Originally posted Tuesday, January 21, 2020 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
During her talk show today, Wendy Williams said she received a text from her friend NeNe Leakes saying she plans to leave "Real Housewives of Atlanta" a second time at the end of this season.
The “RHOA” season wrapped in the fall.
"I took a break between commercials, my office is right there behind the set. I had to go to the bathroom and so I looked at my phone between commercials. And NeNe texts, 'I'm quitting,' " Williams, 55, told guest Jerry O'Connell, noting she received the text at 9:08 a.m. "I'm surprised I got it, because I have no service in my office, but I got it."
Leakes has a tendency to change her mind and a rep for Leakes told People.com said this was not a final decision by any means: "It's been an especially difficult couple of weeks for NeNe, and she was venting to her friend in private correspondence. Nothing has been confirmed or officially decided for next season."
Williams, who is seen at 11 a.m. on Fox 5 (WAGA-TV) in Atlanta, herself thinks Leakes should stay and offered up some potential tea about NeNe without being specific.
“I know something about NeNe that you all will cry, be sad and feel bad for her,” Williams said to the audience. “She’s carrying the weight of a huge thing on her shoulders. I’m not going to say it, she’s got to say it. But in my opinion, NeNe, you need this platform to explain the other part of your life.”
“Forget arguing with them broads — you’ve got that secret, and that secret is going to melt their hearts,” she added. “Because when she shared it with me, I cried with her.”
Leakes was an original housewife going back to 2008 and helped put the original cast together, including Kim Zolciak and Sheree Whitfield. She stayed for seven seasons full time, worked part time season eight, then skipped season nine. She returned full time season 10. She has since found plenty of other work over the years as a host, comic, actress and reality star on shows such as "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Dancing With the Stars."
