Reality Bytes- Part 7

“I don’t like these cold, precise, perfect people, who, in order not to speak wrong, never speak at all, and in order not to do wrong, never do anything.” Henry Ward Beecher

The Housewives of Orange County reunion has long since gone. The controversy however continues. Why can’t we just let this go? It is just a T.V. show. We’re all intelligent enough to know even reality shows aren’t always what they appear. So what’s the big deal? What’s with the restraining order? Why does Jay continue surfacing in the media? Is there a hidden agenda? Fame? Fortune?
As I follow this story, the answers become clear.
I remain firm in my belief that Jay and Gretchen were in, and had been in a relationship since January 2008. Not only does Gretchen continue to deny this, she has since made some very serious allegations against Jay. Now knowing she lied about the relationship, she lost her credibility with many people. With all that she has put out there, she has yet to offer any explanations or proof to substantiate her accusations. Is Jay’s agenda that of fame or fortune? I don’t believe so. We all want to maintain our character and integrity, what better way to do that than have the lies and accusations put to rest?

Gretchen Rossi’s ‘Ex’ to Take Lie Detector

An upcoming court showdown has just taken a dramatic new turn for Real Housewives of Orange County star Gretchen Rossi.

Gretchen has taken out a temporary restraining order against Jay Photogiou, who may or may not have been her secret lover, depending on whose version of the story you believe. She claims Jay threatened to kill her and her dogs and burn down her house.The two are headed to court on March 27.

Now RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively that Jay will take a lie detector test and present the results in court! Jay told RadarOnline.com that he will answer the key question: Did you threaten to kill Gretchen?

Gretchen, 31, filed the original restraining order request March 6. The Reality TV star has had more drama than a marathon of Lifetime TV movies! In court papers she claimed Jay tried to break into her house, threatened to strangle her in the middle of the night and hang himself in her bedroom to prove they lived together.

She says they never had a romantic relationship. He says they did. She has given interviews, however, where she says they dated for a very short time before she was engaged to Jeff Beitzel, who is now deceased.

It’s a never-ending war of words between the Bravo star and her ex (or maybe not) lover.

Hook up the polygraph!

Now the Real Housewives of Orange County star is getting cozy with Slade Smiley.  The two were snapped Wednesday on a boat in Newport Beach applying suntan lotion on each other and kissing.  Slade was former O.C. Housewife Jo De La Rosa’s ex-fiancé. He also dated another ex-O.C. Housewife, Lauri Waring.

A party for Gretchen?

read more “Orange” Juice

Reality Bytes- Part 6

I didn’t just hear her say “yes” when asked if Jay was her boyfriend did I?

This was sent to me from Jay Photoglou;

This 911 cal took place at 00:32 Wednesday January 28th 2009. 3 days before the filming of the reunion show of the Orange County housewives.

The events immediately leading up to and following this call are critical in understanding why I made this call. I really thought Gretchen had taken Lunest to take her life. A by product of this call will show Gretchen as someone who will say whatever she needs to to get whatever she wants.

*Please read this before you listen to the call.*

Grecthen knows the story of someone in my life that tried to commit suicide, she has even asked me if even I have talked to them to let them know how much it affected me, after meeting this person. This will always be a sensitive subject for me.

So, to the night of the call.

Gretchen and I started out Leaving our house at 8 or 8:30 P.M. (I had moved in December 29th 2008) we were going to a birthday party @ 3 thirty 3 in Newport Beach. While at the party, Gretchen noticed a girl there named J***. J*** works at the salon Gretchen gets her hair done. Gretchen had just found out a few days earlier that J*** had just started dating C**** her ex- husband (he claims they were just friends). She was not happy as she thought she was J***’s friend.

While at 3 Thirty 3 stares went back and forth across the bar between Gretchen and J***. About 10:45 a friend of mine comes out of the ladies room and says I think Gretchen is getting into a fight in there. I look over and J*** was gone too.

