The Real Housewives of Atlanta tell all—including what they think of the allegations they’re not “real Atlanta society”

From comments spurred by my past posts (one, detailing the bios of the Atlanta Housewives, here; and another, detailing why I think the Atlanta version will be absolutely enthralling to watch, here), it seems that there are people here in “The City Too Busy to Hate” with plenty of time to hate, especially when it comes to whether or not these women represent Atlanta (generally) and its moneyed society (specifically). So when I interviewed the Housewives last week, I gave them a chance to offer a rebuttal, along with a lot of juicy information about what we’ll be seeing this seven-episode season, from the brouhaha over Big Papa’s real identity to which housewife is going to be the “b*tch” of the show.

The women—Nene Leakes, Lisa Wu Hartwell, Kim Zociak, Sheree Whitfield, and DeShawn Snow (all at right)—were interviewed separately, but I asked many of them similar questions.

How did you all get involved with the show? Why do you think they picked each of you?

Nene: I knew a girl that knew the girl who was trying to create the Atlanta Housewives show, and she’d been telling me for months that they were going to be doing an Atlanta Housewives. Well, at first she was saying it wrong: “They’re going to be doing a Desperate Housewives,” and I was like, a Desperate Housewives? And then she came back and said, “Oh, it’s the Atlanta Housewives, and I know the girl who is looking for the Atlanta cast. When she comes back here (because the girl who was looking for the Atlanta cast lives out of the state), I’m going to tell her about you.” And she did tell her about me, and they called me up and set up an interview with me. And my interview went really, really well, and they asked me if I knew any other girls, and I referred the rest of the girls on the show except for Lisa. So they must have really liked me!

DeShawn: [Nene] had given the producers my name, and they gave me a call, and they came over and did an interview. I didn’t make the first cut, initially, but then a year later they were interviewing again, and so I made it the second time. I was excited about that.

How hard was it to convince your friends and family to take part?

Lisa: Some of my friends didn’t want to be filmed … yeah, the didn’t. They were like, uh, either they wanted to lose weight, or they didn’t think they were looking great, you know, they didn’t have makeup and hair, it was just little technical issues. But as far as my husband, we have a lot of different businesses, and we just discussed it, and thought it was a great platform for all of the businesses.

DeShawn: My husband [Cleveland Cavaliers captain Eric Snow], he was living in Cleveland; this is the first time that the family, the boys and I, were based in Atlanta while Eric was based in Cleveland, so Eric came back and forth. So he knew he wouldn’t be there every day. So he was very supportive of me. And then the boys, they were okay. They were cool with it. They’re somewhat used to the cameras—not to that extent, being with you every day—but my husband, being an athlete for the past thirteen years, fourteen years, they were accustomed to being interviewed and things like that.

Kim: My grandparents think I’m crazy. They came to my daughter’s birthday—my daughter had a birthday on the show and my grandparents attended—and my granddad just thinks I’m crazy. He’s like, “Another thing Kim’s doing! Not surprised, but, you know!” And my dad was kind of not really into it; then at the birthday party, he loved the camera. It’s amazing to see the people that act like they’re not really into it, and then they get in front of the camera, and they love it. I mean, you see a whole new side of people.

Kim, from the sneak peek aired in July, we know your boyfriend, Big Papa, wishes to remain anonymous …

Kim: He doesn’t wish to remain anonymous, I wish to keep him anonymous because I want my personal life to … I think it’s come out really crazy. I mean, ultimately we both … I want my relationship to work, and it’s a personal part of my life that I just chose at this point not to reveal. I mean, should there be a second season, a third season, you know, it will probably be a different song and dance. But, you know, I want to keep that part of my life personal, private.
You mentioned your businesses, Lisa. Obviously none of you are “traditional housewives” as far as staying at home and not working is concerned. You, especially, seem to be involved in a lot of activities. Why did you think being on the Real Housewives of Atlanta would be a good thing for you?

