Source: OWN
A “Comeback City” couple is dishing to BOSSIP about their union, friend group, and highs and lows that will air again tonight at 9 pm on OWN.
“We got the Detroit sauce, and we splattered it all over every episode!” the dynamic duo shared.
Kristina making her needs known is so vital in a marriage. Tune in to a new episode of #LAMDT tonight to see how Brandon responds. pic.twitter.com/xrNhDDhJAr
— Oprah Winfrey Network (@OWNTV) July 15, 2023
Brandon and Kristina Bowman Smith are one of three beautiful Black couples on Carlos King’s latest addition to the Love & Marriage franchise, Love & Marriage Detroit.
Source: OWN
After only a few episodes, the couple who live in a penthouse overlooking the city has already had headline-making moments including one where Kristina wondered if she was being “asked” or “told” about her hubby taking a guys’ trip with his friends, Russell and Anthony.
As you can imagine, Twitter had strong opinions about the moment and Brandon weighed in on it with BOSSIP.
“That’s where we probably still are not going to see eye to eye,” Brandon told Managing Editor Dani Cananda. “But I just feel like there needs to be a feeling of safeness. I feel like if I can make her feel safe about this trip, then it should be no backlash at all. But I guess it just depends on the thing. If we’re going on a prayer trip, then I bet you she ain’t going to question that!”
Fair.
Speaking of questioning, Kristina has also been seen on Love & Marriage Detroit questioning why her husband continues to frequent nightclubs despite her displeasure with him doing so.
Brandon explained the importance of the club scene to BOSSIP considering that he works in the music industry as CEO and president of Star Factory Artist Development.
Source: OWN / Love & Marriage: Detroit
“The whole thing with Detroit, our promoters here are celebrities,” said Brandon. “They are the people, and most of them now are opening other businesses and venturing off. And just being connected with those people is, you’re not a who’s who if you’re not in that circle. So it’s not like I’m trying to go party and have a good time.
“No, I’m just trying to stay relevant,” he added. “That is it.”
Kristina then chimed in, and the mom/influencer who isn’t threatened by her husband’s career or his artists, said that her hangups with the club scene are about the women who actively pursue men there based on a previous situation she witnessed.
Source: OWN / Love & Marriage: Detroit
She also stressed that she’s far from insecure and trusts her hubby but worries about Brandon’s safety when he’s out.
“When I first moved here, I did go to a club with Brandon a handful of times to promote artists,” Kristina told BOSSIP. “There was one instance that I remember, and I just feel like sometimes women see what they want and they’ll go get it. They don’t care who you’re with. I’ll leave it at that.
“I was with my husband and there was a particular person who was trying to get in his space, like I was not there,” she added. “And so I’m like, “Well, what happens when I’m not here?” But that’s neither here nor there. I think the issue with me and him being at the club is Brandon, when he gets out sometimes he likes to drink, drink and drink and he blames it on [his friend]Bravo. [You say] Bravo made me do it, Bravo gave me all these shots. And I just feel like you have to be careful being out there. I feel like one drink for him sometimes is too much, because he doesn’t drink often.
Source: OWN / Love & Marriage: Detroit
“And so I just don’t feel safe all the time when he’s gone and he’s had some drinks, are you okay? You’re not answering the phone. I’m home. I’m more concerned with his safety and he knows that,” said Kristina.
“And for me being home and he’s out late, I don’t like it either. I like for my husband to be home so that I can rest. I don’t rest until my husband’s home. So it’s just a lot of factors, but it’s not a thing.
Because I know it was kind of implied that it’s an insecurity thing or it’s a trust issue. He knows without a shadow of doubt that that is not it. That’s not the problem. It’s more so my dad, because again, speaking from my experience growing up in a traditional home, my dad wasn’t out late at night, he was home with his family, making us feel safe. Daddy’s home, we can get some sleep, we can be comfortable, we feel safe.
And when he’s out late, I feel like I’m missing that. And that’s a lot for me to handle, especially because that’s not something that I grew up… That’s not a dynamic that I had growing up.”
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Before wrapping our interview, Brandon and Kristina also spoke on what they love most about Detroit, their friend Anthony’s (befuddling) “Man’s Movement” and opened up about detailing difficult times in their marriage on camera.
“We do go through things and we are very open,” Kristina told Dani Canada. “We’re very vulnerable and transparent during filming. I want people to really see that there are couples that go through things like these Instagram couples that look so perfect. They may be, and it may be their reality, but it’s not everybody’s reality. And I feel like a lot of times when people go through things, they compare themselves to those couples that they view as perfect, or goals.
And it’s not everybody’s reality that this perfect marriage exists. And for us, that is not our reality,” she added. “This is something that we fight to stay in. We fight for our children, we fight for each other, and we want the world to know that just because you’re going through some things like, it’s only sometimes for a period of time, you’ll get over the hump if you both have the same common goal. If you keep God as the base of your relationship, you can get over it and you can come out on the other side of it and then have a fresh start and start again, and start again if you need to. And again, if you need to because let me tell you something, it’s not always the best out there.”
“People think, like he said earlier, the grass is greener on the other side. That’s not always the case. You’re going to deal with something from everybody. So if this person is worth you dealing with their crap or whatever they bring to the table, and vice versa, stick it out because it’s nothing better out there half the time.”
Brandon then shared his closing thoughts, in particular, to detractors on social media.
“And to these single women on Twitter who are saying, “Y’all making marriage looking real untempting.” Good!” said Brandon. “Don’t do it because it’s not what you think it is. It is a relationship that you are making a commitment to being in. You’re going to have phases where the only thing that can get you through is God.
So if you’re not ready for that, stay single!”
Watch our interview with Brandon and Kristina Bowman Smith below!
