Ashley Darby unpacks 'RHOP' drama and gets real about her dating life with VRT

I had already heard some things that Robin had felt about me, and it's been for the last couple of years that there's been this sort of sentiment that she has about me, so it just kind of came to a head. Ashley Darby, you know Danny and I are so obsessed with you. We are so grateful for any IRL time we get with you. How are you feeling? This season of Potomac has been absolutely incredible. Much in part because of you. Well, I know. First of all, you know, I love coming and having a kiki with you guys, too. I get in a little bit of trouble sometimes, but it's good trouble. It's good trouble. I love it. But I'm really enjoying this season, actually. And I was a little bit apprehensive because I didn't know what to expect. With so many of our older castmates coming back, what is our dynamic going to be like with, you know, Stacy and with me and Robin and Monique? It was just like so many moving parts. And I knew some of it would be familiar. So a lot of it was unknown. Yeah. And I mean, you said a lot of names that were returning and no you didn't say Robin's name yet. Um, I wasn't sure if that was by design. I'm just going to fit everybody's name into it. Sure. We'll go with that. Um, but I did not realize how off to the races, your conflict and Robin's would be together. Did you expect it to kind of come up that hot? Yes. Well, because I had already heard some things that Robin had felt about me. And it's been for the last couple of years that there's been this sort of sentiment that she has about me. So it just kind of came to a head. Anything beyond what she said on Reasonably Shady? other stuff that she, cause she, you do come up on the podcast, which I mean a little bit here and there, you seem to be, you seem to be like, and subscribe because you, when that was brought up, you kind of seemed a little bit unbothered by it. Like, do you, do you actually care what she says about you or you just, okay. But I don't think I could care any less at all. Yeah. You know what I mean? If I did, I'm in the wrong place, but I think too, Our relationship is so layered. I mean, we started out. out Rocky season one. True. You know, so I know I have a very strong memory where Monique had had a white party. We're all wearing white and Robin and I were just, we were like this, the whole party. So it's just, Oh my God. When she came to confront you at the restaurant, how could one forget? How could one forget? Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Memories are just like flooding back. I know, but I I then give you credit for how, because of course. It's a tricky situation for how much, you know, she hasn't been vibing with you for years, but it didn't seem to ever impact your relationship with Giselle. And I hope it doesn't, even though you both are on the show now with the conflict. Yeah. I mean, respectfully, Giselle is an adult and I'm an adult. We're grown ass women at the end of the day. And so I respect that she's going to have her friendship. You know, and as long as she knows how to move and she's comfortable, I'm going to respect that. And one thing about Giselle, you cannot make Giselle do anything she doesn't want to do. Right. So she won't fool with you. She won't fool with you. And that's that. I mean, I kind of understood your point in this whole situation where the edit comes up. You know, no one would have known about it had Robin not brought it to the group or brought it to camera. I mean, if we're going to break the fourth wall a little bit. Did Giselle understand what you were saying? Because it seems like she's giving Robin an immediate pass. She actually doesn't seem to be that bothered by it. Yeah. I think that their business relationship is obviously very important to them. But you guys know too, you have each other's backs, right? And you need to have a united front, especially when you do something like this, where you're together all the time. You're human. You're going to err, right? And so if you can't trust that your partner, your business partner is going to have your back. What do you really have at the end of the day? So it was more so that she brought it to the platform and that's what really bothered me about it. So, yeah. Did you see, because we caught up with Karen at FanFest. Yeah. She said that, we asked her like, how do you feel about, you know, Robin and Ashley? That's all. Oh yeah, she said, hallelujah. She said it was like Christmas. Yeah, because also it's not all her. Okay. Okay. Karen is just so happy that we're talking about something else other than her, okay? So yeah, that was expected. So she said that, but also Stacey confirmed to us, you're saying that it did kind of smell like burnt butt hair at the brunch. Cause that was the first question I had to ask. That we singed, them singed booty hairs. And what did it smell like? Like, how would you describe the scent? Um, just, have you ever smelled burnt hair? Yes. Yeah. Like at the salon. Oh, gotcha. Yeah, like at the salon. Yes. It's a lot of the salon. