REACTION: 9021OMG Episode 15

Monday’s “9021OMG” podcast focused on a classic episode of “Beverly Hills, 90210” — “Slumber Party.”

“Slumber Party” is the 13th episode of the series. It’s beloved by many fans and features a standout performance by Jennie Garth (Kelly) in particular. It was written by show creator Darren Star and directed by Charles Braverman, who helmed nine episodes of the series in all with this as his first. This installment was previously discussed on the “Beverly Hills 90210 Show” podcast last September.

The plot revolves around Brenda (Shannen Doherty) hosting — yep, you guessed it — a slumber party while Brandon (Jason Priestley) and Steve (Ian Ziering) have a night on the town. And on today’s podcast, Jennie and Tori Spelling (Donna) were joined by two key people from that Brandon-Steve storyline…

9021OMG Episode 15, “Having a Slumber Party”

• They started off by wishing one another a happy Valentine’s Day and teasing Wednesday’s Galentine’s Day event.

• Tori stressed that boys are welcome too at the virtual event.

• Noting tickets are still available, Tori said, “What are you waitin’ for?”

• Jennie reminded everyone that part of the proceeds are going to Save Our Stages.

• They then announced a special guest for the event: Debbie Gibson.

• Jennie: “She was like huge when our show was on.”

• Tori: “I wonder if we can talk her into singing a little song for us.” Jennie: “Maybe she’ll make up a little ditty for us.”

• Tori noted how Debbie appears in episode 1.14, “East Side Story,” and told everyone to watch it before the event.

• Tori then urged everyone to buy their merch to wear for the event. Jennie: “You’re a good salesman.”

• Jennie transitioned the conversation to “Slumber Party,” noting it was “written by the one and only Darren Star, creator of our show.” She gave the air date and Tori gave the synopsis.

• Tori: “I’m gonna go on record and say out of all 10 years, this is one of the most memorable episodes of all time.”

• Jennie agreed, saying, “This was the episode where we really got to see the core cast kind of unite and come together, even though we weren’t all in one place. It just felt like all the parts were glued together well.”

• Tori liked that a lot of it took place at one location — Casa Walsh.

• Tori to Jennie: “This is where you impress me so much as an actor. I was like, Oh my gosh, ‘I am grateful to be working alongside her.’”

• Jennie: “It was fun. I just loved seeing all the female bonding... I loved seeing all four girls — not just the three of us, but Gab was there too, and that made me so happy. Because it was kind of rare that we got to do scenes with four girls. They would kind of make it just either two or the three of us and then Gabrielle would kinda be doing her newspaper thing or doing something with Brandon, so I thought it was really cool that she was in all of this and she added so much to it.”

• Superfan Sisanie wanted to know why Andrea’s pajamas were “so grandma-y.” Jennie said they reminded her of “Anne with an E” and “Little House on the Prairie.” Tori said they “sure set the stage for the character, though.”

  • Just throwing this out there: Andrea DID live with her grandmother, after all, and was poor.

• Jennie: “The dancing! The dancing at the slumber party!” Tori: “Do you remember doing that?” Jennie: “I do! And I remember cringing then as we were doing it, and now watching it, I was doubly-cringing.” She thought the dancing went on for a very long time.

• Tori: “I remember thinking in that moment, ‘Wow, I get paid to miss high school and come here and dance and eat ice cream and popcorn and hang out with my friends.’ That was one of those scenes.”

• None of them was sure of the original song in the dancing scene since it’s replaced on streaming. Tori: “I’m sure we could google that.”

  • Ya think? The song was “Mony Mony.” Tori kept saying she thought it was by Billy Idol, but she’s thinking of the cover version. The scene actually featured the original by Tommy James & The Shondells.

    • Coincidentally, I’ll be touching on this song next month in a post on the teen drama soundtracks.

• Jennie: “Whatever they put on Hulu for it to go with did not really sync well with our dance moves.”

• Jennie: “And who decided to bring miss snooty-pants along? Jeez. Talk about rude... So mean. They wrote her so vicious and mean.”

• They wondered why Amanda stayed as long as she did if she was having such a bad time.

