The World's Most Popular Independently-Owned Website for Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women
Leave a Comment

//

88 Comments

Recap: Real L Word Extended Behind-the-Scenes Preview

riese

Posted by

REAL L WORD:

If you missed last night's preview of The Real L Word on Showtime, you are probs feeling very deprived of lesbian executive "realness" right now. Luckily, not only did Alex & I watch it, but I have recapped it for you. Sigh. F*cking recaps, just thinking about you makes me want to go to sleep/cut a line.

+
"From the creator of The L Word," the voiceover begins. Thank the lord it's the creepy Voiceover Oracle and not Ilene Chaiken in a burning bush. So to speak.

Every time I hear Voiceover Oracle's voice, I'm haunted by memories of the silk sheet floating on the bed and being told "one of our favorites will take the fall."

Voiceover Oracle continues, "The Real L Word is going to make fiction a reality." Um, Willy Wonka called and he said "Strike that, reverse it."

And our first big lie comes from a cast member: "It's a pretty diverse group of girls." I think they meant to say, "It's a pretty group of girls."

MIKEY:
Where Mikey grew up there were Crips and Bloods shooting at each other all night, and now she runs a fashion show! She hopes her style will inspire you. So no matter where you come from and what Jets & Sharks are shooting each other outside your door, if you're as good-looking and well-dressed as Mikey, you too can one day be on a reality teevee show about lesbians.

WHITNEY:
Whitney is the playa who is looking for love but gets distracted by lust and her dreadlocks getting in her eyes.

Although she was attempting to tame her wild ways, the first week of filming things got crazy! "Have you ever heard the expression; when it rains, it pours?" Whitney asks. And just when you think she's gonna launch into a Lusty-Distraction-Heavy story about squirting… Whitney says, "I had lots of unexpected girl drama… if you will?"

Alex: Really? Unexpected?

ROSE:
Did you know that the character of Papi was not, in fact, based on a conglomerate of one-dimensional stereotypes about Latina women and was, in fact, a direct representation of an actual human being? Me neither. Well, The L Word has always been very educational. I mean, who even knew that "nipple confidence" was a real thing? Right? Amirite ladies?

"The Papi character is loosely based on me," says Rose. Really Rose, really? Don't admit that in public, that's like when I used to tell everyone about the time Canadian Border Patrol found nudie magazines in my ex-boyfriend's trunk and he'd yell at me "that's embarrassing!" 'cause that's just one story you don't tell -- Rose does air quotes around "loosely" and then shoves her fists through her giant hoop earrings to demonstrate what loose feels like for a girl, just like Papi always did. The good news is that Crystal loves Papi.

"I hate being single, dude," says Rose to her friends. "That's why I fuck like five girls at a time." She must have magic hands! This season Rose falls in love!

Rose is now "a more mature version of that character who just realized that 'kissing is cheating." Furthermore, she's here to tell the untold story of "someone who was an avid clubgoer come of age," she continues. It's like Celebrity Rehab but without Kari Ann. 'Cause we all know girlfriend did not come of age on that show not even in Sober House. Kari Ann, what a wreck.

This ain't no Little House on the Prairie kids, there will be no butter-churning in this coming of age story, only fingerblasting.

TRACY:
Wait. Tracy Ryerson actually is real. She's beautiful, is dating a woman with three kids, and she is smizing the fuck out of my teevee.  No snark. Haay girl.

NIKKI & JILL:
Nikki is one of those people who says "now, the funny story is," and tells a story that's not funny. In this case, the story is about this one time at summer camp when Nikki and Jill were friendsies but omg, then Nikki dated Jill's brother! I know right?! Nikki was 10 when she snagged her "first boyfriend," which's um, young. Then he went through puberty, turned into an actual boy, and she switched off to Jill. Now they are engaged to be not-married.

Jill says some stuff about how this has never been done before (not true -- Gimme Sugar!, which I also loathed!) and how they are going to take the pressure off people who are lesbians who feel alone because lesbians are just like everyone else. Jill confesses that she and Nikki are the 'straighest gay couple' around.

OMG, she's so right! Looking at her beautiful face, fancy house and impeccably eyebrowed girlfriend does make me feel totally okay about being myself. I'm going to go bathe myself and love myself all over… oh wait, one of the six other people I'm sharing a bathroom with (Budget! NYC is expensive! we're unemployed) is in there. Anyhoo.

At the end they all say a bunch of stuff about how it's totally 100% real, etc etc, just like unicorns, and gay marriage.

THIS JUST IN. The poster:


+
Next: Molly Ringwald talks to The Advocate about her new book and the lack of gays in john hughes films, A BRAND NEW EPISODE OF ANYONE BUT ME WITH A TWIST AT THE END THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND, and more!

