We can always count on the ladies of Real Housewives Of Atlanta to keep it 100! And to prove it they celebrated their 100th episode by spilling-all to Andy Cohen. “The Atlanta women are funny! We’re honest and real, and we never bite our tongues,” describes Kim Zolciak of the pride that comes with RHOA.
All of the Housewives – past and present – feel the success of the show and also its magic was that it showcased affluent African-American women. I have to ask, other than Kandi Burruss: Who are these affluent Housewives again? Certainly they’re not referring to SheBySheBroke?! (“A fashion show with no fashions?! How dreadful!”). And then they dish on bad hair (NeNe Leakes is voted the worst), bad fashions (no declarative winner) and worst fight (again, no declarative winner).
I was hoping Sheree and Lisa Wu-Hartwell would be appearing but they didn’t! My favorite part was seeing the ladies’ audition tapes – first of all how freaking different does NeNe look? But how freaking the same is her ego – large and in charge of everything!
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NeNe is the reason both Kim and DeShawn Snow joined the cast. NeNe asked Kim to audition at the gym, where Kim was smoking a cigarette while working out with her personal trainer! Don’t ever change Wigs-N-Cigs! Speaking of which, Kim is just as trashy looking now as she was in Season 1, and she filmed this entire episode with smudged lipstick. I cannot believe Andy didn’t tell her! Plus, she couldn’t even sit down in that chair her dress was so tight! Dreadful.
The first time Andy ever spoke to NeNe she asked him if they could have a reunion, because she felt a burning desire to confront Kim about her affair with Big Poppa and her ish talking – and thus the Real Housewives reunion as we know it was born. It was there that she famously first uttered “Close your legs to married men!” Kim calls that reunion “absolutely horrible” and it took her days to recover from NeNe almost attacking her. It is still one of her worst RHOA memories!
The first scene DeShawn filmed is when she and Eric moved into their 15,000 square-foot mansion(!!). They split a year after she left the show, when she discovered Eric’s philandering led to not 1, but TWO children with another woman! DeShawn doesn’t feel the show contributed to their marital issues – obviously – and she doesn’t regret the show. Also DeShawn looks phenomenal. Looking good and living well is the best revenge.
Recounting on their first seasons, NeNe calls the first season “scary to watch” but Kim disagrees. “We were exactly as we are: raw, innocent, fun – real stuff!” Like NeNe vs. Sheree – real. Everyone agrees Sheree left her off the guest list of her fabulous party on purpose. “I wouldn’t call Sheree a friend ever,” sneers NeNe. But I would call her GREAT TV!
The first scene Kandi ever filmed was at Mama Joyce‘s house where Mama Joyce berated her about AJ, Kandi’s ex-fiance. Amazingly Kandi and Mama Joyce were sporting mother-daughter Ronald McDonald hair, but other than that absolutely NOTHING has changed about their dynamic or Joyce’s behavior. “I was in tears my first day taping!” admits Kandi. “Kind of a sign of things to come,” notes Andy.
Kandi describes Mama Joyce as “a little territorial.” Yeah, like a raging bull is a little territorial. However, now things are much improved between Joyce and Todd. Oh good… I was really worried.
Phaedra Parks wanted to join the show because there were so many dumb Housewives misrepresenting Atlanta, and there were no educated black women with careers other than Kandi. Also Apollo really wanted her to. Investing.
And Kenya Moore auditioned because she’s more famous than Michael Jackson but still couldn’t get a job in Hollywood. “I think you’ve heard of me,” she laughs in her audition tape. “I get noticed. It’s like I’m Michael Jackson reincarnated… it’s scary.” NeNe’s first impression of Kenya was “crazy.” Kenya being crazy – that’s about the only thing all the Housewives can agree upon… Also Kenya predicted she wouldn’t like Phaedra. “She just seems really pretentious. And she doesn’t come across as genuine.”
Andy asks Kandi about producing for the likes of Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston… and Kim Zolciak, then wonders about Don’t Be Tardy and the lawsuit that destroyed their friendship. Kim admits that Kandi “completely reworked the song” and it was amazing, “It’s one of my best memories ever!” gushed Kim. Kandi wanted to help, Kim, the underdog, which is why it stung Kandi that Kim knew she wouldn’t have a decent song, yet still refused to pay her for it. “I think, that when I’m by myself, that I sing pretty good,” insists Kim. And when Kim is by herself, she thinks, those wigs look pretty good – and so do her tacky raunchy outfits!
Cynthia Bailey credits Housewives for giving her a platform to inspire young women. “I can go anywhere in the world and they’re talking about The Bailey Agency.” Cynthia… just because your African Prince tells you that doesn’t make it true! Shopping at Pier One Imports hardly counts as world travels! Andy was giving Cynthia crazy eyes as she waxed poetic about being a successful entrepreneur. Stop drinking Peachter-flavored fool-aid, Cynthidumb.
Speaking of which, Cynthia regrets putting her financial situation on TV … what finances, I ask? “No matter how successful we are people still think we’re broke,” she laments.
