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Designing Women S7 E3 - Anthony: The Law Student & The Showgirl

sweetteatvpod
Feb 1736 min read

Updated: Mar 10

Next up in our character run-down for season 7, the one, the only: ANTHONY BOUVIER! 


As we wrap up our time with Anthony, let’s take a second to appreciate the endless shenanigans the Designing Women have put him through, his quickie, season 7 marriage, his never-ending law school career, and the twist ending that has us all wondering if Bernice’s feelings for him were truly unrequited.


We’ll make a pit-stop at Salina’s Sidebar, to talk about the one and only, Sheryl Lee Ralph. 


And we have a special bit for our Patreon listeners, inspired by the crew’s two-part Vegas visit this season.


Finally, don’t forget to come back Thursday for an “Extra Sugar” that was weeks of internet research, podcast listening, and light book-skimming in the making - Salina’s taking the Southern route to Vegas, talking all about the Dixie Mafia.


We did some mayjah research for this one - here are some links, if you want to do some of your own:


Come on y’all, let’s get into it! 




 

Transcript

Salina: It's been a while since we've had a bts


Hey, Nikki.


Hey, Salina.


Hey.


Well, oiled machine.


In my defense, I can't hear the intro music, so.


Oh, I can. It's, delightful.


That's just a little behind the scenes for you. It's been a while since we've had a bts.


It has.


so we're virtual today. I'll go ahead and give that framing up front so that when we go. Huh?


What?


Everybody knows. Yeah. That we're just trying to do our best.



Ann Richards, former Planned Parenthood president, recently passed away from brain cancer


but welcome to the season seven Anthony episode. This is our third episode for season seven. so I am, not going to delay. We'll just jump right on in and I'm going to point to you and say, would you like to recap us on our episodes that were Anthony focused?


I would. Can I do a little circle back on business from previous episodes real quick?


Absolutely.


So, episode one, Extra Sugar. You mentioned Ann Richards from Texas. She was the first, female governor in the state. I wanted to mention something that came up organically after we recorded that episode. Her daughter was Cecile Richardson, who was a reproductive rights advocate and former president of Planned Parenthood.


Yes.


So she recently passed away, unfortunately from brain cancer. so I hadn't connected the dots that they were related mostly because most of what I knew about Ann was Texas. Right. And that's true, she was from Texas. but it's worth mentioning because Cecile did just pass away, literally, I think like on Inauguration day or the day before Inauguration day, which I think is layered. And I think you could, piece that apart. but she did a lot at Planned Parenthood and for the field of reproductive rights in general, including a years long attempt to set the record straight on Planned Parenthood's role in abortion. Basically, yes, some clinics provide abortions, but many more of them, provide things like access to affordable or no cost birth control and STI testing. They're a really important safety net organization for a lot of women who don't have access to care. and so under her leadership at Planned Parenthood, unintended births hit a 30 year low in the U.S. and she just did so much for the field that I think in our sort of wheelhouse of Southern and trying to highlight women who have been influential in history, I wanted to connect those dots. and I think she might be someone that would have been interesting as an extra sugar or maybe will be interesting to dive into one day. But I kind of just wanted to acknowledge that we touched on her in a roundabout way and also just like memorialize her A little bit. Because that's a huge loss for the field.


Yeah. thank you for flagging that. I think, as you said, all of that, it hit me that in looking into her in the past, I think I'd read that she came from a political family and I guess I've just never put all of those pieces together. M. So, yeah, absolutely. important person to talk about and thank you.


Yes. So not to belabor from Anthony, who we're supposed to talk about today, but I just wanted to close that loop.


I think that was very important.


Right. Let's acknowledge. Let's acknowledge those things where we can.



Let's talk about what Anthony was up to in season seven


So let's talk about Anthony, though. Let's talk about what Anthony was up to in season seven. So let's start with the episodes that were Anthony focused. So we had episode six, Viva Las Vegas, which was a two parter, along with episode seven, Fools Rush In. This is the one we talked about a lot in our first episode this season because it was a season high for me. for Anthony. This episode finds him and Vanessa, who people might remember from season six, who was his intended to be betrothed. Is that right? Did I say that right?


Well, that was a very interesting way of putting it.


But they were arguing over whether to have their special day in Bermuda. Anthony, was a hard pass because apparently short, short pants at a wedding is a bridge too far for him. but we know Vanessa doesn't like to be told no, so she canceled the wedding by phone as one with class, dignity and respect does. But, that prompts BJ to take Anthony and the other gals to Vegas, which, you know, obviously Vegas, the land of cheer ups, of all shapes and s. And while there, he takes in several very long performances of get yout Boogie down, which, unfortunately, he takes us along for. but the important part is he sees her shimmering, shining, boogieing down. Etienne, a showgirl, and he marries her. He spends the rest of these episodes trying to end that marriage, including hatching a plan to let BJ buy her off and finding himself skulking around in the lobby in his Underoos. Long story short, it does not work. And he ends up married to Etienne. So she joins him in Atlanta a couple episodes later in episode nine. The vision thing. Being the gracious hostesses that they are, the Designing Women opt to host a Vegas themed bridal shower for the two of them. And Etienne would like to give Anthony a special gift of her own. A baby, which sends our boy into his own special brand of spiral. then we had episode 10, trial and error. So in this one, Anthony finally becomes a lawyer, or at least plays one in small claims court on Mary Jo's behalf. So it turns out, his panic theatrics aren't only reserved for interpersonal interactions with his besties. And T. Tommy Reed, he also freaks out in court, which is great for a lawyer, you know, but good news, judges and juries love over the top lawyers. So love it. So. So it works out that an attorney swings by the house later to compliment him. Doesn't really matter that she's part of Poteet Industries Council. It's just minor coincidences.


