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The Real Housewives of Atlanta

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The Real Housewives of Atlanta
File:AtlantaTitleCard.png
StarringCurrent
NeNe Leakes
Kim Zolciak
Shereé Whitfield
Kandi Burruss (season 2 -)
Phaedra Parks (season 3 -)
Cynthia Bailey (season 3 -)
Former housewives
DeShawn Snow (season 1)
Lisa Wu-Hartwell (seasons 1-2)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes49
(aired to date, inc. Specials) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersSteven Weinstock
Glenda Hersh
Shari Solomon Cedar
Kenny Hull
ProducersPrincess Banton-Lofters
Keira Brings
Jennifer Morton
Production locationsGeorgia, United States
Running timeApprox. 44 minutes
(excluding commercials)
Production companyTrue Entertainment
Original release
NetworkBravo
ReleaseOctober 7, 2008 –
present

The Real Housewives of Atlanta is an American reality television series on the Bravo cable network that premiered in the fall of 2008. Following the format of its predecessors (The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives of New York City), in 2009 the Atlanta series was not only the highest rated show of the The Real Housewives of... franchise,[1][2] it was the highest rated reality series on the Bravo network.[3]

The show revolves around women in the Atlanta metropolitan area juggling their home, social and business lives. The Real Housewives of Atlanta currently stars fashion designer Shereé Whitfield,[4] news correspondent NeNe Leakes, singer and wig designer Kim Zolciak, record producer/singer/Grammy Award Winner Kandi Burruss, runway model Cynthia Bailey,[5] and attorney Phaedra Parks.[6]

The season three finale episode brought in 4.4 million viewers making it the highest rated episode in Housewives history. The show is currently the highest-rated series out of the franchise and the highest rated show on Bravo. Filming for the fourth season began in late April 2011.[7]

Season 4 premiered on November 6, 2011 at 9:00 pm on Bravo and became the highest rated season premiere in Housewives history.[8]

Current housewives

NeNe Leakes

Main article: Nene Leakes

(Season 1 - present)

"I don't keep up with the Joneses. I am the Joneses." (Season 1 - Season 2)

"When I walk into a room, I own it!" (Season 3 - present)

NeNe Leakes (Template:Pron-en) is separated from her husband Gregg Leakes, a real estate investor and business consultant. She has two sons, Brentt, who is 12, and Brice, 21, from a previous relationship.[9] She was founder of the Twisted Hearts Foundation, an LLC that dealt with domestic violence against women.[10] In 2009 she published the book, Never Make the Same Mistakes Twice.[11]

Leakes was filed an eviction notice in November 2008 for her rental home, forcing her to leave.[12] The house was located in the Sugarloaf gated community in Duluth, GA.[13][14] The notice, filed September 24 with the magistrate court of Gwinnett County, Georgia, said Leakes' husband owed them $6,240 in past due rent. This incident forced Leakes to go into involuntary bankruptcy.[12]

Since her experience on Celebrity Apprentice , NeNe has realized she has a knack for business and uses one of her Trump connections to pursue an entrepreneurial endeavor. She's currently launching her own brand of wine, Miss Moscato; opened a Famous Famiglia restaurant in the Sacramento International Airport and plans on opening her own chain of nightclubs, dubbed The L Lounge.

Kim Zolciak

Main article: Kim Zolciak

(Season 1 - present)

"In Atlanta, money and class do give you power." (Season 1 - Season 2)

"People call me a gold digger, but they just want what I have." (Season 3 - present)

A Connecticut native and Johns Creek, Georgia resident, Kim Zolciak (Template:Pron-en) was born on May 19, 1970. Kim is a divorced mother of two daughters, Brielle and Ariana. She was a licensed practical nurse in Connecticut and Georgia from 1999 to 2003, according to public records.[15]

During Season 1, Zolciak was working on her debut single. In 2009, Zolciak released her debut single, "Tardy for the Party". She has promoted the single by going on a small club tour and performed the song at the 2010 White Party in Palm Springs, California.[citation needed] She also put out a new single, "Google Me", in Season 3.

On May 31, 2011, Zolciak gave birth to a baby boy named Kroy Jagger Biermann with then-boyfriend Kroy Biermann, an Atlanta Falcons defensive end, whom she met on Season 3.[16] Kim and Kroy were reportedly engaged in October 2011 [17][18] and got married on November 11, 2011.[19]

Kim has been given her own spin-off show on Bravo called Don't Be Tardy for the Wedding, a docu-series chronicling the preparation for Kim and Kroy's lucky 11/11/11 wedding date.[20] It is expected to air in Spring 2012.