Andy marvels that the ladies of Atlanta are very open about sex. Phaedra declares that a good southern belle like herself doesn’t discuss sex, but what about RiDICKulous (the male stripper who got busy with his own riDICKulous!). Phaedra considers nudity an art form. Yeah, somehow I don’t think RiDICKulous is ending up in the Louvre anytime soon – he is not a form of nudity anyone associates with art! According to NeNe those who talk about how great they are at sex can’t get a man. “I used to be an exotic dancer – and yes, I’m very open about it, and some of these girls should be open about their past being a whore!” snaps NeNe.
NeNe regrets airing her marital issues with Gregg. As her star rose from RHOA exposure, Gregg had difficulty dealing with it. Ultimately they realized they loved each other and remarried. NeNe also regrets doing DNA testing season 1 to determine if Curtis, the man who raised her, was really her father. She learned he wasn’t and admits Curtis no longer sees her as a daughter and stopped being a part of her life and her children’s lives.
And then Andy confronts Kim about Big Poppa! Kim tells some tall tales – but none so long as the lies concerning BP.”He was just kinda my best friend,” dismisses Kim. It was totally feasible for Kim, a single-mom on a nurse’s salary, to buy her condo, luxury cars, designer clothes and jewelry, and designer furniture. Andy calls her out on it and Kim gets really defensive and argues, “I was a nurse – I worked really hard!” Kim met Kroy at the Dancing With The Stars Atlanta – which Big Poppa dropped her off to. Gross.
Then Andy confronts Kim about her weird tabloid lesbian relationship with that DJ Tracy. “I don’t want to talk about that,” Kim said backpedaling ferociously. She seems really embarrassed about the whole thing. The skeletons of Kim Z’s past… do you think she names them like she names her wigs?
Kim rehashes her departure and felt very ganged up. “It was always 6 against 1 and I could never get my point across.” She has no regrets about leaving. NeNe wanted Kim to stay because she’s “good TV” – agreed!
As for Phaedra’s marital problems with Apollo being a major storyline, she accepts that she signed up for a reality show and her marriage is a part of her life. “The show sometimes brings out the worst in people,” she comments. DeShawn calls it’s “really inspiring” the way Phaedra handled everything with “class and grace.” Mmmmkay.
Porsha Williams describes learning Kordell filed for divorce from twitter, but does not fault the show for her marital issues. “The show definitely highlighted things that I needed to change in myself.” Oh, like behaving with decorum and class?
For Cynthia, the worst thing she filmed was her mother and sister discussing whether or not hide her marriage license. “That haunted us for a long time,” admits Cynthia, who says it took her a long time to convince Peter that she had no idea this was going on. “Sometimes on a reality show, your reality turns into your real life – it really hurt him.” Well, Cynthia: Mama knows best (except if your mama is Joyce)! Should’ve listened.
Finally, Shade & Shadows – Andy recaps the epic fights.
My favorite RHOA everything!! Viva La SheBySheBroke!
Cynthia is sad about losing NeNe as a friend. “That was a real friendship,” she describes but NeNe calling Peachter a bitch was the end. “Peter never really got over it – and I don’t blame him,” chides Cynthia. “I’m not going to pick my friends over my husband.” I doubt being called a bitch is the worst insult Peachter has ever received – especially when he acts like one! #GirlBye.
For Andy one of the lowest moments on the show was the brawl at NeNe’s Pillow Talk party. Kandi believes Kenya started it by charging Natalie, Cynthia’s friend.
NeNe and Kandi agree they’ve never connected and neither seem to have a reason why. Andy hints that NeNe is jealous of Kandi’s success – I kinda agree; Kandi is the only the woman who is a true threat to NeNe because she has a legit career in the entertainment industry. “She’s ghetto. She’s not my kind of girl. I don’t find her fabulous. She’s a bore,” complains NeNe.
Kenya still has no idea what happened between her and Phaedra. “We connected at first and had a great time together. And then it just went down hill.” Kenya was particularly hurt by Phaedra calling her crazy and bipolar. Phaedra rolls her eyes dismissively at all things Kenya.
Naturally the fight between Porsha and Kenya dominates. NeNe and Kandi still blame Kenya for provoking Porsha. “You don’t ever respond to a verbal attack with a physical one,” disagrees Kenya. Well, I’m sorry, and my position on this will never change, but repeatedly shoving things in someone’s face and personal space is not merely a “verbal attack.” Granted Porsha should have left the stage instead of pushing Kenya, but Kenya stood up to Porsha too. “You cannot do that and not expect something,” states NeNe. For Porsha it was a “learning experience” but she regrets her behavior. “In the future, that would not be my reaction.”
In fact all the women have grown and changed in positive ways form RHOA. “Women of the south live very colorful lives,” says Phaedra, who hopes she exemplifies a modern southern belle. “Being on this show has made me incredibly strong,” reflects Cynthia. “I have learned so much about myself… I think I’m really growing as a person,” muses Kenya. “The good definitely outweighs the bad.”
For DeShawn it was demonstrating that African-Americans are prosperous. “Even though the women fight and bicker, they support one and another.” As for NeNe, she predicts RHOA will be celebrating its 200th episode someday! Albeit without Atlanta’s original Housewife.
TELL US – WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE RHOA MEMORY OVER THE LAST 100 EPISODES? WHAT WAS THE SHOW’S WORST MOMENT?
[Photo Credits: Bravo]
