By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Sunday, March, 2015
Clearly, Phaedra Parks is not going to dignify the rumor that she's dating some African Prince named "Chocolate."
She is peeved with Cynthia Bailey for even bringing it up to her in such an awkward way in last week's episode and only wants a genuine apology from Cynthia.
But Cynthia is trying to assert herself more. She's already had a major falling out with NeNe. She got into it with Porsha earlier this season. Now she's made enemies of Phaedra. The Cynthia of season three would not even recognize Cynthia of season seven!
Bottom line: Cynthia thinks Phaedra is guilty, given her reaction last week to Kenya's jibes.
They meet for a meal, at Cynthia's request. She supposedly wants to clear the air. But Phaedra awaits for an apology that never comes.
Instead, Cynthia says she was merely passing on information she heard from her husband, who got it from Phaedra's husband Apollo before he went to prison. Phaedra notes Cynthia told Kenya, too, so that was indeed spreading a rumor without "fact checking." Cynthia bites back that Phaedra failed to "fact check" her husband's lies.
Phaedra didn't extend this conversation. She walks out.
"This court," she tells cameras, "is adjourned."
What does Phaedra think of Cynthia now? "Vindictive, backstabbing and two faced." In other words, adjectives she normally uses for Kenya Moore.
NeNe Leakes brings some of the women together (minus Kenya and Phaedra) to inform them she is going to bring in a third-party therapist to work out their issues, the same therapist she used to deal with her family problems.
Cynthia, who sees NeNe as hot 'n cold depending on the day, keeps her distance and leaves the scene as soon as she accepts the invitation to join the therapy session. Both sides are still hurt and it's sad to see because they truly seemed like best friends for a good period of time.
***
Other story lines:
Kandi Burruss is the only other person who got much of a storyline this week. She and her husband Todd Tucker are having issues in bed so they see a marriage counselor (the same one Porsha saw before her divorce to Kordell Stewart). We find out Todd isn't very present the few times he's been home from working on the west coast on "Hollywood Divas." Kandi wants more quality time and intimacy. He hasn't been all that open for some reason to give it. He's still resentful about the pre-nup.
Kandi also meets up with Mama Joyce, who hasn't been on the show in ages. Mama Joyce thinks Kandi is avoiding her. She is. But Kandi says it's simply because she's busy.
She also feels like she's caught in the middle between the two feuding teams of ladies (Claudia, Kenya and Cynthia vs. Phaedra, Porsha and NeNe). Kandi, in the wake of "A Mother's Love" tour being cancelled, is clearly in a funk on multiple levels.
At least Cynthia's hubby Peter gave her some sort of Salute to Excellence award, whatever that is.
Porsha Williams, Claudia Jordan and especially Demetria McKinney (who based on the show edits, is practically mute) have been truly bit players lately.
NEXT WEEK: The therapy session causes some fireworks and inspired NeNe to walk out.
RATINGS: The show made a major comeback this past Sunday, hitting 3.74 million viewers, the second best performance of the year and up a million from a week earlier. The show is averaging about 3.1 million viewers this season, down from 3.7 million season 6.
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