knows how to work the ladies.

Later Ms. Drama invites Sharon to her studio to "hash out" their differences. If you recall, Sharon kicked Drama out of her birthday party last episode since Ms. Drama decided to start some drama at Sharon's party. If anyone has an excellent memory, Ms. Drama apparently also previously called Sharon a "come up ho." You might have guessed that this doesn't end too well. The two end up in an argument. Sharon Carpenter notes that the two were trying to sit down and "have a woman to woman conversation," but it was more like "woman to warthog." Seems like Sharon thinks Ms. Drama lacks a certain appeal. 

Angela sets Viv up with a job interview with DJ prostyle at Power 105 ("Viv is my project," she announces). She completes the 2 minute interview on camera. If that's really how it went down, I can't imagine she got the job. She agrees, "I was a little nervous, so I don't know if I got the job."

Meanwhile, JasFly decides KFoxx should throw an event to cozy up to the blogging community. She gets the OK from KFoxx's boss, Ebro. The party happens, and surprise! The whole cast shows. Kim Osorio is "shocked" that KFoxx called the other cast members fake, conceited, and bitchy. JasFly calls out KFoxx for not supporting women of color in the industry, while throwing shade Ms. Drama's way. 

Angela shows up with Sharon and Viv. Angela's happy drunk and shouts, "I got bitch Billings on my right, conceited Carpenter on my left..."

"And fake Yee in the middle," counters Sharon. FCB has arrived. Angela gets in a fight with Peter Rosenberg because she allegedly sent a text about him trying to get with her while he was with his fiancee. Who cares? Only KFoxx. To show how little FCB cares, Angela proclaims, "You know what I want to do right now? Go to a real party." With that (and a little trouble getting over one step on the way out), FCB is gone. 

My personal favorite scene of the episode occurs last, as usual in reality TV shows. KFoxx decides to meet up with Angela at some benches in the middle of a sidewalk to talk about their issues. KFoxx informs Angela that she will stand because she is wearing jeans that won't allow her to sit. The rest of the scene proceeds with KFoxx standing, and Angela sitting. Hilarious. KFoxx is still pissed that Vivian spread a rumour about her and Maino, and decides it's Angela's fault that Vivian wrote the blog post. Angela, referencing Hamlet, believes KFoxx "doth protesteth too much." Clearly the two don't see eye to eye, except for the fact that Angela "need[s] a manual" on how to act. Angela really wants to read said manual: "Can you write the manual, and I'll read it?" She thinks it would be great for young girls!

The episode ends with short life updates by each cast member (this is the finale). None are particularly interesting, except for Viv's. She admits she probably didn't get the job at Power 105 because she hadn't heard back. Then she goes to the tattoo shop with Kayden, her trans son, to get a tat with only the letter "K." She's on the way to acceptance, even if she isn't all the way there. 

Gossip Game: S01E07 Recap

Episode 7 of "The Gossip Game" was all about branding and associating with the right people.

Kim Osorio wants to work on her brand, but feels overwhelmed because she has to spend so much time working for "The Source." She seeks advice from Kino, who's sick, and therefore has a license to act like an asshole in front of the kids. While Kim is working from home, the kids are getting in her grill, and she feels frustrated. Kino gets the kids to sing a lovely song, "Daddy's nice. Mommy's mean." Also, he asked Kim ten times for a glass of orange juice, and he still hasn't gotten one. Sounds like Kim really does have an extra kid.

Later in the episode, he appears to have gotten over his illness, and is slightly more helpful. She wants to focus on her brand (I still don't get what this means!), but she'd be getting rid of a lot of income, and she's comfortable right now. There's no time for a job and creating a brand. Kino says that if she were his client, he'd look at her resume and say she's a star. He'd advise her to cut out any work that isn't getting her to where she wants to be. Realizing he looks like an actual, loving husband at this point, he adds, then "I'd try to have sex with you."

Viv wants to repair her image by talking things out with Steph Lova. Things don't go so well, and Steph Lova resorts to insults: "Get your ass a gym membership, bitch." Viv realizes the whole fight was provoked by her cousin, Star, so she decides she won't do his show anymore. When she informs him of this, he basically responds by saying he'd rather be drinking than talking to her right now.

