Tea in Thailand w/ Candiace Dillard Bassett

00:00:00
Speaker 1: It has never given me pause or made me feel threatened in any kind of way because Chris does not want Giselle's fifty year old puss. He has no why would he want that when he has this.

00:00:19
Speaker 2: Stay tuned look into my conversation with Canda's Diller Bassett by after these quick ass hey rain drop. So on today's episode of Reality with the King, I am joined by a woman that I'm a huge fan of. She was surprised, but are you guys gonna be surprised? I'm talking about Candace Baby Candon Gal from The Real Housewives Upotomac. I love this woman. I think she truly, truly is on her way of becoming one of the greatest housewives of all time. Yeah, I said it, and I said what I said. She is funny, she is shady, but she also is very spiritual. Yes, she's me on dunks aside, we get into how she prayed and manifested herself onto the Real Housewives of Potomac. Additionally, she talks about colorism as relates to her being a dark skinned female on the show. And last but not Lee's Baby, she throws an entire shade tree at Giselle Green eye bandit Bryant. It was so shady raindrops I had to gag, cut off my phone and come back up again. Okay, without further ado, here is my conversation with Candice deal Bassett. I am so happy to talk to you. You know, I am a huge fan of yours. Is that so?

00:02:12
Speaker 3: I don't think I knew that I was? I Okay.

00:02:14
Speaker 1: So we have a good mutual friend who you've worked with for a very long time, who also produced me, who is a dear, dear friend of mine, and he would always talk about you, and he would tell me that you really enjoyed me. But I was like, no, he don't you have an intimidation factor because you are You're one of a kind in this industry, and you like you are a shady ass boot.

00:02:43
Speaker 3: So I don't. I don't want to be in.

00:02:45
Speaker 1: Your wake with all your success being shady, making the people do what they gotta do. Listen, you are you are, You're You're like an urban legend, but real, I'm just saying.

00:02:58
Speaker 2: Okay, well, listen, I did not expect any of this, and I'm not an emotional person, but I'm a very spiritual person.

00:03:10
Speaker 1: Do you want me to fold you a tissue at that point.

00:03:16
Speaker 2: Please, buddy, it's like a paper plane that you make back in grade school. Honey, that's not your tissues. Be but all jokes aside. That has to be the highest compliment anyone in this industry has ever given me. Because now listen, listen, listen. People give me compliments. Don't get me wrong, but in the way you articulated it, in the sense of, you know, look, no one talks about how I'm not gonna cry. No one talks about how I did pay the way for black producers to do reality television and the many, many, many messages I get from black producers. You know, I talked about in this podcast, Candice, how I was the first black man to executive produce a Real Housewives franchise in general, and when I decided to step down, I replaced myself with another black man. I said, yes, I said, I would like to leave, and I'm going to give the reins to another black man and to see Eric Fuller as well, who is my mentee. Eric Fuller is one of the executive producers of Atlanta Housewives as well as Potomac. He's the Carlos King of Potomac. Honey, yeah. And he's super smart, super creative, he's so sweet. I'm overwhelmed with this pleasantry because you know, look, when it comes to me, a lot of people like can throw me shade Carlos, you're messy, you're this, your that, and one thing about me. I don't give two fucks when people say about me. So when someone can honor me, I receive it. And I wanted to talk to you because and I meant what I said because you. I also said earlier, like yeah, people say you like me, and I was like, you don't like me, Like you don't understand I am a candy girl boy, like like, I love you. I love what you represent. In my expert opinion, you are one of the greatest things that happened to Potomac.

00:05:26
Speaker 3: Oh, y'all, you're gonna make me.

00:05:28
Speaker 2: And let's be clear. Let's be clear. Every once in a while, a reality star hops on an existing franchise. Yes, and she or he in this case, she comes on the show and changes the temperature of the show. I said this publicly and I'll say it again. Kenya Moore and Poor Show Williams came on The Real House spots in Atlantic season five and the show hasn't been the same since because they changed the motherfucking temperature of that show.

00:06:00
Speaker 3: Yeah, when you came on.

00:06:02
Speaker 2: Candy Gal, they those girls did not know how to take you, and they still don't.

00:06:10
Speaker 1: They still mind blowing.

00:06:13
Speaker 2: You change the temperature of the show so much so you are slowly becoming one of the premier fass of the franchise.

00:06:25
Speaker 3: God bless you.

00:06:26
Speaker 2: Do you do you feel that way?

00:06:29
Speaker 3: No?

00:06:30
Speaker 1: No, no, I honestly, this is the honest truth.

00:06:34
Speaker 3: I think I'm getting fired every year.

00:06:38
Speaker 1: I'm like, well, you know, and it's and for me, this opportunity, I saw it as an opportunity, something that I wanted to use for a greater purpose within my career and within my life.

00:06:55
Speaker 3: And I sat down with my who was my boyfriend at the time. We weren't even.

00:06:59
Speaker 1: Engage my man, and we said, if we're going to do this, we're going to do this, and it's going to have purpose, and we're going to use this platform because the platform uses you child, so use this platform to accomplish things. And I have an album out, I have a deluxe album coming out, I have a tour coming out, I have a scripted series coming out.

00:07:26
Speaker 3: I have a hairline I have.

00:07:28
Speaker 1: I'm starting a new business with my mom and my sister. I have accomplished so much with the assistance of this platform that I feel like that has been my portion.