Shereé Whitfield

(Season 1 - present)

"People are intimidated by my success." (Season 1 - Season 2)

"I like things that are elegant and sophisticated, just like me." (Season 3 - present)

Shereé Whitfield is the ex-wife of former Atlanta Falcons player Bob Whitfield,[21] with whom she has two children, Kairo and Kaleigh, born in 1996 and 1999.[22][23] She had her eldest daughter, Tierra, when she was young.[24] After marrying in 2000, Whitfield and her husband separated in 2003 and divorced in 2007. She was awarded custody of the children, child support, a lump payment of $755,000, marital property worth over $1.1 million, and her share of the marital portions of three NFL retirement plans. However, she did not receive alimony and was ordered by the court to vacate the $2.6 million residence she occupied in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Whitfield appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of Georgia, citing lack of education, lack of job skills and prospects, and the welfare of her children as reasons she should be awarded alimony.[23] The court did not grant her appeal,[25] and Whitfield claims to have dropped it.[26]

The first and second seasons of the show chronicled Whitfield's attempts to launch a fashion line called She by Shereé. After issues with the quality of her clothing samples caused her to change a planned fashion show at the end of Season 1 into a fashion "viewing" where she displayed sketches,[27] Whitfield rallied in Season 2 and staged a show, depicted in the season finale.[28] Despite eventually debuting She by Shereé at New York Fashion Week,[29][30][31] she cited the hardship of "trying to find the right group of people to come together and help out" as the reason for putting the line on hold.[32]

Kandi Burruss

Main article: Kandi Burruss

(Season 2 - present)

"I'm an independent woman doing it for myself." (Season 2)

"I have fame and fortune, and I've earned it." (Season 3 - present)

Kandi Burruss is a Georgia native and former member of the Platinum-selling musical group Xscape. She became an Atlanta Housewife on Season 2, replacing DeShawn Snow.[33] Burruss resides in Fayetteville, Georgia with her seven-year-old daughter Riley. Burruss won a Grammy Award for her work on TLC's song "No Scrubs". She has also written/co written music for artists who include 'N Sync, Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, American Idol Fantasia Barrino, female rapper Solé, Pink and Whitney Houston. Aside from being active in the music industry, she owns a clothing store TAGS in Smyrna, Georgia[34]; "Bedroom Kandi", a pleasure products line, a production company Kandi Koated Entertainment, an iTunes app "Kandi Koated Spades", a weekly webisode "Kandi Koated Nights" and has an upcoming reality show on Bravo, The Kandi Factory.

Burruss was engaged to Ashley "A.J." Jewell during Season 2. On October 2, 2009, A.J suffered a severe head injury during a fight at the Body Tap (a gentlemen's club which he co-owned) and after being hospitalized, he died.[35] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that an employee of the club, Fredrick Richardson, was arrested in connection with the death. A police spokesman said he would be taken to Fulton County Jail as soon as doctors discharged him from Grady Memorial Hospital.[citation needed]

Kandi Burruss appeared on an episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, wherein she was paired with a housewife and assisted her in an effort to win one million dollars.

Phaedra Parks

(Season 3 - present)

"I'm the ultimate southern belle. I get what I want." (Season 3 - present)

Phaedra C. Parks (born October 25, 1971) is an entertainment attorney. She got her start as an attorney for GEICO's in-house law firm, Bridges Ormand & Faenza.[36] After being convinced by Shakir Stewart and DJ Ryan Cameron, Parks transitioned into full-time entertainment law, notably working the high-profile case of Atlantic Records rapper Drama, whom she accompanied on tour for several months after acquiring him a temporary furlough.[37] In 2005, Atlanta magazine featured Phaedra Parks as one of the Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Stars.[citation needed] In the same year, Jezebel magazine recognized Parks as an Attorney of Distinction.[citation needed] In 2007, she was featured as a top young lawyer in Georgia and was on the cover of Atlanta magazine's specialty publication, Super Lawyers.[38] Parks is managing partner for The Parks Group, P.C., a boutique law firm that focuses on contract negotiation, civil litigation, and criminal defense. She has served as a legal analyst for NBC and Fox News,[39] and she has been on infotainment television programs such as Entertainment Tonight, Celebrity Justice, and Extra for her handling of several high-profile clients and cases.[citation needed] She is an equestrian.[citation needed] Parks graduated from Clarke Central High School in 1990, obtained a bachelor of arts degree in Communication from Wesleyan College (in Macon, GA) in 1993 and her law degree from the University of Georgia in 1998.[38]