Lisa: Well, I’m a real estate broker, of Hartwell & Associates Realtors, and, of course, the national advertising for that is great, and the recognition. You know, we deal in a lot of high-end properties, and we don’t discriminate; we’ll represent anyone and protect all of their concerns and needs. And then, we have a baby line, Hart 2 Hart Baby, and, also, it was a great opportunity to present it to the mass media. And I write movies, I’m an actress, and … what else? Let’s see … I forget, too! I design jewelry … and so all of those are great avenues to showcase your business—you can’t pay for that kind of advertising, so it was just great.

Have you acted in any Atlanta-related films?

Lisa: Well, you know, I used to host a show. It was called The Industry, and it was on UPN. And I was the host of that for two years. It was like an entertainment magazine, like Entertainment Tonight. I also used to write plays as well. Tyler Perry directed my first play, and then I shot a movie called Blackball that I wrote, produced, and starred in. And I’m working on my second feature film, so I’ll be shooting that soon.

After Bravo aired the preview back in July, what kind of reaction did you all get?

Nene: I heard a lot of different things. I heard that, you know, they have another cast of rich women, and gold diggers, and all kinds of things. We heard a lot of negative things and then we heard a lot of positive things. And people were glad that they were coming to the South, people were glad it was a predominantly African American cast.

Lisa: You know, a lot of people formed opinions based on what they think they know, but it was okay. It was like, okay, you haven’t seen the show, it’s okay. But they really need to tune in. The show is going to be entertaining, and we’re going to keep you laughing, that’s for sure. I mean, there’s someone on the show that everyone can relate to, and I know why they picked every last one of [us]. When I look at the footage, [we] project when [we’re] on camera—I mean, I’m talking from a production standpoint. So I’m just like, wow, it’s a great chemistry.

DeShawn: The preview, you know, it was twenty-two minutes [long], and there’s five women, so there’s only a couple minutes for each woman. So it’s not an indicator of what each person is about. But I’m just excited for everyone to see the actual show and the actual storylines unveil.

Sheree: I’m getting phone calls from people I went to junior high school with that I have not talked to in twenty years—yes! And it’s funny because, like, the perception of me, the people who really don’t know me, who perhaps just came into my life recently within the past few years, [they are] like, “Oh my gosh, they portrayed you as you’re the b*tch on the show! They made you the b*tch!” But then people who are calling me who have not talked to me in forever, they’re like, “Oh my gosh, I saw the show, you haven’t changed a bit!” I’m thinking, so have I always been a b*tch? And they’re like, “No, but that’s just who you are, you’ve always been strong, you don’t candy-coat things, it is what it is.” I’m like, okay.

Kim: I really didn’t want people to know I wrote a check for an Escalade. I mean, let’s be honest. I really did not know that they even had that footage to be honest with you. That’s not something I would ever broadcast to somebody. I’m not that kind of person. I’ve been poor, and I’ve had friends who’ve been really wealthy—my best friend sitting here is very successful—and I would have nothing, and she would help me out and was great. And so I don’t want to broadcast on national TV that I’m able to write a check. So I got an Escalade. I wish they didn’t know how I paid for it. And my family and friends, they’re not surprised. I mean, the people who are close to me know I’m crazy! I mean, you saw the footage. I’d just gotten back from the Bahamas and I’d driven my kids around in an Escalade, and my kids loved it, and I thought, you know, I have a couple of other cars that aren’t really that big, I can’t cart all their friends around, so let me go get something bigger.

It’s a common complaint among those who have participated in reality shows that they are unhappy with the way they are portrayed, through the editing by the producers. It sounds like you, Kim, are unhappy. Is that true? What about the rest of you?

Kim: I was a little taken aback that in the sneak peek I come across … I mean, you know, they show me buying an Escalade, which is true, I bought the Escalade. I bought the Escalade, I drive the Escalade, so I did that … and then they showed me shopping, and I’d only shopped one time during the filming, I believe. And I come off as my boyfriend’s a secret because either he’s … they’re saying he’s married, or he’s Ted Turner, or he’s all this crazy stuff, and people create all these crazy stories. And then I come off as all this money, and I do call Big Papa “Big Papa” in everyday life, and I think it comes across as a joke because I’m like, “Big Papa!” But that’s really what I call him, and I’ve called him that since the day I met him. And I came across as being a lot about the money, and I always tell people, I’m rich, and I’ve been poor, and God can take it from ya as quick as he gave it to you. And I [then] they show America me writing a big check for a car. But I hope, and I can almost assure you, that in the next seven episodes you’ll see my true character.

