EXCLUSIVE: NeNe Leakes Interview PT. 1

Welcome to Reality with the King. It's me Carlos King, the King of Reality TV and one of the most sought after executive producers in reality television with over ten years a production experience. Once a week from Reality with the King, we'll sit down with my friends across the entertainment industry, recap our favorite reality shows, every visit unforgettable moments that we are still talking and tweeting about. This

Yes, people requested me everywhere.

Now everywhere, and I wanted to make sure it was special when you came on the podcast. And one thing I appreciate about you and I want the world to know this MEMI is the one who said I want to come on your podcast.

Yes, and I'm ready because you asked me in the past.

Yes, I've asked in the past. She said, I'm not ready yet. And our friendship is not predicated on an interview now at all. You mean the world to me.

Thank you. Okay, don't do that.

I'm not I no, no, no, no, listen, I gotta get this out before we start. You mean the world to me. You really do and I can't. I don't have the emotional capacity to express to you right now how much you mean to me. I adore you, I love you. The first day we met, we clicked. Yes, you had a quick weave and I had a ball faid. We were both broke, but we were rich in happiness.

That's what I used to say a happy day.

We were both struggling.

I wouldn't say broke because I was living in good but we were making me was paycheck to paycheck, honey.

Yes, we were making It's me but all just aside. I want to say thank you for coming on reality with the King. You made it on my list, yes, no surprise, the number one greatest housewife of all time. You built the Real Housewives franchise on your back, on your eyelashes, your fingernail and your lace front. And at the end of the day, and I'm going to say this publicly, there will not be a Real Housewives franchise if it wasn't for you building the house that we

Thank you so much.

She has manam Applaus for Lee. First question though, is this, how are you?

I am doing really well. I have come a long ways because the first time you reached out to me and asked me to come on the show, I said, I'm not ready right now, I would have not been good on the show. Today, I feel like I'm in a very good place. I'm happy. I could always be happier, but I'm very happy, and I'm comfortable, and I'm okay.

I'm really okay.

No you, I bet you look good?

Well, thank you?

Can we start there?

Are well? Okay? I feel good.

No, you look amazing, And I do want to go back to the first day we met. This was two thousand and eight. I left New York City. Yes, I'm a friend of mine named Joy said, little girl, there's an opportunity to go to Atlanta. My African was living in Atlanta at the time, and she said it may be called the Real Hospitals of Atlanta. Do you want to do it? Because she knew I loved reality television, and I said, of course. And what people don't know is as producers, you're a sign a reality star.

Yes who are?

And I was assigned you and Deshaun Snow, Yes you were. And the first day I met you, I was enamored with everything that you possessed. You were the quintessential star and the first thing you said to me was Hey, bitch, hag girl, Welcome to my house, bitch, and we instantly clicked. Did you know that season that this show was going to be the biggest Bravo show that has ever been on the network, and that you would be the biggest star that Bravo has ever seen?

No? No, I didn't know. I didn't even know what we were doing, and I don't think a lot of us did, did you. I don't think we were just kind of like floating around. I remember, like three weeks into filming, I said to myself at home, like I just feel like I'm trying so hard and pushing and not being myself that I am now gonna go on camera and be me and be who I am. And I think that's when everything took a turn. It was like three weeks of shooting, and I said, I don't

Were you afraid that people call you ghetto?

I was never afraid of that.

It was just that I just felt like I didn't have maybe the flare that some of the other girls had. Obviously, these girls like Deshaun Snow was living in a fifteen thousand square foot mansion.

You know, I'm over here living in.

My little five thousand square foot place at the time, and charais living in a twelve thousand square foot house with.

A broken gate, Yeah, with a broken gate.

And Kim Zosiak was living off a big papa at the time with all of her bracelets on. And so I felt like, well, dang, you know what am I going to do? And I just decided that I was going to just be me and we'll just see how that works.

I'll say this to you. The first day I knew the show was a hit was we were at Charae's house filming Chari's birthday party. Yes, and your arrived with Kim after checking closed at the shell gas station and we're filming, and you walked up to get in the house, and the executive producer at the time, Kenny Hally, Hey.

Kenny, Hey Kenny.

You were like, hey, bitch, I got my little black dress off, popping lips, buzzing. You walked up in the house and got rejected from entering, and you broke the fourth wall. You were the first person to break the fourth wall. And you said, I'm a housewife. You see these cameras following me, bitch, I need to be here, and the security guard was like, I was told, if you're not on the list, you you could not come in.

I know she did.

Now that you know that, what would you like to say to Chara?

Nothing, not a thing. Why would I give her any pointers? You know? That's probably the best thing she did was leave me off of the list, honestly, Like you said, the show became like huge from that moment forward. But I always knew she purposely left me off the list.

I always knew.

She purposely left me out the list. Now the question would be why why leave me off the list? Honey? Without me, there's no you.

Well, she said that you two weren't getting along at the time, and that she was, you know, following her own reality. She was pressured by the producers to invite you, and she felt like this is my home, I sanctuary and if me and this girl are getting along, she should not step up in my household.

Well, that's a good thing that she was following her own reality, which has taken her not far.

But it was the best thing she could have ever done.

Is left me off the list. I became bigger than ever. So I appreciate that moment, Charay, Thank you. Do you like Charain? You know, I don't dislike Charae, But for some at one point, Sharay and I were like really really good, like because we met before the cameras ever rolled. I would hang out of her house, Greg and I would go to the game with her, and Bob was playing football at the time. For some reason, I'm not

Are you surprised that fifteen years later, Charay is the last standing og on the show.

I don't know about the last standing.

She's the last one they could get on the show, and so I mean there was nowhere else to go. I mean, you know, it's the people that were the stars of the show. You know, we're literally me and Kim Zosia.