What's that you say? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth?


That is what I said. That is what I say. I've always said that, Salina.



So episode 14, Wedding Redux. Um, but for those who don't remember, quick reminder


So episode 14, Wedding Redux. We talked about this one a bit, too, in episode one, because this was a highlight for you, Salina. but for those who don't remember, quick reminder. Dondi and the TousSaints, aka Anthony's grandmother and Etienne's parents, all came to town to see the lovebirds renew their vows. And Anthony caved to all the pressure that came with that. And then finally, episode 18. It's not so easy being green in this one. Etienne's old friend Punch comes to Atlanta on a book tour. Turns out Anthony has a bit of a jealous streak, which makes him into a bit of a jerk for the whole situation.



This is the most Anthony episodes we've ever seen on the show


Did I miss any episodes?


No, you didn't miss any episodes. I do have some thoughts that don't really fit into our superlatives.


Okay.


That I thought I might share, if that's okay. I wanted to get your. And, yeah, I'll go on and on and on, and then you can tell me if it's okay. and I apologize. I am getting over a cold, so I'm curious if you agree or disagree, but, you know, my first thought, and even, like, you going back through this list, I mean, this is the most Anthony episodes we've ever seen in the final season. You know, for what it's worth, I'd argue two of them. We don't actually get a lot of Anthony. Viva Las Vegas. I mean, it's funny because it is about him, but there's a lot of focus on the girls, and how their trip is going. Excuse me. The women. gambling trial and error also is one that is, like, in name about him, but it's a. Like, Mary Jo gets a good bit of the spotlight in there as well. You know, Anthony is a good Example of where I feel like the writers might have been fans of his character, but they didn't always know how to write him as authentically as some of the people who've written him before, and especially someone like lbt. at some points, he turned into almost a fun house mirror version of himself. You know, like, they knew that it was funny when he was nervous about something, so they were like, yeah, we'll just do that the whole time, you know? And then the final thing that I really thought about, and I did hear you, like, I think this made some of your funniest lines. and they are funny, but they did turn him into a little bit of, like, exposition guy. So he's summarizing old plot points, like all the trips that they've been on and everything that's happened across the two wedding episodes or all the times the women had put him in, like, a precarious situation. So again, it's funny and Meshach Taylor is a fantastic actor, but it just felt like that was like a kind of an interesting use of him, and it was like always him doing it. So those were the things that hit me across the season about our dearest Anthony.


I think, some of those things are gonna come up again later and it's gonna be interesting. It's gonna be an interesting look at how you view things and how I view things.


Is that all your favorite things?


I didn't say that. Yeah.


Okay.


yeah, we'll talk about it.



Anthony's big plot point this season was his marriage to Etienne


So, major plot points. I had three I wanted to mention here. his big plot point this season was his marriage to Etienne. It takes up most of the air in his plot lines. This season we do get an extra focus on a runner from M previous seasons. he and Bernice have always had, like, a special relationship, but now she seems, like, openly in love with him and, like, slightly obsessed with him. It went, it went. It went hard this season.


Hard and fast. Excuse me.


He's also still in law school, which I kind of hoped we'd wrap up before the end of the series. But alas, Trial and Error is like the closest we get to that, and it's not a full resolution of that plot line.


So I think. I think you mentioned, some of your general thoughts about Anthony this season. Was there anything else about his plot lines that you wanted to mention?


I don't think so.



Anthony Bouvier is the law student and the showgirl


Okay, so we're calling Our Anthony's Season 7 Adventures Anthony Bouvier, the law student and the showgirl.


Sounds like a 40s movie.


It does.


Good job.


I wish I had said it differently. Now that you say that. Hold on. I gotta look at it again.


Oh, yeah.


I'm not gonna do it. Right.


The laws.


Yeah. That's what I was aiming for. Thank you. I couldn't get there. I couldn't dig deep enough for that.


I just can't. Listen back to me. Do that ever.


You don't want to see the video either. Let me just tell you that.


How dare you? But I shimmy.


There's a lot of shimmying happening.


There's nothing shimmying, but they're shimmying motions. Yeah. so I have a request. Can we do a little sidebar?


I'll allow it. Oh, Am I supposed to do music?


it's up to you.


It's a sidebar. Salina sidebar. She's got a keyboard Looking for a reward by digging deep in the obscure Taking us on a detour what you got? Salina in Salina's sidebar.



Cheryl Lee Ralph had a major role on Designing Women


Okay, so I don't know that typically we would dedicate a sidebar to someone who is essentially a season seven guest star. But then Cheryl Lee Ralph walked in, or as you said, Nikki sing and dance her way in, as Etienne Toussaint, and then the game changed. So I thought we'd spend a little time today getting to know Cheryl Lee Ralph. For those who may not know as much about her, not only is she a big name, she also had a big impact on the final season of the show, certainly on Anthony. So this feels like the time for her to get her due. Let's, start with how she got the role, because that's quite interesting in and of itself. Are you familiar with this story?


