NeNe Leakes Says She Made “Real Housewives of Atlanta’ Successful & Sheree Whitfield Was Fired!

NeNe Leakes is certainly a “very rich bitch” these days and she can thank her ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ reality show beginnings for her new found fame. Not only has NeNe landed a reoccurring role on Fox’s ‘Glee’ but also a guest spot on new show, ‘The New Normal”, on NBC.

During her recent interview with The Insider NeNe dishes on why she’s been so successful and if it wasn’t for her ‘The Real Housewives wouldn’t be a success. Here’s what she had to say.

“Housewives does really well because of NeNe Leakes….in the franchise of the Real Housewives, we are the only brown girls. You can always turn on the TV and see those Beverly Hills girls, those Miami girls, those New Jersey girls, your New York girls and you still sorta kinda get the same flavor, but when you see the ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’, you are getting a group of brown girls.

I just think that we are entertaining, and with us, we are not so plastic surgery. I think when you turn on the TV and see these other franchises, everybody is just so plastic! Their lips and faces are just pulled so tight and we are just regular girls. We’re really keeping it real and I’m always so surprised when people say, ‘Are you guys scripted?’ We’re so not scripted, we are just a disaster [laughs]. We just get up there and do it! We don’t mind the cameras! We’re all very open to the cameras, so we make a great team.”

In the same interview when NeNe was asked if she and Kim Zolciak had come to a truce on past conflicts in their friendship she said boldly, “Me and Kim will never be friends.”

She then went on to elaborate on not thinking Kim is very smart and that she has changed allowing people to get in her head. She did say she wishes her well, however.

During a separate interview where she was asked about former housewife Sheree Whitfield NeNe reveals that Sheree was definitely fired! Although Whitfield released a statement earlier in the year about parting ways with the show, NeNe insists it wasn’t her decision to leave but the producers were bored with her and ended her contract.

Leakes says, “The producers chose not to pick up her option for this past season. I know she’s out there telling people that she decided to leave the show, but from what I know that is not what she decided to do. That is what they decided to do. She put out whatever reports she wanted to put out, and I don’t think they tried to challenge it because they don’t really give a s—t at the end of the day.”

On if she had something to do with Sheree getting fired NeNe stated in an interview earlier in the year, “Look I’m powerful but I ain’t that powerful.”

Ouch! But she didn’t stop there.

On former housewives, Lisa Hartwell and DeShawn Snow, who’ve also gotten axed from the show, Leakes goes on to say, “I feel like they’re all gone for a reason, and I don’t think any of them were smart enough to stick around for this long, and I don’t think any of them were smart enough to use this platform in ways they could have used it. They’re gone and I don’t think that they’re missed. Both (current cast member) Kandi (Buruss) and I have a business sense. That’s one thing a lot of girls on the show don’t have. Some people come on these shows to be famous. I was never interested in fame. I was always interested in supporting my family.”

NeNe On The Success of Housewives

Let me first say, I think NeNe Leake’s success is admirable. She was more than able to extend her 15 minutes of fame landing great guest spots and supporting roles in other successful television shows. But here’s my problem with her. Much like what you saw demonstrated in her interview, NeNe Leakes know nothing about humility. Her road to success was and still is partially attributed to putting others down. She’s a bully who knows how to dish it and spew fire when that same harshness is pointed her way. With that said, continue on your road to success. Just know, constructive criticism doesn’t always equate to someone “hatin” on you. Something you often say when faced with adversity. Clearly you don’t realize how brash and cocky you come off at times. Good luck with all that you continue to do. Okay, I’m done.

(Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)