Matthew Byars Was So Much More Than Karen Huger’s Sidekick on ‘RHOP’

[ad_1]

The Real Housewives of Potomac lost a key player with the tragic passing of Matthew Byars. Fans of RHOP first met the talent manager through Karen Huger in 2018. He continued to make appearances several times, and now the Bravo community is mourning his loss. At first, many fans were confused as to just what exactly the relationship was between the pair. Over time, they learned the truth.

Bravo fans are familiar with many assistants across the various franchises. Whether they’re assisted by their siblings or a close friend, or perhaps they have an entire team handling their worlds, the assistant to a “Real Housewife” is not a job for the weak. For Karen Huger, Byars was a massive presence in her life. He has been referred to in a capacity of titles, but Matthew Byars was so much more than the Grand Dame’s assistant or confidant. He was Huger’s everything.

Matt Byars Was the Star of Karen Huger’s ‘RHOP’ Season 3 “Press Conference”

Back in 2018, Karen Huger addressed the mystery of Matthew Byars. “I’ve known Matt since he was about 17, 18 years old. I encourage Matt when life is difficult. A lot of people call me ‘Mama Karen’ in Potomac because I love helping young folk,” Karen explained to Bravo’s Daily Dish. “When life was trying to him, I reached out and told him to go to school, and he did, and now we work together.”

One of Byar’s most notorious moments during his tenure on The Real Housewives of Potomac was when he accompanied Karen Huger to the “press conference with no press.” As she attempted to make a point to the ladies regarding Ray Huger‘s tax situation, Byars provided the faces of us all. It even resulted in the network sharing a GIF of his notorious reaction. Huger even had to take to social media herself to tell the fans that she apologized to him for making him suffer through it.

Stacey Rusch's promo for Season 9 of 'The Real Housewives of Potomac.'

‘Real Housewives of Potomac’s Stacey Rusch Is a Hidden Gem

The newbie is odd, but a breath of fresh air.

Matthew Byars Was Close With Several Bravolebrities, Too

The show played upon the joke of Byars’ title when he would appear on-screen. His graphic would even say “Karen’s Assistant.” As much of a joke as it was for the television production, Karen Huger knew what Matt was to her. “Matt is wonderful, wonderful in PR. I do have a PR, Matt is not my PR, but I would say that Matt is in a line of my agent, my booking person, and it works for me,” Huger told Bravo’s Daily Dish. “I met some dynamic people through this powerful young man, who’s extremely connected. And my personality and his connections just work so well, and I’m blessed to have Matt in my life.”

Matthew Byars and Karen Huger had a special relationship that fans bore witness to during their appearances together. She continued to brag about him, saying, “Matt’s a good guy, and us together, two powerhouses together, we make great things happen off-screen, in family and personal life, and we also make things happen fantastic on-screen, as you noticed. We’re good.” She revealed that they are truly connected as friends beyond their work together, as he attended her mother’s funeral. Their friendship just blossomed because of the televised platform.

But behind Huger, Byars rubbed elbows with an assortment of other stars across the franchise. His social media has featured photos with an assortment of Bravolebrities, including the likes of Melissa Gorga, Erika Jayne, Cynthia Bailey, and head honcho Andy Cohen. So, following Byars’ passing, it wasn’t just Karen Huger who came out with tributes to his buoyant personality. The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga posted a carousel of photos as a tribute with a caption that included, “Your personality was infectious. Your jokes- you always had them. You should have done stand up- I know it was your dream. My heart hurts Matt.” As Deadline has reported, Matthew Byars’ cause of death was ruled as suicide. The hearts are heavy as the mourning continues.