As much as I wanted to post the video I started editing, I realized I left so many things out, it was much easier to blog about my thoughts.
I want to start off with Mike and Paulina, because obviously, this couple was the highlight of the season.
Mike is no stranger in relationships and he’s also no stranger of seeking relationships outside of the relationship. So when Mike was exposed for having gone outside of his relationship with Paulina, the rest of the cast wasn’t surprise because it’s expected of Mike to be unfaithful, considering what he did to Jessica.
Now I’m not one to be in the habit of throwing the past in people’s faces in my own personal circle, but for Reza, GG and Destiney, it was almost a given to throw Mike’s past in his face for all of the unfaithfulness and the lack of commitment in the projects he seemed so zealous to succeed but never completed.
Even with the condo project, his parents were extremely reluctant to put anything into (if they did), due to his past “failures”. One can understand the fear of investing, but does that make Mike a fuck up?
In my own personal opinion, no.
Granted what Mike did with Jessica was just fucked up and wrong. One statement I did make in my video was the sacrifice Jessica made with her relationship with Mike. Converting to Judaism, studying the practice, celebrating the holidays and learning how to cook the food all of the Shah’s cast know and love.
While Mike fucked up big time, even if it wasn’t a physical thing, the fact is, he broke a trust Jessica probably couldn’t get back with Mike, therefore ending the relationship.
Compared with Jessica, Paulina is a woman who stands on her own. She has children from a previous relationship, so to make a choice to be with Mike, I don’t think she would want to be with a man who would give her bullshit, even knowing him to be on a national television show. I would want to believe her choices would be based on the commitment he was willing to make to her and her children, as opposed to just being with him because he’s on a television show.
In addition, Mike and Paulina have been together for quite some time now and seeing the changes Mike has made since being involved with Paulina, seems everyone wasn’t buying into those changes. It only made it worse, when Paulina found out about the text messages and sent them to all his friends, perhaps thinking she would have garnered a “poor me” response, when instead, getting a response from GG, telling her why are you sending me this bitch when I have a life of my own (not the exact response but similar.
Mike claimed the messages came from a spoof app, who he later accused Reza of sending and I believe Reza blamed GG. Which of course raises suspicions because if Reza blamed GG then did either one of them have anything to do with the initial texts. On top of that, Mike admits at some point he was getting real messages and engaging with them because in essence he’s an attention whore. Then later admits he’s seeing a Rabbi to resolve those attention seeking issues.
Regardless, spoof or not to spoof, anyone in a relationship, responding to private messages from another person, within the context of flirting or any sexual nature, is still cheating, even without the physical aspects of the cheating.
Whatever the case may be, Mike claiming it was from a spoof app and then turning around a few episodes later, made his credibility go right back into the gutter. It didn’t help either when Paulina wasn’t “allowed” to be part of the group outings with Mike claiming Paulina didn’t want to be around them and then again later claiming they were on a break and that’s why she wasn’t coming around.
The one thing that bothered me is Paulina was sharing too much with Destiney. Doesn’t she have friends of her own to share her problems regarding Mike?
And GG, who’s friends with Jessica, is already siding with the person she knows as opposed to Paulina, because Mike claims GG is only doing that to upset him and GG claims that’s who she has the most in comment with being they are both mothers’ now.
I mean really? And what does that make Paulina being she’s a mom too.
Granted, Paulina doesn’t have to be friends with anyone on this cast, it’s not a commitment she needs to make. But having conversations with Destiney, gave her “permission” to trash Mike whenever she felt like it, basically taking out the frustrations Paulina was having and taking it out on Mike.
I’ve learned from experience, never take on your friend’s relationship battles unless that battle is abusive, then I can understand stepping in. Otherwise, the piece of advice I would give to Destiney is, “mind your own business”.
I find Destiney to be a nuisance. Almost like a fly buzzing around and you keep swatting it but it never goes away. It just keeps coming back thinking every time it lands somewhere else, it’s okay.
And Nema isn’t too far from that pile. While the teeth are super annoying to look at, Nema did bring something to the table, when he spoke about having to permanently close his business and letting go employees he’s been with from the beginning. But it was so glossed over, not that it should have been dragged out, but this is part of the “reality tv” that is part of life.