• Tori asked Jennie if she remembered working with Michele Abrams, who played Amanda. Jennie: “I do. I remember really liking her. I remember liking her whole vibe. I remember she was actually really nervous.”

• Jennie said it was “hard” and took “confidence” to come into the group and start “dissing everybody” like Michele had to do.

• Tori said she doesn’t have “many memories” of Michele, but remembers her being quiet, which she interpreted then as Michele not liking her.

• Tori: “I feel like she auditioned for one of the main cast members.” Jennie: “She could’ve definitely been Kelly.” Tori: “No one could’ve been Kelly.”

• Tori joked they could “rewrite history” and take Jennie out of it, but Jennie said she likes her history.

• Superfan Sisanie wanted to know why they made the “slumber party sound so lame.” They then discussed whether slumber parties were still happening at that age.

• Jennie: “I loved it. It was a girly party... they got to be silly. They got to pig out, as they called it... It just felt like fun. No boys allowed.”

• Tori brought up “Donna’s favorite food” and said people come up to her saying they eat ice cream and popcorn because of her. She said that wasn’t something that came from her personally — it was written in the script “and I remember thinking, ‘That’s weird!’ But I didn’t feel I was entitled to change it or say anything.”

• Jennie: “It must be Darren Star’s favorite snack.”

• Jennie is willing to try it. Tori suggested they do it at the virtual event.

• Jennie puts salt on everything and is worried about the day she’ll have to cut back: “I can’t eat without salt. I can, but I don’t want to... I guess it’s what makes me so salty, so ornery.”

• Jennie: “Did you know that Kelly’s middle name was Marlene? I didn’t know that til I watched the show.” Tori: “I did not know that.”

  • Basic facts, people. Basic facts.

• Jennie wondered if she actually had influence on that name because it’s her sister’s middle name.

• Of the game being called “Skeletons in the Closet,” Jennie said, "I felt like that was more Murders in the Living Room or something. Or Assholes in the Living Room. What a game. That game was really vicious, worse than Truth or Dare or Never Have I Ever."

• Superfan Sisanie: “And that was an emotional scene that you had to do, Jennie.”

• Jennie started to say it was her first emotional scene, but then she pointed out the “Perfect Mom” episode (not by name, of course) and how “that was kind of emotional too.”

• Jennie said she remembers filming the scene in question “and the pressure that I felt as an actress.” She described how the camera dolly was set up and the focus on getting everything right. “I didn’t want to blow my performance on the first take and not be able to do it again... Thank god, I think that was just like a one-take wonder.”

• Tori: “Sometimes the first takes are always the best, because it’s genuine.”

• Tori brought up Jennie’s tears, prompting Jennie to crack, “Who knew I could time a tear just perfectly?”

• Tori: “You guys, she’s the best on-screen crier ever.” Jennie: “Don’t jinx it! What if I have to do it again?”

• For moments like that, Jennie said she tries to “get in the zone” and “on the edge of my emotions” all day before the scene is filmed. “You gotta just step into that person’s shoes and forget about anything else.”

• Tori: “I’m not a good on-screen crier. I’m not a big crier in real life. I repress my emotions a lot.” Jennie: “I’ve seen you cry maybe twice.”

  • There’s actually a pretty infamous scene of Tori crying quite hysterically on “True Tori.”

• Tori said she associates crying with weakness and doesn’t know why.

• Tori said it’s even harder for her when she has to cry on-screen and requires the "blower." Jennie: “She had to get blowed.” Tori: “They had to blow me.”

• Apparently the technique has to do with blowing menthol into a person’s eyes, stinging their eyes so they tear up and cry.

• Tori claimed they weren’t even asked if they could “get there” and cry on their own and instead they would go right to the "blower."

• Tori: “It burns so bad... Maybe that's why we’re both blind. Maybe that’s why we need glasses. Who can we talk to about this? Is it too late?”

• Superfan Sisanie: “I am like shooketh.”

• Jennie said it was “embarrassing” when the “blower” was needed and made her feel like a “failure.”

• Tori agreed, saying she felt like people would be saying. “Look at the boss’ daughter. She can’t even cry on cue.”