And you don't think Nini, Kim and Charae were the stars.

I think Charay play her role or play her part in the show. I think I just don't think the network of the production company really valued her that much. They felt like, we don't really need her that much. I mean, she's not the most exciting person in the world, but she has her little, you know parts that she do on the show. That's whatever. But your question, again, I have become very computer. What was the question.

Let's let's let's go back to season one. Did you feel like you started off being the underdog.

That's the that's the word the underdogs. So it came out together. Of course I was the underdog the first season. I was the underdog. I wasn't sure if I would be liked. I think Charae, along with Kim and the rest of the girls, thought, oh please, they're gonna love us, you know, and they're not gonna like her, and it just didn't work like that.

They loved me and didn't like them.

Did you develop an ego after season one of their housepots of Atlanta?

I don't think so. I don't.

I think that people like to say like you've changed over the years, where the thing is you're supposed to grow, you know. I every year you get older, you know, it's not like I'm getting younger, and you learn from

But I don't think there's an ego.

I think with all of us girls, over the years, we all change, we all get new eyes and new nose, new tennies, new ass. I mean.

We have to.

Because we did it. People would be pulling us award literally, be like she needs to get her body done and as soon as you get it done, they're like, she got her body done, what do you want me to do? So you have to do something?

Is the When did you think things change on the Real Housewives of Atlanta? Did you When did you feel like, as an og we have the number one show as Black Girls, which was a huge feat and I was lucky to have a front row seat and that success. When did you feel like the show was changing and not what you started off as enjoying the show?

I think it started to really change probably like season four for me. Season three is when they brought on I think Cynthia and Phaedra, and I think Kenya think came on or.

She came four.

Season three was faith okay.

Well, whenever Kenya came I was four or five. That's what I think it changed.

Why, I don't know.

I think all these things started. So for instance, when me and Lisa and Deshaun and Charie all of us started, they were our real husbands and our real boyfriend. Charay was really married to Bob and they really were going through a divorce. DeShawn was really married to Eric and they started to have their issues.

Lisa was really with what's the.

Saying at Hartwell at heartwell, I was really with Greg and Kim was really with Big Papa. Our stories were real. Everything we talked about and did was real. When we had disagreements, they were real. We didn't pretend like we had a boyfriend and we didn't have one. I mean. And then I think once Kenya came on the show, saying that Kenya started it or did it, but I'm saying at that moment it was, it started to be let's create our storyline. Well, we didn't create a storyline.

Why don't have a freaking date?

So then shoot that I don't have a day, opposed to putting pressure on me to go out and find some random dude that I'm really not dating. I'm really not into just the police production. Why don't you guys feel me looking for a date or talking on the phone to some guy just been talking to it for a couple of weeks, rather than making me pretend I'm out on a date with somebody. I thought things start to change right about then? Can you go with us to South Africa?

No? So that was the thing, sos No, that was season five? So okay, season four was South Africa and mar it was you, Charree, Cynthia, Phedra Candy. Yeah, mama is saying anybody.

It was Marlow, Marlow went to Africa Marlow.

Yeah. And then Kim Kim was sell on the show. But she didn't go to ACA and go to Africa.

Yea, you didn't go to any trips.

No, So you think Kenya changed the direction of the.

Show, I think, you know, I hate to say she was the one that actually changes, but to me, that's when things started to change, right about.

This in a negative way.

Yeah, I felt like people started to create storylines and pretend to have boyfriends and all of those things. To me, my opinion, does not make for a good reality show. I think reality shows are exactly what it says reality what is really happening. And I think everybody started to change then now prior to her, I think, you know, I may get some of my seasons mixed up. Prior to her. I think Phaedra and Cynthia were on prior to started to not want to show like you know.

I think she showed her.

Pregnancy because she was pregnant the whole time, but she wasn't sure about how far along she was, and all of those kind.

Of things in the hood, we don't know who they're pregnant by long.

They are exactly you said, So those things, to me start to make the show not be what it is.

I never thought about it that way.

That's how I feel about it.

I feel like, you know, when we first started, all the things we were doing were just for real. They were just for real. What were happening in our lives was really happening in our lives. Even on season two, they were really happening in our lives. I think season three we start to get a little bit of a check because you know, the first two three season we weren't getting nothing.

Honey, how much did you make your first season of Atlanta house I think my.

First season on Housewives, I made ten thousand total total.

Wait a second, you filmed for three months on the first season of The Real Housewives Atlanta and you made ten thousand dollars.

Ten thousand dollars.

Now I believe if I'm not mistaken, then I can go back and check, cause it's sure.

New one twenty.

We did a reunion and I think they gave us five thousand for the reunion. So we had very little money. So for all the people, there's a lot of people that say a lot of stuff, they just don't know what they're talking about. Season one, we didn't make any money. We filmed that show and it was we knocked it out the park and we didn't get anything. Season two we didn't get anything. I want to say Season two we got probably about maybe fifty thousand dollars.

Season two, Season two fifty and then season three is when you see Season three.

We moved to an attorney. All of us came together, got the same attorney, and we wanted to have favored nation, and I think we got one hundred thousand dollars.

And you Chemischer made the same. Season three, Yeah, gotcha.

It was maybe at the most one point fifty we started to make a bag season maybe four, season four, okay, going back, but we knocked the show out the park. Do you understand those first three years, Yes, and we were not getting real money at all.

Now okay, yeah, wow, I didn't know that. I didn't know that. Do you think you getting underpaid was because at that time you girls were so new to this you just didn't know. Yes, just didn't know very much.

