Part 1 of the Season 9 reunion brought clarity to some of The Real Housewives of Potomac headlines that had fans on edge the entire season of the reality series. In a virtual video, Karen finally took accountability for her DUI, only after the judge delivered a guilty verdict almost two weeks before the reunion. Karen greeted Andy Cohen and the women in a white sweater dress, keeping in line with the Potomac reunion theme of winter white. Ironically, the first person Karen thanked in the video was her longtime arch nemesis Gizelle Bryant. Karen thanked Gizelle for their friendship and for supporting her over the last year. Gizelle teared up at Karen’s words most likely because she was just as surprised as the fans to hear her name first. Next Karen thanked the rest of the girls even including Candiace Dillard Bassett, who sat out season 9 to focus on her husband and new baby boy. Lastly, Karen turned her attention to Andy, thanking him for his support and for crediting him with gifting her with the nickname “grand dame”. Andy was surprised to hear his name mentioned in relation to bestowing Karen with the grand dame title, but even more surprising was the fact that Karen went to great lengths not to mention Dr. Wendy Osefo.
Wendy’s facial expression during Karen’s theatrical speech betrayed her offense, but she quickly straightened her shoulders and answered Andy’s inquiry. “Everything is starting to make sense now. One thing I know for certain, that is not my friend,” she stated. Wendy’s admission came after a season of strange behavior from Karen mostly surrounding her refusal to take accountability for her DUI arrest, but she also seemed to harbor displaced anger towards Wendy. But if fans of the show remember, there was clear tension between Karen and Wendy from the time the professor joined the cast in Season 5.
Wendy Osefo and Karen Huger’s Friendship Began Out of a Common Goal
Newbie Stacey Rusch informed the group that upon joining the cast, Karen warned her that Wendy was self-absorbed and would never be a supportive friend to her. When Stacey confronts Karen with her words in front of the ladies, Karen vehemently denies the accusation. Wendy was caught off guard, but she knew there had to be some truth to Stacey’s claims, mainly because she had no motive for repeating such a specific lie about the grand dame.
“I don’t know who to believe, but something in the milk ain’t clean,” Wendy said, then put her suspicions to rest to enjoy the rest of the party. Wendy never expected to be on the other side of Karen’s wrath, but she is the one cast member that the grand dame knew she couldn’t hold a candle to. Unlike the rest of the Potomac cast,Wendy is a certifiable success outside of reality television.Her position as a professor and CNN analyst gave Wendy credibility that outweighed her co-stars, while Karen was grasping at the inflated title of being an ambassador for Surry county. Karen had little use for Wendy during her introductory season, assuming Wendy wouldn’t be around for long with her overwhelming responsibilities to the university and her position as a political pundit with CNN.It wasn’t until Wendy and Gizelle had conflict and Karen observed the doctor was willing to stand up to her biggest rival that she found any use for her. Wendy’s willingness to take on Potomac’s ice queen, Gizelle, made Karen reconsider her value and change her opinion on befriending her. At the time, Wendy was grasping for validation with the cast and moving into the good graces of Potomac’s OG was an olive branch she was desperate to grasp. Wendy became an ally for Karen and leaned into her feud with the green-eyed bandits, Gizelle and her faithful sidekick Robyn Dixon. Audiences suspected Wendy’s true desire was to be friends with Gizelle, because most people revere the ex First Lady as the true queen of Potomac. Unable to see a clear path to win Gizelle over, Wendy accepts Karen’s support as a less fabulous second place.
The Ladies of Potomac Were Not Shocked to Learn Karen Didn’t Like Wendy
Image via Bravo
Hearing Karen was throwing major shade behind Wendy’s back was not shocking to the entire cast of Potomac, considering Karen’s inital reaction to Wendy. While the rest of the ladies, lead by Gizelle attempted to corner Karen on her alcohol abuse, Wendy was the only one to insist Karen deserved the benefit of the doubt and shouldn’t be discussed unless she was there to defend herself. She also sent Karen flowers and checked on her several times before the ladies started taping season 9. Karen’s shade toward Wendy was rooted in jealousy of Wendy’s accomplishments and Karen’s internal fear of slowly losing her importance among the cast. The only other woman Karen showed this type of disdain for was Charisse Jackson-Jordan, her peer with more connections and an equally wealthy husband. Charisse possessed the old money and social status that most of the women in the cast were vying for. She also knew where Karen’s bones were buried. Karen entertained play fights with Gizelle, Robyn Dixon, Mia Thornton, and even Jacqueline Blake this season, but with Charisse she refused to go back and forth. When Charisse was present, Karen refused to acknowledge her presence.
Eventually, Karen got her wish and Charisse’s contract wasn’t renewed as a friend of the show. With Charisse gone, Wendy was the only woman in the cast that intimidated Karen’s delusions of grandeur. Charisse represented what Karen presented herself to be, but Wendy was everything that Karen wished she’d been able to become. With their fake friendship based on desperation on both sides, it’s not shocking to see that Karen secretly resented Wendy. Wendy never assumed Karen’s motives weren’t authentic, but as soon as the door opened for a potential friendship with Gizelle; she nearly tripped over her Louboutins, to run through the narrow opening.
When Karen realized Wendy had become friends with Gizelle, her tolerance of the accomplished woman immediately dissipated. Beautiful and extremely accomplished with an attractive, successful, age-appropriate husband and three beautiful children, Wendy represented the Potomac example that Karen pretended to be. Karen fancied herself as the main character in a Bravo-directed fairytale, giving her husband the title of the black Bill Gates and promoting herself as the grand dame. For all her inflated narratives and avoiding the consistent rumors about her blue-eyed lover, Karen deep down knew she wasn’t the character she pretended to be while holding the champagne glass in the intro of Real Housewives of Potomac. Wendy’s presence angered Karen because her accolades spoke for themselves.
When Wendy was introduced to the cast, she didn’t come in with her head lowered seeking to kiss Karen’s ring. Wendy was bold and even arrogant about her multiple degrees and pedigree. Karen bristled every time Wendy reminded the ladies that she was a doctor and a best-selling author. The other women traded insults, but Wendy was living Karen’s dream, and it incensed her. Wendy was temporarily tricked by Karen’s syrupy sweet facade, but Stacey’s outburst finally revealed Karen’s true feelings. During Karen’s virtual intro at the Potomac reunion, Andy pointed out one of her statements that stood out to him the most. “Karen mentioned that she wasn’t coming back as the grand dame. She was coming back as Karen Huger. To me that says she’s removing the mask,” he shared hopefully.
Wendy Osefo Could Be the New Grand Dame of Potomac
Image via Bravo
Karen’s behavior over the past nine seasons has been a facade that has cost her dearly. For most of the women, she is able to play “mother goose” and remain their superior due to her age and knowledge of the social scene in Potomac. Since joining the show, Karen’s affluence has been shaken, her marriage has almost dissolved and her character is now under question.
It’s unfortunate that her jealousy of Wendy prevented her from ever being a real friend to the one woman who truly revered her and gave her unconditional grace. Her fake friendship with Wendy was based on her desperation to show up as the most accomplished woman in Potomac but the truth is she was never that woman. When the show premiered, Charisse fit the bill, but on today’s RHOP, Wendy’s foot fits the glass slipper to perfection. It makes perfect sense that Karen would hint at her return to Potomac, but she wouldn’t have the chance to show up as the grand dame again. That title has been passed on to the new grand dame of Potomac, Dr. Wendy Osefo.