RHOP's Stacey Rusch Talks TJ Drama, Maya Angelou Memes And Her Reality TV Debut — TVLine's Women To Watch

From quoting Maya Angelou at the Season 9 reunion to cheering like a schoolgirl at the idea of sharing a bunk bed with a costar, Stacey Rusch left a lasting impression during her inaugural season on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Potomac.

Much of her freshman run was colored by accusations that she paid her eccentric, on-screen boyfriend TJ to boost her storyline. And guess what? We don't even care if she did! The Housewives are too often plagued by fraud scandals, prison sentences and cancer hoaxes, so it's refreshing to gossip about something as mundane as a weird boyfriend. And Rusch has taken all the criticism in stride, telling TVLine, "I can't really worry about what people think." (Though she did add that she might be a little too busy to follow TJ's acting career in the future — so things aren't all hunky dory!)

Since wrapping Season 9, the former QVC host has used her platform to launch Shayo, a line of cannabis-infused fruit chews. While many of us could enjoy a chew here and there, Rusch has thoughts on which RHOP cast member could benefit most from the calming effects of cannabis — but it's just some fun shade!

Overall, Rusch brought fun, fresh energy to the reality-TV genre, making her the perfect choice for TVLine's Reality Star to Watch, part of our inaugural Women to Watch awards series, recognizing women doing exciting, inspiring and industry-shaping work in television — and Rusch is doing just that.

We've already unveiled our Drama Star to Watch, Comedy Star to Watch and Daytime Star to Watch, and we'll reveal the awardee in Showrunner to Watch on Friday.

Press PLAY on the video above to hear Rusch's interview, then hit the comments with your thoughts on her debut season.