‘Real Housewives Of Potomac’ Star Tia Glover Thinks Stacey Rusch Is Always In The Hot Seat Because “That’s Where She Likes To Be”: “Nothing Is Too Far Fetched For Her” 

Tia Glover is bringing English elegance to the Real Housewives Of Potomac. A high-powered global real estate advisor and a loving wife and mother of four beautiful children, Glover is just the type of dynamic woman audiences gravitate towards. From the moment she appeared on our screens, the British-Nigerian expat easily has navigated the tricky friendships of the group, injecting her wit and keen observations at just the right time. “I know I’m a bit different and a bit quirky, so I wasn’t sure how I’d be received,” said Glover. “For the first couple of weeks, I wanted to be perfect. I quickly realized that I had to let that go because perfect is not something you can do.”

Glover is not the only newbie in Season 10. She came in along with WAG and entrepreneur Angel Massie, who is having a more difficult time fitting in with the women than Glover. “I knew they would haze the new girls, but because we came in together, it would have been crazy if they hazed both of us at the same time,” said Glover. While Glover insists that Massie is “absolutely lovely,” she knows that things have been “tough for her.” Glover herself was briefly at odds with Ashley Darby at the Preakness Stakes. The O.G. confronted Glover for calling her rude because she excluded Glover and Massie from a social invitation. “One thing that I’ve learned to do well with 4 children is shut something down,” said Glover, looking back on how she handled the conflict. “I want to find a resolution as quickly as possible.”

While Glover maneuvered her way out of the hot seat, one woman who seems to like it there is Stacey Rusch. During the ladies’ first dinner in Nevis, Darby revealed that Rusch allegedly had her eye on former NFL player Chris Samuels, ex-husband of RHOP alum Monique Samuels, during Monique”s divorce proceedings. “Stacey creates these situations for herself, because then we are talking about Stacey,” observed Glover. “I think that’s what she loves the most.” When asked about the return of Samuels later this season, Glover had only kind words to say. “She just seems like a woman who’s done a lot of work on herself and healed,” said Glover. “She’s a nice person.”

Glover stopped by the Decider studio to talk about her rookie season, discuss her motherhood technique, and reveal who she’s most excited to meet at BravoCon.

DECIDER: Tia, it’s only been a few episodes, but you are flourishing on the Real Housewives of Potomac! What made you want to join this dynamic group of ladies?

TIA GLOVER: I was invited to join, and I thought it was a great opportunity. Why not? At least I can tick it off and say I’ve done it.

Were you at all intimidated before filming with these women?

I wouldn’t say I was intimidated by the women. I was intimidated with filming and having these cameras in front of me. For the first couple of weeks, I wanted to be perfect. I quickly realized I had to let that go because perfect is not something you can do. The camera’s not always going to get your best angle or your best mood. Also, it’s hard any time you come into a group with established friendships. I know I’m a bit different and a bit quirky, so I wasn’t sure how I’d be received. I knew there could be a hazing process, so I was a little bit sheepish.

Well, I think you handled yourself beautifully. I know you already knew Gizelle Bryant, but who made the best first impression out of the women you didn’t know?

I would say that Keiarna [Stewart] was the warmest to me. She was the first person who picked up the phone and called me to say, “okay, here’s how you navigate, here’s what you do.” She’s been doing that ever since. So, she’s like my fairy godmother. To be honest with you, they’ve all been very warm and receptive. They’ve all given me their own tidbits of advice. They’ve all been quite kind to me.

You worked as a celebrity stylist for years before transitioning into being a global real estate advisor. Why this career shift?

The honest answer is because of Covid. Nobody was going anywhere, and I was tired of dressing people from the waist up [laughs]. A lot of the shops were closed, and I’m somebody who likes to go and feel the clothes. I like to shop, and it’s even better when I’m shopping with other people’s money. When I realized that I wasn’t an essential worker, I had to think about what was next. Real estate was the answer. Somebody is always going to need a home. Real estate is chaotic, but less chaotic than styling, and you’re helping people build wealth. You lose wealth when you keep acquiring clothes, but with property you build wealth. So, I really enjoy it.

A star was born when you expertly handled the great Ashley Darby when she was trying to start mess over one of your “tongue in cheek” comments What has it been like to watch social media latch on to that moment?

When you’re in the moment, you’re just reacting. What audiences didn’t see is that we had this constant back and forth for a while. One thing that I’ve learned to do well with 4 children is shut something down. Mainly just because I actually don’t want to engage in conflict. Conflict is never really my go to. I want to find a resolution as quickly as possible. Ashley was not looking for resolution in that conversation. So, I was like, “well, what do you want to do, babe? Really?”