KFoxx decides to start hanging out with JasFly and Ms. Drama (separately). She plans to work with JasFly. She takes on a mentorship role for the sad, friendless Ms. Drama. Both JasFly and Ms. Drama like KFoxx's recent interview about the media's portrayal of light skinned women over dark skinned women. JasFly likes to say she "doesn't fall into any categories," but KFoxx tells her she's dark skinned, whether she admits it or not. KFoxx tries to get JasFly and Ms. Drama to reconcile twice, but neither attempt works. Instead, JasFly tells Ms. Drama that she has no "genuity," which Ms. Drama notes "does not exist in the dictionary."

Finally, Sharon has a birthday party, and everyone but Ms. Drama is invited. That doesn't matter, though, because now that KFoxx and Ms. Drama are BFFs, Ms. Drama comes as KFoxx's plus one. Ms. Drama decides it would be cool to call Sharon "delusional" at her birthday party, so Sharon asks Angela to ask Ms. Drama to leave. How second grade. Ms. Drama leaves slowly, waving to everyone as she walks out. Ms. Drama proclaims--in an empty stairwell--that it is her and KFoxx versus the mean girls.

The Gossip Game: S01E06 Recap

There was absolutely no narrative in episode 6 of The Gossip Game. This is most likely horrible editing, since you can make a story out of anything… but it can’t be helped by the fact that the women on the show have their own lives and barely ever talk to each other. It’s no “Basketball Wives.” Here, the women actually have jobs, so even if they’re forced to hang out together, it happens rarely.

Vivian tells Kim Osorio that Steph Lova said that Kim walked in on her husband, Kino, with another woman. (This is the definition of gossip. What a game it is.) Kim informs Kino of this piece of gossip, which is completely unfounded, and he advises her to “check the bitch.” However, Kim is 10-15 years out of a good fight, and she doesn’t like “check[ing] bitches because you get in a fight and your boobs are all like aah ahh.” Kino and Kim eventually confront Steph, and basically nothing happens.

Sharon is dating her ex, Garland. (Is it just me, or is Garland a really gay name?) Sharon and Angela go on a double date, and Angela decides to grill Garland on why he broke up with Sharon before, etc. Nothing interesting happens as a result.

Ms. Drama meets with Star, and he says he will do an interview with her if he gets some “intimate time” in return. What a gross, gross man. This is on TV. She ignores him and says she would be good at interviewing this a-hole because “I am Ms. Drama, and I will read a bitch.” (I think Ms. Drama loves her some Rupaul’s Drag Race.) Ms. Drama then interviews Star, and the interview is boring.

Viv wants to get a tattoo of four hearts with one of her kids’ names at the center of each one. She wants to put Kadeshia instead of Kayden to represent her trans son, because that is the name she chose. Kayden is pissed. Viv meets with Kim Osorio to talk about it, and Kim is confused, “but when you talk about your daughter, you talk about her as a girl.” Viv cries. To Viv, Kayden will always be Kadeshia, but she doesn’t want to disrespect her child. Sounds like she needs a book. Something along the lines of Different Daughters (see: Portlandia), but for trans kids and not from the 1980s. A tattoo for a fully grown woman is the most real part of this episode.

Gossip Game: S01E05 Recap

Just in time for the Jason Collins story, we have the LGBT-themed episode. Yay.

Apparently Viv got kicked off of some chick named Steph Lova's show because... Steph Lova was smelling Viv's pants? WTF. There is no way I could make this up. So, basically, Steph Lova goes all apeshit because she is not gay. HOW DARE SOMEONE CALL HER GAY. (Sounds like she's closeted. Who else is that homophobic in NYC? Come on.) Then she proceeds to tell her listeners that Viv would know about teh gayz because Viv's daughter is gay.

OH NO SHE DIDN'T.

Viv has a heartfelt talk with her kid, Kayden, who reveals that he's actually trans, and is transitioning from female to male. He just wants to look to everyone else what he feels like inside. She just wants to check the bitch who talked about someone birthed from her cooch. There is a lot of crying and hugging, and in the words of Kayden, "this feels stupid." Stupid emotional, that is. Made me tear up.

