During part one of the #RHOPreunion, the Grand Dame Karen Huger insisted she’s not an alcoholic despite entering rehab after her DUI conviction. Fans speculate that she also subtly snubbed a castmate she’s been accused of backstabbing.
Source: Clifton Prescod / Bravo
In a clip that opened up the Real Housewives of Potomac season 9 reunion, Huger opened up about her relationship with alcohol, insisting that she does not have a problem. The video, taped on Dec. 20, 2024 — just one day after she was found guilty on charges of DUI and DWI stemming from a March 2024 car crash — the reality star insisted: “No, I’m not an alcoholic, let’s be clear.”
She went on to send a message to her fans, adding, “I know a lot of young children look up to me, [they] call me Auntie Karen, the Grand Dame,” before urging them to “do as I say, not as I do.”
“This is very frightening, but I accept full responsibility for everything that went on with my car accident,” she added, noting that her priority was her family during this time. “I don’t care about me right now. I care about my children, I care about my family. They are so hurt.”
A few days after making the video, Huger checked herself into a private recovery center to “get to the bottom” of “taking antidepressants and drinking.”
Her time in rehab prevented Karen from joining costars Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Wendy Osefo, Mia Thornton, Keiarna Stewart, Stacey Rusch, Jassi Rideaux, and Jacqueline Blake at the RHOP reunion, which taped on Jan. 9. Some of her costars questioned the timing of her rehab stint, wondering why she didn’t check in before her case to help her case.
“I wish she would have done it before her case because I think that would have probably helped her. But I’m happy she’s there now,” Bryant said.
“I do think it’s interesting she’s doing it before her sentencing,” Osefo added. “And I’m wondering, is she doing it because she feels like she needs help or is she doing it because she feels like it’ll lighten the load of her sentence.”
Bravo boss Andy Cohen played a second video from Huger later on in the reunion; this one was filmed as a message to her cast mates.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t take this time to thank those who truly touched my heart during this whole process, and the first person I want to thank in the girl group is Gizelle,” Huger said in the clip. “I think what’s really helped me, Gizelle, is the note you put in my flowers: ‘one step at a time.’ You make me very proud of our friendship outside of this show. You’re the real deal.”
While she thanked Bryant, Stewart, former cast member Candiace Dillard Bassett, and even Cohen, Osefo–who had shown support for Karen throughout the season–was noticeably absent from her message. Wendy noticed the snub, which came after it was revealed in the #RHOP finale that Karen told Stacey to be wary of Wendy, describing her as “self-absorbed.”
“I feel some type of way about what she told Stacey about me,” Osefo said. “Having seen that, coupled with this, it all adds up. That’s not my friend.”
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