00:07:43
Speaker 3: However, you just I don't take.

00:07:48
Speaker 1: For granted that it can all be gone tomorrow, and the direction could shift for whatever reason tomorrow, and I could be unceremoniously cast out for whatever reason. Because this television is a fickle industry, especially unscripted, you just don't ever know. And you know, Potomac Is is a top show, and I recognize that, and I credit the ogs for getting us.

00:08:17
Speaker 3: On the map.

00:08:18
Speaker 1: But I don't sit up here and be like, yeah, girl, I'm gonna be back.

00:08:23
Speaker 3: You just you never know.

00:08:25
Speaker 2: I read somewhere that you prayed for this opportunity to be a Potomac housewife, that you watched the show and correct me if I'm wrong, But you said something along the lines of this show is missing me.

00:08:44
Speaker 3: That sounds like me. You know, I know, I know what I did say.

00:08:47
Speaker 1: I remember watching, Yes, I did pray about it, and I remember watching when so I'm from Georgia originally, so when Atlanta started, I was like, oh, oh.

00:09:00
Speaker 3: Let me see what these girls is about to do.

00:09:02
Speaker 1: Where are they gonna be at, what they're gonna be talking about? I was, and then it was I watched Desperate Housewives. So then when the Real Housewives of Orange County came around, I was.

00:09:12
Speaker 3: Like, Oh, what's this?

00:09:13
Speaker 1: But I was kind of looking with one eye because it's you know, white lady's talking about whatever, white peoples stuff.

00:09:17
Speaker 2: That's fine.

00:09:18
Speaker 1: But when Atlanta started, I was like, Oh, the girls are coming.

00:09:23
Speaker 3: To town, and I was excited.

00:09:26
Speaker 1: And so then when Potomac started, it was like another we're getting another black ensemble cast on this within these franchises. Let me turn the TV on. And then because I live in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area where the DMV as we refer to it now, it was also a you know, proximity to what's happening, So let me see what these girls are doing. Who might I know? Where are they going? What's the tea? I remember being in the bed with Chris and the show was on, and I was like, why am I not on this show? Because these girls ain't doing nothing that I can't do thirty seven thousand times better and with more style and grace. Okay, So what are we talking about. I remember saying that to Chris, and I said to Chris, I need to be on the show because what are they doing?

00:10:15
Speaker 3: And then I remember getting down on my knees at the foot of my bed.

00:10:19
Speaker 1: I had a little couch at the foot of my bed, and asking, God, Lord, this is an opportunity for me to accomplish all of the things that you have shown me I'm supposed to have. Let me have it, and I promise that I will do my best to glorify you in all of it. And literally the following year, I was getting an email from casting what God is like? He said, Okay, God is really my mouth is too powerful because I have manifested everything that I have, everything that I have that you see and that you don't see. I have spoken from my mouth, and it's I have chills just talking about it because I didn't I didn't call anyone. I didn't know anyone on the show. I didn't know, I didn't know anything. They reached out to me. And I believe with everything that I am that it is from that brain.

00:11:16
Speaker 2: Oh listen, My entire existence in this world, you know, material things or or not, is because of the grace of God. And I am a faring man and every single blessing from this podcast to my late night show to wherever is because of God. So I believe in the power of prayer. So when you say they reached out to you and you but you had no connections with the current cast at that time, how do they find you?

00:11:42
Speaker 1: So our casting director who has casted this show from the very beginning, and they still do this. They are consistently casting and you know this every season they are looking for new blood, whether they bring someone in or not friends of full time House, they're always looking. So in that search, Adrian, who is our casting director, he scours the internets.

00:12:11
Speaker 3: He scours the instagrams and the facebooks of the world.

00:12:14
Speaker 1: And there were degrees of separation between myself and Ashley, myself and Katie where our orbits maybe sort of could have overlapped, And especially I think with Ashley because of the pageant connection. I've never asked him exactly where he looked to find me, but he tells me that he found me through looking on Instagram, and that's yeah. And then my business email was connected to my instagram, my pageant consulting firm at that time was connected to my Instagram and they reached out to me through that email.

00:12:53
Speaker 2: So you prayed for it. A year later, this casting director contacts you. You do the interview. I interviewed plenty of women who've been cast for Housewives. Some get a some don't. Monique talked about how she bombed her first interview. Ashley Silva, who I know you know from Love and Matters DC, talked about how she did four interviews. What was your process, Like, did you kill at your first interview?

00:13:22
Speaker 3: I did.

00:13:23
Speaker 1: I could say that, and I know this because well, I've talked to Adrian about it since and.

00:13:33
Speaker 3: He says that I did a great job.

00:13:35
Speaker 1: But I know I did a great job because he was like falling over laughing at me.

00:13:41
Speaker 3: And I was.

00:13:42
Speaker 1: Admittedly, I will say, I am a journalist and I am a I'm a comms person, so research is my friend.

00:13:51
Speaker 3: I did my research before my first interview, and I.

00:13:55
Speaker 1: Remember reading that Niini had a glass of wine her first interview, and so I poured my I'm a drinker of the Brown liquors, so I poured myself.

00:14:07
Speaker 3: A glass of Jack.

00:14:09
Speaker 1: Honey, which is one of my favorite at home beverages, and I sipped on that and that it eased my nerves a little bit and helped me to just kind of just be uninhibited and just tell the truth about, you know, everything that I was being asked.

