Watching VH1

There was a new episode of Hogan Knows Best on tonight as well as the premiere of Gotti’s Way. I’ve watched both shows and recapped them for you. Find out how Brooke Hogan handles her finances and see if Irv Gotti can get Murder Inc. and Ja Rule back to the top of the charts. Catch the recaps after the jump.

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Hogan Knows Best–

Linda gathers the family at the table and shows Brooke her expenses and that she’s actually spending way too much money. Hulk is astounded that she pays somebody $100 to blow dry her hair. He tells Brooke they are handing over her entire finances over to her and she’s responsible for all of her money. She’s happy to be in control of things but says it’s nothing she can’t handle.

Later, Brooke is sunbathing with her friend Kristen and tells her about how she’s now in charge of her own finances. Brooke decides to go shopping to pick out clothes for her dancers. She ends up spending $1420 and feels a little guilty, but knows it will look good on stage.

Brooke’s choreographer comes to meet up with Brooke and she tells him she’s going to look at apartments because she may want to move out of her parents’ house. They go to look together and she checks out a villa with a great view and falls in love with it. The apartment would be $6 million to buy, or $22,000 to rent per month. Brooke didn’t realize it would be that much and it freaks her out.

Later, she comes home and tells Nick her credit card was declined. She relays the embarassing story to Nick about it being declined and then calls the company to see why it was declined and finds out she didn’t pay the bill. Hulk then comes in and tells Brooke she’s bounced two checks. She admits she doesn’t know how to balance the check book so they will all learn it as a family.

Hulk and Linda sit down with Brooke and teach her about her checkbook and ledgers. Not only does Brooke need a lesson, Linda says she can’t figure hers out either. Brooke seems depressed and finally leaves. Linda says she’s overwhelmed.

Brooke is reading the Idiot’s Guide to Personal Finance when Nick comes in the room. Nick sneezes without covering his mouth. Nick suggests she gets some endorsements and to call Hulk’s marketing consultant. She calls him and he agrees to work on it for her. He agrees to look for Nick as well.

Brooke’s choreographer comes over again and sits down with her to show her what she can afford. Brooke wants 10 dancers but would never be able to afford all of them let alone anything else. He convinces her to go with just three dancers and it will still be great.

Brooke has a “Rock Your Prom” gig that she had to cut costs on. She’s nervous and after the show she is complaining about the equipment and how they aren’t spending enough on her shows and she wants more dancers and better microphones. Linda tells her they have to watch their budgets and Brooke says they shouldn’t cut costs on production. She confesses she’s not having fun anymore now that she has to worry about all that stuff.

Later that week, Brooke and Nick tell their parents they have been offered a MasterCard endorsement deal worth 6 figures. Linda is excited, but Hulk is more cautious and tells them to get everything in writing. Brooke assures him she’ll invest most of the money. Hulk tells her he’s proud of her and to keep it up.

Brooke’s next gig is called SunFest and this time she has better sound equipment and more dancers from her good bookkeeping and new deals. She’s much more calm and excited to do the shows again. Brooke has learned she had to spend a lot to make a lot and even Nick had a good time at the concert with a blonde girl on his lap.

Next week is the season finale of Hogan Knows Best and Hulk will be receiving the Father of the Year award.

Gotti’s Way–

The show starts out with Irv introducing himself and some clips of his company’s records and TV appearances from 2002 when he was on top. He then was collared for money laundering and lost his lady. He was acquitted of all charges and now he’s trying to rebuild Murder Inc. He meets up with Ja Rule, his most beloved friend and most prized artist. Irv thinks that if he can get Ja a hit single the entire record label will be back on top. Irv says everything is riding on that one single.

Irv then describes his family, which he loves. He has a wife Deb who he is separated from, but they are not divorced. She kicked him out after reading an interview with Irv saying he cheats on her. He still sleeps on her couch on weekends so he can spend time with his three kids. They are all eating dinner together and Irv wants to buy them all a bigger house with a pool so he doesn’t have to sleep on the couch anymore. Deb doesn’t want to move because she doesn’t want a mortgage or worry about money again. She’s afraid Irv will remarry someday and leave all the problems to her.

The next day, Irv meets up with Russell Simmons for lunch. He wants some advice for getting his label back on top. Russell tells him to get a hit record. Irv says the record industry will be with you if you’re hot but then cast you aside. Russell tells him he has masculine love for him and then says he’s going to yoga.

Irv calls Deb and tells her to look for a new house and she says she doesn’t want to move. She doesn’t want a mortgage and he assures her he’ll pay the mortgage. Deb goes to have breakfast with Tashera, DMX’s wife. She confesses that she doesn’t want to move. Tashera agrees that she should use her alimony for shopping instead of paying for a mortgage. Deb says she wants more in her relationship. She loves Irv, but thinks she’s outgrown him and needs to move on. She knows he’s a great father and that makes her waiver sometimes.

Meanwhile, Irv is in the studio with Ja and listening to his new single about his federal probe. Irv will be a part of that single, but knows it’s not the hit single he’s looking for. He thinks it is definitely good enough to be on the album, but it isn’t a lead single that will get them back up on top.

Tashera and Deb go and look at houses and joke about getting Irv a twin bed. Deb finds a lot wrong with the house including the master bedroom being too small. She tells the realtor she’s not blown away. She admits she doesn’t want to move because she’s afraid she won’t be able to live the same lifestyle she’s accustomed to.

In the studio, Irv and Ja are arguing about putting out his record. Irv wants a single that’s going to play on the radio and in the clubs. Ja just wants to put out a record now to get back out there. Irv wants to make sure it’s a great record that will sell, but Ja just wants to put out his music. He wants to put something out and if it fails put something else out. He starts yelling and cussing at Irv and Irv tells him they’ve got one shot. Irv says they will wait until they get the right record to crush radio.

That night, Irv and Deb are talking about his lunch with Russell. Deb is glad to hear he’s got a plan to get more money. She tells him she’s not moving because she thinks he will leave her high and dry if he meets someone else. He tells her that would never happen and if she believes it would then she’s stupid. He tells her he is solely focused on rebuilding Murder Inc. and he will share everything with her just because of their situation with the kids. He will never go back to her, though, because their friendship is good when their marriage was horrible.

This season on Gotti’s Way, Irv will make the rounds to promote Murder Inc. and help out his artists Vanessa Carlton and Lloyd. There will be lots of fighting with Deb and also spending time with his kids and also not being there for them.