Selling Sunset: Real or Staged? PLUS a chat with Mary Fitzgerald

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Speaker 1: This one person brings in an aspect which is why we fight so much, because she doesn't see us as.

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Speaker 2: Humans, as real people in a real brigrage anymore.

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Speaker 1: Like so, I think that is what is causing a lot of the problems.

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Speaker 3: Stay tuned.

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Speaker 4: I'll share my opinions on selling Sunset because child I got lots of them, and later we'll get into my conversation with one of the agents, Mary Fitzgerald. Right after these quick ads. Welcome to Reality with the King. It's me Carlos King, the King of Reality TV and one of the most sought after executive producers in reality television. With over ten years of production experience, I've executive produced top rated programs such as eight seasons of the House Spots of Atlanta. Additionally, I have created shows such as Netflix Is Styling, Hollywood Owns, number one rated Love and Marriage Franchise, and TV one's Hollywood.

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Speaker 3: Divas, just to name a few.

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Speaker 4: Twice a week on Reality with the King, we'll sit down with my friends across the entertainment industry, recap.

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Speaker 3: Our favorite reality shows.

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Speaker 4: And revisit unforgettable moments that we are still talking and tweeting about. Hey, rain drops on today's episode of Reality with the King, We're going to get into all the drama on screens and behind the scenes of Netflix's highly addictive reality show Selling Sunsets. Lately, there's been a lot called into question about the show. On a recent episode of the car her Daiy podcast, Christine revealed that a lot goes on behind the scenes on Selling Sunset that made everyone question whether or not the show is real. So is Netflix is Selling Sunset real or scripted? Okay, listen, as the King of Reality TV. One of the most major questions that I get is, Carlos is reality real?

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Speaker 3: Is reality fake? Blah blah blah blah blah. I get that a lot, guys.

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Speaker 4: So my answer is always the shows that Carlos King produces are always real.

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Speaker 3: I believe in following the reality.

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Speaker 4: That's one thing I tell my team of producers, like you have to follow the reality because the moment you try to create something that isn't there, it will always fall flat.

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Speaker 3: The science behind producing.

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Speaker 4: Reality television is you must follow what's real, really, get the insight from your cast members, and together work on making sure that it makes sense for the audience.

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Speaker 3: Right.

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Speaker 4: So what that means is if I'm filming a scene between two people, let's talk about love and marriage DC. For example, we got Monique and Chris Samuel's. We literally spend days and hours talking to our cast members about what's going on in your life, what's happening today, what are you doing? And based on that conversation, we follow what they're really doing. We'll have them talk about it, we'll have them address it, We'll have them, you know, be at home where we literally would just come over with a bunch of cameras and follow their everyday life. And the problem is when you have to do something like that, it takes time to really find the magic.

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Speaker 3: And what's unfortunate.

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Speaker 4: About some not all, but some reality shows is child they an't got time to waste. They literally want mat that happened the moment they stuff filling in your house. They tell you, girl, we got ten minutes to get.

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Speaker 3: This scene, and I'm out. We don't do that over at Kingdom Rank Entertainment, Baby.

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Speaker 4: My formula is we will spend hours there until we felt like we got, you know, an important conversation or an important moment. Because it's really important for me that you guys see the authenticity of the cast members who are on these shows. And the reason why Loving Marriage as a franchise that I created is hugely successful is because you can tell it's real, and you can tell that the cast is real, their friendships are real, their marriages are real, that their conversations are real. So when you look at a show like that and then you watch Selling Sunset, I can see while a lot of people question, Hmmm, is what I'm watching real? For example, are these girls really selling these homes? That's number one, because they felt like, look, girl, you look like you belong on Hollywood boulevards selling something else besides real estate. Honey, let's keep it funky. So I understand that notion. But one thing I will say. When I lived in Los Angeles, I worked out at the gym that was on the same block as the Appaheimer Group offices, right, So your boy Carlos would see Mary those twins, and I saw Chrischelle once. So what I can say, based on these eyeballs that I have with twenty twenty vision is those people one hundred percent worked in that office. I saw them with my very own eyes, so I never questioned whether or not they were really working there because I saw that before the show even started, and that was, oh my gosh, years before the show started. So I definitely can say to you guys, at least those people that I've seen work there. Now, what's interesting about Selling Sunset is it's produced by the same person who created The Hills and Laguna Beach. Now you all know my rain drops that I got into reality TV because of The Hills. I love that show. I thought it was so juicy. It was like a soap opera. It was like the second coming of being Young and the Restless Child.

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Speaker 3: It was everything.