00:14:27
Speaker 3: And Adrian was cracking up laughing.

00:14:31
Speaker 1: So yes, I can say that I soared in my interview, but I will say this. I will say that before I got there, I had a phone call with one of his associates and.

00:14:46
Speaker 3: I match energy.

00:14:47
Speaker 2: So she was.

00:14:48
Speaker 3: Giving like dry. It was like toast with no jam, jelly or butter. It was just dry.

00:14:55
Speaker 1: And so I was like, you know, just kind of answering questions, and then it was like five minutes and she was like, okay, well we'll be in touch. I was like, okay, thank you. And I just felt like that did not go well. So I emailed her and I was like, this didn't really go the way that I thought it was going to go. So here are some bullet points. Because she didn't ask me anything about me. It was just it was very like Vanilla. I was like, here are some bullet points just to kind of explain who I am. My mama crazy, my man got all these baby mamas and kids over here, and I broke it down in a way that I knew would make sense and would be was palatable, and then I had my.

00:15:43
Speaker 3: Skype interview. So persistence.

00:15:48
Speaker 2: This is so good because I tell people all the time, no matter what field you want to get into, I don't care if it's entertainment, you know, hospital, teaching, engineering, whatever, you have to study those before you in order to be great, and you have to study the greats. My career is where it's at because I studied Oprah, I studied Tyler Perry, I studied all these amazing people. So the fact that you knew that Nini Lee's had a glass of wine her first interview is everything to me. And that's why you are a formidable player on Potomac. So let's fast forward to your first season.

00:16:22
Speaker 3: I'm gonna keep it real with you, okay, please do.

00:16:26
Speaker 2: I obviously know the producers of Potomac, right, because the production company produces a lantin Potomac and your first season, I was like, they're hazing her, meaning you, They're hazing Candace, and by they I mean the cast. And I also felt like I will never forget this. It was the scene where and FYI, I do love the entire cast. But it was the scene where you guys were on a bus going to a destination.

00:16:57
Speaker 3: Oh god, and.

00:17:00
Speaker 2: I felt like they so it was this scene where they were like, no, you got to stand up for yourself. You gotta read the girls. And I was like, why are they prepping her to read the girls when I feel like she has it? And when you read cha cha for filth and called her jeriac chick granny and you read Giselle's jacket and you were you were literally like this sniper, maybe the DC sniper years ago has nothing on that mouth.

00:17:36
Speaker 3: Oh my god.

00:17:38
Speaker 2: Yes, honey, you were the Potomac sniper with the mouth and you were targeting each girl and I was like, oh, this bitch is everything. So your first season, did you feel like these girls were hazing you A and B? Did you also feel what I was feeling, like, why are y'all trying to prep this girl to be like, well, let me teach you how to read the girls. This is what you say when this happens.

00:18:04
Speaker 1: Yeah, yes, I so there is a There is an instance that I see all the time online where people say Candace got to that first lunch on that trip and was you know, reading at the table because the girls had told her in a previous scene that she needed to do that.

00:18:28
Speaker 3: And I always furled my brow.

00:18:31
Speaker 1: At that because Candace was always going to give what needed to be given when the time came. I don't I don't ever like to pounce before you know the dough has risen, and that was coming regardless of what advice I received, and I receive all all advice. Give it to me, bring it here. I'm gonna I'm gonna filter it and see what what I need to take or what I need to leave. But I resent that the general public seems to think that my trajectory on the show was so because of what someone told me to do.

00:19:10
Speaker 3: That was that was all me.

00:19:12
Speaker 1: Like this, My mouth did not start when we hit play on Potomac. I was always on punishment for having a smartass Mounts growing up. Okay, this is and if you've met my mother you know why because the sharp tongue comes from that.

00:19:26
Speaker 3: So yeah, at that point, I was up.

00:19:28
Speaker 1: I was fed up because don't sit on this bus, on this bumpy bus and tell me that my mama paid for my ring girl like ten, tend to your business and the dwindling diamonds in your ring. Okay, like leave mine alone or lack thereof, because half of y'all ain't half no ring nor a man to gift you one.

00:19:50
Speaker 3: So I like that. That just sent me over.

00:19:53
Speaker 1: I was like what and then it was a because I'm petite and I have like a a cheerleader energy, as Giselle said in my first season, and I do I own that. That's I'm a bubbly personality. I think these girls thought that they could run me over. But as I always say, you bring grenades to the party, I have rocket.

00:20:19
Speaker 2: Launchers and you see what I call her sniper chow. To interrupt this juicy conversation, but stay tuned for more of my conversation with Candace right after these quick ads. This is reality with the King, and I'm Carlos King. Let's get back into my conversation with Candace. When you wrapped her first season, did you think you would come back for a second season? No, that obviously you're The wedding was the opening of the following season. But did you feel like, Okay, I did a great job or did you feel like, oh, bitch, I may not come back, and what the fuck I didn't.

00:21:12
Speaker 1: Know, and I at that point I wasn't thinking about it. I think I was just kind of going with the flow and being in the moment, so I didn't allow myself to think beyond, Okay, we're shooting the show, and now we're shooting the reunion, and now the.

00:21:32
Speaker 3: Reunion is over.

00:21:33
Speaker 1: I don't think I thought about at that point whether or not I was coming back.

