This was originally posted on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 by Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Phaedra Parks, in an attempt at damage control as the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" reunion shows reveal more negative imagery of her, spoke with People magazine, noting that "my character speaks for itself."
No doubt: she does a lot of charity work and that was highlighted this season.
But in the interview, she did not exhibit an iota of contrition or real acknowledgment of any rumors she has spread, lies she has proffered or anything she has done that the other ladies have deemed low down and shady.
"Anyone who knows me knows I’m very gracious, I’m very helpful," Parks told People. "And a lot of the things I do for people, you never see it on camera. Because that is not my intention to get praise for it. My intention is to be a vessel and be used for the purpose of empowering people.”
The attorney even denied spreading gossip, though that is clearly evident on the show. Instead, she said she's too busy with several jobs to engage in rumor mongering. Rather, she said the other castmates are obsessed with talking about her.
As for her year-old charity Phaedra Foundation, I have found no evidence of it being a 501(c)3 so if you do donate, you do not get a deduction on your taxes. The group is registered with the Secretary of State as a non-profit organization.
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
In the meantime, after this past Sunday's blockbuster revelation regarding Phaedra Parks spreading rumors about Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker wanting to drug and kidnap Porsha Williams, NeNe Leakes showed up on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live" for some amusing commentary.
"I'm not surprised," NeNe said. "Phaedra's been doing this bull**** for a very long time. She has done this to me on the show. She brought my half biological sister on the show and filmed with her the same way she did with Kandi and that Johnnie guy. She tried to take me down. We were able to get it before it hit the air. She's been doing this stuff. She just got caught with these girls."
She was asked who is the shadiest housewife. "Clearly it must be Phaedra," she said, laughing. She didn't know why Phaedra started that rumor about Kandi. "She has a way of wanting to be seen one way but then does all these things behind camera" she said. "It may be new to you guys but for those of us who work with her, we always knew her to be that person."
She is also not a fan of Porsha Williams, saying she was an accessory to Phaedra's gossip mongering. "She ain't that damn dumb," she said. The fact she didn't reveal the source of the kidnapping rumor until the reunion was shady, she noted.
Now we'll see if Phaedra tries to throw former RHOA executive producer Carlos King under the bus for starting the rumor or even if she did, will Bravo show that?
On her Bravo blog, Kandi was flummoxed that Phaedra would stoop so low, especially given her profession: "Being an attorney, you would think she wouldn't intentionally spread defamatory false statements about someone. The sad thing was that she didn't even seem sorry for what she had done."
Kandi, on the other hand, only told what she knew first hand, she noted, not rumors "from the streets."
As for trying to get her divorce with Apollo Nida truly finalized, she told People: "The judge overturned it, so I'm forging forward to do whatever I need to do resolve this." "
The fourth and final reunion show airs this Sunday on Bravo at 8 p.m.
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