By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.om, originally filed Monday, May 4, 2015
It was a long season so there was plenty of fodder for Andy Cohen to gnaw on during the reunion shows taped in March.
Here were the topics this second hour:
Cynthia 2.0: Cynthia Bailey has blossomed over the seasons. And now that she's out from under NeNe's thumb, she's become more assertive, more confident, more likely to get into messy situations with the likes of NeNe, Phaedra and Porsha while bonding more with Kenya and Claudia.
"I think in a group like this, it's important to have a voice," Cynthia said. "It's also important to be a bitch in this group."
NeNe said Cynthia always gossiped. "While we were friends, people tended to focus on me," she said. "She was always outspoken."
Phaedra was spreading word off the show about Cynthia's alleged financial issues. Why? Phaedra felt Cynthia got down and dirty about that rumored "Chocolate" guy Phaedra was supposedly bonking.
She and Phaedra parried back and forth about the situation. Phaedra mocked Cynthia for spreading the rumor to create a story line. Cynthia got a little rough by saying her storyline is now in jail. Then they compared resumes.
Phaedra's philosophy about insulting people: "I don't say anything about anybody until they come for me. And that's what she did."
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Plus size? It shows you how skewed the modeling industry is when Cynthia Bailey is considered "plus size," as Phaedra noted.
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Check this, boo! Last year at the season 6 reunion, NeNe suggested she and Kenya both give $20,000 checks to the Detroit Public Schools Foundation. Kenya gave the check. NeNe did not. She will, "When I get ready."
"That really gets under my skin," Kenya said. "Why not cut the kids a check? That speaks to your character. You're making this about some bullcrap... She has no excuse. I don't think she will ever write the check."
NeNe feels Kenya is making a "mockery" of charity by placing her check on social media. Kenya said her credibility has been questioned so many times, she felt she needed to prove it. "It's ridiculous," NeNe said. Then she got all sarcastic, saying, "This rich bitch is poor."
"You're rotten to the core," Kenya said.
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Kandi vs. Phaedra: Phaedra was disappointed that Kandi wasn't there for her during and after Apollo's sentencing and prison sentence last summer. Kandi begged to differ and said she had her own issues with her marriage and business so she wasn't calling and texting regularly. Kandi was annoyed that she didn't know about Phaedra's concerns until she heard third hand. "I was totally caught off guard," Kandi said. "That really tripped me out."
Andy read a fan's note saying Kandi comparing her business problems to Phaedra's personal issues wasn't fair.
"The tour being cancelled was not the only thing going on in my life," Kandi said. "I had a lot of other personal issues. I also had a family member going to prison at the time... I had to fire all those people. They were dependent on me. I was stressed about that."
Phaedra said Kandi wasn't getting back to her. (There was a phone issue.) "It was a weird compared to other years, it got very strained," she said.
Kandi got very emotional, providing examples of when she stood up for Phaedra and supported her in the past. She cried. "I said I wouldn't do this," she said. "I'm so mad at myself right now."
"At the end of the day, at some point, there was some sort of tension," Phaedra said.
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Phaedra's bond with NeNe: Given that NeNe hasn't always gotten along with Phaedra in the past, viewers were curious about why they become so close this year. "She understands the turmoil I'm in," Phaedra said, noting NeNe's divorce to Gregg. Porsha also felt for Phaedra given her own public divorce.
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Kandi is trying to be Switzerland: She said she isn't part of any clique. "I'm too grown for that."
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Sorry, Sheree: NeNe wouldn't say much more than "hi" if she ever an into former RHOA castmate Sheree Whitfield again. (She has kissed and made up with Kim Zolciak.)
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Takin' care of (women's) business: Peter Thomas said he doesn't give a flying you know what about folks who thought he inserted himself into NeNe's business season six. "I'm always going to say what I want to say when I want to say it."
NeNe had nothing to say but her husband Gregg said this: "I'm a man's man. .I work on swag. I don't work on women's business."
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Denial #1: Porsha again denied dating an older African prince.
Denial #2: Phaedra again denied dating Chocolate. "I didn't do anything to compromise my marriage. I love Apollo. I still love him to this day." She hasn't seen the text messages Apollo was showing off, but she said it's easy to create a fictitious text message. She said Apollo did this because he thought they were about to get divorced and "all bets are off." (Phaedra has yet to file divorce papers.)
Phaedra said she almost became violent when confronted with the rumors because "I was at a breaking point." Less than 24 hours earlier, Apollo was on the lam, showed up at the house and threatened her with a drill, all caught on camera.
Victim Kenya: Kenya repeated various rumors about her created by Phaedra. And though Apollo lied to Kenya, she tended to believe the Chocolate cheating rumor because Phaedra has lied. "From day one, you flirted with my husband," Phaedra said, rationalizing why she distrusted Kenya. She said everyone flirts with people, even citing NeNe flirting with Peter. NeNe denied that vehemently and got LOUD. "Don't go there! Ask Peter! Don't do that in front of her husband."
We'll hear Peter's answer next week.
NEXT WEEK: More heat between Cynthia and NeNe. Then NeNe gets teary about her parents once Dr. Jeff showed up and walks away.
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