00:21:38
Speaker 3: I do feel like, because I.

00:21:41
Speaker 1: Was getting married and I knew kind of how the formula worked, if you have, you know, a burgeoning storyline, they're gonna want to carry that over into the following season. I think we probably did talk about that, and I think that there were conversations between myself and production about what my wedding would look like if they were to film it. So I kind of felt like I would come back, but I didn't really question it at that time. But I found out later that one of our s vps said that they were not sure about me until the read.

00:22:22
Speaker 3: When I guess my what did I say?

00:22:26
Speaker 2: Uh?

00:22:26
Speaker 3: It was Lauren Lauren Esklin. She was like, she made reference to me.

00:22:31
Speaker 1: Calling Ashley a house triala because because that they weren't they I guess they were not used to me being that quick, because there wasn't I didn't know she was going to say that rehearsed line about me being a house daughter. I didn't know that was coming. And you know you're a house Tralla. That just it just came from from my stern up.

00:22:53
Speaker 2: It just came out, not rehearse read. Okay, I caught that. No, it's funny because I did not think you were going to have a second season. And this is coming from me. I'm gonna tell you why. I Lord Jesus, I know I'm gonna get in trouble for this, but this podcast is about me keeping it all the way real reality, this reality and the first per letters is r E A L. Yeah, booboo is real. I did not think you were coming back because I didn't think you were set up for success. I did not think that. And you are the reason why I tell people you should always give a housewife a second season, because you never know. Claudia Jordan will always go down to history as the most underrated housewife because she deserves the second season.

00:23:40
Speaker 3: Absolutely.

00:23:41
Speaker 2: Yes, So your second season on the show really showed why you are a formidable player. So much so you literally get into with everybody, and you hold your own and to be a petite woman what I love about you. And I know you read upon Meini Leagues drinking wine and that's what made you want to like, Okay, prepare for this interview you have with the casting director. You are on your way to becoming an icon like Kenya Moore. And hear me out, hear me out. I receive pageant background, beautiful, chocolate girl, a wordsmith, intelligent and me working with Kenya, I always knew that the issues that Kenya had with some of the women. I'm not gonna name names, but some of them was Kenya, you're not only beautiful, but bitch, you're smart and you know how to read. And when you read. When Kenya Moore season seven, at this group event where they had the doctor there, the therapist his name is slip in my brain and she said, you are a revisionist historian me and the producer said, what the what fuck does that mean? And I literally google that and I said, this bitch is so smart, and all the other housewives was like dumbfounded, like wait, is is that a read? You remind me so much of Kenya? And one thing that you are vocal about on Twitter. Is you feel that because you and Kenya are dark skinned women. Yes, people love to villainize the two of you. When y'all light skin counterparts can say the same thing, worse or worse, they don't get the same treatment. And you really do say that a lot on Twitter. Can you talk to me about that, please.

00:25:43
Speaker 3: Yes.

00:25:43
Speaker 1: I have not experienced colorism in the way that I have on this platform anywhere else in my life.

00:25:53
Speaker 3: And I grew up in predominantly white spaces. I have been the.

00:25:59
Speaker 1: Token black girl in a lot of rooms. And even in those spaces, you know, you get the uh oh, you're pretty to be a black girl, you get that. But the colorism is nuanced, and it's often felt within your own cohort, within your own community. And I guess because I didn't have much of a community that looked like me growing up, that wasn't something that I was ever aware of or really made privy to until later in life. And then even then, it still was just never on my radar until this show. And you know, I am doing my job and cussing and fussing and carrying on in a way that is similar to I'll use Ashley as an example, because we're similar in age. They kind of put she brought me onto the show expecting I think that we would, you know, have have a report. And you know, Ashley is one who can she can get bucks, she can roll her neck, she her eyes can pop out of her head. She she'll you know, she gives you what needs to be given in the moment. And I started to notice, knowing that Ashley had given us those moments, those aggressive moments, that my time in giving those same moments were harped on much more intensely. And I really had to take a step back and say, what is it? Because at first you just say what, like you're just you're just kind of dumbfounded, but you're saying that I'm aggressive. But we just watched her like get in her somebody's face and do the finger and roll her neck and do all that. So it just dumbfounded me at first, but it was It took me having conversations with my real smart friends, my off TV friends, to realize is what I was experiencing was colorism, and it really there was a conversation that we had, I believe, on a reunion where we were asked by Andy, I think if we think the colorism exists on the show, and most of the women said no, And I will say that I don't know that the cast is necessarily engaging in it. Maybe there is some dog whistling, but it certainly comes from the audience, and I think that the beneficiaries of colorism have a responsibility to call that out. And I don't see that happening myself. Wendy, you know we can't. We can scream it all day, you know, it's it's it literally.

00:28:52
Speaker 3: Is attached to racism.

00:28:54
Speaker 1: The oppressed cannot we can't speak out. We can, but the liberation and the change and the overturning comes when the people that have the power are speaking out against it. And to deny that colorism exists is doing a disservice to all of us.

