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Nene Leakes of The Real Housewives of Atlanta is sounding off on the second season drama of her show. Nene has seen her popularity decline this season amidst her behavior on the show, which shows her as bullying others and having an over-sized ego. In her interview with Essence, Nene talks about the meeting with her alleged father, why she and Kandi’s relationship turned sour and her relationship with the other Atlanta housewives.
Below are excerpts from Nene’s new interview :
ESSENCE.COM: So, Miss Nene, you finally met your alleged father, whose reception didn’t appear that warm. Have you two remained in touch?
NENE: It was warm enough because we are strangers. I wouldn’t expect him to hug me. He was very nervous with the cameras around. It took the producers about an hour to convince him to sign the release forms. I was hoping and praying that he didn’t, but I guess after they talked to him for so long he finally gave in and that’s why he wouldn’t allow us in the house. Had it just been me and my uncle he would have. I haven’t seen him since then, but I’ve spoken to him. And I still haven’t taken a paternity test but I believe he’s my father. At some point I can do a DNA test but there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to know the truth. I just needed to meet him and have some closure.ESSENCE.COM: Understood. Let’s switch gears a bit. Since the sudden death of Kandi’s fiancé AJ, are the “Housewives” closer?
NENE: No, not really. Nobody has seen each other. I’ve talked to Sheree and Lisa and saw everyone at the funeral. We put our differences aside to be at the funeral so we could be there for Kandi because we aren’t that bitter. As far as us being friends, we won’t ever be friends. I’ve known Sheree the longest; I still talk to Lisa, but our relationships are what they are. Honestly, I think if we hadn’t been on this we wouldn’t be this bitter with one another, and it’s definitely made it a lot worse.ESSENCE.COM: Do you think you ever gave Kandi a fair chance?
NENE: I feel like i did. On my behalf, I didn’t reach out to her when she first joined the cast to welcome her because that’s just not me. I wasn’t looking for anything; I figured like, if we get along we do and if we don’t, it is what it is. The first time Kandi and I met was never shown on the show. We had a couples’ night out where we went salsa dancing and had dinner with me and my husband, Lisa and Ed [Hartwell] and then Kandi and A.J. We had fun, but the viewers never got to see us having a good time.
ESSENCE.COM: Kim suggested that you were an instigator and believed that your absence at Kandi and A.J.’s engagement party ensured a drama-free evening. Do you consider yourself a trouble maker?
NENE: How crazy is it that they were in the same restaurant where Sheree pulled Kim’s hair and now the two of you are throwing Kandi an engagement party? Secondly, Kim had a disagreement with me, Lisa, and Sheree but I’m the troublemaker? (Laughs.) Obviously, Kim had to have someone to latch on to because she’d already gotten into it with all of us, so of course she gets friendly with Kandi, who helped her out with the song.ESSENCE.COM: Kim also shared the story with Kandi about you choking her. Is that true?
NENE: I’m not bitter and evil that I would go out and have violent attacks. Now, if you mess with me then you better back up, but leave me alone and I’m fine. I just realize that the only people I can truly count on are my family and friends who really know who I am. The viewers have been given the wrong perception of me. I’m still the fun-loving-tell-it-like-it-is woman I’ve always been.
With remarks like that it is no wonder Nene’s popularity has gone down!
I wonder if these housewives or any of the housewives are glad/happy that they did the show? Their lives now have to be very different from before the show is this what they expected?
I’m sooooo dissappointed in Nene. For someone who was a victim of domestic abuse, I thought what she did to Kim shows she needs some serious counseling. She overreacts to the simplest of things and doesn’t know how to show self-control. Maybe it’s because her mother wasn’t there and being raised by other family members, she has some self-worth issues. She is walking contradiction. She is ALWAYS THE VICTIM and I see her now is irrational and insecure. Before she stands against domestic abuse, she ought to take a look at her behavior as the escalation of it….first the verbal, then the physical.
I too am completely disappointed in Nene after this past season. I saw a totally different person come out than what I witnessed in the first season.
Nene was completely rude and just plain mean to Kandi from the very beginning when she had absolutely no reason to be. Kandi is a very kind, generous person.
It is obvious that Nene is a very selfish person who only cares and talks about herself. For goodness sake, I was so sick of hearing about how sorry she felt for herself for not knowing who her real dad was. That was just drawn on way too long. Enough was enough. And then she comes out about a book as though we want to read about that (her quest to find her real dad) even after we heard about that the ENTIRE second season.
OMG, I would love if BRAVO cut her out of next season. She just got very ANNOYING towards the end of this season. Buh Bye Nene, Buh Bye!
I agree with most of the comments. Nene is making excuse after excuse about her portrayal this season. No matter how they cut and paste, the words still came out of her mouth. To be a advocate of Domestic Violence and a supposed role model and to be that arrogant, jealous and such a bully totally contradicts itself. This isn’t just on the show, but on interview after interview. Notice how this woman never ever says she is sorry? Never in the wrong? She talked about every single person, but yet it is all someone else in the wrong. This woman needs anger management and serious therapy to work through her problems. She is a hateful woman who has no self control. I agree that I have seen enough of this woman. Any person that gives this woman a talk show, will never hear the other person. Go away, loud mouth. You excuses will not work here. I also want to know why this charity is in non compliance and why we have never heard of where the money goes? Something is fishy here.
NeNe is just misunderstood at times!
She is one delusional bitch
Nene done give my black peoples from Atlanta bad name. I aint be happy wit dat. Nene need to represent da people better.
NeNe came across a very GHETTO this season. Her behavior was totally unacceptable. If this is high society in ATL.