Love & Marriage: DC w/ Monique Samuels

00:00:00
Speaker 1: I had Reality TV PTSD. I was traumatized. The thought of the whole process all over again was a little traumatic. But at the same time, I felt comfortable because with you, I felt safer.

00:00:14
Speaker 2: I felt like, Okay, this is gonna be real.

00:00:16
Speaker 1: We're gonna have drama, We're gonna have our ups and downs, but at least it's gonna be real.

00:00:21
Speaker 3: Stay tuned.

00:00:22
Speaker 4: We'll get into my conversation with Monique Samuel right after these quick adds. Welcome to Reality with the King. It's me Carlos King, the King of Reality TV and one of the most sought after executive producers in reality television. With over ten years of production experience, I've executive produced top rated programs such as eight seasons of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Additionally, I have created shows such as Netflix is Styling Hollywood Owns number one rated love and marriage franchise at TV one's Hollywood Divas, just to name a few.

00:01:11
Speaker 3: So y'all know I have many.

00:01:12
Speaker 4: Jobs, child, Okay, just saying new episodes of Reality with the King will air once a week on Wednesdays. We'll resume airing twice a week in June. In the meantime, make sure you catch my new late night talk show, The Night Captain Carlos King on the Oprah Winfrey Network every Saturday night starting May fourteenth, immediately following Love and Marriage DC, Hey, rain Drop. Yes, so look, today's guest on Reality with the King is the legend of all housewive reunions myth by your honey. Yes, I'm talking about the leading lady a Love and Marriage DC, Monique Samuels.

00:02:09
Speaker 3: When it comes to Monique Samuel's.

00:02:11
Speaker 4: I've always been a fan of that woman.

00:02:15
Speaker 3: And let me tell you why.

00:02:17
Speaker 4: I remember watching season two of The Real House Sposer Potomac because season one wasn't great, No, Shay, it wasn't. And what was so interesting about season two was Monique period point and the blank, because she was so dynamic, she was so present, and for me, she was somebody who I felt like, Yes, she represents wealth, she represents class, she represents a woman who's able to hold her own against Giselle Bryant.

00:02:47
Speaker 3: And I've been a fan ever since.

00:02:48
Speaker 4: When she left the Real House Spots of Potomac, it was a sad day for us Bravo fans because Monique was such a great addition to that franchise. So when she left, I was sad. I splint in her DMS. And what you're going to hear in this conversation with Monique Samuel's is the fact that a friendship was burnt after a destruction that happened with her experience on the Real Housewives of Potomac. So I can't wait for you all to listen to this insightful interview with one of the architects of the successful Real Housewives of Potomac franchise, Monique Samuels. You are back starring on my franchise that I created, Love and Marriage DC. You are such a fantastic personality, star woman, business woman, mother.

00:03:47
Speaker 3: Wife, all those things.

00:03:49
Speaker 4: But before we get into your brand new show, let's talk about why did you decide to leave The Real Housewives of Potomac.

00:04:00
Speaker 1: Okay, So, reality TV is something that I've grown to love. I actually enjoy it the mystery of actually living your real life and then going through the whole process of filming and then being entertained by seeing what they do with all the footage.

00:04:16
Speaker 2: You know, So I really enjoyed it.

00:04:18
Speaker 1: Even at times where I was getting frustrated or feeling like my story wasn't really being told properly. I still enjoyed the whole process. I enjoyed the entertainment side of it all, and I did enjoy that most people who watched the show still got a pretty good idea of who I was as a person. Right, So, when I joined reality TV, my sole purpose was I want to show black love. I want to show a black family who doesn't have it all together. But we're a real representation of what black love looks like and how it can last, it can survive, It has its ups and downs. We have beautiful children that were raising and this is what it is. Well, when it got to a point where who so many things. So when the real hate starts happening off camera, that hate that's on camera, you think is like, okay, we are filming the show, so I can let that slide. But once you start finding out things that are happening outside the show, even after we've wrapped certain things and being said, and people are coming together trying to manipulate and mastermind some type of plot. Once that starts happening, that's when it gets really ugly and you're like, wait, hold on, what are we doing here? You know, so it was like off camera, behind the scenes issues.

00:05:33
Speaker 2: It was also just the production the network.

00:05:39
Speaker 1: There were issues that were coming from all over that ultimately led me to say, you know what, this is too much and I need to quit. I remember filming Reunion, my last reunion. The day that we arrived to the hotel, we then found out that I was put in the wrong hotel purposely. Yes, yes, they put me in a wrong hotel, which when we got there, I said, this isn't the caliber hotel that we usually would stay in.

00:06:09
Speaker 3: It in a three star hotel.

00:06:12
Speaker 2: It was more like two point eight stars. Yes, yes it was.

00:06:18
Speaker 1: It was intense to the point where as soon as my husband and I had gotten a room, I immediately pulled out my diffuser and started putting oils in it and started getting the room to smell good, because I'm like, this is just weird. If it weren't for the fact that Karen and I have a genuine love for each other and wanted to see each other once we arrived, I would not have known that I was in the wrong hotel until the day of reunion, which we're up at like four or five in the morning, so that means nobody would have been answering that phone. I would not have known I was in the wrong hotel. I would have been coming down to the third floor, like they said over our conference call, and I would have been like, well, where is everybody?

