Yes, the season finale is finally upon us. In today's Atlanta Journal Constitution, Rodney Ho poses questions to Sheree, Nenee and Deshawn regarding their experiences on Housewives. Take a gander:
"A charity event that goes awry. A fashion show with no fashion show. Over-the-top spending. Underhanded comments. Fake boobs and real boobs. Nasty text messages. And some mysterious boyfriend who goes by the name “Big Papa.”
Even as the nation has been riveted by a presidential election and horrified by woeful economic news, fans and foes of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” have found a diversion from true reality. Old school Atlanta socialites reacted with disdain. Loyalists have reveled in the excesses and spending from a pure entertainment standpoint.
For Bravo, a hit is a hit. Ratings are stronger than first-season numbers for earlier versions in Orange County, Calif., and New York. During the week of Nov. 3, Bravo aired different episodes of the show a whopping 25 times, seen by a collective 9.3 million viewers. Those numbers virtually guarantee a second season in 2009, though the network has yet to publicly commit.
Alas, the finale is already upon us Tuesday night after just seven episodes. And check out a reunion episode next Tuesday in which seemingly grounded Lisa Wu-Hartwell unexpectedly clashes with Botox-loving Kim Zolciak.
Bravo made three of the women available for phone interviews last Friday. Unfortunately, Lisa and Kim were not in town to tell the AJC why they came to blows on the pretaped reunion show and who the heck “Big Papa” is (though rumors are all over the Web).
DESHAWN SNOW
On the charity event that didn’t raise $1 million: “On the show, it made it seem like I lost money, but we actually broke even in the end. I could have planned more. I could have charged at the door. The auction was awful. That’s all they showed. But the party went great. More than 400 people learned about the foundation.”
On her foundation to help teen girls raise their self-esteem: “My goal to go national will be realized faster. A lot of people have been donating money. I’ve done summer camps [in southwest Atlanta] for three years. We had 180 girls the first year, 250 the second and a little more than 300 this past summer. I want to do four camps in metro Atlanta next year.”
On Kim and Sheree bagging on her sunset barbecue: “I’m not mad about them not coming. I don’t care. I was just surprised. I was trying to help.”
On NeNe: “NeNe and I were very close during and after the taping. They didn’t show much of that. I respect her. She’ll say what she thinks to your face, not behind your back. I don’t hang out much with the other girls [except for the show].”
On NeNe’s mockery of Kim’s singing ability: “She wasn’t trying to hurt Kim’s feelings. I was cracking up. There was no harm. It wasn’t something she hadn’t said to Kim’s face. [Then again,] it should not have left the limo.”
On rumors she is in a rented house: “If these people knew the battles I’ve gone through with the builders, they know I wouldn’t do this with a rented house. You can’t believe what you hear.”
On the newfound fame: “I eat it up. I love the glitz and glamour and people recognizing me. It’s all exciting.”
SHEREE WHITFIELD
On how she comes across on TV: “I’ve always been strong and confident. It comes across as a little cold.”
On whether her confidence masks insecurity: “Are you kidding me? I am the most secure person on Earth. Anyone who knows me knows I’m comfortable in my own skin.”
On her divorce with Bob Whitfield and that seven-figure settlement: “I can’t go into that because of my attorneys. … We’re at the tail end [of the divorce proceedings].”
On her finances: “Financially, I’m fine. When I start asking people for money, then you can say, ‘What’s going on with Sheree?’ Of course with the economy, everyone including me is limiting some of my spending. If I don’t truly love it, I’m not making the purchase.”
On what hasn’t been shown on TV: “I’m a great mom. I’m very active in my kids’ lives. I am that soccer mom, that football mom; that is not shown.”
On her clothing line She by Sheree: “I’m looking to have it ready for fall of 2009. I’ll have samples ready for trade shows in February.”
On why she got her clothing samples so late before her fashion line intro party: “I had different seamstresses fall through. It’s hard to find good people. The clothing was supposed to be ready two weeks earlier. She didn’t finish in time. I put so much time and money into that viewing. It was never a fashion show. It was a viewing. I showed fabrics and sketches.”
On blogs where people slam her: “I don’t want to hear that. I don’t read it, although I blog myself. And it’s weird because in person, people are so loving and positive.”
On NeNe: “We weren’t friends going in. I didn’t have a lot of interaction with her on camera.”
On NeNe’s mockery of Kim: “It was very mean. … You’re responsible for what you say, whether you’re drunk, high or sober.”
NENE LEAKES
On the newfound fame: “I can’t leave the house without people knowing who I am. I love it. I have great fans!”
On mocking Kim’s singing: “I didn’t want to hurt Kim’s feelings. I didn’t mean to hurt Kim’s feelings. It was blown out of proportion. That was really a turning point in our relationship. She stopped talking to me. Since then, we’ve had a chance to talk a bit. I apologized.”
But really, how is Kim’s singing?: “I didn’t think Kim could sing. I didn’t mean to say it harsh. I guess I’m really a Simon Cowell!”
On who her real daddy is: “It isn’t addressed this season but we may do something assuming there’s a second season. I may have a celebrity sister. That’s my tease!”
On creating drama: “I like to separate from people who bring drama to my life. Every new year, I go through my cellphone and look at my contacts. I delete everybody’s names who bring stress to my life.”
On being wealthy: “I live this great fabulous life. I’m blessed. But I’m not going to brag about it. I never talk about designers. I don’t need to die in Dior. I just want to be comfortable.”
