“Real Housewives of Atlanta” premiere party at W Hotel in Buckhead
L-R: Sheree Whitfield, NeNe Leakes, Kim Zolciak, Lisa Wu Hartwell, Kandi Burruss. Photo credit: Brian Hah/www.tinyurl.com/Yogurberry
Attention is like oxygen for “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” If a red carpet isn’t there, do you even exist?
Fortunately for the five women from the Bravo show, last night’s premiere party at the W Hotel in Buckhead was nirvana thanks to the camera-toting media horde. More than 500 people showed up, including Tameka “Tiny” Cottle and Antonia “Toya” Carter from the BET show “Tiny & Toya,” Q from the local R&B group 112 and music producer Jazze Pha. Zolciak invited her cosmetic surgeon Louis Cole, who said he may or may not show up in this season’s episodes. And show creator Princess Banton-Lofters, whose production company Loft 22 Entertainment helped put together the party, came by as well.
The publicist’s media advisory promised attendees such as Mike Vick, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and R&B singer Angie Stone. I did not see them.
Lisa Wu Hartwell was the first of the five there, looking fabulous in a green dress created by Sergio Hudson. Soon after, new buds Kim Zolciak and Kandi Burruss strolled into the green room for interviews. At about 9:30 p.m., NeNe Leakes joined the other three, highlighted by a stunning pearl necklace.
NeNe told my videographer Ryon Horne that the show portrayed her 100 percent accurately season one and she expected no different season two. She also said she didn’t get along with Burruss partly because she felt Burruss, as the newcomer in the group, didn’t show her the proper respect.
I also spoke briefly with Kim about her relationship with Kandi. “She is the best thing to happen to the show,” Kim said. “She’s phenomenal and so beautiful.” Kandi, she said, helps her big time in the music studio as Kim pursues a country music career.
Last housewife there? Sheree Whitfield, who decided to channel ’80s era Tina Turner and Grace Slick with a Mad Max-style hairdo. She came in too late to do many interviews. I also noticed that she never smiles with her mouth open when she poses. Instead, she does her own version of Zoolander’s “Blue Steel.” (See the photo on top.)
While I was in the green room, there was a fight and someone ended up on the ground. I was not able to get any real details except a man was booted from the premises.
The screening was scheduled to start at 10 p.m. By 10:30 p.m., most everyone was seated, but several folks milled about gabbing away in front of the screen. The plaintive cries of the emcee to sit down went ignored. I had already seen the first episode (Bravo had sent a screener a couple of weeks ago) so my fiance and I left at 10:45 p.m.. The screening did start a few minutes later, according to one of the publicists today. Apparently, people sat in spaces reserved for the housewives and it took some time to get extra seats to accommodate the women.
As I was leaving, I saw frequent NeNe sidekick and hairdresser Dwight Eubanks at the valet. He was departing early as well. I said to him, “You’re in the first five minutes of the first episode. Why are you missing that?” He rolled his eyes and said, “Whatever.” He had been there a long time already.
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” season two, debuts at 10 p.m. Thursday on Bravo.
My friend Brian Hah (see below, with NeNe), the owner of Yogurberry in Buckhead, helped out with the gift bags and was also able to bail me out in terms of pictures. I had forgotten my camera so he sent me a few shots he took. Thanks, Brian!
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124 comments Add your comment
livNtheATLbywayofNC
July 29th, 2009
2:21 pm
I love love love the real housewives of Atlanta…it’s sooooooooooo entertaining and it’s the best housewives out of all the others…I love NeNe, keep keepin it real NeNe…Lisa, you have the cutest baby boy…Sheree, I love the straight hair and parted down the middle…Kandi, looking forward to what you will bring to the show…Kim, my mom says if I can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all…Deshawn, I missed you this season (you kept the show balanced)
Ms.Simon
July 29th, 2009
2:25 pm
Ewwwww all of the women of RHOA looks like they could have been men before!!!! Lisa is a drugged out slut. Ask Keith Sweat hmmmm….
Ummm don’t you have to actually be a WIFE before you are even considered to be a HOUSEWIFE. Only two of these women are married I believe.
I really think they could have found prettier women/wives in the entire state of GA.
Nene knows that’s a wig she’s wearing. Come on it’s no “haircut”.