I am.


Okay.


I actually wrote it down because I wasn't sure if you would have found it in your research, but why don't you tell us?


Well, you know, the thing is, is there. I've read a bunch of different versions, and a lot of it is because it's. A lot of times it's coming from other people. But I found a recent interview so that I could hear it from, like, her version. And this is what she said that she did. She walked up to Harry Thomason at an event that she held for Bill Clinton, and she said, hello, my name is Cheryl Lee Ralph, and I am your host for this evening. And why is it that Meshach Taylor as Anthony Bouvier doesn't have a black girlfriend? This show is based in Atlanta, and I know those Designing Women, know a few black people, so. And the rest is history. By the way, for what it's worth, this is the kind of radical honesty I want to bring into 2025 and beyond. You know, I just want to walk up to people. Yeah. And I want to tell them exactly what I think.


I think there's, going to be a unique need for that in 2025.


Yeah. No, no, say more. Yeah.



Designing Women star Cheryl Lee Ralph is not Southern, Nikki says


Quick, question, though, for you.


Yes.


Call it Southern or not Southern, but it sounds like you probably already.


I don't know the answer to this, actually. So what do you think? Southern.


Okay, well, she's not Southern.


That's what I said. not Southern. Did you not hear me? I think there's a lag or something. Yeah. I said not Southern.


Nikki, if you don't know by now. I know every time. You're right. Okay. All right. So she is not Southern, just like Nikki said.


Exactly.


Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, the least Southern place that I could think of, and that was on December 30th, 1956. And then she. She grew up in Connecticut, but also a little bit in Long island, and. And also Jamaica. In fact, her full name is technically th. Cheryl Lee Ralph. O.J. hold on. It stands for the Honorable Cheryl Lee Ralph Order of Jamaica. She received the title. That's right. She received the title just a few years ago for everything that she's done for her mom's home country.


yeah, you really just squeezed in there that she lived in Jamaica for a few years. Just, like, squeeze it right in there.


That's amazing. It's all about economy of words, something you've never said to me. And y'all just wait till y'all get to this week's Extra Sugar. Not economy of words. Anyways. so she's also married to longtime Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes, and she has two children, son Etienne. And yes, he is named after the Designing Women character that she played. And then also her daughter, Ivy Coco. So isn't that nice?


It is nice. I didn't know she had children.


That's the best Designing Women connections that we've gotten so far, I think among any of the stars.


Yeah.



Cheryl Lee Rolf starred in the Flintstones and Designing Women


So, wanted to hit some highlights from her career with you. So she was the original Dina Jones in the very first Broadway run of Dreamgirls in 1981. Now, this is the part Beyonce would later play in the 06 film version. She was Lauryn Hill's mom in Sister Act 2. This was in 1993, so she must have been filming it. And Designing Women, I think, right around the same Time. It could be why we see less of her towards the end of the season. I'm not sure. I think people our age may remember her as Dee Mitchell, on Moesha, a show that earned her five NAACP Image Award nominations. But what made her a household name only came a handful of years ago.


When she was in the Flintstones.


When she was in the Flintstones. Just a handful of years ago.


We just watched that movie with the kids and she popped up and I was like, that's Cheryl Lee Rolf.


Did she.


She did. I'm sorry. Abbott elementary.


Is this the Halle Berry one?


Yes.


Okay.


She plays the adoption agent.


Oh, okay. so the Flintstones and also Abbott Elementary. Thank you. But that is what has made her a household name. The hit ABC sitcom and mockumentary where she plays no nonsense veteran teacher Barbara Howard. And I gotta tell you, watching that character alongside her character and Designing Women is a total trip because they could not be more different. I mean, she is that hard nosed elementary teacher that, like, loves you but will also get you.


Yeah.


So, she's still doing movies. Over the summer she starred in the Fabulous Four alongside Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler and Megan Mulally. that's in my queue now, so I'll get back to you. It does feel like, you know, we were talking about how we wanted a First Wives Club, you know, sequel. It does feel like kind of the sole sequel to it or something. You know, of course I love this ensemble of women, but I also love the idea of how movies like this are helping to finally, even if at a glacier's pace, you know, redefine Hollywood. And by that I mean not just disregard women over 40. And it's not just because I'm creeping up on 40 either. We gotta always stand up for old women. You know what I'm saying?



Ralph shares his thoughts on how Hollywood has changed


so Ralph shared some thoughts too, on how Hollywood has changed. I thought these were really interesting. Here's what she had to say to Philadelphia magazine. Let's see. Let's talk about gender first. I love when I walk on the lot and see women, not just women acting. I see women in every stage of the industry. I see women truck drivers, women grips, camera women, women all over the place. And when I started, that was not the way it was, honey. I look around today and I say, wow, now I know what change looks. And then to see women of color on top of that, young black people, young Asian people, and then you have the women of cola running their own shows. Kenta Brunson, Issa Rae, Mindy Kaling. Just amazing. That said, there are still too many black folks cast as drug dealers and murderers and I'm not too happy with that. Finally, Ralph is just a darn good human who really seems to have always cared and somehow also found herself on the right side of issues. it's always exciting to see that because it, that's a tough spot to be. Yeah, that's right. she was just honored as the Advocates 2024 Advocate of the Year for her many years of advocacy and allyship. And in the 90s she launched her own non profit, the Diva foundation, which is still around and raises funds for HIV causes, especially those focused on the black community and women and children. And in 2022 she co produced a documentary called Unexpected which told stories of young black women affected by HIV in the South. Abbott elementary has also given her a lot of opportunity to speak on the importance of underfunded public schools and the need for equity in education in a recent way. I always want to call them why but the Philly NPR station sounds fun anyways. Why?


that's how I read my news too.


