imaflintstone

I haven't posted on this sight in such a long time but I had to respond to this. So awesome to see the response to the water crisis in my hometown. Good on Phaedra for doing her part to shed a light on the ethnic genocide taking place there. Flint Southwestern Academy is my high school alma mater (Eagle4Life)! I weep daily for my city. Flint was such a wonderful place to grow up. I have many friends who still live there, dealing with this crisis on a daily basis. It is truly horrific!

So tired of the "I know you are, but what am I" defense for casting NeNe in the worst light possible. Almost all of these women have exhibited the EXACT same behaviors, but somehow, NeNe is the worst person on the planet? Yeah, NeNe invaded that shyster Dwight's personal space, just like Kenya invaded NeNe's personal space last season, pulling on her ear and chastising her for inviting Walter to her wedding. Just like Cynthia got all up in Kandi's personal space at the pajama party, which caused Kandi to talk about "dragging somebody up in this bitch". Claudia was all kind's of wrong for trying to goad NeNe into a fight and rather than react the way they wanted her to react by getting loud and arguing, she decided to leave before things escalated to that level and disrupted Phaedra's event. It must be nice to know how you would react in any situation at any given time, so much so that you can judge somebody else's reaction as wrong, just because they didn't handle it the way you would have handled it. If NeNe had stayed and engaged Claudia, by providing her with ANSWERS, they would have been the wrong answers and she would have been castigated for that! I would hazard a guess to say if NeNe approached Claudia or one of the other ladies in the same way, and that person left the scene, they would have been applauded for it. Since Claudia and the other ladies are so much better than NeNe according to some, they should have taken the high road and not even engaged her. They should have just served up the food and kept it moving so as not to disrupt Phaedra's event. As much as I don't like Kenya, she was right to tell Claudia that her approach was all wrong and she needed to leave it alone. Okay, I am going to bow out now, before I get accused of believing that NeNe can do no wrong!

Yeah....I guess that is nature's way of balancing the universe. Some think she can do no wrong, while other's think everything she does is wrong and she is somehow Jedi Mind Tricking the other ladies into fighting with each other *Kanye Shrug*. I am still a NeNe fan, but I fall somewhere in between blaming her for everything that is wrong with RHoA and thinking that she can do no wrong. I am willing to call a spade a spade and NeNe is loud and wrong a lot of time (I believe I stated that in another post a while back). At the end of the day (I really hate this phrase but couldn't think of anything else), this is a reality show and NeNe is someone who I will probably never meet or become friendly with. I don't have to lay down next to her at night and she ain't paying none of my bills, so there's that. I like her as a character on a television show, no more, no less. I just enjoy snarking on the show with the rest you guys. It really isn't that serious for me, JMHO. Anyway...,my thoughts on the rest of the show: I actually enjoyed the ladies last night. It was a nice change of pace not to have to listen to a bunch of screeching harpies go at each other over petty bullshit. If Porsha wants to call herself a THOT, who am I to judge. At least she knows who she is. That was a very sweet gesture when Phaedra gave her guide that money. I am sure she was quite aware that having a spouse die is totally different than have one go to prison, but I think she was just connecting on the level of having lost someone that you love, no matter the reason. I could see that NeNe was nervous about her Broadway debut, and I thought her tears were real and sympathized with her. Some may have thought the twerking and all that was "ghetto" or "tacky" or whatever, but I honestly didn't think much about it. It may be because I don't think NeNe can do any wrong....who knows! :-) I am glad NeNe did well in the play and appeared to get good reviews. She clearly put in the work necessary and made the role work for her. Who knew someone supposedly so lazy, so untalented and so lacking in humility could actually pull off their very first Broadway play and be successful at it! Kenya was getting on my nerves trying to press Phaedra to apologize the way she wanted Phaedra to apologize. And for her to come out of her mouth and say she would never cut Phaedra down as a woman by calling her a "whore" when essentially that is exactly what she and her Team Petty girlfriend did with the Mr.Chocolate accusations.....girl bye with that bullshit. Talk about revisionist history...Kenya acts as though she has no culpability in this whole scenario, and not just Apollogate but with videogate as well. She thought she was going to put one over on Phaedra and Appollo with the Donkey Booty video and when they didn't fall for the okeydoke, she went on her smear campaign, fat shaming Phaedra all over Atlanta, threatening her at the reunion, etc. Kenya can miss me with the innocent victim act. Claudia and Demetria...pretty much non-mother f_____ factors for me, not just in this episode but all season. Here's hoping they are one and done!

