BLIND GOSSIP

The #1 Blind Item Site in the World!

Party Of Twelve

[Blind Gossip] Her husband is one of the most important political figures of our time. That automatically makes her famous as well.

We always thought they had made plenty of money and were financially set for life. Which makes the following story… odd.

She came into [the restaurant] as part of a party of twelve. All friends of hers. She was obviously the leader of the group. They weren’t formally dressed. Everybody had a glass of wine and seemed very relaxed.

At the end of the meal, though, she asked the wait staff for TWELVE SEPARATE CHECKS!

The staff thought she was joking at first, but she was serious. The other guests looked a little surprised, but they each paid their own bill and tipped appropriately. Still… twelve separate checks?! Aren’t she and her husband rich? She couldn’t pick up the tab for the table?!

Similar: The Dinner Check

Woman:

[Optional] Cheap or appropriate? Do you think she has political ambitions?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BoomPowPow says

    This is Melania.
    Hillary is a well known politician in her own right, her husband wouldn’t be the clue they used for her.
    The Obamas certainly aren’t poor, but they’re not known for having some gigantic amount of wealth (whether or not they actually do).
    But ya know who *is* closely associated with having a gigantic amount of wealth, so much so that it’s their personal brand? Trump. Melania is also notoriously spotlight avoidant and doesn’t want fame- she is famous because of Donald.

  3. aaajrm68 says

    No clue, but I don’t see the problem with different checks, I started bringing cash with me or asking for separate checks. since I was always stuck paying for friends who will get it next time, after a few years that gets old.

  4. PhoenixRising says

    Many years ago, my husband and I were struggling and living paycheck to paycheck. I went out to eat with co-workers, most of whom were doing much better financially than I. Because I couldn’t spend much money, I picked one of the cheapest meals. When it came time to pay, they took the total and divided it by the number of people who ate. I ended up paying much more than I had planned, and was very upset that I, in effect, had subsidized others’ meals. I swore I’d never let that happen again!

  5. BitterBlondin says

    I don’t think Melania would want this reputation about her.. she’s been all but squeaky clean during all the years she’s been famous, even before Trump I never heard anything bad about her. It’s more likely that blonde * who flashed all her LV gear on her private jet etc. last year.

  6. whatthefuzz says

    I wouldn’t automatically assume the person is cheap. However, this group of people definitely IS rude. I used to be a server, and asking to split a bill 12 ways, especially at the end of the meal, is 100% ridiculously rude. It takes forever to sort who got what and create 12 new bills. It’s like going grocery shopping and saying “I need to pay with 12 different cards: all produce and the Doritos go on the visa; bread and tampons on MasterCard; meats, cheeses and wine on AmEx…”

  7. cuppycakes01 says

    Cindy McCain. She was just announced as the replacement for her husband at the McCain Institute so I’m going to say smart not cheap. As for political aspirations I don’t think Cindy does but her daughter seems like she does

  9. Kellikopter says

    I’m thinking Michelle Obama.

    Idk why this is a big deal though. Anytime I go out to eat with a group of people, I expect to pay for my meal, even if someone in the group has more money than I do. This is also a great way for her to be sure that the people in her company are there for the right reasons and not just there for a free ride.

  10. chichi says

    Probably Melania, as crazy as it sounds. It may be because of campaign finance rules that a first lady may not be able to pay big bills for others. Donald also probably has her on a stipend after all his past divorces. For being a “billionaire”, it is odd he couldn’t drum up $100k of his own money to pay Stormy

    Besides, Michelle Obama is pretty self-made on in own right. Before Barack’s political career took off, she was the main breadwinner working as an attorney at an elite law…

  12. MCMoose says

    Two reasons: A) Each person may be expensing it
    B) Her action of picking up the tab could violate tax/company policies and be seen as influence peddling.

    • Vampira says

      LOL…She has such a hideous reputation, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s her. I would just be surprised that she actually has 12 friends.

    • bec215d says

      I wondered about her, but thought she would just pay b/c she’s flashy that way… but then I read this: “We also learn of her alleged improper party etiquette… According to one unnamed philanthropist, Linton changed her place card at an event last summer—an unforgivable act of entitlement—and didn’t even know what to do with the seat she gave herself. “She did not know how to deal with the dignitary she found herself beside”. A lack of tact/social sense seems to be her calling card by now.

    • zappy2050 says

      Definitely Michelle Obama. I don’t think she should pay for anyone else’s meal – by why not divide the check by 12 and have everyone pay equal amounts?

      I met someone once – who did this – she would go through the check and have each person pay for EXACTLY what they ordered. She did not stay my friend for long. Life is too short to live like this for a few pennies.

