“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
Sha
July 30th, 2009
6:05 pm
NeNe you’re the best!!! Thanks for keeping it real!!!!
Nia
July 30th, 2009
6:50 pm
This show is a real joke and all the comments are so funny. First of all these are not real housewives these are some real hoodrats from ATL, So lets start with Sheree a uneducated hoodrat looking for a come up, and her house foreclosed WOW, then NeNe really looks like a DragQueen and if you havent notice check out her bottom teeth that are missing,damn all this money and no dental insurance,and Kandi why would you want a man with 6 kids, but I forget you like thugs, Lisa why dont you have custody of your older kids? Can someone answer that, Kim that voice is a hot mess you said you was a nurse please go back to nursing, Bravo should be a shame showing this trash!!! Real Hood Rats of Atlanta
April
July 30th, 2009
11:51 pm
Great commentary. Told without the fluff.
lizz
July 31st, 2009
12:40 am
NIA YOU SAID IT!!! HOODRAT MESS!!!!
Mr Paris Hilton
July 31st, 2009
1:19 am
Glad to see you all last night at the W and Ne Ne, can’t wait to buy and read ur book… talk at you all later! XO XO XO
T
July 31st, 2009
2:10 pm
What is this show about?? I assume its another reality show? The only time I hear about it is on the AJC… I think its sad that the entertainment industry’s creativity well is so dry that we are flooded with these type shows.. and that blonde needs to let some air out of these bags of hers.. LOL
Stacy
July 31st, 2009
2:45 pm
Steak Shapiro’s Father in Law thinks these ladies are way over the hill! Not to his liking at all!
Bekki
July 31st, 2009
2:46 pm
Is it just me or does Kandi Burruss look like the Joker (Jack Nicholson)?
Stacy
July 31st, 2009
2:48 pm
I saw Steak Shapiro’s father in law hanging out in Buckhead last night at Moondogs!
Wendy
July 31st, 2009
3:38 pm
These women do not potray “real housewive” in Atlanta. Only 2 of them are married. They are a bunch of materialistic hoes, plain and simple. I wouldnt watch their show if my life depended on it….they suck!!!
KDMack
July 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
MOJO JEFF! If you are the great “white” hope why are you watchin the show. Please take a look at the news a little hardier your people not doing much better.. Crime is crime comes in all colors; however, your boyz tend to molest their students, children, neighbors, etc. and rip off their golf buddies with bogus ponzie schemes. I could go on, but I digress. Get a life!!
Wicked Wanda
July 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
C’mon Kandi, all da brothers in Atlanta and hook up with dude with 6 count ‘em 6 kids. You better invest properly.
Dee
July 31st, 2009
9:01 pm
WHAT THE HELICOPTER DOES GREG NeNe’s hubby do for a living? NeNe keep faking it til you make girl!!
Erin
August 2nd, 2009
9:30 am
I really laugh hard at these women! I am so glad that I am not hoodlum such as NeNe and pretending to be something that I am not. All of these women worship material goods. You can’t take any of it with you when you die. Pitiful show!!!
Mark
August 2nd, 2009
9:30 am
This show is a joke. I think only one is married, and I would hardly call them housewives. They are gold diggers that bring NOTHING to the table. Take away the money they have gotten from spreading their legs or marrying a famous athlete/muscician, and they are bagging groceries at Piggly Wiggly.
Huh
August 2nd, 2009
10:35 am
Trashy!
jason
August 2nd, 2009
11:23 am
AJC, did you just hear and feel the thud of bumping the bottom…complete loss of integrity by covering this “story”. You and all your RHWOF can get stuffed.
Les
August 2nd, 2009
11:24 am
Losers.
Lance
August 2nd, 2009
11:25 am
If you’ve read this far, you have no life, go kill yourself.
Tyetye
August 2nd, 2009
11:46 am
I have never watched the show until this season, I have heard some good and bad thing. Here is my take, they are all beautiful women. Kim is gorgeousw I think she is just young. At 30 you are just getting to know who you really are. NeNe is funny as hell and she does keep it real but Ithink she should not talk behind her FRIENDS back. Sheree, She is beautiful but going thru a lot right now. Lisa is beautiful as well but a little too faced tome but a really nice girl. Candi is a trip, she seems cool. We all trying to make it leave them alone.
forreal
August 8th, 2009
9:36 pm
It’s a shame how we, put our own people down. I hate that! We sit and watch all of the other negative trash on tv (news, relality, sitcoms, movies, videos, radio) with nothing to say. But as soon as these 5 women are chosen to do a reality show, they are called all sorts of names; by their own people. LADIES, COME ON! You should uplift each other. We are called out of our name every day by the world. Then, you all are on here reading and responding to the show, but overlooking this WHITE person on here calling US out of our name, and only two people responded. This is foolish. Uplift your sisters and brothers. Talk about the positive things these women are doing. YES, THEY ALL HAVE SOMETHING POSITIVE GOING ON IF YOU GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE GOSSIP AND GET TO KNOW THEM. This is just a show. Bravo has cut and placed things around to make it look just as you all see it. But let YOUR OWN life speak. If you live in Atlanta, you see what’s REAL everyday. Not only are blacks in the news with dumb crimes; so are whites, hispanics, asians you name it. And for JEFF, I was born and raised in Georgia; Where whites, sent their kids to school with the same clothes on three times a week. They stood in the same line as the blacks to get free lunch. Where the rich white kids were all too high to get promoted to the next grade honestly so their parents paid the teachers to pass them, afraid they would be a disgrace; only for their child to graduate an become a drug dealer,thief or murderer. AND YES THESE ARE WHITE KIDS. Yes, there may be a large percentage of blacks on the free lunch program, but please know that it’s not because they all can’t afford it; but because for some, their parents had enough sense to find a way to beat the system because the system will sure beat the hell out of us. I’m sure your parents wish they could have found out how to put you on that program. And since you have everything so together (or at least you think you do), why don’t you go down to some of these boys and girls clubs and show them how they should act. Better yet, go into the homes of some of these low-income families and pay for their lunch for the school year. That would give you something worth talking about. By the way, watch what you say. You never know whose operating table you may end up on day.
forreal
August 8th, 2009
10:08 pm
Never know who’s…that is.
Watchin
September 9th, 2009
1:17 am
I love watching the Housewife’s of Atlanta. Kandi is such a sweet LADY. As far a NENE….hummmm, she needs to tone it down – WAY down……She always has her bullet proof vest on (defensive), just chill woman and she can be just as beautiful as the other housewife’s. Learn from Kandi !
Lolita Thomas
October 15th, 2009
10:30 pm
I Luv you Divas keep on keeping America on their toes talking bout yall! I wish I could be on their with yall! Who knows what The Lord ’s gonna do.