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Speaker 4: It was soapy, it was dramatic, and they were gordgeous. I loved every piece of it. So a lot of people who watched The Hills always question whether or not it was real or fake. Not that the show has been off for a while, some cast members from that show has revealed that a lot of their drama was not real and that a lot of it was made up and a lot of it was produced. So knowing that information, when you look at Selling Sunset, it feels the same way. In some instances. You know, this past season, we saw Hop on a phone call and he was supposedly talking to somebody, except when you zimming on the phone, it was on his camera roll. Now, I don't know what type of phone you've got, Jason, because I know you're a billionaire, honey and you sell homes, but I don't know if you just have a new phone where you can doubt somebody be a camera roll, Like, explain to me how that works. Your boy is confused, So that makes people think, like, Okay, when they're on the phone having these conversations, are these real deals happening in real time? My opinion is no. I think before they film these, if y'all could see me, y'all, I got my air quotes, which is my index finger and my middle finger, and I'm like air quoting, So before these sort of transactions happen on the phone, my personal opinion, or shall I say professional, is that child they had that deal closed way before the cams were on, so they have to reenact those conversations.

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Speaker 3: That's what I think.

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Speaker 4: So I understand why people question it because I saw that too with my own eyes. You literally were pretending that you were talking to somebody on your camera roll, so I hear y'all from there. The other thing you guys question a lot. Is was Jason and Krishelle's relationship real? Because Krishelle comes from the soap opera world, It's hard for me to connect to Chrishelle because I think she's playing a character. That's my opinion. I think she's beautiful. She gives me, you know, very much Pollyanna actress. I think she belongs on you know, Days of our Lives. I think she belongs on both in the beautiful. I just don't think she belongs on reality TV because I don't think what she talks about is genuine.

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Speaker 3: It's I just don't believe it.

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Speaker 4: And what's so funny is I question who was the face of selling Sunset, because in my opinion, you don't have a show without Christine. Christine is to me, the face of selling Sunset. I would even give it to Mary Fitzgerald. Honey, I don't see Chrischelle as the face of selling Sunset. And you guys know me, I'm not mean spirited. So this is no dis to Rochelle. But when you are the face of an ensemble, it's because you are this polarizing figure that I cannot keep my eyes off of.

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Speaker 3: I love to hate you, I hate to love you.

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Speaker 4: You have all of these emotions based on how you are in the real world, and Christine gives me that. So Jason and Krishelle's relationship, as I watched this season, it did seem fake to me.

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Speaker 3: And it's interesting because you.

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Speaker 4: Know, allegedly on the Hills there were a convers stations of cast members saying that, again, their relationships weren't real. I wasn't really in love with him. You know, we weren't really dating. So again, because we all have that backstory, when we look at Jason and Krischell's relationship, it feels very similar to that other show, and it was hard to invest in it. It was hard to believe that after dating this man for the amount of months that y'all dated, that you would rush to have a baby so soon. It just didn't make any sense to me at all. And it did not make sense to you guys either, because I saw you tweets child. So fast forward to the Selling Sunset reunion, which, by the way, y'all gonna hate me for saying this.

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Speaker 3: I actually enjoyed the reunion.

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Speaker 4: Yes, Christine wasn't there, and we'll get into that in a second, but I thought it was fun and I thought Tan from Queer I did a super fantastic job hosting that reunion.

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Speaker 3: He was energetic. I like a reunion.

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Speaker 4: Host who actually watches the show, who's invested in the storylines, and I thought he was great. So because of him, he actually made the reunion enjoyable, you know, despite the fact that the star of the show, Christine, wasn't there.

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Speaker 3: Let's get into Christine.

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Speaker 4: Every once in a while, a reality star comes out the woolwards honey and he or she steps onto the scene and within a matter of seconds they blow you away.

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Speaker 3: That is Christine Quinn.

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Speaker 4: Christine Quinn is by far one of the most iconic reality stars in the history of reality television. She is special, She was meant to be on reality television. She is beautiful, she's funny, she's snarky, she's shady, she dresses well, she reads the girls.

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Speaker 3: She's vulnerable at times.

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Speaker 4: I have never seen a reality star like Christine Quinn, like low ki ever, like she served the girls and I don't think the girls could take her. So when she was on Call her Daddy podcast, I was like, this woman is spilling some tea, some alleged tea, and a lot of It had to do with the fact that she alleged that a lot of it was not real, and that she wanted to have these conversations with these ladies about like girl, you know, they're saying how I really feel? Right, like, you know, we all playing a role, And she alleged that she accepted the role as villain, which I thought was very detailing, because again, we heard those things about those other shows. So what was unfortunate about it? And this is when the king of reality TV puts.

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Speaker 3: On his crown.

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Speaker 4: Honey, what's unfortunate about that revelation? The alleged revelation is the fact that it puts a damper on people like myself who really make sure that the audience who are watching reality TV really gets what's real. And because we are in a genre where, you know, low key anybody can get on reality TV.

