Kyle and Amanda's Relationship: What we're not saying edition

Kyle and Amanda have had a rough season. They've had a rough several seasons, if you only choose to look at the bad. But deep down these two crazy adults do seem to love and care for one another, and I think Kyle was somewhat in the right to give that drunken birthday speech that asked for people to rally around them. You can't have a relationship by committee -- I agree with him there. But I think we're leaving out a big part of what Kyle is (or isn't) doing for (or with) Amanda. Kyle Cooke knows he's on a TV show.

As Andy Cohen pointed out (and not in a nice way, tbh) Kyle has been vocal about wanting to be on Bravo for a long time. He supposedly approached Bethenny at a Hamptons party and was like, tell me how to get on a show.

So not only does he have the desire to be on TV, but he has business acumen, as well. The man is an entrrepeur and say what you will, but Loverboy is a great product. I'm sure he had to have negotiated some percentage deal with Bravo (did NBC/Comcast invest or something?) because it's really the only brand they show on its respective show. There are cases of Loverboy lining the halls of Winter and Summer House. The cast is always drinking them. Kyle's STORYLINE is about Loverboy.

Sure, Austen has Trop Hop but I didn't see one can -- nary a one! -- of his beer on Winter House. Sure, Housewives' storylines have been around their business, but I don't think anyone is buying Sonja's toasterline merch. We'll buy some cookbooks, sure, but there is an EMPHASIS on product placement for Loverboy on the Summer and Winter house. Product placement I don't think is rivaled by any other series (other than Top Chef and their damn Pellegrino and BMWs, but that's different.)

So we have a man who wants to be on TV, and a man who's motivated to make his company a success. Athough he clearly parties a little too hard, the man does seem like he has several brain cells to rub together.

What brings the most attention to his storyline, and therefore, his brand? Drama. If this season was a stye-less celebration of love and devotion, we wouldn't be talking about Kyle and Amanda at all. We'd be focused solely on Paige and Craig and Lindsay and Carl would probably get more airtime, teasing their to-come romance.

But the DRAMA is so good. It's good for ratings, it's good for eyeballs on their product, and ultimately, alls well that ends well. Kyle will redeem himself somehow. Amanda will redeem herself somehow. We know they end up married. We know that Loverboy is launching new products. We know that Carl is on the Loveboy team and well, who doesn't love Carl 6.0 pro-max.

I think Kyle's playing it up for the camera-time. I feel like he's comfortable being a villain (we've seen Andy grill him on WWHL and Kyle doesn't break a sweat!) and is confident in his ability to manipulate storyline.

Now, can he pull it off?? Will we all be team Kymanda after this season?? All I know is that my friends and I love the show, text about Kymanda, and WE BUY LOVERBOY MERCH AND DRINKS. They have us wrapped around their finger.

Kyle has his tried and true faults, for SURE -- but what makes him savvy is that he's not afraid to lean into them for the "greater good" of what he's working on with Amanda, Carl, and Loverboy.

Cheers!