‘RHOP’: Candiace Dillard Responds To Claims That Andy Cohen Sided With Her During Reunion
During The Real Housewives of Potomac season 5 reunion, many fans felt that executive producer and host Andy Cohen sided with Candiace Dillard instead of keeping a neutral stance. The former Miss United States responded to the critiques by claiming Cohen maintained an “objective” perspective.
‘RHOP’ stars divided after Monique Samuels and Candiace Dillard’s physical fight
After the ladies expressed an interest in repairing their friendship, Candiace Dillard invited ex-housewife Charrisse Jackson Jordan to her anniversary party without telling Monique Samuels.
The move upset Samuels, who felt betrayed by Dillard because she believed Jordan “facilitated” rumors that an affair with her trainer resulted in her youngest son’s conception.
Unable to communicate and get past their differences, the former friends eventually came to blows at a winery. After not hearing from the podcast host, Dillard filed a complaint against Samuels, resulting in a second-degree assault charge.
Samuels then countered, slapping her ex-friend with the same count. However, the courts threw the cases out a few months later. The physical altercation divided the once-close Potomac group as a few housewives, namely Dillard and Gizelle Bryant, flat out refused to film with Samuels.
Fans thought Andy Cohen sided with Dillard during ‘RHOP’ reunion
The ladies came face-to-face for the first time following their altercation at the season five reunion. During the final parts of the reunion, Samuels explained the fight from her point of view.
According to the podcast host, the action of Dillard putting her hands in her face triggered her, causing her to lash out violently. Although the other housewives and Cohen denied the events, the producers aired a clip during the episode that verified Samuels’ version.
As the ladies continued rehashing the events, Dillard ended up leaving the stage crying. When she exited, Cohen questioned why Samuels still hadn’t shown emotion about the situation. He also made seemingly snide remarks to the podcast host regarding her statement about not needing the paycheck and her new rap song, “Drag Queens.”
Because the host backed Dillard for most of the reunion and failed to say anything when she interrupted others, fans began calling him out for being biased.
Dillard claims Cohen is ‘objective’
Additionally, an Instagram Live video aired in which Samuels and her husband, Chris, addressed a “plot” her ex-friend planned to bring a rumor surrounding her youngest child’s paternity to RHOP.
Although it showed the clip to highlight an offensive comment Chris made, the show did not include Dillard’s live, where she seemingly admitted to the rumors, especially as the housewives denied it.
A fan brought the situation up on Twitter, and someone else implied Cohen had a hand in it, claiming the executive producer sided with Dillard. The Potomac housewife quote tweeted the response and noted that viewers should “make up your mind” because they recently claimed he “hated” her.
She continued, “Being objective does not make someone ‘team’ anyone. It makes them objective.” While some of her followers still believe Cohen sided with Dillard over Samuels, others think he hasn’t chosen a team.