So while Mike and Paulina were battling the rest of the group, with Destiney calling out his “lies” and Reza tearing up because he loves Mike so much (although he sure didn’t act like he did all season), during the reunion, when Paulina came in to confront everyone, Mike shows off the engagement ring he gave her. I don’t know what Mike was trying to prove in that moment when he raised her arm to show off that ring, but it was like a moment of the Price is Right when the doors swing open and the guy announcing, you can win a brand-new car, “only if the price is right”.
While a date has not been set, according to them, they are as happy as clams and when the time comes for them to be married they will deal with that day comes.
Destiney, however was buying nothing Mike was saying, instead every time he spoke, she became infuriated with him. Nema brought out a good point, something which reminded me of last season when the shit was going on with Reza, Ali Ashouri, Destiney and MJ and her “Merc knows” comment.
Nema said Destiney has a habit of making insinuations instead of just coming out and saying what is really going on.
If anything, Destiney was insinuating a lot of stuff about Mike with no proof, other than what Paulina had shared with her. What made it worse, was Paulina sharing her disdain about Mike and questioning where their relationship was going, which didn’t put Mike in a good light. I think Paulina made a big mistake in sharing with her,
being Destiney seemed to be coming from a more judgmental place against Mike, instead of putting her feelings aside and just listening to Paulina vent. The one thing I have learned is not all of your friends will like the person you’re with or a person you may be casually dating. Any friend we’ve all had, whether in the present or past, will always have an opinion on your relationship. The question is, will you sit there and listen to your friend disparage your partner?
I think the best thing for Mike and Paulina to see growth in their relationship is to be honest, communicate with each other and keep Destiney out from their relationship.
Now let’s move on to Reza and MJ.
We all know this is a 30-year friendship, destroyed by none other than Destiney, Ali Ashouri and Adam, Reza’s husband.
Why I blame them, it’s very simple. It all started with Adam.
If you read my last post on Tommy forgiving Reza or maintaining his anger, I will say this, Reza likes to appease Adam and of course, that’s his husband. But when that whole naked jenga thing exploded, it went to a whole other level of mistrust, gossip, accusations of sexual harassment and of course Destiney playing the victim on how she was invited to this “meeting” set up by MJ and Ali Ashouri.
Whatever the case was, the ball rolled with Adam did something allegedly inappropriate and because it was someone Reza loathe, it only compounded the situation. In addition to Destiney feeling “guilty” over partaking in this meeting, she took it one step further in claiming, “Merc knows”, leading Reza to go off on a bedridden MJ and leading Tommy to destroy private property.
Now that we have all that info, the idea seemed to find healing in all of these relationships, but they all seemed to have conditions. Adam was still playing the fear card, and Reza spent most of the season crying because everyone got to see baby Shams but him. Tommy has refused to be a part of MJ’s crew, hating all of them, well except for Mike and Paulina.
Sometimes I think Reza does things for his own motives. Was it right he considered having Tommy tossed into jail due to Adam’s unrealistic fears because he detoured the fact he may have engaged in alleged inappropriate behavior?
Did Reza really think through of the outcome by taking these steps instead of having a realistic conversation with a friend he claims to love? How would he like it if the roles were reversed?
Do I believe this friendship will ever be repaired? Sometimes I think it won’t, then there are times it could be. But it seems they live separate lives, being Tommy is done with them, ripping a letter to shreds Reza sent apologizing to him in the season finale episode.
Now when I posted my last blog on Instagram I got a lot of great responses from people about Tommy needs to let go of his anger because it really isn’t about him but the friendship MJ has with Reza.
I wonder if in our own circumstance, would a friendship supersede our relationship or vice versa.
I don’t have an answer and I don’t profess to have one.
What I do think is these outsiders like the “Ali Ashouri’s” and “Destiney’s”, should be kept outside of what is going on in order for the healing process to begin. As far as I am concerned, Ali Ashouri is irrelevant.
Destiney should not be part of any healing because this is between the four people who have partners, and find the respect and boundaries for one another in this situation. Granted they can’t go back. The damage is done, but at some point, they will all have to move on. Whether or not MJ and Reza find their way to their friendship, the most important they need to rebuild is trust.
While the season ended with lots of questions more than answers, I guess we shall wait till next year to see where their friendship winds up.
I do need to add this and please do not misconstrued my comments for any type of shame. What is Destiney doing to her face. As much as I dislike her nosiness in other people’s live, I find her to be the most pretty, so why Destiney? Why? Please stop doing things to your face. You are fine the way you are.
Until then. Take care of you.
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