On renting or owning her home and other rumors: “Whether you’re renting or purchasing, either way, it’s money coming out of your own pocket. What’s the big deal? It’s nobody’s business if I filed bankruptcy 10 or 20 years ago. What difference does it make? Will it change Bravo’s opinion about me? Absolutely not. I’m a real housewife of Atlanta. That’s the way it’s going to stay.”
Even as the nation has been riveted by a presidential election and horrified by woeful economic news, fans and foes of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” have found a diversion from true reality. Old school Atlanta socialites reacted with disdain. Loyalists have reveled in the excesses and spending from a pure entertainment standpoint.
For Bravo, a hit is a hit. Ratings are stronger than first-season numbers for earlier versions in Orange County, Calif., and New York. During the week of Nov. 3, Bravo aired different episodes of the show a whopping 25 times, seen by a collective 9.3 million viewers. Those numbers virtually guarantee a second season in 2009, though the network has yet to publicly commit.
Alas, the finale is already upon us Tuesday night after just seven episodes. And check out a reunion episode next Tuesday in which seemingly grounded Lisa Wu-Hartwell unexpectedly clashes with Botox-loving Kim Zolciak.
Bravo made three of the women available for phone interviews last Friday. Unfortunately, Lisa and Kim were not in town to tell the AJC why they came to blows on the pretaped reunion show and who the heck “Big Papa” is (though rumors are all over the Web).
DESHAWN SNOW
On the charity event that didn’t raise $1 million: “On the show, it made it seem like I lost money, but we actually broke even in the end. I could have planned more. I could have charged at the door. The auction was awful. That’s all they showed. But the party went great. More than 400 people learned about the foundation.”
On her foundation to help teen girls raise their self-esteem: “My goal to go national will be realized faster. A lot of people have been donating money. I’ve done summer camps [in southwest Atlanta] for three years. We had 180 girls the first year, 250 the second and a little more than 300 this past summer. I want to do four camps in metro Atlanta next year.”
On Kim and Sheree bagging on her sunset barbecue: “I’m not mad about them not coming. I don’t care. I was just surprised. I was trying to help.”
On NeNe: “NeNe and I were very close during and after the taping. They didn’t show much of that. I respect her. She’ll say what she thinks to your face, not behind your back. I don’t hang out much with the other girls [except for the show].”
On NeNe’s mockery of Kim’s singing ability: “She wasn’t trying to hurt Kim’s feelings. I was cracking up. There was no harm. It wasn’t something she hadn’t said to Kim’s face. [Then again,] it should not have left the limo.”
On rumors she is in a rented house: “If these people knew the battles I’ve gone through with the builders, they know I wouldn’t do this with a rented house. You can’t believe what you hear.”
On the newfound fame: “I eat it up. I love the glitz and glamour and people recognizing me. It’s all exciting.”
SHEREE WHITFIELD
On how she comes across on TV: “I’ve always been strong and confident. It comes across as a little cold.”
On whether her confidence masks insecurity: “Are you kidding me? I am the most secure person on Earth. Anyone who knows me knows I’m comfortable in my own skin.”
On her divorce with Bob Whitfield and that seven-figure settlement: “I can’t go into that because of my attorneys. … We’re at the tail end [of the divorce proceedings].”
On her finances: “Financially, I’m fine. When I start asking people for money, then you can say, ‘What’s going on with Sheree?’ Of course with the economy, everyone including me is limiting some of my spending. If I don’t truly love it, I’m not making the purchase.”
On what hasn’t been shown on TV: “I’m a great mom. I’m very active in my kids’ lives. I am that soccer mom, that football mom; that is not shown.”
On her clothing line She by Sheree: “I’m looking to have it ready for fall of 2009. I’ll have samples ready for trade shows in February.”
On why she got her clothing samples so late before her fashion line intro party: “I had different seamstresses fall through. It’s hard to find good people. The clothing was supposed to be ready two weeks earlier. She didn’t finish in time. I put so much time and money into that viewing. It was never a fashion show. It was a viewing. I showed fabrics and sketches.”
On blogs where people slam her: “I don’t want to hear that. I don’t read it, although I blog myself. And it’s weird because in person, people are so loving and positive.”
On NeNe: “We weren’t friends going in. I didn’t have a lot of interaction with her on camera.”
On NeNe’s mockery of Kim: “It was very mean. … You’re responsible for what you say, whether you’re drunk, high or sober.”
NENE LEAKES
On the newfound fame: “I can’t leave the house without people knowing who I am. I love it. I have great fans!”
On mocking Kim’s singing: “I didn’t want to hurt Kim’s feelings. I didn’t mean to hurt Kim’s feelings. It was blown out of proportion. That was really a turning point in our relationship. She stopped talking to me. Since then, we’ve had a chance to talk a bit. I apologized.”
But really, how is Kim’s singing?: “I didn’t think Kim could sing. I didn’t mean to say it harsh. I guess I’m really a Simon Cowell!”
On who her real daddy is: “It isn’t addressed this season but we may do something assuming there’s a second season. I may have a celebrity sister. That’s my tease!”
On creating drama: “I like to separate from people who bring drama to my life. Every new year, I go through my cellphone and look at my contacts. I delete everybody’s names who bring stress to my life.”
On being wealthy: “I live this great fabulous life. I’m blessed. But I’m not going to brag about it. I never talk about designers. I don’t need to die in Dior. I just want to be comfortable.”
On renting or owning her home and other rumors: “Whether you’re renting or purchasing, either way, it’s money coming out of your own pocket. What’s the big deal? It’s nobody’s business if I filed bankruptcy 10 or 20 years ago. What difference does it make? Will it change Bravo’s opinion about me? Absolutely not. I’m a real housewife of Atlanta. That’s the way it’s going to stay.”
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