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It wasn't like funky or anything, but it just smelled like burnt hair. Gotcha. Okay. Do you feel everybody else is as excited, unfortunately, for you and Robin having conflict as, uh, Karen, or she's just very, especially happy? I think for Karen, too, it's just like old times, you know, like she's like, oh, this is familiar. Uh-huh. Yeah, I think that everyone was surprised by it, especially the newer girls who have never actually seen us before. Right. Like Stacey has never really seen us. Wendy knows a little bit about it. Tia has obviously never seen our dynamic. So I think the newer girls were just kind of like popping their popcorn. How are you and Tia right now? Because, I mean, obviously you guys did not start. off on a great foot this season but I really when I watched the clip back on the reality rundown and shout out to the reality rundown we love we love it, just it doesn't feel like I don't know it didn't seem like you were too gleeful about the situation I think you were literally just saying like it's not my story like I I mean were you at all like were you happy to sit on the I just I didn't feel that it was like I think it was actually excited to have some tea that was That was going to be, go now. Okay, well, you know, I- Actually, I just did a thing with Dorinda and we talked about when you're on stage, the electricity from the audience, it gets you hyped up. Right. And you can be talking about something that is, you know, not so happy in nature, but it's just, it's the vibe. It's the adrenaline. It's the tequila. And you're a performer. It's all the things, right? So I realize now that that was my delivery, but I was not reveling in that because I've had it happen to me. Well, I almost feel like, I wonder if a part of you kind of like how Karen was so excited to talk to us about, you and Robin, you were probably like. Oh, there's going to be drama. That's not about me next season. I'm excited for that. Yeah. Oh, well, I definitely have had enough of that. And now Josh, you know, he's just one thing about him, at least, you know, let me not jinx it, but I don't think he will embarrass me. Yeah. I don't get that vibe from him. He seems like such a sweet boy. And I love that you guys have continued to progress in your relationship, even despite that, like kind of awkward conversation where there was like, you know, a little monetary talk involved. How do you guys feel in that regard in this current moment? Is this an issue at all? Yeah, it's still an issue. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's ever-present. It's ever-present. And then the kid part. Yeah, that's kind of the big picture. Yeah, that's a very big thing. He wants at least two children. Oh. I'm like, oh, don't come knocking on this door. I don't know. You have to. You're like, here they are. Yeah, exactly. Which, by the way, he's so great with them. Oh, I can see that. Does watching him with your kids make you think, like, Or are you like, see, look how good you are with kids already. You got them. Yeah. And my dog. He's great with dogs too. So, yeah, a little bit of me is just like, can we just be content? But that's not fair to say to someone. Like if someone wants children, it is literally your God-given right to procreate. So that could be the end of us. Oh, no. I hope not because he makes you so happy. Otherwise, how does Sheila feel about him? Oh, everyone loves him. Okay. Yeah, they love him. He also cooks. So whenever like Mother's Day, he cooked this big lobster and steak dinner for everybody. Oh yeah, my auntie loves him, my grandma loves him, my mom, everybody loves him, Josh. Wait, how is Sheila? I love her so much and I just always hope for the best for her. Thank you, babe. She's good. She's good. She actually is now working with disabled adults who are like nonverbal. And my mom, I've never seen her feel like she has so much purpose. These are adults who really have never spoken. They have like the mindset of like a four-year-old. And my mom is like... Like, she just feels like she's doing something so beautiful. Oh, that is beautiful. That's amazing. I love it. I love that. And I also am very curious, because we tried to talk to Stacey about Kourtney. And Stacey, yeah, we didn't realize it. It was before we saw last week's episode. She does not like her. No, you don't say. I think kind of like really, was that a pre, what we saw of them just going back and forth that lightly, going to continue and develop throughout the season? Oh, yes. There's a lot. It gets deep between them. Do you like Kourtney? Oh, yeah. Yeah, actually, I do. And I actually defended Courtney at that dinner because I felt like Stacey was shading her event planning. But Stacey planned Cynthia's whole wedding. Like, with some respect on her name. With also Cynthia right there. Right? Yeah. Cynthia co-signed on it, right? So I'm like, in that instance, it felt important for me to stick up for Courtney. Was there something pre-existing between Stacey and Courtney other than that phone call? Because, like, why was there so much heat for... Courtney from Stacey. I'm so confused. I couldn't read it either, but it feels like that was the birth of something. You know what I mean? Like maybe it was the tone of that phone call. Maybe it was one of those situations where you had to be there to understand it, right? Because clearly people were disgruntled to say the least. So. It does. It gets a little hot in that kitchen. Oh my God. Do you think that Courtney is a good housewife? Like if you could rate her out of 10? Yes. I am very happy for Courtney to be. She's like, she's out of 10. Oh, she, I'm gonna give her a good eight and a half. Oh, that's pretty good for your first season. I mean, we love her. That's what I'm saying. She jumped right in. She wasn't afraid. A lot of people are like, ooh, I don't want to share that. I don't want to touch that. Courtney dove in and being a minister and everything. I know. Right? She threw caution to the wind. Talking about infidelity, but also talking