48 Wild, Wonderful Hours at BravoCon

Like with any groups of rabid fans, when you meet a fellow Bravo watcher out in the wild, there's an instant shorthand. Phrases like "bye wig" and "whoop it up" are tossed around. Hopeful plans for drinks at TomTom (L.A.), The Regency (New York), or Old Lady Gang (Atlanta) are made. A discussion of whether or not it's about the pasta might end with everyone singing "Good as Gold." Bravo has, without a doubt, turned a cable TV network into a full-on cultural phenomenon.

It's surprising, then, that we've gone this long without a convention to cater to the fans that can't get enough. That changed this past weekend, when the network hosted its first BravoCon in New York City. The three-day event—which started at $299, with plenty of opportunities for VIP add-ons—featured a mix of opportunities for obsessives to interact with the 88 Bravolebrities (that is, Bravo celebrities) who attended, including panels with the Below Deck cast, dinners prepared by Top Chef contestants, and a pop-up museum dedicated to all things Real Housewives. It was a hit, naturally: Tickets sold out quickly and, according to a statement by Bravo, "We had nearly 10,000 people come through our doors (although that counts some people more than once since some had a multiday pass)."

"We've been noodling around with [BravoCon] for a long time," Andy Cohen, Bravo's executive vice president of development and talent until 2013 and the host of Watch What Happens Live, told reporters on the red carpet before a taping of the talk show on Friday night. (An event that flush fans could spend extra to attend.) "I'm so excited that Bravo finally decided to do it."

The fans were excited too, of course. Ashley, who came from Arizona, says she bought four tickets to the convention before she even knew who would come with her. Jim says he made new friends on his flight from Chicago to New York—he noticed a group planning their itinerary on the BravoCon app and struck up a conversation. The pack shared a cab from the airport to the hotel. For both, highlights of their weekend were the times they got to interact with their favorite Bravolebrities.

Kenya Moore, Cynthia Bailey, and Eva Marcille during a taping of “Watch What Happens Live”

Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen - Season 16

Kenya Moore, Cynthia Bailey, and Eva Marcille during a taping of “Watch What Happens Live”
Karlolina Wojtasik/Bravo

That sentiment rang true for the stars as well. Every Bravolebrity I talked to over the course of the weekend described Bravo fans with similar language—loyal, passionate, and vocal were words that came up often—and cited them as their main reason for wanting to participate in the event. "Oh, the Bravo fans are so passionate," Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards told me. "They're so passionate that sometimes it can be a little jarring. I remember my daughter saying to me once, 'Mom, don't get your feelings hurt. They're sports fans. It's not that they don't love the Lakers; they just happen to love the Clippers more.' But when they're on your side, there's nobody more passionate. When they're mad at you, it's the same, but I respect them."

Added Kenya Moore from Real Housewives of Atlanta, "This network was built, in large part, by its diverse and innovative programming. It was inclusive of the LGBTQ community [early on], and I love where we are now. I really appreciate that about Bravo. I think BravoCon is great because it's a real big thank-you to the fans, and they're the ones that make Real Housewives of Atlanta number one on the network."

Cameran Eubanks from Southern Charm had a similar feeling about BravoCon: "I love the fact that Bravo fans are so diverse. They come from all walks of life. I met a 70-year-old woman today and a 15-year-old fan. It's all across the board. BravoCon is a little bit overwhelming because it's so far from my daily life back home as a mom to a two-year-old."

Below, I'll take you inside BravoCon—find out what the Bravolebrities were up to, what the event was really like, and whether or not it's worth the ticket price. Full disclosure: I didn't have a pass for Sunday's events, but after two full days of drinking, panels, and Real Housewives, I don't think I could have survived another. Read on.

Friday, November 15

When I arrived at Hammerstein Ballroom—the main center for BravoCon events—to pick up my press pass on Friday morning, I noticed several fans killing time outside the venue before the first panel. They were easy to spot: hair done, makeup on, and sequins were a common thread. By 5 p.m., a full crowd of people jockeying for selfies, autographs, and a chance to greet Bravo stars had gathered. I weaved through them to get to the press room, where a red carpet was being held ahead of the Watch What Happens Live taping. Cohen was first to talk to reporters. "Tonight's Watch What Happens Live is going to be one for the ages," he teased. "It's modeled after Night of 100 Stars. We've got 76 Bravolebrities on one stage, and I think people are going to lose their minds."

The rest of the carpet felt like a dream: Talent from every major show was there—everyone from Captain Lee Rosbach of Below Deck fame to Real Housewives stalwarts like Tamra Judge. Captain Sandy Yawn from Below Deck: Mediterranean introduced me to her girlfriend. (They met on Facebook.) Real Housewives of New Jersey OG Teresa Giudice was fresh off her visit to see husband Joe, who was recently deported to Italy. One highlight of the trip: She bought "a whole bunch of jewelry" while in Europe, including the earrings she was wearing that night. Southern Charm's Craig Conover noted that, "I'm happy [with BravoCon]. They have bars. I was worried they'd be like, 'We don't want you guys drinking.' And then I was going to throw a hissy fit, but instead they're like, 'No, we have a bar for you.' I don't have any complaints about this year." Real Housewives of Orange County's Kelly Dodd was showing off her new engagement ring—she and her fiancé, Fox News correspondent Rick Leventhal, were set up by Ramona Singer from Real Housewives of New York. Tom Sandoval from Vanderpump Rules arrived dressed in drag as "Visa Manderhump."

