They say hindsight is 20/20, which could be the case for fans who witnessed the bombshell claims about Stacey Rusch and her “best friend” Thomas Anthony “TJ” Jones on The Real Housewives of Potomac.
In the third part of the Season 9 reunion, those sitting with Andy Cohen were shook after Wendy Osefo’s husband, Eddie Osefo, and Keiarna Stewart’s beau, Greg, FaceTimed with TJ backstage. During the jaw-dropping call caught on tape, TJ claimed he didn’t want to be on “that fake-ass show with them fake-ass people.”
But that wasn’t all. TJ then alleged that Stacey paid him to be her love interest for the show, and claimed she still owed him money for his onscreen appearances.
Did Stacey pay TJ to be on the show?
At the reunion, Stacey denied the shocking allegations, hinting TJ might have been “hurt” over their recent breakup.
“I can’t believe someone who prides themselves on being a man of God and being honest, and someone who I would think loves me, even if we’re not together, to say that — I’ve never paid TJ a dime,” she said. “And I’ve never owed him anything, and to see that is so, so hurtful … I feel like the rug has been pulled from under me. I don’t know what to say.”
Stacey did say she planned to call TJ in the future … “with my attorney.” However, following the reunion episode airing, she “immediately” called TJ, she revealed in the March 2 episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
She continued to deny ever paying TJ to be on the show, calling the whole thing “jarring.”
"It's so obvious to me, and I hate to say this, but the ladies were right,” Stacey admitted. “He’s not the man for me … I was looking for love, and he was in love with being in front of the camera."
Stacey's friend warns her about TJ
Of course, the Real Housewives weren't the only ones who had an issue with TJ and doubted his authenticity. Stacey's longtime BFF, AJ, came from Chicago to visit Stacey for her Strut for Strays show in the Season 9 finale, and he was very clear about what he thought about TJ. See what he had to say about TJ's weird behavior in the above episode clip, which came after Karen Huger prepped for Stacey’s dog show with the help of her husband, Ray Huger.
Read below for a full transcript:
Karen: Does Stacey's dog march deserve YSL? Eh, no.
Karen (calling out for Ray): Ray-Ray, I need your help!
Ray (entering room): Yes, what's up, baby?
Karen: Come here, baby. I'm trying to figure out what I want to wear for Stacey's dog walk fashion show, which is admirable ’cause you know I am on my own journey to rescue my two puppies, Grand and Dame.
Karen (in confessional): Before Stacey came up with this charity, you know, to adopt dogs, my desire is to adopt dogs that are bred and should not be bred.
Karen (to Ray): I have a lot of love to give, so listen, baby.
Ray: You can give it to me.
Karen (in confessional): They have a life span that's very, very short, but hopefully they will live much longer because they'll be well taken care of with me.
Karen (to Ray): I have to get behind Stacey and her event because she is doing a good thing.
Ray: Are you gonna walk with the dog, too?
Karen: Oh no, I'm not walking in her show. But can we support her? Absolutely.
Karen (to producers): Why would I support Stacey when Stacey wouldn't be fair and neutral with Mia [Thornton] and I? With my court case coming up, I am definitely stressed, you know. I don't need to be going down this road of my friend breaking my heart and disrespecting me. I don't need any more pain.
Karen and Ray’s conversation came to an end when Wendy called on the phone, prompting the couple to kiss before Ray let the women be.
Karen: Hello, Wendy.
Wendy: How are you doing?
Karen: I love talking to your still photo, girl. What's up, sweetie?
Wendy: I’m giving you a call because we're about to strut for strays, honey.
Karen: Who's strutting for strays?
Wendy: You know, sidebar, you know that I am starting Season 2 of the Dr. Wendy Show, and the White House reached out to me and asked me to shoot an episode of the Dr. Wendy Show on location.
Karen: Congratulations!
Wendy: I am just through the moon. I'm so excited. I always appreciate your support. So, I was wondering, if you're free, if you would like to come with me to the White House.
Karen: Yes, yes. Oh, my God!
Karen screamed with delight, both at Wendy’s news and upon her invitation.
Karen (in confessional): I think Wendy and I have more in common than most people would think. I mean, I invited Wendy to the courthouse when I was sworn in as the ambassador to Surry County. She knows I give to my community. I will lift my community, and that ties us.
Wendy (to Karen): I'll send you all the details.
Karen: OK, thank you, bye bye.