• Sisanie was blown away (no pun intended) by this information.

• Jennie said her eyes were tearing up just talking about it: “My eyes have PTSD.”

  • I feel like Jennie brings up PTSD a lot. I wonder how people with actual PTSD feel.

• Tori confirmed Jennie always has “watery eyes” and now thinks it’s a result of the “blower.” Jennie: “Maybe it’s because they just put Kelly through so many emotional things, I cry all the time because of it.”

• Tori said she’s an “ugly crier” while Jennie is a “pretty crier.” Jennie disagreed with her and said it’s “beautiful” when Tori cries because she’s finally letting her emotions out instead of trying to control them.

• Tori: “You could’ve frozen on any frame of that whole monologue and it was a pretty cry. So yay you.”

• Superfan Sisanie wanted to know if they're conscious of that while crying — if they’re trying not to be an ugly crier. Jennie: “No. I don’t think about what I look like when I’m crying. Hopefully you’re not thinking about what you look like when you're crying because then you’re not really in the moment.” Tori: “If you’re thinking about that, you’re in trouble.”

• Jennie brought up Ross Webber and what happened with Kelly: “I think that happens a lot for girls. Because they have, you know, such big expectations and hopes.”

  • They really glossed over Kelly being date-raped.

• Superfan Sisanie: “I wanted my first time to be really special because of ‘90210.’” Tori: “Are you serious?” Sisanie: “Because Brenda and Dylan’s was so special. ‘Mine has to be after some sort of dance as well.’ And it was!”

• Sisanie said she was turning red and Tori confirmed she was, calling it “50 shades of red.” Apparently it happened after a homecoming dance. Sisanie: “[I] have Brenda and Dylan to thank.”

• Jennie said “we talk about Ross Webber later” and "I feel like we revisit him at some point in the show’s history later, later, later.” Tori: “And it’s interesting, when we first talked about this, we thought it was John Sears was your first and then we realized it wasn’t John Sears. It was Ross Webber.”

  • Are they reading my reaction posts?!

• Jennie liked when Donna cried and apologized for not having more problems.

• Tori: “I was really into that moment and a good actress in that scene because clearly I have a lot of problems so I was acting.”

• Jennie: “This was the first episode where we really got to see Donna be Donna — fun and sort of goofy and just like really goodhearted. I felt like this was the episode that was like, ‘Oh, this is the Donna we’re gonna now know and love as the show goes forward.’”

• Tori said she had “fun” and felt “accepted” and “really a part of the group” on-screen.

• Jennie: “I also thought it was interesting the sort of foreshadowing [of] the Kelly-Brenda-Dylan issues, which I had totally forgotten that had ever happened before [season 3].” Tori: “Me too.”

• Jennie and Tori were confused and thought Kelly only tried to go after Dylan BEFORE Brenda ever moved to Beverly Hills, but Sisanie rightly pointed out that Kelly specifically said it was after Brenda and Dylan got together.

• Tori wanted to know if Kelly did do that, "How come we never saw that on camera? That would’ve been something good to be on camera."

• Superfan Sisanie: “Do you think the writers already knew that this [triangle] was going to happen?” Jennie said she doubted it and that the writers were just “winging it” here and, as an example, pointed out that Brenda says in the episode that she doesn’t know anyone who died, but then in another episode you find out her aunt is dead from cancer.

  • Of course, if they actually bothered to talk to the writers... or read / watch interviews over the years... they’d know that, no, the triangle was NOT in the works at this point. They’d also know how it actually came about. Maybe Jennie will find out when she’s on the “Beverly Hills 90210 Show” podcast tomorrow night — the topic is Kelly and Dylan!

• Tori: “It’s interesting that they never fact-check stuff.”

  • Yes, this is something Tori actually said. Pot, meet kettle.

• Tori told a story about playing with a Ouija board at 9 years old and the board (supposedly) flying up against the wall by itself. She then said they should try it together one night and do other “spells.”

• Tori: “I digress. Back to the episode.”

  • Yes, please.

• Tori: “What about Andrea admitting that she loves Brandon?” She noted that it was “obvious” to the viewer, but maybe not to the “gang.”