88 responses to “Recap: Real L Word Extended Behind-the-Scenes Preview”

  1. Laneia

    Um, Willy Wonka called and he said “Strike that, reverse it.”

    missed you xoxo

    Thumb up 0
    1. Luciana

      Cant wait to see it.

      xoxo from Brasil :)

      Thumb up 0
  2. Vikki

    ‘Nikki is one of those people who says “now, the funny story is,” and tells a story that’s not funny.’ This line is hilarious. Yeah, we all know those people and those of us with any sense fear becoming one.

    Thumb up 0
  3. Jess

    I was waiting for a “Hi, I’m Ilene Chaiken” style ambush throughout those 4 minutes.

    Told ya guys Tracy was Real!

    Thumb up 0
  4. Robin

    So what’s the deal with this show? Why do they all look like moms from Connecticut. No offense to moms in CT.

    Thumb up 0
    1. Allison

      Word.

      Thumb up 0
  5. Amo

    Well, this dispels the myth: real lesbians CAN actually produce vagina sunsets. Shit.

    Thumb up 0
    1. Bren

      I wonder if that’s a not so subtle reference to how IFC thinks that all lesbians vaginas rise and set around her brilliant television endevors.

      Thumb up 0
      1. Amo

        Win!

        Thumb up 0
  6. CostaRican

    OMG that AbM episode was INSANE!

    Thumb up 0
  7. Sam

    I WISH THAT POSTER WAS A JOKE BUT IT IS NOT.

    Thumb up 0
    1. queermo

      It’s real. Real. So Real. It’s really real. Just like the show. It’s real. It’s real. It’s the Real L Word.

      Thumb up 0
  8. Debs

    upside to the ‘real’ l word? i now have a new drinking game where i take a shot every time those bitches tell me how ‘real’ their show is. i’ll probs have to go to the hospital for alcohol poisoning, but wait! i don’t have health insurance…so scratch that. thanks, america.

    Thumb up 0
  9. Paper

    “The video you are trying to watch cannot me viewed from your current country or location.”

    Europe is working hard to stop americanisms[/trash tv] from infiltrating our euroTrash culture.

    (But really, is there another site hosting the trailer?)

    Thumb up 0
    1. Lou

      I hope there’s another! But when it’s actually shown on the television you can be sure someone will upload it online to lots of different sources so all us Europe-ers (im trying out a replacement for the word European, and it’s clearly working) can watch the full thing then! And yeah, I think it may be too late, I was caught saying the word awesome today, it was a worrying development.

      Thumb up 0
      1. Sarah

        Hey fellow Europe-ers, I just found this on YouTube, it plays here in Britain, so hopefully wherever you are in Europe you should be able to view it too!

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoKuaQ9XYiA

        hmm, I have to admit I use ‘awesome’ a lot!!

        Thumb up 0
        1. Lou

          Ah your a legend, thankyou! So long as we dont start talking in American accents then we know we’ve maintained some of our unique Europe-ness!

          And after watching the clip ive realised that apparently I need to get me a tatt before im a fully fledged lesbo!

          Thumb up 0
        2. Sally

          Hmm, do you think it should be pronounced EURoper with the emphasis on the first syllable, or euROPer to rhyme with Europa?

          I try and stop myself when I feel the urge to use awesome, but I think I will relent if we can send back a different word for the Americans to use in its stead. Maybe spiffing.

          Anyway, thanks for the link – TRLW looks like it will be gruesomely compelling.

          Thumb up 0
          1. Az

            I don’t know if that will catch on as an alternative to “awesome”. “Spiffing” sounds a little dirty to my Western-American ears.

            Thumb up 0
          2. Lou

            I think it should be pronounced eUROper just to confuse matters even further. I dont even see myself as European weirdly, I just think that the UK and Ireland are really similar and that we’re not actual Europers because they’re all so tanned and beautiful and we’re just not! I like that, you Brits can send back spiffing or something equally posh and us Irish shall send back the word savage (pronounced SSSAAAAVVVVAAAGGGEEE!!! to describe something amazing!

            Also in an unrelated note, I just noticed the fact that in the poster, the woman in the middle’s vagina is literally the sun, im impressed!

            Thumb up 0
            1. Sally

              Hmm, the vagina-sun might explain why she seemed to not blink at all (which I found most unerring) she was obvs too dazzled by the solar glare of her own nether regions.

              Yeah, there is a massive divide between our strange islands and continental Europe, which I like, because it would be depressing to travel round Europe if they all had the same attitudes as here.