So and also when they say housewivese we all were real housewise for real, none of us really worked. Our husband's were the one that were working. We were really housewives, stay at home moms with the kids. I think Charay had a boutique at some point. Deshaun Lemy she had her foundation or whatever it is, and she was doing and whatever the little stuff was. But we were real housewives, and so I think for us, we were just excited to be out filming and doing something. That's what That's

Out of our pockets.

Going back to season three, So the first two seasons, like you said, ratings go lord, ratings increased, breaking records. Season one, you guys were mentioned on Saturday Night Live. This show was a pop culture Phenomenon season three came in, you had Cynthia and Peter in addition to Phadrian Apollo. You and Cynthia did not know each other, And correct me if I'm wrong. You were told to hang out with Cynthia to get to know her to bring her in on the show.

Yes, yes, So the producers showed me they were looking at a new girl named is Cynthia.

They love for me to go out with her.

She and I decided to go out to like a lunch or dinner or something, and I remember we went to Papado's and I remember Cynthia being like super nervous, like, oh my god, oh my god, this is sneemy leaks, and and we went to find Do you know who she was? I did not. I'd never heard of her before she was a supermodel. I still had not heard of her. The only super misa I heard of was Naomi and Tyra and maybe a couple of other black girls Beverly, But I had never heard of Cynthia.

Okay, she was on the Cosby Show too.

I didn't see it. Okay, y'all try it.

Okay, so you she saw.

This is the truth. I believe you.

So you so so. Cynthia Belly the supermodel. She was star struck when she.

Met you and rightly so okay, So how did I go on?

Papa does and Papa does?

We clicked.

I liked her. I think she liked me. I felt like she was a little nervous. I didn't think that she was like housewife material, just being honest, and I was like, you know, she's a little quiet, she's a little this. I don't know that she is the one that you guys are looking for. But I really enjoyed her and I liked her. And that was before I met Peter.

Now, when you met Peter, what do you think of him?

When I met Peter, I thought too much, too much, he was doing it too much. I was like, oh, okay, I see why y'all like Cynthia now because he was turned up. You know, he had like a club in downtown Atlanta, I think it's called Uptown or something like that, and he was just extremely like aggressive to me and just you know, loud, and I was just like, oh my god, like Cynthia is you know, this is her guy? And so yeah, I got why they liked Cynthia because Peter was extra.

If Cynthia was not with Peter Thomas, would she have been a housewife.

I don't think so, I don't. I just don't think not that she couldn't because I know Cynthia. I know the Cynthia in front of the camera, and I know Cynthia that's not on camera, and so I feel like, definitely the Cynthia that's not on camera has the strength and she's vocal enough to be on the show for sure without Peter. But on camera, I felt like she never really wanted to show that side of her because of listen, Cynthia can she can read and she can.

Now I'm the one that told you.

Guys on camera, I said, no, no, no, no, no, no, Cynthia doesn't read honey. Cynthia reads honey. And so I know Cynthia and I know what she does. So yes, Cynthia's pretty fire. And let me tell you, she put Peter in his place many days.

Oh absolutely, I've been witness of that. She would cuss Peter out.

Yes she would, and people would be like, oh, Peter, she just running over Cynthia. Cynthia, who that's not the Citia we know?

Pick him out the house.

Yes, Cynthia would get me the together.

Yes, he had to sleep at bar one over, get him together.

I know Cynthia very well.

When you saw Peter, this chocolate gorgeous man, were you ever attracted to Peter?

Never? Never attracted to Peter, never had any I don't think we. I think people wanted to think that Peter and I like had some sort of attraction. We never had anything. If anything. It was more like I don't like you and he was pretty much like I don't like you. We kind of more like bumped heads more than like saw I to eye and we still do that today.

Yeah, Phaser came on this season with a poll up. This is season three. Yes, did you think Faser was good for the show starting out?

No?

But listen, I mean listen. It's not like they should listen to me. Honestly, you know I started on the show not on day one. I shot the pilot for Real Housewives of Atlanta, So I feel like I shot season one and then shot season one again. Because we actually shot a whole pilot shopped at which people have never seen before, and then we started the season one with new girls, which were it was Me, Charay and Kim always in the pilot, and then we started with Deshaun and Lisa, but in the pilot.

Deshon and Lisa.

Were not in our pilot that we shot. So I think that when you hear me talk about the show, I talk about the show in a more personal way because I feel more connected to it and I feel more like, you know, like it's my baby. And I always from day one one to see the show win, and I wanted to see us succeed, and I wanted to see all of us make money and things like that. So when certain people were coming around the show, obviously I had my personal opinions about it, and they were

You didn't feel like she deserved to be a housewife because the Real Housewives of Atlanta, and let's really talk about this for real, the Real Housewives of Atlanta was It was a privilege to be a part of that show, and all of the girls in Atlanta wanted to be a part of it. It did and a lot of yeah, this is no disrespect. There's a lot of thirsty people in Atlanta, and when we were at parties and events, they would fight for camera time. These people who never

No, it wasn't even that. I think that back to what you were saying, we were being talked about everywhere with a lot of people don't understand when the Real Housewives of Atlanta are unsembled lunch.

There was no love and hip hop.

There was no Basketball wives, no Hollywood exits, no Braxton shows, no none of that. We were the first black ensemble in a very long time that had hit television. You know. Prior to that, they had Flavor of Love and whatever. All those shows were those kind of shows. But those shows had fizzled out. Those shows weren't on. The things that were on were like the Osbournes.

And things like that.

Yeah, the Hills, the Kardashians were not on yet, and I think that people really forget when they look back. We launched that reality platform and held that door open for all of these Black Unsemble shows to walk in that door. There was never any of them before there was us. We were first and people everybody wanted to be and we were shooting all over Atlanta. Everybody was talking about us, from Ellen Degenereses to Oprah Winfree to Gail to everybody you can think of.