00:06:58
Speaker 2: I had no idea.

00:07:00
Speaker 1: So it was almost like that situation that Nini talked about with her show, where everybody had on white and she was told to wear black, and it wasn't until she sat down that she.

00:07:08
Speaker 2: Realized, wait, I have the wrong darn color on, you know. So it was just it was insane.

00:07:15
Speaker 1: And not only was I I was put at the wrong hotel, I was then giving a bunch of lives and excuses as to why I wasn't at the proper hotel.

00:07:23
Speaker 4: What do they say to you in your inquiry why you weren't at the same hotel as the cast?

00:07:27
Speaker 1: They said, because I was bringing to Challa my parent, which they asked me to bring. But I told them, I said, no, this is the hotel y'all always said that I was at from the very beginning. I said, I have email proof, and you know, I pulled out them receipts and sent the emails as I always do, and I said, this is what I was always told before y'all even knew T'Challa was coming. So I said, that's some BS. Then they said, oh, the hotel sold out. I said, okay, hold on one second. Called the hotel they had rooms available and everything. I said, can you go ahead and book me three rooms because I have my glad with me? So I said, book me three rooms for tonight. We'll be there in two seconds. I said, also, I have my parent with me, who is very well trained. Is it okay if he comes as well? And she said yes, no problem. You'll just have to fill out a form and you get here. They told me, oh, well, the parent can't come, and that's why they were trying to come up with all sorts of excuses, and of course I put them on pause. I called did my due diligence right then? And I said, these are all eyes. The hotel is not booked. And they also said I can bring my parent.

00:08:30
Speaker 2: So what else? What you got next? What else can you come up with? Because you're lying.

00:08:35
Speaker 1: Secondly, they tried to they staged a whole scene on the day of reunion, having a fake security guard as if to say they were afraid of my husband and I because we're supposed to be this aggressive couple.

00:08:48
Speaker 2: You know.

00:08:49
Speaker 1: There was so much that happened, But God is good. God was on my side the entire time through it all. I knew it was going to be a rough time to conclude this, but I had my mindset and I'm glad that I found out when I did that we were at the wrong hotel, and we quickly corrected it, because they would have completely thrown me off my game. Had I not woken up at the right place, I would have woke up frustrated, you know, just like trying to figure out what's going on. I would have been frantic. My hairstyles and my makeup artists would not have been on their game.

00:09:23
Speaker 2: We would have been late.

00:09:25
Speaker 1: It would have been so many things that could have happened that would have completely just like ruined everything. So I'm just grateful that what they tried to do didn't work.

00:09:35
Speaker 4: Why do you think they supposedly tried to sabotage you?

00:09:41
Speaker 3: Like, what would they have gotten out of that?

00:09:43
Speaker 4: If you believe that that was the reason why they did it.

00:09:46
Speaker 1: It's called poking that bear. Even more, they wanted me to be pissed off. They wanted me to be angry because they needed to justify the fight. They wanted to paint a picture as if I was this aggressive person who was going to be and what actually happened was they proved to be the aggressive ones. You know, once we sat down, I was very cool, calm and collected the whole time. You're not going to define me by a moment. Everybody has moments, you know. So I had a moment that I wish I could go back and correct, but it happened, and all I can do now is move forward. And that's what I was determined, is to show people this is actually who I am. I went through a moment, I dealt with it, I was accountable for my actions, and I moved forward according to my time. I wasn't going to let anybody force or rush me through my process. So when it came down even to the apology, I did it when I was ready to do it.

00:10:40
Speaker 3: So that it could mean something, So it can be genuine.

00:10:43
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, so it can be genuine. But yeah, they wanted to poke the bear. They wanted me to come in there pissed off and going crazy. But then after it concluded, it really showed who the crazy ones were yelling out, screaming. They didn't show all of it, but there was a lot of And I sat there like this the whole time time and didn't break a sweat.

00:11:02
Speaker 3: Sitting pretty and sitting on ready.

00:11:05
Speaker 4: So when you talk about because one thing that people don't know about reality TV is when you're on a show with women, you oftentimes meet on the show, like we love to say, oh, we were friends, and sometimes it's true, like some reality stars on the ensemble show are friends before the before the show starts, but ninety percent of the time these reality stars are meeting each other for the first time on camera. So you walk into a situation where at the time you were friends with Sharis, but everyone else were brand new to you. And it did appear that Giselle was intimidated by you.

00:11:45
Speaker 3: So when you talk about things happening on.

00:11:49
Speaker 4: The show that you took it as Okay, this is TV, whatever, I get it, let's make a good TV show, whatever. But your concern was when it's spilled into your personal life.

00:11:59
Speaker 3: And you and I never talked about this.

00:12:01
Speaker 4: So I'm only saying this to you based on what I've heard being a reality TV executive. Is you felt that some of the women on the show were spreading lies about you your family that at that point was sort of like this is off limits, and this is this is not even what I signed up for at this point, like it's one thing to throw shade, but when you involved these allegations of cheating and DNA and children, it got to the point where it was no longer making good TV. Right.

00:12:35
Speaker 1: And also, let's just be clear from the very beginning, even when it comes to Shariz, when I came onto this show, I didn't know any of these women, you know, So at.

00:12:44
Speaker 2: The end of the day, I didn't know way No. The first time I met her was at Katie's event when I walked.

