The Real Housewives of Atlanta
| The Real Housewives of Atlanta | |
|---|---|
| File:AtlantaTitleCard.png | |
| Starring | Current Housewives NeNe Leakes Kandi Burruss (season 2-) Phaedra Parks (season 3-) Cynthia Bailey (season 3-) Kenya Moore (season 5-) Porsha Williams-Stewart (season 5-) Friends of the Housewives Lisa Wu-Hartwell (season 3) Marlo Hampton (season 4-) Kim Zolciak (season 5-) Former Housewives DeShawn Snow (season 1) Lisa Wu-Hartwell (seasons 1–2) Shereé Whitfield (seasons 1–4) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 66 (by end of season 4) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Steven Weinstock Glenda Hersh Shari Solomon Cedar Kenny Hull |
| Producers | Princess Banton-Lofters Keira Brings Jennifer Morton |
| Production locations | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Running time | Approx. 44 minutes (excluding commercials) |
| Production company | True Entertainment |
| Original release | |
| Network | Bravo |
| Release | October 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 franchise,[1][2] it was the highest rated reality series on the Bravo network.[3]
The show follows seven women living in and around the Metro Atlanta area as they balance home, business ventures and their social calenders as a production crew follows their everyday activities. The current "housewives" are NeNe Leakes, Kim Zolciak, Kandi Burruss, Cynthia Bailey, and Phaedra Parks. The newest "housewives" to join the cast are actress and former Miss USA winner, Kenya Moore and Porsha Williams-Stewart, the granddaughter of legendary civil rights leader, Hosea Williams. [1]
This is the only installment in the Real Housewives franchise to feature a predominantly African-American cast.
The fifth season will premiere on November 4, 2012.
Current Housewives
NeNe Leakes
(Season 1 – present)
"I don't keep up with the Jones', I am the Jones'." (Season 1 - 2)
"When I walk into the room, I own it." (Season 3 - 4)
Linnethia 'NeNe' Leakes founded the Twisted Hearts Foundation, an LLC that dealt with domestic violence against women.[4]
Leakes separated from her husband of 14 years Gregg Leakes—a real estate investor and business consultant who had been involved in several mortgage schemes and subsequently filed for divorce on April 29, 2010, during season three.
Although the divorce was filed, the two were cuddled up at the Essence Festival July 4, 2011. The divorce was finalized September 29, 2011, after season four had finished shooting,[5] However, the pair were spotted together at the premier party for Real Housewives of Atlanta's 4th season on November 6, 2011 [6] and also vacationed together in Miami on May 6, 2012 [7] leading many to speculate the divorce was made for television.[8]
Kim Zolciak
(Season 1-present)
"In Atlanta, money and class do give you power." (Season 1 - 2)
"People call me a gold-digger, but they just want what I have." (Season 3 - 4)
A Connecticut native and Johns Creek, Georgia resident, Kim Zolciak (/ˈzoʊlsiæk/) is a mother of four children, Brielle, Ariana, KJ and Kash. She was a licensed practical nurse in Connecticut and Georgia from 1999 to 2003, according to public records.[9] During 2008's Season 1, Zolciak was working on her debut single, "Tardy for the Party", which she released in 2009. She put out a new single, "Google Me", in Season 3. She married Atlanta Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann on November 11, 2011.[10] In the Season 5 photo shoot, Kim was not included due to her pregnancy, but she is still seen in the promos. It is unknown if she will be a reccuring or a full time housewife but she will definetly be making apperances on the show.
It was announced in September 2012, Zolciak would be starring in her own spin-off series, following the success of her wedding special which was a rating success for the Bravo Network.
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 - 4)
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.[11] 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;[12] a pleasure products line called Bedroom Kandi and production company, Kandi Koated Entertainment. She also has an iTunes app called 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 died soon after being hospitalized.[13] 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]
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. She is set to appear in her Bravo spin-off, "The Kandi Factory".
Phaedra Parks
(Season 3 – present)
"I'm the ultimate Southern belle, I get what I want." (Season 3 - 4)
Phaedra C. Parks is an entertainment attorney. She got her start as an attorney for GEICO's in-house law firm, Bridges Ormand & Faenza.[14] 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.[14] 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.[15] 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,[14] 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.[15]
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.[14][16] She sits on several boards, including the University of Georgia’s Law School Alumni Counsel and Atlanta Children's Shelter.[17] Parks' family is close with the family of rapper Too $hort, whom she has represented as an entertainment lawyer in the past.[14]
Parks first met her husband Apollo Nida, who works in asset recovery, in 1995. Nida is a convicted non-violent offender.[18] He served almost 5 months from December 29, 1998 to May 14, 1999 for theft by receiving stolen goods. crimes committed in March 1997. According to public records, Apollo Nida was convicted for racketeering and began serving his sentence July 28, 2004. He served nearly 5 years of his 18-year sentence before being paroled on May 27, 2009. They married November 1, 2009,[19] and Phaedra gave birth to son Ayden Adonis Nida in May 2010.[citation needed]
In May 2012, Parks filed a $30 Million dollar lawsuit against VIBE Publishing, citing libelous activity after the company published a book by an ex-client who claims the attorney participated in criminal activities.[20] The case is currently pending.