Jimmy found They.

All talked about fure Maxazine, I was everybody was talking about the Real Housewives of Atlanta. And so again, it was a privilege to be on this show. And so I always felt some kind of way when certain girls were like, oh, I want to be on Housewives, I was like, you know, what's she coming over here for? Like, we worked so hard, you know, to We started out with one van, and so we were so hard and we got multiple bands and camera crews. We didn't have any of that stuff to start with.

And so I'm telling you we were a low budget production.

We were, and so when I saw Page, I was like, she's from Athens, Like, what is she doing up here?

I'm from Athenes. She don't come over here and try to steal my thought.

You know.

I just felt like I was just protecting, you know, my area and my space.

She was a high powered attorney, she was.

Unfortunately, I just didn't feel that way. I do know that she's a high powered attorney. I know she's super funny. I like Favor a lot, But I'm just saying at that time, at that moment, I was just like, no, she shouldn't be here.

Obviously, Like you said earlier, you started out being real, being yourself. You and Greg may he rest in peace. You know, I love him, call him dad all the time. Hey father, You guys gave so much to the show, gave so much to it. You have Bryson and brand you gave and your auntie who raised you. T T T.

Yes.

Do you regret putting your family business on the show.

I'm a reality show, I'm a TV personality, right and I try to give everything I can give and I just don't see no other way of doing it. But there are certain things that I do regret. Okay, I do regret. I disciplined. My son wants on camera that everybody goes back and say over, no, you don't.

Lost your damn mind. You know, like that really hurt.

My son's feelings, and I, you know, I don't want to hurt my children in the process of doing something that I want to do, so I wish I could take that moment back. And I also when Greg and I went through our divorce, I wish that we hadn't put so much out there because we ended up getting

I hate. Interrupt, but stay tuned for more. We'll be right back after these quick ads. This show is sponsored by Betterhelp. Sometimes in life we're faced with tough choices and the path forward isn't always clear. You know. Look, as the king of reality television, I wear mini hats, but that all means I need to be able to seek therapy because there's always some things that I'm going

I spoke to him on the phone. I think he's doing okay. He needs rehabilitation. He needs a lot of counseling. Like many families out there, I have family members that are struggling with drugs and certain addictions, and he has an addiction. He's been struggling with it for years. He's been in rehab for a couple of times and he still have come back out and relapsed. I have a brother that's an attic. I have a close cousin that's

You know.

He is thirty one years old, he's an adult. He has three children, three beautiful children who I adore. He has a wife. It's not much that I can do for people who have had children or family members that have been on drugs.

They know that they have to be ready. They have to simply be ready.

You know, I've spent so much money on trying to get Bryson, you know where he needs to be. But every time I've sent him off, it is because I said, you are getting your ass up and we are sending you off. But I learned through canceling myself that he has to say I am ready to go, not me making him go. So until Bryson is ready to make a change.

It's nothing I can do as a mother.

I will never wash my hands of my child, right, but I'm kind of numb to it because it's been happening for so many years. I'm just really kind of numb to the situation.

And do you think so? I want to go deep here in terms of kids being raised under the guise of television, whether it's acting, reality TV, singing. Obviously your children were brought up on reality television, being famous because their mom is famous. Yes, Do you think Bryson being famous and dealing with being on television, all those things affected his ability to be the adult you wanted him to be. Did to contribute to the drug usage and those things.

You know, I don't have to say I don't think it helped, but I wouldn't say this the sole cause of it. It certainly didn't help because we started on television when Bryson was like in the eleventh or twelfth grade and Brent was in third grade, And so they're having to be in a light shine, a light shine on them that they did not ask for. Like I grew up in high school, I just grew up, and I made all my mistakes and I didn't have to

Did being on TV affect your marriage to Greg?

Yes, it affected my marriage to Greg, because again Greg loved me for me and he knew me for who I was. And also my husband was the breadwinner. In my case, I wasn't working and he made the money. And once I started to make more money than him, he started looking at me like sideways, like oh, who she thinks she is? Because I no longer had to ask him for money, I no longer had to ask him for anything. If I wanted to go and buy the lady's bag, I just going by the lady's bag.

No, it doesn't. The thing is this, and I want to talk about how women who are the breadwinner become the bread winner after being married for so long. And the foundation was the man took care of me and the household. The rose reversed. It's difficult for a man to accept that, and we're seeing that on a lot

I probably did. I probably did not intentionally, I probably did. You know, my mouth probably was smarter, you know, I probably was up in his face a little bit tougher because you know, I could take care of myself. So I probably did in many ways.

And yeah, yeah, one thing.

My husband, excuse me, Greg is from Atlanta, born and raised, and he is the true definition of an og and so he felt like his role as the husband and the head of the household was to take care of his family, and in a sense, I took some of that role away from him.

Greg is old school.

He's with opening up the door, and he's with all the things that allowed the old school guys would do.

He's here for, you know, help raising.

His kids, and he's just an old school guy. And me making more money than him and not needing him. I literally did not need him at one point to not even put a light bulb up. I would just put it up myself where I called somebody to do it, like I thought in my mind, I was just making our life easier. But I was taking things rolls away from him, as you know, the man the head of the household.

And listen, I may get a lot of flack for this, but it's fine, but I would love to get your opinion. I do feel like when women start to make money, unfortunately they start to emasculate their man in a very subtle way and sometimes unintentionally. Every man wants to feel like you need him, Yes they do. Every man wants

I don't know how the time? Well, you know what I mean.

