New Cast Members Join Big Rich Texas for Season 3

Style Media announced yesterday the renewal of its hit series, “Big Rich Texas,” for a third season. This Fall, they will also expand the franchise to include new series “Big Rich Georgia.” Well, I do declare!

“Big Rich Texas” will pick up where the drama left off with several new mother/daughter teams to stir the pot and attempt to take over as the new queens of Dallas society.

The filming on Season 3 of Big Rich Texas actually started filming a month or so ago.  All I have to say, is GET READY people because there are BIG changes in store for this upcoming season. Now, keep in mind that what I am about to tell you, I am not getting from any official press release. What I reveal below is all gossip and hearsay.  Which is usually a lot more accurate than the official press releases, come to think about it.

So, what bombshells do I have to drop on you?!

 BOMBSHELL #1 

Pamela Martin Duarte is not returning to the show. Pamela was the only original member left from the Dallas Divas and Daughters days from whence this show sprang.

Now, I have heard two different reasons for why she's not returning: a) because the other women on the show banded together and refused to film with her and b) because of the lawsuit she is in with Bonnie, she couldn't film for legal reasons. But, Bonnie's still filming, so that one doesn't hold as much weight with me as the first reason.

Backing up this rumor is this tweet I spotted on July 13 between Pam's daughter, Hannah, and a pal:

So, there you have it.

 BOMBSHELL #2

There will be two new ladies joining the show this season. Their names are Wendy and Cynthia (her Facebook page says Cindy) . The hilarious thing, is that I had two different people ask me if I was the "Cynthia" joining the cast. Ha!  That would be a no way, Jose.  No word on their marital status, although I hear one of them has a Sugar Daddy. Allegedly.

Cynthia/Cindy

Cynthia/Cindy hails from Frisco and has a 15 year old daughter.  She could also be Pamela's sister. Don't you think they look alike?  Wendy lives in Prosper and I heard she's a motivational speaker and real estate attorney. Her daughter Nikki is 23 years old. So, Grace and Maddie get a new friend and Whitney gets a new friend. Everyone's a winner!


BOMBSHELL  Bit of Info #3

In less shocking news, the show has a new Director this season and I am being told that he wants to change the direction of the show and make it more "real". In case you didn't realize, Style Network calls this show a "docu-drama" not a reality show. Meaning this is a soft-scripted show. They give the cast outlines of how they want a scene to go, but let them improvise their own dialog. It will be interesting to see how this new direction plays out.

I gleaned all of this despite the fact that the Network and show's producers have ordered the cast to not speak to me. Silly rabbit, don't you know that you can put a gag order on your stars, but not their friends and family!? And quite frankly, I think I should be shown a little appreciation for being a fan since day one.  If it weren't for people like me continuing to promote your show, it might not be coming back season after season.  Just sayin.

Set your DVR's because “Big Rich Texas” will return on Sunday, October 7 at 8pm ET/PT on Style!

D'Andra Simmons Bridal Shower was Tres BLING! and C'est Magnifique

Remember in Junior High when the most popular girl in school had a big sleep-over and every girl in the school was on pins and needles to see if she was going to get an invitation? That's kind of what Saturday night's lingerie bridal shower was like for one of the biggest names on the Dallas social scene, skin care Queen D'Andra Simmons.

Dee and D'Andra Simmons (and yes, that's a cake!)

Hostess Kelly Stafford sent the lucky ladies their lottery tickets (invitations) via a custom box filled with red feathers. "Meet you in the Red Shoe Suite" it read.  It was referring to the Red Shoe suite at Hotel ZaZa, where everyone gathered to sip champagne around a custom cake built as an exact replica of D'Andra's stunning 10-carat oval Tanzanite engagement ring.  After several rounds of cocktails, the group made its way down to the main ballroom for a seated dinner (and more cocktails) then back up to the Suite for cake and the obligatory present opening.