              SAVAAAAGE! I like that. Although not to be confused with savvadge, which would be a cannibalistic ladypart. Possibly with sun shining out of it.

              Thumb up 0
            2. Sarah

              I agree about the tanning (oh and the beautiful thing)!! I’m fair haired, so typically just go red in the sun, the only time I appear tanned is when my freckles bloom and join together!!
              Yeah, Ireland you’re our next door neighbour! :)

              Oh dear because me & my computer are so slow tonight my comments are getting out of sequence – soz!

              Thumb up 0
          3. Sarah

            Your welcome!

            I know what you mean about the tattoos, maybe Autostraddle could design some(hint, hint a;ex) but you know maybe fake ones, like you got free with bubble-gum as a kid?

            I think perhaps with emphasis on ‘EUR’??

            I’m racking my brains for a suitable swap for ‘awesome’, but can’t think of any right now! oh and I tried saying ‘rad’ once, haha – it just sounded so wrong in my English accent, fortunately no-one heard me!!
            I do have a weakness for American accents though.

            Thumb up 0
            1. Lou

              No way, English accents are hands down the best/hottest of all time, but it’s personal preference I know!

              Im pretty sure they still sell those temporary tattoos in chewing gum, at least I hope they do. I wonder could I put on a whole arm full of them for pride to impress the ladies!

              Ooh, I have an English equivilant for awesome-> Wicked! or am I way behind the times here?!

              Haha, savvadge could never happen with Ms. Vagina-Sun because if you look directly at her nether regions your eyes would literally combust!

              Thumb up 0
              1. Sally

                But there are millions of different English accents! I’m guessing you mean the posh ones, but I hanker after a bit of hardcore northernness, now that my own accent has become somewhat diluted.

                I think wicked is a bit out-dated now, but all retro things come back into fashion eventually, right? I’m partial to the word immense myself, but among my geek contingent, uber is used quite a lot.

                So if she’s not savvadge, could she have a supernovadge?

                Thumb up 0
              2. Lou

                I def prefer Southern English accents but the Northern ones arent so bad, id have a bit of an aversion to really strong Liverpool but no more so than my aversion to really strong Dublin accents! The London posh is a bit too posh aswell, goodness im being very picky.

                Flip, and here’s me thinking I was down with the kids when I said wicked! Hmm, do you guys still say fit when you want to say someone is hot? I like uber, it’d make a nice change from unreal, which we also say too much!

                Haha I love it, no wonder Supernovavadge gets all the ladies, shes also known as Solarvadge sometimes when shes being more discreet. Seriously though, who let that poster be made, shame on them!

                Also, if the trailer is anything to go, and based on my mathematic calculations, every episode of the actual show will feature the word ‘real’ roughly 348 times.

                Thumb up 0
              3. Sarah

                ooh I’ll have to go buy some bubblegum tomorrow, as I’m venturing off to my first big pride at the end of May, so need all the help I can get!
                Wicked – ace – they’re still whispering around, I like uber, could use it a bit like ‘super’ to accentuate things like cool, cute etc,
                Hey why are we still all up? I guess you guys are night owls too?
                p.s, Tracey is my fave, the way she looks in that hat near the end, hellooo!!

                Thumb up 0
              4. Lou

                You could also get yourself one of these and be a real lesbian complete with real tattoos or more precisely a real fake tattoo sleeve real -> http://www.anniescostumes.com/TattooSleevesLargeButterflies2.jpg did I mention REAL! I was just wondering why we’re all up this late and not drunk, im up because this is the only time of day or night I can relax and do nothing and not feel study guilt, it’s great!

                Anyway, I think we should all buy fake tattoo sleeves and create our own Real L Word scenelettes, at least then actual and dare I say it again, real, lesbians who arent skinny model types can be represented!

                Thumb up 0
      2. Paper

        I feel your pain. Awesome is like poison, destroying the language from within (especially if your language isn’t even resembling English. Yes, it’s a problem).

        In norwegian, we actually say Europe-er (although obviously pronounced differently), but we’re not from Europe. We’re from Scandinavia. Obviously.

        Let’s get REAL. I’ll watch that for the tattoos and the pretty girls (in that order), on mute. It’s like GossipGirl (with more tattoos)! Really pretty to look at, and that’s the only thing that makes sense.

        Thumb up 0
        1. Sarah

          A REAL fake tattoo sleeve – that’s an idea!! (thats sweet you took the time to find that too!)

          Scenelettes! Yes, I’m really not a skinny model type, so I could add some realness to our montage, with of course, our real fake tattoos!

          I’m on an ‘Awesome’ word detox, starting today!