Fans are already obsessed with your family. What was their reaction when you were offered a spot on the show?

So, my eldest, Ava-Siena, is my Beyoncé. She’s the Beyoncé of the family. She was like, “it’s about time. Bravo needs me.” My second, Alexis, is my little gangster. She was like, you’re not cool, bro. And the twins, Nathaniel and Amaris, were just comme ci, comme ça.

One of your motherhood mantras is “you have to be marginally insane so that they (kids) know that you are capable of doing anything.” How far along into your motherhood journey with four kids did you learn that?

I learned it from my mother because that’s how I was raised. I think it’s really important for them not to be able to predict your next move, especially with teenage girls. They have to know that I could pull up anywhere. They just know. However, I bring that same energy to advocate for them as well. They’ve always known that if something goes wrong at school, mommy is going to show up. I’ve made sure that they know that I am an attentive mother, and I’m present. However, that same attention goes towards them when they’re doing something they shouldn’t be doing. I will pop up at any time and do anything that needs to be done.

You have seamlessly come into this group, which has been a bit of a marvel to watch. Why do you think that your fellow newbie Angel is having such a difficult time?

I don’t know about seamless, but definitely more seamless than Angel. I knew they would haze the new girls, but because we came in together, it would have been crazy if they hazed both of us at the same time [laughs]. I think about this all the time because Angel is absolutely lovely.

I don’t know if Angel was a lower hanging fruit because she’s American and they know more about her. She has a football player husband, so the group had more access to stuff that involved her. I think it’s been tough for her ,and I often give her advice. if I was in her situation, I don’t know how well I’d be taking the treatment she has been receiving. It’s been hard for her.

Another lady who also seems to be in the hot seat is Stacey. Why do you think that is?

I think Stacey’s in the hot seat because she likes to be there. Stacey creates these situations herself, because then we are talking about Stacey, and I think that’s what she loves the most.

I don’t know how familiar you were with the history of this group, but had you ever heard of Chris Samuels before that dinner in Nevis?

So, I’ve watched the show and he was mentioned but I thought “that was a throwback name.” I thought his involvement with Stacy sounded far fetched, but then I’m learning that nothing is too farfetched for Stacey. Everything is very accessible to her.

Monique Samuels is returning to the franchise later this season. What were your first impressions of her?

First, she’s stunning. Beautiful. We got to chatting quite deeply, and she just seems like a woman who’s done a lot of work on herself and healed. She’s in her Zen space.I don’t know how much time she wants to spend around this group of women if she wants to keep being Zen [laughs]. But I like her. She’s a nice person.

Obviously, you can’t comment on Dr. Wendy’s current situation, but I did notice that only you and Stacey left a supportive comment on her most recent social post. Were you disappointed that the other ladies didn’t follow suit?

You know, I didn’t look to see. Obviously, I wrote that comment out of how I felt. So, I’m not looking to see, “oh, did this person do it?” So that’s news to me. I think everybody has a different relationship with Wendy. I’m not super close to her, but I got to know her when I came into this group, which was in April. She’s been very kind and supportive towards me. We’ve double dated once or twice. She called me before the show was coming out to share some tidbits. So, I was very sad when I when I saw the news and my heart goes out to her children. She has a beautiful family. So, it’s sad what’s happening.

There’s so much I don’t know about her situation, but I think it is difficult for anybody to be under this kind of extreme scrutiny. I’m aware of the allegations, but this is somebody we work with, we drink with, we break bread with… she’s going through a challenging time. She needs our support.

BravoCon is just around the corner and you have a panel on the very first day! How are you feeling?

You know, I’m just a baby [laughs]. This is all very new to me, so I’m feeling a bit nervous, but excited. I mean, I’m a Bravo fan, so I have to remember that I’m now working at Bravo. I can’t “foot out,” as they say, but I’m excited.

As a Bravo fan, who are you looking forward to meeting?

So many people! I’m keen to meet Porsha [Williams] because we have a lot of friends in common, and she goes to Nigeria quite a bit. I’d like meet the Dubai girls. My sister lives in Dubai. I’d like to catch up with Dr. Jackie [Walters]. Jackie was my doctor when I had Siena, and it’s always comforting to see her because she’s a dear friend.

It’s always crazy to me what a small world this is.

I know! I remember when she started Married to Medicine, I was like, “why is she doing that?” I watched and discovered that she is truly herself on the show. She’s such a remarkable woman, and she’s somebody I spoke to when I was considering the offer to be on RHOP. If you had told me then that I would be following her footsteps, I would have said, “absolutely not.”

Real Housewives Of Potomac airs Sundays at 8/7 on Bravo.