The Viall Files

E1008 - Lacey Chabert, Teresa Giudice Talks Special Forces, RHOM Finale, RHOC and Selena Gomez’s Wedding

September 30, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The Viall Files has moved into a new, upgraded studio in LA, which the hosts are very excited about. 
  • Nick Viall celebrated his birthday, receiving custom Tocova cowboy boots from Natalie Joy featuring their daughter River's handprint. 
  • The hosts discussed the recent wedding photos posted by Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, noting the trendy, blurry, film-like aesthetic of the pictures. 
  • The hosts and guest Lacey Chabert discussed the drama from the recent episodes of *The Real Housewives of Miami* (RHOM), focusing heavily on the conflict between Adriana DeMora and Julia Lemigova regarding a mispronounced word and past actions. 
  • The discussion on *The Real Housewives of Orange County* (RHOC) centered on Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley's manipulative behavior, particularly Slade body-shaming Tamra Judge, which surprisingly made the hosts side with Tamra. 
  • Lacey Chabert shared details about her upcoming Hallmark projects, including *Haul Out the Halloween* and *She's Making a List*, and discussed her passion project show *Celebrations* which honors community heroes. 

Segments

New Studio Reveal & Birthday
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(00:02:33)
  • Key Takeaway: The Viall Files has upgraded to a larger, beautiful new studio in LA, coinciding with Nick Viall’s birthday celebration.
  • Summary: The hosts announced the completion of their new LA studio, which is described as bigger and better. Nick Viall celebrated his birthday, showcasing custom Tocova cowboy boots gifted by Natalie Joy featuring their daughter River’s handprint. The boots were custom-painted at the store after learning they could paint on leather.
Selena Gomez Wedding Photos
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(00:12:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Selena Gomez married Benny Blanco, sharing intentionally blurry, film-like photos that evoke a ‘Great Gatsby’ or ‘you had to be there’ vibe.
  • Summary: The hosts reacted positively to Selena Gomez’s wedding photos with Benny Blanco, appreciating the non-traditional, grainy aesthetic which contrasts with typical high-definition wedding photography. They noted the connection that Lana Del Rey wore a dress named after Natalie Joy’s daughter, River, on her wedding anniversary. Natalie Joy mentioned that she and Nick Viall strive to maintain open communication to avoid disconnection in their busy relationship.
Bachelor Nation Game Night Recap
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(00:14:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Susie Evans hosted a game night on her rooftop for several LA-based Bachelor in Paradise alumni, including Justin and Alex, who remain very affectionate.
  • Summary: Susie Evans hosted a game night featuring Justin, Andrew, Alex, Rachel, and others following an ESPN event. The evening involved improv games and devolved into a ‘weird’ night after someone consumed a THC drink, though no kissing occurred. Alex and Andrew were observed to be even more in love than before.
KJ Apa’s Alter Ego Mr. Fantasy
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(00:17:05)
  • Key Takeaway: KJ Apa has adopted a viral alter ego named Mr. Fantasy on TikTok, complete with prosthetic teeth and wigs, which Natalie Joy finds highly attractive.
  • Summary: Mr. Fantasy is KJ Apa’s rapidly growing persona on TikTok, featuring wigs and prosthetic teeth, which Natalie Joy identifies as her type, contrasting with her attraction to KJ Apa himself. Natalie posted a dance video to Mr. Fantasy’s music, leading to him commenting and reposting it on his story. The hosts suggested Nick Viall should create a corresponding ‘Vic Niall’ persona, perhaps leaning into a cowboy theme with his new boots.
Upcoming Episode Previews
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(00:19:53)
  • Key Takeaway: Upcoming guests include Lacey Chabert, Amy Duggar King discussing the Duggar family, and Rachel Lindsay covering Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.
  • Summary: Lacey Chabert will join the show to discuss her career, including Mean Girls and Hallmark movies. Amy Duggar King will appear on Going Deeper to discuss her experience with the Duggar family and her new book. Thursday’s Reality Recap will feature Rachel Lindsay discussing RHOSLC and coverage of the Love is Blind premiere.
Teresa Giudice on Special Forces
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(00:24:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Teresa Giudice and her daughter Gia endured harsh conditions on Special Forces, including sharing one shower among 18 people and using an outhouse-style latrine.
  • Summary: Teresa Giudice revealed she was assigned bathroom duty, which was manageable initially as no one wanted to use the bucket latrine on day one. She expressed concern about being pushed hard into the ocean due to not knowing how to swim and having breast implants, referencing Denise Richards’ experience. Teresa credited having Gia with her as a major motivator to continue through the challenges.
Bravo Sphere Drama Updates
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(00:42:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Tamra Judge publicly stated she least looks forward to seeing Sheena Shay at BravoCon due to Sheena allegedly spreading gossip about Gretchen Rossi’s hospital visit.
  • Summary: Tamra Judge named Sheena Shay as the person she least wants to see at BravoCon, stemming from a podcast where Sheena allegedly revealed details about Gretchen Rossi’s hospital incident. Sheena countered by claiming Tamra stirs the pot and that Gretchen never lies, despite Gretchen lying to Tamra on camera. Furthermore, Sheena has reportedly not filmed for The Valley, while Lala Kent and Tom Schwartz have been seen on cast trips, possibly due to Bravo’s displeasure with Sheena’s book press.
Baby Shower & Gender Reveal Talk
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(00:36:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Mary’s sister Erin is pregnant with her first daughter, leading to a discussion on the overwhelming amount of items babies require and the debate over gender reveals.
  • Summary: Mary attended her older sister Erin’s baby shower, realizing how many necessities babies require despite their small size. The hosts agreed that gender reveals involving fire, explosives, or dyeing living things are unacceptable, preferring simpler reveals like flowers or waiting until birth. Mary shared she bought a music box playing ‘Swan Lake’ for her niece, anticipating a ‘melancholy melody’ for a potential Scorpio baby.