Tyree
July 29th, 2009
2:27 pm
This is the longest 15 minutes EVER! Good Lord would these women disappear already. Except for Dwight Eubanks. I can’t wait to see you out at the clubs one night twinkles buns. I’ll have you singing a falsetto version of Chuck Berry’s “My Ding Aling”.
arlene
July 29th, 2009
2:48 pm
I had enough of them last season. They are not worth staying up late for, and I don’t think it will ever get better. Also, they DO NOT represent the real women of Atlanta…..divorcees, gold diggers, wannabees; get a real job and a real life!
lanerlaw
July 29th, 2009
2:49 pm
Shouldn’t a base requirement of any show labeled “housewifes” be that you are a wife?….
deejay
July 29th, 2009
2:51 pm
Some are saying RHOA has got to go! But only the ratings will show whether RHOA is is here to stay ! So, I might check it out just to see if it is the real deal.
PI
July 29th, 2009
3:03 pm
Everyone’s comments here are hilarious!!
Anyway, there’s absolutely no shame in my game. I am sooo looking forward to this 2nd season. At a minimum, you’ll get a great laugh from the show. Afterall, a little break from reality (i.e. stinking economy, job losses, healthcare reform) is in order.
Huh?
July 29th, 2009
3:07 pm
Wannabee is the EPITOMY of what Atlanta stands for!
lulu
July 29th, 2009
3:20 pm
Real housewives don’t look like that – they should name it plastic housewives
JB
July 29th, 2009
3:21 pm
From the looks of Sheree’s hair, I guess her ex hasn’t been paying the electric bill either because she obviously couldn’t plug in the hair dryer and iron.
justin case
July 29th, 2009
3:40 pm
If there is nothing better to watch or do….. I’ll be watching it. Afterall, BRAVO obviously had nothing better to do. Are Kim, Sheree or Candi even married? Hell they couldv’e called me, if that were the case. At least I own my house.
jeff
July 29th, 2009
3:41 pm
atowndownboy is still using the race thing. Just continues to bring the inability to learn to the table. Watch you little getto reality show while the rest of the population fix your inability to help yourself with all your getto problems
AtownDownBoy
July 29th, 2009
3:58 pm
Let me clear it up for you bump broke A$$ folks, ATL= GHETTO TRASH, NJ= STREET TRASH, OC=BEACH TRASH, NY=JEWISH TRASH.
Peez out loosers.
the official Housewives of Atlanta Thread - Page 2 - Best Talk On The Web
July 29th, 2009
4:21 pm
[...] “Real Housewives of Atlanta” premiere party at W Hotel in Buckhead | Radio & TV Talk __________________ [...]
2Cents2
July 29th, 2009
4:25 pm
AtownDownBoy – I think Jersey = Mob Trash (is that a dichotomy?) or the more popular “Gambino Trash.” You’re other labels are spot on.
the official Housewives of Atlanta Thread - Page 3 - Best Talk On The Web
July 29th, 2009
4:27 pm
[...] Posted by Bruhman
Chris
July 29th, 2009
4:47 pm
Are Nene and Kandi related??????????????????????????????
GRACE
July 29th, 2009
4:51 pm
Why is “wife” in the title. Isn’t Lisa the only one married. NeNe & her husband reportly separated after the last season so they may be together for the purpose of the show.
Pompano
July 29th, 2009
5:00 pm
Sure is a scary looking bunch – Khandi looks like a Saturday morning cartoon character.
Ne Ne Fan
July 29th, 2009
5:02 pm
Kandi bees so black she almost don’t be showin up , plus she looks like her dam head came strait up off a dam totem pole.
Laughing
July 29th, 2009
5:43 pm
Why does NeNe look like a man in drag?
Anne
July 29th, 2009
5:49 pm
Sad….Some of these comments show that many of you have no room to talk. Wake up, people can dress nice, live in beautiful homes, drive fancy cars but if you weren’t raised with class and weren’t taught how to speak correct english well……….hell it’s too late for this group.
mofojeff
July 29th, 2009
6:07 pm
How embarrasing! Atlanta’s classiest wouldn’t even consider such a demoralizing show. Sad thing is, this is a real portrait Atlanta’s “classier” blacks. You can’t take the ghetto out of the blacks. Watch the local news every night and you see nothing but black on black crime and murder. It will be generations before they adapt. Sad.
