This season of Real Housewives of Potomac has centered around Ashley Darby, and her husband, Michael Darby. More specifically, it has been laser-focused on Michael’s alleged inability to keep his hands to himself. And away from other men’s butts. Speculating about Michael’s sexuality, and the Darby’s marriage, has been a full-time job for the other Potomac ladies.
At a RHOP party earlier in the season, Michael complimented another man on his physique. Later that night, when everyone was drunk, Robin Dixon and Candiace Dillard heard Michael tell a man that he would “suck his d*ck.” That was shocking.
In September of 2018, Michael was accused of grabbing a cameraman’s butt during filming. He was charged with a misdemeanor for improper sexual contact, and felony assault. After the charges against him were dropped, Michael was able to return to filming RHOP.
In an interview with Hollywoodlife, Ashley said that she and her husband will finally be setting the record straight at the RHOP reunion. Finally! I need answers!
“So, the way that everything else did play out in the legal system and beyond that is very different in contrary to what is being said on the show. And I wish I could talk about it with you – it’s Michael’s thing to talk about – but certainly it’s not what was said in the court case and the charges that were brought against Michael and nothing about what’s actually being shown on the show,” Ashley stated. “That’s very different so Michael will be addressing that at the reunion.”
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In previously unseen footage from Monique Samuels’ Rainbow shower, RHOP viewers heard a man, who sounded like Michael, say “Hey bud. You alright?” as he giggled. “Please don’t do that!” Orville Palmer, who is the cameraman stated. “Okay,” Michael replied. In footage from three hours later, a man is heard calling, “Hey Mike. Hold on. Mike, Mike, hold on. Hold on!”
“I didn’t touch your butt. I didn’t touch your butt! Come on, I’ll get a beer.” Michael yelled back with a grin.
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How the footage was shown, and how it was edited, is an issue for the Darbys. “Where things get more murky for me is the way that the production is choosing to put this show together in order to make a show. They’re misrepresenting what was said and what was done and that is really challenging because, I’m very truthful on the show and things are usually portrayed in the way that they do happen for Michael but, with this incident there are liberties that are being taken with footage and the way that they’re editing some things,” Ashley revealed.
“For example, the audio that spoke to me so salacious at the end of the episode, that’s Monique’s cousin Hank, talking to Michael and he calls him Mike. And it’s an ongoing thing that Hank always teases Michael about season one, when Michael was playing with Andrew.” Ashley added, “So, the way that production decided to take that incident, that audio that was sampled five hours later was quite shocking to me, to make it look like it was all connected to that incident when it wasn’t.” Michael also took issue with how the events were shown.
RELATED: Michael Darby Says Production Footage On Real Housewives Of Potomac Was Spliced Together To Make Him Look Bad; Bravo Responds
In a statement to People, Michael said, “This was a serious situation where an employee of the production company tried to take advantage of my wife and I by making up a story to try to profit from it. The fact that the production company appears to endorse his actions by splicing together disconnected and unrelated events in order to also profit is really scary for people in my position.”
A representative for Bravo previously responded in a statement on Twitter @people. “Pertaining to Michael Darby’s scenes in last night’s Real Housewives of Potomac, there was no manipulation of audio or video; the footage that aired in last night’s episode depicted events exactly as they occurred.”
RELATED: Real Housewives Of Potomac Star Ashley Darby Is A Mom!
Ashley and Michael have been on Real Housewives of Potomac since the show’s premiere. According to Hollywoodlife, the couple felt that they had a close relationship with the production crew. “And that’s part of being on the show, is we spend so much time with camera crew and with the producers and it was so shocking the way all of that played out. He actually quit immediately, after the alleged incident happened,” Ashley revealed. “
And after the case was dismissed, he went directly to TMZ…so it was really heartbreaking because he was member of the production team and he was in our home and spent so much time with just me.”
RELATED: Real Housewives Of Potomac Star Ashley Darby Says Candiace Dillard Is “Low and Classless”
But now the controversial couple has a reason to celebrate—the birth of their son, Dean, on July 7, 2019. After such a crazy and stressful time dealing with Michael’s legal issues, it is nice that the couple is staying united, and enjoying the new addition to their family.
TELL US: DO YOU THINK THAT THE UNSEEN FOOTAGE WAS EDITED TO MAKE MICHAEL LOOK BAD? DO YOU BELIEVE THE CAMERAMAN’S CLAIMS? DO YOU THINK THAT NEW INFORMATION WILL COME OUT AT THE REUNION?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