It's certain things because she wants to feel like I do need you. Do you feel like sometimes when a woman makes more money than her man that they feel they need to take on this boss role. And I'm a boss and I'm independent and I don't need no man. I feel like that's what happens and men get upset.

I don't think I felt that way. I honestly thought I listen. I love love, I love a relationship. I love to make my man feel great. I just didn't know that I was taking those things away from him. I wish I knew better. I just didn't know that I was doing that. I do know better now, but I did not know that I was doing that at all.

And when you were going through the divorce, I'll never forget this. I was doing your interview. This is season four, you and Greek are going through the divorce. A lot of people assumed that Ninni got famous, she's rich, she's on Celebrity Apprentice, she's doing it, and she wants to see how the grass is green on the other side. And I'm gonna get that in a second. I remember the day you on a life for a divorce and

I knew that people. I knew that people thought I was a strong one and that I was the one probably Boston Greg around, and I probably was the one that was doing whatever it was. Greg and I relationship is very much like Cynthia and Peter. Most people think that it's Peter in any case with him and Cynthia, and so most people thought it was me, But it

That's what I wanted.

But I also knew that I wanted to be happy, and Greg and I were just at a crossroad where we just couldn't see our way out of it at the time.

You then started dating John.

Yes, I talked to John last night. Really, yes I did.

Oh is he he's doing?

But he actually called me about Bryce. He said, I heard what happened to Bryce, and I just want you to know that I will put him in a rehabilitation center in New York and I will pay for it.

And what did you say?

Soon as he get.

Out grabbing take him also, you know, not just saying John, I mean, but because we're talking about heim. But lamar Odam also called me and said that he would grab Bryce right away and send him to his place. He has a rehabilitation place somewhere. So I've gotten calls from people in support because you know, honestly, it's nothing I can do. My hands a tide. I don't know what else to do. And so John Calladge called me last night.

Please make that happen.

Yes, I think I got to go on a date with him.

But okay, do you still have the rot you?

I sure do, I warn he today, I have it in a dressing room.

Okay, if you can break it off for a second.

Place, No, we'll show it.

Oh wow, I haven't.

What was it like dating John when you before the job thing? What was it like being single? Because you you weren't you were married for so long.

I was with Grant and my twins.

There's nothing like dating again when you got money.

Yeah, it's different.

It is different.

It is very different, and it's good it is.

It's like the law of attraction. You start attracting people to you who may have the same things, are more than you. Yes, and it feels fun and feel sexyes between those girls. Did you enjoy it?

You know it was? I would have to say for me, Carlos, I'm a relationship person, So I don't know many times in my life where I've been just free and single.

Most men want me so.

Right away I have been a relationship. I don't stay sing along. So right after I got broken up with Greg, shortly after I met I went on Celebrity Apprentice, which is where I met John Collage and then we ended up being in a relationship. I really am a relationship person. I don't get a chance to date that often. I go right into it. I really want to know what dating is like. I would love to do it. I just don't think I've ever really had that happen in

When you were dating John and figuring things out, did you think, Okay, I got a guy who wants to buy me row Lexus and buy me red bottles and buy me in the world.

Maybe this is what I should have. Yeah, sure, I wanted to. I would love to date men who have more money than me. And John had way more money than I had, and I didn't have to spend my money. I could spend all of his and he would not even miss it because he had so much money. It was ridiculous. And I thought, oh my god, this is so fun. I get to buy anything I want to buy. I get to do anything I want to do, travel

It was fun.

There was no limit, pick up anything you and if you were my friend and you were with me, he said, you get you something too. It was amazing being with him. I loved it was like a fairy tale. It was so fun. But other than that, after that, like we were like, what do we have? Yeah, we didn't have anything though, Yeah, we had a lot of shopping. I would I you know, we had to get into my dating life later. Go on.

No, I was just gonna say, And just like me and you, we got back together with our exes at the same time you got married. I did your wedding special. We got to we got to a fight moments before she walked down the aisle. You remember that, I do, so Nini was getting married. It was my first executive producer credit doing her wedding special, and Niini I stopped me and the producers and the camera people and said, leave me alone.

Yes, well I would say leave me alone, and.

We couldn't film her no more. And she locked the door, closing on my face. Child.

Yeah, listen, I was having a wedding and I've been a bride prior too, and there was no cameras on me like that, and I just needed a moment.

I just needed a moment.

To just be like I was on camera the whole day. I just needed a moment, that's all. But I still loved you just the same.

Oh no, no, we listen we made up and there made up and it's a great wedding.

I just needed a moment.

I thought it was a lot and we cried. Yes, I cried. Joy forced me to apologize to you. She said, you will regret being mad at her before, she says, I do. And I walked up to you. The cameras were rolling and I started to cry, and you said, bitch, you have a shew to produce. I love you too. Got out of here, bitch. Yes, I want to ask you this because I want to use his the or the air. A lot of people have said one of

I was dating a man who was legally married going through a divorce.

Like Kim and Big Papa.

I don't think Big Papa went through a divorce. Yannie is divorced today as we sit here together. He is a divorce single man. And I don't think Big Papa have ever been divorced. In fact, he's back with his wife. I just saw him in Miami at this time. Hi Kim and Lee is his wife named Kim Kimberly. Big Papa's wife name is Kim. Yes, you can't make this shit up. You cannot Kimberly.

Well, that was easy to remember.

So yes, I said, close your legs to marry man married men. When I met Yanni, he was a separated man. That's exactly what he told me. Now, I don't know what he told his wife, who he was legally married to at the time. Today, as we said here, Yanni is a single, divorced man.

Did you meet him before Greg passed away?