Click here to see more photos on Facebook

The film "Moulin Rouge" was the inspiration this soiree.  Red corsets, black lace, sky-high heels, peek-a-boo masks and lots and lots of champagne were everywhere you turned, making for lots of great people watching and picture taking!  Stafford had designed a custom step and repeat just for the occasion and the photographer could barely control the crowd of women angling to get in front of his lens.

Kelly Stafford, D'Andra Simmons and Deb SoRelle

Good Morning Texas co-host Amy Vanderoff, Anna-Sophia Van Zweden, interior designer Shay Geyer, Big Rich Texas star Pamela Martin Duarte, Maggie Cooke Kipp, Jill-Beth Hayes, Nancy Gopez, Andrea Weber, Anne Stodghill, Ellen Winspear and Phyllis Comu were among the lucky madmoiselles in attendance.

Cynthia Smoot with D'Andra Simmons, Anna-Sophia Van Zweden with Shay Geyer
Pamela Martin Duarte, Teffy Jacobs with J. B. Hayes

You know what happens when you get a room full of women together. The gab gets going! So, what juicy tidbits got divulged? Well... while there were several fabulous tidbits I gleaned, they were all "off the record" - for now. One thing I can share with you is that Pamela Martin was excited to tell me that she and daughter Hannah, are developing a fragrance. According to Pam "no one from Dallas has ever launched a fragrance line" and she is very excited to be the first.  No word yet on the name or when it will be release, as it is early in the game.

Anna-Sophia Van Zweden told me that this was the first bridal shower she had ever been to and I just laughed and said, "Well honey, don't think they are all like this one!"  This party, was a one-of-a-kind experience.

photos courtesy of Danny Campbell.

Big Rich Texas: Red Carpet Party and Episode One Recap

There was not one, but two, premier parties tonight to celebrate the debut of Big Rich Texas on the Style Network.  I made The Office my first stop to catch up with Dr. Bonnie Blossman and her daughter, Whitney Whatley, along with Melissa and Maddie Poe.


  (left) Dr. Bonnie Blossman with daughter Whitney Whatley (right) Melisa and Maddie Poe
About halfway through the show, I made a mad dash across town to end the night with Connie Dieb at Komali, who opted to skip out on the large public party in lieu of a smaller, more intimate gathering with family and close friends.

Camille Umland, Abraham Salum with Connie Dieb

Click here to see photos from these events on Facebook

First off, let me just clue you in to a little something that you might not know. "Reality TV" is not always so real.  These shows are not exactly scripted, but not exactly spontaneous and unrehearsed. Big Rich Texas is no exception.  Most of the comments I get on posts about reality TV shows are talking about the cast being fake.  Well, duh! It's not that they are being fake, so much as they aren't being entirely real...

So, when you watch this show - enjoy it for what it is and what the producers want to portray: a good cat-fighting, back-stabbing, one-upping day at the country club between strangers pretending to be best friends. You'll like the show a whole lot more.

The very first scene is Leslie and Kalyn driving to the country club. Leslie says, "Anyone who is any body belongs to this club." Connie follows that up by saying, "It is the social place of Dallas."  The club they are referring to is Woodhaven  and I would be willing to bet my house that none of them are really members. Why? Because it's in Fort Worth! No person who lives in Dallas is hanging out at a Country Club in Ft. Worth which is a 45-minute drive on a good day.  No way. (Please refer to point made in previous paragraph about reality TV being fake.)

If you haven't figured it out yet, they were setting the stage for the premise of this whole show/season, which is about a group of Mothers and their daughters that will revolve around their life at this "elite" country club. 

Favorite lines from Episode One:

• "Keep your balls in your pants, Enrique!" yells Pam to a tennis Pro on the next court after Bonnie & Whitney lob several balls on her court and interrupt her game with Melissa.

• "I pulled out the dead husband card... that works every time." Leslie tells the camera about her attempt to sweeten up the Country Club's owner when they discuss her Membership request.

