🚨 RHOSLC SEASON 7 PREMIERE RECAP! ❄️

Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino

Danny Pellegrino recaps the Season 7 premiere of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, focusing on Mary's heartbreaking loss of her son Rob

Key takeaways

• Mary's public grief over her son Robert Jr.'s death marks the first time a Housewife has lost a child on camera, adding profound emotional weight to the season.

Main topics

• Mary's son Robert Jr.'s death
• Emotional support among cast members

Notable quotes

"I can't even imagine what Mary's going through, but also to then be open about it. And I think there is something like so... brave about Mary opening up."

Conclusion

The Season 7 premiere sets an emotionally intense tone with Mary's los

Transcript preview

Speaker 4 (0:09) I have the f***ing Speaker 2 (0:10) chills. Even every season when we go into the premiere, I'm thinking, oh, they can't possibly keep this up again. They can't possibly keep this up again. And then it delivers. And so I'm very hopeful and excited about the upcoming season of Salt Lake City. Now, the premiere was a little bit different. Obviously, we had the devastating loss of Mary's son. And it's, of course, addressed in the season premiere opener. And so I think probably going into season or episode two and beyond. We'll get maybe some more of the quirky laughs and stuff. Not to say that there wasn't some fun to be had in this premiere episode, but obviously we were dealing with such a heavy topic. And I think this is, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think this is the first time one of the children of a housewife has passed away, and it's such a devastating loss. I couldn't even imagine what Mary's going through, but also to then be open about it. And I think there is something like so... brave about Mary opening up about everything with her son on the show, both in previous seasons and currently, because going through that has just got to be so hard enough. But for Mary to be doing it on camera, and I think, I don't know if I saw her in an interview say this, but I think it's going to help a lot of people by sharing the story that she has with her son and going through it on television. And it happened right, I think it was a week before they were supposed to start filming. I don't know. But so we're going to talk about it. But then there's also some other craziness. We have the Bronwyn and Whitney of it all. Speaker 2 (2:01) The way I want them to date. I'm so lesbian for those two. I want them to just date each other. And I know Bronwyn's got the hot model boyfriend and Whitney's just coming out of the relationship with her man. But I do want Bronwyn and Whitney to eventually get together. I mean, even when they were playing pickleball, which I don't need to see pickleball on any of these shows ever again. But when they were playing the pickleball, there was a moment where Bronwyn was like, Speaker 1 (2:25) Well, there's a little Zaza Zoo between us, you know, there's a little Zaza Zoo. And, you know, there's a little something between us, you know, a little Zaza Zoo. Speaker 2 (2:36) And Zaza Zoo is obviously a Sex and the City reference. So, you know, one of the interesting things about the Bravo Network these days is that they're really leaning into the Sex and the City of it all. We had on the Real Housewives of New York season premiere. Carol was doing a very Carrie Bradshaw voiceover, and now we're getting a Zaza Zoo reference. So I say that to say that it's only a matter of time. I'd say months, years, perhaps seasons, until we're getting some sort of reality TV version of the Che Diaz. Speaker 4 (3:03) Hey, this is Che Diaz, wishing Rory Upton a very happy birthday. I'm sorry, what's happening? Speaker 2 (3:09) So I just want us to know that we have that to look forward to, because if these shows are going to be leaning into the sex and the city of it all, then we're... It's only time until we're getting a JDS. Hey, it's JDS! So I am excited about that, the reality TV version of that. I can't even imagine what it is. I don't even know who it'll be, what it'll be, how it'll be, but I cannot wait for it. I cannot wait for it. So we open with, obviously, Baby Gorgeous is on Ultimate Girls Trip, and if you haven't been watching that show, I think it's excellent. I mean, there's some Luann stuff that's crazy, but Lisa Barlow has been getting... A lot of shit from all of her Salt Lake City cast members who've been popping up on that show because Lisa Barlow is the main cast member on Ultimate Girls Trip. And then the other women have been appearing in an episode here or there. And they're all coming after Lisa Barlow, our baby gorgeous. And so that's how we're going into this season. They were all coming up to her and Ultimate Girls Trip was filming while the last Salt Lake City reunion was airing. Does that make sense? I know the timeline's very Inception. That's how it was happening. And