Viv plots her revenge. First, she contemplates posting on her blog about how gay big old gay Steph Lova is. The show films her typing under the headline "Steph Lova loves talking about innocent kids." Finally, Viv confronts Steph Lova in person. They exchange some heated words, Viv spits on Steph Lova, and the two have to be physically separated when that escalates to near violence. The episode ends with Viv being dragged off camera by a security guard. But not before she gets the last say, "You're mad at my daughter cause she's proud to be gay, and you're still [bleep]ing hiding in the closet, you desperate ho!"

PS. Click the "Cornify" button (on the right). Click it again. Once more.

Gossip Game: S01E04 Recap

Ms. Drama, Kim Osorio, and Ciara win this episode.

I couldn't bring myself to care about the other women this episode. Vivian tells the world K Foxx slept with Maino, and K Foxx says this never happened. Who cares? Sharon Carpenter argues with JasFly because Sharon thinks she's the shit (she's done reporting for CNN, CBS, and BBC). Can someone tell me why Sharon's reporting for a hip-hop blog now? Makes no sense. Angela Yee is not present for the majority of the episode.

Meanwhile, Ms. Drama has a "quick kiki" with her friend Casey at his favorite gay bar. Who cares WTF they are talking about. They are essentially the only customers in a gay bar in NYC--which means it must be like 10am--and the bartender is only wearing his tightie yellow-ies. Pour up. Drank. Ms. Drama wins because she can just drank with her friend at 10am.

Kim Osorio wins because she doesn't have time to waste on this fucking reality show. She's clearly gotta get some filming in, but she has an important meeting with DJ Khaled. Solution? She tells JasFly to come in the car with her on the way to see DJ Khaled. First I thought JasFly was gonna tag along at the meeting, but it soon became evident that JasFly was just coming for the car ride. JasFly, I have to be in the car for like half an hour, and since I'm the editor of The Source, that's the only time I can schedule for you. OK? OKAYYY.

Ciara also wins because I actually remember her song, which was played during the episode. Remember Ciara? Whose last big hit was "1, 2 Step" featuring Missy Elliot back in 2004? Who is trying to have a comeback so is therefore on Nicki Minaj's latest album? Behold "Got Me Good," which apparently was released as a digital single last year:



Her style in the video is Janet Jackson meets early 00s Britney. The chorus also invites comparison to Khia's "My Neck, My Back" (and clearly loses).

The Gossip Game Recap: S01E03

Sorry this recap is late; I was busy recovering from some pointless exam for grad school.

As heavily advertised in previous clips, Kim Osorio's husband asks if they can have a threesome. Kim says no, so Kino, being ever the asshole, decides to complain about it on a double date with Viv and her husband. Kim gets pretty embarrassed because they are not actual friends (in case you missed the memo, the whole point of this type of reality show is to throw together people who have never interacted/will not get along in order to see the drama that ensues). Kim later introduces Kino to an inflatable girlfriend to say that's the only kind of threesome he is going to get. She tells him the whole thing makes her feel insecure, and he (insincerely, IMO) apologizes, telling her she is all he needs in this world.

On the flip side, Sharon Carpenter refuses to date. When Angela Yee sets her up with some actor from the Wire (no, Sharon, you are not the only person who's "never seen an episode of the Wire," there's also me), she constantly checks her watch, and then walks out when he's not there after 15 minutes. She doesn't have time to spare from her job (this week, she's interviewing Biggie's daughter, Tianna Wallace), and he just wasted like an hour of her time. Punctuality is key. I can relate.

Ms. Drama decides she's going to completely change her image by taking photos for a gentlemen's magazine. She hosts an event for said photos. The only problem is, she doesn't come off as sexy, according to the new resident mean girls clique, Sharon Carpenter and Angela Yee. (Don't worry, I love Mean Girls.) One photo, which Angie dubs, "the stepping out one," is particularly un-sexy (see the photo @ 1:50 into the video):

The Gossip Game

This photo is so bad, it forces Angie and Sharon to wonder if Ms. Drama has ever had sex. It reminds me a bit of this moment from RuPaul's Drag Race:



However, Ms. Drama will not be made fun of at her event. She recaptures the spotlight when she gives a ridiculous speech, which includes gems such as, "People come in your life, and they go out with the wind. They are seasonal." Her speech is so entertaining, K Foxx comments on how entertaining it is, thus leaving us reeling in the meta-ness that is reality TV.

