Candiace Dillard Bassett appreciates the « Sour Candys » for standing by her through thick and thin.
Now in her fifth season on The Real Housewives Of Potomac, Candiace Dillard Bassett has come fully into her own. Happily married to Chris Bassett with a thriving music/acting career, Dillard Bassett candidly shared her IVF journey and desire to have children of her own someday, in addition to being a stepmother to best “bonus children” in the world. Dillard Bassett has no issues about opening up about her personal life. She reflected: “That’s probably part of my issue on Twitter. I think I’m just naturally someone who likes to share my life, even if sharing something is painful. If someone was positively affected by my story, it makes all the angst worth it to me.”
Not only is Candiace the queen of the one-liners and the best reads in the Bravo universe (“Not today, Satan. Not today, Neck. Not today, ankles. We don’t have it.”), but she can also be the kindest person in the room when it suits her. For instance, despite new cast member Nneka Ihim’s issues with Dillard Bassett’s bestie Dr. Wendy Osefo, Dillard Bassett graciously met with her . “Anytime somebody new comes into our group, my inclination is always to welcome to them and try to make them feel comfortable,” explained Dillard Bassett. “I remember how hard it was to stake my own real estate on the show and be taken seriously.”
Perhaps the most difficult part of the season for Dillard Bassett and her supporters to watch is the breakdown of her friendship with Robyn Dixon. There were numerous issues, including the fact that Dillard Bassett (and much of the rest of the world) felt like Dixon knew more about Gizelle Bryant‘s campaign against Dillard Bassett’s husband, Chris, than she let on. “I was not ready to throw away our friendship immediately,” said Dillard Bassett. However, she added: “It’s hard to be friends with someone who’s friends with your enemy. You’re always going to be looking over your shoulder.”
Decider got a chance to speak to Dillard Bassett in the Page Six studio to talk about online allegations that she is being “iced” out of the show, what it takes to be a Real Housewife, and owning the title of being “a disaster on Twitter.”
DECIDER: Candiace, you have not had the easiest season thus far. Is it validating that the Sour Candys are taking up for you?
CANDIACE DILLARD BASSETT: They are so sour. Their mouths are perpetually just drawn up because they are just so mad about it [laughs]. I was just talking about this earlier today. The Bravo space is so beautiful. It is such a blessing to have grown up on Bravo. Bravo fans, you saw me get married. You’ve seen me go through growing pains with my mom. You’ve seen me buy my first home and start my music career. You’ve seen so much of my life.
You’ve shared so much with audiences.
Sometimes, I am so frustrated by it all. It is validating and it does feels so good when audience members—the people that really make us—see what’s really going on. The camera does not lie, my darling. The camera sees through all the mayhem, the foolishness, and the reindeer games. So thank you to the fans for seeing what’s real. It really means a lot. It makes me not want to go lie under my bed for a week.
It really breaks my heart that you feel this way because you’ve shared so much with the fans, not to mention the women in the group. I know you’ve got a lot of supporters out there, like reality TV legend Carlos King, who believe you’re being iced out of the show. Have you had any conversations with the powers that be about the online chatter?
Well, I haven’t had that particular conversation with anyone yet. I will also say that it did not appear that way necessarily when we were filming the show. However, we experience the show three times: when we film it, when it airs, and at the reunion. We’re currently in that second iteration of experience. That’s when you sit back and go, hmmm. Then, you have experts, like Carlos King and Bravo fans, analyzing the footage and weighing in with their takes. That’s when you start questioning yourself.
I’m happy to say I’m in constant communication with our executives. They have been so supportive of me and my music. They listen when I call them crying about whatever and are happy when I just check in. There will be conversations. I was just with Andy Cohen at Watch What Happens Live and I was like, “we need to talk.” I do feel supported by the network, but it’s yet to be seen what is actually happening, what will actually happen.
Speaking of Andy Cohen, he famously called you a “disaster on Twitter”…
I should have a plaque. Andy, can I have a plaque that says that, please?
Well, I disagree. Yes, you check the other women when they need to be put in their place, but you are also one of the funniest people on that platform. How do you balance the truth telling and the fun stuff?
I think that time–and maybe getting a few too many calls from the network about my tweets–has helped me to balance it out. Also, I have a husband who is quick to say, nope, don’t tweet that or maybe rephrase that, delete that, or just send it to him [laughs]. My husband keeps me honest.
Twitter and I, we kind of grew up together. I remember when Twitter first started and was being beta tested. I was one of those beta testers of the platform, and it is always been a part of my growing up a millennial. It has always been a space that allows me to put my feelings down. What I telling the network that if I have a talk show, I won’t be on Twitter all the time. I need a space where I can comment on the issues of the day and the drama of Vanderpump Rules. Give me that and I won’t be a Twitter disaster. Let’s work on that, NBC Universal and Andy. Thank you.
Dr. Wendy started her own YouTube show… is that something you would ever consider?
I’ve always seen myself as part of an ensemble like The View or The Real.
