What Happens at The Abbey Stays There No Longer

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The latest reality television show set in West Hollywood is about to air (and no, this isn’t the one about our City Council, which was still in the works as of a few weeks ago.)

E! Entertainment has released a trailer for “What Happens at The Abbey,” a reference to the slogan “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” (which isn’t true in tiny WeHo).

“Presiding over one of the wildest nightclubs in Los Angeles, the team unapologetically embodies the open-minded mentality of The Abbey while fostering an environment of acceptance,” says an announcement of the show from E!. “Managed by owner David Cooley, the staff juggles delivering first-rate service to their VIP guests and celebrities while dealing with relationship drama, diverse sexuality and the pursuit of their own Hollywood dreams.”

In the trailer, Marissa Chykirda, a server from Long Island, puts it more bluntly: “The Abbey is absolutely a soap opera, which basically means there is a lot of fighting and a lot of f-cking.” (Just in case you wondered, this video is NSFW.)

Based on the trailer, The Abbey’s show looks likely to explore the variety of its clientele, something that the traditional gay crowd once lamented, wanting to see only men around them.

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For example, a server, Elizabeth Steinler, announces that she’s a lesbian. In the trailer she’s attracted to a straight girl. Another employee gives some advice: “When a lesbian gets in love with a straight girl, it never ends well.”

Marissa also becomes attracted to a bartender, Kyle Clarke, who confesses he’s never really chased girls, but Marissa just might be the exception. Stay tuned to see where that is going.

The show puts The Abbey’s David Cooley in a bit of competition with Lisa Vanderpump, the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star who owns P.U.M.P. next door to The Abbey and its relatively new adjunct, The Chapel. P.U.M.P. has tried to market itself to the gay crowd. Vanderpump also has her own reality show, “Vanderpump Rules,” featuring the staff of Sur, her restaurant on Robertson Boulevard a few hundred feet away from The Abbey

Here’s an introduction to the staff and performers:

“The Abbey is the only place in the world where a lesbian and a straight woman fight to be a gay man’s baby mama.”
Billy Reilich, VIP server: The small-town boy from Ohio and resident “muscle boy next door” is also best known as “Nick the Gardener” of The Ellen Show.

“Yeah I’m pissed. Don’t freaking tell me that you are into me and then you go and hook up with another girl in front of me. It’s really disrespectful.”
Marissa Chykirda, server: The new girl, straight out of Long Island. She’s unintentionally become a player whisperer by taming Kyle.

“It’s pizza, it’s not going to be the greatest thing you’ve ever eaten but if you want it, you could probably have it at your house in under 30 minutes.”
Kyle Clarke, bartender: The bad boy who has graced the cover of more than 50 fitness magazines and saves women’s numbers in his phone with the pizza emoji.

“It’s not black and white here at The Abbey. It’s very grey, and it’s very messy.”
Elizabeth Steinle, server: A self-proclaimed gold star lesbian, she’s opinionated, strong and no stranger to conflict.

“Technically my psychic told me not to date anyone for three (to) six months because I tend to gravitate toward douchebags.”
Kim Senser, bartender: A hopeless romantic who looks for love in all the wrong places. There’s one place she has not yet looked…her lesbian best friend.

“It’s like the best night of your life, that you will never remember.”
Murray Swanby, VIP host: West Hollywood’s biggest playboy (and he’s dating fellow colleague Cory), he knows everyone in town and is always the life of the party.

“I have never had such low self esteem since I started dating this man.”
Cory Zwierzynski, bartender: Sweet but has a short fuse as current boyfriend Murray makes him feel insecure flirting with other guys right in his face.

“Growing up I dated girls that looked like boys and boys that looked like girls.”
Brandi Andrews, VIP host: Ultra sassy and intimidating, she’s a lesbian in pursuit to have a child with her colleague Lawrence. It’s their perfect arrangement for a modern family.

