Pastor Richard Hartley Reveals How His Family Got Their USA Reality Show

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.