While Bravo is already looking into casting changes for next season of RHONY, this season was filmed many months ago.
During the week of the historic 2020 elections, only one thing (aside from Supernatural‘s long-awaited twist) was on anyone’s mind.
Naturally, Eboni brought it up during a scene filmed during that tense time.
But Ramona totally shut her down.
In the first week of November in 2020, the world got a taste of hope for the first time in a long time.
Though we all acutely remember the agonizing uncertainty in the air, an official election victory seemed imminent.
It was. But until then, it was obviously occupying the thoughts of Eboni Williams.
Ramona Singer invited Eboni to stop by her home.
Given the election season vibes in the air, Eboni of course brought it up.
She didn’t get directly political, instead asking Ramona about how exciting having a woman as Vice President would be.
Ramona instantly shut her down, saying: “I don’t want to talk politics.”
Eboni quickly noted that it’s not like she was discussing politics — just a gender milestone.
“Have we had a woman vice president, Ramona?” Eboni asked. “That’s an objective fact.”
Eboni’s hope was that she and Ramona could agree that this was a “middle ground” upon which they could agree without discussing candidates.
“You know I’m not going to let you off the hook,” Eboni told her castmate.
Ramona did not stop trying to change the subject, one that was clearly making her uncomfortable.
To her credit, Ramona did thank Eboni for making her aware of pervasive microaggressions against the Black community.
She also appreciated how Eboni had explained the concept of white female fragility, and how it is too often weaponized against marginalized communities.
All that it takes is one good explanation to reach you and you realize how awful some things in the world truly are.
Eboni also commented that the election illustrated that we are a “divided country.”
“Can we just change the subject?” Ramona demanded, standing up.
“I’m going to take a step away because, you know what, I don’t want to do this. I don’t.”
“I’m liking you. I don’t know you that well,” Ramona told Eboni.
She expressed: “I feel like you’re teaching me, you’re preaching me.”
Ramona left the room to go chat with her dog fo ra bit.
Eboni explained to the confessional that she was not trying to delve into party politics with Ramona.
Instead, she was “trying to understand what [her] values are.”
Unfortunately, Eboni for some reason misused the word “triggered” in her confessional, which is just never okay.
Ramona returned and explained that she just wanted to “have fun” after what had been a stressful week.
Eboni correctly pointed out that only people living privileged lives can just ignore politics.
It’s a luxury that the marginalized cannot afford. Elections can mean life or death.
(Genuinely, someone not wanting to discuss politics at all is a red flag, but not everyone wants to discuss it at all times)
Ramona accused Eboni of “preaching” to her, followed by both women accusing the other of gaslighting.
Another misused term.
Neither of them were gaslighting.
If a Real Housewife is ever being manipulated to believe that they are losing their minds, literally, we will report on it.
Eboni then explained that she is trying to lay the foundation of a genuine, and hopefully lasting, bond with her castmate.
“I’m telling you that I want to have a real friendship with you Ramona because I like you,” Eboni noted.
“But you can’t like me only when I say the things you want me to say,” she reasoned.
That’s not unfair.
Ramona replied that she did not want to discuss “race, religion, or creed” with anyone, not just with Eboni.
She asked Eboni to “back off a little bit” because “the other girls aren’t feeling rally good about this.”
Ramona claimed that “they feel like you’re lecturing us.”
“They should be big girls because everybody is an adult and they should say how they feel,” Eboni suggested.
She advised Ramona: “You can’t tell me not to talk about how I feel.”
Ramona complained that the conversation was getting “too heavy” for her.
“This is too serious of a conversation,” Ramona expressed.
“When I just want to enjoy my life,” she said. “I want to escape for 24 hours.”
Eboni replied: “I’m glad you can do that, I don’t have the privilege to do that.”
Eboni pointed to her skin: “Am I supposed to take this off and hang it up?”
She then quipped: “Do you have a coat closet for my Blackness, Ramona?”
“I’m feeling I’m being attacked,” Ramona complained.
Ramona then attempted to show that she takes conversations about race seriously.
She attempted to refer to CJ Walker, a Black woman who was the first woman in America to be a self-made millionaire.
Ramona being Ramona, she called her “EJ Walker” by mistake.
Flustered by the topic and her mistake, Ramona said: “Oh whatever. I gotta go now. Okay, I’m going.”
She said this from inside of her own home. Oh, Ramona.
She also voiced her resentment that Eboni had corrected her. Eventually, though, the two did hug it out. So … yay?