^5 for your entire post CaughtonTape. I hazard a guess if anyone else had said the exact same thing that NeNe said, there would have been no side eye given. Some might have even agreed with the statement. All of these women are grown. NeNe has every right (and is getting paid very well to do so, I might add), to express an opinion about what has played out within the context of the show. To say that NeNe manipulated Phaedra into not apologizing to Kenya is not to give Phaedra any credit for having a mind and thoughts of her own. It's because it's Gregg and NeNe......everything they do is wrong, so there's that....(smh). They were having a little fun with the costumes. So what. The gentleman didn't look at all offended by it. This was a new experience for NeNe. I am going to allow her to enjoy that moment however she sees fit.

Thank you AgingGoth. I thought is was just me. It definitely looked like Claudia and Cynthia were trying to goad NeNe into a fight at whatever the event was (serving meals at a homeless shelter?). NeNe was clearly trying to stay calm and ignore the digs Cynthia and Claudia were making about the counseling session, but Claudia actually following NeNe all over the kitchen, getting in her personal space....smh! It looked to me like she was just itching for NeNe to blow her cool. I hope NeNe doesn't fall for it.

I totally agree with this part of your post. I think it is time for NeNe to leave the show. It will only prove, IMHO, that NeNe isn't the only "cancer" in the group that keeps them all from getting along and singing kumbaya. I get so tired of reading and hearing that if NeNe wasn't around, all of the other ladies would be the best of friends and there would be no strife in the group. That is just not true and highly overestimates NeNe's power and influence over the ladies. To have some tell it, NeNe has some type of mind control thing going on and as soon as she steps in the room, she makes Porsha start fighting with Kenya, she makes Cynthia bring up Mr. Chocolate to Phaedra in front of all the ladies, she makes Phaedra call her friendship with Kandi into question, she is whispering in Todd's ear to complain about Kandi's bonnet, etc. She is also causing the drought in California, global warming, she caused the Germanwings plane crash, oh, did you know she is also an undercover member of ISIS! Honestly, the other ladies couldn't even enjoy Manila without bringing NeNe up directly or indirectly throwing shade at her (Kandi) by constantly emphasizing "how great" the trip is and how much they are really "getting along" without a certain person around (RMFE). It just really gets old. None of these ladies will own up to their own shit as it relates to the discord within the group. Kenya, Cynthia, Claudia have never done anything wrong to any of the other ladies of course. It is all 100% NeNe.

I checked your link first and didn't see it, then when AgingGoth mentioned again, I went back to the Bravo site and still didn't see it, so that's when I went to her personal website. I hate the way they have changed the Bravoi site. It is horrible to navigate through. They all want more screen time. I thought that was the purpose of being on a reality show. They all need a story line and they all end up latching onto some perceived slight by one or more of the other housewives or they "clique" up with who they feel is the current ""Queen Bee" of the group (looking at you Cynthia) in order to keep that peach. NeNe isn't the only one.