about Jesus. I was like, wow, girl. You really just put it all out there. And I love it. And she's just the right, stunning body is tea, face is tea. And she's fun. We have a great time. Yeah, I know. I feel in Potomac, you guys do have a lot of fun, but then of course the drama always creeps its way up. And I feel like this is the first season where. I love at that dinner, too. I don't love for her, but Giselle's like, this dinner's not fun. Like, she's getting hit with a lot this season. And then Giselle is getting hit. Yeah. Well, the drama of you and Robin and then also we know in some upcoming episodes, her and Karen are having some intensity where Karen. Did y'all see that in the teaser? The teaser. And Karen told us she has the receipts about what happened. Okay, well, I would like to see those receipts as well. So, um... The Grand Dame, I think, took it a little far in that situation. But, yes, it is. And it leaves a lasting impression on the group. I'm feeling it. And, yeah, I think we're still feeling some of the remnants of it today. Because we had the ultimate girls' trip party. Yeah. And... You know, was Karen there? I can't recall. Karen was there looking good in her, was it Tom Ford or Gucci thing? Armani? Whatever. She was looking amazing. She did look good. Yeah, but you can definitely feel some of the remnants from our season at that party for sure. And do you feel this new Karen really is so new that Ray would not know how to be in love with her? Because it seems like that is a storyline where he doesn't know, he calls her like boring Karen and everything. Because you guys have seen episode four, right? Yes. Okay. When Ray says that he almost didn't marry her because of her drinking before. That was very telling because that means that this is like, maybe Ray has never known another version of Karen to be fair. Right. If that was how the relationship started, then this sober introspective Kumbaya Karen is so foreign to him. Right. They're for 30 years, three decades. He had the other one. It's also her too. You think a relationship would change and evolve with each other to like, so that he would want to help her in this new. Yeah, I don't think he knows how I know he loves her and I know she loves him. But you can only really tell someone but so much of how you need to be supported. Some of it has to be intuitive. Yeah, like, you just have to kind of know how to show up sometimes. Right. And I don't think Ray really knows that. And also, in one of the teasers, we don't know who it is, but she's showing up with another man somewhere. Oh, yeah. Did you get to meet him? Oh my goodness. Wait, Ashley, what do you think of this guy? Um, I will say that he is, he's a very handsome man. Now, the nature of their relationship is going to surprise you. Okay. Yeah, yeah. Let's, let's, we won't run with it too much. Okay, okay. We won't run with it too much, but he's a very handsome man. Is Blue Eyes still around? No, he's not. No. I'm dying to meet Blue Eyes. He's a very handsome man, too. And also, speaking of some handsome men, will Juan pop up at all this season? Or is Robin kind of happy not to, or is Juan happy not to be involved with this at all? As far as I know, no. So, yeah, Juan is doing his own thing. Do they seem to be? Good together? I think so. Their sons are doing very well. And I know that that's a very big bonding thing for them. Her son, I think, is being looked at for like college basketball stuff. So it's great stuff happening there on the home front. But I don't know about their relationship. I don't know what's going on there. I mean, speaking of Robin, when we did chat with Karen and she was excited that you and Robin were fighting, one thing she did say is, or she inferred that there's kind of this like competition who's going to be Giselle's lapdog. What do you make of that? What do you make of that assessment? Do you think there is a competition between the two? Also, what do you think of the lapdog label? Yeah, I think Karen needs to get some new material. She's actually said that quite a few times now. Yeah, we're recycling old stuff now. Let's freshen it up. All right. Number one. Number two, I think that because Karen has never had a really close friend on our show. She actually will tell you she doesn't have a lot of close girlfriends, period. Yeah, she has one friend, Kiki, who I know she loves and who really shows up for Karen, but she doesn't really understand what it looks like to have someone who would love you, ride or die for you, and support you on this platform. And because Giselle and I have nurtured our relationship off camera as much as we have on camera, we have a real friendship, right? She knows where my skeletons are buried now, and similarly, I know too, right? And so that does affect us having a real friendship. I think that's just a foreign concept for Karen on our platform. I see, gotcha. Yeah, but I mean, I got her back, you know? Oh, I won't ride or die for her, but I'll ride for her. Right. And how does Giselle manage the two friendships, you know, Hers with you and then hers with Robin as you two like actively don't get along because that can't be easy for her. Oh, I mean, she's grown. It works out just fine, you know? And we talk, we talk about our stuff. We talk about dating. She has all my kids. Like, you know, we have our normal friendship. And then obviously she has a relationship with Robin. Two things can be true that she is good friends with Robin and she's good friends with me. What made me very excited, too, at the VRT Awards, which you look so stunning