Has 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta' star NeNe Leakes become a villain?

Remember NeNe during the first season of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta"? She was the homegirl you wanted to hang out with the most -- unpretentious (unlike the other wives), silly and unapologetic. She had money just like the rest of them, but she was on the outskirts of the group because she didn't put on airs. And when on-again, off-again friend Sheree didn't invite her to the big party, those were real feelings being hurt.

But then the show blew up and became a big fat hit for Bravo. "Atlanta" is the highest-rated of the network's "Housewives" series, surpassing viewership for the ladies of Orange County, New York and New Jersey. NeNe blew up too. Her feud with Kim -- similar to the Lauren Conrad-Heidi Montag "she said, she said" war on "The Hills" -- made the pair stars, and in Season 2, NeNe couldn't stop basking in her newfound spotlight.

She understood how she became famous, and so, very blatantly, she took every opportunity to stir up trouble in the show's second season. She arranged a get-together just days after Sheree had yanked off Kim's wig on the street. She acted the diva during the alter-ego photo shoot. She got up in newcomer Kandi's face repeatedly, and for no good reason. (Picking on Kandi? The most grounded and sympathetic of the "Housewives"? Not smart.) And just watch what happens during tonight's season finale.

I had lunch with all of the "Atlanta" women -- minus Kim -- not too long ago in Westwood, and it was pretty clear that being in close confines wasn't how they prefer to be. "We're cordial," Lisa kept saying. "Cordial" being separate and apart from "friends." After one too many questions about Kim, NeNe went off: "I'm not gonna sit here and eat my lunch and talk about Kim. You want to ask me about something about myself, I'd be glad to talk to you about it. I have a book. I'm doing a lot of things. I'm not interviewing about Kim."

Well, not until she felt like it. 

A few minutes after she smacked me down, she decided to let me in on a moment that didn't air on the show -- and didn't make the print version of my feature on her. "Kim was tongue-kissing a man. Tongue-kissing. And he wasn't Big Poppa," she said. It happened the night that Sheree puller her wig off, moments after that incident. Sheree jumped in: "I was telling the cameraman, 'You need to focus the camera over there where Kim is making out with that guy!' " NeNe just kept saying "Tongue-kissing."

So Kim made out with a random stranger, minutes after their quarrel? NeNe and Sheree said "Yes!" It triggered an entire discussion -- that I was left out of -- of how Kim does nothing but lie. One can only hope that footage and that story make the upcoming reunion episode, slated to air in two parts, on Oct. 29 and Nov. 5.

Read more about NeNe's transformation and why, for better or worse, making money drives all her decisions now in today's feature, "Queen bee of 'Real Housewives of Atlanta.' "

-- Denise Martin

Photo: Dwight, NeNe Leakes and Lisa Wu Hartwell during the taping of the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" reunion episode. Credit: Bravo

Comments

[Lavada Morgan]

Kandi, God bless you, I sdmire you as a young woman and I would like to say,"shake the hatas off!,"and stay hata free. Now NeNe, I don't no where you get off calling kandi ghetto, cause baby it don't look like you far from it.DRAMA! DRAMA! DRAMA! Lisa I love you! Sheree you are a DIVA! Kim, you're a bitch and I understand why noone likes you!

[viewer2]

I liked nene in season 1. I dont know what happened to her in season 2.

[Tired of NENE]

OMG! NeNe is the real ghetto queen! NOT Kandi! Heffer, Liar, and VILE are words she should use on herself! Get a grip NENE! We don't like YOU anymore!or in my case, NEVER!

[katie joseph]

I watch this show faithfully both seasons and its amazing that even having money you still have ghetto mentality.Kandi and Lisa Hartwell I commend them because they are business women both doing great and I see how they have money.Sheree is finally I guess is doing something now to make money,but Nene and Kim waist soo much money they are living off their men and too stupid to see that we are in a depression as if nothing could ever happen to them. Nene is a troublemaker I feel sorry for Greg because he is a good person to put up with her ignorance. Kim and Sheree are not satisfied unless each episode they talk about one of the other women. I also think that it was very tacky for Sheree to talk about Lisas fashion show she claims she was doing something for her son she never does anything with her kids and you can look at the way they look and dress and tell.I think Kandi is too intelligent for this show.

[Anony]

Ne Ne has become disgusting....what? She says she is a size 8? She is huge, more like a 18. She is a loud-mouth who thinks she is "all that". She should re-evaluate herself, take a look at herself. Saw her on the "Insider Show"...loud, nasty and extremely rude. Classless.

[leigh]

I liked Nene a lot the first season,then her head got to big and she started acting like a BITCH. I don't think Kim did anything wrong to her,so what she didn't want her in her song alls Nene did was make fun of her singing and then when Kandi made it hot she wwants in,I don't thaink so ... Good for kim,I like Kim and think she seems like the most fun.