• "I like making people feel uncomfortable," pouts Whitney to the camera about having to mingle with the "snooty people" at the Club. "I do too!" interjects her Mom, Dr. Bonnie. Well, now we know why Whitney has 15 tattoos.  One of which (her favorite) is the word "See-U-Next-Tuesday" as Maddie so sweetly referred to it on the top of her foot. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

• "Bless her little heart".  The ladies teach Leslie how to insult someone the Southern way.  This phrase is now stuck in my head and you will be hearing me use it a lot on this blog - probably with regards to this show.

• "When I envisioned having the sex talk with Maddie," says Melissa to the camera, "I envisioned birds and bees. Not purple penises" talking about Maddie's visit to the OB-GYN and being taught how to put on a condom by her doctor.

• "If I can get that vile tattoo off her foot - I can deal with some luscious lips on my baby girl," says Bonnie about her offer of giving Whitney lip injections in exchange for having her vulgar tattoo removed.  

• "I don't know whether to greet you or dance under you," shrieks Pam to Bonnie about her hatred of her Nicole Miller dress. Personally, I liked it.

 So, let's dish.  Who did you love and who do you already hate? Are you Team Bonnie or Team Pam? Let the games begin!!  You can watch Big Rich Texas every Sunday on the Style Network.

Follow the Cast of Big Rich Texas

Set your DVR's!!  The Style Network's new show Dallas Divas and Daughters, Season 2 Big Rich Texas will air this Sunday. Here's how you can Tweet, Follow, Fan, Like, interact or just follow along to learn more about the new "stars" of this new docu-drama:

Big Rich Texas

Website

Official Facebook Fan Page

Twitter

Bonnie a.k.a Dr. Bon Blossman

Website

Facebook Fan Page

Twitter
YouTube 

Whitney Whatley
Facebook Fan Page
Twitter
Website 

Connie Dieb
Facebook Fan Page
Uptown Consignment Website

Grace Dieb
Facebook Fan Page
Twitter

 Leslie Birkland
Facebook Fan Page
Twitter

Kalyn Braun
Facebook Profile
Twitter

Pamela Martin Duarte
Facebook Profile
Twitter

 Hannah Gelbart Martin
Facebook Profile
Twitter

Melissa Poe
Website
Facebook Fan Page
Twitter

Maddie Poe
Facebook Fan Page
Twitter

"Team Melissa and Maddie" on Facebook

I've created a Twitter Cast List that you can follow to filter all of their tweets into one convenient stream. I have to warn you though... Bonnie is really the only one who utilizes Twitter and even she is not very prolific on the site.

Get Ready for Big Rich Texas on the Style Network!

We are about to be hit with a bevvy of new "reality" shows filmed here in Dallas.  The first one out of the gate will be Dallas Divas and Daughters, Season 2  Big Rich Texas.

Earlier this year, I brought you the news about this new docu-series.  Since that first post, there have been changes to the original cast.  

The cast of Season Two was initially told that the premise of this season would be a "Mother/Daughter show to showcase different parenting styles" and that it would be "completely different from last season's show" - hence the change of title - but it appears that the producers pulled a fast one and once they started filming it became apparent this was not the case.  It looks like this season will be just like Dallas Divas and Daughters, Season One, focusing on the interaction of the women, with little focus on their daughters, much less their parenting abilities.

I hear the cast was brought together before they started filming to meet each other and at the end of the day were told they were not allowed to exchange phone numbers or emails.  The producers wanted ZERO interaction off-camera from the cast.  But wait, the show makes it look like they are all friends who already know each other...

Are we really shocked to learn that reality TV is not always so real?  Hmmmm.





Seems a few of the ladies were upset about the lack of "reality" in this show and bailed completely or asked to have their roles lessened to make them less visible. 

