Check out the very interesting interview Essence did with Nene….I figured Nene and Sheree wouldn't ever be cool again, but it's good some positivity came from the show with Nene's foundation!!
ESSENCE.COM: NeNe, the show has become such a hit! Without giving away too much, what can we expect from the rest of this season on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta"?
NENE LEAKES: You will see alliances change among the girls and find out whether or not Curtis is my father. When I found out the results of the DNA test, I [was] surprised, and you will also see my son going off to college at Clark Atlanta University.
ESSENCE.COM: There has definitely been some conflict between you and a couple of the other ladies on the show. What are your relationships like with Sheree and Kim today?
LEAKES: We are cordial. Sheree and I will probably never be the same. We've known each other the longest-seven years. I avoid making the same mistake twice. I don't think that we'll ever have the same relationship again, but we are cordial [because] we have to work together. And Kim is something else. She is a piece of work. As an adult, I've learned that I like to be around women when the friendship is stress-free. Since the show has ended, I'm closest to Lisa. I do feel as though my relationship with Kim's daughter Brielle has been strained somewhat as a result [of my relationship with her mother]. I really do love Brielle, she and I really clicked when we first met, so it is kind of hard for me.
ESSENCE.COM: Since we last spoke, rumors have circulated on the Web about you having once been an "exotic dancer." Is this true?
LEAKES: Well, you know I don't read the blogs, but I dance every night at home for Gregg [my husband] and he loves it. (Laughs.) I don't have a pole, but I dance around this silk plant in the corner.
ESSENCE.COM: (Laughs.) Alrighty then! Your husband, Gregg, is not a ball player, but a successful businessman, which is refreshing on the show. What exactly does he do and how do you keep the fire going after 11 years of marriage?
LEAKES: You don't have to date an athlete to be successful. Gregg is a real estate investor. When I first met him he owned several cellular phone businesses, and then he got into flipping houses. Since the market is so bad in Atlanta right now, we are pursuing other ventures together as entrepreneurs. I like smart men. (Laughs.) I am his second wife and he's 13 years older than me. He supports me. I think communication is key, so I don't like to argue with Gregg.
ESSENCE.COM: As you know, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. What is your organization, The Twisted Hearts Foundation, doing to promote awareness?
LEAKES: Lisa and I are writing a book together and already have a title, "Battered But Not Broken." We're just going to tell a little bit of both of our stories of [surviving] violent relationships. And then on the show I had my first annual Big Hat Brunch. This year we raised about $45,000, as you will see on a future episode, and next year I hope to raise $150,000. We're going to invite even more women. I also volunteer at a shelter in Atlanta called My Sister's House. I help serve food to women there who have been displaced and I mentor as well. There are a lot of young girls, as young as 20, at My Sister's House who have already been victims of domestic violence.
ESSENCE.COM: How were you a victim of domestic violence?
LEAKES: I was in a relationship with an abusive boyfriend. It was really bad and it took me a while to finally break out of the relationship. He had a night job at the time so I was able to sneak out into a new apartment [that he didn't know the address to] while he was at work. I knew that he could not know where I lived. I had to go into hiding for a while. That was how I finally got away. He was very abusive when we were together; he busted my car windows, flattened my tires. I thought I was in love with this fool. I was very young and confused. I would try to break up with him, but he didn't like to take no for an answer. I really wanted it to work.
ESSENCE.COM: One last thing before we go. What do you have to say to those readers who think you are "ghetto"?
LEAKES: Oh, yeah, I love that one. I'm okay with it. If keeping it real is ghetto, then I'm ghetto. I am not a fake person and I'm not about to change. I'm the life of the party, chile!
I don't think your ghetto its like you said you just "keep it real" continue to do you. Love Ya Nikki from Atlanta
u are so stupid
Nene is so ghetto and definitely money hungry.
I have G/F like ne ne and she come from the P/Js and since she came to atlanta she thinks shes all that. if you need to replace her for ne ne iwill give you her address. you can email me.for one thing ne ne made the SHOW.
I felt NeNe's husband Gregg was very genuine in his approach and advise to people and very humble. I do get the impression that NeNe and Gregg are in a good marriage by how they DO communicate with one another and respect and support each others opinions and goals. Seems both are very fortunate to have found each other and make a home and new life together.
I'M GLAD I GOT A CHANCE TO SEE THE SHOW WITH MY BUSY SCHEDULE AND ALL. I MUST SAY THAT I THOUGHT THE SHOW WAS HILARIOUS. I LIKE ALL THE GIRLS BUT,NE NE WAS MY FAVORITE. YES, SHE'S FULL OF DRAMA BUT I LIKE HER. I'M A COUTURE FASHION DESIGNER AND I WOULD LOVE TO DESIGN AN EXQUISITE EVENING GOWN SPECIALLY FOR NE NE. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO HER FOR ME.
ANITA JOE
I think Nene is a great person. She came from an abusive situation and turned her life around. She is very successful. A lot of you young ladies out there should take a few lessons from her and get it together. I wish her continued good luck and success. You go girl!
Being battered and abused to this very day i can relate to the story Nene tell getting away is the big thing and keeping the guy away it seems the public protects them instead of looking at the human rights issues and the physical scars.
These are deep and tattered abusers who have no image of woman other than the one who abused them so they model there pinned in hate at woman.
I would like to other woman to know this guy and his domestic achievements .