• Jennie said all the cattiness made her not ever want to go back to that age and she didn’t like that part of the sleepover.

• Sisanie brought up Brandon and Steve’s storyline “that we definitely have to get to because we have a few guests” — whom Tori revealed were Julie McCullough (Trina) and Judie Aronson (Shelly).

• After the break, Judie joined them and there was a mutual-appreciation party over how good everyone looks after all these years. As usual, we couldn’t see them.

• Jennie: “You did such a great job in that scene with Brandon and Steve and the night club girls, hello!”

• Tori: “We didn’t even get to work with you.”

• Judie remembered seeing them in the makeup trailer. Tori: “Were we nice?” Judie: “You were very, very nice to us.” Tori: “You never know. That was always a thing. We wanted guest stars to feel included. It’s hard going on to someone else’s set.”

• Julie joined the call then.

• Judie and Julie knew each other before they were cast on the show and became “good friends” afterward.

• Julie went on to work with Ian again on the first Sharknado movie.

• Julie said the car was actually an automatic and she had to pretend it was a stick shift that she couldn’t drive, though she actually can’t drive a stick shift anyway.

• Tori said that she normally says Jennie wore bangs best in that time period, but Julie is definitely second to her.

  • That’s kind of a compliment…? A backhanded compliment, maybe?

• Jennie: “Sis, should we play rapid-fire with them?”

• Sisanie: “Favorite character on ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’? Don’t feel obligated to pick Kelly and Donna.”

• Julie: “We gotta go with Luke, you know, c’mon... just about everyone’s favorite. He was like the Fonzie of ‘90210.’”

• Judie: “I was so bummed he wasn’t on our episode.”

• Tori wanted to know if Jason or Ian flirted with them off camera.

• Judie noted she had already played Jason’s girlfriend on “Sister Kate.”

• Jennie: “You and Jason looked extremely connected whilst in that convertible.”

• Tori: “You guys, it was 30 years ago, so tell us.”

• Judie then told a story about auditioning for an Italian movie and having to put herself on tape doing a love scene. Jason agreed to be her scene partner with future filmmaker Nick Cassavetes directing them. But beyond that, there was nothing between them.

• Jennie brought up Julie being on “Growing Pains,” but Tori wanted to get back to the question of whether either of the guys flirted with her.

• Julie then revealed that years later she “briefly” dated “one of them” and of course they all wanted to know which one. It was Jason, she said, and that it was “public,” as they went out places together and even rescued a dog together.

• Apparently Julie was friends with Jason’s sister, too, and even knew his “mama.”

• Everyone was shocked by this, even Judie, but Julie didn’t seem to think it was a big deal.

• Judie: “Was he a good kisser?” Julie: “I’m not telling!”

• Jennie: “I’ll tell you — he’s a great kisser!”

• Jennie wanted to know if Julie ever heard Jason’s jaw popping when they kissed. She didn’t remember and Jennie was “disappointed.”

• Judie: “So there’s four of us here that kissed him?” Jennie: “Sis, didn’t you make out with Jason?” Sis: “No, no, no. I may have taken a spin class from his wife, though.”

• Julie got quite defensive about dating Jason: “We were young and we were all single. That was the group we were all around... I don’t like it when people judge.”

• Tori asked them to play Kiss, Marry, Kick to the Curb with the male characters. Sisanie: “Or the girls. It’s 2021.”

• Judie would kiss David, marry Jim or Steve, and kick Brenda to the curb... though she said “Ian” and “Shannen” for those last two. Julie would marry Brenda, kick Steve to the curb, and kiss Brandon... but she said Jason.

  • I’m not sure either of them really understood the game.

• Judie wanted to know their picks and when Jennie and Tori said they’ve already played, Julie said they didn’t hear it and they should "reannounce" their choices. Ballsy!

• Tori, inspired by Sisanie’s earlier comment, said they should replay it picking female characters.

• Jennie: “I would kiss Donna because you have big, beautiful lips and I wanna kiss ‘em. I would marry Andrea ‘cause I know she’s a really good cook. And then I would... oh, but I don’t wanna — I’d kick Kelly to the curb. I’d just kick myself right to the curb.”

