‘RHOP’: Charrisse Jackson Jordan Says Karen Huger Was Cast ‘By Default’
The Real Housewives of Potomac apparently wouldn’t be a thing without Charrise Jackson Jordan. The on-again-off-again cast member largely cast the show. But she says Karen Huger was never her choice. The two women have been feuding in Season 7.
Charrisse Jackson Jordan says producers thought she and Karen Huger were friends
Jackson Jordan is credited with casting the show. While speaking with Carlos King on his Reality With the King podcast, the OG explained how she worked with a casting director to put the social group together. Jackson Jordan was well known in Potomac social circles because of her philanthropic endeavors and being a wife (at the time) of a retired NBA player.
She began casting with her close friends. Jackson Jordan knew Robyn Dixon through the NBA Wives Association as her husband coached Juan Dixon when he played for the Wizards. But she says Huger wasn’t on her radar, noting they didn’t even know one another.
“I called Gizelle first, Robyn, and the list goes on. Now Karen got on by default,” she said. “Someone thought she was a friend. She was sitting at my table at a gala. And they thought she was my friend, and recommended her. So Adrian [the casting director] kept telling me about my friend Karen, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know anybody named Karen Huger.’ But then, eventually, I met her, and I was like, ‘She’s cool,’ and that’s how it all happened. She and Gizelle knew each other.”
She hints that Karen Huger used her to get on the show
Jackson Jordan says not only were she and Huger not friends, but she also says she didn’t know her. In fact, she claims Huger had a bad reputation and was known as the “old Black lady” who got drunk at events and fell off chairs. She says she was shocked by the casting director constantly mentioning Huger’s name in association with her.
According to Jackson Jordan, she met Huger in passing at a charity event. Looking back, she believes it was a ploy for Huger to get in close enough proximity for her in order to climb the social scene of Potomac, and seemingly get a spot on the show as many knew casting was in process.
“She brought a ticket to the gala, and she was trying to sit at my table. She just didn’t know how it worked. A friend of mine recommended her and said, ‘Charisse gets a table every year. You should go to this event.’ So she started calling, trying to sit at my table. Then once the show came about, it all came back to me like, ‘Oh yeah, that was the woman who was trying to sit at my table.’ But I didn’t know her,” Jackson Jordan explained. “But she did sit at my table. And some other things too. That year I had more than one table so I wasn’t physically sitting with her. That’s why I didn’t know who she was. I didn’t see her sitting there.”
The two have a major falling out this season
While the start of Jackson Jordan and Huger’s “friendship” is murky, Jackson Jordan told King they had formed a bond. She says they had shared experiences with caring for their aging parents. But Jackson Jordan says that after her father passed away, she didn’t feel Huger was a good friend to her. She confronted Huger about it and says Huger had a defensive attitude about it. From there, she claims Huger began spreading rumors about her, and it comes to ahead this season.
