Words by Yvette Caslin
Images by Rob Ector for Steed Media Service
Styling by
Shun Melson
Hair by
Tiffany Evans
Makeup by
Parra Thomas
It’s season three for Bravo’s hit reality drama “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” and rolling out has been covering these femme fatales every step of the way. We decided to do things differently this time and give our readers the opportunity to ask their favorite “RHOA” housewife some of those burning questions that they’ve been longing to get answers to. And true to form, NeNe Leakes doesn’t hold back.
Ed Q. from Chicago: Do you still view yourself as the realest housewife? I witnessed some changes from season one to season two. I hope in season three we get to see the NeNe we all fell in love with.
I don’t think there was a change in me from [the] first season to [the] second season, but I think that what viewers don’t understand is that we are doing a reality show and you sometimes don’t see everything that is taped. I think I kept it real. You may have seen a different side of me. Everybody has different sides to them — you are not always just this one person. … I am very real because I am very human. I’m showing you who I am with all my flaws and everything in front of the camera. I am the realest housewife, because I’m willing to put myself out there totally and just be who I am. Love me or hate me, I’m NeNe Leakes.
Sonia F. from St. Louis: Why do you think black men are intimidated by strong black women like yourself?
I don’t want to generalize black men. I say some men [are] … my husband is black and he wasn’t intimidated by me and I was outspoken. When a man says ‘she is just way too outspoken,’ he’s thinking ‘I’ll never be able to control her.’ If you’re an outspoken woman there’s a man out there for you. It may take you longer to find him, but you will.
Mica B. from Atlanta: What other industries would you like to explore now that you have done so many things with “Real Housewives?”
I love to talk. [I’d like to do] a talk show [or] host. I loved hosting the red carpet. [I] was an Emmy Awards commentator in 2009. I would like to do more of that and entertainment reporting such as “Entertainment Tonight,” “Access Hollywood” … I love those types of talk-entertainment shows. I [also] want to get in on the fashion side of the industry. Not necessarily a clothing line, but I am a big shoe and handbag girl.
Tracee W. from Dallas: I was wondering if you got a nose job. Did you have some sort of issues growing up as far as your looks go? Also, you almost looked unrecognizable to me when you got it done. What else did you get done, eyes, chin, cheeks, etc.?
People don’t even know if I’ve actually gotten plastic surgery or not. They’re simply going by things that they have read online. I’ve read that I have had my cheeks done, something like my cheeks being shaved down on the side. I read where people said I had all this s— done; it was amazing to me. First, let me say that tune into season three to see what I’ve had done. I can tell you this; I am a bit of a chicken. I don’t like needles and I’d never have my face shaved or some bulls— like that; that is just too over the top. What I did anybody can do and it’s amazing how people can assume that I’ve done something absolutely ridiculous. Now I did lose some weight. So maybe they are seeing that in my face. I’ve never had any issues, growing up, with my self-esteem. I’ve always thought that I was the bomb b—-, like I own everything. I do and I think that I am just the best chick ever! I walk into the room and I will own it, so it has nothing to do with it. I don’t think there is a problem with tuning something up, if you want to tune-up or touch-up. I don’t see anything wrong with that.
Trinette C. from Washington, D.C.: Are you and your husband still together? How are the boys, it was mentioned on the news your oldest was caught with drugs. Is that true? How is your relationship with Dwight? It looks like in the upcoming season you and Dwight’s relationship went downhill. How is you and Kim’s relationship?
We talked about my son publicly. His picture was all over the blogs. They were saying that he got arrested for drugs, which is really funny because he wasn’t carrying a lot of drugs. Now granted drugs are drugs, however, he was arrested for less than an ounce. I need everybody to go and figure out what less than an ounce is. He isn’t a drug dealer! As a parent, I was very disappointed in him … just for being involved. I do understand that as a 20-year-old you have to go through things and those things are going to make you who you are. Brice is a young adult; he is going to make mistakes along the way. I wasn’t perfect. You’re going to do things in life that are stupid and silly. I am a fully-grown woman and I can look back to when I was 20 and I made a slew of mistakes … [I] don’t regret [them] because they have made me who I am today. … Brice will be on season three and you should tune-in to see all the things that he is doing — good and bad. You will be surprised at him coming full circle.