so this filmed after Ultimate Girls Trip. So it was like, I think they had a little break. So I'm hopeful that with the little break, Heather and whoever else feels bad about how they treated our baby gorgeous on Ultimate Girls Trip because they were coming in too hot. And one of the things that I do think is true that this season needs is they're going to need some coming together, some like group team camaraderie, because I think it runs the risk, the show especially, of... getting into the same formula of these women getting together and having these group dinners and group lunches and stuff where they're all just attacking each other. And it's fun. It has been fun up until now. But I think if they keep giving us that same formula, we're gonna, it's gonna, even by the end of last season, I was like, okay, we need to do a little shift here. We can't have another game where they're just like bringing things that they hate about each other. Or what was that? How they ended last season where they did a... a play where they had people doing a play about all the things they hated about each other. And it was like, we need to find some common ground. Otherwise, we're losing a little bit of the believability of why we're watching this group of people, why this cast of people were brought together. And it's like, I could suspend a lot of disbelief, but then it gets to a point where it's like, oh, these people just genuinely hate each other. And so I need them to come together a little bit. And that's not to say I don't want the drama, because I always worry when When this comes up and it happens on all these shows, when they get a little too dark, we always say, we need a little light season. We need some fun. And I don't want boring. Speaker 2 (5:38) I do not need boring. I do not need boring. I still need some conflict. I still need some resolution. I just also need some team camaraderie, some fun times. I like when they sprinkle in if they're going on a cast trip, if they're having some fun. But then I also still need the drama. You see what I'm saying? Because I always worry when I say like, oh, we need some lightness. It's like, that does not mean I want boring. I still want the drama. I just need a little balance. I need a couple little moments of levity. And then you can all rip each other's face off. But before then, I need a little... Speaker 1 (6:12) A little fun. Speaker 2 (6:14) Okay, so then we open on, it says February 4th, 2026. Mary and Big Joe, she says her son was in jail for 86 days. He was released on February the 3rd, a few weeks before filming. And she was so happy that her son, Robert Jr., was home and happy and clean. And then three weeks later, it just cuts to Angie. Angie says it's hard to even talk about. She was with Electra when Mary called her, and she thought maybe something happened to Robert Sr., but it's just devastating news. And it happened just three weeks after that scene. They filmed with Mary talking with Big Joe about how Robert Jr. was out of... Speaker 2 (6:57) and clean, and that's just devastating. I don't even know how to talk about it. It's just sad, especially as a parent. I don't know if you didn't listen to my Orange County recap. I had said that my husband and I are welcoming another child in October, and we're very excited. But, you know, as... As a parent, I just can't even Speaker 1 (7:17) imagine. I just can't even imagine. Speaker 2 (7:19) Okay, anyway, let's turn it around to Angie. Angie's got the pink outfitted dog. I find it odd when I love a dog in like a sweater. I do love a dog in a sweater. And honestly, there's nothing I love more than like a photo shoot of a dog, you know, and I hope that's not like animal Speaker 1 (7:37) cruelty, but I do love when they take like a photo shoot of a dog and it's got like a prop or a costume. Speaker 2 (7:43) But I do not care for, I do draw the line when I see like the dog's hair is a different color. Like I don't like when they do that. And I look, I get it. It is what it is. And I'm a dog person. But you know, there is one thing about LA. I do think we need to scale back on where we're bringing the dogs. And again, I love dogs. I do love a dog. Love a dog. Love an animal. We're animal lovers here and everything iconic. But I've noticed here in Los Angeles, and I don't know if this is everywhere, but here in Los Angeles, you go into the grocery store and everyone's got a dog. This is a different thing than service dogs. Obviously, service dogs, of course, you need to have at the grocery store to help you pick out the avocados, the Frigivacadus. But if you are going for a fresh avocado and you're bringing your non-service dog with you into the grocery store to find your Frigivacadu, then I'm going to need you to leave the dog outside or something or have somebody else be watching the dog because I feel like every time I go to the grocery store now, there's these big dogs who are not service animals. and they're