The ladies of the Real Housewives of Potomac set off for their trip to France on last night’s episode, and it didn’t exactly get off to a tres bien start. It didn’t end so greatly either as Gizelle Bryant made a stunning accusation against Karen Huger’s husband, Ray, when she accused Ray of being interested in one of her business partners!
Even before the ladies left Potomac, there were reservations about how everyone was going to get along. Of course, Robyn and Gizelle nearly skipped the trip, altogether, and were concerned about whether, or not Monique could be trusted, and whether or not they were really going to see that “other side” of herself she’d promised to show them.
For Monique’s part, she was hopeful that Gizelle and Robyn would give peace a chance while they were in France, but she realized the odds for a drama free trip were likely stacked against her.
Karen also had reservations about spending time with Gizelle and Robyn. The two women have spent the better part of the season prying into her business, accusing her of lying when she doesn’t want to share it, and then viciously spreading rumors, or making snide remarks about the little bit they think they do know about her. It’s weird, and childish, and I don’t blame Karen one bit for keeping her distance.
Once the women got to the airport, Monique was offered an upgrade to first class, and she took it, and asked Charrisse to join her. They left the other women behind, and flew in luxurious comfort as the other women wondered how the trip had gotten off to such a shady start.
But once they arrived at the hotel, Monique attenpted to make up for it. She’d booked the penthouse suite for herself, but there was one smaller, but similarly decked out suite available, and she told Robyn and Gizelle that one of them could have it. Monique didn’t want to be the one to choose, and the three stood in awkward silence for a few minutes trying to figure out the best way to handle it.
Gizelle suggested that since Robyn and Monique had nearly come to blows, and this was an attempt at righting wrongs, Robyn should take the suite. But Robyn said that the fact that they’d nearly come to blows might be exactly why she SHOULDN’T take the room, and it was decided that the suite would go to Gizelle. Funny how that worked out, huh?
As the ladies settled into their rooms, and prepared to meet for snacks and drinks in Monique’s mega suite, they called to check in with their loved ones.
Ashley called her mom, who she’s happy to be back in touch with after a couple of months of not talking. Ashley said she doesn’t regret cutting her mother off financially, but she’s starting to realize that her mother’s love is unconditional, while Michael isn’t, and that “nothing is more important” than her relationship with her mother.
Apparently that song she sang for Michael at their party last week didn’t have the desired effect. She felt he didn’t really appreciate it, and when she watched the video, she was sad to see him looking almost bored while she sang to him. She mentioned to her mother that the two had been fighting and that she may be “ready to give up” on her marrriage.
When Candiace called her fiancé, Chris, she spent most of the time whining about the fact that her room didn’t overlook the Riviera. Chris told her that she should be appreciative, and to stop worrying about the room because she’d only be sleeping there, and would be out and about with the other ladies the rest of the time.
Chris is a very patient man. If I had to listen to a grown woman whine and watch her pout every time she didn’t get exactly what she wanted, when she wanted it, the way she wanted it, I’d run for the hills, but that’s just me.
Anyway, once the ladies arrived in Monique’s suite, she began telling them about what she’d planned for the following day: a trip to a distillery that made essential oils (a very big thing in Monique’s life), then a small talk about Monique’s blog, Not For Lazy Moms, the inspiration for which was her aforementioned love of essential oils, and finally, a trip to a perfumery.
If you think that sounds like the very LAST thing you’d want to do on your first day in Cannes, you’re not alone. Karen appreciated Monique hooking up the trip to the perfumery, but the others just nodded and smiled politely with absolute dread in their eyes. As Gizelle quite accurately pointed out during her interview, “don’t nobody want to deal with Monique and her little baby oils.” I hear that!
As the ladies settled in, Ashley gave Karen a twerking lesson that didn’t go well, but luckily didn’t last long either. Shortly after, Gizelle addressed Karen for the very first time, and of course, it was shady. She asked Karen about how her own perfume line was progressing, you know, since they were talking about perfume. But Karen could tell that Gizelle wasn’t asking out of genuine curiosity or to make polite conversation. She clearly wanted to put Karen on the spot, and embarrass her in the process, so Karen simply said it was going well, and declined to elaborate.
But Gizelle wasn’t having that. She continued to pepper Karen with questions, and since she has to do everything Gizelle does, Robyn soon joined her. As Karen dodged their questions, Ashley’s curiosity was piqued, as well, and she asked if Karen’s strangely omnipresent “friend,” Matt, was helping her with her perfume. When Karen said that he was, Ashley asked if she was sure she could really trust him. Karen said of course she was sure, and asked why Ashley would ask such a thing, and that’s when Ashley revealed that Matt had been spilling Karen’s tea all. over. town.
According to Ashley’s sources, which she claims are “quite credible,” Matt was overheard telling people that Karen was no longer living in her new home in Great Falls, and was instead living in an apartment. The women seemed inclined to believe it, but Karen said it was ridiculous. I mean, The Grande Dame in an apartment?! Perish the thought!
