Overview of Crappy Hour with Kempire
Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam bring on Kempire for a fast, funny reality-TV catch-up that mostly centers on Bravo, The Traitors, and who is currently entertaining them most on TV. The conversation is loose and conversational, with lots of cast speculation, shade, and enthusiasm for messy-but-fun reality stars. It also doubles as a promo for Kempire’s live show in New York City.
Major Topics Discussed
The Traitors cast and strategy
A big chunk of the episode is devoted to the new season of The Traitors:
- They like the move back toward mixing regular people and reality stars, not just celebs.
- They’re especially interested in the “gamers” on the cast, because they tend to understand the game better than Housewives do.
- Cast members they mention include:
- Bianca Del Rio
- Cynthia Bailey
- Taylor Hale
- Phaedra Parks
- Giselle Bryant
- Jag Baines
- Michelle Fitzgerald
- Kristen Chenoweth
- Craig Conover
- Dominic Monaghan
- Chloe Kim
- Cody Simpson
- Joey Graziadei
- Joanna/other Bachelor-adjacent names they riff on briefly
- They discuss the season’s new accomplice/traitor selection twist, which they like because it adds more chaos.
- Kempire is rooting for the traitors more than the faithfuls, and both he and the hosts say they’d rather play as traitors than faithfuls.
- They also note that some contestants are better TV than others, with Bianca Del Rio, Taylor Hale, and Cynthia Bailey standing out as strong fantasy finalists.
Bravo show check-in
They also bounce around several Bravo franchises:
Real Housewives of Orange County
- Kempire says he’s watching and finds it entertaining, though not amazing.
- Vicki Gunvalson is still exhausting, but the breakdown of her relationships is part of what makes her watchable.
- He and the hosts discuss how Vicki keeps ending up in terrible relationships, and how that may reflect her own behavior too.
Real Housewives of Potomac
- They’re excited for the upcoming season and think it looks promising.
- Kempire likes Tia and thinks she has a funny, snotty energy.
- He’s also interested in Stacey and thinks the cast dynamics could be strong.
- They tease a lot of off-mic or paywalled Potomac gossip, especially around Monique and Chris, but don’t go into detail on-air.
Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip
- Kempire says he enjoyed the latest episode and especially liked seeing Nene Leakes return.
- He thinks Nene seemed a little nervous or off, which made sense given the circumstances.
- He also likes the group dynamic in the current trip, especially the mix of old-school Housewife energy and different city dynamics.
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
- They joke that Kyle Richards has recently become more likable, especially after seeing her dance/twerk at Bozoma Saint John’s Ghanaian wedding.
- Dorit’s dancing gets roasted hard.
- They are excited for Bozoma’s wedding and the spectacle of it, but much less optimistic about her marriage.
Character and Personality Takes
Vicki, Ashley, and the “creepy” factor
The hosts and Kempire talk a lot about the idea that some Housewives are seen as victims for years, until later behavior reveals that they may be just as problematic:
- Ashley Darby is mentioned as an example of someone who seemed like the victim of a bad marriage, but now appears just as “creepy” in her own way.
- Vicki is described as someone with obvious insecurity and low self-esteem, especially around men.
- They make the broader point that people often attract partners who match their own messiness.
Craig Conover and pretty privilege
Craig comes up as the classic example of a reality star who benefits massively from being charming and attractive:
- Kempire says Craig Conover is a compulsive liar, but also cute and charismatic enough to get away with it.
- They joke that he’s basically a “male Martha Stewart” type who turned sewing into a business despite not being especially talented.
- The conversation turns into a broader discussion of pretty privilege in reality TV.
Notable Running Jokes and Themes
- Reality TV as a game of self-awareness: They repeatedly say the most entertaining people are the ones who don’t care what others think.
- Housewives vs. gamers: Housewives bring personality, but gamers bring strategy. The best cast, they argue, has both.
- Open relationships and messy marriages: The hosts riff on how some reality couples seem to operate more like business arrangements than romances.
- Competition-show casting bias: They joke about how certain types of contestants get eliminated quickly, especially in game shows like The Traitors.
Kempire’s Live Show Promo
Kempire plugs his live event in New York City:
- Kempire After Dark Live
- Green Room 42
- Friday, September 25
- Includes:
- a meet-and-greet
- a live stream option
- Ticket link mentioned: kempireafterdarklive.com/nyc
Bottom Line
This episode is mostly a playful, rapid-fire reality TV hangout with Kempire, centered on:
- who is interesting on The Traitors
- who is still good TV on Bravo
- which Housewives are secretly or openly messy
- and which personalities have enough charisma to survive chaos
If you follow Bravo, especially The Traitors, Potomac, RHOC, or Girls Trip, this one is packed with opinions and cast tea.