  14. spoofbyrd says

    Can’t think of anybody but the current President and the First Lady Peculiar but that doesn’t mean they are as rich as Gates or Buffet. Or maybe the former President and former First Lady who definitely aren’t rolling in that kind of dough .

    • fufufrankie says

      Except that Melania does not drink alcohol and the blind states “Everybody had a glass of wine…”. That leads me to believe it’s definitely not Melania.

  16. reen57 says

    Maybe everyone wanted a tax deduction.
    Seriously though, if the wife was that cheap, unless they added an automatic gratuity, the server would probably not have gotten much. They are probably better off, tip wise with separate checks. Time wise, though….not so much.
    Don’t think this is Hillary because she’s Somebody in her own right. Probably would have stated “the female half of this political power couple”, or “one of the most hated politicians”, or something more “politically…

    • reen57 says

      Maybe in the group there are people who * about paying for someone that had an expensive meal and they did not, so they decided to do it this way. I’m constantly surprised at how petty people can get.

    • spaceship says

      Perhaps someone that doesn’t want to be taken advantage of, and stuck with paying the bill for all their friends?

  20. NorwegianMystique says

    Maybe she is rich enough to pay for all her friends’ meals, but why should she have to?
    If I had friends who were rich, I would feel ashamed of myself if I expected them to pay for me all the time.
    Don’t know who this is, but I tend to be on her side here.

    • Gambetta40 says

      I totally agree with you. So what if she’s rich!! Good for her. What does it have to do with anything. You are not obligated to pay for everything and everyone just because you’re rich.

    • meemo506 says

      Same, if myself and my friends have the money to pay then we pay for ourselves. If one of us has more money and another is struggling, we’ll cover the struggling person’s check. I don’t think it’s weird to all be separate as long as everyone has money to pay.

    • NoseyNana2008 says

      Exactly! Now, if she had invited them out, she should pay, but this sounds like they met at the restaurant so it’s going Dutch!

    • kcphilly says

      I agree about not having to pay for everyone, but springing a 12 split check on the wait staff at the end of the meal is a crappy thing to do, should have been discussed at the start. I’ve gone out with large groups where we do multi checks but 2-4 people will be on a check to make it a little easier.

    • HDNYC09 says

      It’s awkward. I have more money than all of my friends, but they would never expect me to pay for their dinner. I sometimes pay for my sister because she’s a lot younger and doesn’t have a job.

    • CoCoJoe says

      Except she should have made that clear BEFORE the meal. Rich or poor, it is hard for waiters to retroactively reconstruct a bill for a large party.

  22. Appleton says

    I really don’t know but I’m going to go in defense of this one. She is under no obligation to pay for anyone’s meal even if she is rich. I don’t go out to lunch with friends with better-paying jobs than me and expect them to cover the check for me. Unless it was a business lunch I wouldn’t have expected her to pay for everyone.

  23. mictaylo09 says

    Michelle Obama?

    Am I the only one who doesn’t find this strange? She’s not obligated to pay for that many people when out for dinner/lunch.

  24. wonderingaround says

    hmm so? did she have to pay? I don’t think she needs to pay unless she’s the one who invited them! being rich doesn’t mean you have to pay!

    • dorothy says

      She’s a former Secretary of State and the first woman in history from a major party to be nominated for president. She’s not automatically famous because of her husband.

  32. Geniecat says

    First timer here! I’ll guess Michelle Obama, but I have no idea. I just wanted to say, as a middle class person, that I don’t know why this is a big deal. My friends and I always assume the check will be split, no question, even if the friend we were with was rich. I do have rich friends, and sometimes they have competitions to see who can pick up the group tab first. It’s weird and I’m always thankful to whoever gets it. It’s a different world to them.

  34. gilora says

    I really hope this isn’t Michelle Obama. Surprise separate checks is cheap.
    I don’t think she has political ambitions, although I wish she did!

  37. felicia says

    Michelle Obama, maybe?
    This is completely appropriate. The richest person at the table doesn’t automatically pay the bill every time they go out. Can you imagine picking up the tab for 12 people going out even once per month?! Lawd people are so entitled!

  38. aaaSeeK says

    I don’t think that anyone is ever under any obligation to pay another person’s bill, no matter how much money they have.

  39. GretaGuesses says

    When I read they ordered wine, I automatically thought of Hillary. But Hillary is a political figure in her own right and has run for office. I would say Michelle Obama, but I can’t imagine a negative story about her because she’s protected by the media, like her husband. I can’t think of anyone else, though. I read years ago that she and Barack aren’t known to pick up tabs.

    Appropriate, unless she invited the women, in which case it’s just cheap. I do think she has political…

    • Steffy44 says

      Without bill we wouldn’t even know her. She got those positions thanks to him being president.