00:29:18
Speaker 2: No, and listen. One of the examples that I'll give too is, you know one thing that Ashley and you do is y'all can read for filth. And I am a fan of the both of y'alls right, because I think you guys are just fantastic reality stars and just know how to like give great scenes. So, for example, you called Ashley wide body and got read for that. Meanwhile, Ashley may fun of Sherie saggy titties but did not get much of a scorn reading for that. I know for a fact that colorism exists in the scope of reality television, in the scope of the world, in the scope of the music industry. It is what it is, and it doesn't take me, not being a black woman, to not see it. I see it, see it based on Twitter, and I think that's the reason why a lot of people stay off of Twitter who are on reality TV, because it can definitely affect your mental help, knowing that people are really not equal in their disdain for a person, place, or thing. And one of the things that I know you dealt with with your mental health was the unfortunate altercation that you and Monique had on the show. And as a black man in this business, and I shared this with Monique as well, I was devastated by that only because look, I know that unfortunately things just happen like these things happen, and that's just the way of life. We saw Will Smith slap Chris Rock on America's Favorite award stage and shit happens. Well, what I thought was funny was Will Packer, who's a friend of mine and who I love. He produced that Oscar special. No one blamed Will Packer, and they shouldn't have because he had nothing to do with it. But when black people are having a bad moment on reality TV, they blame Carlos King, or they blame the other producers. And one of the things that I loved about your conversation that you had on camera and off camera was the fact that everybody saw the error in their ways right, and I thought it was so special to at least have that honest conversation. How were you able to get past that? Because I know that for some people it would have been hard to return to the show.

00:31:36
Speaker 1: I don't know that I am past it because of the backlash that I received due to the acrobatics that were orchestrated by some There are still people who I mean, the obviously are strong opinions about that season, But to quote the ancient African proverb, revisionist history is a motherfucker.

00:32:05
Speaker 3: It's so easy to sit.

00:32:08
Speaker 1: Back and watch and decide that you know what happened in any space.

00:32:13
Speaker 3: And that's what reality television is for.

00:32:15
Speaker 1: It's an escape, and that's what I understand that my role is in this space for a lot of our viewers. But when the game is not played by the rules, and people who can't control their emotions want to get out of control and change the way the game is played, it becomes less about entertainment and more about this is my real life.

00:32:44
Speaker 3: And I.

00:32:46
Speaker 1: Still have a lot of thoughts and feelings about the revisionist history. I obviously don't let it, you know, overtake me, and I think that God has prepared the most immaculate table for me.

00:33:09
Speaker 3: Before all of my enemies. Therefore, I have no need to harp on whatever.

00:33:16
Speaker 1: However, it's not something that you just that just goes away. One of our SVPs who's a dear friend of mine, her name is Lorraine. She said in Not All Diamonds and Rose that I forget how she said it, but she she I talked to her at length for hours upon hours during that whole season five, and she she sort of accurately emoded for me when she said something to the effect of I think Candice was blindsided and she was really hurt by the chain of events because it's not something that she ever expected to happen, and she really thought that she was dealing with someone who she thought was her friend, and for her to put that into words that it was just shock. Not so and I talk about this on Girl's Trip too. Not so much the physical part that wasn't the shock. The shock was the spinning and the lying and the revisionist history that still reverberates amongst people who are just committed to misunderstanding me versus looking at facts and actually going back and reviewing the edited season.

00:34:39
Speaker 3: So yeah, it's an evolution that is still evolving.

00:34:43
Speaker 2: Knowing that this happened a couple of years ago and Monique is no longer on the show. Is there a world knowing that you're spiritual and like me, you're God fearing and we love the Bible God talks about forgiveness. Is there a world where you're able to forgive Monique and or be friends with her again.

00:35:09
Speaker 1: I think I have forgiven her for me, because that's my salvation, that's at stake.

00:35:16
Speaker 3: I have forgiven her for me. I think it's.

00:35:18
Speaker 1: Impossible to move into a space of friendship with a human being who continues to live in delusion and in their version, in their revisionist history. This is someone who has still goes into public spaces and calls me a child, when the child is the person who can't just let it be, give it a no comment or you know, when these conversations come up, when these questions come up, it's about me. I'm not interested in insulting or creating un necessary contention with a non factor in my life. And again, there's too much increase in my life for me to go to that negative space. So you know, the short answer is no, it just you. You can't. You can't rekindle something with someone who who isn't there. And I also just it's that's just not my portion. I'm just I don't need I don't need friends like that.

00:36:36
Speaker 2: No, that's understandable. And you know, look, one thing we're here to celebrate is the new season of Potomac. I have set on record, and people like to throw me shade for saying this because they think in order for me to compliment somebody, I have to diss them in the same sentence. Like a lot of people, I'm just gonna say it. A lot of people are surprised that I'm a huge Candice fan because I'm a Monique fan, and Monique's on my show. You know what I mean? Like I always tell people like, I am a black man in this space, and I truly love everybody, and people's beefs are not my beef. I'm not a female rapper. I'm not gonna get a do you know what I mean? Like, I'm not gonna I'm not picking size in terms of what people go through. Like, I love everybody, I love you. I love Potomac. Potomac right Now is my favorite franchise. Potomac right Now is the number one most entertaining Housewives franchise in the world, and it has been for a couple of years. I love this show so much. The trailer came out and it's explosive and I'm looking forward to it winning debut Sunday, October ninth, at eight o'clock seven Central. In the trailer, we saw some issues going on between Chris Bassett and Giselle Green Eye Bandit Bryant, where there's these accusations, if you will, that Chris has been flirting with Gazelle. So I want to ask you, this is your husband Chris attracted to Gazel.

