The news out in the Housewives’ blogosphere* is that Nene Leakes has been fired, or at the very least, demoted to a mere friend of the Housewives. Either way, it means that, if she returns, she won’t be holding the coveted Georgia peach. Along with the news are a number of theories as to why she won’t be a regular, full time Housewife, including the notion that her disrespect for her boss, Andy Cohen, during the last reunion was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Over the past couple of seasons, it’s become apparent that Nene was taking herself and her fame more seriously than it warranted. She, from what we could see, perceived herself as the Queen of the Atlanta franchise and was not about to relinquish her title to anyone. Her comments and attitude during this year’s reunion gave us all a glimpse into her own contempt, not only for her castmates but for Andy as well. Her remarks about the producers and behind the scenes manipulations, something we’ve long suspected as truth, did not sit well with Bravo or Andy and may very well be what caused the decision to “put her in her place”.
This morning, I read an interesting piece on Facebook, written by disgrazia4, which offers a very different and interesting perspective on not only Nene’s and Andy’s issues, but on the entire way Bravo treats their Housewives. With her generous permission to do so, I’ve brought that post here, so you could read it and decide for yourselves as to who’s fooling whom and who really deserves their comeuppance.
Empress
A Few Thoughts On Nene, BravoAndy And Feeling Some Type Of Way
I have been reading all the recaps and opinions, and you know how there is often something out there that completely gets what you were feeling? Well that often happens to me but even with all this brouhaha I have reading about Nene Leakes of RHOA this season, nothing I’ve read has covered what I am feeling towards her. You see, I think Nene has been trying to convey some kind of message to us and she has been trying to get it through the edits that cut her show up and in her WWHL interview with BravoAndy and at the reunion. I think Nene is no longer enamored of BravoAndy and is pretty much done. She seems barely able to hide her thinly veiled disgust for Andy and the show. She seems to have been screaming her reasons to us, the viewers. I feel like I’m like the only one who has heard her. I came across a Celeb Dirty Laundry rumor talking about Nene getting fired because BravoAndy is not happy with her attitude or the things she said to him recently. I don’t know if this rumor is true but if Andy’s crooked smile has fallen I’m okay with that as he has wiped the smile off my face and giggle in my heart plenty of times!!
This is the Celeb Dirty Laundry link that discusses the rumor about Nene getting fired:
http://m.celebdirtylaundry.com/2014/nene-leakes-real-housewives-atlanta-reunion-andy-cohen-fired/
BravoAndy is getting what he gives IMO. He has been degrading these women for a long time. I think Nene has spent her time on the reunion and on her one on one Watch What Happens NOT Live (which was NOT live BTW!), trying to convey to us viewers, exactly what it is like for her and for all the ladies to be contextually manipulated without any say or protections.
What is Real at the end of the day for these ladies? When their actions and motives are manipulated and they must defend scenes and timelines that didn’t go down the way the show edits them, it must be exhausting and maddening. When does the Reel become Real? I’m surprised these people don’t pop off or go mad more often. Oh wait. That is what Nene is doing. Even the actor who plays an evil character on a soap gets time off to be who they really are. They can appear on talk shows to discuss what their character does apart from themselves. Not so with the Real Housewife. She NEVER gets a break from the edit. There is never time off. She must always be “on.”
I think that more than Marlo or Kenya, Nene is angry at BravoAndy because while he knows the Real nature of the what is going on, he plays the game and expects the same from them. Sure, they signed up for it. But can anyone really know what that is like until they are in it, defending actions and behaviors that didn’t quite go down the way they are shown and all the while everyone knows this, even many of the viewers but the hapless charade must continue and not only continue but be evermore amped up with each season. I don’t think these ladies get paid enough for the mental gymnastics they have to go through. Unless they are mad perhaps but then wouldn’t that be unethical? LMAO, I must have lost my mind for a minute and forgot we were talking about Bravo.
BravoAndy likes to say that the Real Housewives shows are like a Real Life Soap Opera. Perhaps this is so, but even Erica Caine gets a chance to show her Susan Lucci side to the World and she was paid much better and had the protection of a union. These franchises cost little more than infomercials to produce and garner much profit for the networks, little of which goes to the RHW’s themselves. These shows get World wide viewing and the profits that go along with it. The ladies reap not one red cent from the repeats. But they get to be reminded of any stupid or embarrassing thing they’ve done forever and ever ad infinitum. I think Nene got her million dollar salary because she aware of this. But even so, she remains dissatisfied. At least that is the sense I get from her. It isn’t that hard to imagine. At some point we all have to be free to be ourselves and stop with the pretense. And, say what you will about RHW’s, pretense is a huge part of the shows.
Nene sure did throw some shade at BravoAndy recently this season, didn’t she??!! At the one on one WWHL (which was not live…just as Jill’s wasn’t), Nene pointed out for all of us BravoAndy’s #ShadyLaugh. I loved it and thought it was the best part of the interview. I sent it out into the twitterverse! It was when he was asking her who should no longer be on the show. Nene cleverly turned the question back on him saying that whenever she answers that type of question it always gets her in trouble. And, remember when she seemed so surprised that BravoAndy was in charge of hiring/firing? Do you really believe Nene didn’t know BravoAndy is the one in charge of hiring and firing the ladies? I think Nene was making sure All the viewers watching knew this with her “surprise” and reiteration of this point. BravoAndy himself couldn’t believe she didn’t know this but I think Nene was acting the coy one here. I believe she was perfectly aware of what Andy is in charge of and seems to no longer care for any of it.