I ask the birthday boy’s girlfriend to go check and see if she is O.K. Birthday boy’s Girlfriend agree’d. Then another friend of ours comes out of the Ladies room and says “you should go in there and get your girlfriend”, to me. I figure Birthday boys girlfriend is in there one of them can grab help if it gets that bad.

30 minutes go by, Gretchen and 4 of our friends come out of the ladies room. ALL of them (except Gretchen) looking at me like ‘dude you gotta control her’. I asked what happened and Gretchen said “I gave J*** a piece of her mind”. Then one of the girls that was in there with her “yeah and almost a piece of your fist”.

I said “girl (referring to Gretchen) you gotta stop that, you gotta get over what C**** is doing”. I said this in front of the other people (I shouldn’t have done that) She claimed I was taking C****’s side. So this started an arguement between us. She explained this and that about how J*** was her friend and she has no right to date C**** several times. So after I still didn’t take her side and she said “I’m just gonna kill myself”…. O.K. I was (too) thinking dramatic. But figured lets go home, so to not excite the situation I said “Let’s just go home and write your blog”. We had watched the episode earlier and always wrote her blog together. Notice no blog since Jan 23rd 2009???

We were still arguing as we walked outside to valet. Valet pulled her car up she got in the passenger seat, that was fine, although she had driven there, I thought she was too upset and a little buzzed too drive. I shut her door got in the driver’s side of the car. as I started to pull away I realized I forgot my jacket inside. So I told her I was going back to get it.

When I went back inside and grabbed my jacket I let birthday boy know we were leaving. Gave him a short summary why (no longer than 5 minutes inside) we were leaving. I walked outside and saw she and the car were gone. I asked valet if he saw where she went, pointing at where the car was he said “she got out said “”F*** him”" and drove away.

I walked back inside to see if anyone else was leaving to give me a ride home. No one was. So I jumped in a cab and went home. My cell phone battery was dead. My keys to my car, car charger and the house were inside the house so I couldn’t call or let myself in.

I rang the door bell. I couldn’t have been more than 15 minutes behind her. No answer, so I walked to the back yard. Checking the sliding glass door it was locked too. The worst just went through my mind. She overdosed on her prescription sleeping pills (Lunesta). I now start banging very loud. I then walk to the side garage door and knock again very loud. I decide to walk to the street to see if someone driving by would call 911 I was scared she took her pills and was making good on her threat. No one drove by for 5 minutes. I walk back to the house, pounded on the front door very hard. She finally came down opened the garage door. I lived there. She even told the police that when they were there.

I walked in and immediately asked her why it took her so long to answer. She said “I was sleeping”. I said “Gretchen you don’t sleep that deep unless you’ve taken your sleeping pills”, and asked her if she took her sleeping pills. She said “maybe”. I said how many. no answer from her. I said “Gretchen I’m not kidding” she smirked. So I picked up the phone and called 911.

Now please listen to the call.

After seeing the reunion show. It became clear to me that Gretchen is going to do or say what she wants to get what she wants.

On the tape you heard her say I am her boyfriend. Then 3 days later on the filming of the reunion show when called out by Tamra she says no he is an ex. The morning of the reunion show filming I walked her cloths to the driver of the towncar supplied Bravo/Evolution. On the way home from the filming of the reunion show she sent a text to me ” I am too shaken up to talk I just want to come home and take a sleeping pill”. This has been her way of letting me know something is serious, and to take her serious she is not in a laughing mood. (The night of the 911 call she went one step further by using the word kill)

She lied about where I lived on the 911 tape, but when the police were there she told the truth (I think that was because I could hear her talking to the police officers in the house and she knew I would say something if she lied about where I lived.)

You hear her lie about my last name. This is because there was alot of stuff on the Internet about us. She later said she did that so no one could look up my name and see us in a police report together.

I am upset the most about the night she referred to me as sliding my hand over on her and making an unwanted advance. I was driving that night and the things she described DID NOT HAPPEN THAT WAY at all.

Gretchen tell the truth!!!