Why lately. but Ralph recounted how one episode about the lack of up to date books in the classroom led to a bunch of organizations donating to provide help for schools in need. And you know, we had a lot of conversations about how. And I see this a lot on our social media stuff too. Like there's not a lot of like substance to sitcoms anymore.


And I think Abbott elementary, while still in the style of a newer sitcom, has a little bit more of that older feeling to it. Like that undercurrent of like here's the thing that we should probably be paying attention to. So we'll link to some interviews of hers or I will ask Nikki to please kindly do that. and because I just really can't do this woman justice. She is a delight to see and hear in her own words. So if you're interested in doing that, we want to give you that access. So any questions on Ms. Ralph?


No. It was so funny. She's one of those people that I feel like you watch movies m from like the 80s into the 90s. I mean the Flintstones. We just happen to be watching that. And there she is. She's one of those actors that just pops up everywhere. And it's been particularly gratifying to see her have another life through Abbott elementary and sort of like the Gina Sance, she's sort of having her version of that through Abbott elementary, which is Just really cool.


Cheryl Sans.


Cheryl Sans. There you go.


You heard it here first and only.


She'll be calling us any minute now, to tell us to never call it that again.


I would take the call. I would take the call just to hear that voice. I'm like, come on this podcast with that voice, that sultry, beautiful voice that you have that I'm trying so hard not to mimic as I'm quoting you.


It's hard sometimes.


It's very hard.



What was your favorite Anthony episode this season


so I thought that we could go ahead and jump into character superlatives then. And so I'll shut up for a moment. Would you like to tell us what your best Anthony episode is?


So this one was hard because Viva Las Vegas and Fools Rush in were my season favorites, so I have to pull them out of the running for this one. But I stand by those as top tier episodes this season. so when I look at the rest of the Anthony focused episodes, I think my next favorite was episode 10, trial and error. so throughout the series, and this is where we're gonna get into one of your comments about Anthony's character. We've been building him as this, feature of him where he folds under pressure. and it's been a concern that I've had about him becoming a lawyer. How is he gonna manage that? This one played right and I appreciated one, the character continuity. Like, we. I think we've seen less character continuity at different points in time. And I know that was like, Die Hard fans. That's a real criticism they have this season is that, like, in particular, Mary Jo and Julia are not at all the same characters they used to be. This one felt like maybe some character continuity that would feel comfortable for, like, real Die Hard fans because they, you know what you're getting with Anthony, and they played right into that. I also think his high strungness is one of his funniest features. So I appreciate that they play that up a bit. in this episode.



Salina: I think some of the other characters had high points too


I think also some of the other characters had high points too. So, like, you were just talking about Cheryl Lee Ralph as Etienne. She was like, delightful as the doting wife. I thought it was really cute how she tried to dote on him in Failure, and that was real tough for her. And she was really honest about that, but she was still so cute about the whole thing. I liked hers and Carlene's back and forth about Tammy Wynette. Back where I'm from, we stand by our man. Tammy Wynette even has a song about it. I mean, I Don't mean to attack your character, but aren't you divorced? Yes, I am. She also sang about that. D I V O R C E. Okay. I just thought that interaction was so cute. and then Julia and Etienne making Anthony feel better toward the end of the episode, AKA Etienne parroting everything Julia should say and then standing back and taking notes from Julia, like, losing her mind on him and finally turning things around. and then, I think the final thing that this episode really had going for it was, when that real life lawyer comes in at the end and compliments Anthony. Okay, so it doesn't matter that she was encouraged financially by BJ to come in and say something nice to him. It was nice that she came in and gave him that really positive feedback. So if we're not going to resolve that loop, if we're not going to have Anthony become, like, a bard lawyer, at least we know he has some promise and maybe there's some resolution in the end.


Okay.


All right.


I mean, I think that's. I mean, so I think that's. We took, like, the different tax on it, but, like, it was still the same. Like, I. Because it. I agree that it's consistent. It just was like, almost a little fun house mirror to me. But they definitely knew what they were like. They watched the old episodes. You know what I'm saying? They got familiar with the character of Anthony. and it's hard to. Not even in his worst episode. It's hard to not love Anthony.


Yeah.


You know, that's all there is to it. so. Well, I get. I. I still stuck with one of my favorites for the season because I tried to hold back some of the wedding shenanigans.


You were more thoughtful about it than I was. I'm taking it one at a time, Salina.


I don't know about all that. We'll see. you know, for me, it's like a good wedding episode is a good wedding episode. You got the shenanigans. There's, just a series of not so great events for your big day. There's the water main break. then Etienne's mother left her father, and she's a sobbing mess. Anthony and Etienne aren't speaking. Dondi, is there Dondi. but she's upset with Anthony, and no one gave her advance notice. She didn't even get to pull the right clothes together. She's not happy.


She's mad about it.


