If you’ve been watching this season of The Real Housewives of Potomac, you know that these women don’t mess around. They always bring the drama, the laughs, and the iconic looks (along with a few bad wigs). None of the RHOP ladies mess around, but there’s no argument that Gizelle Bryant is the OG queen of Potomac. The RHOP reunion has been heating up, and earlier this week, Gizelle stopped by Betches HQ to talk about the show, and some of the other exciting projects she has going on.
Note: if you’ve never met Gizelle in person, you have to know that she is just as stunning in person as she is on TV. She likes to get messy when it comes to the drama in Potomac, but her face is never, ever a mess. It makes perfect sense that she decided to start a makeup line, because looking like her would be the literal dream. She looked perfect, despite being up late the night before on Watch What Happens Live, where she hung out with KeKe Palmer. Casual.
We played some games with Gizelle, starting with quizzing her on quotes by her fellow housewives. She didn’t get a perfect score, but you better believe she remembered who called her face “repulsive.” I died a little when she repeated her famous quote: “THIS FACE REPULSES NO ONE.” She’s not wrong. And she died a little when we surprised her with a quote from her novel My Word, which is based on her past experiences as the wife of a prominent pastor. (You can get it now on Amazon, btw.) But luckily, Gizelle recognized her own writing, no problem.
We then put her in the Housewives Hot Seat, asking her some rapid fire questions about the Brav0 universe. Here’s a quick rundown of what we learned:
— Gizelle is definitely not a fan of Ramona Singer (probably because of that time she ignored her in the Hamptons).
— She would rather have Kandi Burruss plan her birthday party than Sonja Morgan, mostly because Kandi has major coins.
— If she had to join another Housewives, it would be Beverly Hills. If she could choose any Bravo show to join, it would be Shahs of Sunset, so she could hang out with Reza.
— Cynthia Bailey would be her dream housewife to have as an EveryHue Beauty model, because duh.
— She would gladly have both J.Lo and Queen Latifah join the RHOP cast. And now I need to see it.
This season of The Real Housewives of Potomac is sadly coming to an end, but luckily we still have two more parts of the reunion to get through. Michael Darby is going to be in the hot seat, and I’m sure our messy queen Gizelle will have plenty more to say about this seasons’s insane drama. In the off season, Gizelle will have plenty to keep her busy. Season five is rumored to already be filming, and of course she has her EveryHue Beauty makeup company, available at Target. Gizelle Bryant really does it all, and makes it look easy.
Images: Shutterstock; Giphy (2)
The first season for any show can be difficult, especially when you have the fanbase Bravo has. We are passionate, outspoken veterans of reality television, so it’s hard to watch new shows try to find their way. We have grown accustomed to the Bethennys, the Nenes, and the Teresas, who know the game and play it well. So when Bravo announced Potomac and Dallas were going to be added under the Real Housewives umbrella in 2016, I was hesitant. But I did what any devoted fan does, and watched both franchises when they first aired. And I wasn’t impressed. Dallas was all about the charity scene, and Potomac was constantly talking about etiquette. I just didn’t connect with either city, because there wasn’t anything I could sink my teeth into.
But for the past year or so, my best friend Steve who runs the Instagram account @FacesbyBravo (follow him, he’s hilarious) has been begging me to start The Real Housewives of Potomac. Since I was jaded by the first season, I kept pushing it off. And guys, I WAS A DAMN FOOL. Giving Potomac a second chance was the best decision I have made in a long time. That, and deciding to get eyelash extensions.
The fourth season is airing currently, so I started by dipping my toe into the third season. This is what I recommend for anyone who wants to give this franchise a chance. Season three gives you a lot of flashbacks into the second season, so you’re caught up fairly quickly. And let me tell you, it does not disappoint.
First, let me break down the women of Potomac. Karen and Gizelle are already Bravo royalty. They are some of the most iconic housewives I have ever seen, and have done so much in such a short amount of time. Truly, everything that makes you a great housewife. Monique is an amazing addition, she gave us the umbrella moment in season three, and she is one of the most beautiful people to ever be on television. Ashley is one of the messiest housewives I have ever seen, while simultaneously getting her yoga certification. I love a contradiction. We get introduced to Candiace in season three, but wait till you get to season four, because Candiace really shines. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say one thing: butter knife. And to finish out the cast, we have Robyn. Some may say “oh she is boring”, or “what does she bring to the show?” And sure, on the surface Robyn might seem boring, but she is the glue that grounds these women in reality, and she is BEYOND gorgeous. Also, America is always rooting for her and Juan to get back together.
These women offer us something so many cities have failed to do in recent years, and that is giving us vulnerability while having fun. That is it. They are having fun. They don’t feel tired, or played out. They aren’t afraid of confrontation, and are always ready to meet for lunch and have a sit down to “work it out”. Their families play a large role in the show as well: Candiace has an emotionally abusive, codependent relationship with her mother, Ashley confronts her father, who abandoned her at a young age, this season, and Gizelle tries to balance being a single mother to three teenage daughters. It is a lot, and they do it flawlessly. OH, and did I mention they are hilarious? Ashley has some of the best one-liners, and you can always look to Karen to give a GIF worthy reaction.
The Real Housewives of Potomac has quietly become the second-best city in the Real Housewives franchise. Obviously, RHONY is forever my number one (and if anyone from Bravo is reading this, let me tell you, if you so much as touch a hair on Ramona Singer’s head, there will be a riot in these streets. We already lost Bethenny, so this isn’t up for discussion). The women of Potomac deliver in ways we haven’t seen in a long time from a lot of our OG cities. They are breathing new life into the franchise, and the other cities should be taking notes.
As someone who has been watching The Real Housewives and all of their spinoffs since 2008, I will admit it is hard to welcome the new girl. We have tried over the years with DC or Miami, which both flopped (don’t get me started, DC was iconic and deserved a second season). These women are hilarious and snarky. They are messy, but also very forgiving. I give The Real Housewives of Potomac five stars, and urge all of you to begin watching ASAP.
Images: Bravo; Giphy (2)
