'Real Housewives of Atlanta' recap ('There's No Business Like Friend Business'): season 8, episode 8
By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Sunday, December 27, 2015
Every "Real Housewives of Atlanta" episode that doesn't involve a trip needs a good party.
This week, it's a video release party for a duet with Kandi Burruss and Demetria McKinney appropriately called"Unnecessary Trouble." McKinney was a "friend" on the show last year but more or less disappeared by the end of the year.
The "unnecessary trouble" stems from a dispute between Kandi's husband Todd Tucker and Phaedra Parks.
Two years earlier, Parks had asked Tucker to produce her pregnancy exercise video but she never released it.
Phaedra told Kandi in a previous episode that she had already paid him $25,000 to $30,000. Kandi thinks Phaedra owes $8,000 more. Phaedra said it was more like $5,000 and notes she never made a penny from the video.
Aware that Todd was still peeved, she tells Todd during the party to meet her at her office at a later date. She isn't going to deal with this during a party. She's too classy for that.
But after the party outside, Porsha Williams and Phaedra are gabbing about the situation and Kandi's protective manager Don Juan overhears them. He gets upset and gets on Porsha's case.
"It was nothing negative," Porsha said. "You came in abrasive. We're here to support Kandi."
Indeed, Don Juan seems to be overreacting and Phaedra refuses to get into it with him because she isn't like Kenya Moore. So she walks away. "Don Juan," she says later. "You need to find some business of your own. I don't owe Don Juan an explanation or a response. I don't fraternize with my friend's workers."
Tension passes and previews show that Todd and Phaedra have it out next week in Phaedra's office.
This financial issue echoes a past conflict that Kandi had with Kim Zolciak over money for her recording of "Tardy for the Party" many moons ago.
On a scale of conflict, this one was very modest indeed And not too much else happened this hour. Here's a quick summary:
- Kim Fields is embracing all these new social activities that RHOA is providing her. At the video release party, Kim wears a sparkly blouse, leather short shorts and thigh-level boots. Kenya, of course, can't help but throw some standard issue shade her way: "Kim looks like a confused outfit at Disney World."
- Kandi manages to look good in the video and the editors hide her pregnancy well.
- Phaedra meets with one of Apollo Nida's best friends and talks about her efforts to move on.
- Kenya works out with Marlo Hampton. A trainer dude Matt, who is much younger than Kenya, asks her out on a date. They play some basketball and tease each other quite a bit. There's some chemistry. But she tells him she is "shy" and likes to move slow. He remains interested but will we ever see him again?
- Porsha continues to stay in touch with Oliver, the hot Latino she met in Miami, long distance. They Skype. They flirt. This can't possibly last.
- Cynthia Bailey goes out on a romantic date in Piedmont Park with her husband Peter Thomas, who is making an effort to fix their problems. She is happy he is making an effort.
About the Author
Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