She is mad. Judge, Maloney can't make it. Anthony forgets to write his vows. Then he Has a panic attack landing him in the hospital. So, you know, they get married there. And then the cast sings out the episode like, you know, just white women just trying sing and dance to varying degrees of success, which I thought was funny. and I. You know, again, I mentioned that I really love this one in the season because of the Bernice of it all. She was just. They used her, and they used both of the parents. I thought, pitch perfectly. And just the. You couldn't have queued up. Better timing for the way that all of that ran. Bonus. By the way, Etienne is wearing one of Suzanne's wedding dresses, so it's kind of like Suzanne was there for Anthony's big day.


Oh, that's nice. I thought you were gonna say bonus. Dondi is actually the lady that played the woman in the hospital in, like, season two or whatever.


That is true. She was also in the. The last day of the decade of the, this. That. Yeah, whatever the name of that episode was. But, yeah, and I loved her as that part. And I, We get to hear so much about Dondi that I really wish we had gotten more from her.


Yeah.


I wish they had let her cook a little more if I was going to give some feedback to the episode.


Well, I rewatched that episode after you said it was one of your favorites. I rewatched it because it had been a while since I saw it, and it was. I really loved Etienne's mom's, like, over the topness and Etienne's exasperation at her. That was glorious.



I did think that was a delightful episode. Um, and then Dondi was so Southern grandma


you didn't get much from dad other than what you had already shared in the last episode between him and Bernice. and then Dondi, in her frustration over the clothes, was so Southern grandma that, like, it just was. Was so immediately identifiable.


She's not having it.


I wanted to get my second wear out of my Easter hat. Well, of course you did. Of course you did. And they robbed you of that. And I. I did think that was a delightful episode.


Yeah. And she's like, I raised you.


Yep. Yeah. All the people who deserve. I know. I know.


That's right.



Anthony's insecurity over an old friend was uncomfortable for me


what about your worst episode for Anthony?


So I went with episode 18. It's not so easy being green. it wasn't that this was a bad episode necessarily, because you said earlier, no, Anthony is a bad. No, Anthony episode is a bad episode. It was just uncomfortable. So, like, I understand exploring conflict in their marriage throughout the season. It's, like, the perfect setup for it. Right. They're newlyweds. They Barely know each other, she's new to town. Like, everything's working against them, so conflict is going to be necessary. But I'm not sure Anthony's insecurity over an old friend was the most natural conflict for me, and certainly not the one I wanted to spend time exploring. it was kind of awkward, like, watching Anthony, this character that we love, make a butt of himself in this way. and then watching Etienne and the other women gaslight him into thinking this wasn't a thing to worry about, even though, like, I don't know that there was anything there that told me he shouldn't be worried about it. and then I don't think anyone ever validated for him that maybe it's natural for him to feel the way that he did about Punch. Certainly his actions weren't, justifiable, and he could have learned a little bit from that. But, like, I don't think it was completely invalid for him to feel the way he did. But everyone kept sort of telling him no, he was crazy. And I was like, I don't know, he might be on to something. So I didn't care for that either.


interesting. Okay.


And I think, it's probably especially because we've had so many episodes throughout this show about men who, were unwittingly affected by the Designing Women at some point in time. So, like, these men have been driven to do wacky things like paint them nude or write books about their Southern bellness or whatever. So it's not a foreign concept that Punch would be taken with Etienne and come back and try to, like, win her heart or something. So it just all felt very disingenuous. that said, I did love his slow descent into full Jerry Lee Lewis. So, like, we've teased this weird, thing that he does, but we finally got the full. The full Monty of it. I don't know what's a better way to say that the full iteration of it that'll work. I think the.


It's definitely visual.


It's visual. The worst part of this episode was learning that Julia's comfy clothes are a button down blouse and some kind of pants with a pocket. So that's when Anthony shows up at her house in his pajamas, ready for bed, and she is doing work, sitting in the house. She puts her hand in some sort of jean pocket, and I was like, julia, surely you have better comfy clothes. That really bothered me.


I don't think she does.


I don't think she does. I will say it was Absolutely inspired to have Bernie show up at the end as the interesting woman that Punch wanted to spend some more time with. So that sort of redeemed it right at the end.


I do not disagree. So for me, I'm gonna say that it's almost like a tie between episode 10, trial and error. And it's not so easy being green. It's only like half an inch off. And I'll just go ahead and spoiler it and say the reason why is because at the very end with Bernice, that is the only thing that saved that episode.


The redeeming factor.



I just didn't like that we were making Anthony so unlikable


I actually have more in the cringy section that I will share on this one, but I just didn't really like that we were making Anthony so unlikable that that level of jealousy felt out of character for me. and I think it was more the fact that for me anyway, like, it felt like he was turning it on her. When Punch was the weird. Was the weird one.


He was the weirdo in all of it.


He was the one saying weird stuff and telling weird sexualized stories about her. You know, I mean, maybe she could be a little bit more cosignant of what's going on. but I don't think that she deserved the blame for it either. And I think that might have been what some of the frustration coming from the women was. But I think that's a good point. That it probably would have gone a long way just to validate him just a little bit. So I think that's very fair. because it was, it was weird. They were weird stories.


Weird, weird stories.


So. But for 10, though, I'm just not a big fan of creating what I'm going to call the 10 minute crisis in this case. Anthony, you know, oh, maybe I shouldn't be lawyer after all. And then, like, it's fine.