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Speaker 3: At this point, it's no longer.

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Speaker 4: This cool kids club where you really have to be authentic and real to be on it. I think a lot of people take the cheap route to get on it, and I think a lot of producers take the cheap route to give your good scene versus really following what's real.

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Speaker 3: So when it came to what Christina alleged. I don't know. It made me.

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Speaker 4: Disappointed because I guess it confirmed some of our suspicion. And that's the reason why I had to get Mary Fitzgerald on Reality with the King podcast because I wanted to talk to her about the show and her presence on the show. And although this episode was taped before Christine's bombshell interview, we did talk about her relationship with Christine.

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Speaker 3: We did talk about people saying the show is fake.

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Speaker 4: So look into my conversation with Mary Fitzgerald by after his quick break, this is Reality with the King, and I'm Carlos King. Let's get into my conversation with Mary Fitzgerald. Christine recently tweeted to promote the show watch the show new season, and I'm paraphrasing, but I think along the lines up and watch five thousand fake storylines, knowing that some people do think this show is fake. When it came to that tweet alleging that this show has fake storylines, which inadvertently is sort of co signing the suspicion that the fans have about this show not being authentic, how did you feel about that?

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Speaker 1: Everybody on the show, the entire storyline. All of them are real. This one person brings in an aspect which is why we fight so much, because she doesn't see us as humans, as real people in a real brigrage anymore. Like so, I think that is what is causing a lot of the problems, because she'll say things like this, She'll do things like this, we're like you are taking away like our like our work are like validity of everything we're doing, and and she thinks like we're characters, and so it's not really.

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Speaker 2: Fair because we're humans, we are agents.

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Speaker 1: We are we have clients, we have families, we have like careers going on, and so if she doesn't care about that, that's one thing, then just do your own thing.

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Speaker 2: That's fine.

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Speaker 1: But for us, all the rest of us, we are all real agents. We are all really there at the workers. We're all really friends, and we're human and we have feelings. So I think that's where a lot of.

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Speaker 2: This stuff happens.

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Speaker 4: Do you think Christine sees you guys as her coworkers and not her friends?

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Speaker 2: Uh not. I don't know what she sees us as.

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Speaker 1: I was her colleague and now I'm I'm somewhat of a boss. But we're not friends at this point. But I want her to get back on track, and I wish nothing but the bus for her. If she can't get back on track and be at Corikerage, then I wish nothing but the bust for her. I want her in her family to be happy. I want her to be you know, do everything she went to life. If that's not with us, okay, If it is with us, great, but she just needs to figure it out.

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Speaker 2: Yeah.

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Speaker 4: And what was sad too, because, like I said, I when I used to live in La a couple of years ago, so I would go to the Equinox down the street. So when people say the show is fake, I was like, no, I would see Mary at the Takaya Organica down the street.

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Speaker 3: Right.

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Speaker 4: The reason why I wanted to talk to you particularly is because when I was living there, I lived there for years and I only frequent West Hollywood, especially Sunset Boulevard. So before the show came out, listen, Mary was always in the office. Mary and Jason were always hustling. So I know the validity of that brokerage, and I know they of you being there and working your asthole prior to Netflix even doing the show, listen, I can say with these eyes, I.

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Speaker 3: Know it's real.

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Speaker 4: And the reason why I think a lot of people think like is this real or is this not is because of the way these conversations are set up in the sense of like the parties or like at the office. But I think what you were trying to say earlier is the conversations are real, and the feelings are real, and the moments in which we get to talk about it finally are real. And when it comes to you, I will say this, You've always represented yourself as super authentic, and I think that's why you're one of the fan favorites, because you're so transparent and you're so real that when we saw the destruction of your friendship with Christine, you know, listen, me as a viewer and as a producer, it was it was really sad to see.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I think that's all what people don't understand, Like I'm so heartbroken about it, Like I really I hate the fact that we are.

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Speaker 2: Not not friends anymore. And I.

00:19:12
Speaker 1: Get asked questions where I have to if I'm being honest, I have to say what the truth is, and and she's not the person that I used to know she's not. She's changed and whether it's maybe people changed.

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Speaker 4: And I think for you, Mary, and particularly as I'm watching this new season, you found your boys.

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Speaker 1: It's been and I feel like I'm being more quiet because I have a.

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Speaker 2: Lot more to say, and I'm like, now I have to put boss hat on. I'm like, I want to say something, and I can't.

00:19:47
Speaker 1: I have to be neutral and I have to like give chances for the Bekerage.

00:19:51
Speaker 2: And I'm like, I so much to say right now.