So where's the shake-up?  Seems "Queen Bee" Dena and her daughter, Jade couldn't get outta this cast fast enough.  Southern Belles Paula, her daughter Shanelle and mom Althean also made a hasty retreat.  This left the show's producers scrambling for replacement families. And WOW!!!  Did they ever get a great replacement. Looks like they talked my favorite duo from DDD/Season One, Pamela Martin-Duarte and her daughter, Hannah, into coming back for more abuse screen time.  I know nothing about Leslie and Kayln. Will have to dig around...

Here's your final cast:

Bonnie

Bonnie has a PhD and three novels to her credit.  She was born into Dallas money but rejected the rules of a high-society lifestyle early on. Now a self-made millionaire, she wants back in, but she still wants to do things her way – along with her rebellious daughter Whitney.  They are quite a team, shopping and undergoing mother-daughter plastic surgery together.

Melissa

Former model Melissa is approaching 40 and hoping to get back on the catwalk.  15 year-old daughter Maddie is determined to have a say in her mother’s life including who she dates, and will do anything to get her way.  It’s a battle of wills between this mother-daughter duo as Maddie constantly tests her mother’s limits.

Connie

Recently divorced Connie is out to prove herself as an independent business owner with her designer consignment boutique business.  Her daughter Grace, a trendsetter and rule breaker, is determined to become the head cheerleader on one of the nation’s most prestigious high school cheerleading squads.  This pair likes to consider themselves more as best friends rather than mother and daughter.

Leslie

Leslie is Connie's cousin and a jet-setting pageant coach. She owns homes across the country but has recently moved to Dallas to take on the pageant capital by storm and launch the pageant career of her goddaughter, Kalyn.

Leslie is an unabashed, undeniable cougar, having dated the much younger Anthony Dorsett Jr., and an even younger golf pro at the club named AJ (who I am told isn't really even a golf pro, but was just cast for the show) . These aren't exactly the lessons Leslie wants to teach Kalyn, who has her own issues fitting in with the Texas elite.

Pamela

Married to a gorgeous, successful husband and mother to two beautiful daughters, Pamela calls it like she sees it...and calls it bluntly. She is an accomplished author, chairwoman of the Luxury Marketing Council and the epitome of southern class. Her connections and influence make her a center of power at the club, and she's determined to ensure her daughter Hannah follows in her footsteps.

After finishing her first year at college, Hannah is home for the summer and Pamela has decided to make Hannah her assistant. What better way to increase her daughter's profile in society - and keep a watchful eye on her. This duo should be familiar to Style viewers as they were last seen on the network's series Dallas Divas & Daughters.

"Big Rich Texas" begins airing Sunday, July 17 at 9:00pm ET/PT on The Style Network.

Cast of "Big Rich Texas" Stomp the Runway for Uptown Consignment

The older I get, the more I find myself turning into my Mother. A prime example of this fact, is that I cannot bear to pay retail for anything.  I am always on the prowl for a bargain and resale shopping is a great way find fantastic treasures at affordable prices.

One of my favorite fashion haunts is Uptown Consignment. Run by sisters Connie Dieb and Camille Umland, this little boutique is a gem of a store with fabulous finds.  They specialize in upscale lables and Estate Sale finds. They are all about quality over quantity making the store a pleasure to peruse.

 (top left) Photographer Beau Bumpas and Cynthia Smoot  (top right) Lisa Petty and Jim Duran

(botom) Eric Oliver, Jr., Cathy Vieth and Juan Lerma

The store celebrated it's one year anniversary by holding a runway show this past Thursday night. Grey skies caused a last minute venue switch from an outdoor rooftop show to an indoor venue downtown. Eric Oliver, Jr and Juan Lerma of Amrel Revilo Productions, who were producing the show, didn't even break a sweat with this left-field pitch. They were calm and collected when I saw them backstage, and just plain giddy to be a part of this exciting show.