just sniffing around all the produce and stuff. And then even the little shops, you go into a Trader Joe's or an Erewhon, which are these little marketplaces, and people are bringing their big-ass dogs. And I love dogs. I want to sit outside and pet it and play with that. But around the food and stuff, or the coffee shops or whatever, it's getting to be a little ridiculous. It's actually becoming an issue. I just saw a dog piss in the mall the other day. because people were walking in the mall with the dogs here in California, like in the mall. I'm talking like throughout the main mall, people got their non-service dogs. And the dog pissed right in the mall. And it's like, how do you, the person they left, and I'm not sure, maybe they went and got like some napkins or something. But it's like, how do you even, they probably didn't. They probably left at A. But B, even if you clean it up, it's like the indoor of a mall isn't the kind of place where there should be a bunch of like animal piss. Do you know what I mean? Is that too strong of a take? Again, I don't want the animal lovers coming after me because I love an animal lover. I just think we need to be more mindful of where we're bringing these animals and where they're urinating. Okay, so anyway, Angie's dog is cute, though, the pink-outfitted dog. Heather arrives, and they all gather. And Angie says to be nice to Lisa. She says Lisa might be paramenopausal. Speaker 2 (10:00) Lisa's like, what the fuck? And they say Mary's being strong, but in and out of it. And they're all mothers. They all talk about mothering. And they're spiritually my mothers as well, these women. And so that's a good reminder that as we go forth in this podcast for the season of The Realist, Orange County, or Salt Lake City, just remember that these women are all my mothers. And so despite the fact that I'm going to be hard on people like maybe Heather and Brynwyn. Speaker 4 (10:24) Spit it out, Brynwyn. Speaker 2 (10:27) Because I don't. maybe care for them all the time on the show in comparison to the other women. That doesn't mean I don't love them as well, because they have all provided us with so much entertainment. And so I just have to give that disclaimer that I love them, even though I might be hard on some of them, because in the context of this show, I hate some of them. But in the larger atmosphere, bravo, I love them. And I would defend them to the very end. Okay, so then they all decide to get along. Now this group decides, because they all get together, the whole cast, I think it was everyone but Brittany. Was Brittany there? They didn't let Brittany in. But everybody else, all the main cast members were there. And they decide to get along, which obviously they won't. Now Heather gives a speech about appreciating each other and how fragile the group is. And Whitney's like, I have lots of things to apologize for. And Meredith's like, Whitney does have a lot of things to apologize for. She slurs at her confessional. And it's all kind of so insane when you... when you're watching this scene, because it's like, they're grieving, but then there's like a pink dog in loud choir music that's just in the background going, it's like all very aggressive to all the senses. And that's what I like about this show. But it's like, I can't even rap. It's like, am I, I don't even know where the tone is exactly. It's like there, there's comedic with the dog. And then there's dramatic tension with the music. And then we're dealing with the sadness of the loss. And it's like a lot, a lot happening. And it's all so insane. And I love it. Then we cut to Lisa at home. She's buttering bread for grilled cheese. Speaker 1 (12:01) I'm going to try to make it. She says, I'm Speaker 2 (12:05) going to try to make grilled cheese. The boys are there. Jack's just back from the mission. He's dating in 21. Henry, baby gorgeous, is 14. Jack, the older one, is bringing girls home. And Lisa's like, Henry will always be baby gorgeous. Because then, you know, they're worried because Henry's 14. He's looking at the 21-year-old brother being like, oh, it's a 21-year-old bringing young women back to the home. That's going to be hard when the kids, I don't understand how people do that. How do the parents do that when the kids start dating? Speaker 1 (12:32) I don't know. That's going to be hard. I don't know. Speaker 2 (12:35) But she makes them grilled cheese and they love it. And I'm proud of her. A grilled cheese is one of the greatest inventions in the whole world. And there's nothing beats it. I was just talking about it on the show a couple weeks ago. It's like there's nothing beats just a classic grilled cheese. If you have a little tomato soup or chili, I like a grilled cheese with those to dip it in. Although I have heard it said that chili should not be classified as a soup. And I got to be honest, I agree with you. It's like, I think it was Delta Work who said that. I agree. Because soup is, I