          PAPER-I wish I could hear how you pronounce ‘Europe-er’

          Thumb up 0
          1. Lou

            I know, it’s crazy how they think people who look like that are representative of gay women. I dont think I know a single woman who looks like that (not saying my mates arent beautiful because they are) but then again they want to pull in viewers I suppose! In order to combat this representation ridiculousness I sent in a photo for the AS top 10 of possibly the weirdest photo I could find of me in work clothes and in the back of a jeep, cant get more REAL (did I mention real) than that!

            Anyway, im actually planning on filming a bit when me and a load of my mates go to Brighton pride in the summer, it can be a sortof real lesbians of Dublin: Roadtrip special (real) and we can show everyone what normal lesbians look like and get up to…ie: drinking and then more drinking and then being dramatic and probably falling over!

            Jeepers Paper, im ashamed to admit that I forgot Norway wasnt a part of the EU, I like the place even more now, you didnt want to be part of the EU gang and you have gay marriage, win for Norway on all counts! :-D

            Thumb up 0
    2. Carmen

      I vote for this whole thread getting a group comment award. The eUROper, europe-er, EURoper/awesome, wicked and SAAAAVAGE thing is so cute/hilarious.

      Thumb up 0
      1. Sally

        That is a wickedly savage suggestion of spiffing awesomeness.

        Thumb up 0
        1. Lou

          EURopers/Saavvvaagggeee for the win! Which is coincedently another American import, I had no idea what FTW meant for ages but it’s acceptably funny so it stays! Also, I blame lack of sleep for our pointless but fun and great for procrastinating rambles! :-D

          Thumb up 0
          1. Sarah

            I use to be useless at tx speak before I discovered Autostraddle, I even googled LMAO once because it was bugging the hell out of me. But now I’m getting REALly quite fluent!
            Yes, lack of sleep is the culprit!! But I have to say I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it-totally wickedly savage awesomness!!

            Ooh, I’ll look out for that pix of you! Oh & be sure to post that vid of you and your friends at Brighton pride – Keep it real!!

            Oh and hey look at my gravatar thingy, I have an all over real fake body tattoo now-sweeet!!

            Thumb up 0
            1. Lou

              Yeah, and ROFL, is that a thing? Im REALlynot up to speed with the young people’s text lingo at the mo! Also, that poster makes a savage avatar, great idea, I feel like making it my Facebook profile picture just to confuse people! I have nothing more to add only that im REALly drunk right now, yes!

              Thumb up 0
              1. Ziggy Hreins

                Result

                Thumb up 0
              2. Lou

                Drunkeness is always the result, and the solution to everything! Cheers!

                Thumb up 0
  10. meredith

    Ugh, the recap made them sound awful! Then I watched the video and they really are horrible. And I want to punch the next person who says REAL. Sadly, I’ll probably watch it anyway.

    Thumb up 0
    1. Rain

      i echo the sentiments expressed above. but i probably won’t watch it…

      Thumb up 0
  11. Slicey

    I love how they kinda stole TLW poster, but then made it even better with palm frond (hairy) nipples and vagina sunburts.

    Thumb up 0
    1. queermo

      I read “vagina sunburts” (which I assume is supposed to be “vagina sunbursts”) as “vagina sunburns.” I imagine vagina sunbursts would leave to vagina sunburns.

      Thumb up 0
  12. landry

    Uuuuugghh!

    Thumb up 0
  13. Megan

    Oh Rose, I am not excited by your presence. I’d be lying if I said I won’t end up watching it. Hahah, oh well. We can all enjoy its… awesomely awfulness [?] together.

    Thumb up 0
  14. Rachel B

    I love to hate that poster. Like, really? Where was Alex when she was needed?

    However, Tracy is very beautiful. And that’s all.

    Thumb up 0
  15. wasteunit

    I can’t wait to watch The REALEST REAL OF ALL REALLY REALLY REAL L Word that’s FOR REAL REAL. I’m seriously pumped. Trainwrecks are my favorite things to watch.

    The fact that someone was paid to make that poster makes me want to cry. That being said, I want that sucka tattooed all over my body because it’s amazing.

    REAL.

    Thumb up 0
  16. Elizabeth (aka Elli)

    There was also Curl Girls. All the dyke drama you could want. In bikinis…

    Thumb up 0
    1. Brianna

      I remember that show now. Why did I ever watch it? Completely forgettable.

      Thumb up 0
    2. Jess G.

      I definitely watched that show!

      Thumb up 0
  17. aggle

    “Smizing the f out of…” Hah
    I don’t know, I was curious about the show before this preview and now I feel as if none of these ladies pertain to my interest. Maybe it’s California

    Thumb up 0
  18. Deb

    Barf. But wait, Riese is recapping it! Win!