  • I think Jennie stopped herself from saying Brenda.

• Tori was annoyed with Jennie for basing her Andrea answer on Gabrielle herself, instead of the character. Sisanie defended Jennie by saying, “Andrea was the most domestic out of all of them so we can assume she was a good cook.”

• Judie: “She’s the most sensible so she would make a great wife.” Julie: “And she became president!” They then joked that Jennie would be FLOTUS.

• Tori: “I would kiss, I’m probably gonna say Kelly, because I feel like I’ve kissed Shannen in real life — like in fun.”

• They were all stunned by the idea of Tori and Shannen kissing, which Tori said would happen at a bar when they were drunk and people would be like “Kiss, kiss!”

  • Okay, Tori…

• Tori: “I’ve kissed Shannen in real life. I’ve kissed Tiffani, I’ve kissed Lindsay, I’ve kissed Kathleen.” Sisanie: “Like a peck? Tori: “Like a kiss! In front of people. When guys are like, ‘I dare you.’”

  • Could this be the first time Tiffani, Lindsay, and Kathleen have been mentioned on the podcast??

• Jennie said she feels like she’s kissed Tori, too, but Tori didn’t think so.

• Tori: “I’ve watched her kiss many a time on TV and I think she looks like a really good kisser, so I would pick Kelly to kiss, Andrea to marry, because maybe for once my finances would be in order, and I guess I’d have to kick Brenda to the curb for no other reason than what I’ve said.”

• Jennie: “You’ve already had her.”

• There was another round of mutual-appreciation comments as Judie and Julie left the call.

• After a break, Sisanie said she wanted to share the one-liners she liked from the episode before they got into fan questions.

• Sisanie liked “BNJ — before nose job,” and asked, “Is that a thing?” Tori: “I guess you guys are asking me because I’m the only one that’s had a nose job here.” Jennie: “Did anyone ever say that to you?” Tori: “No, but I’m going to start using that now.”

• Tori liked Donna apologizing for not having problems “because it’s so Donna and not Tori.”

• Jennie liked Amanda saying, “C’mon, Brenda, anyone that can’t think of one secret is either lying or a total zero.”

• The first fan question: “When did you realize the show was a big hit? What season were you in when you realized you had some job security?”

• Jennie: “Job security makes me laugh, just the term. You never have job security.” Tori: “Ever. In the entertainment industry, you’re only as good as your last job and your last job could be over tomorrow.”

• Still, Jennie said that when they started doing appearances and going to malls across the country and around the world was when she realized the show was taking off.

• Jennie implied Tori wasn’t allowed to take part in these travels because she was too young.

  • For the record, she and Tori are only one year apart in age.

• Tori claimed that until the last few years of the show, she just thought her character wasn’t popular enough to be asked to do appearances and was too embarrassed to inquire about it, only to later find out her dad didn’t want her traveling and said “to never give Tori an appearance.” She went on to insist that if the event was arranged through the show, it was known not to give Tori the opportunity.

  • Aaron was deathly afraid of flying so maybe he didn’t want Tori flying either...?

• Tori said she ultimately realized that her character was, in fact, popular in the last two years of the show, specifically when she and Jennie did an event organized by Jennie’s manager in which fans came over from Japan and were “crying.” And when she thanked Jennie’s manager and said she never gets booked for appearances, his reaction led her to “put two and two together.”

• Tori also pointed out that it wasn’t until the second season that the show became popular. She remembered being at a mall and hearing someone scream “Donna” and a friend pointing out that they were referring to her.

• Jennie: “That just happened to me last weekend.” Jennie said she was skiing and she was trying to “avoid a good-sized crowd of people” and as she walked away, someone yelled, “Kelly!” But she kept walking.

• Sisanie was impressed that someone recognized Jennie in full ski gear.

• The second fan question: “How have you stayed friends over the years as both of your worlds have changed and evolved? What’s the secret to your success?”