Yeah.


And so it's like whiplash but no reward.


Yeah.


and then we'll get into it more, I hope, in Mary Jo's episode. But also this is like an example where they're making her unlikable too. That really unlikable.


Yeah, that's probably going to come up a lot in the Mary Jo episode. That was tough. That's bad luck.


Yeah, that's bad, bad luck.



Okay, what about your funniest moments on Designing Women


Okay, what about your funniest moments? You can have up to three or this is your podcast, so you can have as many or as few as you'd like.


I have three. I have three.


Wonderful.


I try to stick with the rules when I know them and Remember them?


I understand.


in episode one, I loved the line where he said, excuse me, but you obviously have me confused with somebody who's participating in this. I'm no longer associated with any of you. I'm an accident victim lying here waiting for a call from Workman's comp. I thought, like I said in I think our first episode this season, that that entire episode was kind of a delightful outing for the whole season. but I especially loved this line from Anthony because I feel like it sums up his spot in the entire series. I'm just this, like, collateral damage that's always just like hanging in the background waiting for someone to put the pieces back together. So I really loved that line. I also really loved in episode six, Viva Las Vegas, Anthony's panicked, like, who are you? To Etienne after they wake up in bed together. So this is one of those moments where it's not the line, it's the performance. It was like this slow build of the women barging in, them having this conversation with Anthony about who he's in bed with, watching all of the pieces slowly align in his head. And then it finally culminates in the very simple, who are you? I thought that was, pretty brilliant, having all that come together. and then finally episode 13. Oh, dog. Poor dog. after he tries to break down the door, he says, why is it that every time you women ask me to do something, some part of my body ends up not quite the same? Anthony, why don't you carry this humongous 500 pound table downstairs? Anthony, beat up this hillbilly man and his three Neanderthal sons. Anthony, jump on this torture wheel and let us spin you just once. So I didn't process it the way you mentioned earlier. Sort of this king of exposition, I think, is how you said it, like telling the story through these really funny lines. I think that's spot on. I think for me, this particular one was almost like an Anthony's greatest hits. So if you've not watched any other season of Designing Women, you get a sense for the sort of ridiculousness he gets caught up in. and again, his delivery is just so delightful.


Me shack man, good actor.


You know what I mean? He knew what he was doing.


Yeah, there's not, there's nothing I've never not loved him in. So there's that.



This is Anthony's naked elevator ride from season seven, episode seven


okay, so for me, my very first one is. And really I just went in the. There's no necessary, necessarily order here. But season seven, episode seven, Fools Rush In. This is Anthony's naked elevator ride. Just good. you know, when he gets back and the two men roll him in on the laundry cart and they dump him out in his boxers, we get his trip recap. I think you may have even talked about that in our opener. but this is just a storybook ending to a perfect vacation. In just 24 hours, I'm jilted, whisked off to Vegas, where I wake up married, following the very good advice of my friends, I go downstairs in my shorts, only my back goes out. Totally. And I end up writhing on the elevator floor for 45 minutes while drunken, yet incredibly polite, pasty faced people in stretch pants get on and off, being ever so careful so not to step on me until these wonderful gentlemen brought me here rather than tuck me off the 23rd floor of this hotel like I begged them to do. And, I felt that one in my bones, to be honest.



Also, quick question. Would you do it for $10,000 today


Also, quick question. Would you do it?


What was it? $10,000?


It's 10. But you want to talk about what that is today?


Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.


Oh, sorry. First of all, it's 25, 000 today. It's 56, 000.


Okay. And it's just go into the lobby in your skivvies. Yeah.


Not even naked. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. This is like a,


No, I get to pick the undies, though. Like, I get to pick what I wear, right? Okay. Yeah, well, you have different undies for different days. You got the stretchy undies. Not so stretchy undies.


Put on your better ones if you're going to walk those hairs in, them. It's also like my underwear also happened to cover more of my butt than a bathing suit.


Yeah. Today. Yeah.


You know, you just can't get one that's big enough. It's like an extra large and it's.


Still like, they're so small. It's just.


Just covers. Yeah. I'm like, is this the front? Is it the back? All right, well, that got sidetracked.



Anthony explains men to the ladies in episode 16


Okay, so my second funniest, funniest line for me was in episode 16, sex, lies and Bad Hair Days. Anthony explains men to the ladies. Sort of. So this is the women just going at them like, I don't understand why men get like this. Anthony, you're a man. Explain that to me, huh? Uh-huh. And while you're at it, explain to me why a man can't just enjoy being out with a beautiful woman like BJ and not have to think of her as a potential conquest and Tell me why if a woman is remotely friendly to a man, he thinks that she wants to sleep with him. and explain to me why Dick Cavett keeps getting more talk shows when nobody listens to him. Anyway, tell us why men behave the way they do. I don't know. I don't know why men do the things they do. That's why I work with women.


It's a good call, Anthony.


Beautiful.



Anthony reacts to white people stuff in this podcast. Um, we're a clean podcast


And then my final one is a little bit of a twofer. It's what I'm gonna call Anthony reacting to white people stuff. Oh, I cleaned that up for you.


Thank you.


we're a clean podcast.


I wasn't ready with the beep button.


