It’s difficult for a newcomer to join a tight-knit cast like the one on The Real Housewives Of Potomac, which is in its ninth season, but Stacey Rush is making it look easy. The charismatic and glamorous television host is in a transitional period in her life and career. Most recently at QVC, Rusch, who is in the middle of an amicable divorce, moved back to the DMV to focus on her wonderful daughter, Arabella. “Co-parenting is going really well,” reported Rusch. “My marriage, unfortunately, was broken, but my family is not.”
It was an “easy decision” for Rusch to join the hit Bravo franchise. “I knew a lot of the ladies socially,” explained Rusch. “I just thought it would be such an interesting way to get to know a group of incredible women.” Rusch admits that establishing a friendship with Gizelle Bryant—whom Rusch praised as a fellow “strong mother”—has been a “roller coaster” ride and that she is still trying to figure out their dynamic. “As a new friend, she’s a hard shell to crack.” Mia Thornton may have called her “boring,” but Rusch didn’t take it personally. “Anybody is boring compared to Mia. She leads the most colorful life in America.”
Rusch has a soft spot for the Grande Dame Karen Huger even as she faces a DUI charge and multiple other citations. “These ladies are really coming for Karen,” said Rusch. “She’s been like Wonder Woman with the bracelets in terms of defending herself and standing up for her actions in the best way that she can.” While Huger is unable to talk about her active court case, Rusch said it was a “little uncomfortable” for her to watch the other women question and provoke Huger. Not surprisingly, Rusch believes Huger will have the most to answer for at the show’s upcoming reunion. “We’re all looking forward to seeing how things play out in terms of the decision of the courts and her case,” said Huger. “Will we see Karen vindicated or perhaps be humbled? We’ll see.”
Rusch stopped by the DECIDER studio to talk about the current season, her relationship with Thomas “T.J.” Jones, the Lake Norman trip, and more.
DECIDER: Was it an easy decision to join the ladies of Potomac for Season 9?
STACEY RUSCH: It was an easy decision for me. I knew a lot of the ladies socially, and I just thought it would be such an interesting way to get to know a group of incredible women and also share a little bit about myself and where I am in life. I took a leap and got right in. I’m really glad that I did it.
“I know how to host a show and steal one, too” is your tagline for the season. Was that your first choice?
We had many choices [laughs], but that was my favorite. Coming from a background at QVC and hosting television for so many years, I just thought it was spot-on for me. I love it.
Had you watched the show at all before joining? In some of your confessionals, it’s clear you don’t know much about some of these women, but not in a bad way!
[Laughs] I watched the show when it first aired when I was living in the DMV. I was intrigued, but I fell off a little later because, you know, life happens. Honestly, I really didn’t want to have pre-formed opinions about everyone. I like the process of getting to know someone. I forced myself to find out a little about the cast members, but I didn’t want to know too much so that I could get to know each woman individually and let our friendship happen organically.
I’m really enjoying getting to know you as a person, but also you as a mom. How special is it to share your amazing relationship with Arabella with the world?
I love her so much. She is my one and only, my everything, the light of my life. I’m really proud to not only share myself on The Real Housewives of Potomac, but to also share my pride and joy with the world. I’m so proud of this amazing little monster and the woman that I know that she will become. Every time she’s on camera, every time I see a scene with her, my heart melts. I just love her so much. Hopefully I will go back for many seasons and revisit when Arabella was this little.
Like Gizelle has gotten to do with her daughters.
All her daughters are so gorgeous, aren’t they? She can watch the show over again and see her daughters when they were so young. Now, they’re graduating, and she’s an empty nester. It’s gotta be a sweet experience.
I love that you and your ex-husband are putting Arabella first. How is co-parenting going?
Co-parenting is going really well. I’ve said this before, but my marriage, unfortunately, was broken, but my family is not. I have a wonderful partner and a fantastic father. We are working together amicably and everything is great. Arabella is doing well. She’s very much aware that we’re getting a divorce, but she also is very much aware that she is loved and that the support she gets from the two of us will never change. She’s good.
We are also getting to know your bond with your “special friend,” T.J. What’s he’s been like as a partner through this process?