  40. GottaLoveGossip says

    No idea who this could be, but it depends on the situation. If her friends expect her to pay every time she wouldn’t be able to stay rich for ever.

  42. bec215d says

    Could be Michelle Obama. It says “they had made” money, not that “she has plenty” of it. President of the United States “only” earns $400k/year – which, if you live in DC or California or NYC doesn’t go as far as you think. You’re going to be in the highest tax bracket, which at the time was 39.6%, so they netted ~$240k. Michelle wasn’t working at the time and drew no salary, and two college-age girls. “Her friends looked surprised”… I’d never want to be a mooch. That’s tacky.

  45. PrincessPJ says

    I don’t know who this is but if the individual is a US politician’s wife, by law, she cannot pay for things over $100 or it is a violation of government policies.

    Companies doing business with the US Federal Government and likely State level agencies, along with publicly held companies, generally have policies about paying for dinners, buffets, movies, etc and violation of those policies at the companies = firing. At the Fed and State level it will cause numerous issues…

    Cheap? No.

    • deepsigh says

      This answer. I would guess the husband is still active in politics. If ANY of the other diners (no matter how old the friendship) work for a company that gets government contracts or lobbies for any industry…that is a no go. In these times, no one on either side is willing to let ANYTHING slide. Front page blaring scandal even if it was innocent/NBD.

      She’s being smart and avoiding conflict.

    • MinnieMe says

      As a politician’s wife, she cannot accept gifts over $100 (or even less). Even a $20 movie ticket or show ticket cannot be accepted. If she is using her own money and not federal monies, she can pay for everyone’s dinner/lunch if she wanted to.

  46. I Am PunkA says

    Why should whoever this is cover everyone’s check? Free loaders suck.

    This is Michelle Obama.

  48. tundra says

    I don’t think this is Melania or Meghan because they were already famous in their own rights before marrying into politics.

    I’ll guess Karen, Mike Pence’s wife?

  49. Catseyezzz says

    Gotta be Hillary or Michelle. I don’t care for either one of them but Hillary is definitely the lower class of the two so I will go with Hillary.

  50. GeorgiaR says

    Hillary Clinton? Good question on cheap or appropriate… I am a successful businesswoman and whenever and whomever I go out to eat with ALWAYS assumes I will pick up the tab. It gets old after a while. Yes, she can probably afford it, but sometimes you feel like you are being used. At this stage in her life, she shouldn’t have political ambitions. She should be enjoying her retirement.

  51. badgerette85 says

    My first was guess Hillary but based on part two it’s obvious about her political ambitions.
    Next guess is John Kerry’s wife
    I see No problem… when I go With a big group we always do separate.

  52. TeaDrinker says

    Michelle Obama

    Optional: It depends. At a certain point you have to ensure your “friends” aren’t just hanging around for free stuff. But it would be more appropriate to figure out how things will be paid before you go. I’ve gone out to lunch with a large group of friends and we all made it clear before we went how it would get paid so there were no surprises.

  53. blossipguesser says

    I’m skeptical that it’s any recent First Lady, GW Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are all millionaires. Although, maybe one of them is cheap.

    • HDNYC09 says

      You’re not cheap just because you don’t pay for everyone else’s food!! There’s no rule that says the wealthiest person at the table is responsible for feeding everyone else at a dinner.

  55. More_Cowbell says

    I’ll guess Tipper Gore because of “tipped appropriately.”

    I would never do it, and I would never do it at the *end* of the meal when everything would have to be refigured.

  56. Conchord says

    Many will say it’s Hillary, but the second optional question suggests it’s someone who might run for office someday, not someone who has already been in politics.

    I’ll guess Heidi Cruz, who has commented recently about how they can’t afford a second home.

    • Catseyezzz says

      omg?! i HAD NO IDEA.. MY HEART BREAKS. NO SECOND HOME? WHAT THIS WORLD COME TO.. (FORGIVE THE CAPS! MY COMPUTER IS A poS!!) BUT THE CLINTONS AND OBAMAS WENT FROM BANKRUPT ENTERING INTO OFFICE AND BEING WORTH 100’S OF MILLIONS AFTERWARDS.. HMMMM… GOOD God!!!

  57. 4sixx2 says

    Michelle Obama. I loathe both her and her husband. However, she can’t be expected to pick up every tab at every outing. Who knows how close or not these women were. And (horrifically) she definitely has political ambitions. Like most politicians, she and BHO are addicted to the attention and power. Go away!!!

  59. Ramblingirl says

    Michelle Obama

    She has said before she dies NOT have political ambitions.

    I would run screaming from politics.