Finally, at the reunion Nene used the word Queen and the discussion (and tacit suggestion that she used the word pejoratively) turned to what Nene meant by using that word. Kenya led this questioning as she was trying to set Nene up to fall down the Bravo homophobic rabbit hole. You all remember that hole. Joe Guidice got stuck in it big time and Teresa and Patty have slipped into it several times as well. Whether through ignorance of hate, speaking in error about gay folks on Bravo is a Big no no that will send the person down for a long time if not forever. It’s a big slippery hole and once a Bravo cast member falls into it, it’s a mess.
I believe Nene is aware of this too and was well aware of what Kenya was attempting. First Nene defended her use of the word Queen citing Bravo’s very own show called, Fashion Queens. Pursued further, Nene shut it all down when she turned to BravoAndy and asked, in what I think was the best line of that whole RHOA reunion, “…would you like me to pull down your pants and kiss your ass?” I have a feeling that Nene is feeling some type of way towards Andy, Bravo, and Reality TV in general. I feel her as I may be feeling the same type of way myself.
Nene is no angel and she has fallen on her own Sword of Pride, perhaps fatally, perhaps not. She should have taken on Kandi’s play and anything that would keep her name out there IMO. But I believe she is angry and if this is why, I agree with her completely. BravoAndy has been pimping these ladies out for a while now. Nene no longer seems content with it.
disgrazia4
* Tamara Tattles – Nene Leakes And Porsha Williams Will Not Hold a Peach Next Season
realhousewifeofaiken 
Thank you for posting this opinion, Empress. I enjoyed Nene during the season but she was hard to watch during the reunion. I like her (most of the time) so I’m happy to consider disgrazia’s opinion that Nene’s behavior at the reunion was due to a low tolerance for Andy’s/Bravo’s manipulations.
I used to love Nene. Everyone loved Nene, even Anderson Cooper loved Nene. (I wonder if she is giving AC a parade?)
Now she’s a pissy loudmouth. And yes she certainly has a reason to be pissy regarding Bravo/Andy, BUT she didn’t get upset about Bravo until they ran her through the bitch edit AND groomed her rival Kenya. Before it was HER turn, Nene was quite happy with Kim, Sheree, Marlo and anyone else getting hammered by the show’s producers.
Nene will quietly sign the damn contract because she needs the $$. Peach or No Peach.
P.S. disgrazia4 I do agree that Nene is trying to talk to us and I love your reaing of the tea leaves. I just don’t feel too badly for Nene, Teresa or even Lisa Vanderpump when the show gangs up on them.
Interesting! Thank you Empress and disgrazia.
An interesting read! Thanks Empress and dear Disgrazia! This makes me feel better about still liking Nene. I do wish her well. It must be scary to cross the double-edged sword that is Andy Cohen.
Random thoughts (not necessarily in any order)…. It isn’t much of a secret what I think of Andy, the plus one hyena on the reunion couches. It also isn’t much of a secret what I think of Nene The Thug. I haven’t watched the last two seasons at least, of ATL. I did catch some of his year’s reunion after all the fight hype, and couldn’t help notice Nene and her mugging (making stink faces at every Q&A) during the whole thing. With 6 seasons in the can, I think Nene knows what is expected in general and she may be deciding she doesn’t want to be the ATL clown any longer. I do think she has become too impressed with her own fame/brand from having a couple small bit parts after cashing those ‘trump’ checks and becoming the rich bitch, she’s become unbearable to watch, too impressed with herself, though she does have her moments. Likely worth keeping around on the show if that’s what she wants. Andy will go along with whatever continues to fill his pockets.
During the reunion, Andy tried to Joe Guidice Nene about these ‘queer’ comments. Nene gave the perfect answer to it and the one I wish Joe had given years ago. Andy’s own network uses that word plenty and for people to get their panties tied in a knot about the word itself, because NNene said it, is laughable.
Interesting. My take is a bit different and just from many things I’ve read;
Andy was actually fired last year. That is why his twitter handle had “bravo” name removed. Andy was given a 2-year contract with WWHL and hosting the HW Reunions. Andy also has formed his own production company and I think he actually brokered the deal with the Manzo spin-off and Bravo. (manzo also formed their own prod co, I think) Bravo and production companies hire/fire etc., not Andy – but Bravo likes to keep the viewers far from fact and truth. Nene makes/made 1 million per season. She actually formed her own production company that filmed her wedding spinoff and Andy/Bravo brokered that deal as well. I read – a couple of months ago, one of Andy’s new shows,he is trying to sell to Bravo is about nannies/kids or something about kids. Nene was supposedly expecting Andy to hire her oldest son -Bryson, to be on that show. I think NeNe has been over her HW role the last 2 years, but I also think she and Andy are very tight. I even might think she has planned on leaving HW as long as NBC is still working with her, NeNe would never walk from 1 million. Her Hollywood days are probably done. NBC put her on dancing with the stars and she may be filming something with her own or Andy’s production company knowing Bravo is “in.” Who knows. I read many things, but it doesn’t mean what I read is true? I just think NeNe is smart enough to have her backup plan and I do think her fizzling fame has gone to her head and Andy/bravo/nbc certainly “over-rate”her talent and current “likeabilty.” But then, I feel Bravo/NBC/Andy have made alot of poor judgements concerning the HW shows and the disgusting direction they have taken the last 2 years. And, I could be dead wrong.
Interesting!
Bryson starring on a show about kids/parents? What’s the show’s name? “Daddys at the Strip Club?”
I think you are dead right.
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Thks Empress and Disgrazia. I’m feeling some sort of way about the HWs too. IMI NeNe has shot herself in the foot. She
should have been in Kandi’s play, read scripts, as we saw she didn’t read one w/prominent actors in the film, she should have taken acting lessons, as many high profile actors do. But hey, she has her clothing line on HSN, investments in pizza jts at airports, & she has 2 Brian whatshisname comedies under her belt. But what do I know.