Cynthia Bailey
(Season 3 – present)
"I know how to work it and be seen." (Season 3 - 4)
Cynthia Bailey won several beauty pageants and was the first African American homecoming queen of her high school. She moved to New York City when she was 18 years old to pursue her dream of modeling.[21] Her first booking was the cover of Essence.
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.[22] On the Season 3 finale, Cynthia married Peter at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta.
Kenya Moore
(Season 5 - present)
Kenya Moore is the triple threat with beauty, brains and talent. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, the former psychology major left Michigan with fierce drive and determination to build her own unique brand.
Perhaps most recognized for being crowned Miss USA, Kenya is also known for acting and having worked with many "A" list stars, is a film and TV producer and CEO of Moore Vision Media. She finds Atlanta to be the perfect environment to grow a business and a rich social life. Aside from being a serious career woman, Kenya enjoys writing, hitting the gym, and never passes up an opportunity to speak her mind. A hopeless romantic, Kenya is ready to start a family with her Mr. Right.
Porsha Williams-Stewart
(Season 5 - present)
Porsha Stewart is a saucy southern lady and embodies the essence of a confident woman wise beyond her years. A true "Georgia Peach," Porsha was born and raised into a prominent family in Atlanta and is the granddaughter of Civil Rights leader and philanthropist, Rev. Hosea Williams. Residing in the exclusive Buckhead community in Atlanta, Porsha is a recent bride to former NFL football player Kordell Stewart and takes prides in being a new mom to her stepson, Syre.
Porsha always keeps family first, but in her spare time she manages to nurture a budding music career as well as various business ventures. Porsha will be taking her family's legacy and enriched heart for giving into her new family with the unveiling of Kordell & Porsha Stewart Foundation for Cancer Research. Porsha also enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, yoga, and afternoon dips in her pool. Well-known on the Atlanta social scene, some might say Porsha has it all.
Former Housewives
DeShawn Snow
(Season 1)
"I always knew I was destined for greatness." (Season 1)
Originally from Detroit, a 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 NBA player and announcer Eric Snow at time of filming. 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.
Lisa Wu-Hartwell
(Season 1 – Season 2)
"If it doesn't make me money, I don't do it." (Season 1 - 2)
Wu-Hartwell's mother is of Afro-Caribbean descent and her father is Chinese American. Hartwell was married to R&B singer Keith Sweat from 1992 to 2002.
Lisa and Ed Hartwell had several businesses such as a real estate firm called Hartwell and Associates, a jewelry line called Wu Girls, a T-shirt line called Hart 2 Hart Clothing, a women's clothing line called Closet Freaks, and a baby clothing line called Hart 2 Hart Baby. 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. As of October 7, 2011 Lisa and her husband Edgerton Hartwell are divorced.
Sherée Whitfield
(Season 5-present, recurring)
(Season 1 - Season 4)
"People are intimidated by my success." (Season 1 - 2)
"I like things that are elegant and sophisticated, just like me." (Season 3 - 4)
Shereé Whitfield is the ex-wife of former Atlanta Falcons player Bob Whitfield. After marrying in 2000, Whitfield and her husband separated in 2003 and divorced in 2007. 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, Whitfield rallied in Season 2 and staged a show, depicted in the season finale. Despite eventually debuting She by Shereé at New York Fashion Week, 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. In April 2012, Whitfield announced she would not be returning for Season 5. In July 2012, Whitfield announced that she would be returning but in a recurring role.
