‘RHOP’ Alum Monique Samuels Says Bravo Blocked Press Opportunities
Monique Samuels left The Real Housewives of Potomac with a bang courtesy of her binder full of receipts. Now that she’s away from the show for good, Samuels says she’s not looking back. In fact, she’s happy to be in control of her narrative, something she says Bravo executives hindered by blocking press opportunities during her time on the show.
Monique Samuels says Bravo blocked press opportunities
Despite being a full-time cast member and fan favorite for four seasons, Samuels says certain co-stars were given an advantage over her and others.
Per Samuels, executives are infamous for not giving cast members equal opportunities. She told Tami Roman during a recent appearance on Roman’s FOX Soul talk show Get Into It:
“When you’re massaging a person and you’re giving a person so much, that causes tension and friction amongst the whole group,” she says. “When you keep picking one or two people and put them on a pedestal versus keeping everything equal behind the scenes, that causes drama.”
Related: Monique Samuels Says She Was Asked To Return To ‘RHOP’ but Quit After Watching Part 3 of the Reunion
Samuels says she begged for press opportunities and was constantly turned down. One example she gave is that housewives are paid for commercials they are featured in for the show, which she says she rarely was featured in. She also alleges that she was forbidden from certain interview opportunities.
“I would have to fight so hard behind the scenes all the time just to use my platform,” she says. “I was getting turned down for interviews and being told by some people requesting me for press, ‘I was told you weren’t available or they told me I couldn’t interview you.’”
Why Monique Samuels says she doesn’t miss ‘RHOP’
Samuels opted not to renew her contract for Season 6 following the season 5 reunion special airing. She says much important discussion was edited out and made her look bad.
Though the fans are still rallying for her return, Samuels says she doesn’t miss the show one bit and is relieved her time is over.
“I don’t [miss it],” she told Roman. “Even when they started filming, the thought of trying to prepare my life for cameras and everything else in my life that I have going on with my businesses that I’ve been working hard on, I can’t even imagine the whole tug of war.”
Furthermore, Samuels says she didn’t have the most pleasant experience working on the show and was constantly under stress.
Related: ‘RHOP’: Gizelle Bryant on Monique Samuels’ Exit – ‘It’s a Breath of Fresh Air’
“My husband looks at me now and he’s like, ‘I forgot how bubbly you were prior to the show’ because i had to be so guarded while I was on the show,” she explains. “You go from filming right to watching the season right to filming the reunion back to filming [the next season]. So, you never truly get a break.”
Samuels focused on raising her family and promoting her businesses. She has a new essential oils line available for purchase online. Her lifestyle brand, Not For Lazy Moms, which includes her podcast, is also a priority.
Season 6 of RHOP is set to begin premiering during summer 2021 – sans Samuels.
