NeNe Leakes Calls Andy Cohen ‘You Ole Racist’ After Exiting ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’
”They ALWAYS manipulating black women to say negative things about each other while they sit and enjoy us tearing each other down!“ Leakes says of the ”Housewives“ franchise
Former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star NeNe Leakes lashed out at Andy Cohen and longtime friend Wendy Williams on Twitter over the weekend, labeling Cohen “racist” and mocking Williams’ history of cocaine abuse.
“I will ALWAYS eat and eat good! Believe that,” Leakes wrote in one of several tweets on Sunday. “I have ALWAYS believed in multiple streams of income so the leakes are good you ole cocaine head and you ole racist. No one knew you until YOU knew me. Remember I’m ICON. Don’t forget.”
The comments came in response to a segment from Cohen’s “Watch What Happens Live” in which Williams was asked to address Leakes’ departure from “Real Housewives.”
Saying that she doesn’t know what Leakes is “going to be doing for money,” Williams brushed off the idea that the “RHOA” star could maintain a TV career without the Bravo franchise in Sunday’s segment. “Is it going to be like, Gregg [her husband] and NeNe on another reality show? That’s boring. NeNe being a grandmother? That’s boring. NeNe and her own kids? That’s boring. NeNe trying to figure out Hollywood? That’s boring.”
“She on cocaine so they should stop using her to talk! They both need my help with their poor ratings,” Leakes wrote in response.
“They ALWAYS manipulating black women to say negative things about each other while they sit and enjoy us tearing each other down!” she said. “Remember #BLM Remember #breonnataylor REMEMBER the most racist networks.”
Leakes was one of the original stars of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” before leaving after Season 7. She returned for Season 10 and then announced her second exit from the show in a YouTube video earlier this month.
“I have been on an extremely, extremely long, exhausting, tiring, emotional negotiation,” she said. “There has been a lot of emotion flying from both sides. It has been hard. And I have made the very hard and difficult decision to not be a part of the ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ Season 13. It wasn’t an easy decision for me. It was hard.”
'Real Housewives': These Originals Have Stuck Through the Drama Since Day One (Photos)
Being a cast member on one of Bravo's "Real Housewives" franchises means opening up your personal and professional life to the cameras -- not an easy task for a few months, much less year after year.
Out of over 100 housewives, less than a handful have appeared on their shows continuously since day one. Some wives voluntarily leave to pursue other opportunities or escape the cameras, while others are fired as storylines peter out or viewers' interest wanes.
Here are the "Real Housewives" stars that have been there since the very beginning of their franchises.
For this gallery, TheWrap looked at "Real Housewives" franchises that have been around for six or more seasons, so it excludes the Dallas, Miami, Salt Lake City and D.C. casts.
Photo credit: Bravo
Ramona Singer
Singer's histrionics and hysterics have provided plenty of fodder for "The Real Housewives of New York" editors for 13 seasons.
She is an "O.G. housewife."
Photo credit: Bravo
Kyle Richards
Kyle Richards and her sister Kim were two of the original "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Their fractured relationship has been a series storyline even after Kim departed as a full-time cast member after Season 5.
Richards is another of the three true "O.G. Housewives," having appeared continuously as a main cast member throughout every season. Season 11 debuted in May 2021.
Her other sister, Kathy Hilton, joined as a "friend" in Season 11.
Photo credit: Bravo
Teresa Giudice
Ever since her infamous table flip, Giudice has been a staple on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey." Producers even worked around her 11-month stint in federal prison for fraud in 2015. Season 11 of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" finished airing in May 2021.
She is one of the seven "O.G. housewives."
Photo credit: Bravo
Gizelle Bryant
Gizelle was the very first Potomac housewife viewers were introduced to back in 2016.
The show recently premiered it's sixth season in summer 2021.
"Potomac" has retained four of its original cast members -- a feat no other "Real Housewives" franchise has been able to match.
Photo credit: Bravo
Karen Huger
The self-appointed "grand dame" of Potomac is also an "O.G" wife.
She and Gizelle Bryant have sparred for six seasons.
Photo credit: Bravo
Robyn Dixon
Dixon and Bryant comprise the "green-eyed bandits." She is also an original "Potomac" housewife.