Absolutely? Not one hundred percent. I think Yanni had been living in Atlanta maybe two months and I met him, and my husband had probably been passed away maybe a month or so. And I met him in Atlanta at Blue Martini, and we both have been very open and honest about our relationship. I met him. A lot of people said you didn't even grieve. Honestly, when I look back, I thank God for Yanni because I don't think I could have made it. He kept my mind busy, he

And how you choose to grieve. No one knows.

I would have never known I would have met a guy out just a month after my husband passed away. And when we met, we were just friends, just talking. He would invite me places, me and my friends and we would go and hang out with him and that kind of stuff, and me it wasn't serious. It got serious, I think because so many people were talking about seeing us together, so I feel like they made us serious when we weren't even trying to be serious. And today we're not serious.

Y'all aren't together today.

Today we are taking a break. We've been taking a break, and it's just things. I'm not happy with, things he's not happy with. It's just not working at the moment. He is single, So if any of the ladies out there want to let him go, right ahead. But if any other fellas honey only with a bag, Honey only with a bag, you cannot talk to me. My next relationship will be absolutely private.

Really why, I just.

Don't want to be This was the most public I think I've ever been in any relationship. It's more public than Gregg's. And I just feel like it's just best to be private. Also, I know from dating Yanny, and Yunny has a great career, he makes great money, sort of like what we were talking about earlier.

I just want my guy.

To make more money than me, I really do.

That's just gonna be best.

I need you to make more money than me.

The best advice I was told is an inn a relationship, it needs to be one star per household.

And I think, you know, being with somebody like Yanny, I think it will be a two star household. I think that he would want to be more front and center and.

We just can't have that.

People have said that he was using you for fame. Do you think that.

I don't know that he was using me for fame. But he showed when Hay knowing that.

He liked taking the pictures, and of course, and that was different because Greg never and I.

Also would always look at him like okay, yeah, it felt different, And I agree it should be one star per household unless it's one of your kids.

Yeah yeah, yeah.

But it was, Yeah, it was different.

I think. Honestly, I don't know if he was using me or not. Honestly, I was just grieving. I don't know what was happening I'm just going with the floor. If he said get up and get dressed, I got up and got dressed. He said, we leave in town. I got up and left town.

Are you in love with him?

No?

Were you? We're in love with him?

I love Ynny. I think when you say in love, I think those that is very different, and I'm not sure that we are there.

I think we got very close.

Do you ever think you were experienced the type of love you have with Greg with another man? I do not.

I think that again.

My love with Greg was the ultimate, and I feel like you just don't find love like that. I don't know that I'll ever find it again. I just don't.

Does that make you sad a little bit? Because you know, you got all this energy, your gorgeous, You're young, and.

You know I think that I will find a guy, right, Yeah, great guy to spend my life with. But Greg, he was pretty up there. It's gonna be hard to get up there. Greg was up there.

Oh no, Greg, Greg is the greatest love of your life.

Yeah.

He was great. He was great, and and I was with you.

You have to understand I grew with Greg because I was in my twenties and my thirties and my forties, and so I was growing with Greg. So that was just a different time and I don't think that I'll ever have that again.

I hope that.

I hope that I meet a great guy though, and I'm open to all ethnicities. You gotta be one to travel. Hoey have a bag.

I called Marlow.

So I don't think Marlow, you know, lock them in like that, like I'm a relationship person and they usually go with me.

I think Marlow goes on a date. We go years.

Okay, that's what you want.

Yeah, no, I'll go on a date two.

You know, I told you I never experienced dating before, so I would like to date.

I want you to have a hall phase.

Oh, I want you to go out there and just day meet Meg, get banged and get bags and yes, get bang bags and you know, billions.

That's the only one I'll be talking to. Honestly, I can't do it. They have to be wealthier, yes, said to be wealthy. I don't want to talk, honestly, I don't want to. I just don't want to deal with it. I don't want to deal with having fights about you think you're this or you're a fank you're that because you can do this. I don't want to do it.

I hate you interrupt, but stay tuned for more. We'll be right back after these quick ads. When you need dinner fast, don't call for delivery, think Hello Fresh. They're fast and fresh recipes are ready in just fifteen minutes or less. Plus Hello Fresh is twenty five percent cheaper than take out, featuring quality proteins, fresh produce, and plans for mini lifestyles. It's no wonder why Hello Fresh is America's number one milk care. Let me tell y'all something.

I don't think I've ever been asked that question before. If I'm struggling, if I'm broke, if I have money, I'm not broke. That is not happening. Yeah, Lord Jesus, please let that shit happened. But you know, that's the only thing I can say is that, of course I'm not there.

But yeah, so you're good. Yes, Well, let's get back into season five. Keingya and Porsche came on the show. Okay, at the same time, I'm gonna say something, and I'm curious if you agree with me or not. I think Kenyan Porsche saved the show.

I don't know.

You have to take me back to that moment. Okay, I know they were great additions.

They were so I didn't work on season five. I was doing another show, and I remember season four. Season four felt weird to me. It felt weird just in terms of the dynamic it was. I agree with you in terms of what is the show becoming and in my opinion as somebody who did not work on season five. I remember watching Kenya and Porsche and being like, these are two new, great additions, and I felt like they changed the temperature of the show. And I remember being

I don't remember it the way that you do. They were definitely great additions to the show. Obviously, we were all excited about having Kenya because she had been Missed USA, so we all knew her as Miss Usa. See I didn't know her as an actress or anything. I just knew her as the black Miss USA, and we thought of her as a black Barbie doll. And I did

Meet her as well.

But I don't remember everything and how they may have changed the show, but I do remember we went to Anguilla, and I remember her and Fhader started out as friends.

And so that was really different.

And I remember I was the one sitting with Porsche when she was her and King and never clicked from the moment ago And I remember her telling me, you know, it was two hundred and sixty five days a year, and I was like, oh, I just thought, you know, for me, it was like what are we in?