at. Thank you. Yes, you did. Candice was also there and she was talking so positively about you because we were like, yes, we weren't sure where we were like, we think they're good. But actually, we never you never know. Yeah, I love that you guys are seemingly in a good place. Yeah. So after a girl's trip, we had filmed in Atlanta and they actually cut out that she and I really got to scrapping. It got it got really heated when we filmed girl's trip in Atlanta. It was real bad. I was jumping around, clapping, doing all the things. Um, yes. And she was calling me that, that, that, that it was just like old times basically. But then afterward she showed me pictures of her son and we just started talking like normal. So like we have these moments like sisters, like we will like her, but then there's like a little fiber of like, but girl, how you really doing that sort of thing, you know? I love that. So yeah. Was the fight over just like some things from the past that were unresolved? Yeah. Okay. But I'm glad that you guys were able to hash that out and then. Get to a place where you both wish each other well and care for each other. Yes, we've actually had some very fun times together. I know, because she's so fun. We do. She's a great time. She was like a perfect duo. Yes, yes, I do miss her sometimes. Do you feel that? Do you think she would ever want to come back to reality TV? I mean, considering what Andy said on the stage. Oh, yeah, I know. That was, that's causing a lot of drama. I know, I know. Well, because we get asked a lot on... In press interviews and on the carpets, like, did she leave willingly or was she asked to leave? And we don't want to have to answer it. It's not something we want to answer. So, you know, it's nice that somebody else talked about it for a change. Yeah. And he said what he said. Yes, he did. Yeah, I was surprised at how candid he was about that. Candid about Candace. I would love to see her come back. Do you miss her, like, in filming? Because, I mean, she brought so much to the show. Yeah, I mean, there's definitely something about someone who's familiar to you. You know, I know who she is. I know what some of her buttons are. She knows mine. You know what I mean? So you know how to play with each other. Yeah, like, I care about her mother quite a bit. I'd love to see her as a mother herself. So, yeah, there is definitely, like, a big part of me. That does miss her being on the show, but I don't know if it would be the right thing for her. She's doing so well right now too. I don't know if it would be the right thing. I know. And she's going to be in that off-Broadway play, which is so cool. Yes. I know. It's very exciting. Yes, I'm very happy for them. Yes, I'm very happy for them. Stacey's going to be in an off-Broadway play. How does that make you feel? Yeah. You know, I'm not even going to front. I was, I was a little. I'm a little sad that I wasn't asked to do it. Oh, same. I was, you know, and I'm like, I'm going to keep it a buck. Yeah. I couldn't be like, oh, yeah, good for them. I don't care. I really, I cared. Did you, like, was there an audition? I have no clue. So apparently it was like a management thing. So I guess my manager didn't put my name in the hat. I I was very sad, but happy for them. You know, Cynthia, Candace, Stacey, Dolores. Love that for y'all. But I just wish I was there too. I hope it is like the start of a continuation thing because you'd be so fun in there. Yeah, thank you. And you know, I really want to be on Broadway. I'm manifesting it hard. Oh, yeah. Let's do it. Yes. I'm woo-wooing it up. I'm like, oh. What else are we manifesting? I want to be married next year. Or at least engaged. Oh, I was... We got close. Oh, what? Who, the right man for me. Okay. Yeah. Are we still dating Josh right now? Yes, we are. Oh, okay. If it happens to be Josh. Beautiful. Amazing. If it happens to be him, but I'm asking God, I'm trusting. I'm stopping my resistance. Okay. There's no more resistance from me. Would you want a big wedding? I had a really small wedding the first time. I got married in Jamaica. I had 60 guests. Oh, okay. So yeah, I think I would. The big thing. Candace's wedding was actually very nice. We filmed it. Yeah, it was beautiful. And it was grand. Yeah. So maybe something like that. Would you want Courtney to plan your wedding? Well, I have my own event planner. She's my homegirl. You know what I mean? But it's no shade on Kourtney. But my homegirl is. Yeah, she's decorating my house for Christmas next week. Because you know, I decorate for Christmas right after Halloween. I love that. November 1st? We're putting it up. Mariah Carey is blasting. Do the kids love it? Yes. Well, they love Halloween too. Oh, what are they being? Harry Potter and Gogeta. From Dragon Ball Z. Okay, I love that. I hate Halloween. You're not a Halloween girl yet. Do you? I hate it. I'm not into it either. Yeah. It's too much. It's too much. It's dark. It's dark. Yes. Give me Santa Claus. Right? All day. And my dog is scared of the decorations on the street. I'm scared. And then people are knocking and ringing your bell for candy. I just leave the candy out. Like I just put a big thing of candy on the porch and I say, y'all have at it. Enjoy it. When it's gone, it's gone. That's right. And I don't know what to do. That's right, get it while you can. Yeah. Oh my gosh, Ashley, you were so much fun. Thank you for chatting with us. You too. It's good to see you. Oh, I love it here. Yes, and I love the setup. Oh, well, thank you. I love it. It loves you right back. Thank you.