Jay Photoglou to take a Polygraph!

read more “Orange” Juice here

Reality Bytes- Part 5- 1 & 2  (part 2 added March 2nd)

Can I get a WOOHOO!!
I had originally started this post last week but never finished it. Now after watching the post-season “Reunion” I felt I needed to go back and revisit what I had previously written. I had never seen the show before this season, a show I have vehemently denied watching. But I do.

The Real Housewives of Orange County was initially set primarily in the gated community of Coto and followed the lavish lifestyles of five “housewives” and their families who live within Coto McMansions. However, the show has since expanded its filming locations to include Rancho Santa Margarita, Ladera Ranch, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente and Costa Mesa. In the fourth season, Tamra Barney, Vicki Gunvalson, Jeana Keough are back and joined by two new “wives,” Gretchen Rossi and Lynne Curtin.

Tamra Barney 41, is known as the “mean girl” this season. Married to Simon she is now a “stay at home” mom to 3 of her 4 kids. The oldest Ryan, 22 has now moved out of the house…for now. From the outside looking in, this appears to be your all American (upper class) family. Don’t let those good looks fool you, Tamara is a down right sneaky little devil! She will be your best friend and your worst enemy, console you when your down, then kick you to the ground.  She is melodramatic, loves to gossip, and has some serious jealousy issues with Gretchen. Her and her husband recently hosted a lavish dinner party, her mission for the night was to get Gretchen “naked drunk” in hopes her “dark side” would come out. Classy gal! You don’t see much interaction with her younger 3 kids. (all under 10) I don’t know if that’s due to editing, or she is just so caught up in her own drama, she just doesn’t have the time to be a hands on mom. Boo!  I like her like to roll my eyes at her!
Post Reunion- Tired of being known as the “mean girl,” Tamra decides to reveal Gretchen’s “dark side.” During the season she apparently received a phone call at 1:00 a.m. from Jay Photoglou who claimed to be Gretchen’s boyfriend. His story was they had been romantically involved since Jan. ’08 and while Gretchen would spend her days at the hospital with Jeff, she spent most nights with him. Tamra’s advice to Gretchen, “Tell the truth, the truth will set you free.” She goes on to explain, it was after that phone call she began questioning Gretchen’s motives. Whether or not this has any truth to it remains to be seen. the fact that Tamra would even go there on national television confirms my initial thoughts on her and then some. There is no excuse for what she did.

Lynne Curtin 52, Lynne Curtin is 52, Lynne Curtin is 52, Lynne Curtin is 52, Lynne Curtin is 52. The newest “wife” Lynn has been happily married to Frank for over 18 years. They have 2 spoiled brats daughters 18 and 15. She claims she is obsessive about looking young and refuses to divulge her age. Lynne Curtin is 52, Lynne Curtin is 52, Lynne Curtin is 52. This actually surprised me as I had her pegged between 54/56, so much for her obsession.  Her laid back demur and ditziness have led the other wives to ask if she’s been hitting a doobie. “A doobie like the Doobie Brothers? I don’t know what else that would mean.” C’mon Lynne… Umm, I think they’re on to something! She takes pride in being more of a friend to her spoiled brats daughters than a mother….and loves them so much she doesn’t have the heart to tell them no. “No, you can’t have the car of your choice at 18.” “No, you will not walk out of my house looking like a hooker.” “No, you can not drink.” She plays wholeheartedly to the fact she must be naive. No Lynne, it’s called stupidity. She has instilled no values, morals or responsibility in her spoiled brats daughters, while she laughs about it now…lets check back with the Curtin family in 2 years. Aside from her parenting skills, or lack there of I find Lynne to be shallow, fake and unlikable. There seems to be something mysterious about her, whether that’s just part of her “character” or not, I don’t know.  Bottom line, I don’t like her.
Post Reunion- Watching clips from the season, I realized some of these “wives” (you guess who!) were really brutal to Lynne. She actually broke down in tears because of it and I felt bad for her. While I still think she’s out to lunch on the whole parenting thing, I think what bathers me is she tries too hard to fit in and comes off as phony. She is definitely not my favorite, but I think I understand her a little bit better now. She took a lot of unwarranted grief, perhaps it’s a Godsend you don’t fit in Lynne!

