Nene Leakes Deserves Better

I am a long time fan of the show “Real Housewives of Atlanta”.  I’ve watched it from the beginning and since the beginning Nene Leakes has been on the program.  She is the matriarch and the anchor of the franchise whether you like Nene or not.  But I don’t think that Nene is getting the platform she deserves for her loyalty and dedication to the franchise.

About a year ago a RHOA marathon came on TV and it showed the early seasons.  I was reminded about why I fell in love with the show.  Those women are hilarious.  I love the dry humor, sarcasm, deadpan expression and reserved cattiness of the so called housewives with a touch and sometimes a lot of African American spunk (It’s not attitude it’s spunk).  And Nene Leakes has become famous for being the spunkiest of them all.

I will admit that watching RHOA is like watching science fiction.  It’s far fetched but you accept the story within the world that is being presented to you.  We the audience have made a decision to accept the real housewives and just play along.  Reality TV is as believable as WWE wrestling but we tune in for the entertainment value and now that so much time has past we feel invested in the characters and their lives.

I believe that Nene Leakes is a nice person.  I really do.  I think she appreciates the Housewives franchise and the opportunities it has created for her.  I think Nene is down to Earth and has never forgotten her roots or tried to be something she’s not.  Yes, I can tell she’s had a nose job and wears blonde hair but I’m sticking with my previous statement.

Here is the problem with Nene Leakes and RHOA as it stands.  Cast members have come and gone from RHOA and producers are casting younger women.  One of the new stars is thirty four year old Eva with the Taratula from America’s Next Top Model and the wife of Ronnie Devoe of New Edition and BBD fame who is quite young.

RHOA has taken a nasty turn and no longer relies on dry whit and humor for entertainment.  Without Sheree and Phaedra that went out of the window.  Now they rely on drama and bitchiness.  Porsha resorted to violence one season during the reunion show.  Nene is placed at the center of a lot of the cattiness but at fifty one she’s too old for all that.  She should know better and be above it all.  Being a part of that type ratchetness is really undignified but for a woman Nene’s age it’s tragic.

Why on Earth is a woman at Nene’s stage of life arguing with thirty year olds over gossip?  Why is she arguing with fans on IG?  It shouldn’t happen.  I caught a glimpse of Lindsey Lohan’s reality show and she came across as a mature, mother hen that was concerned about the people that she described  as children that work at her resort or whatever it is.

The “children” are people in their twenties and Lindsey is only thirty two.  But we all know that Lindsey has been through some wild stuff which would give her a mature perspective on life.  Lindsey didn’t involve herself in the reckless, youthful activities.  She, like Nene Leakes has been there and done that.  There is no more energy for childishness, at least there shouldn’t be.

Since I believe reality shows are staged and loosely written I think the producers of RHOA need to develop a new persona for Nene.  Her rebirth should be modeled after the very likeable Angela Raiola b.k.a. Big Ange from “Mob Wives”.  Rest in peace Angie.  During the reunion special of “Mob Wives” the host asked Big Ange why she wasn’t involved with the drama between the other women on the show.  Big Ange said she didn’t relate to them as peers because she was a lot older than them.  She was their parents age.  Ange sat quietly for most of that reunion special as an observer.  That’s called being a good and grown woman and that’s  what I want Nene to start doing.

Andy Cohen is making a fool out of Nene at this point.  He is using her larger than life personality to hold RHOA together because producers are experimenting with newer cast members but Nene is coming out on the losing end.  I want Nene to show some leadership skills and extend her maternal instincts to her young cast mates.

I want the other cast mates to look up to her and see her as a mother figure instead of squabbling with her about nonsense.  She’ll still be the star because we all know her and she is the cornerstone of  the show.  Judge Judy says that the goal should be to do less work and make more money as one gets older.  Nene is working too damn hard!