“We’ve decided to have a baby together. We aren’t pregnant yet, but we’re going to embark on this journey pretty soon.”
Lawrence Carroll, VIP host: Ready to start a family with Brandi, he faces the reality of fertility tests, various relationship struggles and the most emotional of them all, revealing to his family that he is ready to become a father.

“Sometimes I think, damn I’d really love to have this girl’s life but then I remember she’s not necessarily the sharpest tool in the shed.”
Chelsea Jeffers, management trainee: Blurring her personal and professional life, she dreams of becoming a nightclub mogul. She governs with sass and her strict high standards.

“I’m worth a lot of money, so it takes a lot to get this shirt off.”
Daniel Eid, server: The ultimate comic relief, he is the self-proclaimed “best server at The Abbey.” A quirky personality and cocky attitude make the perfect recipe for the “Zoolander” server.

“What happens at The Abbey” will air beginning May 14 on E! on Sundays at 10 p.m. The show is produced by Banijay Studios North America with David Goldberg, Caroline Baumgard, Ray Giuliani and David Cooley as executive producers.

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hosthelpers1@gmail.com
7 years ago

agreed Cooley has betrayed the gay community for fortune and fame

JJ
JJ
7 years ago

#RESIST

Dan Morin
Dan Morin
7 years ago

Kab1200 – If weren’t for the old gays, the young gays wouldn’t have the many freedoms they enjoy. There is so little, if any, respect for those who, at the very least, had to endure hidden lives. Maybe the simmering anti-LGBT actions of the current administration will provide a small taste to the young of oppression. Perhaps then, will the young understand and appreciate generations who suffered in silence, or worse.

kab1200
kab1200
7 years ago
Reply to  Dan Morin

Yes Dan Morin, I was there, I know all about it. I was just stating the obvious.

Jason
Jason
7 years ago

3 of those “cast members” work at the Abbey. Most of the people who actually work there denied requests to join the cast because of ridiculous contractual obligations.

Dan Morin
Dan Morin
7 years ago

Maybe a LOT of gay men should band together and picket The Abbey ! That would translate into riveting TV and it would be REAL.!!

Woody McBreairty
7 years ago

I’ll say it again: I think Dave Cooley has betrayed the gay community out of greed & self glory. It was gay men who catapulted him out of his little place on the west side of Robertson to the east side & gay men who made The Abby the anchor gay establishment in Boys’ Town where gay men came far & wide. He got every conceivable consideration from the city to support his new branch out “Cooley’s”, then he seemed to have completely deserted it…. Is it a couple of years now that this site has been wasted in a… Read more »

kab1200
kab1200
7 years ago

Geez Woody, try some brevity. It’s just old gays versus, young gays. Young gays don’t care about what came before as much, and the world has changed.

John
John
7 years ago

Remember when the Abbey was a cool gay bar?

kab1200
kab1200
7 years ago

Gee, sounds great, cough, cough.

Dan Morin
Dan Morin
7 years ago

What a bunch of crap! Yet another loosely scripted show which, I fear, too many viewers think is real when it couldn’t be further from reality if you tried. I used to dine at SUR, even ushered in a New Year there. I met Lisa and Ken at Villa Blanca. But that was prior to Lisa selling her soul to be on that housewives franchise, foisted on us by awful Andy Cohen. Did David Cooley need the extra cash? More exposure? What? BTW – I looked at the inane and asinine 2.5 minute promo so I can truthfully say that… Read more »

GirlinLA
GirlinLA
7 years ago

This is the fakest, dumbest sh*t I’ve ever seen. Been going to the abbey for over a decade and its nothing like that. F*** this show.

Michael
Michael
7 years ago

Uh, is there another Abbey in WeHo? one packed with lesbians and straight men? I’ve lived in this town for years and the Abbey in that trailer is not the bar I know. There are no gay men in that trailer. Why should I watch this

kab1200
kab1200
7 years ago

Yes! It was so much fun!