Housewives history
| Housewives | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NeNe Leakes |  |
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| Kim Zolciak | |
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| Sheree Whitfield | |
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| Lisa Wu Hartwell | |
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| DeShawn Snow | |
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| Kandi Burruss | |
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| Cynthia Bailey | |
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| Phaedra Parks | |
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| Kenya Moore |
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| Porsha Williams |
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Friends of the Housewives history
| Housewives Friends | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa Wu Hartwell | |
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| Marlo Hampton | |
Episodes
Series Overview
| Season | Episodes | Season Premiere | Season Finale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | October 7, 2008 | November 18, 2008 | |
| 2 | 17 | July 30, 2009 | October 22, 2009 | |
| 3 | 18 | October 4, 2010 | January 30, 2011 | |
| 4 | 23 | November 6, 2011 | April 8, 2012 | |
| 5 | TBA | November 4, 2012 | TBA | |
Ratings
In 2009 The Real Housewives of Atlanta was one of Bravo's most successful shows in terms of ratings and the highest rated of The Real Housewives of... franchise.[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 was the channel's first reality series to hit the 2 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.[citation needed]
The second-season launch attracted 2.7 million viewers, the most for any Real Housewives debut; including the rerun at 11 pm, almost 4 million people watched the show.[1] The show gained viewers throughout the second season.[23] Season 2 averaged 1.992 million adults 18–49 and 2.836 million total viewers, up considerably from Season 1.
The January 30, 2011, season-three finale episode brought in 4.4 million viewers making it the highest rated episode in Housewives history. Filming for the fourth season began in late April 2011.[24][25] That record was surpassed by the season-four premiere on November 6, 2011.[26]
DVD Releases
In April 2010, Target stores released the first season on DVD.[27]
| Season | Episodes | Release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | March 14, 2009 | |
| 2 | 17 | April 1, 2011 | |
| 3 | 18 | August 9, 2011 | |
References
- ^ a b "Real Housewives of Atlanta opens to big ratings" Access Atlanta'.' Retrieved September 22, 2009.
- ^ a b Atlanta Has The Hottest Highest Rated Housewives. PerezHilton.com (October 23, 2009).
- ^ Top Cable Shows For the Week ending August 23, 2009: The Closer, WWE RAW, NASCAR SPRINT CUP, Royal Pains, MONK, TRUE BLOOD and NCIS. Tvbythenumbers.com.
- ^ Bartlett, Bridgette. "NeNe Leakes: The Sensitive One", Essence Magazine, October 7, 2008.
- ^ NeNe Leakes Divorce Finalized StraightFromTheA.com (April 2012)
- ^ Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 4 Premiere Party PHOTOS StraightFromTheA.com (November 7, 2011)
- ^ NeNe and Gregg Leakes in Miami StraightFromTheA.com - Atlanta's Most Reliable Source of Entertainment Industry Gossip (May 7, 2012)
- ^ Would You Divorce Your Husband For A Million Dollars StraightFromtheA.com (April 11, 2012)
- ^ White, Ralph. (November 20, 2009) Kim Zolciak From The Real House Wives Of Atlanta – Nursing License Proof. Shine.yahoo.com.
- ^ "Life & Style Exclusive First Photo: Real Housewives of Atlanta Star Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann's Wedding". November 14, 2011. On Wednesday August 15th 2012 her 4th son was born.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Stransky, Tanner. "Kandi Burruss joins 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta'", EW.com, March 6, 2009.
- ^ "Inside Kandi Burrus' New Boutique TAGS". theJJB.com. October 21, 2009. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
- ^ Kate Stanhope (October 3, 2009). "Suspect Arrested in Death of Housewives' Ex-Fiancé". TVGuide.com. Retrieved October 5, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e Stephanie Friese Aron, Derric Crowther, Holly L. Geerdes, Brince H. Manning III, Phaedra C. Parks, Christopher D. Pixley – Georgia Real Estate Lawyers – The Deciders. Superlawyers.com.
- ^ a b Wesleyan Women in Law & Politics. Wesleyancollege.edu.
- ^ The Gate City Bar Association. Gatecitybar.org.
- ^ Phaedra – Atlanta, Georgia. Phaedraparks.com.
- ^ RHOA Phaedra Parks’ husband Apollo Nida’s criminal record and mug shot photos. Starcasm.net.
- ^ Off The Market - Attorney Phaedra Parks Ties The Knot StraightFromTheA.com (November 4, 2009)
- ^ Attorney Phaedra Parks Files $30 Million Dollar Lawsuit Against VIBE! (COURT DOC DETAILS). StraightFromTheA.com (May 24, 2012)
- ^ "Cynthia Bailey: Meet Cynthia". bravotv.com. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
- ^ Cynthia Bailey profile at Bravo's The Real Housewives of Atlanta website
- ^ Top cable shows for the week ending August 23, 2009 TV by the Numbers'.' Retrieved August 28, 2009.
- ^ "NeNe Leakes Slams 'Celebrity Apprentice' After Quitting". Access Hollywood. NBC Universal. May 9, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
- ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (February 1, 2011). "Bravo's 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' Finale Sets Ratings Records". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
- ^ "Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" Scores Highest-Rated Season Premiere in Series' History". NBCUniversal press release. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 1 – Only at. Target.
External links
- The Real Housewives of Atlanta at IMDb
- Show web site Bravo Official Site