Meanwhile, Jamie picked up her mother from the airport where arguably one of the more interesting and culturally fascinating Real World storylines had a brief moment to shine. Jamie and the roommates tried their best to welcome her mother to the clashing world of the Real World house, but the staunchly traditional Korean mother was clearly offput by such things as the coed showers. Watching Jamie trying to bridge the generational and culture gap while battling a language barrier actually made for compelling television. Jamie explained that she's never really had any significant conversations with her mother because her Korean is so choppy. It was shocking to hear Jamie ask her mother basic questions about her father's age and life. As the two of them started to bond, I started to question things about- oh wait, this is too high level for the Real World. Thankfully, the producers switched the action back to Frankie.
The next day, Frankie was in major pill mode as she claimed over and over again in confessionals that she didn't come here to make friends and she doesn't care what people say or think about her and she doesn't care if anyone knows how she feels blah blah blah. She might as well have lit up a neon sign that said "Defense mechanisms going into effect. Please do not disturb." After Frankie was done with this empty rhetoric, she then proceeded to display how much she doesn't care about the roommates by clamoring for everyone's attention. Tipping her hat to third graders across the nation, Frankie literally threw a tantrum in the arms of her mother as she yelled loudly - and conveniently within earshot of all the roommates - about how no one liked her so she was going to leave. Mom tried to calm down her daughter, but all attempts were greeted with Frankie growling back the patented "What do you know!" response that's so essential to an effective tantrum.
When Frankie raised the notion of returning home, her mother had the audacity to note that Frankie had made a commitment to the show and she should follow through. Personal responsibility? What sort of a mother is this? Frankie tried some weird mixture of guilt and passive aggression when she concluded she had to stay or else her mother would be disappointed in her forever. Frankie stormed away - score another for Jacquese - leaving the rattled sister left to deal with some more childhood trauma. Cameran stepped up though and offered a shoulder to cry on for the precocious girl who commented on how Frankie never seems happy. It was fairly heartbreaking to see this adolescent next to her passive mother, knowing that she probably felt the responsibility to keep her disfunctional family together. For Frankie to put her young, impressionable sister at ground zero for her own petty drama is pretty unforgiveable.
Nevertheless, it was sadistically funny realizing that no one wants Frankie, not even her family. A few roommates had silly conversations with her where they pretty much said "Listen, you're miserable and driving us crazy. Please go home. Oh, but I think you're a great person." Somewhere in here, Robin raised the interesting point that Frankie should probably spend more time enjoying life while she has it. And also, Jamie's mom went to the airport and left. You know, her mom comes in for one day, and Jamie spends the entire visit wanting to learn about her parents and her roots and how she can help her family. Frankie just uses the time to complain and revert to childhood. I'm surprised she didn't demand a new toy.
The episode finally came to a close with Frankie calling the producers and threatening to leave. Truth is she just wants everyone to come grovelling to her and say how much they love her. MTV would like to have us believe that Frankie wll follow her heart back to Dave, but we all know her true love isn't some tattooed ragamuffin in Kansas City. It's the cameras. Just her, the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark. All right, Mr. Murray, she's ready for her close-up.
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