Nene: No, [I was] not necessarily [happy]. They do, you know, the production crews, they do try to portray each person in a certain kind of way. So, I’m not totally happy. I did try to stay true to who I was the whole time during filming. It’s just the editing, how they make you look and how they cut and paste your words a little bit. You know, change the looks on your face. You may have this one look—just a second—and all the sudden it’s on the screen forever!

Lisa: I was a little disappointed because [the show] only makes it seem like I have one child, and I have three kids. And so, they didn’t get me mentioning my other children or talking about them. The [other children] couldn’t visually be seen—their dad didn’t sign a waiver—so they’re not on the show. But I talk about them. But in the interest of the production company, they have to protect their interest, and I do understand that.

DeShawn: I was happy with how I was portrayed. I am pretty much the peacemaker, I guess. Well, I get along with everyone. I was happy with how I was portrayed. I hear a lot of comments about me with the staff and all that, and surely I don’t spend my whole life just looking for staff! We don’t see the episodes before they air or anything like that, so we don’t know how they’re going to edit it. And we know that going in. But I still felt comfortable doing it because I know who I am, and what I’m about, so I don’t see what they can really do.

Sheree: You know what? For the most part, it’s me; it’s who I am. I’m a strong woman, I’m confident, I do not candy-coat things, I speak my mind, and I kind of go for whatever I want. Some of the words, I may have said something that was PROFOUND, and you know, they edited part of it so it makes me sound crazy. But the character who they portray? That’s Sheree. That’s me.

Let me ask about the controversy that’s sprung up over you all here in Atlanta. Bravo finally added diversity to the Real Housewives series, yet it seems like a lot of the reaction here has been there is not enough diversity in the lineup, that you all do not represent traditional, “old money,” Buckhead society. What do you say to that?

Nene: Well, I don’t know a lot of people who want to tune into the old … (laughs). I know most people want to get some young drama, you know, and they love to see the young cast with money. I don’t think [Bravo] would have gotten a lot of viewers if they’d had the, the upper, stuck-up, old housewives. You know, housewives have changed; we’re not the same as we used to be. Back in the day when your mom used to stay at home with the kids and cook and clean? We don’t do that anymore. We are new money. We are a young cast. And it’s great.

Lisa: Get ready, hold on to your seats, because we’re going to keep you entertained. You know, there’s other people that have money, and at the same time, are they exciting to watch? You can get people with a lot of money, and they’re stuffy! So we just happened to be exciting people with money.

Kim: I’m like, get a life! I mean, there’s got to be new money with somebody. I mean, the people that are talking, and the people that are writing these blogs—I tell my friends, don’t call me unless it’s good, I don’t want to hear it; I don’t like negative comments. I don’t know who has time to sit there and write sh*t about the show, I mean, I just don’t. But the people that do, I mean, I think old money/new money—you don’t expect people to have new money? I mean, I don’t understand … and Atlanta’s a new town, it’s growing, it’s incredible. Maybe if they wanted sixty-five-year-old women, maybe they could find old money, but the reality is, if you’re under, like, forty, they’re going to classify it new money irregardless of where it came from.

DeShawn: I hear a lot of that, and I hear a lot about how we don’t live in Atlanta proper. But I think there’s some stereotypes and some differences between, you know, old money and new money, the way people handle it and things like that. But I think we’re a young group, a vibrant group, I think we all have strong personalities, we have all have a strong sense of self, and we’re all doing great things—it’s just a different aspect. I mean, there’s not just old money out there, and it’s not just the Buckhead Betties, you know?

Sheree: You can’t make everybody happy. If they had of gotten the Buckhead society, then you would have had other people complaining because they did that. But they had not had this before! And what you see on TV is the African Americans being portrayed, I don’t know, ghetto … it’s just not a good portrayal of African American people. So when they came up with this concept of having African American women on the show, I thought it was awesome. There are positive black women out there, family women, who got it going on.