So thanks for that, but I'm not clean. But I do it for Nikki. So, anyways, the first one's about Princess Diana. Oh, well, thank you, Carlene. Listening to the world's richest white woman make kissy face with her boyfriend is certainly this black man's idea of paradise. Unfortunately, I'm taking Bernice to Admitting. And then we get the one in the Gone with the Wind episode, which he walked us through. And. And I just have to again get down to the part where he says a movie about a bunch of black people named Mammy, Pappy, and Prissy being ordered about by overdressed white people is not really role model material. And as far as I'm concerned, that movie was about a bunch of rich snobs who lose everything and still cannot get along without three black people to help them into their underwear. The best Gone with the One synopsis I've ever heard. cringiest, or most obnoxious moments. What you got?



Anthony and Etienne give some cringiest romantic lines on Designing Women


So, first of all, I'm gonna. Because it's our podcast, I do what I want, I'm gonna do the opposite of cringe, because I feel like we need a chance to talk about this and I don't know where else to put it. So we've laid this groundwork, covering seven seasons now of this show, that they give us the God awfulest romantic lines from men. In this show, anytime we're supposed to be swept away, we roll our eyes. So call me biased, it may be the Anthony of it all that led me in this direction, but his off the cuff vows to Etienne were exactly the sort of thing that would have made me swoon. So he's laying in the hospital bed and he says, but what can I say that doesn't sound insane? That I heartily recommend marrying a perfect stranger on the spur of the moment that that the odds of marrying somebody like Etienne are a million to one. And I hit the jackpot that Etienne and I are probably the only people on earth over the age of 14 who still have an abiding faith in love at first sight. I mean, honestly, how romantical. It was so sweet. So it's the opposite of cringe. But I want to mention it because Designing Women deserves it since they've done men so dirty over the years. But most importantly, Anthony and Etienne deserve it.


Can I tack on then that in the wedding of, the episode where they throw the shower and he starts singing at the end, I, thought was really that sweet. I almost teared up. So that's really nice.


I'll have to rewatch that. I think that's what makes the actual cringiest moments, which it sounds like you, you're going to get into as well. Episode 18, It's not so easy being green. That's what makes especially cringy. Like there was the time he said Etienne's cleavage was his cleavage. That's not comfortable for anybody involved.


Why?


It's not a good look.


Not fair. Not fair. That's it.



Just PDA alert with Etienne and Anthony on Designing Women


okay, so mine, I have episode nine, the vision thing. Cringy and obnoxious.


Perfect.


Just PDA alert. with Etienne and Anthony, like, they're walking in, they're making out, they start up again and tell us nicknames for each other. It's just too much for you, girl.


I can't, can't hang in there.


I can't. And I know we got some, some feedback from people who think that Designing Women lines are very romantic. So I don't ever. I don't ever mean to. Yuck. People's yum. Yeah.


No, that's why I say to us, they make us uncomfortable. Yeah.


If you love it. I want you to hear whatever you want to hear.


And. And I hope that you find someone who talks to you like that. You should deserve such a thing 100%. Somebody does.


Don't deserve that. you know, somebody, mentioned they were like, my husband says things to me like Bill all the time, and he still makes me swoon. And I'm like, that's great. So happy for you.


I hope, I hope the takeaway isn't that we think that's disgusting. It just doesn't work for us.


No, it just. If Casey said that to me, I would throw up in my mouth.


Sure.


But that's for me.


I wouldn't throw up in my mouth. I would throw up outside my Body. Because that sounds somewhat gross, but I would. Yeah, that's. That's no good.


But I love that for them.


Love it for them.



Everything in Punch is both cringy and obnoxious for me


So episode, ah, 18 coming back to. It's not so easy being green. This, for me, is cringy and obnoxious. Just Lord, everything in this one, Punch is both cringy and obnoxious. And somehow it made Anthony the. The same. So, you know, Punch.


Didn't Punch look like somebody, you know, like, from another TV show or something?


He looks like a 90s sitcom actor.


I looked him up and I didn't recognize him from anything, but I would have put money on knowing him from something.


Yeah. And I. He just. He definitely has like, a, a very familiar something going on there. But, you know, I was cringing all through him, trying to, This is Anthony, though, like, cringing through, the storytelling competition. Like, So Anthony comes in, like, trying to compete. and it's just really bad. And the whole time it's getting worse and worse. And the funny thing is, like, we know that Anthony's a good storyteller and he's got good stories where he's been like, the hero in the show. And I get, I guess that shows how nervous he was getting, but it just. It felt off somehow. And then the jealousy thing for me is also both cringy and obnoxious. It just went on for, like, way, way, way, way, way too long.


You know, we didn't need that whole episode about that.


No. Or it could have been. That, to me, is more of a B. Plot.


Plot. Yeah.


and then episode 20, the Lying Game. this is cringy for me. Anthony's level of discomfort, realizing Eric was dressed as a woman, it wasn't great. And it almost, put me back to those early episodes where they made them sound pretty homophobic, talking about different clients and stuff. And I just didn't really care for that. We had really gotten away from that. And then that episode brought us back into that zone again.



How about your most socially, culturally, or relevant plot? I think the finale probably got us


How about your most socially, culturally, or relevant plot?