00:12:51
Speaker 3: In Monique Battie Samuels.

00:12:56
Speaker 4: I listen, I feel stupid because I believe that, y'all.

00:13:04
Speaker 2: Damn listen.

00:13:05
Speaker 1: I remember going to Wizards games, and I know who her husband is.

00:13:09
Speaker 2: I didn't even know he was married, to be honest. But no.

00:13:14
Speaker 1: So I've heard of some of these women, but I never actually knew them or met them until I started filming with them.

00:13:20
Speaker 2: So, but the thing with Cherise was we.

00:13:22
Speaker 1: Actually formed a very genuine sisterhood from that moment. So I thought so, I thought. We spent a lot of time together. And what's sad is when when I had a friend who was actually on the show my second season, she made a couple appearances. And I've known this woman for like a long time, over ten years. She's the one that started creating these rumors, and she was literally pitching them to production, she was pitching them to cast, and everybody knew it wasn't true. Everybody knew it wasn't true. In fact, at the time, Chris, myself and Jose we all worked out at the same gym.

00:14:02
Speaker 2: We would see each other.

00:14:03
Speaker 1: From time to time, passing by and never spoke to each other, but we would see each other, you know. So it was like everybody knew, but it was like, oh, okay, this is something good that we can bring to TV, you know.

00:14:15
Speaker 2: But my where I drew.

00:14:16
Speaker 1: The line was it wasn't the rumor. Everybody's going to have rumors about them. I've had rumors about me since childhood. It's what happens, Especially if you're a person where people see lights or if they see something good in you, they're always going to want to come up with something that can possibly tear you down. So the rumors is not what bothered me. It was once they started involving my child. And then what really tipped the iceberg was that last season that I was on, there were two shows happening.

00:14:46
Speaker 2: There was a social media.

00:14:47
Speaker 1: Show and then there was a show on TV. So people who followed on social media, they saw the lives. Especially she who shall never be named, went live and actually admitted that they were plotting and trying to figure out a way to come up with this mess and then put it on the show.

00:15:06
Speaker 2: So that didn't come from me. I didn't say those things.

00:15:09
Speaker 1: That was told by her at a point where her and I weren't even friends, so I don't even know if she realized what she was doing.

00:15:15
Speaker 2: She was team Monique right then and didn't even know it.

00:15:18
Speaker 1: So yeah, so once she admitted that, my husband and I went live in response because people were messaging us and sending us, bloggers were reaching out.

00:15:28
Speaker 2: They were like, are y'all going to address this?

00:15:29
Speaker 1: It's going around and people are really starting to pay attention to this live that's going around as being passed around on YouTube and everything else. So I said, you know what, me and Chris talked and we said you know what, We'll go ahead and go live and address everything and just put everything out there. And we told the full story everything you need to know about everything.

00:15:47
Speaker 2: We had been dealing with this woman for two years off camera.

00:15:51
Speaker 1: You know, there was a time where Giselle was trying to say that my husband was cheating on me, but that didn't stick.

00:15:57
Speaker 2: So that never made it to the show.

00:15:59
Speaker 4: And if you know Chris, Chris worships the ground you walk on, Chris Stopher Samuel's the man I met and been around. He's never going to risk losing you. And that's coming from me, that man loves you. So no wonder didn't stick. Because this makes me so sad because one thing I appreciate about producing reality TV is the real, authentic moments. And it's funny because Kenya Moore and I were talking yesterday about this season of Atlanta and one thing she said to me was she misses the authenticity where it was nobody was playing up to the cameras and I and I the reason why I loved you so much when you entered season two.

00:16:45
Speaker 3: You were so natural.

00:16:47
Speaker 4: You were I love women who are pretty, but they don't act like they are like you were. You were a girl's girl and you really wanted to like experience this sisterhood.

00:16:59
Speaker 3: And it was sad.

00:17:00
Speaker 4: To see how destructive it became because one thing I know working with you, and I'm going to say this on the record, Monique is a star and she wants to make a good TV show. She's all about Monique is always like, we're on TV.

00:17:19
Speaker 3: We're on this show. Let's be real. She gives PEPs talks to the cast of DC.

00:17:25
Speaker 4: Monique is like, look, we need to make sure we're authentic.

00:17:30
Speaker 3: That's always been your biggest thing.

00:17:32
Speaker 4: So I know you so well that you being a part of a machine where the cast is trying to make the show so great at the demise of someone's marriage, I think is sad.

00:17:48
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's where you draw the line, because that's not what we're here for. It shouldn't be it shouldn't be so malicious, Like we can make great TV and still respect each other's boundaries, you know. So when it came to that, I was like, why would I go back to this? Now you have that situation, You then add in the hotel situation. You then add in the gas lighting that happened with the fight and the outcome of the fight and everything else when they literally tried to act as if I didn't get hit in the face with a glass. So when they're yelling get off her and let her go, I'm literally she had a broken glass in her hands. I supposed to let her go so she can then slice me up, like come on, And it was just insane. It was like everything I was saying was like, well, that didn't happen. We didn't see that, and at the time, I never saw the footage. So it's funny because a lot of people want me to be really upset and angry with Andy Cohen, but he was the one who we reached out to each other and we had a conversation right after the fight happened and I wanted to leave.

