In this episode of Pop Therapy, I’m joined by fellow psychology graduate and reality obsessive, Amanda from Bella Talks TV for a deep dive into the psychology of the Bravosphere.

We unpack what’s really happening beneath the storylines - the fandoms, the scandals, and the production choices (that we may or may not agree with).

We talk about authenticity as Bravo’s most fragile currency, how social media now drives the narrative as much as producers do, and why controversy fuels loyalty, outrage and obsession in equal measure. We also get into the evolution of franchises like RHOC, what happens when cast dynamics shift and why real connection is the difference between iconic TV and viewer fatigue.

This one’s about more than what we’re watching. It’s about why we care - and what reality TV reveals about us.

Get all the latest TV updates from Amanda at:

IG: @bellatalkstv

YouTube: @bellatalkstv

Podcast: Bella Talks TV

Follow Pop Therapy at:

IG: @jana.firestone

YouTube: @poptherapypodcast

Website: www.janafirestone.com

Thanks as always to our legendary audio engineer, Sam Talbot! You can work with him too - at www.samtalbot.com.au

This week on Pop Therapy, Cat from Worm with a Mustache is back to pull apart the Bravo universe at its most unhinged. We dig into Jen Shah’s release and what it really exposes about fandom, forgiveness and the questionable appetite for a redemption arc. We get into the rising questions around Lisa Barlow’s business empire, the slow unraveling of Kyle and Amanda under reality-TV pressure, and why every Bravoleb suddenly thinks a DJ booth is their path to reinvention.

Then we head to Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules, where authenticity is the storyline Bravo can’t manufacture. Erika Jayne’s emotional vacancy, Rachel Zoe’s unexpectedly star o the rise, the franchise’s creeping stagnation and the spark of hope in newcomers like Boz all go under the microscope. We also unpack representation and the emotional weight Garcelle was being asked to carry, and the way politics and pop culture are bleeding into each other more than ever.

Fast, sharp and full of cultural x-rays, this episode gets right to the psychology of why we watch and what the drama reveals.

Find Cat at:

IG: @worm_with_a_mustache

TikTok: @worm_with_a_mustache

Follow the show at @jana.firestone

Watch full eps on YouTube at: @poptherapypodcast

Or come and say hello at www.janafirestone.com

Thank you to our wonderful audio engineer Sam Talbot, who you can work with directly right here: www.samtalbot.com.au

We have officially rebranded and are leaning right into the Pop Therapy of it all! The Curious Life Podcast has been a our home for the last 7 years, but we are rounding out the year with the new name that really captures it all. Welcome officially to POP THERAPY!

This week, I sit down with recap queen Kate Riccio to debrief the glittered chaos of BravoCon - the thrills, the crowd crush, the parasocial tightrope and the Bravolebs who handled it… and those who very much did not. We dive into Salt Lake City’s current cultural chokehold, Emmy Sharrett's Southern Hospitality Panel, and why she gets such a hard time from the fans.

Southern Charm and Summer House get the Pop Therapy treatment as we unpack friendship fractures, fame fatigue and why the audience now feels as emotionally invested as the cast.

Kate has some genius ideas for Bravo 2.0 and a candidacy we can all get behind!

Make sure you're following Kate for all things reality TV at:

TikTok:@katericcio

Insta: @ricciorecaps and @therealityofreality

Follow the show on IG at @jana.firestone

Get in touch via the website at: www.janafirestone.com

Watch full videos on YouTube at: PopTherapyPodcast

Thank you to our brilliant audio engineer, Sam Talbot! You can work with him too at www.samtalbot.com.au