Pastor Richard Hartley Reveals How His Family Got Their USA Reality Show
“The Rev” Exclusive: Meet The Queens Pastor Whose Hilarious Family Is Bringing All The Love And Laughs To Reality TV
Tonight is the night. Prepare to meet the preacher who defies all expectations.
Source: USA Networks / USA Networks
USA Networks is launching their newest half hour reality show tonight, “The Rev” which follows Queens Pastor Richard Hartley and his very interesting family. The Rev has spent years crisscrossing the globe to train choirs for recording artists and live special events. Now he’s focusing on his hometown choir while trying to get his adult children, Judea and Jordan, to move out on their own. BOSSIP’s Sr. Content Director Janeé Bolden talked to Rev. Hartley about the new show, which he revealed happened in the most organic way possible.
On Why His Family Decided To Do A Show:
People said it all the time, [that his family is unique] but it wasn’t anything I actively pursued. It came to me. One of those people said I’m going to come to your choir rehearsal because there is something wrong with you. I was like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, but come on.’ So he came and he filmed the rehearsal and the family and I was throwing tantrums and throwing books and having a fit because these people can’t sing and he is laughing. So he sent the tape to a friend, the friend sent it to a friend who knew an agent. The agent was laughing, he sent it out to a production company in Los Angeles. They sent it to networks, we had multiple offers, we land on USA and here we are. No 8 by 10 glossies, no audition it was truly organic. It happened just like that.
On His 30 Year Career Training Choirs:
I did choirs for Mariah and Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, with Aretha Franklin on live TV and choirs for awards shows and that’s what I was doing for the last 30 years as well as being a NYC schoolteacher and pastoring a church for the last 20 years and doing my own solo tours around the world for the last 30 years. It’s been crazy. I don’t know how this happens. I’m just an artist and enjoyed doing the art and enjoying the music.
On Wearing Pajamas With His Face All Over Them:
Yes, they are going to be sold as merch and I’m not going to show you what the boxers are going to look like. That was funny those pajamas. These people crazy. That was a group idea. Here’s how that happens. ‘Richard you are so full of yourself.’ ‘Me?’ that was a group production idea, I went with it.
On His Two Twenty-something kids, Judea and Jordan:
I have two grown, won’t leave the house, don’t pay rent, eat my food, sleep in my bed kids, and they’re not kids, they’re like 50 years old each, they’re like eligible for Medicaid. When I was their age I had them.
And you know what they have? They have iPhone babies, that’s their babies. ‘My phone case cracked! It’s an emergency.’
My son is a full time musician, he’s self taught, he plays several instruments but he only has rehearsal at like 4 o clock in the morning. And my daughter she collects college degrees. She has a bachelors in political science, a masters in journalism, she has another masters in public relations. She just applied to a PhD program at Columbia University. She has all these degrees and she doesn’t have a job. I don’t understand. My initials are ATM. I think my wife did that because she’s a hotel manager. She manages the Hartley Hotel. She cooks for them because she can’t cook for me. And she cleans their clothes. And she makes their bed. She even cuts my son’s hair.
Hit the flip for more of our interview with Pastor Hartley
Source: USA Networks / USA Networks
On Why “The Rev” Is So Needed Now:
The good that my family depicts. It’s really my family. It’s my house. That is my church building. We have so much fun. This is not a show that it going to be preaching, ‘Jesus, Jesus, Jesus’ it’s not that. It shows the love. It’s all inclusive, anybody can come, it doesn’t matter what you wear, even though some of these outfits are questionable, but we don’t judge because I think the magic recipe to life is love and this is what our country needs to see. There’s a saying, that all racism and prejudice is embedded in fear. People are afraid and I think when you get to know people you see they are the same, it will disarm them of their fear.
On His Painted Toenails:
I know they are going to judge me, but I looked down at my feet one day and my feet looked like they had been climbing Mt. Everest and I said, ‘Oh no, this is not going to work.’ I said to my wife, ‘Honey, I’ve gotta do something. I’m going to paint them black because that’s macho.’ If the barn needs to be painted, then paint the barn. So I painted my feet.
On Why He Had His Assistant Paint His Toenails:
Because I couldn’t reach down. We were in quarantine and one of them had cracked. I was like “I can’t do this right, you have to help me.” He was so mad because they caught that on camera. Before we were filming I had my shoes off and they were like, ‘Wait, wait, wait’, he was so mad. He was painting my toenails and saying, I can’t believe they caught this on film, now people are going to call me the toenail painter. Oh well.
Source: James Dimmock / USA Networks
On Seeking A Mate For His Daughter Judea:
I need to set her up because the only date she has is a court date and that’s for traffic tickets. I told her you gotta get out there, she’s been on Facebook. I told her you got your face in the wrong book. You need to get out there and see what’s shaking and shimmering because I need to have grandchildren so I can take them to get some piercings and face tattoos. You have to swipe. I said I know you’re a church girl but you have to put a little spice on it. She’s just in a book. I’m like you can’t go to bed with science. Judea is all about education, thinking she has time. That’s going to be one of our missions on this season and next season. I’m going to take this until Judea gets married. But I have to approve him. He has to go to the Richard Hartley school of approval. The first thing is, how is your credit score? The next thing is what’s your criminal record.
On His Son Jordan:
You know how people have house guests? He’s a house ghost. We only see him when it’s time to eat. And his 4’o’clock in the morning concerts. He has too many friends of the opposite sex. He’s a player with no money. He’s not a player he’s a stayer because he stays at home.
On How He Handles His Haters
Whatever you do if you reach out for a higher level you have people who have something to say. So you don’t pay attention to the naysayer, you just reach for the goal.
Check out an exclusive clip from tonight’s (1/21) premiere episode of “The REV” airing at 10:30/9:30c on USA Network.
