Real Housewives of Potomac
No matter who you are, it’s likely there is one reality TV show you just can’t quit.
It could be your daily ritual of mindlessly watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Or maybe the high-fashion exploits of Project Runway tickle your fancy. And we all know someone who lived for the trashy escapades that went down on MTV’s Real World.
The point is, whether we try to play it off, we all have that one reality show that’s a total guilty pleasure. Most times, the shows are set in grand locations like Los Angeles or Hollywood — places that seem larger than life, bursting with fun and extremely overpriced but with things to do.
Starting Jan. 17, The Real Housewives of Potomac is coming to a Washington, D.C., suburb near you. The eighth installment of the Real Housewives series, the show follows six well-to-do women, including Juan Dixon’s wife Robyn Dixon and fellow Maryland alumna Ashley Darby, living in Potomac as they encounter the everyday struggles of being in the upper middle class.
Though Potomac is a small town relatively unknown outside of Maryland, sophomore psychology major Jake Cohen said it’s the perfect spot for a show in The Real Housewives series. The area is extremely affluent, Cohen said, which many people watching at home will view as glamorous and fun.
But that doesn’t mean Cohen is excited about the show.
“I think Potomac has a very arrogant culture as is, and I think the show might make it worse,” said Cohen, who has lived in the town since he was 7.
Sophomore public health science major Omid Barr, who has lived on the border of Bethesda and Potomac his whole life, is similarly wary of the show.
“Initially, I was just kind of happy that we had something to represent our neighborhood, but then it changed quickly when I saw what the trailer was about,” Barr said. “I don’t think it represents accurately what the majority of Potomac is.”
Barr’s main problem is with the discrepancy between the demographics of the show and the racial composition of Potomac. In 2010, census data found that 4.6 percent of Potomac residents were black, a stark contrast to the six leading women of The Real Housewives of Potomac, all of whom are black.
“I’m not trying to say that these people shouldn’t be on this show, I’m just saying … when I think of Potomac, as a person who lives there, it’s not what I think of,” Barr said.
The diversity on the show is often mentioned in its trailer. There’s a shot of two women arguing about their biracial identities over brunch, which ends with — as you can expect from a reality TV show — one of them angrily storming off. There’s also a mention of the “extremely small” black community in the town, furthering the notion that these women are part of some exclusive club we all want to peer into.
The rest of the trailer is, well, to be expected. There’s a car that’s probably worth more than your student debt, a drag queen in a dark club throwing shade at the show’s cast and multimillion-dollar mansions. And just to insert some good ol’ trite reality-show drama, someone even asks, “Black Katie is Jewish; when did that happen?” in total indignation.
Barr and Cohen are both unsure whether they’ll ever watch an episode of The Real Housewives of Potomac. Cohen said there is a chance he might make time for the first episode — but only for the love of his hometown.
“I have never watched any of the [Real Housewives] shows,” Cohen said. “I watched the trailer for this one if that counts, but I might be willing to watch the first episode just to see what it is and how they depict Potomac.”
If you’re looking for a groundbreaking show, this one isn’t for you. But if you enjoy some middle-aged drama, get some popcorn and a bottle of wine ready.
