By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Sunday, January 24, 2016
Kim Fields is still trying to figure out how to fit in on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." While the show requires a certain amount of vulnerability and honesty, nobody on this show goes without makeup!
Yet her first party she hosts is a "beat less" brunch, meaning women should come with minimal makeup. "Aww child!" Kandi Burruss said as soon as she heard the premise.
Kandi, Phaedra Parks, Sheree Whitfield and Cynthia Bailey more or less followed the rules. Porsha Williams did not but had an excuse: she came from "Dish Nation." Kenya Moore did not because she didn't want to. "I'm a grown a** woman," Kenya declared. She though the whole concept was a personal attack on her make-up usage.
At the party, Cynthia said she wanted Kim and Kenya to work together on a commercial for her eyewear. Better yet, she makes it an excuse for the ladies to go on another road trip, this time to Jamaica.
Kenya is not a fan of Kim's behind-the-camera work. "She is so freaking pompous and arrogant," Kenya said. "Tyler Perry literally directed the episode she was supposed to be directing." (Kenya was in a "Meet the Browns" episode in 2009 before she joined "Real Housewives" and Kim directed 31 episodes of that show, according to imdb.com. I don't see an exact match but imdb.com is hardly definitive.)
Kim hands out a compact so the ladies can admire their "natural" beauty and a pen and notebook to write a poem on said topic. Kenya flaunted her natural shady ways to the Bravo cameras: "Where does the natural beauty and because you have two boob jobs and you're wearing a wig. Is that part of your poem?" (Yes, Kim was wearing a wig in this episode. As for boob jobs? I have no idea. People have speculated over the years and there's even been talk about breast reductions.)
Kim said the party was not at all an insult. But Kenya of course "took umbrage to that. I don't need to be told what I look like to others. If I go out looking like a clown or garish, that's how I choose to present myself. I don't think anybody should tell me how I should look. That's what I didn't appreciate in the invitation." (In seriousness, I don't think Kenya ever looks clownish or garish. She wears plenty of makeup, yes, but she wears it well.)
Kim said she wasn't judging anybody. "This is a celebration," she said. She found it hard to believe that someone would interpret her party as "shade."
Later, when Cynthia wanted to meet with Kim and Kenya about the commercial, Kenya bagged because she needed to deal with her house. Matt, Kenya's friend, stopped by. They're dating!
Kim had her own ideas for the commercials and said she prefers to work solo. But she said if Cynthia insists on her including others, she'll do it. She just doesn't want a "negative atmosphere" and working with Kenya might cause that tension.
Cynthia says she thinks the commercial would be better with both minds working together. She clearly can't believe that for real. This is a recipe for future drama in Jamaica, for sure.
In other stories:
Kandi and Todd Tucker meet a baby instructor who recommends breastfeeding until three or four years old. Kandi is not cool with that.
Todd has never had to deal with a newborn before since he met his daughter later in life. So she teaches him how to diaper. He is very confident and does a good job. Kandi thinks a real-life baby will be a bit tougher to diaper than a doll.
***
Phaedra Parks is working on the divorce to Apollo Nida and Randy Kessler (who worked with NeNe Leakes on her divorce) comes along.
***
NEXT WEEK
NeNe shows up in Jamaica. Some ladies throw shade at Kim's husband, calling him "prissy" and "fruity." (Really? Are we using those terms in 2015?) And Kenya goes after Kim: "Everything about you is tired," she says to the RHOA newbie. Hazing perhaps from the new Queen Bee?
RATINGS
"Real Housewives of Atlanta" overnight ratings for episode 11, where NeNe returns for a brief moment, drew its highest viewership of the year: 3.18 million viewers. That's virtually identical to the season 7 11th episode, which drew 3.19 million overnight viewers.
RUMOR MILL
There have been rumors that Bravo is pressuring NeNe to join "Real Housewives" again next season, that NBCUniversal is even threatening to pull her from E!'s "Fashion Police" if she doesn't relent. But the source is RadarOnline and they aren't entirely trustworthy. So take that rumor with a serious grain of salt.
About the Author
