The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Give Until It Hurts

The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Give Until It Hurts

How is it that nearly the entire cast of The Real Housewives of Potomac imploded over something as nice as three charity events? Before tonight I really didn’t think it could happen. But giant egos and old vendettas came together in a perfect convergence zone, and the fallout will last the rest of the season. Tonight was all about charities but nothing about giving.

It’s date night for Karen Huger and her husband, Ray. He has been busy handling all the tax problems and Karen is occupying her time with her new perfume line and her charity, O Huger, which is named after Ray’s mom, Odessa. The foundation is to support the Alzheimer’s Association and not only does Odessa suffer from it, but Karen’s mother does as well. Both her parents are in bad health, but Karen has told her mother she’s not ready to let her mom pass just yet. In a moment of lucidity, her mom tells Karen she’s proud of her, and I can’t help but get emotional too. Good grief, Karen, we’re only five minutes in, let’s move on to something happy before we’re all a mess.

The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Give Until It Hurts

Ashley Darby and Gizelle Bryant are shopping for a gift for Robyn Dixon. Gizelle is proud of Robyn for getting back on track after her financial disaster that she’s responsible for but let’s not beat it to death. Ashley gets an A+ from Ms. Bryant in the friendship competition category by saying she’s going to Robyn’s Empowerment Summit and not Monique’s Gala. But Charrisse Jackson? Oh Honey, save your energy for the Miss Resting Bitch Face Competition because Cha, you’re a shoo-in. Gizelle just can’t believe Charrisse would go to Monique’s party and not Robyn’s! And Karen? Well, that no good liar first said yes and then said no. The nerve! Ashley is BAFFLED as to why Karen would have a change of plans and Gizelle wistfully says she doesn’t know (sigh).

The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Give Until It Hurts

At Monique Samuels’s house, we are in for a treat. The instigator of the ‘arrested while bare in the park’ rumor is at the front door. In walks Kyndall, Sherman’s ex and soon to be all anyone talks about. Monique really likes Kyndall but she doesn’t invite her to any outings where she knows Gizelle will be around. Kyndall and Sherman used to live in the neighborhood where Monique now lives, so they take a walk and discuss Kyndall’s backstory old times. Kyndall admits that divorcing Sherman was hard, but it was harder being married to him. They also talk about Sherman’s arrest for having sex in the park and how it was THE END of the marriage. Dang! I almost feel bad for Sherman. One day you’re minding your own business, working out in the gym, hitting on hot single moms like Gizelle, and the next thing you know BAM! Your business is all over Bravo. Anyway, Kyndall and Gizelle actually know each other and we’re given the receipts with a picture showing Kyndall, Gizelle, Charrisse and Robyn. What Kyndall didn’t know, is that Gizelle and Sherman were dating. He never told her. She found out when their son came home from visiting Sherman and told Kyndall her friend was at Dad’s.

It must be Friday in Potomac because it’s the day of the two events. Robyn wants to make women realize they can create empires. Monique is just happy to be out of the house without kids, husbands, but most importantly, no drama. Everyone at Monique’s gala is in their black-tie finery. Charrisse arrives and tells Monique it’s a good thing Cha really likes her because clothes-wise she’d much rather be wearing business casual.

Over at Robyn’s Women’s Empowerment Conference, Gizelle and Robyn discuss Charrisse. Again! Robyn’s just really disappointed that Charrisse didn’t value their friendship and picked Monique over her. And by the way, what about Karen lying?!? She listened to Karen cry about the IRS for hours (and has held it over her head for months). How dare she not dump Monique in favor of Robyn? Gizelle instructs her to get in Karen’s face, finger pointed, and just say, “Really Karen?? REALLY?!?” According to Gizelle, Karen has no character. She doesn’t care about charity; she just wants to get all dressed up. Oh, the irony of these two women planning the takedown of one of their “friends” for choosing another function over the one celebrating women encouraging women is not lost on me.

Back at Monique’s shindig, she tells Charrisse that she’s invited their friend Kyndall. Charrisse is like, Hold up? Why is Monique poaching my friends for all her charity events? First Hurricane Harvey and now this? Monique is confused (as am I). Help me out on this…why is Charrisse upset? Envy?