• Tori said they’ve talked about this often. She noted they have other friends in their lives that “come and go,” and called it “unique” that they’ve stayed close. No matter what has happened, we seem to just grow together. She also said they’re able to communicate better now that they’re older and can tell one another when they’re mad, etc. She also said they have a “language” between them... and then asked Jennie what she was thinking.

• Jennie said you need a “strong foundation” with something uniting you in order to have a lasting relationship. “The bond that we have, from being kidnapped for those 10 years, really solidified. We always joke and say, ‘You're stuck with me.’”

• Tori said Jennie is the one person she sees herself sitting next to in her 80s and 90s. Jennie: “I cannot wait for that.” Tori: “It’s not gonna be pretty, but it’s gonna be ours.” Jennie: “I hang in there with you because I wanna get to that. That’s the good stuff.”

• Tori said there’s no jealousy or competition between them, something other women struggle with. She also said Jennie can “say anything” to her where, if it came from someone else, she’d get mad “because I know she wholeheartedly has my back no matter what.”

• Sisanie said she “noticed that right away” when she first met them — though she noted she’s only ever known them on Zoom and hasn’t ever been with them in person because of the pandemic. As an example, though, she said that when they first recorded promos for the podcast, she saw Jennie adjust Tori’s boobs and that obviously showed how close they were.

• Jennie to Sisanie: “We haven’t even met you in real life, but I feel like if we did, we would just laugh the whole time. We just make each other laugh.”

• Sisanie: “You guys have been very welcoming. I feel like I’ve been friends with you for 30 years as well.”

• Tori: “Seriously. I can’t wait til we can all have drinks together.”

• Jennie reminded everyone to “get your tickets if you haven’t already” for Wednesday’s event.

• Tori: “Oh, and give us five stars. We love stars.”

• Jennie: “Keep your comments, keep your suggestions coming. We do read that stuff and we do listen to it and it matters. We love to hear from you and we want to know what you think.”

• Sisanie: “It matters. We’re offended and then we adjust.”

• Jennie: “It hurts, I’m not gonna lie, the mean things you guys say sometimes. I know exactly who you are, by the way. But then after the hurt comes the growth.”

  • Again… are they reading my reaction posts?!

• Sisanie: “This homework assignment is actually very short because you have to watch this next episode by Wednesday.” Jennie: “Oh my gosh — I don’t have enough time!”

  • Technically, the homework assignment itself isn’t short. It’s the same length as always. The time in which they have to complete it is shorter than usual. So, uh, get watchin’.

I’ll be honest: I wasn’t expecting this podcast today. When this week’s virtual event was first announced, and even during last week’s podcast, I was under the impression that there wouldn’t be the usual Monday release this week and that instead the next episode would be discussed during the live podcast on Wednesday.

Given that these posts take me three to five hours each week to put together, I was pretty relieved to be skipping the Monday edition this week and just having the Wednesday broadcast. I even took on an extra-special TeenDramaWhore project (that’ll be released next week!) during the time when I would normally be starting my work on this weekly post.

…And then I discovered that there was, in fact, a new podcast out today. GREAT! I was thrown for a loop, pressed for time, and frazzled. But there was no way I wasn’t going to deliver. These weekly reaction posts have quickly become a tradition and I’ve so appreciated every email, tweet, and even text message I’ve received in response.

Also when the live podcast was first announced, I was kind of bummed that it was going to line up with “Slumber Party,” because I felt it was an important episode to discuss and was worried that it wouldn’t be given the proper attention during this virtual event. Then I warmed up to the idea, especially with Ian being a part of it, because he has a big storyline in this episode to discuss.

…And then they went and did “Slumber Party” today and Wednesday will be “East Side Story” — an episode that Brenda, Kelly, and Donna barely have a storyline in. Brandon’s storyline dominates the episode and it’s actually one that — given the racial undertones involved in it — warrants a serious discussion that I’m not sure “9021OMG” is capable of doing, especially during what’s supposed to be a fun “Galentine’s Day” event. Or perhaps they did this on purpose, so they could kind of gloss over the episode? Who knows.

Now for the second time I’ll say, see you guys Wednesday night!

P.S. HI JENNIE, TORI, AND SISANIE IF YOU’RE READING THIS!!!

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