In the conclusion of The Real Housewives of New York City reunion, Jessel makes it clear that talk of her marriage should no longer be on the table, especially with Sai and Erin. Sai apologizes quite a bit after realizing how abrasive she came off, and Ubah goes through an emotional journey with Erin in hopes of coming out in a better place.
Jessel’s marriage and sex life seemed to be a hot topic among the group, particularly with Sai and Erin. While they were busy making fun of Pavit and their lack of intimacy, they had no idea that Jessel was going through some postpartum struggles. Andy wonders if Jessel talked about those issues with the girls, and Erin claims that Jessel never discussed it to the “level she did in her confessional.” She calls her poking fun at Jessel’s sex life a playful thing, and Sai denies implying that Pavit was cheating.
Jessel’s reaction toward Jenna‘s gift-giving gets focused on. They discuss why Sai decided to fight Jenna’s green negligee gift, and Sai states that she could tell Jenna was upset and embarrassed… that’s why she jumped down Jessel’s throat. Jessel admits that she was wrong in that situation.
Why does Jessel get made fun of for sharing her background? Well, Erin claims that Jessel’s stories over the course of the season didn’t seem like *hers,* and Jessel didn’t grow up as poor as she insinuated. Andy ponders why this is a competition about who had the hardest upbringing, and Erin babbles that she “totally gets it” even though she picked Jessel apart every episode.
Sai explains that her frustration was getting the best of her, hence her lashing out. Jenna calmly tries to explain that Jessel needs to acknowledge and understand that sometimes when she tries to connect with people, it misses the mark. For instance, when Jessel tried to liken the death of her alcoholic uncle to Sai’s alcoholic mother, it missed the mark. Sai understands that Jessel was just trying to find a connection to her, and Jessel apologizes profusely for this.
Brynn questions why Jessel is always the one apologizing, considering these ladies have ripped apart her marriage and ripped apart her background. It’s unbelievable. Jessel tries to clarify that she “grew up comfortable, but certainly not lavish,” but she shouldn’t feel as ashamed for her upbringing as Erin is trying to do.
Erin makes a genuine apology for making fun of Jessel’s marriage but follows that up by saying she still thinks it’s weird that Pavit would go to Vietnam for a sandwich. You wanna know what else is weird? The way Sai and Erin are SO invested in Jessel’s marriage… As she tries to give Jessel a long overdue apology, Sai freaks out on Brynn because she tries to defend Jessel, and Sai ain’t ready for all of that. Even Jenna-I-Don’t-Get-Involved-In-Anything admits that there was no reason for Sai to go that deep into Jessel’s marriage. Despite all the drama during the season, the group currently hangs out, which is truly a head-scratcher considering the way they talk to each other…
Finally, Sai shows some emotion, and that’s only when her segment is shown and she has to discuss her mother again. Sai explains that her mother did her best despite suffering from a mental illness and drinking to cope with it all. Sai likens her mother to having a child and shares that she was in rehab/assisted living before moving in with her and David. David made Sai throw her own mother out because she got too drunk in front of her children, and then three months later, Sai’s mom died. Sai beats herself up about her mom’s death to this day, and she calls her mom an “artist” around the children, not an alcoholic.
Andy lightens the mood and wants to know why Sai is always hungry. She explains that she must eat every two to three hours, and when she is hangry, she cannot function. Perhaps she should just start carrying granola bars in her purse. That would really alleviate a lot of issues. Speaking of issues, Sai realizes that people took issue with having an influencer be a part of the RHONY cast. She knows that influencers have a bad reputation, but when Jenna jumps in to back up Sai’s influencing status, you gotta kinda believe Sai’s gig.
Brynn is instantly emotional when her segment comes up. We hear about how she tended to her absent father for his last three months alive and gained closure from taking care of him. Brynn’s dad was African American, and these days, Brynn is really embracing her background and feeling it more than ever. Brynn shares how important her Mimi was in her life and how grateful she is to be as close as she is with her brother, especially because she has no other man in her life.