I think the finale probably got us the closest to that for all the reasons I think we talked about in episode one's Extra Sugar. So, I won't spend a lot of time there. I will say I think Anthony's marriage to Etienne did maybe give us some glimpses into, like, the topic of marriage and marriage under difficult circumstances. They put their marriage up against, like, crazy tough odds and then showed them working through real life issues. So Etienne relocates to Atlanta. I actually think they probably could have done more with that. They just sort of put her here and she just settled right in. When I think there's probably a little more fish out of water situation that could have happened. her pushing for a baby because she thinks that's going to bring him happiness was another big issue they dealt with, which I think is a real issue for couples of a certain age. the family issues that played out through the wedding. Redux for sure. That would be a huge challenge for a newlywed couple like them. and then of course, the jealousy plot line in it's not so Easy Being Green.


Certainly still relevant for today.


Yeah. Kind of those evergreen relationship things.


Yeah.


I really didn't have anything, so I wasn't going to force it. I started to and then I was like, my gift to Nikki will not be trying to come up with something so excellent.



Salina gives Green a five out of 10 for this season


On that note, are you ready to write this sucker?


I'm ready.


Okay.


I'm ready. My rating scale is naked prances for money through a Vegas hotel lobby.


Okay, so close your eyes and say that three times fast.


Money through a hotel lobby.


That's pretty good. It was just once, but that's fine.


I don't want to. I don't want to bore you. So our poor guy went through it this season. So the breakup with Vanessa, the panic over realizing he married Etienne, the threat of a baby, the law school experience that never ends, Bernice's increasingly terrifying advances on him, ending the season in the world of Gone with the Wind like it just was not a banner year for our boy. That said, as a viewer, I enjoyed the season for him, so I gotta give him a five. It's just hard for me to think of a truly bad episode for him. He didn't look his best in it's not so Easy Being Green for all the reasons we've talked about, but he was going through a tough time. But every other time he was funny, he was, you know, on character. So if I can't think of a truly bad episode that kind of tells me all I need to know about the season. He also ended up on the right side of things by the end of the season. So he's happily married to Etienne. He settled in Atlanta, still has his great job with Sugar Bakers, maybe with a promising career, probably right as a law. As a lawyer in the offing. And of course he ends up somehow with Bernice in this weird. What's going to be a really awkward love triangle between him and Etienne and Bernice because of what we saw at the very end of the series finale.


Or a rectangle, if punch is involved.


That's true. There you go.


We don't know.


That certainly feels more even.


Yeah.


But it was a good season for him.


I like a nice, even shape, you know, Although a triangle is also a pyramid, and the pyramid is the strongest shape on Earth, so I don't know.


Oh, good point.


Yeah, it's tough.


so Landon would tell you a Pyramid is a 3D shape, though, and a triangle is a 2D shape. So they're not the same, Salina.


Now, is it your son telling me this? You tell me this.


We had almost this very conversation last night. We were laying in his bed. We were looking around his room at Shape, and he had a banner. And, he said, where's a pyramid, Mommy? And I said, well, the banner is a triangle, which is kind of a pyramid. Which led to the conversation about 2D and 3D shapes. So sorry to break it to you.


He and you are not wrong.


I should have asked you to sit down before I dropped all that knowledge on you. I'm sorry.


I know not, that y'all can see, but I'm too. I'm too keyed up to sit today, so Nikki's having to watch me wiggle around. probably not the best way to.


Put it, but that's new.


Fine.



So I gave this one 3.3 out of 5 elevator rides in the buff


So I gave this one 3.3 out of 5 elevator rides in the buff. So we were both thinking about Anthony naked. So I don't know what's going on here.


We know what's going on. Bernice infected us. We know what's going on.


Just in love.


The love vibes.


can't help myself. so I think we touched on a lot of the same things. you know, so I won't go.


Back in an elevator. We touched on.


Well, okay, look here now. So I think the only other thing that I would add is that, for me, where we got really strong was the fact that Anthony and Bernice into the show, which I've already talked about. But I do think that, for me, just made a ton of sense, I guess you could say, for him, that was winning on top of what felt like a fair amount of losses. because I'm not necessarily rating him. I was just rating, like, what kind of season did he have? And I think it also tells you that the writers know the goods when they see it, and Anthony and Bernice are the goods. And that is one thing that I felt like they really got right this season.


So wham. Are we done with Anthony? I don't know what you just did.


One of these, but that felt three times.


So for our next episode, we're going to talk about Carlene. Is that right?


We'll do it. Okay.


We'd love everyone to follow along with us and engage. Instagram and Facebook. Eeettntv TikTok, eetv pod. We're on YouTube. Sweettv7371. You can email us sweettvpodmail.com and you can visit our website w sweettv.com on the website, there's several ways to support the show. You can also tell your family and friends about us or rate and review the podcast wherever you listen. And then, like I said, there's a support us tab on the page. We also have a Patreon, and I convinced Salina to let me do a little fun drop in for the Patreons this week about Las Vegas. We had several Anthony Vegas themed things to talk about this season, so it felt like a natural tie in to do some fun Vegas stuff. So for our Patreon listeners, we'll have something special this week, and then we have our normal extra sugar here. Do you want to tell us what we're in for for that?


Yes. For everyone else, we have something not special.


Sorry.


No, I'm kidding. So, for extra sugar, come back on Thursday and we're going to talk all about the Dixie Mafia. So I will make it make sense then if you care to tune in.


They do care to tune in and they will.


I'll be there. All right. We know what that means, Nikki.


What does it mean, Salina?


Means we'll see you around the bend. Bye.



 
 

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