'Real Housewives of Atlanta' recap, episode 7: Dancin' and drivin' with Sheree

By RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com filed January 21, 2011

There haven't been that many moments of conspicuous consumption this season, save for Kim Zolciak and her limo full of luggage when she went to California for that gay circuit party.

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But then

Sheree Whitfield

pops up Sunday night with a brand new Aston Martin. (The cheapest 2011

though since this was shot in the spring, that had to be a 2010 model.)

“I can't keep putting my desires on the back burner," she explains. "I'm living now! Can I downsize? Yah. Do I want to? Not really. I'm in a place where I'm happy. It's about me."

Where she got the money to actually buy that, who knows. But according to TMZ, the vehicle was repossessed earlier this month by one of the law firms that she owes money to related to her divorce. (She owes at least $180,000 between the two of them.) I'm not sure which law firm was able to grab it. Reps from both law firms have not returned my calls.

Though Sheree's spokesman last week declined to comment, Sheree tried to shrug it off to TMZ: "It's okay, it's a car, I'll get another one."

Sheree spends the episode prepping, then doing a sexy rumba at a charity event called "Dancing Stars of Atlanta," which was held in mid-May for the Alzheimer's Association of Georgia. All the ladies minus Phaedra Parks (prepping for her baby's imminent arrival) show up.

Though Sheree is being her usual diva-like, over-confident self, she actually pulls it off. The editors made it seem like the other housewives weren't all that impressed (one said it wasn't that tough of a dance) but she did get 9's from the judges. Plus, she raised more than $5,000 for the charity, although she felt her housewife castmates were a bit chintzy.

And good news for us: Tiy-E Muhammad, the "love doctor" (but not the real thing), is still in the picture, despite his seeming lack of real wealth or interest in it. Sheree said he's out of town for the charity event but trailers show him popping up next week. And in episode eight, Sheree finds out the truth about him. (I guess she didn't Google his name because the facts about him faking his credentials are readily available online. The AJC wrote about it several years ago.)

In other "Housewives" developments:

- Kim Zolciak spies Atlanta Falcon player Kroy Biermann, one of the celebrities. She is immediately smitten -especially with his posterior. "You can bounce a quarter off that xxxx. Unbelievable!" Kim emoted. She has him show it off after the dance and they exchange numbers.

The pair  are now dating. So the very beginning of the relationship is captured on film. Kroy even wins  judges' choice award at the dance.

She also tells Kandi Burruss that she promises to take vocal lessons after Kandi suggested it in last week's episode.

-  Nonetheless, Kandi is still peeved about Kim's attitude. Even when Kim says she's "serious about my music," Kandi is skeptical: "I'll believe it when I see it." She prefers to work with Lawrence, Sheree's hairdresser, who actually has vocal talent.

- Phaedra, as mentioned earlier, is going to have her baby induced. The trailer for next week makes it clear we'll learn a bit more about the timing of her conception. The ladies in a past episode found it a bit odd that Phaedra has been dancing around her due date and how many weeks along she is.

-NeNe's storyline is not really advanced this week. She shows up at Sheree's charity event with Gregg, figuring that would be less stressful than having to answer questions about him if he didn't show up. She does not look happy. And neither does he.

- Cynthia Bailey gets engaged to Peter Thomas. She is the opposite of NeNe: not outwardly emotional. She hates surprises but Peter surprises her anyway by having friends watch him do the proposal. Cynthia loves the ring but would have preferred the proposal been done in a more intimate setting.

She also talks with her mom and sister about why she is having apprehension about the pending marriage. She saw her mom get trapped in a bad marriage with her alcoholic, abusive stepfather and Cynthia has since shied away from marriage. She doesn't ever want to be dependent on a man.

Quotable quotes

"I travel with my own glam team. You have to be skilled to touch this face." - Sheree, arriving at the "Dancing Stars of Atlanta" charity event.

"I've never even seen Sheree snap her fingers." - NeNe, hearing about Sheree dancing.

“Some people will find it strange that I decorated my office with pictures of myself. And what I have to say to you: eat **** and die.” - the always classy Kim, who renovated her office and her daughter Ariana's room (cost: $60,000).

"I’m only going to have this baby one time so I’m going to do it with style" - Phaedra, packing for the hospital with fancy gowns and panties.

TV ratings this season for the first six episodes vs. last season:

The move to Sunday did not appear to hurt the show's ratings:

10/4 2.42 mil (2.7 mil a year ago)

10/11 2.26 mil (vs. 2.7 mil a year ago)

10/18 2.25 mi (vs. 3.32 mi a year ago)

10/25 2.49 mil (vs. 2.82 mil a year ago)

11/1 2.75 mil (vs. 2.48 a year ago)

11/7 2.49 mil (vs. 3.06 a year ago)

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