Gina, Geena, Jeana Keough, 53 ia a successful realtor of high-end homes. Her first career was in Hollywood as a model and actress. She was once a Playboy centerfold and one of the models in the ZZ Top videos. She recently separated from her husband Matt Keough, (a major league baseball player who played for the Oakland A’s) and has 3 kids. Gina, Geena,Jeana is probably the most likable of the bunch, though sadly lacks self-esteem. Her children are verbally abusive to her and have no disregard for her as a human being let alone a mother, apparently a learned behavior from dad. The least catty of the bunch, she appears very genuine, sincere and tends to see the best in everyone. (*Note to Gina, Geena, Jeana…please cut those kids off $$ until they learn some respect! $$$) I like her and hope she finds true happiness.
Post Reunion- My feelings of  Gina, Geena, Jeana remain the same. I think she is who she is, no hidden agenda’s…what you see is what you get!

Vicki “I want the power and the money and I want them both!” Gunvalson, 46  is one of the original ladies of The Real Housewives of Orange County.  She owns a successful life insurance business, is married to her second husband Donn and has two children, Michael and Briana. Vicki is a workaholic, controlling and down right mean to her husband, He just doesn’t fill her “love tank” up anymore. In the beginning I really liked her. I admired her drive for success, the ability to be so brutally honest and her wittiness. Now, I can’t get past the jealousy, cattiness and the fact she cares about no one but herself. Amazingly, her college age kids are probably the most down to earth O.C. offspring on the show! If you are ever in the O.C. and hear a WOOHOO….run, run fast Vicki’s in the house. I want to like her, but I don’t.
Post Reunion- Vicki was just as bad as Tamra. While she may not have said the words, her expressions spoke volumes. Everything is still about her. When Lynne expressed how hurt she had been by some of the comments that were made towards her, Vicki was quick to point out how many times she had cried over the mean things Lynne had said to her. P-l-e-a-s-e! She did update us on Donn, you’ll be happy to know they are working on getting that “love tank” filled back up. Perhaps if she put half as much time and effort into her marriage as she does her career this marriage will be salvageable! Donn, run your a patient man!

Gretchen Rossi is 31. New to the show this season, she is beautiful, spunky, flirty, friendly and the happy-go-lucky one of the group. She is engaged to Jeff, a wealthy business man who is 23 years older than her and battling cancer. Once a realtor, she has now taken on the role of Jeff’s caretaker. Though their relationship does appear genuine, some of the other wives (you got it, Tamra and Vicki) are constantly questioning her motives. The interaction between her and Jeff is limited on the show and as Gretchen goes on mini-vacations and continues to fulfill her socializing obligations, it leaves you wondering just how devoted she really is. She reminds people, “do not judge me until you have been in my shoes.” Is this true love, is she a gold digger or is it an arrangement between the two of them? Gretchen seems to work hard at keeping peace within the group, I don’t think I have heard her speak negatively about anyone. For the most part she just goes with the flow and can have fun anywhere. Is there really a “dark side” to her as Tamra claims or is Tamra jealous? If she is really true to her “character” I like her..a lot!
Post Reunion- Oh boy! First of all, sadly, Jeff passed away on September 13th. Gretchen was emotional while reflecting on his memory and I just wanted to reach through the screen and give her a hug. She says she is doing O.K., having good days and bad days. After confronting Tamra on her ploy to get her “naked drunk” all hell broke loose. That’s when Tamra decided it was time to reveal Gretchen’s “dark side.” Gretchen defended herself saying Jay was an old boyfriend…then he was a family friend….yes, he did go on a mini-vacation with me….my whole family was there, so what. No, I’m not dating him….no, I’m not dating anyone. Absolutely not. When asked why his clothes were on her bedroom floor, my little Gretchen replied with a mere, “When were you in my room?” Now I’m no rocket scientist, and I do like her…a lot, but her expressions and explanations were not so convincing. My perceptions of her and the “genuine” relationship with Jeff were fading fast. Corny as it may sound, I felt betrayed. Was Tamra that jealous or was there validity in her accusations? Regardless, it was a tacky move on her part. I don’t really know what to believe or what to think of Gretchen. It’s really no one’s business, but the thought of her deceiving Jeff while he lay on his death bed breaks my heart. The jury’s out on this one, I really hope none of this is true!