Phaedra has been active with the Gate City Bar Association, the oldest African-American bar association in Georgia, where she served a stint as president.[40][41] She sits on several boards, including the University of Georgia’s Law School Alumni Counsel and Atlanta Children's Shelter.[42] Parks' family is close with the family of rapper Too $hort, whom she has represented as an entertainment lawyer in the past.[43]

Her husband is Apollo Nida, who works in asset recovery. They married November 1, 2009. In May 2010, Phaedra gave birth to their son, Ayden Adonis Nida.[citation needed]

Cynthia Bailey

(Season 3 - present)

"I know how to work it and be seen." (Season 3 - present)

Cynthia Bailey was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She won several beauty pageants and was homecoming queen in high school. She moved to New York City when she was 18 years old to pursue her dream of modeling.[44] Her first booking was the cover of Essence. She appeared in major fashion features and fashion runways in the Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks. She starred in a movie opposite Sandra Bernhard (Without You I'm Nothing) and performed in guest roles on the TV series New York Undercover and The Cosby Show.

Bailey resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her 10-year old daughter, Noelle, from her former relationship with actor Leon Robinson. During Season 3, we see Bailey's relationship with boyfriend, Peter Thomas, a restaurateur and entrepreneur, unfold and progress.[45] On the Season 3 finale, Cynthia married Peter in a lavish ceremony at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta.

She has opened her own modeling school, The Bailey Agency School of Fashion, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Former housewives

DeShawn Snow

(Season 1)

"I always knew I was destined for greatness." (Season 1)

Originally from Detroit, she is a current resident of the Atlanta suburb of Milton in the Manor Golf and Country Club, north of downtown Atlanta. She has three children and was married to former Cleveland Cavaliers professional NBA basketball player and NBA TV announcer Eric Snow at time of filming. Her main focus was the DeShawn Snow Foundation, an organization dedicated to the welfare and the self-esteem of teenage girls. DeShawn was not invited back for the second season; she alleges that producers said it was because she was "too human for a circus show" and did not create enough drama.[46] DeShawn's husband, Eric, filed for divorce from her in Atlanta on February 19, 2010 and is asking for joint custody of the couple's three sons.

Lisa Wu-Hartwell

(Season 1 - Season 2)

"If it doesn't make me money, I don't do it." (Season 1 - Season 2)

Lisa, 38 (at time of filming), is originally from Inglewood, California. Her mother is of Afro-Caribbean descent and her father is Chinese American.[47] She has been known as Sharon Millette Wu, Sharon Lisa Sweat, and Lisa Wu-Sweat.[citation needed] She filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in 2007.[citation needed] Hartwell was married to R&B singer Keith Sweat from 1992 to 2002,[48] with whom she has two sons, Jordan (1995) and Justin(1998).[49][50] Her ex-husband, Keith Sweat, currently has custody of their children. On 31 December 2005, she and former NFL linebacker Edgerton Hartwell eloped.[51] They had a formal ceremony on May 20, 2006 at The Verandas in Santa Monica, California. Son Ed, Jr. was born in 2007.[52]

Lisa and Ed Hartwell have several aspiring businesses such as a real estate firm called Hartwell and Associates,[53] a jewelry line called Wu Girls,[53][54] a T-shirt line called Hart 2 Hart Clothing, a women's clothing line called Closet Freaks,[55] and a baby clothing line called Hart 2 Hart Baby.[53][56] Hartwell did not participate as a cast member in season three, but made several cameo appearances.

An article on Bankrate.com highlights that court records posted on TMZ.com show Lisa and Ed Hartwell borrowed $2.9 million to buy their suburban Atlanta mansion in June 2007. Just more than two years later, Bank of America paid $1.9 million for the house at a foreclosure sale at the Forsyth County, Ga., courthouse, after the Hartwells defaulted on their adjustable-rate mortgage from the bank.[57] As of October 7, 2011 Lisa and her husband Edgerton Hartwell are divorced.[58]

Housewife history

Housewives Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4
NeNe Leakes Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Sheree Whitfield Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Kim Zolciak Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Lisa Wu Hartwell Green tickY Green tickY
DeShawn Snow Green tickY
Kandi Burruss Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Phaedra Parks Green tickY Green tickY
Cynthia Bailey Green tickY Green tickY

Recurring Housewife history

Housewives Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4
Lisa Wu Hartwell Green tickY
Marlo Hampton Green tickY

Episodes

Series overview

Ratings

In 2009 The Real Housewives of Atlanta was one of Bravo's most successful shows in terms of ratings and the highest rated The Real Housewives of... of the network.[2] Although The Real Housewives of Orange County had run for three seasons up to that point, and was successful enough to garner a spin-off in New York City, The Real Housewives of Atlanta is the channel's first reality series ever to hit the two million viewer mark among adults 18-49. The series averaged 1.13 million adults 18-49 and 1.495 million total viewers, with the reunion telecast totaling 2.055 million adults 18-49 and 2.817 million total viewers tuning in.