00:18:46
Speaker 2: Then I was like, you know what I'm done. This isn't while while I'm here.

00:18:50
Speaker 1: I don't like who this show is turning me into, and I would rather walk away, and Andy just said, you know, whatever makes you feel comfortable, you do. And he said, if you don't want to film with the cast, that's fine. If you don't want to go in the cash Trip, that's fine. We will follow your story outside of everything else. And you can film with who you feel comfortable filming with. So I said, okay. So in terms of my stance on what happened at the fight, he said, listen, if you recall what you recall, that's what you stand on. He said, don't switch up based off of what other people are saying. He said, but if this is what you remember, then that's what you stick to. And I'm so glad I did, because had I gone off of what they said, I would have.

00:19:35
Speaker 2: Never probably seen what actually really went down, you know.

00:19:39
Speaker 1: So that the level of respect that I have for him for giving me that advice, even back then when everybody else was trying to crucify me, I appreciate it. And he said, just keep it real, keep it authentic, and you stand on what you remember. And I said, okay, that's what I'm gonna do.

00:19:53
Speaker 4: Yeah, And that's the angy that I know. Like even when Portia had that unfortunate incident between Hurry Kenya at the season sixth reunion. You know, listen, you can say what you want about Andy. I will always go on record saying Andy really does want to make sure that the women feel safe. You know, He's not about like let's continue on this road. And what was so interesting about the Porsche and King situation, and I was present for that one, was we allowed Porsche to leave to deal with it.

00:20:28
Speaker 3: But what you said earlier is so true.

00:20:31
Speaker 4: It never defined her like we of course followed her reality. But if you see who Porsia is now, Porsche is a businesswoman. And at the end of the day, I always tell people this, if you look at anybody's life, we all have the ability to go there when pushed, when provoked, or when we feel like our backs up against the wall, you know, And one thing I appreciate about you is you did not allow that moment to define you. You allowed yourself to heal, to be able to have a genuine apology to the person involved, which I always looked at that like, no one understands that she could have apologized the moment that happened.

00:21:22
Speaker 3: It wouldn't have been genuine.

00:21:24
Speaker 4: You allowed yourself to heal, to learn and to say, I see my mistake in it. And the most beautiful moment that came out of your mouth that season was she did not deserve this, and I feel bad, And I was like, this is the beauty of Monique owning it and wanting to move forward. And I feel like you don't get enough credit for that.

00:21:47
Speaker 2: Thank you.

00:21:48
Speaker 1: Everybody wants to stand on the conversation that we had at Karen's house when they asked me, did I have any remorse?

00:21:55
Speaker 2: And I said no.

00:21:56
Speaker 1: That was literally like four days after the fight happened even have time to process it, and I was my adrenaline was still pumping, like I was still like I never had a moment to just calm down and really sit back and really digest it all. You know, I did not feel remorse in that moment, and nobody was gonna make me feel it in that moment. So I'm like, give me some credit for being real at that moment, because how many times have people gotten into altercations and fights knowing that they were dead wrong? And was just like, I don't feel bad about it, and still to this day, don't you know. So I had to wait and feel it myself. I couldn't allow somebody else to feel it. I was still trying to put all the pieces together to actually recall everything that happened. Even when I thought I was recalling certain things, I was being told no that that didn't happen like that.

00:22:45
Speaker 2: It was so much back and forth. So yeah, I had to.

00:22:49
Speaker 1: Go through the process myself and I went on an entire spiritual journey after that, which I'm still grateful for. It allowed me to really dissect some things that happened to me in childhood, to understand myself on a deeper level. Because I thought I was a person that was fully in control of myself. So I realized in that experience that I don't have control and that I needed to make sure that something like this will never happen again. I'll know better when to use good judgment to whether it's walking away, whether it's you know, removing.

00:23:20
Speaker 2: Myself from the situation or what have you.

00:23:23
Speaker 1: So because of that, it's like sped up my growth process so much more So you never know through what you go in life.

00:23:30
Speaker 2: You never know why you go.

00:23:31
Speaker 1: Through those things, but sometimes certain things have to happen for you to wake up.

00:23:36
Speaker 2: I wish that wasn't it, but it was the thing that woke me up.

00:23:39
Speaker 3: So I'm grateful, and it's your journey.

00:23:43
Speaker 4: And it's interesting is you will always be known as the iconic woman who brought a binder to the reunion and I even tweeted and put on my Instagram page, and I stand by this. Potomac Season five Part one reunion will always go down in history as one of the best reunions ever. You sat there, You sat pretty, you were sitting already. You rad the girls for filth. You looked gorgeous, your bob was bobbing, and.

00:24:16
Speaker 3: Your skin was skinning.

00:24:17
Speaker 4: Honey, and I loved it. But then after part three aired, you decided you were done after Wasn't is it true that after part three aired and you watching it, is when you decided, Okay, I'm done done.

00:24:35
Speaker 1: Yes, I watched it on the Saturday before it aired, and I was just completely just blown because they kept insisting on showing my husband and I live where my husband was basically like, well, if I was a woman, I would have slapped on women, you know, for talking about our child. He had every right to be upset. He didn't do anything aggressive to them. He actually called all them right after and apologized.

00:25:02
Speaker 2: He even apologized.

