Dr. Wendy Osefo on ‘RHOP’ Season 7, reunion and divided cast: ‘I believe that our role on this show is to show our lives’
"The Real Housewives of Potomac" star sat down with theGrio to reflect on her third season on the reality TV series.
Dr. Wendy Osefo is more comfortable than ever. TheGrio caught up with the reality TV star at the end of her third season on “The Real Housewives of Potomac,” breaking down her experience during Season 7, what we can expect from the three-part reunion and what she hopes for the divided group of women moving forward.
“I think as you continue to be there and your tenure continues to rise, so to speak, you get a little more comfortable not just in your ability to be with the group but in your confidence with yourself,” the political commentator and professor told theGrio in reflecting upon her growth on the series.
“I am who I am, right? I am Dr. Wendy … I felt that in my third year there was a level of comfortability that I felt, as far as just saying, you know, ‘This is who I am and you either accept it or you leave it.'”
Dr. Wendy has also shared much of her personal life on the series, highlighting her family and children, her own personal health struggles and more.
“My family is what sustains me,” she explained. “I feel as though not having them a part of it would not be my reality … I love the fact that even for me I have these memories of my family just by us doing the show together.”
Disclosing that she is “horrible at scrapbooking,” she credits the show for giving her real-life memories that she can share with her children as they get older.
Of course, Dr. Wendy spent time touching on the latest drama among her castmates, specifically the fallout from Robyn Dixon’s bombshell episode of her podcast, “Reasonably Shady.” In it, Dixon reveals details of relationship struggles she had with her husband Juan Dixon ahead of filming Season 7, information kept off the series. What followed sparked a conversation around “Real Housewives” in general and what exactly are the expectations around transparency with fellow housewives and the audience.
“I believe that our role on this show is to show our lives,” Dr. Wendy said, referring to Dixon. “The reason why we’re on this show is because we have amazing lives that people can relate to and that relatability is not just with the good, but also with the bad and I think it’s incumbent upon us to be true to that.”
She recalled an instance when she shared her truth. “When I had to take my wig off because I was struggling with hair loss to show you guys that my hair was falling out, I cried,” she said. “The producers will tell you, I was bawling after that scene, because as Black women our hair is our crown … I didn’t want to do that, but that’s what was going on in my life at the time. So for all cast members I think that’s what we’re supposed to do.
“Granted, do I expect you to come on this platform with a bullhorn and say, ‘My fiancé is cheating on me?’ You may not do that. But you have friends within this group who you’re close to and the reality is, if we are going through something you’d say to your friend, ‘Girl, I am depressed and this is why’. “It really makes the viewers question our authenticity and question whether we are being authentic if there are actual things happening and you don’t speak about it.”
The three-part reunion (Part 1 is currently airing) gives viewers the biggest glimpse into where the group is now. “The reunion was a mess,” she noted, reflecting on the episodes and her tension with Mia Thornton.
“I watched this season back with you guys and I saw the conversations that happened when I wasn’t there … so at the reunion, my position was from the position of someone who saw what you were actually doing and not just what was in front of me. So I spoke my truth and I told her how I really felt about it.”
Despite the current divided nature of the cast and the reunion, Dr. Wendy has hope for the group in the future. “As far as a path forward, what I would ideally love is sisterhood in this group. That’s what I think we are really not good at right now, having a level of camaraderie and sisterhood that although we may have our differences that bond is still there.”
She added, “If we want to make sure we don’t go to a place of no return, then we have to right that ship. I would love sisterhood. I would love our happy moments. I would love for all of us to come together and have a good kiki … that would be awesome, but let’s see how that goes.”
Parts 2 and 3 of “The Real Housewives of Potomac” reunion are scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Sunday and March 5 on Bravo.
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