The second season launch episode attracted 2.7m viewers, the most for any Real Housewives franchise debut; including the rerun at 11pm, almost four million people watched the show.[1] The show gained viewers throughout the second season, with a high of 2.822m viewers watching on 20 August 2009, making it Bravo's most watched show of the week, out-rating both Top Chef and Flipping Out, two of the channel's longest-running shows.[59] Season 2 averaged 1.992 million adults 18-49 and 2.836 million total viewers, up considerably from Season 1.

Real Housewives of Atlanta ranked as the number 1 assisted-reality cable entertainment telecast for the week of September 10, 2009, and for the week-to-date, according to Nielsen Media Research.[60] The show attracted 3.198 million total viewers.

The January 23, 2011 episode is the highest rated episode out of the series ever at "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" delivers the most watched episode ever with 3.43 million total viewers.[61]

The January 30, 2011 Season 3 finale episode brought in 4.4 million viewers making it the highest rated episode in "Housewives" history.[62] The show is currently the highest-rated series out of the franchise and the highest rated on Bravo.

The November 6, 2011 Season 4 premiere brought in approximately 2.9 million total viewers, making it the highest rated season premiere of the The Real Housewives of... franchise. [8]

DVD releases

In April 2010, Target stores released the first season on DVD.[63]

Season Episodes Season Premiere Season Finale
1 8 October 7, 2008 November 25, 2008
2 17 July 30, 2009 December 10, 2009
3 18 October 4, 2010 February 20, 2011
4 TBA November 6, 2011 TBA
Season Episodes Release date
1 8 March 14, 2009
2 17 April 1, 2011
3 18 August 9, 2011

