Duck or Swan: Vampire Weekend’s Chris Baio Makes Bravo Clubhouse Debut, Talks Real Housewives with Andy Cohen and Lisa Barlow

Photo credit: Charlie Sykes – Lisa Barlow (RHOSLC), Chris Baio, Erin Lichy [L-R]

Chris Baio demonstrated he’s more than just an ace bassist on Tuesday night; he’s also a Bravo superfan. 

The longtime member of Vampire Weekend appeared on Andy Cohen’s late-night talk show, Watch What Happens Live, following the most recent episode of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, which provided viewers with an extended hour and fifteen minutes of drama-filled vacation chaos aboard a mega yacht which was mashed with one of the network’s other reality series, Below Deck for a supersized entertainment experience. 

In the clip below, Cohen introduces Baio, who appears behind the bar, “Friday is Halloween, but over at the bar is somebody who is used to a vampire weekend. His new music is streaming now. Check out C.Y.M.’s self-titled album, and say hi to SLC fan, Chris Biao.” Cohen extended recognition of his guest’s fixation on the elevated dramatics of the television program, adding, “You and I have been talking about this for a minute. You are a huge Salt Lake fan.” 

The show’s primary guests were Real Housewife of Salt Lake City, Baby Gorgeous, aka Lisa Barlow, and Real Housewife of New York, Erin Lychie. Before Baio could respond to Cohen, Barlow, the queen of Sundance, reflected the compliment, “And Salt Lake is a huge fan of yours!”

Cohen opened the floor to Baio, who asked Barlow, “What do you like more, ducks or swans?” “Um, tonight, ducks,” she answers. Biao was poking fun at Barlow for her comment on Tuesday night’s episode, when she incorrectly identified an inflatable swan water toy as a duck repeatedly. Watch the clip here, or below.

Before appearing on Cohen’s talk show, Biao had extended an invitation to the SLC Housewives to join the band during their May 10, 2024, performance at the Utah State Fairpark. 

In a YouTube video titled “The Waldorf Astoria Bathroom (with Josh Goldsmith),” Ezra Koenig asks, “What’s so special about Real Housewives of Salt Lake City?” The question elicited a sigh from Baio, who refrained from answering and instead flipped his response into an invitation: “If you are a member of the cast of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Heather, Whitney, Lisa, Meredith, Angie K., and yes, Monica. If you have any interest in going to an indie rock festival in your town of Salt Lake City, we are playing Kilby Block Party in the second week of May.” 

The band made headlines when they brought out Real Housewife of Salt Lake City Heather Gay to play corn hole during their longtime live staple, “Campus,” cementing the relationship between the band—specifically its bassist—and Bravo’s snowflake-holding queens.

[Written for Bravo fans, by a Bravo fan.]