Obviously, this is a “reality” show, however the scripting, editing, etc…can portray things far from reality. This whole thing could be strategically planned by BRAVO for ratings. There could be some truth, there could be none. But like a cliffhanger to the season finale of your favorite Monday night show, you can’t wait to find out what happens next. I looked on the internet hoping to curb my curiosity. Here’s a few FACTS things I found.

• As per Jeff’s daughter, Jill: “I do believe that they had a thing but I don’t really care, my dad loved Gretchen but I’m almost certain he never would have married her. I think Jay is a selfish manipulative jerk, and just wants the exposure from the story. He doesn’t give a rats ass that when he degrades Gretchen he is also degrading my father, and that makes things a lot harder for our family to be okay with.”
• Jay and Gretchen were indeed a couple, but recently quit seeing each other.
• They spent a lot of time going out in Newport Beach.
• Gretchen has said to be keeping company with Slade Smiley, formally of RHOC (He was allegedly arrested at her house recently for back child support)
• Gretchen had Jay’s name tattooed on her ring finger this summer but is still wearing the ring Jeff gave her.
• Jay broke up with her and went “public” with their relationship after she broke one of their “agreements”
• One of Jeff”s daughters was on Rock of Love Bus with Brett Michaels but was sent home to deal with the grief of her dad’s passing.

Another day in the lives of The Housewives of Orange County. Stay tuned… 
(Now even I’m exhausted!)

Update March 2nd, Part 5/2

Like so many others, I would have liked to believe that Gretchen was the victim here. I have read so many forums, blogs and articles on this subject, my head is spinning! There’s the just plain curious people, the Sherlock Holmes’ and then those that are so engaged in the controversy, they don’t know where to draw that fine line between reality vs. T.V., nor do they care.
Reality Television- Such shows frequently portray a modified and highly influenced form of reality, with participants put in exotic locations or abnormal situations, sometimes coached to act in certain ways by off-screen handlers, and with events on screen sometimes manipulated through editing and other post-production techniques.
This is the first season I have watched the show, and I am a bit embarrassed that I have even given it so much thought! I think for myself and probably others, because of the circumstances with Jeff’s illness there was an emotional attachment to the “Jeff & Gretchen” relationship and we are now left with a sense of betrayal.
I have tried to remain open minded and non biased knowing there is never a winner in a situation like this. With that being said, after all that I have seen and read, this is where I stand;
• 100% convinced the relationship between Gretchen and Jay did in fact exist throughout the season.
• 100% convinced Jeff was aware of the relationship, as were many others.
• I do not believe, under any circumstances it was Tamra’s place to talk about this, doing so has only made her look that much more desperate and pathetic. Damage control should be her top priority, she crossed that fine line and opened the door for any and all the skeletons in her closet to be revealed.
• 100% convinced Gretchen lied. It was obvious she was caught completely off guard when Jay was brought up. I gave her the benefit of doubt, (bear in mind, she was my favorite) that out of shock and being put on the spot, she was literally at a loss for words and not sure how to respond. Regardless, it was a lie. Redemption should be her top priority, she has now put others reputation and lively hood on the line. She needs to step up to the plate and set the record straight. It has been said Gretchen was originally going to address this at the Reunion show, but changed her mind the morning of taping.
BRAVO obviously has the last word. It is how and what they have edited, that is what we ultimately see. I can’t help but wonder…was the Reunion part of “their” storyline or was it an unanticipated train wreck that they ran with? Their priority is ratings, these “wives” are paid for what they do/do not do. They are paid to entertain us and we love it!
I’m just curious, can you put a  price on your dignity? On your friends and loved one’s dignity? I do hope the $$$ is worth it, because at the end of the day that’s all you have left.

A message from Jay, 911 tape released!

Jay Photoglou to take a Polygraph