NeNe Leakes knows how to keep herself in the spotlight.
She is easily the most recognizable "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star thanks to her acting stints on "Glee" and "The New Normal," plus her time on Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice."
Now E! reports she is going to join "Dancing With the Stars," which officially announces its cast next Tuesday on "Good Morning America" for season 18. ABC seems to allow leaks like this keep the show in the headlines.
She would be the second "Real Housewives" to make the cut following Lisa Vanderpump, the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star who finished 11th on the 16th season a year ago. Vanderpump was the second one voted out after Dorothy Hamill dropped out due to injury and Wynonna Judd was first cut by public vote.
Leakes has a past as a stripper but she hasn't been seen doing much dancing during the six seasons of "Real Housewives," currently the most popular of the franchise and the most popular show on Bravo. The show is averaging close to 4 million viewers per episode. (Former "Real Housewives" member Sheree Whitfield a few years ago did a local charity event that aped "Dancing With the Stars," an event where Kim Zolciak met Kroy Biermann. Leakes did not take part.)
She is the only original member left on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" going back to 2008.
Bethenny Frankel, formerly of "The Real Housewives of New York," came in second on a short-lived spin-off show 'Skating With the Stars" in 2010.
