Candiace Dillard: Karen, Find Better Friends

BravoTV.com: Tell us about your past with Ashley and how you know her. What do you think of her saying you and Monique are like little chihuahuas?

Candiace Dillard: I met Ashley through the magical world of pageantry! She gives a mean pageant interview and I was incredibly happy to get to witness her winning the Miss DC America title when she did. She’s definitely not a Pageant Patty type and brought a lot of authenticity to her reign. It’s a shame her luck seemed to run out at Nationals though. There’s something we call a “clapper” in the pageant world. Look it up...

I find it oddly humorous to hear Ashley refer to Monique and I as little barking chihuahuas when...girl, have you heard the squeaks and squalls that come up out of your mouth??

BravoTV.com: Tell us about meeting Monique – you two seem like a match made in Potomac heaven! Where is your relationship now?
CD: Monique is bae!!! I love her energy and her spirit. She’s fun and likes to laugh (loud). She’s a little shady boot, which always makes for a fun time! She keeps it real! At this point, I’m excited to get to know her better! There’s nothing like good ol’ Girl Time and the fact that we both have a Chris, we OBVI have great taste in men. What else could you ask for in a new friend? The ebbs and flows of a new friendship can certainly make for an interesting journey though. Let’s see where it goes...

BravoTV.com: We think you just made a new word trend with Susband! Tell us about your wedding plans.
CD: Oh, my Susbanddddd!!! He’s the cutest, and the funniest and has the best butt in all the land! Lol. Planning this wedding, though is making me want to TAKE my butt to a faraway land. Girl...budgets, and planning meetings, and too many opinion-having mama’s (mine)…I’m just overwhelmed sometimes. I used to wrinkle my nose at my friends who admitted to wishing they had eloped. How could you ever want to elope when you’re planning the best day of your life? TUH...I get it now. I feel like I get in my own way sometimes though.

Candiace Dillard Has a Susband

I am an OCD perfectionist and I DO feel pressure to make this day PERFECT for Chris and myself and all of our guests and family. I want it to be memorable, I want the food to knock your socks off, I want the entertainment to blow you away, I want the libations to be flowing in excess and of course she (me) has to be BEAT DOWN honey! It’s a lot to take in, especially when you’re a control freak and you realize you can’t do it all by yourself.

Chris is a wonderful balance for me though because he shuts my foolishness down and tells me “no” when I need to be told, lol. All he cares about is the food and beverages (which is perfect). Me wanting flowers coming out of the ceiling, the floor, the walls and my ass? He don’t care. Me wanting celebrity performances during the ceremony AND reception? He don’t care. Me needing Chanel chairs for my guests to sit in? He don’t care. I like to say, Chris would stand in his pajamas and marry me on our rooftop terrace if I gave him the option. Never fear though babe, ‘cause that ain’t happening. Now try on this tux and love it!

BravoTV.com: What do you think about this press conference with no press watching it now?
CD: This press conference had me hollering! From the peanuts and water to the haphazardly ripped out sheets of notebook paper and number 2 pencils, I felt like class really WAS in session: the class of classic reads. When I tell you I DIED in my chair when Karen asked if Michael was indicted for having his ding-a-ling swinging across the internet? Girl!!!

Now, God forbid the demon of taxation comes into my household honey, I wish my friends would gossip and tweet and carry on all over the interwebs about me. Liiiike...Karen, find better friends. Furthermore, you can’t teach paupers how to live in luxury and you cannot expect the penniless to understand the business of handing millions of dollars. I feel like Gizelle, Robyn and Ashley need to pipe down on the money shade and get their own coins up. Focus on self.

At the same, time, as a CONCERNED friend, I can understand how friends would be alarmed at reading about their girlfriend’s tax debt all up in the Washington Post. Of course, friends will have questions. I wish Karen would have been more up front in her answers as it seemed a bit like she was circumventing the full facts or truths. And if you’re going to call a press conference (with no press), why not tell the whole truth?

Karen's Press Conference with No Press Gets Heated

BravoTV.com: What were you thinking coming into this group – what were your first impressions of all the ladies?
CD: I have to say, this seems like a very colorful group of women I’m walking into! Spending more time with Ashley is always a hoot and Monique gives me cool chick vibes but I AM interested to meet the rest of these gals as they seem like a handful. I know myself and typically, walking into a group of wannabe alpha females proves to be a challenge when they discover the firecracker underneath all this pageant hair and makeup (me, hahhaha). When Monique called them “fake proper” I really didn’t know what to think…who wants to hang around a bunch of fake women? It really reared its ugly head watching Gizelle make those hater t-shirts. Like, girl. Don’t you have children? Aren’t you trying to hold on to a man? How do you find time to iron letters onto a shirt tearing down a woman you’re supposedly friends with? I feel like Robyn tries to be mean and it just comes off tired and weary. I felt like she was essentially riding with Gizelle on the Karen tax debt gossip to fit in.

I truly felt for Karen watching everything she was going through. Having your personal, financial hardships plastered all over the World Wide Web and in the Washington Post is mortifying to say the least. I feel for her and her family. As a soon to be married woman, my fiancé Chris and I have often had the discussion about how we plan to arrange our financial affairs. My parents always had joint accounts and Chris and I have decided to follow suit and open a joint, marital account as well. I have to admit, though, after listening to Karen talk about being spared the direct wrath of the IRS by not ever sharing an account with Ray…maybe I’m reconsidering this joint situation.

Overall, I applaud Karen for her handling of the entire tax debt debacle. Whether she knew about the strain on their finances or not, I can’t say. But I do believe it’s possible she did not know. Every partnership is different. Where I may want to be involved in every aspect of my family’s money, some women (or men!) may make the decision to step back and take on other responsibilities. I don’t think Karen should be crucified for trusting her husband and the flow of her marriage. Sh*t happens sometimes – especially when you’ve been married 20+ years. I feel like Ray and Karen will figure it out. If there are any takeaways, the truest nugget Karen dropped on us was, “You’ve got to make millions to owe millions.” HA! That’s one thing my parents taught me growing up, building their empires: the more you make, the more taxes you pay. But pay them, though. Lol.

Watch a sneak peek of next week's all-new #RHOP:

Candiace Dillard Gets Emotional Trying on Wedding Dresses