00:38:10
Speaker 1: I you would have to ask him back, but I mean I would say no, I know we did. We had an event at Karen's house two years ago. It was a couple's like date day, and one of the questions was if.

00:38:28
Speaker 3: You if you had to.

00:38:31
Speaker 1: If you had to sleep with somebody else in this group or something, if you were if you had to date someone else in this group, something like that, who would it be? And everyone answered except for Eddie because Wendy was given him the eyes period, right, And you know, for me, Chris said Gazelle. And I also guessed Gazelle only because like the Gazelle is very flirty with Chris, and Chris flirts back with Gazelle. And this happens in front of me, and it has never given me pause or made me feel threatened in any kind of way because Chris does not want Gizelle's fifty year old puss. He has no why would he want that when he has this so and it also just kind of gave me, Okay, this is excess flirtatious energy coming from a woman who doesn't have that at home.

00:39:36
Speaker 3: This is just something that she does.

00:39:40
Speaker 1: Gazelle has a history and there's a reputation there of her being fast in her past and her being loose in her past.

00:39:49
Speaker 3: This is these are facts. I'm not making this up. So you know, I see her flirting with Chris and is like, oh, pole than just poth thing, that's cute. It never bothered me.

00:39:59
Speaker 2: You said old thing, a poke thing po.

00:40:05
Speaker 3: Po th that's it's it's just you. You can't.

00:40:09
Speaker 1: You can't ask for for more from from someone who can only give you less than half like I can't. It never bothered me. So he may be she's a beautiful woman I'm attracted to.

00:40:22
Speaker 3: She's a beautiful attracted.

00:40:26
Speaker 2: Yes, I agree.

00:40:28
Speaker 3: Listen, she's beautiful.

00:40:29
Speaker 1: But a shell is a shell, okay, and shells often have funky insides, and that's one.

00:40:38
Speaker 2: Not fuck master flex. Okay, look what thing I can't with you? What's interesting, though, is after you wrapped Potomac, you then went on Ultimate Girls Trip, y'all went to Thailand, and based on the cast, it seemed like it was buddies from e franchise. Salt Lake City had Heather and Whitney, Miami had Marathol on Instagram okay, and then it had Gazelle and Candice and we were all confused by that. So how was it on Ultimus Girls Trip? Because the second installment was amazing. Derenda's house. It was it was funny and dramatic, and it was everything. Did y'all live up to the hype based on the fact that you had to be with Jazelle for a couple, you know, for two weeks?

00:41:36
Speaker 3: I think yes.

00:41:38
Speaker 1: Ten days of just unadulterated hell is what ensued in Thailand. I was ready to go. These girls, just the the girls as a whole wore me out. I was worn thin just talking to no I'm I don't talk when when I don't need to talk, like when it's if I don't have anything to say that it's of substance. I'm just going to sit back and clutch my pearls and observe these girls. Some of them they just like it was just I don't know if it was like a we fighting for a camera time or you know, this is an accelerated version of housewives. We have ten days to get what we need, so we're just we're going hard in the paint. I don't know, but there was so much talking that I just don't know that needed to happen. I was surprised that Giselle and I were chosen.

00:42:38
Speaker 3: I was surprised that.

00:42:39
Speaker 1: I always thought that when it was Potomac's turn to do girl Strip, it would be Gizelle and Karen because that's who the network pushes as the faces of the of the show.

00:42:49
Speaker 3: I mean, that's that's the that's that's what they pushed.

00:42:55
Speaker 1: So I was fully expecting Gazelle and Karen. So it was me and I was like, well, sure, I will pack my bags. I'm there, Gizelle and I I'll just say it did not end well.

00:43:12
Speaker 3: It did not end well.

00:43:14
Speaker 1: And yeah and yeah, didn't end well.

00:43:20
Speaker 2: M hm, Okay, Well, how did it begin with Porsche? Because you and Porsche have publicly said things about each other that a lot of people took its shade. Yes, when they found out Porsche, Williams and Candace was in the same room, the Twitter girls went crazy. Yeah, how did it go with Porsche?

00:43:42
Speaker 1: You be surprised? And that in good ways and bad ways. It was a very interesting time with Porsche that I don't want to give it anything away, but it was. It was an interesting time with with Porscha. She is something else, but so am I.

00:44:07
Speaker 2: Oh, we know you are sister, because I was gonna say that. That goes my question Porsche is a shady queen and we love Porsche. You are shady queen. Answered this for me. Oh lord, who did you get into it the most on girls trip besides Giselle?

00:44:25
Speaker 4: Oh I really, I was really chilling on this trip because these white girls were hollering the whole trip, So I was just I was kind of like it, taking my my leizipam and trying.

00:44:45
Speaker 3: To just stay home.

00:44:48
Speaker 1: But I okay, if I had to say, who did I fuss with more than Gizelle, it was Okay, it wasn't the snow bunnies, it wasn't It wasn't.

00:44:59
Speaker 3: Probably Portia.

00:45:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, we if I had to say more than Jesel, Giselle was.

00:45:08
Speaker 3: The most. But yes, probably if I had to say, but that.

00:45:13
Speaker 1: But again, I say it was an interesting time because.

00:45:18
Speaker 3: It ebbed and flowed.

00:45:20
Speaker 1: There was a lot that went on like it was ten days, but it felt like ten months. There was a lot of evolution and stopping and going and fussing and carrying on that took place. So yes, yeah, I'm trying to make sure I'm not missing anyone.

