Heather has gotten to where she is by using her conservative image as a way to differentiate herself from the daytime pack. In the world of mainstream daytime talk shows, a format that directly appeals to Middle America, rare is the voice and viewpoint that speaks to its core audience and Heather has successfully filled that void. Not only is she a stand-in for the millions of women who align themselves on the right side of the political spectrum, she’s someone who keeps The Lunch Hour from being an hour of drama-free choir preaching, something that should assure her a position at the show for as long as she wants it. Yet despite the rewards her conservative bravado has gifted her, Heather is feeling the struggle to keep up her image, to the point where it all might come crashing down.
On the next episode of Daytime Divas, The Lunch Hour welcomes trans rights activist, best-selling author, and media personality Janet Mock as its latest guest co-host. Heather immediately being drawn to Mock makes Nina and Kibby think that their guest is being set up for an on-air okey doke, that Heather is going to turn up the right-wing talking points just as Mock’s defenses are down, but what the two don’t know is that Brad, Jr. is trans and that this is the first time their co-host has been around a trans adult. Though Heather has always been supportive of her son’s identity, mostly out of her love for him but a little as a way to make up for Brad’s coldness, she doesn’t fully understand what it’s like to raise a trans child or how to best support BJ through his journey. Not only will getting Mock’s perspective help her be a better mother, simply meeting someone who has found a lot of success after transitioning should ease Heather’s mind about her child’s future. As supportive as she might be, though, is Heather ready to begin telling people in her life about her son’s identity? Or will the thought of people looking at her differently because of it (and possibly losing an audience that’s gotten her this far) force her to stay in the closet, so to speak?
Elsewhere on Daytime Divas, Nina gets fronted by an obsessed fan, while a visit from William’s mother leads Maxine to drop an on-air bombshell.
Daytime Divas airs Mondays at 10:00 on VH1.
How will meeting and interacting with Janet impact Heather’s understanding of what her son is going through? Will the close encounter with the obsessed fan make Shawn face his feelings for Nina? Could the bombshell from Maxine have to do with what happened to Ted?
