Dallas Gets A Little More ‘Real’ With TV Show Cast, Premiere Announcement

Five stories that have North Texas talking: Zoli’s will serve its last slice for a while; new rail projects could help North Texans avoid traffic; a Denton singer will play for Bernie Sanders’ campaign; and more.

Whether you’re a fan or foe of The Real Housewives reality television show franchise, Dallas is now a part of it. On Thursday, E! Online announced the cast and premiere date of The Real Housewives of Dallas.

Here’s the cast:

• Tiffany Hedra, a veteran actress, host and model, works with philanthropic organizations and she’s married to an Australian rocker.

• LeeAnne Locken, a former Miss USA Pageant competitor, has had several parts in TV and movies.

• Stephanie Hollman, an Okie transplant, “girl next door” and mother of two.

• Brandi Redmond, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and current wife and mother, who focuses on charity work.

• Marie Reyes, an RN, owns and operates SkinSpaMED.

 
The entertainment site promised that not only the hair but also the drama would be bigger along with other Dallas/Texas/Southern culture cliches. Here’s another just to help decide if you could watch the show or not: “Like all Real Housewives shows, there's a pecking order in place with pedigree and status involved. You know what happens when old-money meets new-money meets no-money.”

The Real Housewives of Dallas will premiere at 10 p.m. on April 11 on Bravo. Watch the preview. [E!Online]

• On National Pizza Day, Oak Cliff’s Zoli’s NY Pizza Tavern announced it would serve its last slice on Valentine’s Day. Although the Oak Cliff community is in mourning, Zoli’s isn’t disappearing completely, owner Jay Jerrier told Dallas CultureMap. Jerrier said, "The building is in dire need of massive and very expensive repairs, and we want to get out of there before the place becomes uninhabitable and collapses on itself like Poltergeist." Zoli’s, which opened in 2013, faced inevitable closure “given the impending Oak Cliff Gateway project, which will include the construction of a $57 million residential and retail development,” CultureMap reported. Jerrier will take care of his employees until reopening Zoli’s, likely in North Dallas. Read more. [Dallas CultureMap]

• Several potential rail projects could help alleviate traffic for North Texas commuters and airport travelers. President Obama set aside $174 million in his proposed federal budget for two area rail projects. And, plans for a second light-rail line in downtown Dallas moved closer to qualifying for federal funds on Wednesday, The Dallas Morning News reported. “The president wants to direct $125 million to the TEX Rail project that will connect downtown Fort Worth to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B. That nearly $1 billion project will give Cowtown a direct connection to the region’s largest economic engine just as Dallas has the Orange Line to Terminal A.” Obama’s budget would also allow DART to finish the $118-million platform extension project, making for more space for commuters in Plano, Garland and South Dallas, The Morning News reported. Read more. [Dallas Morning News]

• A local musician from Denton was asked by the Bernie Sanders campaign to perform at a rally for the Democratic candidate on Sunday. Jessie Frye, Denton’s “Goth-Pop Superhero,” will pump up the crowd before former Texas Agriculture Commissioner and Sanders campaign state deputy director Jim Hightower speaks on the senator’s behalf, GuideLive reported. The event will begin at 1 p.m. but the exact location in Denton is still TBA. Event details. [GuideLive]

Frye performed in the KXT 91.7 studio back in November:

• People are still talking about Beyonce’s “Formation” video and the Houston native’s whirlwind week. The fuel from Beyonce’s video release prior to her culture-packed Super Bowl performance burned bright throughout the week with the announcement of her tour and her initiative’s fund for children in Flint, Michigan suffering from lead poisoning. The Texas Standard joined the “Formation” conversation Thursday: “Through fantasy-like images, Beyoncé creates a space where black women can embrace their past, their culture, their blackness and their woman-ness. She sends the message to black women that it’s okay to be proud of their bodies, and to show it to the whole world.” Read more. [Texas Standard]