Gregg …
As far as … my husband and me are concerned, there have been lots of rumors swarming around about us. A lot of it is purely rumors. Gregg is not filing for divorce. I think everybody has the story totally twisted. I was accused of cheating, amongst lots of other things. It’s easy to put things on me because I’m very outspoken, so nobody would assume that I would file. They would never assume that Gregg is doing something wrong, because of his demeanor. One thing I can say is I’m very loyal [and] trustworthy. I would never cheat on my husband because I don’t have to. If I didn’t want his a– I would get rid of him, and everybody could think whatever the hell they want to think. As of today, he is my husband. Things are always getting put on me.
Kim and Dwight …
Kim is fun. When she and I are together, you can definitely expect us to give you drama and lots of fun. We hook up and go for it. We play off each other’s energy. Our relationship goes through changes on the show. Dwight’s and my relationship really takes a turn and I think people are going to really see [that]. Any girlfriend or guy friend that I invite in my space, I totally trust you. I meet lots of men and women everyday and I call them fake friendships. You meet so many phony people in this industry. I really appreciate the friendships that I have. If I find out that you aren’t being loyal or you’re being a social climber, I will check you for that. Dwight gets checked.
Barbara M. from Atlanta: How do you stay fit? Do you cook? What are your favorite foods and do you like to travel? If Playboy asked you to pose, would you?
On the show, I said I was a size 10. People were saying I was lying about my size and that I was a size 16. At that time, I was truly a 10 — today I am smaller. In the second season, I gained some weight because I was on a steroid at the time for an eye infection. I like to eat. I’m not a girl who likes to work out. I like to do different things like yoga and meditation. The treadmill is not my friend. I’m allergic to it. The only thing I’ve tried to do is eat healthier. I just try to limit bad foods and eat healthy. TV adds weight, but if you saw me in person you would know that.
I like to cook [but] everybody eats something different so I simply don’t cook. My favorite food is Mexican, which is so fattening, but I love it.
I love the ocean, but I don’t think I’ve been anywhere that could be considered exotic. Maybe I’ll get there one day.
Playboy, I can’t say I will or won’t. It would be a hard decision for me because I have two sons. The thought of my boys seeing me pose provocatively and sexually makes me want to throw up. Ugh! What I can say is it would have to be done tastefully and I would need to be covered in certain places. Among African American women, Playboy is not popular like it is with Caucasian women. They are more likely to do so than myself. They feel honored. We feel like, ‘Hell no!’
Reo Langster from Atlanta: As the show became popular, other housewives seemed to leave, like DeShawn and Lisa, because they didn’t bring enough drama. Do you feel that you and the other housewives are being used to bring more drama?
I don’t think we’re being used for more drama. There are other reasons why those girls aren’t on the show. DeShawn and Lisa have drama in their real lives, but for whatever reason they wanted to hold back. It was production’s decision for them to leave. They didn’t decide that. You can’t just step up after signing contracts and decide that I just don’t want to be on the show anymore. I bet you if they had the opportunity to stay on the show, they would’ve stayed.
Any final words?
I was given the label of a cheater and I really did not appreciate that. The headlines were everywhere. We all know about the Charles Grant of the New Orleans Saints’ rumors. If Charles were my man, I would be saying it out loud. There would be nothing to hide. I actually just read recently that he was cheating on me, which is funny because I’m not his woman and I have never been his woman. I was pissed to see the cheater label. Isn’t it amazing how the innocent could have fingers pointed at them as guilty? I pride myself on keeping it real. I have been with Gregg for 14 years and we’ve been married for 13 years. We don’t have a fly-by-night relationship. We rose to the top together. People don’t know Gregg and they don’t know me. I bet you when you tune in, your mouth’s gonna be hanging open.
Season three of the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” premieres on Monday, Oct. 4 on Bravo.
