After finishing up her next hit single, Chic, C’est la Vie, LuAnn invited all her fellow castmates to join her in shooting a video in Atlantic City.  To her amazement, not all the ladies jumped at the opportunity.Ramona was first to raise objections to appearing in the video, claiming she didn’t feel it would be a good example for Avery.  First receptive to the idea of appearing, Sonja chose not to participate after listening to Ramona’s anti-video spiel while the two barely broke a sweat on the treadmills at Equinox.Alex articulated her reasons for not participating in the video to Simon & company over a backyard Brooklyn wienie roast.  After pretentiously describing her oil-rich Kansas upbringing, she declared that her family’s social preeminence prevented her from even mentioning the word “class” let alone appearing in a video purporting to embody the four letter word.  The McCords are Kansas society dontcha know?Since these bitches will film anything, Sonja joined Jill at the Path Medical Center.  BTW, what the fuck is on Jill’s head?  When the topic of the video shoot at the Borgata came up, Sonja fed Jill a bunch of unconvincing good-mommy bullshit which Jill immediately saw through.  Jill tried her best to convince, cajole, and bully Sonja into hitting up Atlantic City, but Ramona’s influence over Sonja won out in the end.  Ultimately, Sonja refused to cave to Jill’s pressure.In one of the most awkward and tense lunches of the season, Ramona and LuAnn met at Madison & Vine to discuss Ramona’s non-participation in the video.  Rather than politely decline the cameo, Ramona insinuated she was a better role model and parent than LuAnn.  Without acknowledging the lingering questions surrounding her own relationship, Ramona continued to dig at LuAnn’s parenting style.  Once she brought up the Count’s philandering, LuAnn was understandably out the door.  Glass houses Ramona, glass houses.In an effort to mend fences, Sonja invited Cindy over for toaster-oven egg brunch.  The meal took place mid-week so Cindy brought along her assistant and took a conference call just as the food emerged.  It was super rude of Cindy to take the call and shush Sonja in her own home.  If you are too busy for brunch, don’t come.  Furthermore, I’m sure a conversation about pubic hair removal can wait until after the mid-day meal.Once in Atlantic City, Jill was the only Housewife that showed up for the first day of filming the Chic video.  Bensimon showed briefly for a few shots on day two.  Unflattering makeup, unexciting clothes, bad hair, cheesy location, and a moronic song pretty much guaranteed the whole thing would be a hot mess.  And it was.

To ensure they too got some air time this week, Ramona, Avery, Alex, and Sonja went to a hip-hop lesson, which was easily the most embarrassing five minutes of the season for everyone involved. Alex and Simon hosted an art thing in Brooklyn, and since Ramona and Sonja didn’t go to Atlantic City to shoot the video they deigned to cross the bridge.  The Manhattanites took turns dissing the borough and acted like they’d been forced to endure a trek to a developing nation.  Sonja accidentally flashed a little nip upon arrival, and the excitement level pretty much plummeted from there.Next week the finale puts this sleepy season to bed for good.  Can the show be salvaged with this group of ladies or will Bravo toss the whole lot and recast for next year?

At the dinner with odd seating arrangements, Bethenny spread some juicy De Lesseps adultery gossip that she’s been waiting to strategically reveal.  Is Patrón sponsoring Ramona?  Two episodes, two Patrón product placements, coincidence or endorsement deal?  Nice cupcakes Bethenny.

Teatime with Rosie and LuAnn left no question in my mind why Rosie left “Mrs. D” and her grubby children behind in the Hamptons and took a better position in the city.  

LuAnn continually reasserts her perceived superiority with comments like, “This is a nice switch Rosie, I’m bringing you the tea now,” and “I have a new girl, so it is a lot of work to teach someone new how to do everything that you like them to do, so it is actually double the work.”  Bitch shut up and do your own God Damn laundry.

LuAnn literally chokes on the word divorce during her conversation with Rosie.  She mostly fishes for reassurance with needy questions like, “Do you miss us?” and “How do I look?” (Truthfully LuAnn, the prints are a bit much.)  To top it off, Ms. Manners then says, “You look good too, you kept your weight off.”

Jill did tell Ramona that she was calling on LuAnn’s phone, so Ramona should have considered that LuAnn may be within earshot.  Ultimately however, it was Jill’s responsibility to disclose to Ramona that LuAnn was sitting right there.  Thankfully, she didn’t, and we were treated to a rare, uncensored, honest moment.  I doubt anyone is particularly shocked that the Countess got down behind the Count’s back, but I am shocked and thrilled Ramona called her on her bullshit. 

Jesus, Bethenny loves Phillippe.  Is Jason Hoppy the East Coast Slade Smiley?  Is he sincere or did that move-in-together speech feel a little rehearsed and contrived?  Maybe I’m just cynical, but it feels like he’s trying to play white knight.  Without more information, I’m reserving judgment on Hoppy for now. 

WTF is Kelly wearing?  Are there shorts under there?  Why could the Playboy announcement not wait until after lunch?  The Countess is clearly concerned about her steaks.  Was that not the longest, most irrelevant prologue ever?  First off bitch, John Mayer was the big interview in that issue.  Second, Jill and/or the Countess would JUMP at the opportunity to do Playboy if asked.  Third, Noel can’t wait to jerk off at the very notion of Kelly in a MILF spread. 

Who would have thought we’d ever see LuAnn and Ramona fight over Silex?  The childish dispute erupted into a power struggle between the two camps with a bewildered Alex acting as the rope in Jill and Ramona’s tug of war, and Silex could not be more flattered with all the fuss.