00:25:03
Speaker 1: He called Wine and he talked to Wine, he talked to Ray, and when he was on the phone with Wine and Robin, he told them, he said, listen, I don't have Giselle's number, and my wife don't talk to her, obviously, he said, but please let her know that. I also apologized to her for saying that. So they never talked about that. They never showed that, nor did they show why we went live in the first place.

00:25:27
Speaker 2: They never showed that.

00:25:29
Speaker 1: Girl basically saying that, Yeah, there was a plot, and I told them that this plot won't make sense because Chris Baby looked just like him.

00:25:37
Speaker 2: It looks like he spit them out.

00:25:38
Speaker 1: You're gonna look stupid if if you basically move forward with this plot. You need to come from a different angle. She said all of that, and they had the life. Andy asked me four or five times to make sure I sent him that live and also to make sure production had it, and I did that. They said that they were gonna use it. They even wanted all of the receipts that were in my binder. I gave them of electronic document that had an electronic version of my binder, so they had every receipt if they wanted to post it on the TV screen or whatever they had. They had every single thing that I had in that binder electronically, and I still have that link. If you want it, but yeah, I sent them everybody and to see that. They did not show the full picture. That was all I wanted. Just show the full picture. Don't show it so one sided and try to make my husband and I look like these angry black people, you know. So when they didn't come through and actually show what they said, they even set out their own mouths to us, we have to show both sides, because that's only fair. They said that, and then they didn't show it. So I remember that night, I was like, I'm done. And I remember the next day, Funky Dyniva, we were in Florida. Funky Diniva came past my mom's. We were all hanging out, and I was trying my best to keep my face straight because I didn't want him to pick up on the fact that I was pissed and I was out because I didn't want to tell anybody until I was ready to tell anybody, and he didn't pick up on it. That night, I already drafted up my email. I sent it to all of the execs you already know who they are, for Bravo and for Truly, and I said, you know, thank you, but no thank you. I said, I'm no longer want to be a part of this. I appreciate my time on the show. Good riddens, basically, and I sent that email at ten thirty one pm that night after.

00:27:28
Speaker 2: The reunion aired.

00:27:29
Speaker 1: I literally hit send at ten thirty one pm. Gotam done.

00:27:36
Speaker 3: Stay tuned for more of my conversation with Monique.

00:27:39
Speaker 4: Samuel's We'll be right back after some quick ads. This is reality with the King, and I'm Carlos King. Let's get back into my conversation with Monique. I tell people this all the time as a man in reality television, I don't care if I know you or not. If I see someone hurting or someone not having the best experience, I will always reach out to that person to say I don't want nothing from you. I just want you to know you don't have to go through this alone and that if you need someone to talk to, I'm here to talk to. I sent that to Monique. Miss Monique responded two weeks later, child I said, but no, Monique responded. Two weeks later, Monique, myself and Chris had a two hour conversation.

00:28:42
Speaker 3: Again.

00:28:42
Speaker 4: We didn't talk about nothing, but like her experience, it wasn't about work, it wasn't about nothing except I want to I want you guys to know that I am here for you, and that's all it was. And I wanted to let the world know that you and Chris said things to me that I know for a fact it's true because I am in this business. And the one thing I said to you and Chris at the end of the call was, don't let this experience define what you think reality TV is about. And if given the chance, I would love to showcase a different experience for you guys, if it should come to that. And then a month or two later is when I was approached by the Oprah Winfrey Network to spin off Love and Marriage Huntsville into a New City. And I said, if I'm going to do a new city, I want Monique Samuels.

00:29:49
Speaker 3: But Monique turned me down the first time I asked her. Tell me the Monique what happened.

00:29:55
Speaker 1: I was like, Carlos, I don't know. I don't want to do another ensemble. I said, oh, I don't know if I want to do that.

00:30:04
Speaker 2: But it's so funny because you.

00:30:05
Speaker 1: I appreciate you so much, Chris and I both because you allowed us to vent, You allowed us to get it all out and because we were able to get it all out in a safe space, it allowed us to heal. You know, it kind of sped up our healing process. Chris, you know, he always takes a little longer than than the most, but he finally came around. But it was it was a very toxic situation, you know, and it was scary. I remember, I mean even fast forward once we once you called me and was like, you know, once we agreed to it, we went through the whole process, and then when you were like, here's the date it's ready on said yes, I was.

00:30:48
Speaker 2: Just like, oh, well, I don't know.

00:30:52
Speaker 1: He's like when he stopped playing with me, I was like, oh, let me talk to Chris about this.

00:30:56
Speaker 4: You. I was so scared, like Monique is a about to back out of Love and Math DC after I saw the show to own and Monique introduced me to all these wanton for koupofs and she's about to leave the show before it started shoot and say, and the.

00:31:15
Speaker 1: Crazy thing about it, I just got I got cold feet, and I got That's why when we even had our very first confessional, I said I had Reality TV PTSD.

00:31:26
Speaker 2: I was traumatized the.

00:31:28
Speaker 1: Thought of the whole process all over again was a little traumatic, But at the same time, I felt comfortable because with you, I felt safer. I felt like, Okay, this is gonna be real. We're gonna have drama, We're gonna have our ups and downs, but at least it's gonna be real. And when I tell you your crew, oh my god, I never even felt like this could be possible. Where they were literally flies on the wall. I mean, it was just like, do what you do, you know, and I appreciate that. It was very genuine and it was I mean, everybody had such good energy. I didn't have to feel like I had to sage my house every time. After the camera crew left, I said, oh, we are good energy up in here.