The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Give Until It Hurts

Karen arrives fashionably late. She and Kyndall have known each other for years. Well, of course, Karen has to invite Kyndall to her O Huger event. Monique and Charrisse are both gob-smacked. Won’t Gizelle also be there? In case you’re wondering, Karen says there is no mess here; she’s just being nice to a woman she’s known a long time and is generous in giving to charity. Gizelle’s just going to have to deal with Kyndall being around. What’s more, Karen isn’t even going to charge Kyndall like she is everyone else. Monique doesn’t take this well. Not only is she mad that Kyndall is coming for free, but Monique’s big check has to be made to Incon Inc (Karen’s business) and not the Alzheimer’s Association. Now before we all go and think this is fishy, it’s just an accounting thing – nothing to see here folks! And to put Monique, Charrisse and the rest of us in our place, Karen says she can do whatever she wants and it’s her business and don’t ask her again! “Batches, shut up and write that check!” Awwwl-righty-then.

The next day Robyn and her real estate mentor break into a house. Yes, yes they did. The house is a real mess, but that’s no reason to kick the door in guys! She calls her mom and they decide to buy it. Whew! I’m not saying Robyn had already purchased it and just pulled a stunt for dramatic effect, but I’m glad to know she won’t be charged with breaking and entering.

The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Give Until It Hurts

Candiace Dillard and her fiancé Chris are checking out yet another wedding venue. The room is huge, so can hold even more than the current 405 that Candiace wants. Chris tells her she can invite as many people as she wants as long as she sacrifices in other areas because their budget is a strict $165,000 and not a penny more. Candiace spews a laundry list of demands which are numerous. Chris looks at her like she’s finally gone off the deep end. Then he does a total guy thing – he starts talking math to her. Not only is that not romantic, but it just proves to Candiace that he doesn’t see her vision. They both think the other is annoying so Candiace suggests they stop before the whole wedding is off. On a side note, I was tempted not to write about this scene, but I skipped her wedding planning scene all together last week so I kind of felt obligated.

Monique and Chris go together for a mani-pedi. Monique smuggles in a bottle of wine and I’m no expert, but I didn’t know nail spas were a BYOB party. But hey, Monique likes to par-tayyy!

Michael and Ashley are having dinner. Happily, his business is going well, so Ashley decides to bring up babies. Michael had hinted when they were bowling with the Samuels that he might be starting to maybe getting sorta ready. Michael fakes amnesia and can’t remember any of that. Flashbacks show three years of Ashley pleading for a baby and Michael delaying. He somehow turns it on an attack on Ashley’s mom. Before they even consider having a child, Ashley must push away from her awful mother. He doesn’t want his child raised like Ashley. He needs her to step up and teach the kid his values. Ashley knows he isn’t being fair and this is the biggest dig he’s ever taken and it is brutal. He married her knowing that kids were her non-negotiable. He’s a successful businessman, and I feel like he played her. Ashley is his wife, not some competitor bidding on a project. What a rat.

The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Give Until It Hurts

It’s the night of Karen’s event. Not only is Rayvin home from college to attend but hey now! Carson Kressley is there! Random. Who’s not there? Robyn and Gizelle. They’re off plotting their move and decide to confront Karen in the middle of her party and demand an apology for saying she’d be there and then not coming….sort of like they’re doing right now. Robyn insists it’s about lying and Gizelle is actually mad about Kyndall being at Karen’s party. She’s mad that Karen texted her to warn her. But then, if Karen hadn’t texted, she would have been even angrier. Logic doesn’t matter because the Green-Eyed Bandits are going in on her tonight!

Karen’s event is a hit. Everyone looks great and Charrisse has a hella handsome young’un on her arm. Cha says inviting Kyndall was messy (it was) and thinks it’s tacky. I disagree. Now having everyone write the donation check to her business and not the foundation is tacky. However, revenge is a dish best served cold, and Karen took G’s #freeuncleben t-shirt dig and raised her with a #exwifewhoknowsthings cannon. Ashley summed it up rather well: this is proof Karen and Gizelle are not friends. If there was any caring at all, Karen would never have invited Kyndall.

Recap Author: Dana S.

Tell us: Are you team Karen or team Gizelle/Robyn? What would you do if you were Ashley?

Photo credits: Bravo/RHOP

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