Real Housewives of Atlanta: New Attitudes, Indeed

By Brigette Flood and Sandy M. Tyler

How funny that the season begins with Shereé rehearsing an acting scene at her house. Obviously, Shereé has found her calling; she does her best acting on a “reality” show. Not a lot from Shereé this episode, but as she mentioned to Wendy Williams on her show Monday morning, she’s just started wearing weaves and is looking better than ever.

We met one of our new housewives – Phaedra Parks. Ironic to have a mythological goddess from Athens, Georgia, married to the god Apollo, who signed a prenup. Two gods in one Southern household . . . who want to name their progeny Richard . . . or Seth. Phaedra appears to be the kind of Southern Belle you wish would choke on her tea sandwich, she’s so precious, but as we’ve learned from all of our prior Housewives experience, you don’t want to judge anyone new too soon. We’re looking forward to getting to know her better. Anyone who’s been an attorney for Bobby Brown has got to have more than just charm and grace. Are those balls of steel under her shirt?

Kim’s love life is, as usual, a major topic of conversation, both with her fellow Housewives and in the press when she grants Life and Style magazine an interview to talk about her relationship with DJ Tracy Young. Kim is so cagey about her “girlfriend” that we’re guessing Shereé’s assessment of the situation is spot on, it’s more about media whoring than love.  This makes the scene where Kim gives her daughter Brielle advice about dating all the more distressing. Kim hopes she instilled the same morals and values in her daughter that her parents instilled in her. Oh, Kim, we hope you did a better job than that.

NeNe and Kim are big fun, hilarious buddies again, despite the conflicts in their recent past. Trying to help us understand the nuances and complexities so-often played out on the show. NeNe says, “Female relationships are so complicated.” Um, right. Complicated like a light-switch. Off. On. Off. On. Next room.

Kandi. Sweet Kandi. What can we say? No surprise that her delightful demeanor attracted Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee to fly South to Atlanta to woo her. They’re taking it slowly – for proof, review their awkward conversation at Atlanta Rocks. Will the laughs help their long-distance relationship outlast Kandi’s celibacy?

Dwight seemed to be the housewife causing the most controversy this episode, a lot of which centers around an alleged $10,000 loan he gave Greg Leakes without NeNe’s knowledge. It is odd that Greg cops only to a $500 “investment “with a $200 kick-back for Dwight. We’re guessing most of the hair services at Dwight’s salon cost more than $200. Something just doesn’t add up. The episode ends with NeNe handling the controversy in her usual way: making a scene in public, getting in Dwight’s face and pushing him around. What have we learned this week? Nobody puts Dwight in a corner.

By the way, did you catch Nene’s comment about Dwight’s fake nose? We guess she didn’t yet know she too would cut off her own nose to spite her face. And we’re off…. It’s going to be a good season! As newest member Phaedra portends, “phabulous, fierce and beautiful.” Bravo!