00:45:40
Speaker 2: I don't think you are, because that I think that's I don't see you get into with the other girls like that, what about Leah?

00:45:47
Speaker 1: That Leah is my bitch, That is my girl. That's Leah. So Leah and the snow bunnies they were my favorite, Like.

00:45:56
Speaker 2: I can't take snow bunnies.

00:45:57
Speaker 3: That's what I call.

00:45:58
Speaker 1: And then we played a really fun game where everybody got like I don't want to give away too much, but we played a really fun game where I really got to express my thoughts on everybody and some people were happy and some were not, and I was tickled.

00:46:17
Speaker 3: That's all I will say about that.

00:46:19
Speaker 2: Love it, Okay, So before I let you go talk to my raindrops about what they can't expect from this season of Potomac and Baby, I mean one thing about me, and I don't care how far getting in life in my career, I will always be a fan because you always want to keep that inno sense about you. I am a giddy girl when it comes to Potomac. I watch it and I laughed my ass off, and I literally love all of you, ladies. I got a chance to meet some of the girls when I was in town at this house and Kandace wasn't there, and Wendy wasn't there, and I was mad like, I low key also want to see Kansas and Wendy the Fox, but whenever I digress, we'll see each other pace of pays so soon. Yes, yes, but talk to us about what we can expect from my favorite Housewise franchise.

00:47:17
Speaker 1: This season, for a lot of reasons, I think is maybe one of our best. And I know it's easy to say that, but this is probably one of our best seasons because everyone gave something. And I also love when a season gets to the end and nothing.

00:47:37
Speaker 3: Has been spilled.

00:47:39
Speaker 1: Atlanta is kind of has gotten really bad about that, like stuff leaking, and you're finding out storylines and things that are happening amongst the group before the season airs, and it just ruins the experience for the viewers.

00:47:51
Speaker 3: Not a whole lot.

00:47:52
Speaker 1: Got out about this, you know, the little altercation between me and Wendy kind of got out. Side note, I was from shooting my scripted series, so I got to the trip late. I'm mid air and I'm getting texts from my manager telling me, were you in a fight? And I'm like what these people will sat.

00:48:12
Speaker 3: Up here on Beyonce's Internet and trying to.

00:48:14
Speaker 1: Say that I got into the fight with Mia, that it was me and I'm literally in the air, so that that got out.

00:48:23
Speaker 3: But you don't know what happened.

00:48:25
Speaker 1: Let me, let me make it clear, you don't know what happened even with what you see in the trailer.

00:48:29
Speaker 3: You need to see the whole thing.

00:48:32
Speaker 1: But we I think everyone gave something personal within the group.

00:48:39
Speaker 3: The dynamics shift so quickly.

00:48:43
Speaker 1: This is I think this is the fastest we have moved in this group, just like the ebbs and flows within the couples and the throttles, and you know, the six seven of us are our friend of the show, Jacqueline that then came in there and.

00:49:00
Speaker 3: Hould our wigs off. She was doing three much.

00:49:02
Speaker 2: It was so intense, not too much, but three much, three much.

00:49:06
Speaker 3: It was so intense.

00:49:07
Speaker 1: So it's you are going to be entertained because you're not going.

00:49:11
Speaker 3: To be able to keep up.

00:49:13
Speaker 1: You you have to really stay on your toes and take notes for season seven. Not to shade other franchises, but sometimes things can drag on and carry on and you just never hear the end of the things. Honey. Season seven, it's like boom boom, boom boom, what's next. We're friends now, We're not we're cool. Now we're not, we're you know, cussing, and now we're in the bed together. It's like it's it is so fast paced even I can keep up.

00:49:44
Speaker 3: And I was in the mess.

00:49:46
Speaker 2: No, I loved I love it. I love it. And I have to ask this. Though you ladies were the dark horse, You ladies, to me, were the step children of the franchise. Do you, ladies, And I'm being serious when I ask you this question because I want reality stars too. Are fans of this podcast to hear this? Please hear this. When I watch Potomac, I feel like all of you ladies said we need to be the best show possible, and we're going to work together to be number one. Not scripting stuff or having fake beef, but like we're all going to put in the work. The kids like to call it clocked in. Like I feel like you ladies had a meeting and said we need to clock in and be number one because every season is so damn good.

00:50:39
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:50:39
Speaker 2: Did you guys have this camaraderie and this sort of pact that we are going to give everything to this show to become number one?

00:50:50
Speaker 3: I think it's unspoken. I have never been a part of.

00:50:54
Speaker 1: A group, a full group meeting where we had those conversations, but I've had them in twos and threes with some of the girls just about you know, how we really care and we are very aware and privy.

00:51:11
Speaker 3: Of what our role is and how.

00:51:16
Speaker 1: We sort of carry the torch for black women in this space, and we all take that very seriously. And that's one of the things that I respect about my cast so much is that we protect our brands, we protect the way that we are portrayed, and we take that very seriously, you know, give or take a few that may not be here anymore. So it's I think we all are intelligent enough to know when it's time to clock in and when maybe we need to sit back and allow, you know, others to step in. That's that was one difference between my cast and Girl Strip.

00:52:00
Speaker 3: I'm used to being in a group where we allow.

00:52:03
Speaker 1: Each other to speak because we're thinking about the audio guy and how they're gonna have to turn this one down so.