00:32:18
Speaker 2: Listen. I'm like, listen, take all y'all spirits right on up out of here. But your crew had very good, positive energy.

00:32:27
Speaker 1: Very open and loving and accepting. Oh man, we would just have fun talking on the side. One of the camera guys, Gabe, me and Gab would be talking natural remedies to the point where they're like, cameras are back up, can y'all wrap up y'all's conversation.

00:32:40
Speaker 2: It was just it felt like family. It felt very nice. Not that I didn't have people that I felt like that with. There's There's one.

00:32:49
Speaker 1: There's one produce in particular, who I still talk to to this day, who I love so much from when I was on that other show.

00:32:55
Speaker 2: But it just it was different.

00:32:57
Speaker 1: It was a totally different experience, so it was worth coming back.

00:33:01
Speaker 3: Oh thank you, No listen.

00:33:02
Speaker 4: I tell people all the time my job as the creative shows is to make sure that my casts have a good experience, because I don't think people understand how difficult and challenging it is for someone to show the world the good, the bad, the ugly like.

00:33:24
Speaker 3: That it takes a lot.

00:33:25
Speaker 4: To be vulnerable in front of millions of people and the whole camera crew in your house. So my biggest thing I always tell people is my job is to make sure my cast feels comfortable. And when I say to you, guys, Monique and Chris are a fantastic addition to this franchise. And I will go on record saying this franchise could not have worked without Chris and Monique because you two bring such a lie level of experience and authenticity to the show, and it's spilled over into the other couples on DC to the point where it allowed them to be more real and to be more vulnerable, because you two were the example of how it should work. And when I say to y'all and listen, I wouldn't say this, but wasn't true.

00:34:25
Speaker 3: Love and Marriage.

00:34:26
Speaker 4: DC is about to knock your socks off. It is a fantastic show. It's black love, but it's real love, and it's the ups and downs. And when I say to you, Monique and Christopher, the first episode starts with Monique and it ends with Monique, honey.

00:34:50
Speaker 2: Oh lord, listen. Now let me tell you. Let me tell you something. One thing about Chris and I.

00:34:57
Speaker 1: The entire time we've done reality TV, we were told that we were too perfect. We were told that, you know, y'all don't show us this, and y'all don't show us that. All y'all show us is the good. And I remember telling production and telling the network. I said, Number one, I don't hear y'all saying that to Lisa, Vanda Pump and Ken. I don't hear y'all saying that to Kylin Mauricio. I don't hear y'all saying that to all the other couples that are less melanated in their marriages when we hear stuff about them off camera that we never hear on the show. So I said, so, at the end of the day, what Chris and I will never do is give you something that we're not actually going through. So it's not my fault that the time of year y'all want to bring around cameras. Me and Chris are fine.

00:35:36
Speaker 2: But let me tell you love and marriage DC. Oh.

00:35:39
Speaker 1: They called Chris and I at one of our most challenging times in our relationship, and it's funny because the beginning of the year is always a rift for us. So I remember when you said we're gonna start filming in January, and I was like, oh lord, I was texting you like probably, I don't know. I was like, Yo, come get this dude now.

00:36:04
Speaker 4: Monique was like, I'm going to Arizona right, yes. Monique was like, Carlos, I'm going to Arizona for two weeks. So how long it was with by by myself because I need to save my marriage. But in order for that to happen, I have to be okay with me and the beautiful part of that conversation I never shared this with you. Either was the fact that I will always give Chris his promps because he made sure that you felt safe enough to go through that in.

00:36:40
Speaker 3: Order to be whole.

00:36:41
Speaker 4: And I don't think a lot of husbands would have allowed their wife to go out of town by themselves because they needed to heal while he was at home. I will always give that black man his credit.

00:36:54
Speaker 1: Yes, I was there for five nights, and when I tell you, I went to a meditation in a meditation resort. So it was all about just like mindfulness, being present, no phones, just very like. It was amazing and it allowed me because you know what happens in the marriage. A lot of times we want so much from our spouse, but we really don't know what we want because we don't know who we are. We don't know what makes us feel safe, whole and present. So in order for me to come back and tell Chris, hey, this is what I need from you, I needed to see what I needed from me, you know, And that's what I needed to really understand myself even better when it comes to me as a woman, as an entrepreneur, as a wife, as a mom, especially with the thought of going back into reality TV. I said, I need to know exactly where I am, and he allowed me to do.

00:37:50
Speaker 2: That, and now I'm actually not now, but I've.

00:37:52
Speaker 1: Been encouraging him to do the same, even if he goes to the same resort I went to, whatever he wants to do. It is something about in time with yourself and you have that one on one time with God and you're able to I was journaling every day and it was incredible. But it also this is the thing about spiritual journeys and growth. As you start to elevate in your spiritual journey, and if you're in a marriage, your spouse has to elevate as well. So then that's what a lot of people are going to witness when they watch Love and Marriage DC is that Chris and I are off balance and we're trying our best to get back on balance and get back on the same page.

00:38:36
Speaker 2: So it was a very real season for us. It still is.

