More and more details from the lawsuit NeNe Leakes filed against Bravo are starting to come out. And they paint a very unflattering picture of the network, including Andy Cohen. The suit was filed on April 20th in a federal court in Atlanta. It alleges that the defendants allowed a hostile and racist work environment. The defendants include Bravo, the producers behind Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Andy himself.
NeNe is alleging that on multiple occasions, her complaints about then costar Kim Zolciak-Biermann’s racially-offensive remarks were ignored. The lawsuit also cites how the network handled other Bravolebrities accused of racism, like Southern Charm’s Kathryn Dennis. Kathryn, who is white, was accused of racist behavior in 2020 after sending a monkey emoji to a Black radio show host during a disagreement. She was not fired nor faced any public consequences by Bravo. As for Kim, she received her own spin-off on the network, despite NeNe’s complaints against her.
Now documents obtained by Radar Online reveal that NeNe is also alleging that the network tried to “blackball” her from the industry. The lawsuit claims that NeNe was allegedly “denied the right to do other work other than filming for RHOA when other housewives (who had not spoke out against racially- offensive treatment) were permitted the right to do other work.”
RELATED: NeNe Leakes Calls Andy Cohen “Racist” And “A Manipulator”; Says Wendy Williams Is “On Cocaine”
The documents say that in November of 2018, Bravo denied NeNe an appearance at the Soul Train Awards. They claimed “an alleged conflict with the RHOA season opener.” NeNe maintained that there was “no conflict” and that the shows aired a week apart. In addition, the suit pointed to castmate Kandi Burruss was allowed to appear on Celebrity Big Brother. The suit states, “which aired on a major network at the same time as RHOA – creating a direct conflict.”
After season 11 ended, the suit claims “the retaliatory, discriminatory and harassing treatment of Mrs. Leakes continued.” NeNe asserts that she wasn’t offered a contract for season 12 until filming was under way and multiple episodes had already been filmed. NeNe’s attorney wrote, “This was not typical, and it was retaliatory. She was also again offered a lowered number of guaranteed episodes than she should have been offered.”
RELATED: Andy Cohen Says His Dynamic With NeNe Leakes Is “Complicated” After NeNe Said She Wants To Return To Real Housewives; Says He Plans To “Keep NeNe’s Name Out Of His Mouth”
This is where the suit really takes a turn. NeNe was allegedly in talks to have her own radio show on Sirius XM. According to NeNe, Andy and Bravo “interfered with, and sabotaged, this effort.” The suit adds, “Cohen has admitted that he told Sirius XM that Mrs. Leakes would demand a lot of money for any role on a radio show, an obvious effort to prevent her from getting such a deal.” NeNe continued that Bravo producers lost interest in developing her own show. Even though they were allegedly on board with the idea prior to her making complaints.
The suit then used Kandi as an example again. Documents state, “At the same time, however, they did negotiate and close a deal with another RHOA: Kandi Burruss secured a deal for her own spin-off, Kandi & the Gang. Mrs. Burruss had not been vocal in calling out the racially-inappropriate behavior over the years to the degree that Mrs. Leakes had been.”
NeNe is seeking unspecified damages. Bravo has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK NENE WAS BLACKBALLED BY BRAVO? WERE KANDI AND KIM GIVEN SPECIAL TREATMENT? DO YOU THINK NENE WILL WIN HER LAWSUIT?
[Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo]