References

  1. ^ a b "Real Housewives of Atlanta opens to big ratings" Access Atlanta'.' Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  2. ^ a b Atlanta Has The Hottest Highest Rated Housewives | PerezHilton.com
  3. ^ Top Cable Shows For the Week ending August 23, 2009: The Closer, WWE RAW, NASCAR SPRINT CUP, Royal Pains, MONK, TRUE BLOOD and NCIS
  4. ^ [1] BravoTV.com Season 3 Bios
  5. ^ [2] BravoTV.com Season 3 Bios
  6. ^ [3] BravoTV.com Season 3 Bios
  7. ^ "NeNe Leakes Slams 'Celebrity Apprentice' After Quitting". Access Hollywood. NBC Universal. May 9, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "BRAVO'S "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA" SCORES HIGHEST RATED SEASON PREMIERE IN SERIES HISTORY". NBCUniversal. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  9. ^ NeNe Leakes (4 March 2011). The Talk - NeNe Talks Discipline & Spankings (Video). CBS. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  10. ^ Bartlett, Bridgette. "NeNe Leakes: The Sensitive One", Essence Magazine, 7 October 2008.
  11. ^ NeNe: 'I Shouldn't Have Been A Single Mom!', momlogic.com, August 2009.
  12. ^ a b Ho, Rodney. "‘Real Housewife’ out of big home", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 3 December 2008.
  13. ^ NeNe Leakes house (Former), Virtual Globetrotting
  14. ^ http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&hs=pW1&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&gs_upl=13071l13882l0l13984l8l7l0l4l4l0l159l353l1.2l3l0&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=stonebrier+atlanta&fb=1&gl=us&hq=stonebrier&hnear=0x88f5045d6993098d:0x66fede2f990b630b,Atlanta,+GA&cid=5999976508162895363
  15. ^ Kim Zolciak From The Real House Wives Of Atlanta - Nursing License Proof
  16. ^ "Kim Zolciak welcomes a baby boy!". June 1, 2011.
  17. ^ "Life & Style exclusive: Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kim Zolciak engaged to boyfriend Kroy Biermann!". October 11, 2011.
  18. ^ "Kim Zolciak's Twitter account". October 11, 2011.
  19. ^ "Life & Style Exclusive First Photo: Real Housewives of Atlanta Star Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann's Wedding". November 14, 2011.
  20. ^ "Kim Zolciak Says 'Don't Be Tardy for the Wedding'". November 15, 2011.
  21. ^ Sheree M. Whitfield v. Bob L. Whitfield III (Superior Court of Fulton County, GA 2007), Text.
  22. ^ "Sheree Whitfield - Bio". Bravo TV Official Site. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  23. ^ a b Ho, Rodney (7 January 2009). "1/7: Sheree Whitfield appeals divorce to Ga. Supreme Court". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  24. ^ Whitfield, Sheree (2010). "Show Me the Evidence". Bravo TV Official Site. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  25. ^ Whitfield v. Whitfield (Supreme Court of Georgia 2009), Text.
  26. ^ Jackson, Charreah (13 January 2009). "Sheree Whitfield: New Year, New Me". Essence.com. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  27. ^ "Best of Enemies". Bravo TV Official Site. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  28. ^ "Catwalks & Cat Fights". Bravo TV Official Site. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  29. ^ "She by Sheree to Make Its Fashion Week Debut!". People.com. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  30. ^ Noir, Dior (14 September 2009). "Check It: She by Sheree's NY Fashion Show". BET.com. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  31. ^ Sulmers, Claire (14 September 2009). "She by Sheree Debuts at New York Fashion Week". BV on Style. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  32. ^ "Exclusive: RHOA's Sheree Putting Fashion On Hold". Honey Magazine. 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  33. ^ Stransky, Tanner. "Kandi Burruss joins 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta'", EW.com, 6 March 2009.
  34. ^ "Inside Kandi Burrus' New Boutique TAGS". theJJB.com. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  35. ^ Kate Stanhope (3 October 2009). "Suspect Arrested in Death of Housewives' Ex-Fiancé". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  36. ^ http://www.superlawyers.com/georgia/article/The-Deciders/c98a7a58-cc7d-102a-a861-000e0c6dcf76.html
  37. ^ http://www.superlawyers.com/georgia/article/The-Deciders/c98a7a58-cc7d-102a-a861-000e0c6dcf76.html
  38. ^ a b Wesleyan Women in Law & Politics
  39. ^ http://www.superlawyers.com/georgia/article/The-Deciders/c98a7a58-cc7d-102a-a861-000e0c6dcf76.html
  40. ^ http://www.superlawyers.com/georgia/article/The-Deciders/c98a7a58-cc7d-102a-a861-000e0c6dcf76.html
  41. ^ http://www.gatecitybar.org/aboutus.htm
  42. ^ http://www.phaedraparks.com/aboutus.htm
  43. ^ http://www.superlawyers.com/georgia/article/The-Deciders/c98a7a58-cc7d-102a-a861-000e0c6dcf76.html
  44. ^ "Cynthia Bailey: Meet Cynthia". bravotv.com. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  45. ^ Cynthia Bailey profile at Bravo's The Real Housewives of Atlanta website
  46. ^ DeShawn Snow is No Longer a Real Housewife Essence.com, January 15, 2009
  47. ^ Atlanta "Housewife" Lisa Wu Hartwell AsianceMagazine.com
  48. ^ Christian, Margena A. (2008). "Keith Sweat: a single dad's formula for a loving family and loyal fans". Jet.
  49. ^ Real Housewives of Atlanta: Ed and Lisa Wu Hartwell - essence.com
  50. ^ Real Housewives of Atlanta: Ed and Lisa Wu Hartwell - essence.com
  51. ^ Essence
  52. ^ Lisa Wu Hartwell's Wedding - essence.com
  53. ^ a b c jaymie (November 2008). "Atlanta "Housewive" Lisa Wu Hartwell". Asiancemagazine.com.
  54. ^ "Lisa Wu Hartwell's Jewelry Collection". Essence.com. Essence Magazine.
  55. ^ "Lisa Wu Closet Freak". Essence.com. Essence Magazine.
  56. ^ "Designs by Lisa Wu Hartwell". Essence.com. Essence Magazine.
  57. ^ "Theyre rich and famous and in foreclosure". Bankrate.com. Bankrate.com.
  58. ^ {{cite web| url=http://www.fcclkjudicialsearch.org
  59. ^ Top cable shows for the week ending August 23, 2009 TV by the Numbers'.' Retrieved 2009-08-28.
  60. ^ http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20090911bravo01 The Fulton Critic'.' Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  61. ^ twitter.com/bravopr
  62. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (2011-02-01). "Bravo's 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' Finale Sets Ratings Records". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  63. ^ Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 1 - Only at Target : Target
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