00:38:41
Speaker 1: Every time we had confessionals, it was like we were in a therapist's office and we were very open and vulnerable, very vulnerable about everything that we were dealing with.

00:38:51
Speaker 4: Now, I promise you, guys, if you think you knew Monique and Chris, you have seen nothing yet.

00:38:58
Speaker 3: It is deep, it is real.

00:39:00
Speaker 4: And the thing about the Love and Marriage franchise is similar to other franchises. Each city is different, So Huntsville Love and Match Huntsville is very different. It's it's great on his own. They got their own marital issues. The thing with DC is it feels to me like the Black nine to two one zero. And these couples are beautiful and they're funny and there. Each couple is going through their own journey and their marriage. But Monique, let them know what they can expect from the season between you, the other couples, and your friend, Miss Winter Williams.

00:39:42
Speaker 1: If y'all, if y'all watch Game of Thrones and they say winter is coming, Honey, winter is coming. I know, I know it is like May up out here in these in these United States streets.

00:39:56
Speaker 2: But let me let me tell you winter is coming May fourteenth.

00:40:02
Speaker 1: That couldn't even start a winter, Oh lord, let me tell you so Quick and Ashley so Quick is a very well known DJ in this area. Ashley is a very bubbly, social like entrepreneur, boss mom, all of that in her and Quick's dynamic. First of all, let me just say this about all of the couples. Everybody is bringing their weight, everybody is earning their check, everybody is bringing vulnerability, they're bringing their own story, and then we're all helping each other through whatever it is that we're going through, allowing each other to space to vent, and it really does show you what real marriage is about. So with Quick and Ashley, they are the first to let you know that they do not have a lot of married friends. So we're gonna navigate that because you know, Ms. Ashley don't like using that friend word. She'd be like frue, so I'm not. I'm like, we'd we ain't friends. But one thing I do love also about this show is that we're not coming into this acting like we've known each other and we're besties. We're letting you know we know each other from social scenes. I met Arena on Instagram. I remember seeing her on the black Socialites page Kyle rest in Peace. He had a page in DC that talked all about socialites and everything else, and he would post her and I'm.

00:41:22
Speaker 2: Like, well, who is she? I need to know her. She's so fine.

00:41:25
Speaker 1: I slid up into her DMS and I was like, honey, you need to be on this show.

00:41:30
Speaker 2: That was the other show.

00:41:31
Speaker 1: That's how long ago this was, and me and her would chat back and forth and once we connected, it is so beautiful to see her and her husband, Jamie the Tylers. Jamie invented the day party scene in DC. You're gonna see a lot of DC culture. Arena is born and raised in DC. Ashley and Quick.

00:41:53
Speaker 2: First of all, Ashley is hilarious, beyond funny.

00:41:59
Speaker 1: Without you and trying to be funny, she thows shade by accident. I love her.

00:42:05
Speaker 2: She is so funny. She cracks me up. But she is very real.

00:42:11
Speaker 1: You ain't gonna have no questions about how she feels about you after you leave the room. She ain't got no reason to continue a conversation after you're gone, because she's gonna let you know right there.

00:42:19
Speaker 2: You know, Raina is so she's so poised.

00:42:24
Speaker 1: She is like a perfect queen, and she's going to actually really show you behind the curtain what is going on with Raina as she raises her children. And then you have Tasha and Neil Lyons, who are friends of mine. Tasha used to do when people say, oh, who used to do your hair? And confessionals. Tasha most of the time, all of those afrocentric styles that I wore. That was Tasha, So her and Neil and I we've all been friends for years and to the point where we would get together as families. We would go out to our lake house and we would get together. So we've known each other for a long time. And they're very spicy, they're very real and open.

00:43:05
Speaker 2: And Chris and I we're the young couples in this group. Then you have Miss Winter.

00:43:10
Speaker 1: Now Winter I've known from the NFL Wives Club, So I was a girlfriend back then and her ex husband and Chris played together, and so we've known each other in that realm of that NFL world for a long time. And one thing about NFL wives is that even when you don't talk all the time, years could literally go by, that connection is still there because we all understand what it's like to be married to an NFL player or a former NFL player, and when we need help, when we need somebody to lean on, when we're going through things in our marriages, you have these people that you can feel comfortable and trust and talk to. So it's going to be a heck of a season. I cannot wait to watch.

00:43:55
Speaker 3: Oh it's good. It's good.

00:43:57
Speaker 4: No, cap is fantastic, It's f b reap thing Love and Married DC premiere Saturday, May fourteenth at nine o'clock. And then Monique is going to be my first guest on my late night series called The Night Captain Carlos King. Aaron got ten o'clock following DC. And before I let you go, the girls gagged because you were offered a spot on Real Housewife Ultimate Girls Trip.

00:44:28
Speaker 3: Yes, and you turned it down. Is that true?

00:44:31
Speaker 2: Yes, it's true.

00:44:34
Speaker 1: Andy reached out to me and he said, you know, I have an awesome opportunity that I would love to talk to you about.

00:44:40
Speaker 2: So I was like okay, and.

