By Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com
This is a Cynthia Bailey that did not exist when she joined the show in 2010.
Now that she's no longer in the shadow of NeNe Leakes, she's showing her assertive side.
For instance, she expressed her clear opinion that Porsha Williams should not have violently attacked Kenya Moore, no matter what Kenya did during the reunion. Porsha didn't appreciate that and also heard Cynthia not be consistent in her viewpoints in different interviews. So she wanted to clear the air and asks Cynthia to meet.
Porsha arrives an hour late and Cynthia, already sour toward her, is even more sour. Porsha does not apologize for coming late and didn't even appear bad about it. Cynthia lectures her about that, which doesn't help matters.
With Cynthia's lousy attitude, Porsha's efforts to try to reconcile things devolves into them talking over each other and accusing each other of "flip flopping" in their opinions of each other. Porsha was not pleased that Cynthia criticized her about a years-old anti-gay sermon Porsha did before she joined the show.
And with Cynthia buddying up to Kenya, I can't imagine Porsha is feeling her all too much. And it seems Cynthia has taken some lessons on drama building from the queen of twirlin' drama. Porsha said Cynthia has turned into a "mean girl" who has sold out her integrity.
So Cynthia leaves without any real issues resolved. "You're like a mean old lady tonight," Porsha says. Good thing for Cynthia: Porsha has been reduced to recurring status anyway.
Funniest line from Porsha: "She should stop putting her ET-finger in my face."
And Cynthia to the cameras even makes fun of Porsha allegedly dating some rich married dude to keep her "lifestyle" intact, Kim Zolciak style.
Other storylines:
Welcome to the show! Claudia Jordan, who showed up on "Real Housewives of Atlanta" for the first time in the second episode at Cynthia's Bar One party, becomes an official housewife in this episode. She joins the intro and gets an official on-air introduction where she identifies herself as a model, actress and radio host. She's bi-racial and has faced discrimination growing up for that. (Here's my interview with Claudia back in July soon after she arrived in Atlanta to start with "The Rickey Smiley Morning Show.") She says on the radio show, she likes to be the "lovable a**hole." There is even a segment where Smiley shows up.
As for her relationship life, she said she was dating someone in New York but nothing serious. When I spoke to her in July, she said she was very much single. "I love the idea of love," she said. "When things get serious, I tend to mess things up. I got married and it was horrific. I got a divorce. I like an aggressive man. I'm an alpha female. The only thing a weak mean can do is point me to a strong man."
Ultimately, she said, "I hope to conquer Atlanta. I hope they're ready."
She is friends with Kenya Moore, her entry point into the show. They are shown shopping and goofing around. "We're the dynamic duo," Kenya said.
By the way... NeNe Leakes returns from Vegas and catches up with Porsha, one of her few friends left on the show. Porsha catches her up on the party Porsha didn't attend. They are both over Cynthia. "I thought we were freakin' friends," NeNe said, of Cynthia. "I missed Cynthia in the beginning. Now I'm out. Toodles!"
Lies, lies, lies. Peter Thomas, Cynthia, Phaedra and Kandi all say they owe Kenya an apology after they find out about Apollo's lies regarding her.
Phaedra looks traumatized when Kandi tells her."That's unbelievable," she said. "I was eight months pregnant. Why put me under that stress?"
Good advice: Lori, Kenya's aunt, tries to reason with her about forgiving the women and effectively stop playing the victim. Easier said than done.
Kenya said they need to approach her first.
Lori: "You cannot put conditions on forgiveness."
Kenya: "You clearly don't know these girls. I don't want people to walk all over me."
Lori: "I'm not asking you to be a doormat. Someone has to be the grown up woman. Just do it. Wipe the slate cleans."
Kenya: "I have to figure out a way to make peace with people who tried to destroy me."
Shakespeare? Kenya quotes Shakespeare. Painful. Or as Shakespeare said, "The worst is not/ So long as we can say, This is the worst."
Randy Kessler is back! Whenever someone needs marriage-related legal advice on this show, they got Randy Kessler! He helped with Todd's prenup situation and NeNe's divorce. Now Apollo goes to protect himself, knowing his wife will have the upper hand on the divorce once he's in prison. He's worried he'll leave prison with nothing and he'd like to ensure he has something when he goes free.
Apollo's best line: "I despise everything about her [Phaedra} but I love her."
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