 Big Rich Texas Cast (Moms): Melissa, Bonnie and Leslie

I thought they were all a-flutter becasue this was their second show as a company... but no! The real reason for all the back-stage drama was that the models for the runway show were none other than the cast of the Style Network's new reality show, Big Rich Texas. Otherwise known as Dallas Divas and Daughters, Season 2. The network hasn't determined what they are calling it.  Stylist Sam Saladino did an amazing job narrating the runway show with lively commentary about each outfit and it's model.

  Big Rich Texas Cast (Daughters): Maddie, Whitney and Grace

Click to peruse photos from this event on Facebook

Style reporter for The Feast, Lisa Petty looked redonkulous in a form-fitting Versace dress (on loan from Uptown Consignment) and Chic and Cheap blogger, Dora Chu and I had a lively conversation over whose outfit was a better bargain. She looked very chic in a Prada dress scored at Uptown Consignment, but I definitely had the better bargain with my $8 dress scored at the recent Rummage Roundup held by the Dallas Junior League.  So, we each won the argument on different points.  She had the better label, I had the better price point.

Congrats to Connie and Camille on their first birthday. Here's hoping for many fruitful years of bargain-hunting to come!

Uptown Consignment  |  4152 Cole Ave. at Fitzhugh  |  Dallas  |  75204

Get ready for cat fights and drama: "Big Rich Texas" has begun filming

Get ready folks... the reality TV train is steaming down the track full speed ahead. Dallas is about to get busy.

The Style Network recently announced a new Dallas reality show to their Fall line-up.  Gear up for Big Rich Texas – a one-hour docu-series with 10 episodes that will take viewers on the inside of the elite Dallas social scene following five rich and competitive mothers and their spoiled daughters. ("competitive" means there will be lots of "Oh no she did'unt" drama!)

"In addition to the one-of-a-kind personalities and 24/7 drama, what separates this series from the bunch is the unique focus on the mother-daughter relationships that fuel their lives,” says Salaam Coleman Smith, president, The Style Network.

Wait... this is the same network that aired Dallas Divas and Daughters which was a total disaster.  Do they really think by taking the same format and changing the show's title, it will fair better?  Interesting.

Style claims "the cast of "Big Rich Texas" is a Who's Who of Dallas’ elite inner circle". Uh-huh.

Queen Bee Dena is a former L.A. rock groupie who married into Texas money.  Her husband’s family struck it rich in Dallas real estate, and Dena is always bound and determined to be noticed among Dallas society.  Her daughter, Jade, claims to hate the country club lifestyle, but seems to enjoy the perks.  Dena and Jade have a complicated relationship, made even more so by Jade’s desire to forge her own identity outside of her mother’s demanding expectations.

Bonnie has a PhD and three novels to her credit.  She was born into Dallas money but rejected the rules of a high-society lifestyle early on. Now a self-made millionaire, she wants back in, but she still wants to do things her way – along with her rebellious daughter Whitney.  They are quite a team, shopping and undergoing mother-daughter plastic surgery together.

Southern Belles Paula, her daughter Shanelle and mom Althean represent three generations of Dallas society with three completely different points of view on practically everything.  Mom of five Paula sees herself as the perfect homemaker and mother, 16 year-old daughter Shanelle is going through her rebellious stage and at 65 years young, sexy grandma Althean is a self-made woman, the founder of an all-girls school and Dallas royalty.

Former model Melissa is approaching 40 and hoping to get back on the catwalk.  15 year-old daughter Maddie is determined to have a say in her mother’s life including who she dates, and will do anything to get her way.  It’s a battle of wills between this mother-daughter duo as Maddie constantly tests her mother’s limits.

Recently divorced Connie is out to prove herself as an independent business owner with her designer consignment boutique business.  Her daughter Grace, a trendsetter and rule breaker, is determined to become the head cheerleader on one of the nation’s most prestigious high school cheerleading squads.  This pair likes to consider themselves more as best friends rather than mother and daughter.

So, can you figure out who any of these families are by reading their names and descriptions? If so, let me know!  Filming began April 26.  Look for Big Rich Texas to premiere this July.