Revisiting The Revelations Of Psychic Mediums In The Bravo Universe
Even in an age where skepticism reigns, so many still turn to spiritual mediums to call on presumed otherworldly talents for clarity. Among those devout return customers and tentative participants are seasons and seasons of Real Housewives. Just like exclusive international shopping sprees (ah, how we need more of these) and savage drink throws at black tie affairs (perhaps, less of those, please), consulting a psychic on camera has become a rite of passage for Housewives franchises coast to coast. But just how accurate are the fleeting predictions of these Bravo psychics, captured forever on screen?
Unforgettably, Allison DuBois uttered the most ubiquitous words from a psychic in Bravo history: "He will never emotionally fulfill you. Ever. Know that." It may have been her confidence in her ability or irritation at Doogie's open disbelief of her ability that emboldened Camille's table guest to so forcefully insist, "He will never emotionally fulfill you, but you will stay with him, and he will take care of you. And as soon as the kids are bigger, you will have nothing in common." Within the chaos of those shots fired across the astral plane, it's often forgotten that Allison also wryly alleged that she saw Kyle's second marriage as her last ("that's the good news!"). So if Allison's talents are to be believed verbatim, traditional marital bliss with a certain country singer, or anyone, may not rest on Kyle's horizon.
It's only natural that Kyle and the rest of the RHOBH cast laughed off the feisty forecast. Unlike Sonja Morgan (who once employed a psychic on her team of misfit advisors to weigh in on liposuction) or the Real Housewives of Melbourne (whose cast includes Shine It Up medium Jackie Gillies), dabbling in the other side at the dinner table was not the norm for Kyle and co.'s Rodeo Drive reality.
Around the same year that Dubois dropped her bomb, an elaborate scene of dueling psychics got a much warmer reception. Maybe because it happened in Leah Black's lavish living room in Miami, a city where spectacle is par for the course. Psychic Norman Baker, in his Ugg boots and striped shirt, started the session by blessing Leahdog Leroy. Beloved Mama Elsa, unimpressed with Norman's chain swinging and sound technique, decided to take the reins (the reins being Norman's limbs) during her own reading. They both saw Norman's bifurcated soul in the room.
Norman was entertaining but ultimately, not so accurate. He predicted Lisa and Lenny would have only one male child, that Joanna and Roman's sex life was too hard-core, and that Leroy was going to live — none of which was the case. But Norman's style of performance over predictions is "great for a party," as Marysol quipped, and that seems to be the preference for many of the mediums who cameo on the network.
Sometimes these readers even have props. Who could forget Angie, Teresa's recommendation on RHONJ, who conveniently saw the word "endorsements" at the bottom of Jennifer's Aydin coffee cup? Unconveniently, none of the women quite bought Angie's encyclopedic knowledge of the latest buzzwords hovering over the group or that she wasn't reading off a piece of paper.
Even sillier than the allegedly concocted coffee grounds was pet psychic Keao, on RHOC. Keao translated that Jen's overweight pug, Willow, wanted to be carried more, and that Archie Beador wanted a brother to buffer Shannon's long goodbyes. For women with disposable TV income, it's harmless to indulge in a farcical conversation with furry friends, even if Keao's divinations of the dogs' deepest desires could have also been deduced by a pedestrian dog lover.
But when diving into deeper wells, does an oracle owe its clients results? Looking at predictions with confirmed receipts, there are many on the network. Tamra's psychic pal on OC was the first to affirm MKE's theory that Brooks' cancer was "wishy washy" — he just "[didn't] see it." Though viewers may conspiracy theorize that Jill Zarin and Lu could have manipulated the language barrier, no one can deny the conviction with which a Moroccan reader delivered news of Mario Singer's infidelity, later confirmed by his divorce from Ramona in 2010.
On the positive side, Bone Doctor Mbele properly prophesied that Kandi was imminently set to meet the love of her life on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Mbele was correct about the fact that Kandi's future love was already within reach since Todd was then a producer on the show. RHOA's track record is quite nice considering Kim Zolciak's regular psychic, Rose, did foresee Kim and Kroy's next baby girl, even if she didn't correctly clock Brielle's marriage timeline.
But the most emotional readings on Bravo haven't necessarily been the ones that spawned tangible deliverables. Robyn and Juan were moved to tears by their medium, Justin, as soon as he recounted the painfully specific ways Juan's mom passed away (though fans couldn't help but note his findings seemed potentially publicly accessible) after making them chant a special catchphrase. By the time Justin cited the death of Robyn and Juan's friend, who infamously embezzled from the couple, Robyn was sold that she had received clairvoyant healing.
In the moment, teflon don Dolores Catania looked equally delivered during Gina Marie's psychic reading about her passed loved ones: Boo (the dog), and Pee Wee (an uncle). Later on, a relative reminded Dolo that her uncle's precious nicknames were in her grandmother's obituary. To be fair, Gina Marie was correct in that Dr. David was not Dolores' soulmate.
A decade earlier, on RHONJ, James Van Praagh (incorrectly) divined that Teresa would not go to jail on RHONJ in 2014. James' assessment that Juicy Joe would left Teresa in a chills-filled state of reckoning, even if it seemed obvious to those following the federal case at home. Three years later, Teresa and Joey Gorga sat down with "a simple girl who's heard dead folks all my life." Concetta told them they could try specific questions, but what really touched the pair during a rare season without sibling rivalry was simply knowing their mother wanted them to be happy.
A Turkish tea reader on The Real Housewives of New York made Carole Radziwill feel comfortable ahead of her return to London, just knowing her deceased husband, Anthony, was always with her. Mama Heather Holla Thompson had already scheduled her son's ear surgery, but receiving confirmation from Selma Bal that it was the right choice drew heavy breaths of relief. Similarly, Dorinda was eternally grateful for the tea reader's validation of her theory that her dearly departed Richard sometimes returned to her in the form of a red balloon.
At the end of these powerful sessions, it wasn't predictions or completed inquisition that seemed to move the needle for hopeful Housewives. It was merely the sense of comfort provided by someone claiming to know more, in an existence of so many unknowns. Seeking a psychic wasn't worthwhile because they had answers about the future; our favorite Bravolebrities were most consistently moved by getting clarity that their past was empowering them in their now. Maybe it's assuaging anxiety, instead of getting answers, that we seek from psychics. Healing comes in different forms from people of different lifestyles. You may not necessarily need your existential reassurance to come from someone blessed with a celestial endowment. But I'm sure if your walk does lead you to someone thoughtful and authentic, like many of the gifted individuals who have appeared on Bravo, release is within reach.
Still, whether you're a patron with a paycheck from reality TV or not, receiving a specific precognition with a hard expiration date is an undeniably exciting prospect. Whitney Wild Rose's intuitive consultant, Terrence, managed to do that and elicit big emotions from two of Salt Lake City's most obstinate icons. He tapped into Lisa's marriage strife and nailed Elektra's horse troubles — he just probably didn't realize it would be a miniature toy.
