Stacey Rusch is gaining a fan base. However, her dating life has become a full-blown investigation led by her own castmates. The Real Housewives of Potomac star is pushing back hard against Ashley Darby’s relentless questioning about every aspect of her private life, from her divorce timeline to her alleged pursuit of an NFL ex-husband.
The feud between Stacey Rusch and Ashley Darby has been a central conflict throughout season 10 of RHOP. According to Bravo, Ashley has repeatedly expressed disbelief over everything from Stacey’s adamant denial that she paid her ex-boyfriend, Thomas Anthony “TJ” Jones, for his RHOP appearances to whether she and her ex-husband, Thiemo Rusch, were actually divorced before their reconciliation.
Stacey, clearly fed up with the continuous questioning, did not mince words about her co-star’s persistent interest in her affairs. “Ashley’s gonna be Ashley, so I expect her to be consistent — and that, she is,” Stacey explained in an exclusive interview with Bravo’s Daily Dish.
“I don’t know what it is with her. I would think that she is busy. I don’t understand why she has so much time to invest in my life… when I’m not really invested in hers, in that way.” Stacey went on to label her co-star as a “detective,” noting, “I’m interested in a genuine friendship, and it seems like Ashley is interested in being a detective.”
Stacey Rusch Opens Up About The Divorce And The NFL Ex
The speculation surrounding Stacey Rusch’s marital status became a major storyline after Ashley could not locate any public records verifying her divorce. Stacey claimed on the show that she and Thiemo received a notification that they were “officially divorced” during a family Christmas vacation to Mexico with their nine-year-old daughter, Arabella. To put the persistent questions to rest, Stacey showed Ashley her divorce documents during an episode, vehemently maintaining, “There isn’t anything to clear up because, as I told her, I was divorced in December, and that is the truth.” She added, “I am, in fact, divorced, and I’ve maintained that from the get-go.”
Despite showing the paperwork, the drama continued, particularly concerning Stacey’s rumored dating life during her separation. During a cast dinner in Nevis, Ashley controversially accused Stacey of trying to dig into Gizelle Bryant’s new romance with NFL vet Shawn Springs, only to pivot the conversation by bringing up that Stacey had allegedly asked a mutual friend “who works with a lot of athletes” to help her “get close to” Chris Samuels—the ex-husband of former RHOP star Monique Samuels.
Stacey Rusch defended her connection to the retired NFL star, saying, “I adore Chris Samuels. He is a great man, a great father. We are good friends.” She clarified that their connection was simply due to their shared social circle: “Both of us, having gone through a divorce, we have a lot of friends in common. And that’s what it is.”
The tension over the dating rumors was amplified by a resurfaced clip, captured by a producer’s camera, where Stacey Rusch admitted to “briefly dating” Chris Samuels during her separation from Thiemo. In the clip, the sophomore Housewife clarified the parameters of the relationship: “I did not have sex with anyone. I saw people, I hung out, and Chris was one of those people.” She emphatically denied sleeping with him, stating, “No, I have not f***ed Chris.”
However, Ashley remained unconvinced, claiming that “Chris is telling people, too.” After they returned to their resort, Ashley further accused Stacey of “lying” in her characterization of the relationship. This prompted a strong clapback from Stacey, who fired back, “Y’all want me to be somebody else so bad, and you just can’t accept who I am. It’s unbelievable.”
“I can’t speak for Ashley regarding why she didn’t just ask me as a friend, instead of automatically assuming the worst and accusing me of being a liar,” Stacey stated.