AreYouSerious
July 29th, 2009
6:32 pm
Mofojeff I beg to differ. This show doesn’t represent in any way the “classier” blacks in Atlanta. You obviously don’t know any black people personally for you to make an ignorant statement like this. These ladies are only representing themselves….period. And let me enlighten you further…there are ghetto white people and you can’t take the ghetto out of them either. Been past a Trailer Park lately….ghetto on wheels, tin ghetto. Sad!!!!
Strong Black Woman
July 29th, 2009
6:46 pm
The REAL housewives of Atlanta wouldn’t dare entertain this nonsense. They’re doing what they do best: remaining classy ladies in the comfort of their own homes. I move that the show be renamed: BROKE B!TCHES OF ATLANTA WHO CAUGHT SOME POOR MAN SLIPPIN
Shaniqua Alize Jenkins
July 29th, 2009
6:49 pm
Once again: whites masquerading as ignorant blacks on blogs are L-A-M-E.
Additionally: *thumbs down* if you’re a fan of Real Housewives of [insert random city here]. The true housewives are out spending their rich husbands’ money, and have no time for reality TV shenanigans.
admin
July 29th, 2009
7:42 pm
Read reviews of all real housewives franchises at
http://www.absurdtosublime.net/
mofojeff
July 29th, 2009
9:05 pm
Strong Black Woman, Shaniqua Alize Jenkins, pull your head out of the sand. This show is an embarrassment to the black community – rich or poor. We all know Kim is trash. I know it’s hard to look at your community in the mirror. More than 60% of your children are on the free breakfast or lunch program in Fulton County schools. I am white and watch the news at eleven. If you can’t get in touch with that reality, you are idiots. I masqerade as white. Black and class are an oxymoron. Thank you for reading. 40 years of civil rights and denial. We’ve given you an advantage and you can’t even take advantage of that. So sad.
IheartRHOA
July 29th, 2009
9:13 pm
Come on people lighten up! This show is pure entertainment. It’s common knowledge only two are wives on the show. But so what? Get over yourselves and enjoy the train wreck! There are at least 5 good reasons to watch LOL
Let’s look at Kim shall we? Visually she is such plastic mess, not at all trannylicious like Sheree and NeNe. From the synthetic wigs, botox freeze, nose job, plumped lips and bolted on tiddays. This woman is a walking billboard for Barbie cosmetics.She is pure plastic and pretty too. The self professed “black woman in a white woman’s body” is quite a character mainly because she is not a housewife. She is a homewrecker. This season should reveal more of her relationship with her lover/benefactor/married man Big Poppa now that he has been outed- thanks to the internet. (FYI Big Poppa and his wife were seen in Peach Buzz at Frank Ski’s birthday party together. Great pics! Thanks AJC!). Is Big Poppa still in the picture? Or has Kim found another sugar daddy? Has she finally kicked the habit? The woman smoked like a chimney. What’s gong on with her music career? Hopefully, she invested in some vocal lessons. I couldn’t bear to hear her embarrass herself again on national tv. Oh and let’s not forget Kim’s relationship with the other women on the show changes like the weather. So it’ll be fun to watch her lick Kandi’s boots now. Kim has so many issues with NeNe and now Lisa one can hope she makes it through this season without being assaulted. Ooh the drama of it all!
Must see tv!
mofojeff
July 29th, 2009
9:29 pm
Per the FBI, homicide victimization rates are 6 times higher for blacks than those for whites. Offending rates are 7 times higher than those for whites. Ever watch “COPS,” or “The First 48?” But, I suppose that is a white issue. Quit having babies if you can’t raise them properly. I’m sure these statistics are bunk and whites are to blame. Denial is killing your people. Go to Liberia, I have. It is indicative of a pure Black society. Educate yourself, then write about it on here.
Bea
July 29th, 2009
10:09 pm
These women need to get a life and ask God for help. Thanks Mrs.Snow for keeping yourself out of this foolishness and not showing how deseparate you are to be in the spotlight.
America At It's Worst
July 29th, 2009
11:00 pm
Most of these women aren’t even married…..housewife? Keyword WIFE is needed to be a house wife. Not jump-off, or the other woman, or unwed mothers. TV sucks, so I won’t be watching…Enjoy.
