While great ratings, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is in crisis (and I watch it despite knowing it’s bad for me). One that’s worse than the final season of Real Housewives of New York, which led to the show’s termination and demise.
One cast member’s handsome, younger fiancé, a former heartthrob, and aspiring singer, brings back the goofy moments I’ve missed.
An inscrutable group of veterans known as The Fox Force Five, which now unofficially includes rookie housewife Diana Jenkins, is dictating and manipulating the show’s run of confrontations. However, (I am a diehard fan of both Sutton and Garcelle).
Since Garcelle Beauvais, Sutton Stracke, and Crystal Kung Minkoff, the more likable set of cast members, are always ostracised no matter what they do, watching these ladies debate is like watching someone attempt to squeeze a square peg into a round hole over and over again. Strangely enough, the criticism has simply served to strengthen the core coalition (dubbed #RHOBHMeanGirls on Twitter). Because of this, the ladies (particularly Lisa Rinna) are always aware of how they are being portrayed online and feel the need to defend themselves in the worst ways imaginable.
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One character, though, has been a constant source of amusement for me this season, a throwback to the days when this show wasn’t a calculated political game but rather a bunch of goofy, affluent people living in the present. No, it’s not Kathy Hilton. His name is Asher Monroe, and he’s the musician and fiancee of Jenkins. He’s 33 years old, has shaggy hair, and plays the guitar.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Monroe was the punchline to a thousand jokes when the season began. Check out Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers‘ take on Watch What Happens Life for more. Viewers have commented on his unusual dress choices, a mix of LA hipster and ’70s kitsch, and the age difference between him and his wife, who is 49.
Monroe’s presence stands out to me because of a terrible personal connection. You may have had a crush on him after seeing his 2009 rendition of Fame. Monroe, who took the surname Book, played Jenny Garrison’s love interest, Marco Ramone. I wore out his iPod Touch copy of “Try” and “Ordinary People”.
Despite her Broadway triumph, Monroe wanted to be a Hollywood star and pop star. My 13-year-old mentality thought so. I recall visiting Monroe’s Myspace page constantly, expecting new music or movie news, and rewatching Fame. After some investigation, I realized he was in Tommy Page’s Warner Bros.-signed boy band V Factory. Before fading, they were popular on Radio Disney.
Over a decade later, I was idly watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and recognized her dimpled chin and name. I don’t know what to make of his unexpected return, so I texted every RHOBH fan: “Diana’s fiancé is that dude from Fame!!!” (Before announcing a 2009 remake of Fame). It’s a completely pointless and weird bit of pop-culture trivia that helps nothing to improve my taste. Despite that, I can’t seem to stop talking about it.
Monroe’s oddly charming appearances on RHOBH have not rekindled my desire for him, but I have appreciated them. For one thing, as I’ve matured, so has the sort of white male who piques my interest. He has experienced a significant transition from the short-haired Hollister model he was in the early 2010s. He’s married to one of the cruelest and most horrible women on reality TV. His history with Black people is, shall we say, not encouraging.
It’s too bad for Monroe that his time on RHOBH could be short-lived, given how divisive his wife is online. But then again, many of the annoyances have been on this brand for longer than they should have. If nothing else, I’m relieved that Monroe has offered us a distraction from the show’s sour tone and the repugnant conduct that has characterized so much of Monroe’s character. I hope he sings at least 10 more slow songs before the season ends.