‘RHOP’ Newbie Angel Massie Doesn’t Regret Making Gizelle Bryant & Ashley Darby Share A Room In Colorado: “They Had It Coming”

Angel Massie had no idea what was in store for her as a rookie cast member on Bravo’s Real Housewives Of Potomac. As a Maryland native, Massie was eager to return to her home state with her husband, former NFL pro Bobby Massie and their two children, to buy their second home. While Massie wasn’t sure what to expect, she had hoped for a warmer reception from franchise veterans Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, and Dr. Wendy Osefo. “We are grown women. I expected them to act as such and not like nasty, mean girls,” explained Massie. “It’s not a sorority; it is a friend group.”

Much of the drama at the mid-point of the season has been the sudden ending of Massie’s long-term rental of her temporary Maryland home. Cast mates Bryant and Darby claimed Massie and her family had been evicted. “‘Eviction’ is a nasty word,” said Massie when asked why she was so upset about the verbiage. “It was patently untrue.” Massie also added that Darby should know better because she “has been evicted often in her life.”

So, when it was time to take the ladies back to her Colorado home, Massie was understandably on guard. “I was absolutely hesitant about it,” said Massie. “I didn’t want to bring untrustworthy people around me and the people I love or to the place that I built with my family.” While she was able to show what her mindfully guided outdoor experience company—Wanderlust Outdoors—has to offer, Massie wisely placed most of her cast mates at a luxurious rental located near her family’s property. She explained: “Some people in the group never really wanted to give me a chance. When you know that, you know how to proceed.”

Massie stopped by the Decider studio to chat about her experiences so far, share why she’s earned the title of a “confessional assassin,” and guess which Housewife is going to be in the hot seat at this season’s reunion.

DECIDER: Obviously, you had plenty of on-camera experience during your BET days, but the Real Housewives is like reality TV boot camp. How were you approached to do the show?

ANGEL MASSIE: I was approached a few times to join the show. This time seemed like the right time because I knew that my family and I were looking for a second home in Maryland. You know, I’m a Maryland girl and Maryland native, and so I felt like it would be a good time to not only expand my business to the DMV, but to join a new group of ladies who I could potentially get to know well.

They say joining the Real Housewives is like joining a sorority. Were you expecting to get hazed the way that you did?

I absolutely didn’t. They are grown women. We are grown women. I expected them to act as such and not like nasty, mean girls. It’s not a sorority.It is a friend group, and they do need to act like friends.

I also think it’s a good sign when a new House Husband isn’t thirsty for camera time and lets his wife do her thing, like Bobby. How much of a support system has he been for you during this process?

Bobby is an incredible support. He’s also an incredible husband and father. He pushes me and champions me to fulfill anything that I want to do. I really appreciate him in every single way. He’s the best.

If you’re on Bravo, you’ve got to be prepared for the fans who love you or shade you on any given day. How do you filter out the noise and take in the love?

I just try to be neutral about both. I appreciate the love. The noise, that’s unfortunate for them. However, everybody gets to have an opinion because I did choose to be on reality TV. I just stay grounded because I have so much love and support from my family and friends.That drowns out the noise.

Despite a brief hiccup at the beginning of the season, your friend Kiearna “K” Stewart has had your back. Did she give you any advice throughout the season?

We were navigating things together. Having a friend in the cast was a real comfort. We were both trying to figure out what it means to be Real Housewives together in real time.

Fans have called you a “confessional assassin” because you let your full feelings out to the camera instead with the ladies directly. Do you think that’s fair?

It’s absolutely fair because there were so many different moments when I saw them talking crap about me behind my back. Even if I had an inkling of a bad feeling about being a confessional assassin, I don’t anymore.

I think it was unfair that the women kept saying you were “evicted” like they didn’t know that you terminated a rental agreement . Why did the word “eviction” hit you so hard?

Because it’s nasty. “Eviction” is a nasty word. It was patently untrue. I mean, Ashley is a person who has been evicted during a bunch of different phases of her life, and so she knows the weight that that word carries. And to put it on another woman, especially when it’s not what’ was happening, is nasty. It says something about her and Gizelle. I think to be so cavalier with someone’s life is unkind, and to punch down is unfair. Once my family left that rental, we went to a bigger one, and that’s all we intended to do. I don’t have to let them in on my life in any way, shape, or form if I don’t want to. They can say what they want to say about me, I don’t care.

You have a very special connection to Colorado, so it’s no surprise that you came into yourself as a Housewife during your trip home. Did it feel good to stand up for yourself to Ashley at Monique’s binder party?

It did. I had spent a lot of time really trying to get to know her and forming what I thought was a friendship. The “Potomac and Ponies” party was the first time that I saw her true colors. You see me change my attitude towards her at the binder party. It’s one thing when people treat you one way to your face, but then it’s another thing when you finally realize all the crap that they’ve been doing behind your back. I just became aware.

Were you hesitant to bring these ladies back to Colorado?

I was absolutely hesitant about it and for good reason. I am a person who reads energies. I consider myself an empath, and so I didn’t want to have untrustworthy people around me and the people I love or in the place that I built with my family. Their shenanigans continue on the Colorado trip too. I think some people in the group never really wanted to give me a chance. When you know that, you know how to proceed.

Your shadiest moment of the season so far definitely has been assigning Gizelle and Ashley to the same room in Colorado. Did you think twice about it or did they have it coming?

They had it coming. If they’re being honest with themselves, they know that they had it coming based on all the crap they’ve talked about me. I don’t feel bad about it at all.

I love Monique Samuels, but I think it’s wild for her to compare her marriage to yours and Bobby’s when she barely knows you. She mentioned it in this week’s episode, and she brings it up to you in the mid-season trailer. Were you surprised by the comparison?

She didn’t know me at all. We had a good enough relationship at the beginning, but I had known this woman for two weeks! I was gracious enough to invite her to my Colorado home. I think that comparing her ex-husband to my husband—just because they both played in the NFL—is a reach. They’re nothing alike. I don’t know Chris. I don’t know really know Monique. Monique doesn’t know Bobby. It felt like projection on her part.

Were you able to move forward with Monique after that?

We moved forward. I do like Monique. We have a lot of similarities. We both like essential oils and nature walks. We’re both in tune with ourselves. I’m still getting to know her. She’s a cool chick from what I see, but it’s not cool to try and project her former relationship onto my marriage.

And you’re both writers! Do you have any plans to write again?

Yes, absolutely. First and foremost, I am a journalist and a writer. That is my heart. I am relaunching my podcast at the end of January. It’s called The State of Ease. I’ll be exploring current events, pop culture, politics, and more through a mindful lens. I’m also writing a book about my life and about my mom’s life. My mom passed away a decade ago, so I’m going to be talking about finding peace and calm after grief and hardships.

It sounds like your book is going to help a lot of people. Do you have any plans to invite any of your fellow RHOP ladies to be guests on your podcast?

Yeah, some of them [laughs]. Others, not so much.

What issues are you looking forward to addressing at the reunion?

Oh, just why so much crap was talked about me behind my back. A real woman say things to my face. I can’t wait to get my day in court.

Which of your fellow RHOP wives is going to be in hot seat this reunion and why?

Me [laughs]. Definitely Stacey. Wendy will be too, for obvious reasons. I’m going to put Gizelle and Ashley in the hot seat myself!

If you decide to return for a sophomore season, is there anything you’d do differently?

Yes. I would go harder on everyone. I’ve tried hard to be nice because I am a kind person. However, I would operate differently now that I know the people around me. Things would be different in a sophomore season. Definitely.