Is it weird that I had to go to NeNe's website to read her blog for this past episode? She posted on March 16th. Why isn't it on the Bravo site? She did break the fourth wall a little bit by saying that the therapy session was two hours late getting started and she had been sitting in her car most of that time waiting on the other ladies to arrive, but Bravo chose not to air or address any of that. If that is true, I can see why she started off the session a little irritated. Then when the "how NeNe done me wrong" session started, she decided it was best for her to leave versus saying something out of pocket. I get that it is easy to castigate NeNe and make her the instigator or common denominator for all the strife and division in this group. She is the loudest, she voices her opinion and doesn't hold back.....BUT, that certainly doesn't absolve any of the other ladies. They all have said things out of pocket and wrong at one point or another throughout the seasons, Kenya in particular, has been especially nasty. Cynthia and Kandi are throw the rock and hide their hands instigators and shit stirrers of the group. Kandi tries to pass herself off as "neutral" but she is really butt hurt over the supposedly budding relationship between NeNe and Phaedra, and it is primarily because she can't stand NeNe, not because she is so afraid NeNe is going to treat Phaedra the way she treated Cynthia. Claudia is pretty much a non-mother fuckin' factor and is trying to hold on to her peach by going after Porsha, who could care less about her and her shenanigans. I don't know...I am definitely not a NeNe apologist, please don't get me wrong. She is loud and wrong a lot of the time, but I just refuse to put the whole downward spiral in the group dynamics 100% on her shoulders.

CaughtOnTape I absolutely agree with your assessment. I am not drinking the "everything is always NeNe's fault" koolaide. Cynthia let her bitch ass husband gas her up about "bitch-gate" after the episodes aired last season and I think NeNe was truly blindsided by Cynthia at the reunion. I truly believe that NeNe was incredibly hurt when Cynthia started to distance herself and her and Peter started their victim routine all over the internet and in every tabloid. Cynthia knows how NeNe rolls, so I don't understand how she expected NeNe NOT to go all scorched earth, especially after both Cynthia and Peter appeared to accept NeNe and Greg's apology at that dinner and they continued to hang out after that. Andy asked her a question on that WWHL episode and she give her honest opinion (an opinion that I totally agreed with). Why is it everybody else (Kenya especially) can go in on NeNe on WWHL, the internet and the tabloids and but expect NeNe to stay silent? Anyway, about the episode. If Team Petty can go around for two episodes talking about an unsubstantiated rumor about Phaedra cheating on Appollo, I am not going to clutch my pearls when Porsha and Phaedra do the same. Cynthia keke'ed with the rest of her crew every time Kenya had something nasty to say about Phaedra, so whatevs! Even Christians have their limits. Kandi can miss me with that all that crying and teeth clenching with Phaedra in her office. Phaedra has a right to feel the way she feels about the way Kandi did or didn't reach out to her during the mess with Appollo. I think Kandi is more burned up about Phaedra and NeNe becoming closer than she is about anything else. Claudia and her comedy...just no....... The therapy session.... I can see why NeNe felt like she was being attacked, but I think she should have stayed and not given Team Petty any reason to point there accusing fingers and say SEE...I told you so. I hope Dr. Jeff is able to convince her to come back to the therapy session and I also hope he can re-direct the session to the "group" dynamic, and not just continue with the "how NeNe done me wrong" bitch fest.

Awesome article radishcake! Women in general and women that are POC in particular are really quick to be labeled as emotionally unstable, particularly in the work place. I don't know how many times I have heard from other colleagues how they feel they have to hold back in meetings and not speak up so as not to be labeled as an "angry black woman", thereby perceived as not "promoteable". And most times, those comments came from other women! It is really sad and particularly troublesome when invariably the "crazy" moniker seems to pop up every time VR's name is mentioned in the press. She apparently feels passionately about this particular cause and I applaud her for continuing to shed light on it, even as it appears that it may continue to be a detriment to her career.