00:44:42
Speaker 1: We talked on the phone and he's explaining everything to me. I was actually his I think I was his second call that he made after he was greenlit and he wanted me to be there. He reassured me that it was just me. He's like, we don't have any other potomacast coming or anything like that, and I said okay, So I just listened and I was very quiet, and he was like, well, why don't you sleep on it? And I was like, yeah, no, I don't. I don't know if this is something I want to do, and I told him, and I told him I straight up. I was straight up with him, and I said, it's not just a cast issue. I said, it was also a production and a network issue. So I said, you know, I don't I don't know if this is something I want to do. And he still was like, sleep on it. So I said, okay, I'll sleep on it. A few days later, we talked again and I said, I said, I appreciate you thinking to me, but I'm going to have to pass. I just I don't feel comfortable doing it. And he said, okay, I totally understand. If you change your mind, just let me know and and then I stay in touch. You know, there's no love life.

00:45:41
Speaker 3: Congratulated you when Love and Marriage DC was announced.

00:45:44
Speaker 2: He did, he even when they when they actually leaked it.

00:45:48
Speaker 1: He was one of the first text messages I got saying congratulations, and I couldn't respond because it wasn't official.

00:45:54
Speaker 2: So I just had to leave him on red for like weeks.

00:45:58
Speaker 1: So as soon as y'all all announced it officially, I text them back, like, thank you so much. I wanted to respond, but I couldn't. He said, oh, trust I already know how to say worked. He said, I figured that was the case. It's all good, you know. So yeah, he definitely congratulated and he said, I know the show is going to be a hit because it has you.

00:46:15
Speaker 2: And I said, oh, thank you.

00:46:17
Speaker 3: And he never lied.

00:46:20
Speaker 4: Have you heard from the Potomac Ladies about Loving Marriage DC?

00:46:24
Speaker 1: Absolutely, I've heard from Ashley, I heard from Karen. Those are the only two ladies I still talk to. Those are my sisters. I love them.

00:46:32
Speaker 2: I actually hooked up with Ashley Chris and I met up with her and.

00:46:35
Speaker 1: Michael in Florida a few months ago, so so yeah, it sucks to hear what they're going through right now.

00:46:42
Speaker 4: But yeah, how is she spoken to her since she announced she was falling for divorce?

00:46:47
Speaker 3: Yes?

00:46:47
Speaker 2: I did.

00:46:48
Speaker 1: But you know one thing about Ashley, she is one of the most positive people that I've ever met. She is the biggest tree hugger, Like, she is always going to see the good in every situation. So she's keeping her head up and she's, you know, just to see what happens down this road. So I'm really proud of her for just being brave enough to do what she feels is best for her you know, and Karen you know that's that's my honey. So yes, I talked to Karen right before her show premiere on Bravo. She had her Grand Down reunion, which I was so excited for her.

00:47:20
Speaker 2: So yeah, yeah, I stay in touch with those two.

00:47:24
Speaker 3: I love that.

00:47:24
Speaker 4: So where can people follow you support you me? Like even centrals all let the girls know, honey, well they can support you and follow you.

00:47:34
Speaker 1: Yes, everything is Monique Samuels dot com. That's the easiest. But you can follow me on Instagram at missus Monique Samuels. I am on a morning show, the local morning show in DC WPGC ninety five point five. You can listen to me every morning from six am to ten am. It's the Good Morning Show. And you can also download the Odyssey app if you're not local in the area, and you can hear us. We have a whole good time. You will laugh the entire time you're listening to that show. We just come every day and choose ignorance.

00:48:03
Speaker 2: So yes, it's fun. And then on Twitter, i am Missus Samuels. I have my.

00:48:09
Speaker 1: Pre therapeutic essential oils company called Mela Evsentials, So you can go to shopmeelaeve dot com and get yourself together if you need to sleep, breathe, lose some weight, detox all of that.

00:48:20
Speaker 2: We got an all for it.

00:48:25
Speaker 4: I really hope y'all enjoy my epic conversation with Monique. Let me tell y'all something I love this woman and the beauty of Monique is when you guys watch Love and Marriage DC, I promise you one thing, you're going to definitely see Monique be the force multiplier of the show. Come on, force multiplier. She is such a joy to watch.

00:48:51
Speaker 3: She is comfortable in front of the camera.

00:48:55
Speaker 4: And for the real Housewives of Potomac fans, you're going to see the real side of Monique on Love and Marriage DC. And I hope that this conversation proved that she is a woman who has learned from her mistakes and she did it on her own time so that it could be genuine. Please, please, please make sure you watch the show, because I promise you one thing, you're going to love it as.

00:49:21
Speaker 3: Much as I do.

00:49:23
Speaker 4: Make sure you catch the series premiere of Love and Marriage DC this Saturday, May fourteenth, at nine o'clock East.

00:49:30
Speaker 3: Granth On own.

00:49:35
Speaker 4: Thoughts opinions reads about my conversation with Monique. Email me at Reality Withtheking at stittrid dot com or leave me a voicemail at three P one Oho five ninety three eight one eight eight.

00:49:52
Speaker 3: Watch.

00:49:53
Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to Reality with the King, 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.

00:50:18
Speaker 3: Hashtag Reality with the King.

00:50:21
Speaker 4: Reality with the King is a production of More Sauce by Stitcher More Sauce. It is executive produced by Me, Carlos King, and Jasmine Henley Brown. We are also produced by Sierras Bradley Rix, engineering and music by Marcus Ham More Sauce