Sharnina wrote: <<The only problem with considering the run an infomercial directed at us the viewers is that it has already taken place. It had already taken place before we ever even heard of it. We can't contribute financially, we can't tell our friends about it and we can't personally participate.>>
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Well, it's true that no one can participate, etc. now that it is over, but Rhonda did publicize this 5K before it occurred. There was even an open call for SO viewers to come and be part of the taping of this episode. So at that time, anyone who chose to answer the open call could contribute, participate, and pass the message on to as many friends as they wished.
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Lab wrote: <<I don't know how much the actual money raised (and how much was raised??) went to charity. I prefer to donate to organizations where I specifically know where the money is going.
Blaming Christie? I don't blame her but I do label her as an attention seeking publicity whore and there is plenty of evidence to back up that claim - her modeling website, selling her signature candles on ebay, already signing up for a future project (see spoiler for details)... yes we know why Christie is on television and she isn't about body issues or be scared to work the crowd.
Why is Christie's pre-exising relationship not revealed on SO? Because it would spoil the excitement of IF she will graduate. Why aren't we told that Christie is in Rhonda's book - a book written BEFORE this season - because it would ruin the excitement and show quite clearly this show is STAGED.>>
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I agree. And you know what? I'm sure the exact details of how (and how much) money was raised, and how it was allocated will be presented in a "fuzzy" and/or misleading way...much the same way the show was edited to leave the impression that Allison didn't actually declare bankruptcy (although we know from the public records posted on the boards that she did)...much the same way Allison's paid tuition to USMC was kept hush-hush on the show, and wasn't presented as a graduation gift...much the same way we were never told exactly how many people came to Antonia's poetry slam, and how much they were charged (all we were told was the dollar amount Antonia made) or if ANY of those in attendance weren't plants.
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Lab also wrote: <<Back to Christie. The entire 5K is being run by Rhonda and her personal secretary. They just need Christie to walk on set, stand by her mark, repeat her scripted lines and wring her hands. Christie - who had a pre-existing relationship with Rhonda, was featured in Rhonda's new book, AND who is doing the talk circuit with Rhonda - is a Set-Up.>>

BlueCollarBlonde wrote: <<You know, this race was Christie's assignment from the word go and now it has become the responsibility of the whole house. If it was supposed to be a group project then why not present it that way from the get go as something all the women would work on together as a team, aside from their individual assignments? Now if the other ladies don't help they are chastised and raked over the coals? I'm sorry, but this is just plain wrong.>>
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Yep, all Christie had to do was walk on and go through the motions of getting all these things done...things that were all pre-arranged anyway. And geez, she couldn't even do that!! How fr!ggin' hard is it to ask some guy to donate T-shirts for free when the whole reason he is on the show is to give you free T-shirts in return for TV exposure????? How difficult is it to make a phone call to MAC to ask them to donate cosmetic items for gift bags when the phone call is just a formality...just something to be played out for the cameras??

But Christie is like, "DUUUUHHH, Jodi, what do I say? DUUUUUH, Jodi, can you make the phone call for me? DUUUUUUHHHH, Jodi, what's a banner?" Seriously, what a dumb-@ss! And this is the one who complained Jodi "takes over" everything. Hellooooo! Christie better hope she always has a "Jodi" around, because she herself is lazy and totally ineffectual. Then after Jodi does everything for her, Christie's a smart-@ss to Niambi, acting as though she doesn't need Niambi's help because she's got it all under control...all Niambi has to do is show up and run.