Candiace Dillard, Monique Samuels.Photo: Getty Images; Bravo
Monique Samuelsis apologizing toCandiace Dillard Bassettnearly a year after theirinfamous altercation.
Monique and Candiace hash out their altercation
As Candiace walked away from the set in tears, hostAndy Cohenasked Monique, 37, if she was upset or remorseful for her actions.
“Of course, I’m upset … I’m just trying to explain it the way that I process it,” she said before explaining why she appeared to be “unemotional” and never fully apologized to Candiace. “I literally went from one mental state to the next and then right after that there’s my name in the headlines of me being pressed charges on …”
Upon Candiace’s return back to the set, Andy asked the group if she “took it too far” with the legal chargesshe initially filed against Moniquein November 2019.
“I wanted legal action but I didn’t want the consequence to be she goes to jail,” Gizelle explained.
Andy then asked Monique why she decided to countersue Candiace, 34, after she had already admitted to her pastor during a confession session that “Candiace didn’t deserve what happened.”
“I hired an attorney so I could take my attorney’s advice,” Monique said.
The Real Housewives of Potomac reunion.bravo
Monique Samuels.Heidi Gutman/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Explaining that Candiace putting her finger in her face was a trigger, Monique told the aspiring singer that the fight “was not about you.”
“I revealed to my therapist that my dad put his finger right to my head and that was his way of checking me — it was a very like, bullying type of gesture. So I didn’t realize that … that was something that was such a trigger to me,” Monique began to explain through tears. “[Candiace] took me back to a place when I was a child and I could not stand up to my dad and say ‘get your hand out my face.’ That’s why everything happened the way it happened. I take full responsibility for my part and my actions in the altercation — that fight wasn’t about you. Nothing that you said or did in that moment warranted the response that you received. I offer you my apology and I’m sorry for the pain that you are still going through and the fact that you still haven’t healed from it and I hope that you are able to heal and move forward.”
After taking in Monique’s words, Candiace shared that while she could “absolutely appreciate childhood trauma,” she pointed out that it had been over a year since the fight. Candiace also added that “so much was said and done” following the fight, including Monique releasing her song,“Drag Queens”— a track seemingly about the altercation.
Before putting a final pin in the conversation, Monique once again admitted that whatever the scale of disagreements the two had, a physical fight was not warranted.
“I’ve made that very clear. Nothing in that night warranted that but it happened, I take responsibility for my actions and I had a terrible lapse of judgment and I lost control and I own that … there’s no other excuse for it,” Monique told Andy.
Chris Samuels calls out Gizelle and Candiace for Monique affair rumor
Candiace then addressed the former Redskins player, clarifying that though she had heard the Monique affair rumor, neither herself nor her husband brought it up on the show.
“What was said was stupid and it was never going anywhere — it never went anywhere,” she said about the rumor.
“Candiace, I respect that but I don’t believe you,” Chris Samuels said before Andy confirmed that Candiace and her husband did not bring up the rumor on the show.
“It was brought up, it just didn’t air,” Monique said.
Candiace Dillard Bassett and husband Chris.Larry French/Bravo
Later, Chris Samuels continued to share his unhappiness about the situation, telling the women, “I’m so disgusted about people weaseling through stuff. … One day when my son — because you brought his name up — when he gets to be about 15 years old, he has to learn about women plotting, trying to say I’m not his father and it’s very distributing to me.”
Before leaving the stage, Chris Samuels applauded his wife for her strength during the season, giving her a hug and kiss. Directing his final words at who appeared to be Gizelle, he said, “Hurt people, hurt people. Go get some help.”
Conclusion
Despite having it out, Chris Samuels and Chris Bassett both admitted to Andy that they did miss their friendship with one another and hoped that one day their wives could put their differences aside, with the former NFL star telling Chris Bassett backstage, “We’re good.”
“My goal was to get here … I knew I wouldn’t be able to bury everything ‘til I got here,” Candiace said through tears. “Yes, it has sucked today, but it has also been funny and fun and I’m reminded of why I do love the majority of this group. I come to this platform for sisterhood and I feel that genuinely from you all.”
“And for me, my family is that line,” she continued. “The opinion of my family and my kids and what they think about anything that I do is more valuable than anybody’s opinion, so I’m over it.”
source: people.com