He’s great. He’s one of the best people I know. He’s been so supportive. This is a fun, wild ride, but it is emotionally taxing at times. T.J’s such a good partner. I’m really happy with where we are. Who doesn’t want to have a man like that to walk through life together? I have that right now. Wherever we walk to, I’m fine with that.
The ladies seem to be amazed that you two are waiting until marriage to be intimate. How is T.J. handling the heat from your co-stars?
T.J. is very confident in himself, his values and his faith. When you have those three things together, it doesn’t really matter what other people say. Listen, we get it. We know that this is not the typical way that most people approach new relationships in 2024. However, it’s our choice. It’s not my place to defend my relationship or defend the boundaries in my relationship. I’m happy where I am. People will say what they want. I can’t be affected.
You seem to have gotten off to a good start with all the ladies except maybe Gizelle. She kicked you out of her charity event for arriving a few minutes late.
Yeah, that was a very strange way to begin a friendship. I’ve never had someone I am just getting to know throw me out of their party. How did the rest of the season go with Gizelle? I really love Gizelle for who she is. She’s a strong mother. We were just talking about that. She means a lot to all of the women. She’s a great friend. But as a new friend, she’s a hard shell to crack. I still don’t know if we’re friends. If you asked me, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. I liked the roller coaster ride of getting to know Gizelle, but I still don’t know where we stand.
Well, you’ve got great energy. Not many women would have handled the bunk bed situation in Lake Norman the way you did.
I’ve always wanted to have bunk beds. Who did not want bunk beds growing up? Like, if we’re going to on a girls’ trip, let’s girl it up. Let’s do face masks and have champagne and watch movies and sleep in bunk beds together. I didn’t have to live there, for goodness’ sake. I just had to sleep there for a few nights. So, I was genuinely excited. I have a big old bed at home. I don’t have a bunk bed.
How was your first cast trip? I can’t imagine what you were thinking during that first breakfast…
No, I genuinely thought I was going to have breakfast. I didn’t know that I needed to put on boxing gloves and some Vaseline under my eyes. My God, it was on and poppin. I was not expecting that. But I’m learning as a newbie. Apparently, this is what happens. Tensions were high that morning.
Karen said afterwards, “if you ever need to defend yourself, fight fire with fire.” Do you believe that to be true?
In Karen’s case, this is true because, as we’ve seen, these ladies are really coming for Karen. She’s been like Wonder Woman with the bracelets in terms of defending herself and standing up for her actions in the best way that she can.
Right. What’s your approach to conflict?
I’m not someone who fights fire with fire. I fight fire with joy and positivity. I stand for who I am. I always come out on top because of that. I’ve got God on my side.
It would be nice if the ladies could cut Karen some slack.
Yeah. As soon as we stepped into that beautiful home at Lake Norman, they were just on top of her. It was a little uncomfortable for me.
Well, speaking of arriving at Lake Norman, Mia was throwing a little shade at you in the car on the way there by calling you boring. What is your response to that?
Anybody is boring compared to Mia. Are you kidding? She leads the most colorful life in America [laughs]. I think Mia and I were getting to know each other. I’m very comfortable in my skin, and I lead and live my life out loud. But I am not like Mia who just charges ahead. At first, she found me to be quite measured and a little careful because I was learning the group dynamics. So, she called that boring. That’s fine because as she got to know me and as I got to know her, we became friends. You can’t be mad if someone calls you something when they don’t know you. It was almost like she was talking about someone else because clearly, I’m not boring.
Ashley Darby recently said that Mia is going to have the most to answer for at the reunion. Do you agree or disagree?
I disagree. I think Karen will have the most to answer for during the reunion. We’re all looking forward to how things play out in terms of her court case. Will we see Karen vindicated or will she be humbled? I don’t know. We’ll see.
Before I let you go, what can you tease about the rest of the season?
What can I tease? I think that if you’re enjoying the Lake Norman adventure, just wait until you join us for our international trip. Things are going to be on fire. Lake Norman is just the beginning.
New episodes of The Real Housewives Of Potomac air Sunday nights at 8/7c on Bravo