[Leslee]

The only person on the show with any class or talent is Kandi. She's the one you wish you knew, the one you'd love to be friends with. Such a genuine human being.

The rest of them are wannabes. Nene's a sad, lost soul, endlessly over-compensating for not having been well-treated as a child. It's a drag, but at some point you need to heal from it and quit treating other people as bad as you were treated. She wonders why her son isn't stepping up to life? Where's his example? Nene contributes nothing but a big mouth.

NONE of these women are housewives, by the way. The only housewife on this show didn't make the cut for season two.

[Angel]

People please.. this is reality TV. If any of you have ever watched reality TV you know that most of it is not reality. It's hype for ratings thats what it is all about. At times it looks like acting and not very good at that.(Sheri and the housewife want to be friend of hers). That being said, NeNe is loud and aggressive her personality is hugh. And she doesn't let anyone punk her down. You have to have a strong personality to be able to hang with someone like this. I love her! I am small frame, but confident in who I am. Khandi I love as well she holds her own. But remember this is her first season, drama is what keeps you on the show and keep the show on. If you don't have drama it is boring to watch. I have to say Don't understand all the Daddy drama at her age. It was too much. And Kim baby please let the man move out the house before you think he's gonna marry you..it is what it is. Dwight saved Sheri Ass that's all I have to say about that.

All in All it took all the screaming, fighting, making up breaking up to make an exciting season. Hope to see all of them next season.

[Erma]

As a previous viewer commented, Kandi is such a sweetheart and someone you would want to know. My heart goes out to her for the loss of A.J. whom she did break off with before his untimely death. I also read that Lisa is the ex wife of R&B singer Keith Sweat. He has their two older kids. Lisa mentioned on the show that she had been in a abusive relationship prior to her now tv husband. I could not imagine Keith Sweat abusing a woman. Lisa never said the name of her abuser. As for Kandi, YOU GO GIRL!!!

[Dakota]

We don't like when NeNe keeps getting on Kim and Kandi. For example when Sherrie had her fashion show, it wasn't the time or place for NeNe to start bringing up conversation about Kim not allowing her to join in on the song that Kim waned to do solo by herself. She saw and heard that kandi did not want to further the conversation, but no she wanted to keep on talking. I, or i should say we, because there are others who are here with me that feels the same way. We think NeNe has a problem and Kandi, nor Kim owes her no apology, we think she owes them an apology for her behavior, we all take for granted that maybe she's going thru a little something because she doesn't know who her father is, but we all feel that she should take that in stride because she is not a kid, she's an adult, and she should'nt be taking it out on Kim nor Kandi. She's not acting like the adult we all thought she would act. NeNe is loud and bossy now and you really can't get a word in edgewide. We really wish she would leave Kim and now Kandi alone, would she do what she's doing to Kim and Kandi to Sherre or the others , no, we don't think so. NeNe needs to calm down and think about her actions and behavior. It's unsuitable for a black decentable woman from Georgia and we all are surprised at her. We all love Kim and Kandi, we love them all, but enough is enough from NeNe. Thanks for allowing our comment, Dakota

[amanda]

i agree with so many of the posts here, i cannot stomach nene anymore! yikes! what a bully is sooooo right, always instigating arguments, she is obnoxious and truly sad now (i, too, liked her in the first season, but not anymore) Her so called five minutes of fame has inflated her head and body so much its hard to watch her now! Love Kandi and Kim this season they are more "real" then any of the others! (btw i loved the straight hair that kim had on while talking to sheree about setting up an engagement party, she looked so pretty and i loved that hair on her the best) Nene needs to stop getting all up in kandi's face and kims, she thinks that they are always talking about her, but they are not. Kim and kandi are fun! (sheree, lisa nene are all so fake) (maybe sheree can get out of her stuck up self and be more likeable next season, and her fashion show was really good. Dwight little bit harder to take this season too, but i hope he changes back to how he used to be and i believe lisa is so very jealous of kim too..

[amanda]

oh yeah and i too am so tired of nene always talking bad about kims wigs, she is such the typical bully that has to pick on peoples looks all the time, how sad and btw kim and kandi are gorgeous, i hope sheree will soften up a bit and quit being so full of herself maybe she can almost be likeable. As for the other two, nene & lisa, not likeable and not fun at all. Nene and lisa think they are better then everyone because they show up to certain functions, but all they do once they get there is rag on the other castmates for not attending, acting like they are all better, no one cares when you show up lisa because you are mean hearted just like you were on the reunion on season one.

[amanda]

nene is bad news, i remember she so rudely kept interupting lisa's prayer for sheree's new house, nene is a witch.