Willx
July 29th, 2009
11:57 pm
I’ve heard more than a couple of folks say most of the ‘Housewives’ look like post op Tranny’s.
Miss_Lola
July 30th, 2009
5:36 am
Is it just me, or does Kim look like a demented Barbie doll?
Christopher
July 30th, 2009
8:51 am
Sheree is 33. Kim is 31.
Really. Really?
veeiam
July 30th, 2009
9:11 am
Come on Mofojeff. Not all black people do crime and have their kids on free lunch program. You don’t know any black people do you? Just say it you hate blacks.I pray that GOD FORGIVES YOU! You are so hateful!
wreckmaniac
July 30th, 2009
9:38 am
As an Atlanta native (one of the three remaining) I will speak up for the women of Atlanta and say that the show “Designing Women” which had a
great run about 10 years ago was a far more accurate representation
of the ladies of the city I love. Before that the best example is
Gone with The Wind.
john
July 30th, 2009
9:40 am
What is all the hype about????..***sounds of cricketts***
john
July 30th, 2009
9:51 am
Bore, bore….snooze, snooze!!!!
PTCGAL
July 30th, 2009
9:59 am
They are a real example of the Atlanta population. What a shame they bring to the state of Ga. Good example, money DOES NOT buy class.What bunch of trash!
vernisa wortham
July 30th, 2009
10:22 am
where do you find these people…i would not watch them if it was the only thing on TV…
Turd Ferguson
July 30th, 2009
11:15 am
Just another group of stupid silly no-nothing beeeatches.
phyllis
July 30th, 2009
11:42 am
I’VE watched all of the real housewives shows.I feel that they are beautiful women with diffrent ethnic backgrounds.some of them have been threw many ups &downs.So don’t hate on them.If you don’t have any thing nice to say,then please don’tsay anything at all! (Do it ladies)
mofojeff
July 30th, 2009
1:15 pm
The truth hurts.
— TV Tattle
July 30th, 2009
1:26 pm
[...] Atlanta “Real Housewives” returns, with an emotional new housemate Kandi Burruss, a former member of the musical group Xscape, says “I did a lot of crying” on the show. She also confesses that she “bumped heads” with NeNe Leakes. “I had a moment toward the end of taping that just kind of got out of control,” she says. PLUS: Check out pics from the premiere party. [...]
Die Hard NeNe fan
July 30th, 2009
1:58 pm
U cannot buy class so sit ya behind down! This show is ENTERTAINTMENT!!!
No different from the Real Housewives Franchises !!! I love it and It is going down season 2….
if u want to see a show with classy lady please turn to the TBN and dont forget to tithe!
ANNETTE
July 30th, 2009
2:03 pm
IT’S ABOUT TIME THEY PUT SOMETHING ON THAT’S WORTH WATCHING.THE OTHER REALITY SHOWS LIKE NEWYORK,NEW JERSEY AND ORANGE COUNTY WAS SO LAME AND BORING.
ANNETTE
July 30th, 2009
2:08 pm
HOPE THIS SEASON NE-NE PUT HER FOOT IN KIM’S MOUTH AND CLOSE IT FOR GOOD LOL
Big Boom from NY
July 30th, 2009
2:17 pm
They are actually bringing this Garbage back to
TV. The Fake Housewives of Duluth. You couldn’t pay me to watch this trash…
Leah
July 30th, 2009
3:30 pm
I can’t wait to see it! The first season was a riot and I hope the second season is even more so. Sheree was a trip…you can’t get money from a man if he is not willing to give it. You already know ex-hubby let that house go into foreclosure b/c he didn’t want to pay for it. As for Kim, she is obviously trying to keep up with the Joneses. Poor baby. Maybe this season she’ll score and find one that will make a real housewife and give her access to his accounts so she won’t sound pathetic begging for a car over the cell phone. NeNe tells it like it is and that’s why people don’t like her. If you don’t want you feelings hurt then don’t say nothing to her. But let the some of the fake s&^* go. Lisa is one of the ones that actually does what a housewife that doesn’t have to work is supposed to do…take care of your children, charities and start your own businesses in case hubby starts to trip and finds a younger version of you. Can’t wait to see what Kandi has to offer…but wait is she a housewife or ever has been? I don’t get it?
From Real ATL born housewife. Born at Hugh Spalding 1978.