Bad Bunny Video Cameo
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(00:49:08)
  • Key Takeaway: Natalie confirmed her appearance in Bad Bunny’s ‘Ojitos Lindos’ music video, including a drive-in movie scene.
  • Summary: Natalie confirmed she was in the music video for Bad Bunny’s ‘Ojitos Lindos,’ appearing on a couple of dates with the artist in the video. The hosts joked about her potential backup dancing role for him. This segment followed a brief mention of watching a Steelers game.
Sheena Shea’s Delusion
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(00:49:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Sheena Shea reportedly claimed Bad Bunny was intensely checking her out at an SNL event, believing he was ’eye fucking her’ because she reminded him of his ex.
  • Summary: The hosts recounted Sheena Shea’s story about believing Bad Bunny was giving her ’the up and down’ while out dancing. They noted the delusion in her quote that he must have thought she reminded him of his ex. The segment concluded with a general reminder that being observed does not always mean being checked out.
RHOM Finale Recap
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(00:50:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Lemigova faced criticism for dressing her adopted twins in Balenciaga apparel shortly after the brand’s scandal involving child imagery.
  • Summary: The rapid recap of The Real Housewives of Miami finale highlighted Adriana DeMora calling Julia a ‘covert enemy’ and later a ‘user,’ citing Julia’s old apartment. A major point of contention was Marisol claiming she advised Adriana to use the word ‘wretched’ instead of ‘ratchet,’ which Adriana later denied or spun against Marisol.
RHOM Conflict Analysis
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(00:53:39)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts struggled to determine the truth between Marisol and Adriana regarding the ‘wretched’ comment, but felt Adriana’s subsequent actions, like using Kiki to fight her battle, were problematic.
  • Summary: The hosts felt the ‘wretched’ vs. ‘ratchet’ storyline was being milked, though they acknowledged Marisol likely suggested the word and then distanced herself when controversy arose. They also noted the oddity of Adriana demanding silence before her opera performance, comparing her diva moment to Mariah Carey.
RHOM Opera Performance Critique
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(00:55:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The audio quality provided by Bravo for Adriana’s opera performance was poor, making a fair assessment of her singing difficult, though Julia’s year-long hobby was deemed an overly ambitious choice.
  • Summary: The hosts felt Bravo did Adriana dirty with the poor audio quality of her live performance, which sounded like an iPhone recording. They questioned Julia’s choice to pursue opera, an elegant hobby requiring serious dedication, after only a year of practice. Marisol’s Christmas-themed party was praised as looking lush and fun.
Gross Hygiene Habits
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(00:58:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Nick admitted to using a fingernail as a toothpick for stuck food particles in an emergency, which shocked the other hosts.
  • Summary: The conversation devolved into gross hygiene habits after discussing Alexia’s son refusing a manicure. Nick confessed to using a fingernail as a toothpick when no other option was available, leading to strong reactions from Sierra. Nick also mentioned his childhood dentist in Auburn, Alabama, whom he still visits when in town.
RHOC Recap and Fashion
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(01:01:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Gretchen Rossi’s Laura Croft-inspired look at the self-defense class was deemed the worst fashion of the RHOC episode, though her bra received compliments.
  • Summary: The RHOC recap focused on Gretchen’s poor fashion choice, which Heather Dubrow compared unfavorably to G.I. Jane. The segment covered Slade apologizing for bringing up Tamra’s alleged cheating, which Gretchen claimed was meant to be ‘campy.’ The hosts felt Slade and Gretchen’s behavior was manipulative, comparing them to Iago and Zazu from The Emperor’s New Groove.
Road Rage Incidents
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(01:07:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Nick recounted a terrifying road rage incident where a driver gave him the finger handgun and threatened him, emphasizing that road rage severity varies significantly by location.
  • Summary: The hosts agreed that road rage intensity differs by region, contrasting mild reactions in Wisconsin with potential violence in LA. Nick detailed being threatened by a driver after making eye contact, who told him to ‘Watch yourself’ and that he was ’letting him live today.’ A separate story involved a pastor father whose collar caused a motorcycle rider to stop yelling and say ‘repent.’
Lacey Chabert Interview
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(01:13:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Lacey Chabert is releasing a line of Christmas decorations and related items through Hallmark Gold Crown stores, aligning with her reputation as the ‘Queen of Hallmark.’
  • Summary: Lacey Chabert confirmed she has filmed 44 movies for Hallmark and is excited about her new line of Christmas decorations, ornaments, and mugs. She shared that her daughter, Julia, keeps her grounded with honest fashion critiques and that she enjoys reliving memories by showing her daughter baby videos. Her show Celebrations highlights community heroes with surprise parties.
Hallmark vs. Housewives Game
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(01:25:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Lacey Chabert struggled to differentiate between Hallmark movie plots and Real Housewives drama, correctly identifying that a plot involving a serious illness allegation was from Housewives.
  • Summary: The game ‘Hallmark or Housewives’ tested Lacey’s knowledge of dramatic plotlines. She correctly identified that a plot involving a family event exploding when someone shows up where they don’t belong was Hallmark (A Very Merry Mix-up). She also correctly identified that allegations of dishonesty about a serious illness causing friendship implosion was Housewives.