Nene, how would you describe your co-stars?

Nene: Lisa, Lisa is the one that I didn’t know, and I did not refer her. We recently met during filming. I like Lisa, I think that she has an energy, and I know that she is the “hustler.” And Sheree, I’ve known her the longest of all the housewives, I’ve known her about seven years. And Sheree and I, from time to time, do have our differences. But we’re both very strong women and we respect each other’s opinions. DeShawn and I are the closest, you know, in the cast. And DeShawn is the peacemaker, very sweet, she too has a lot going on. And Kim, I’ve known Kim for about three, four years; she and I met at the gym, worked out with the same trainer. And Kim is a girl who loves, loves, loves to shop.

Kim, your bio mentions that you’re going to be recording an album with Dallas Austin. How is that going?

Kim: A country album, right. It’s going amazing. We’re going to release my single shortly; we’ve delayed it because the show was originally supposed to air three weeks or four weeks ago, so we were kind of booking it around that. And we’re undecided as to the exact release date, to be honest. It will be out very soon. And of course it’s with Dallas Austin, who lives in Atlanta. And this is his first country album. So it’s good to do something different, and this is just as big for him as it is for me.

Sheree, what plans do you have for your clothing line, She by Sheree?

Sheree: I am launching fall 09, and it’s for the modern woman. It’s sexy, comfortable, a little edgy, but classic pieces—pieces that you can pull out of your closet in five years, ten years, and still feel comfortable wearing. I hope to go into the nice boutiques here. [And I’d like to open up] a flagship store, yeah, I’m doing the brand, it’s not just stopping with She by Sheree—I’m building the Sheree Whitfield empire!

DeShawn, the DeShawn Snow Foundation focuses on building self-esteem in teenage girls. Why?

DeShawn: Growing up, all teenage girls go through one thing or another. Especially nowadays, it’s so much different from when I was younger. But I struggled with self-esteem issues, peer pressure, and I made a lot of mistakes. And I wasn’t raised with the proper tools to handle things in life. So I developed my own coping mechanisms and it got me through, but it wasn’t really healthy. My thought is, if I can at least help one girl, if I can give them the tools that they need to save them from making the mistakes I made, then I would have done my part.

I mean, my life could have been totally different if not for the grace of God. The decisions I made were poor, and that was from lack of exposure, lack of knowledge. So with these girls—we’re doing a lot of work in southwest Atlanta—and I just want to expose them to different things, give them security, and know they can be the best them they can be, and they can rely on themselves, and they don’t need a man, and they don’t have to dress a certain way, and they don’t necessarily have to marry a baller—I mean, I know I married a baller, but I certainly didn’t go after that. That’s just the way my cards played out.

Are you all ready to get recognized everywhere you go?

Nene: It’s already happening now! I was just in the Chick-fil-A line with my children and the guy in the window was like, “Oh, hey, we know you from the show!” And I was surprised at all the men—and I mean straight men, cause I know Bravo has a lot of gay men who love the show—but I’ve run into straight guys who have been like, “Hey, you’re the girl on the TV show.” And I’m like, oh, okay!

Kim: It happens! It’s funny, I kind of like it—now. A couple of girls, we were at a restaurant—Eugene’s?—and a girl came up who was like, “Ahh! You’re the girl from the Real Housewives, oh my god!” And she was just young and so excited and so cute. My kids are really into it, my kids love it. It’s fun, I’d be an idiot to tell you any different. I love the attention, and that’s why I did it.

DeShawn: I certainly know how to handle it because I’ve seen Eric do it for so long. And being with Eric, them recognizing him, I see how he handles it and all of that. It’s kind of weird—I’m excited about it, because I always tell Eric, he’s real conservative, and I’m not. And I love all that glitz and glamour and limelight, and he doesn’t. He just had it because of his career, so he’s like, “Okay, you think you’re ready for it—we’ll see!”

Are you excited about the Real Housewives of Atlanta? Will you watch tomorrow night? What do you think of the women’s answers? I’m planning on attending the premiere party tomorrow night, so stay tuned!

SOURCE: http://www.atlantamagazine.com/blogs/blog_post.aspx?id=25334&blogid=258