Photo credit: Bravo
Ashley Darby
Darby was reportedly cast in a D.C. version of "Blood, Sweat & Heels" that never made air, and then cast on "Potomac" as the group's "outsider." She's been with the franchise from the very start as well.
Photo credit: Bravo
LuAnn de Lesseps (honorable mention)
De Lesseps, also known as The Countess, was an original cast member who was demoted to "friend" status on "The Real Housewives of New York" in Season 6. However, she earned her apple back with her second marriage, second divorce and drunken arrest.
She's appeared in all 13 seasons of "New York" and as an official housewife for 12.
Photo credit: Bravo
Kandi Burruss (honorable mention)
Burruss was a Season 2 addition "Real Housewives of Atlanta" and has been a core cast member for 12 seasons -- longer than any other Atlanta 'wife.
Photo credit: Bravo
NeNe Leakes (honorable mention)
Leakes was an original cast member of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" but departed after Season 7 in part to pursue her acting career in Hollywood. She returned to the show in Season 10 and announced in September -- after the show had already begun production for Season 13 -- that she would not be returning. Bloop!
Photo credit: Bravo
Lisa Vanderpump (honorable mention)
Along with the Richards sisters, Lisa Vanderpump was one of the first members of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." She departed after nine seasons after the so-called "Puppygate," which is so convoluted it's not worth explaining here. She still can be seen on the spin-off "Vanderpump Rules," which she also executive produces and is back in production after a pandemic-related pause.
With nine seasons of "Beverly Hills" and eight seasons of "Vanderpump Rules" under her bejeweled belt, Vanderpump has the distinction of having the most appearances on the network.
Photo credit: Bravo
Bethenny Frankel (honorable mention)
When "The Real Housewives of New York" started, Frankel was an anomaly since she was unmarried (the current cast doesn't have a single married cast member).
She departed the show after Season 3 and returned in Season 7 only to leave again after Season 11. She's had several spin-offs on Bravo, including "Bethenny Ever After" and "Bethenny & Fredrik."
She's now focused on raising her daughter Bryn (whom she kept off-camera), her businesses and numerous charities, including coronavirus relief. She also has her own HBO Max reality competition show, "The Big Shot with Bethenny"
Photo credit: Bravo
Vicki Gunvalson (honorable mention)
Gunvalson has the distinction of being the "O.G. of the O.C." with "The Real Housewives of Orange County" being the very first series in the franchise.
She was demoted to "friend" status in Season 14, and unwilling to return unless she was a full-time cast member, left the show -- and franchise -- she founded ahead of Season 15.
Photo credit: Bravo
Camille Grammer (honorable mention)
Grammer's marriage and split from sitcom star Kelsey Grammer was a key storyline in the first season of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" way back in 2010. She left as a full-time cast member after Season 2 but has appeared in every season since (with the exception of Season 4 and 11) in a minor or major capacity.
Photo credit: Bravo
Adrienne Maloof (honorable mention)
Original Beverly Hills housewife Maloof made headlines after refusing to show up for the Season 3 finale. But that separation didn't last long, and she's made guest appearances in Seasons 5, 6, 8 and 10.
Photo credit: Bravo
Kim Richards (honorable mention)
As previously mentioned, Kim Richards was a core member of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" cast from the very beginning.
She left the show after Season 5 in part to address her sobriety but returned for appearances in Season 6, 7, 9 and 10.
She's made fewer appearances than Grammer, but more than Maloof.
Photo credit: Bravo
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Teresa Giudice, Kyle Richards and Ramona Singer have been with their respective franchises since the very beginning
Being a cast member on one of Bravo's "Real Housewives" franchises means opening up your personal and professional life to the cameras -- not an easy task for a few months, much less year after year.
Out of over 100 housewives, less than a handful have appeared on their shows continuously since day one. Some wives voluntarily leave to pursue other opportunities or escape the cameras, while others are fired as storylines peter out or viewers' interest wanes.
Here are the "Real Housewives" stars that have been there since the very beginning of their franchises.
For this gallery, TheWrap looked at "Real Housewives" franchises that have been around for six or more seasons, so it excludes the Dallas, Miami, Salt Lake City and D.C. casts.
Photo credit: Bravo
Photo credit: Bravo