These girls? Kenya is twirling and she.

Thinks it's two hundred and sixty five days and a year. It was just really different for me. And then I remember meeting her husband. Cordell was Porsia's husband at the time, and I didn't think that I felt like he held Porsche back a lot.

I don't know.

Fast forward, if you remember me and Candy and a few of us. I remember the producers saying that after this season they didn't want to really have Porsche back because she started to go. They did not want to have her back. And I often think that people forget, And I said, but Porsche, I'm just saying that sometimes I think people forget, they really forget.

The producer were really like, no to Porsche.

I can't confirm right now that Porsche is on the chopping block.

She was.

I was brought back to produce season five reunion, just the reunion, and I remember telling the producers I'm talking as a viewer. I like Porsche. I think she's great. I don't think you guys should get rid of her. Porsche was one hundred percent on the chopping block.

She was, and so Candy and I and I can't remember there was anyone that I know it.

Was Candy and I.

We called and talked to production and the network about keeping Porsche because Porsche was going through a divorce and we were like, you guys, can't get rid of her right now. I mean, she really needs to show. Just let us stay and see how it works. And we went to full on beat for Porsche and your state on the show. And you know, sometimes people forget who goes for back for the money because that was a bag because you were out.

No, she was on the topic block and now too. So I was the executive producer season six, and I was like fighting for portion. I said, Porch is great, we need her on the show. Season six is in the Guinness Book of Rod Records for being the highest rated season ever on Bravo. And we reach, bitch close to five million viewers, which is insane. Season six had five million.

What season was that?

Season six?

Season six? This is season what fifteen and a five hundred? That's a different iniment. Wow, what a big difference. Okay, five million, five hundred.

We'll get to that in second, baby, So season six is the highest rate, said, let's just sit there for a second. Oh okay. On Carlos King Honey five millions to five hundred. That's a new tack line. Okay, so it was close to five million. Season six, we had Nini, Kenya, Candy, Phaedra, portion Cynthia till this day. To this day, people said, that's the best cast that the Real Housewives has ever seen, those six housewives. Do you Marlow was a friend and

I agree? Tell me why I think at that moment, I feel like all of First of all, we had a lot of conflict.

We had a lot.

Of freaking conflict, and everybody was speaking their opinion, everybody was working. Everybody stepped up to their role. You know. Because the seasons went on, people start to not step up, but those that season, I feel like everybody stepped up. Everybody had a storyline. It was just a great time for all of us. It really was. No.

It was my first time being the EP of the show. The show runner.

Oh so oh I forgot and you were the EP. Yeah, that's that's mainly why. Absolutely, listen, listen, I got the job.

I'm the first executive producer who never had to interview for the job.

Well, the interview, I mean you worked your way.

Yeah. They said to me, you knew all the girls. I knew all the girls, and I knew I knew the dynamics. And they all said to me, it is your job to revolutionize this show. And I said, well, damn, bitch, I just wanted to see if I'm able to like twelve with Kenyon for a second chip. But I digress. Okay, So Jesus is cavalong. I just finished your wedding special.

I have never thought Keny was to start of the show. Now, I'm not even being shady, no, seriously, I mean I know, I mean honestly, I've never thought she was to start of the show ever.

And I'm not even playing.

I think Kenya is great on the show, and I think she is a great She was a great addition to the show when she came on, and I think the show needs Kenya, by the way, But I never saw her as the star of Real Housewives of Atlanta ever.

Why not.

I just didn't see her as the star of the show, and certainly she wasn't the star when I was there. And I'm just being for real, and I just never I just never saw that. I just haven't. No, i just haven't seen it. And I've never been threatened by any of the girls. In fact, I would go as far as to say, I believe I am one of the girls. I don't know about all the rest of them. I am one of the girls that felt like we all need to work hard to make this show great

Was ken you threatened by your presence?

Very possible, because I won't be backing down to any of these girls ever, not ever in life, on the show, off the show, around the show, behind the show, anytime, any place, anywhere.

I'm never going to be backing down.

So what happened on Pello Talk Pello Talk? Obviously you and your neglige ay Yes was strung up and down the hotel suite at the Intercontinental, and Kenya was late. And I want to break the fourth wall here. Kenya was late and you were frustrated because I don't think people know this. As the host of an event, the pressure is on you to make sure the event is good and let's be clear, to make sure that this

I have you, guys know a lot of these girls are extremely late, not just Kenya, many of them are and that's very frustrating. If we have to be somewhere at four and everybody trickles in at six, it's just very upsetting. So you may have arrived very happy and ready to have a good time, but two hours later, sitting there waiting on everybody to arrive, you're like this, what's wrong with you? You know, I've been here since far, so I think it was that kind of energy towards her.

Oh honey child, this is the ghetto child.

White refrigerator.

Yeah, And so I think that was probably one of the closest time we've ever been.

I've liked her.

I saw her recently too in Niema Marcus, and of course I said, hi, like, I don't you know, did y'all talk about nothing. We just high from Afar High High.

Are you gonna go up and have a conversation.

I would have. I mean, it wasn't like I wasn't against you know, I don't have any problem with these girls. But we just kind of said hey, and she went on her way and I went on my way. Yeah.

We would have gotten what went wrong with you and Cynthia's friendship. Do you think people thinking Cynthia was and people saying you let Nini run over you. Yeah, maybe even Peter allegedly may have said those things to her too. Do you think the destruction of your friendship with Cynthia came because she let people get into her ear about you?