After the carpet ended, I found my seat in the Grand Ballroom for the Watch What Happens Live taping. It truly was a spectacle. Former Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kim Zolciak-Biermann performed her single "Tardy for the Party." Kate Chastain from Below Deck called out Austen Kroll from Southern Charm for not recognizing her in the green room backstage. And Vanderpump Rules queen bee and former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump got the loudest cheers after she made a surprise appearance.

Kim Zolciak-Biermann and Andy Cohen perform “Tardy for the Party” at BravoCon.

Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen - Season 16

Kim Zolciak-Biermann and Andy Cohen perform “Tardy for the Party” at BravoCon.
Charles Sykes/Bravo

The crowd was as vocal as they are in Instagram comments. They had no issue screaming out support—or heckles—to whatever was happening onstage. My guess is that some were fueled by liquid confidence thanks to the ample bars set up throughout the venue, all of which were themed to different shows including Shahs of Sunset and Project Runway. At one point I saw a woman in a floppy hat stumble and fall onto a plastic swan that would have been at home at Vanderpump's Villa Rosa. I'd be more surprised, but then: If you've been watching Real Housewives for the better part of a decade and got the chance to be in the same room with literally all of them, wouldn't you go all out too?

Saturday, November 16

I arrived just in time to catch a panel for Vanderpump Rules in the main ballroom. I expected the cast to just come out, share a few remarks, and leave—but Bravo actually shared an early screening of the season-eight premiere, which doesn't air until January 7. Sitting among the hundreds, maybe thousands, of Vanderpump Rules fans I was amused by their open commentary. People cheered when Stassi Schroeder came onscreen, laughed at Jax Taylor's new story arc as a Groomzilla, and gave very mixed opinions on the newly introduced cast members. One woman next to me seemed particularly skeptical, until her friend reminded her that she once felt the same way about Lala Kent. "And now we love her!" After the episode the cast came out onstage for a panel during which they discussed who gets recognized the most (Schroeder) and the biggest beefs of the season (Sandoval was pointedly wearing a T-shirt that read, "Unfollowed by Jax on Twitter").

Once that wrapped, I headed to Union West, a separate venue where fans could find photo opportunities with talent, a food hall selling dishes like truffle mac and cheese created by Top Chef contestants, and experiences like a Real Housewives tagline generator. I bought $12 veggie tacos and a LoverBoy (Summer House fans, where you at?) and posed for a photo inside a mini Watch What Happens Live set. Next door was the Bravo Bazaar, where fans could buy everything from Witches of WeHo wine (Kristen Doute was there handing out samples) to wood anchors carved by Below Deck's Captain Lee. I picked up a cute messenger bag from Cynthia Bailey's new line CB VIOR—her business partner, Kal Williams, was even kind enough to FaceTime her just to say hi. From there, I walked a block over to Skylight Modern to view the Real Housewives museum. Highlights included the bunny from Beverly Hills, Tamra Barney's breast implants, and the fish from Dorinda Medley's fish room.

Now that I was inspired, there was nothing left to do but go back to Hammerstein Ballroom for the Vanderpump Rules after-party, another event that fans could pay extra to attend. It was, in my humble opinion, worth it: James Kennedy was at the DJ turnstiles while drag queens dressed in ’70s-inspired lewks roamed the dance floor. Kennedy pandered to the crowd in the best way possible, opening with the Vanderpump Rules theme song. The full cast—as well as the Summer House crew and a few Below Deck people—was there. They were all gracious about posing with fans for selfies, though Taylor, Schwartz, and Sandoval were the most engaged from what I saw. Sandoval even took over the bar at one point, taking drink orders from fans and making them himself.

Tom Schwartz poses with fans at the “Vanderpump Rules” after-party at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Saturday, November 16, 2019.

BravoCon - Season 2019

Tom Schwartz poses with fans at the “Vanderpump Rules” after-party at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Saturday, November 16, 2019.
Dia Dipasupil/Bravo

By night's end, it was clear this was a weekend to remember—and I would be shocked if Bravo didn't repeat the experience next year. Cohen seems on board, at least: "I want to see bigger, bigger, bigger next year," he told me. "I think Bravo, very smartly, decided to start small with BravoCon, and I always ascribe to starting small and getting it right and then growing things. So that's what we've done, and hopefully next year it'll be 20 times the size."

For what it's worth, every fan I talked to said they'd come back next year. "And next time," Linda from Chicago added, "I'm going to get VIP."

Anna Moeslein is the senior entertainment editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @annamoeslein.

Originally Appeared on Glamour