The episode ends with a verbal spat between Ms. Drama and JasFly. Ms. Drama concludes with a monologue, because she wanted to yell at JasFly, not argue with her.

Gossip Game: S01E02 Recap

Can a reality show perpetuate and address stereotypes? Can black women hold their own in the world of hip-hop despite being portrayed as stereotypically catty bitches?

First, K Foxx is the sole woman (out of a group of four) on the Hot 97 morning show. On air, her (male) boss implies that she got her job by sleeping around. K Foxx gets angry after the show, yelling at her boss, and calling him a "chauvinistic pig." She contends he's sullied her name when he knows that's not how she got her job, since he hired her. He contends that it was a joke in good fun, and that she is asking for special treatment because she is a woman. Oh yes, he went to that argument. Moral: women in hip-hop face sexism, while screaming at their boss!

I must say that this is something that has always pissed me off about morning shows. There is always a room full of dudes who all say annoying, sexist shit and get off with only a "come on, guys" from the token woman on the show. That is one reason why I loved "the Ladies Room," which was hosted by two (!!) women on the old Movin 92.5. Suffice it to say, that show was canceled. I guess the annoying, sexist shit sells better.

Second, Vivian and Ms. Drama continue their motiveless feud. They fight twice in public (once at Angela's bowling birthday party... yay for bowling parties!), and once in private. A reality show featuring professional black women is also featuring fighting. Two of the other women on the show say they were "embarrassed" by the fight (JasFly and Angela). Kim Osorio feels inclined to defend herself by saying that women in hip-hop generally have more credentials than men, because they had to work harder to get there. Moral: women in hip-hop get into fights, while having to constantly apologize for them!

In the episode, Kim Osorio beautifully sums up the conundrum of this show. She notes that the fight between Vivian and Ms. Drama at a public event is "unprofessional... but at the same time, I will say I am guilty of being entertained."

Gossip Game: S01E01 Recap

This episode airs on VH1 at 9pm on April 1, but is currently available on VH1.com. Don't read on if you haven't watched and you don't want spoilers!

Team Yee: Angela Yee on a billboard in Times Square

From the get-go the show is framed as Hot 97 vs. Power 105. K Foxx vs. Angela Yee. The geezers of hip-hop versus the up-and-comings. Clearly, I will be Team Yee.

Who's in this show?

K Foxx: Hot 97 morning show DJ. Hot 97 has been the top hip-hop station for years and years, but it's being contested by Power 105. In this episode: Clearly has it in for Angela Yee. Incites crazy ramblings from Funk Master Flex (a DJ coworker).

Angela Yee: Power 105 morning show DJ who parties a ton and talks to everyone (except K Foxx). In this episode: Has always been a fan of Kendrick Lamar. Drunken happiness at a blogger thank-you event that she is hosting. Blocks a fight with her poufy dress.

Kim Osorio: Editor-in-chief of the Source magazine. In this episode: Has an asshole for a husband. Balances a hardcore job with kids and an asshole husband. Wants to start a women in hip-hop round-table.

Sharon Carpenter: Hip-hop journalist. In this episode: Meets with Macy Gray. (Macy Gray is still doing stuff??) Is an attractive female, so people don't take her seriously. Gets a self-help book from Russell Simmons, written by Russell Simmons. Works with nerds/lesbinerds.

Vivian: Blogger who nobody (except for Angela Yee) knows about. In this episode: Stirs the pot with juicy/"ratchet" gossip . Has kids, and works in a hospital 9-5. Gets in a fight for no apparent reason with Miss Drama in front of Kim Osorio and Angela Yee. Way to get your career going.

Miss Drama: Internet radio DJ. In this episode: Is crazy. Gets in a fight (see above) with Vivian. Has a random rapper use the words octopus, hyperbole, and mushroom in a horrible freestyle.

Jasfly: Some kind of writer. In this episode: Creates some minor drama by getting K Foxx and Angela Yee to simultaneously do an interview with her .

From episode one, my favorites are clearly Angela Yee (out of necessity) and Sharon Carpenter. Can't wait for more!