While on the topic of men in Brynn’s life, the world wants to know what is up with Gideon, her ex-fiancé who, based on the clip from the season, clearly still loves her. Brynn poo-poos that connection and refers to him as a “hot cousin” with a “proper penis.” LOL. And even though she came onto Jenna throughout the season, Jenna knows that Brynn is very straight.
Brynn and Erin have an unlikely friendship that makes Ubah “sick” because she thinks it is very fake. Ubah calls Erin out for saying mean things about Brynn when she is not around (which she is totally guilty of), and Erin admits to messing up and hurting people during the season. In the end, Erin and Brynn are truly very similar, so much so that Ubah suggests Abe convert to Islam and marry both of them.
Ubah’s infamous stolen phone and Erin’s prank become the next topic to tackle. Andy wonders if anyone believes Ubah overreacted about this, and half of the group does. Ubah jumps in to explain that her family is in a different time zone, and so every morning and evening, she has to participate in a group chat to show she is okay. Plus, she has a business to run, and so, without her phone, she felt crippled. Ubah makes it very clear that she did not react until she was pushed.
Ubah believes that Erin gaslights everyone all the time, but Erin claims there was no malintent — it was simply a prank, turned misunderstanding, that went on for too long. Ubah does not appreciate Erin claiming that her fight with Ubah was the worst conflict in Erin’s life. Guess she didn’t have a ton of conflict growing up, huh? Why isn’t anyone jumping down Erin’s throat to pick apart her background??
Ubah swears she doesn’t get angry, and anyone who gets her anger deserves it. She reminds Jenna not to confuse being angry with being assertive, and as she goes on and on, Brynn jumps in. And so ensues a back and forth between the two of them: Ubah threatening Brynn to quit interfering in her conversation, and Brynn claiming she puts people in funeral homes. Ubah reminds the group that she goes from zero to 100, and she really isn’t kidding.
When Jenna says during the season that she saw a “side of Ubah hot,” it appears as though Ubah is confused about that figure of speech. Ubah thought Jenna meant she had many sides, but Jenna tries to diffuse the situation and attempts to explain that she would never do anything or say anything to purposely hurt Ubah. Ubah isn’t done with Jenna, though. he calls her out for saying she was “team Erin” after the sunglasses incident, and Ubah reminds Erin that she needs to get “recruited” to be on team Ubah.
Ubah unravels and gets upset because she feels as if no one had her back during that episode. It is clear that Ubah is activated and clearly needs to get those emotions out. Erin admits that she was being dramatic in her confessional when she said it was the worst conflict of her life, and the two ladies essentially kiss and make up.
An emotionally drained Ubah tries to make nice with Jenna after reacting how she did, but Jenna has something she wants to discuss with Ubah, something Ubah said earlier in the reunion. Ubah claimed no one wanted Jenna on the show, and on cue, all of the ladies start talking at once, attempting to cover their butts. Sai admits that she didn’t think Jenna would fit in the group, but Jessel blurts out that it was a mean assumption, and they were wrong. Riiiiight.
Drinks come out, and Andy tells the group how proud he is of all of them. He asks the ladies what they saw in the mirror after watching season 14, and Sai claims that she has learned she doesn’t listen to others and that she should open her ears and heart more. Wow — very self-aware with that statement! Jenna is learning how to be open and be more of a girls’ girl. Erin promises to lighten up and to watch her big mouth. Jessel will be a little gentler with her marriage and with herself. Brynn liked watching herself (classic response), and Ubah thinks that next time she should warn people before she gets too angry. Ubah wants to keep doing this with this group of women that she loves, and Erin leads the toast, to a great, great season. Jenna and Brynn end the reunion with a quick smooch, and that’s a wrap with these newbies!
TELL US – THOUGHTS ON THE RHONY REUNION, PART II?