NeNe Leakes Says Bravo Treated Black Housewives As 'Second Class & Inferior' With Low-Budget Trips To 'Less Desirable' Locations
April 26 2022, Published 2:49 p.m. ET
NeNe Leakes took issue with how Bravo and NBC treated her all-Black Real Housewives of Atlanta cast compared to the white franchises, claiming that when it came to vacations and budget, they were treated as "second class and inferior."
In documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, NeNe listed several reasons to back up her explosive allegations.
"As had occurred in the past, NBC, Bravo, and True continued the underlying systemic discrimination by continuing to treat the Black housewives, and their shows, as second class and inferior to the white housewives, and their shows," the documents read.
According to NeNe, the vacations planned for the RHOA cast "were typically inferior trips to less prestigious, desirable locations."
The former Bravo personality also alleged the manner of travel — like budget and ways of transportation — was "far inferior" to the all-white Housewives.
She included a comparison of RHOA being supplied an "old sprinter bus" to drive from Atlanta to Florida — "which ended up having a flat tire on the way" — to the "luxurious private jets that the white housewives would often take on their vacation trips."
NeNe included an email from a showrunner as evidence of the alleged unfair treatment. The email read, "We had to really pressure and turn it on in order to get RHOA on a trip as big and expensive as Greece, so expectations are very high for all of us (as they usually are)."
Besides the accused travel inconsistencies, NeNe also there was a difference in glam and promotional materials for RHOA versus Bravo's white franchises.
In the documents, NeNe claimed the hair and makeup "offered to the Black housewives, and their shows, was less than and inferior to that offered to the white housewives, and their shows."
She also alleged, "the promotional materials for the Black housewives were not treated in the same manner as the materials for the white shows – e.g., lower budget; old, outdated photos; failing to touch up in the same manner, etc."
NeNe said she "raised concerns about this differential treatment in, among other times, January 2019," but her efforts were "effectively ignored."
As Radaronline.com previously reported, the former Georgia Peach filed a lawsuit against Bravo, Andy Cohen, NBCUniversal, True Entertainment, and Truly Original last week.
NeNe alleged they fostered "a corporate and workplace culture in which racially-insensitive and inappropriate behavior is tolerated – if not, encouraged.”
She even used an example that allegedly occurred with her ex-RHOA friend-turned-enemy Kim Zolciak-Biermann. NeNe claimed Kim made alleged racist remarks and when she complained to executives, they retaliated against her.
Instead of handling Kim's alleged behavior, NeNe slammed Bravo for giving her and her family their own show.
NeNe claimed the network then pushed her out.
“As the Black Lives Matter movement swept our nation, Mrs. Leakes — Bravo’s historically most successful Black female talent — should have been embraced by NBC, Bravo, and True,” her lawsuit read. “Instead, NBC, Bravo, and True forced her out of the ‘house she built,’ denying her a regular role.”
Kim wasn't the only Housewife NeNe went for. She also named Ramona Singer and Luann de Lesseps in her documents, as well as Bravo stars Stassi Schroeder and Kathryn Dennis.
NeNe famously left RHOA in 2020. Season 14 of the show is set to air on May 1, with the cast including Sheree Whitfield, Drew Sidora, Kenya Moore, Marlo Hampton, Kandi Burruss, and newcomer Sanya Richards Ross.