00:52:10
Speaker 3: That you can hear this one talk.

00:52:12
Speaker 1: So we are very aware of Okay, let's let you know, Robin have this.

00:52:17
Speaker 3: Moment to explain what she's saying, and then.

00:52:21
Speaker 1: Karen will jump in and cuss her into smithereens She's gonna let Robin say what she has to say, because you all need to understand what we're saying, to follow our stories and to care about you know, what we're bringing you and girls today was just yelling and screaming. It was my wig slit off and I had brains, So you know, I just I think that we are all incredibly intelligent, savvy, smart women and we know how to maneuver.

00:52:55
Speaker 3: And it's there are a lot of.

00:52:57
Speaker 1: Just unspoken things that just fall all into place in the heat of moments and it just works. We are because we all have leadership spirit like we all we all have that leadership capacity, so everybody knows how to police themselves and I think that contributes heavily to our success.

00:53:19
Speaker 3: And I always give flowers to the ogs.

00:53:22
Speaker 1: This I want to say, this is Is this not the most ogs at this point in a s Yeah, that that's that's not a small feat.

00:53:30
Speaker 2: The Real Housewives hopotomac has the is making history in terms of having the most OG's return for a consecutive seventh season, which is Giselle, Robin, Ashley, and Karen. That has never been done in the history of the franchise. And that's why you guys are great, and that's no shame to do the Housewives franchise. We love them all. And one thing I love about you particularly you always give a land to their flowers and all day, every ing.

00:54:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I will continue to say it because I same lo the comparisons. We are not the same, and that's a beautiful thing, and we would not be if it were not for the.

00:54:14
Speaker 3: Path that they laid. The tweet.

00:54:16
Speaker 1: I see it all the time. Atlanta walp So Potomac could run. I will say it until I have no breath. I was a studier and a watcher and someone who just respected immensely what this ensemble cast of powerful, entertaining as hell black women were able to do for reality TV. Bravo would not be where Bravo is without Atlanta.

00:54:40
Speaker 2: Carlos King would not be the king of reality television with Atlanta. And I will always give a Lanta to their flowers. And look, I know a lot of people are just shaded Atlanta about not being at its best, and listen, I'm very honest about my feelings about the way the show has been the past couple of seasons, but make no mistake, it will always be the greatest reality show of all time. And because of Atlanta Housewives, all of us get to eat at the table in which they prepared. So let's make that very clear. So thank you can this for saying that I can talk to you all day. I'm gonna I know I'm gonna see you soon though, so we'll be good. But yeah, let the girls know where they can follow you, support your burgeoning music career and everything else.

00:55:24
Speaker 1: Yes, I am going on tour starting October nineteenth. There are still tickets available, I think in every city. DC is almost sold out, Chicago's almost sold out.

00:55:34
Speaker 3: So I'm doing.

00:55:35
Speaker 1: DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, and Philly. So you can get your tickets on citywinery dot com for my tour. I just had a series of rehearsals last week or in the last two days. This tour is going to be amazing. My band is the Bomb. I have a full band, So we're giving you music, We're giving you vibes, We're giving you choreography.

00:55:57
Speaker 3: I have dancers, we have.

00:55:59
Speaker 1: Smoke, we have diva fans, honey, we have costume changes, we.

00:56:03
Speaker 3: Have wigs, So get it. And vocals. The most important thing we have vocals.

00:56:08
Speaker 2: The mic is on, Mike will be on.

00:56:10
Speaker 1: I promise you that. So get your tickets, uh to the city Winery tour. We get on our bus going across the country. Honey, it's gonna it'snna be a time to check that out.

00:56:19
Speaker 2: I know you lie. Was this good? The dad? Y oh? No? Come, don't play with it. I am y'all, don't get I'm a fan. I did a video, but I never even met this girl. And when your first single came out, I see you. Yes, I did a video on Instagram in my drop top ports period and was like singing, I love for music.

00:56:51
Speaker 3: Remember that.

00:56:52
Speaker 2: Yeah, I know this is real. Like I am a candy girl fan. I love you. Thank you for blessing this podcast, and I.

00:57:01
Speaker 3: Will see you soon, very soon, Darling.

00:57:08
Speaker 2: I literally can talk to Candace all day long. I have to like stop myself from interviewing her because we would have had a week's worth interview. She is so fun, so spicy and all jump aside. I really hope all of you got a chance to learn a little bit more about Candace, because I don't think she's treated fairly on social media. I just don't. I think she gets a bad hand and a bad rap, and I'm hoping that listening to her talk about her life, her career, and just her spirituality open up your eyes to see why I really do think she truly is going to be one of the greatest housewives of all time. Candace my Life, you are on your way. Thank you for listening to Reality with the King. New episodes drop every Wednesday and Friday, Share, comment, follow, and subscribe to Reality with the King. Wherever you get your podcast, visit Reality withthe King dot com and be sure to follow me at the Carlos King Underscore on Instagram and Twitter. Tweak me your thoughts and hot takes about this episode using the hashtag Reality with the King. Reality with the King is a production of More Sauce by Stitcher. It is exactly produced by Me, Carlos King, and Jasminehilly Brown. We are also produced by Lashik Lotus Lee and La Porsha Thomas. Additional production support by Corona Wallace and Alexis Williams. Engineering and music by market Home. More Sauce