In a separate conversation, Stacey and AJ headed upstairs to the El Techo restaurant in Washington, D.C., where cameras picked up mid-conversation.
AJ: We be getting our cardio on, too.
AJ (to server): How you doing?
Server: Hey y'all, how you doing? Have a seat wherever you like.
Stacey: Thank you.
AJ: Let's sit right here.
AJ (to Stacey): OK, you know what? This reminds me of Sinibar, that we used to [go to] back in the day.
Stacey: Oh my gosh!
Server: How we doing, y'all?
AJ: We're doing well, thank you.
Server: Take your time. Let me know if you have any questions with the menus. I can get you started with the cocktail, if you like.
AJ: Yes, [a] cocktail sounds great.
Stacey: What are you having?
AJ: I'll have a margarita, please.
Stacey: I would love a glass of white wine.
Server: I can do that for you. Will be right back with that for you.
Stacey: Can I be honest? Some of my best memories are in Chicago.
AJ: With me, I'm sure.
Stacey: We had some good times.
Stacey (in confessional): Strut for Strays is so important to me, so to have my friends come in town to support me, it really means a lot to me. I've known AJ since I was a young girl modeling in Chicago. And we've just been besties ever since. Whenever he comes to D.C., I know it's gonna be a good time.
Stacey (to AJ): A lot has changed since we were hanging out in the Chi.
AJ: Oh yeah, you've changed. I see you on Instagram.
Stacey: Have I changed for the better?
AJ: Well, you, you're definitely beautiful, but you're very prim and proper. So, you just hang out with women here? Like, so, … you don't go out on hang out with no other guy except for your old friend?
AJ was referring to TJ, as the server came with drinks.
Stacey: My best friend.
AJ: Your best friend, yeah.
Stacey: I can't wait for you to meet him.
AJ: I could wait.
Stacey: I feel like you don't want me to just have a best friend.
AJ: No, you gotta be out. Look, you've been locked down for a very long time. You gotta live.
Stacey: I’m happy with my best friend. No joke! He is so much fun, he’s so cool, we get along, he's easy to get along with. We go to church together, we work out together …
AJ: Praise God, I like that. I like that. Is he not wealthy?
Stacey: He's an actor.
AJ: Oh, this is definitely [inaudible over laughter]. I don't know who this fella is. I'm sure he's very nice and like I say, he's decent looking, but you've been with the same man 16 years plus, so it's like, ‘Oh, here's some new stuff. Let me jump on this’ or whatever.
Stacey: Well, I haven't seen the new stuff, and I haven't jumped on anything because we're not intimate.
AJ: OK, yeah, OK. This is really weird now.
Stacey: I don't have to have sex to be fulfilled.
AJ: Oh, now we really down, I’m about to jump off a cliff. You've been brainwashed. This is like, ‘Get out of Stepford Wives’ or some s--t.
Stacey and AJ’s sit-down conversation was interrupted when a video call came from TJ, who greeted his “best friend” by playfully mispronouncing Stacey’s name
Stacey (to AJ): It's TJ.
AJ: That's him calling?
Stacey (to TJ): Hi.
TJ: I’m calling for Tracey Ruski? Rooski? Tracey Ruski?
Stacey: What is wrong with you? AJ's here.
TJ: I don’t know who AJ is.
Stacey: Say hi.
Stacey turned the phone around so the men could see one another. AJ almost mispronounced TJ’s name, but it appeared to be an honest slip-up.
AJ: What's up J-, TJ? How’s it going?
TJ: Nah, man, you gettin’ my name wrong.
AJ: No, I said TJ.
TJ: Nope! You said my name wrong.
AJ: I did, I did.
Stacey (to TJ): I, um, will call you when I'm in the car so we can talk about next week. See you soon.
TJ: Bye.
Stacey ended the call.
AJ: He's a lot. I can't. I thought I was talking to an A.I. character. This is not real.
Stacey: What does that even mean?
AJ: He was so animated and I'm animated.
Stacey: Yes, he's real.
AJ: Oh, you do not like — oh, you cannot. That is not your type. Come on, now.
Stacey: You don't like him for me?
AJ: He would not be my choice. Not at all.
Stacey (in confessional): TJ is my best friend. He's my support system, and that's enough for me. I just don't know if it's enough for everybody around me.
Stacey (to AJ): Tell me why he is not my type, right now. Tell me why.
AJ: He is a corn ball ... I’m like, ‘Is he serious?’ He is not the one. Oh, you really tripping, ’cause you need help.
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