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Speaker 4: But what I will say is I feel like I think in the earlier seasons, you try to play a neutral because you're such a nice woman and you want to see everybody get along.

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Speaker 3: You accepted Chris Jale, you accept it.

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Speaker 4: You know the new women who were brought Emma, who were brought into the brokerage. But this season, girl, you are speaking your mind. And you had a scene with Christine that blew my mind. The moment she said down in her juice to couture outfit.

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Speaker 2: What you're talking about?

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Speaker 4: Mary, you let her have it. Mary, you let her what was going through your mind. Mary, you let her have it.

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Speaker 1: I because that was well, I feel like because that was the moment where it was my job to talk to her.

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Speaker 2: It was like.

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Speaker 1: This, she has to change. This is not working, this has to change. Jason put me in charge of that, and all the girls are relying on me YouTube for her to make a difference and so and I'm just.

00:21:06
Speaker 2: Sick of it myself.

00:21:08
Speaker 1: So I feel like I had to try to talk to her once again. I felt like on a previous season, I tried to tell her what she needs to do, just stop doing this stuff, stop hurting.

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Speaker 2: But all you have to do is apologize and change your behavior. That's all you have to do. It's not that difficult. Duminga's done it. Look what she's done, Like she's done it, and she's done great.

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Speaker 1: Just obologize and change, that's it.

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Speaker 2: But with Christine, it's like she just keeps getting worse and worse.

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Speaker 1: And I'm like, I felt like I had to sit down, I had to talk to her. But when she sits and lies in my fear she would lie to my face and start seeing this stuff, because then I get a little bit amped up, and because I'm like, are you kidding? Oh my god, because these are all my friends. This is like my oh, Jason is one of my absolute best friends. He's are brooker and it's so disrespectful what she's saying. It's disrespectful to our colleagues who are my friends.

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Speaker 2: Our brooker. Mina's friend might.

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Speaker 1: Like all these people like she has done stuff, And I felt like I just had to say my piece in a nice way, but in a very direct way to see if she would listen. If she doesn't listen, I tried whenever. I don't know what else to say.

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Speaker 4: Mary, for so long you have been very private. We get to hear more about your beautiful son that you have. You were so honest about having a child at sixteen years old, and in episode four, I think I almost cried because when you talked about how his father called and wanted to talk about something random and never once asked about his son, and how that broke your heart. What made you feel comfortab but now sharing your personal story, I don't.

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Speaker 1: Know, honestly, Like I think watching Amanda going through all of this, and.

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Speaker 2: I feel like.

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Speaker 1: There's so many people that go through it, and by hiding it and being embarrassed about it isn't really the way to go because so many people go through it, so putting it out.

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Speaker 2: There and owning it. I guess like is.

00:23:32
Speaker 1: Is the only way to I think where I don't feel like I'm hiding it and being faked.

00:23:38
Speaker 2: And also it helps other people that have gone through the same.

00:23:41
Speaker 1: Thing that you still can like this, this shitty stuff happens like in people's life, but you can get past it.

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Speaker 2: You can move up, and you can be successful and screw.

00:23:54
Speaker 1: Them they lost up, Like, but we're the winners in us, even though it was tough for the winners that so have amazing kids in our lives.

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Speaker 3: Mary is such a cool chick.

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Speaker 4: She is cool as a cucumber, honey, and you cannot break her. I love that though she gives me all professional all the time. And baby missus, Mary found her voice, honey. Yes, Mary read the girls. It's about damn time you stood up to Christine child.

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Speaker 3: I love it. I love it. Look, I love Christine, but I also love Mary.

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Speaker 4: And I'm just so happy that Mary decided to give your boy an interview regarding her experience on selling Sunset and look, whether or not selling Sunset.

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Speaker 3: Is fake or real, it's enjoyaball. It's watch the ball, you know what I mean.

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Speaker 4: So at least we all can watch it and enjoy it, and come up with our own conclusion of whether or not we think it's real.

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Speaker 3: Orth Baby Fox opinions.

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Speaker 4: Read so about my takes on selling sunsets. Email me at Reality with the King at stitchri dot com or leave me a voicemail at three one oho five nine three eight one eight eight. Thank you for listening to Reality with the King. New episodes drop every Wednesday and Friday, Share, comment, follow and subscribe to Reality with the King. Wherever you get your podcast, visit realitywithe.

00:25:29
Speaker 3: King dot com and be sure to.

00:25:31
Speaker 4: Follow me at the Carlos King Underscore on Instagram and Twitter. Reality with the King is a production of More Sauce by Stitcher. It is executive produced by Me, Carlos King, and Jasmine Henley Brown. We are also produced by Sierra Spradley Rix engineering and music by Marcus

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Speaker 3: Ham More Sauce