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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, May 19, 2023 20 By Caroline Collacutt TV Media A 'Scandoval'-ous re- union: All things must end, it seems. Friendships, relation- ships, reality shows ? nothing can last forever. But in true "Vanderpump" tradition, all that ends, ends with a bang. The explosive "Vander- pump Rules Reunion Spe- cial" commences for a 10th year ? split into two non- stop, drama-filled install- ments ? with "Part 1" pre- miering Wednesday, May 24, on Bravo. Each and every season of "Vanderpump" serves hot gossip and jaw-dropping mo- ments, but it's safe to say that Season 10 truly takes the cake. Avid 'Vander-lovers' will know that February and March were show-stopping months for some of the show's regulars, and as the season wraps up, fans are desperate to know where the Toms (Schwartz and Sando- val), Raquel, Ariana and Katie all stand. To recap, "Vanderpump" returned with new episodes in February of this year, fol- lowing the split between Tom Schwartz and Katie Maloney. When Schwartz and "Van- derpump" regular Raquel Le- viss engaged in some public flirting, fans were hungry for more details — and as March rolled in, that's exactly what they got (and then some). News soon broke that Leviss and "Vanderpump's" other Tom, Tom Sandoval, had engaged in a months- long affair, resulting in the end of his nine-year relation- ship with Ariana Madix. Though Leviss and Sando- val issued public apologies (both to their partners and fans), reactions from the re- maining "Vanderpump" cast have been kept mostly under wraps, saved for viewers to witness first hand. That being said, an unidentified source told US Weekly that the cast was "out of control" during the March taping. Hosted by Andy Cohen ("Watch What Happens Live"), the Season 10 reunion is set to be "a real reckoning" (per Cohen) as it was filmed only days after news of Madix and Sandoval broke. Cohen continued, hinting at what unfolded during the soon-to- be-aired taping: "If you are looking to hear their story — you will. If you are looking for them to be confronted to their face about what they've done, in what I would say in an aggressive manner — you will get it." Cohen also filmed one-on-one interviews with Madix, Sandoval and Leviss, and teased more potential content, claiming that ex- tended versions of all inter- views will be released after the special. Mermaid Madness: From the producers of "Queer Eye" ? and, most recently, "The Se- crets of Hillsong" ? comes a new, quirky, four-part docu- mentary series helmed by Os- car-winning director Cynthia Wade ("Freeheld," 2008). "MerPeople" takes a dive into the expansive, whimsical world of professional "mer- maiding" when it premieres Tuesday, May 23, on Netflix. Per Netflix's description, "MerPeople" takes viewers on "a journey of passion and perseverance," welcoming worldwide audiences into "the whimsical world of pro- fessional mermaiding, where people's passion for swim- ming in fins has exploded into a half-billion-dollar in- dustry," showcasing every- thing from "dazzling small- town shows in Florida to the crowning of the King and Queen of the Seas in the Ba- hamas." For those who don't know, "mermaiding," as it's been dubbed, is exactly what it sounds like: people (strong swimmers, at that) don mer- maid tails and other fun, aquatic accessories to per- form at parties, events and aquariums ? even children's swimming lessons. They model, work in movies and on television, keep social me- dia presences ? Long 'tail' short, these performers live and breathe the mermaid life, cultivating a one-of-a-kind fantasy experience. It's hard to pinpoint who first coined the term, but the industry has grown signifi- cantly over the past decade, with some of the first well- known mermaids like Han- nah Mermaid, Mahina Mer- maid and Mermaid Linden all swimming towards noto- riety as early as 2004. The docuseries focuses on current pros in the mermaid- ing industry, with the inau- gural episode 'shellebrating' some truly talented folks. Viewers will be introduced to "The Mertailor," a mer- maid tail maker and aspiring entrepreneur, who is inter- ested in starting a "mermaid aquarium" and training cen- ter for future performers; former mermaids from the iconic Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Spring Hill, Florida, which has been put- ting on mermaid shows for the past six decades; and Chè Monique, the founder of the Society of Fat Mermaids, both a welcoming communi- ty and a size-inclusive store, selling merchandise and ap- parel for mermaid enthusi- asts of all shapes and sizes. In an interview with Insid- er, Scout Productions' head of documentaries, Joel Chio- di, explained his goal in pro- ducing shows like "MerPeo- ple," hoping to both broad- en people's minds and bring them together in a fantasti- cal way: "You're seeing non- binary merms, Black women; it makes no political state- ment but it's like, 'Let's cele- brate everything'" ? profes- sional mermaids included. realtalk Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix of "Vanderpump Rules"

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