I think Cynthia definitely let people get in her head, like a lot of girls. Even Marlowe was even at a point where she's like, oh, they think that you know, you know, like you, you know, telling me what to do about me around and you know. I feel like those girls wanted to have their own identity, which they did, but they would always let people get in their head like Nini is running this, Ninie is. And it wasn't even like that. It was like, we're friends and you

Sensia, Who is Cynthia behind the scenes that you wish people would see.

Cynthia is quite different than she is on the scene. Yeah, I think that kid Cynthia is. She's not gonna let you run over her. So that's not possible for people thinking that she's being ran over, or for people thinking that she's quiet. She's very opinionated. She has a lot to say, and she stands up for herself.

Why do you think she didn't want to show that from the camera, that's who she is.

There's a lot of these girls that come on the show and they don't show who they are. Remember I made a conscious decision season one to just be who I am, right, and some of these girls come on and they just I don't know, they play with their head. They're like, I don't want to be seen that way, or my family would die if I was seeing that way, or my husband doesn't want me to do this. My boyfriend said, I can't do that, and so they just

Do you miss Cynthia?

I missed the friendship that we had, because I feel like we had a really good friendship and I cherished my friendships, and I feel like, you know, uh, you know, it's hard to find really good friends and it's unfortunate what happened to our friendship.

Well, why can't you guys rekindle?

Then?

I don't think that will ever be possible.

Why Because I just know some of the things that she has done behind the scenes that I just could never ever ever respect. Now that now I can't respect them. But that doesn't mean I couldn't work with her. I could work with her, but I can't respect some of the stuff that I know for searching that she did.

Did she try to stop your bag as.

Much as she was on camera saying I'm trying.

To stop hers, She was definitely trying to stop mine. From Bravo, of course, from Bravo. I know a lot of things she did, honey. She was in an alliance too, honey.

With producers or housewives.

She was an alliance with housewives and behind the scene with producers.

In network to get you off the show.

I believe she tried.

I think she had a hand in trying to get it done, really.

Absolutely, But what would how would that benefit her?

I don't know. I think that some of these girls they feel like maybe if they do certain things, maybe they'll stay on the show longer, maybe they'll get other opportunities. But for me, I feel like where I think these group of girls go wrong at is if we all stuck together and held hands together so that we can all work and all eat together, we would all be better together. I feel like trying to push this person off the store show and push that person out for

That's when it's like, that's that's one. It's just not like that.

But yeah, oh, I'm surprised to hear that, because the thing is she and you did have a real friendship. But I remember y'all calling me when can you have the masquerate ball? And you were like Carlos, she trying to play me. Was you syn them in three with me? Should you go? Should you not go? And you did show up to the mask of rat Ball. You said this epic line of it's amazing how many friends I haven't don't even know about it.

Of course today it's amazing how many friends.

I have and I don't even knew about it.

So you were It saddens me where things are because I will say this on the record, you were the anchor of the show. You not to be disrespectful to the other girls because they know my heart and I don't know me, and to come across this way, they really did look up to you in the sense of what we're going to do. See, I didn't feel that though, Oh I can I can say to you. Let me tell you something, I honestly didn't feel that.

I always felt like, you know, I always felt like I wasn't supported on the show. This is just my feelings. I honestly felt like I wasn't supported the way I felt that I should have been supported from the girls, from production, from everybody now, and I could be looking at it totally wrong. I just felt like I didn't get the support that I should have gotten and deserved

Everybody come for Nini, everybody go out to Ninni.

And that is just tired at some point, and it's tiring, and it's also not fair to be the person that everybody is jumping on and villainizing, and it doesn't feel good to be in that position every single time.

Well, that's interesting because I always saw you as this anchor and the Queen Bee. And again that doesn't mean the other girls are lesser. Now, I want to make that clear. You were the queen be of the show, and you were the face of the show. And at one point in time, Miani, you arguably was the most famous black reality start in the world.

Not at one time, at this very.

Moment, No, no, no, no, you.

Still are seeing her. If she's out there, where is she?

Well, Tammy Romes says, hi, but hey tamby eating offs.

Hey, Tammy girl, calm me and we'll talk about that.

We love to have, you know, all jumps aside the face of black reality TV, in the face of reality television. White women love you, Oh of course.

I mean you go anywhere without people stopping me, black, white, old, young children, everybody.

Honestly, you were also in network shows. Ryan Murphy loves You, befrobably finished. How is your relationship today with Ryan Murphy?

I haven't seen Ryan in forever, but there's nothing but love there. I saw him a few years ago, and of course we loved each other up and hugged and all those things. But I haven't seen him in a very long time.

Is there anything that happened between the two of you, Okay.

Never anything. Okay, I've never had a problem ever.

Let's be very clear.

I've never had a problem ever on any show that I've ever worked on before. Ever. This Is Housewives is the only show that they tried to give me the reputation. But I've never My thing, and I've always spoken about it publicly, is to show up at work.

I don't need anything.

I'm not one of those talents that show up on set and I need this chicken wings and a whole bunch of drinks, Roses, eminem, peanuts.

All cart service, all these kinds.

I don't need any of that. I need some water and my check and that's all I need. Honey. I show up, I do what you asked me to do, and goodbye, and that's it for me. So there's no reason for anybody on any set to have any issue with me. Come, I purposely be going said and be like, don't say that shit up.

Okay, y'all they.

Calling for us.

Let's go hurry up, glam let's get on set.

You know. I try to be on time with these people. I don't try to do anything. I don't want to cause no problems. That's the first thing. I feel like they want to be able to say, is that become another black girl causing problems?

So I don't want to be heard.

Why did you feel the need to sue? Bravo, NBC and any caror Baby. Part two of my exclusive interview with Nini Leeks drops next Tuesday, August first, at nine o'clock am Eestra. Thank you for listening to Reality with