My thoughts on this episode: Claudia, girl bye with that mess! WAH, this is so hard! BOO HOO, I wasn't expecting it to be like this! WAH, blah, blah, mean girls! SOB, I tried to rise above it all, blah, fishcakes, blah! All the while doing that Katherine Kelly Lang/Brooke Logan (Bold and the Beautiful) one tear method of cry acting! She knew what she was getting into when she signed on to do this show and she most certainly didn't try to "rise above" anything. She got right down in the mud with the rest of the ladies that she claims she is so much better than. Her BFF Kenya aimed her in the direction of Porscha and NeNe and she ran with it. Kandi, TMI about her sex life with Todd. Maybe Todd doesn't want to have sex with you because he keeps seeing Mama Joyce sitting over in the corner of the bedroom like some type of kracken! Peter/Cynthia - NeNe called it last season. Andy may as well give bitch-ass Peter his peach and put him in the opening credits. He was practically salivating when he was relaying the Mr. Chocolate tale to Cynthia, and he had this twinkle in his eye.... just WOW! He truly gets off on being a gossipy bitch! I don't think he got that excited when he came home and found Cynthia spread eagle on that chair with the sexy lingerie from last season! Kenya - Twirl on girl. How delusional are you to think that D. Woods, who is at least a good 10 - 15 years younger than you, could play your OLDER sister in your never to be made or seen TV pilot. And Cynthia's audition...no words! Stick to modeling sweetie. Appollo/Phaedra - what can I say that hasn't already been said. Appollo's behavior was appalling to say the least and I think Phaedra handled it beautifully!

KnotsLanding and Kia112, excellent posts! It is interesting how VR is being labelled as "crazy" for speaking out against the lack of diversity in the Soap Community and Hollywood in general. I keep reading that while her claims maybe valid, her "approach" makes it just looks like sour grapes so she isn't being taken seriously. I wonder, just how should she have approached it? It seems to me she tried all the appropriate channels first by going Sony and Y&R execs to express her concerns and she was pretty much ignored. Peter Bergman said she was crazy in an interview, right after she spoke out about the Daytime Emmy nomination process and everybody jumped on the "crazy" train with him, but when Michael Muhney went on his tirade about the Emmy's a couple of years back (when he wasn't nominated) and made some of the exact same points about how biased the process was and how it was just a big inside popularity contest, he was applauded for his truth telling and outspokenness. His rant was more self serving than anything else, but he was never labelled as "crazy". Why is is that a white male can speak out and rant against something and get a pat on the back, but if a POC does the same thing it is seen as unfavorable? Kia112, you are spot on about that spit take. MS decided to add a little "flavor" to the scene by spitting water in VR's face without clearing it with anyone (including VR) first. It was vile and nasty and MS should have been reprimanded for it. I hazard a guess to say if it had been the other way around, VR would have lost her job.

This right here.....I keep reading that Nene isn't humble enough, she thinks she is better than the HW's, etc., etc, but she continues to get real acting jobs outside of the HW's venue. I have never heard or read anything from any of the castmates from her other shows that would make me think she is nothing but professional. As a matter of fact, I read somewhere that on the last night of her Cinderella run, she was in tears and was expressing nothing but gratitude for the experience. The same when she got voted off of DWTS. Claudia and Kenya in particular have done nothing but blow up their own spot, if only just to highlight how much "better" they are than NeNe. Even Cynthia, in the first episode of this season had to throw shade about NeNe being a stripper, ki ki'ing about it with her new BFF Kenya. I guess I don't understand how some think NeNe is supposed to act with these other ladies, especially after viewing talking head after talking head with the put downs and the shade thrown in her direction, season after season. Even when NeNe is barely in an episode, Kenya, Claudia and Cynthia are running off at the mouth about her. *shrugs*

Got it Neurochick! Thanks for clarifying. That makes sense and I totally agree with you.

I guess I didn't realize being a stripper was synonymous with being ignorant or uneducated. NeNe did go to college and while some of her speech affectations may not reflect that, she is far from stupid or ignorant. I absolutely agree with the bold part of your post though. They are all showing their asses on a Bravo reality show for a Bravo check so, there's that. The fact that NeNe has been able to parlay her RHoA stardom into several other lucrative opportunities, speaks to her hustle and her drive, IMHO. She is striking while the iron is hot and making her coins while she can. More power to her, I say.