Monique tried to defend Karen and mentioned that she’d been to Karen’s home in Great Falls, and could attest that she did, in fact, live there. And you would think that would be the end of it, but then Charrisse chimed in to say that she’d also heard that Karen was no longer living in the house and was living in a townhouse, which was once Ray’s bachelor pad. This was an oddly specific rumor, but again, Karen denied it. She explained that the townhouse was “adjacent to the estate” she lived in, and that her son was currently living in it.
But Charrisse definitely wasn’t buying that, and pointed out, during her interview, that Karen and Ray hadn’t brought any of their furniture from their house in Potomac to the home in Great Falls, and that everything in that house was “staged.” Now, I’m not sure exactly what she was implying, or why she thinks anyone would bother to go through the trouble of staging a house to make it look like they lived in it, or, for that matter, why the true owner of the home would allow Karen to pretend to live there, but suffice to say the other ladies were enjoying watching Karen squirm.
But at this point, Monique had had enough, and she implored everyone to stop nitpicking. But what fun would that be? Gizelle immediately pounced on Monique for “leaving” them, and going to first class with Charrisse. Monique said she did nothing wrong. She was offered the upgrade, and took it, and besides, she’d really needed to have a private talk with Charrisse.
And then something amazing happened. Monique opened up about her recent concerns about her marriage. She said that, as a professional athlete, her husband, Chris, was used to being the one in the spotlight, and wasn’t always comfortable with Monique finding success and fame in her own right. Even more incredibly, Gizelle and Robyn showed genuine sympathy for what Monique says going through. They spoke in soft, supportive voices and shared their own experiences with being married to powerful men.
It was odd behavior for them, but it was nice to see. The ladies were finally dropping the mean girl act and really talking. No shady comments, no catty questions, no backhanded jokes…just talking like friends. It lasted for all of five minutes.
Apparently, Candiace wasn’t getting enough attention, so she chimed in and tried to put her two cents into the conversation, a move she would soon regret. She said she could also relate to what they were saying, and that even though Chris wasn’t particularly powerful, he was still a man, and the fact that she was a pageant winner and had been on the news….
That’s it. We’ll never know what she was going to say (not that we want to) because at that moment, Gizelle and Monique burst out laughing at her. It was mean, but it was hilarious! They didn’t even try to hide it. Candiace tried to finish her point, and once again began launching into the fight she and Chris hand after he called her a princess. But when she explained he’d been holding her purse, the women only laughed harder, accused her of emasculating him, and then dismissed her HARD, before excusing themselves for the evening.
Candiace was crushed, and couldn’t believe that Gizelle and Monique, who were barely speaking just moments ago, were now sharing a joke at her expense! Poor little lamb. If she makes it to next season, she’ll learn to see these things coming.
The following morning, the ladies met in the lobby and prepared to set off on the painfully dull afternoon Monique had planned. But Gizelle and Robyn seemed to have worked out an escape plan. Gizelle announced that Robyn “needed some time” and that she would wait for her, and they’d meet up with the rest of the ladies later.
The other ladies all said that they were more than happy to wait for Robyn, so they could all go together, but it was clear that what they were really thinking was ‘if the rest of us have to go watch essential oils being made, you’re sure as hell not wiggling out of it!’
At this point, even Karen didn’t seem all that anxious to go to the perfumery, and instead started talking about whether, or not, they’d still have time for shopping. Gizelle pounced right on it, and said it was odd that someone starting a perfume line wouldn’t be more interested in visiting a perfumery. Karen assured her that she was plenty interested, and began to walk away.
But Gizelle wasn’t finished. She turned to Charrisse, and said she didn’t think Karen had a perfume line at all, but what she didn’t count on was Karen standing right behind her listening to every word she’d said!
Karen said she’d had it with Gizelle’s “bulls**t,” but Gizelle pointed out that Karen had made plenty of disparaging remarks about her business, EveryHue Beauty, too, but that there was probably a very good reason for it: Ray has it bad for Gizelle’s business associate, Erika Liles, and Karen is jealous!
According to Gizelle, Ray met the woman during an event, and had followed her around for the rest of the night like a smitten, little puppy. She added that every time Ray was around Erika, he left Karen “in the dust.” Karen said it wasn’t true, and pointed out that both Erika and Ray were happily married people, but Gizelle continued to crow loudly about Ray’s supposed crush and his desire to lick this woman “from head to toe” (again, oddly specific), as Karen and the others boarded the tour bus to the bowels of hell…I mean the essential oil distillery.
The show faded to black from there, but the um…fun (?) continues next week. Previews show the women continuing their tour of Cannes, and from what I can tell, they’re over the jet lag, and ready to take the gloves off. Restez a l’ecoute!
TELL US – THOUGHTS ON THE LATEST RHOP EPISODE? DO YOU BELIEVE GIZELE’S CLAIMS ABOUT RAY? DID SHE GO TOO FAR? OR DID KAREN HAVE IT COMING?