NENE THANK YOU FOR KEEPING IT REAL.PEOPLE NEED TO BE MORE LIKE YOU THEN WE WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS UP.I AM A 38 YEAR OLD WOMEN WHO IS BEING BATTERED.THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING AND HE IS MY ONLY SOLUTION.I WISH I COULD BE MORE LIKE YOU.KEEP ON BEING YOU-NENE.I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR WOMEN OF THIS WORLD.WE NEED STRONG WOMEN.I CAN BE REACH AT 1-843-639-9025 OR 1-803-469-7107.I WOULD LOVE TO JUST HERE YOUR VOICE YOU ARE THE BEST.
KEEP ON KEEPING IT REAL
nene i want to be on the show with you not that you need my help. but because i can bring more comedy and fun and then get down rightserious
call me girlfriend, i wish that i could be on the show with you all. please hit me back on my email.
NeeNee, I really like you. I think that you make the show. We as veiwers see and hear things that are being said that the eacj of you can hear or see until you have watched the shows at the end of the season. I really would like to talk to you about domestic violence and reaching out to others outside of Atlanta. I think that we need to start with our younger girls so that they will be able to learn somethings before having to go through them.
I think your husband is a very nice man who may not always voice his opinion to you because he wants you happy. It seems as long as your doing what makes you happy and he doesn't see you getting hurt, he's okay (whether you right or wrong).
There's a few other thing I must tell all of you on the show. Please take a look at yourself and your situation. You have money, you have the big houses, you have the nice cars, you throw and attend that more parties I have ever seen and yet you have more drama than anybody on earth. Enjoy what you have because the truth of it is, you all look like kindda crazy most of the time. I am a single mother of three. Me and my friend can enjoy a hamburger from anywhere and talk about anybody but we always hold our respect for each other. Friends stand together. If I like you, I deal with you. If I don'e like you, I don't wanna be bother with you. Not friend this morning and enemy by night. Kim your kids will never remember anything you did for them but they will remember the NANNIES they have because that's really who is doing the motherly things for them. NeeNee stop worrying about Kim worry about Greg because if he was my man and your kids. Share a glass of wine with Greg. Sheree, you a I can't even describe the way you appear. Please don't say that you don't care what people think about you. DeWayne was trying to help you and you disrespected him. If it wasn't for him, you would not have had a successful show. DeWayne seems to be such a sweet person. Lisa, you have a good man. Please don't the the material things out weight your love since he's not playing football.
If people can be happy and they have nothing, I don't understand why all of you can't be happy and you have everything.
The rest of the girls should watch their backs. Not only is NeNe's name GHETTO, but her entire attitude. She is a straight up HOOD RAT…that is not "Keeping it real." She has talked about everyone, except Lisa, like a dog. The only reason she isn't dogging Lisa out is 1. She and Lisa dog the rest of the women out together and 2. She has her tongue so for up Lisa's behind. Then, turned around and flat out lied about it. Bravo should have ran the tape back every time she stated "I didn't say that." I ran my DVR back…let's just say BUSTED. All of NeNe's fans, in my opinion, are the same as NeNe….trifling.
NeNe seems to worry more about Kim and any friends that Kim makes, more than her sons and her husband. Who is by the way, in my opinion, to good for her. She LOVES DRAMA,DRAMA, & more DRAMA. NeNe,don't you think that you are too old for the mess you start, instigate, and keep up???????? Not only do you bring the stinky stew, you also bring the pot, spoon, and start the fire!!! Shame on you little immature girl! I thank GOD that you do not represent the African American race/women.
Bravo likes you not because you are classy, but because you are trashy. Messy is what they were looking for and boy did they get it. I watched to show because of Mrs. D. Snow and then because of Kandi. I can't believe you had the balls to attend A.J.'s funeral, not the way you constantly talked about he and Kandi like a dog. Maybe you have selective memory. You need to go back and watch every episode to see all of the lies you told. How elementary is it to say "I heard rumors of Kim talking about me," really tell me. When you decides to put yourself in the spot light, on national, television, and act a foll, you set yourself up for all to critic you nasty behavior.
The like of you to get in Kandi's face because she is friends with Kim! Don't even attempt to tell me that Bravo only showed your worst side. Be a woman and own up to your immaturity. Question: Were you faking when you "showed" that you were "hurting?" You ask why I worded it like that? Well, when Kim fell and hurt her ankle, you stated repeatedly that she was faking. Whether or not you and your girlfriend Dwight thought she was, IT WAS NOT YOUR BUSINESS. At what point do you pay her bills? You need to spend more time on your house mortgage and that son of your that is NOT in school. OOPS.."that's a rumor that I heard!" Apparently, you aren't the only one that likes to gossip.
You poor CHILD. You really need Jesus in your life. My heart goes out to Greg. You poor CHILD. You really need Jesus in your life. My heart goes out to Greg and your sons. Youe ARE completely vindictive, trifling, evil, and immature. You are clearly unhappy and you want everyone to ride the sinking boat with you.
I just remembered that Lisa is on the same boat with you. I stand to correct myself. You did talk about Lisa like a dog. Think back you and Dwight talked about her fashion show. Just like you idiots talked about Sheree's. I'm still confused. What is it that you and you "openly FUNNY" girlfriends Dwight do???? The two of you think that you know everything, but know absolutely nothing. Know something should entail of you show grace and maturity.
May God bless you in every way possible!!!!!!!!!
MS Lynn Carter-Amen, well put!!
nene you go girl i love you you are the best one of them