    Thumb up 0
  19. southpaw

    “‘It’s a pretty diverse group of girls.’ I think they meant to say, ‘It’s a pretty group of girls.’”

    THANK YOU FOR THIS. when i first saw the promos for The Totally Accurate L Word i was all like, “WOAH, Ilene, I didn’t know that in the real world all lesbians were white or total racial stereotypes too! BABY GURRLL!”

    Welp, those are all the lines I have, so I’ll get back to my awkward sleeping: http://a5.vox.com/6a00d41421908a685e0109d06ca2b5000e-500pi

    Thumb up 0
    1. Rachel

      this made me lol

      Thumb up 0
      1. meredith

        ditto!

        Thumb up 0
  20. Jess G.

    Even if this sucks, I will watch every episode… twice.

    Thumb up 0
  21. Nicole S

    Nikki and Jill seem super annoying

    Thumb up 0
  22. Crystal

    I’m stoked that I’ll be in America when this show airs, I usually miss out on trashy American tv. I can already tell that I’m going to love Rose as hard as I love Papi.

    Thumb up 0
  23. Kimbit

    The poster, though. Really. That’s all.

    Thumb up 0
  24. Emily

    oh my god the real L word is ridiculous! and i can’t even see the trailer. also i love that poster and want to hang it on my wall.

    Thumb up 0
  25. Molly

    Well, that poster sure is … a lot of skinny white women. There sure aren’t a lot of TV shows starring a bunch of skinny white women on air now, what novelty!

    Thumb up 0
  26. Laura

    wait. didn’t we mostly watch the l word for naked ladies? obvs these girls are not going to have sexytimefun for us on screen so it’s mostly just be a lot of fighting. that is so depressingly like real life.

    Thumb up 0
  27. B$

    so many quotes from this recap!

    my # feeling is RECAP!

    i love this!!!

    p.s. where’s kit? and the nanny fucking mother fucker?

    Thumb up 0
    1. B$

      my #1 feeling is RECAP!

      (ugh)

      Thumb up 0
  28. Dina

    As much as I hate the whole “you’re too femme to date girls!!!” thing that I get so often, I’m pretty disheartened by the lack of butch girls up in thar. I mean, there’s the fashion show girl, but she’s only kinda butch. Sorta. Bleh.

    Thumb up 0
  29. Dorothy

    I am disappointed to learn I’m not a ‘real’ lesbian. I so thought I was…

    Report card:

    F- Must Try Harder

    :-/

    Thumb up 0
  30. Li

    Chaiken’s poster sends entirely the wrong message. The sun never sets on lesbians’ vaginas.

    Thumb up 0
  31. Stout

    Riese…..your recaps of anything are always pure WIN!

    Thumb up 0
  32. Dulcinea

    OMG, I am hoping and praying this line was written before you found the poster:

    “From the creator of The L Word,” the voiceover begins. Thank the lord it’s the creepy Voiceover Oracle and not Ilene Chaiken in a burning bush. So to speak.

    I am now picturing IFC in that burning bush. SSSAAAAVVVVAAAGGGEEE!!!

    Thumb up 0
    1. Lou

      Gasp! Sssaaavvvaaagggeee is cathing on, keep it up AS, i’ll have you all Irish-ified in no time! *insert evil laugh here*

      Thumb up 0
  33. Heather

    There’s a better reality lesbian show on called “Gimme Sugar” that is more like L-Word that this crap! WTF!

    Thumb up 0
  34. rok

    Hahahah. Loving the new default gravatar!

    Thumb up 0
  35. Shanz

    I don’t want this! However I will accept it just as I accept other “real lesbian” things like Sam Ronson and veganism. :(

    Thumb up 0
  36. dot

    Please please please, that poster is secretly created by a;ex just for AS, right? Right? Please.

    Thumb up 0
  37. fae

    Really? All these lesbians and no butches? Not even slightly boi-ish?

    I have a feeling this show is going to turn into safe for tv porn for straight men who thinks lesbian sex it hot.

    Thumb up 0
  38. First Look at ‘The Real L Word’

    [...] Auto Straddle has your first look with a teaser trailer for the new reality [...]

    Thumb up 0
  39. ChatBrize Gossip Forum

    [...] Full poster at Jezebel, trailer via Autostraddle. [...]

    Thumb up 0
  40. MH

    The Rea-L Disappointment that we are going to watch because we have so little else. I agree that it seems to be something created by an Exec in a boardroom who is targeting male fantasy. What a disappointment. ReaL Disappointment.

    Thumb up 0

Leave a Reply