Connect with us

Arts & Entertainment

‘Real Housewives of Potomac’s Michael Darby charged with sexual assault

The restaurant owner could face 11 years in prison

Published

on

Michael Darby (Screenshot via YouTube)

“Real Housewives of Potomac” star Michael Darby has been charged with sexual assault, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.

Darby, 59, is married to “Real Housewives of Potomac” cast member Ashley Darby. The couple own the Australian restaurant Oz in Arlington, Va., which is frequently shown on the show.

Orville Palmer, a cameraman for “Real Housewives of Potomac,” alleges that Darby “grabbed and groped” his butt while filming for the show on Sept. 1. NBC4 Washington reports that filming took place at a home on Pleasant Hill Drive in Potomac, Md.

“As I turned around he smiled and gave me a flirtatious look,” Palmer claims in the documents.

Palmer says he told Darby to stop and then notified his supervisor.

Darby has been charged with felony assault and misdemeanor improper sexual contact. The maximum sentence would be 11 years in prison.

Palmer also filed for a restraining order from Darby after another alleged incident at L2 Lounge in Georgetown in August. Palmer alleges that Darby kicked him in the butt during filming. However, the restraining order was denied.

Darby’s actions have come into question on the show.  In season one, “Real Housewives of Potomac” co-star Gizelle Bryant says she saw Darby “squeezing” another man’s butt. Ashley said it was “a joke.”

“My man has sex with me, he loves me and he gives it to me good,” Ashley said. “So quite frankly, whatever he does in joking manners is not a reflection of my man’s sexuality. You’re reading into it so far.”

Update: Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s office dropped all charges against Darby on Thursday, Oct. 4 citing no evidence, no witnesses and no events.

“The case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence,” Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, said in a statement. 

Mike Rowan, Darby’s attorney, added: “The charges were dropped. They were baseless. There were a number of alleged witnesses who said it did not happen. The peace order request by the alleged victim was also denied. There was simply nothing that happened, and nothing here.”

 

 

Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

Photos

PHOTOS: Baltimore Pride Parade

Thousands attend city’s 50th annual LGBTQ celebration

Published

on

Baltimore Pride Parade (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2025 Baltimore Pride Parade was held on Saturday, June 14. 

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Continue Reading

Books

Celebrate Pride month by reading these books

History, pop culture, and more

Published

on

(Photo courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer)

You’ve done your share of marching.

You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.

You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.

Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.

You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.

Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.

If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.

Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.

Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.

Continue Reading

Music & Concerts

Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall

Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

Published

on

The Indigo Girls are back in the area next week. (Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records)

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall. 

The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts. 

Continue Reading

Popular