[Beauty]

Fame (and the pressures of being the most famous/talked about one on the show) has clearly gone to Nene's head. I truly believe she is still the good-hearted, homegirl diva that she portrayed during the 1st season, but after being repeatedly credited with boosting the shows popularity/ratings she may feel pressured "take it up a notch". I think that was a misstep on her part.

It would have been nice (and would still be nice during the reunion) to see Nene scale her "persona" down a bit and make amends with Kandi, especially during her trying time. And I agree with another poster that said Nene "might" need Kandi as a friend at some point. Especially since Nene is the only one, besides Kandi, who can actually sing (as far as we've been shown).

I hope season 3 shows more of Nene's real personality and less of the fame fueled Nene RHOA persona. Having your name being mentioned by everyone, everywhere isn't always a good thing. Especially if they're not saying good things about you. Less of the hate, (unaknowledged) jealousy, instigating for TV's sake and more of the real, homegirl diva who tells it like it is and wears her heart on her sleave. I'm perfectly happy with leaving the "villain" title to Sheree!

[Beauty]

I also have to say that Nene's appearance on The Wendy Williams Show, during her book promotion, didn't help her increasing "villian" image much either. During the show Nene acted really fake. Really loud, really characature-ish, really game show hostess like... Just really not herself - if her character and personality as shown during RHOA 1st season is to be believed. Wendy Williams' reaction to Nene didn't help much either (very, "What's up with this chick?" and/or "I peep your game!") and Wendy's later comments about Nene when Kandi was on her show kind of hit the nail on the head about Wendy's thoughts/feelings about Nene personally. Wasn't good. Kind of sad too since you would think the two of them would hit it off too! It was hard to watch at times, like Nene was trying to "out Wendy" Wendy!

That's probably why Nene's book isn't moving the numbers they all thought it would. Why take advice from the caracature that we've all witnessed on the show this season??? I wouldn't want to take relationship advice from anyone (via book, radio or talk show) from someone who clearly seems to want to run all of hers into the ground for personal gains' (TV ratings, gossip blog mentions, project offers, etc..) sake!

[lalove316@msn.com]

I am new to blogging but can understand the feelings of bloggers on this site. NeNe is not a good representative of anyone that I know and I am sure that her husband, who is a professional, has to be embarassed by her actions. She is full of hate and carries herself as if she is the "Queen Bee" of the casts. She has a deep hatred/jealousy for Kim and Kandi and that presents itself in many of the episodes. If she loves Kim's children as she claims she does,then she would not have spoken of her friend as she did. She continues to talk about people talking about others, and that is exactly what she is doing. I deeply admire Kandi and all of the work that she has done to elevate herself. She is a spiritually grounded person and deserves all of the best. I am sorry for her lost, but glad to learn that her mother and A.J. had reconciled. Please do not hold onto any bad feelings. Everyone has a right to their opinions. As for Lisa, I am torn in the middle...she seems to co-sign with NeNe over everything and parades her husband around like she needs him to validate who she is and what she is worth. She keeps trying to respect him as the man of the family, but she is more concerned about her ATL status. Sheree is still trying to find herself and she did, indeed, need Dwight to make her fashion show a success. Sheree, you have more to offer than your bad disposition. You are a very attractive woman, but it all goes out the window when you open your mouth. JUST BEING HONEST!!!

[thereal]

All of you hating on nene really need to get a life do u not know that ur the same ppl talking about her are the same ppl makin her money kim is a straight liar, kandi is ok she grew on me, lisa ok, and sheree is just compeletly fake i bet if these ladies were not on this show they would be great friends.

[tina pontikakes]

Nene is a trip, she makes you laugh.Lisa gotta keep it real , at times you have to wonder if she is genuine.Sheree has a big ego, but is just trying to make it on her own.Kandy is so sweet & went thru alot, she is the most sincere.As for Kim, honey you look a mess, you need to dress better, you popped to much SILCONE in your new breasts, your hair looks disgusting & you're a whore messing w/a married man.Big poppa is some kind of schmuck, must be infatuated w/you silcione twins.Be a mother to your girls, you are a mess & need to step off the show!!! you aint no real housewive, but a real TRAMP!!Like Nene said "you'z a HEFFER", DUMB HO!!!

[Clara B]

Kim answered my problem, for the life of me Ne Ne remined me of something and Kim hit it right on the head "Ne Ne looks like a MOOOOSE/A@@. She towers over EVERYONE on the show. Another nice name is an Amazon or a Gladiator, Giant Lady in a Circus might be her calling. Ne Ne needs to learn how to keep that STUPID pointing finger out of other people faces. Can we all take up a collection to buy Ne Ne a new wig? She needs to wash that rug that she wears, it looks greasy and dirty.

[nicole]

No way! I love Nene! She is the most genuine on the show and she just speaks the truth about Kim. She may be bit of a drama queen but she is still a good person! As for Kim, you can smell that lady through the TV... shes garbage!!!