Laura Turner Seydel is not joining ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’
In December, Laura Turner Seydel hosted the annual Captain Planet Foundation at the Georgia Aquarium in December. Here she is presenting an environmental award to TV host Jeff Corwin. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com
The National Enquirer this week reported that Ted Turner’s daughter and Atlanta philanthropist Laura Turner Seydel would be joining “The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ as a cast member season five.
Her spokeswoman Denise Elsbree exclusively told me that this is not true.
It is true that Bravo asked Seydel to be a cast member after her appearance on the January 8 episode. Marlo Hampton, who knew Seydel, had invited NeNe Leakes to a fundraiser for Captain Planet Foundation, which Seydel runs. Bravo was charmed by Seydel’s presence and invited her to be part of the show.
“She really enjoyed that,” Elsbree said. “It was fun. She was able to promote Captain Planet. She works hard to get the message out about the group’s different initiatives.”
But Seydel is too busy to be part of the Bravo show. “She has a really complicated schedule. She’s on all sorts of boards of foundations and travels all the time,” Elsbree said. “She’s flattered to be considered but there’s no way she could do it.”
She said the inquiry happened soon after the January 8 appearance and Bravo sent Seydel an application January 25. This past Wednesday, Feb. 8, Seydel’s staff sent back a response saying no, she can’t do it, Elsbree said.
Already, speculation is rife who will stay and who will go for season five of “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Kim Zolciak has a spin-off show debuting after season four ends but there is no word on whether Zolciak will stay on or leave “Real Housewives.” Ditto with NeNe. She appears to be focused on getting acting gigs, like her well-received appearance on “Glee” as a swimming coach.
There is also a rumor floating around that Phaedra Parks is considering jumping ship to VH1’s new “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta,” but that sounds especially dubious.
In early December, Buckhead socialite Courtney Cloer Thompson was rumored to have joined “Real Housewives of Atlanta” as well.
Bravo has not officially indicated who will be on the show next year.
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By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk
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65 comments Add your comment
Casual Observer
February 10th, 2012
3:16 pm
Seydel is one smart lady (to know better than to join that mess).
Leigh
February 10th, 2012
3:25 pm
She was FLATTERED? to be asked to join that show? FLATTERED? Ahem. She must not get very many compliments.
denni macklin
February 10th, 2012
4:41 pm
Someone earlier said that “No respectable ivory woman would do such a show”. I would like to change that and say NO RESPECTABLE WOMAN WOULD DO THAT SHOW. I have friends in Atlanta who are housewives and would NEVER do such a show.Mrs. Seydel just wanted to promote her fundraiser and Captain Planet Foundation. I wonder if she would ever invite Marlo to go out of town with her! Somethings is terribly wrong with all of those females on the show. Phaedra is supposedly a respectable lawyer but she is on such a show. Are times that hard? Do you have paying clients? We won’t even get into the wannabes like Nene, Sheree, and Marlo and please don’t forget that sad sack of a female, Cynthia. She is a follower and in such need of friendship, FROM THE WRONG PEOPLE. She needs to listen to her sister and leave those zeroes and get with the heroes. Peter is not a hero…neither are Nene and Marlo. Trashy Show and I am done!
Toodle Poodle
February 10th, 2012
5:07 pm
Marlo Thomas was Phil Donahue’s wife. She was also on a television show in the 70’s called That Girl which was very popular in its day. She was a star in her time.
Marlo Hampton is a recurring character on a trashy “reality” show called Real Housewives of Atlanta. She was married to no one and will never be a star in anyone’s time.
notaracist
February 10th, 2012
5:14 pm
@Toodle Poodle Thanks for the clearing that up.
Kat
February 10th, 2012
5:58 pm
I definitely knew who she was when Rodney mentioned her name. I just didn’t choose to relay the mixup in her name. But yes, I know a lot about her and her father’s history in broadcasting, with the Braves, philanthropy, etc. Thanks.
Atlanta blows
February 10th, 2012
6:18 pm
The Atlanta housewives aren’t even wealthy like the other housewive series and why would she want to be on with a bunch of nigs.
losers
February 10th, 2012
7:15 pm
I don’t watch this clown show but I do enjoy reading Rodneys column to keep up with some things in the world or radio and TV. But, Sydel joining that clown show with that pack of hussies would be like Peyton Manning going to play arena football.
Maybe they will ask the Runaway bride to join or maybe Arthur Blanks ex(I hear she gets around).
Lizza
February 13th, 2012
3:13 pm
Marlo, Nene are so ignorant. The nerve of Marlo with her nappy head butt had the nerve while visiting another country to say those kids needed a perm, are U that stupid, I guess so. Nene with her moose teeth, I really use to enjoy her, but this woman has done a 150 degree change..yes change is good but this heffer is a user. And poor stupid Cynthia wanted to be with the other girls so she could enjoy herself but didn’t have the backbone, LOL. I will say this Sherre could whip Marlo in a fair fight if It came to that, Marlo isn’t stupid. Marlo called Sheri “UGLY” has Marlo looked in the mirror she wish she did look half as nice as Sheri..enough until next week. one more thing.Phedra was good because there was no way Marlo would have stayed in the villa I rented for the other girls and those who didn’t like it the door could have hit them in the rear too. And NeNe telling Phedra she didn’t beleive she didn’t have an issue with her and Phedra should have told her,” I care less about what U believe and are we having an intervention session? NeNe will drop Cynthia like she has with Dianna..watch
another comment
February 13th, 2012
5:45 pm
Laura Turner has not always been the brightest light. As a teen when Ted Turner and Family were living up in East Cobb at the Atlanta Country Club, Laura “sold” her Ford automobile that Daddy Ted had given her to drive to my late Brother -in- law Jon. E. Then My mother-in law who lived with her family over in the Indian Hills Country Club Estates at the time, went with her son to register the car that he had bought from Laura Turner. Surprise Surpise, the Ford was leased to Turner Enterprises, and not owned by Laura Turner or even Ted Turner. My mother-in-law then took Jon and marched over to Ted Turner’s door and knocked on the door with the car. Ted Turner promptly wrote them out a check for the amount that Jon had paid for the Turner company car that was leased.
These was always our funny family story about my ex-husbands family growing up in East Cobb. Uncle Jon’s encounter with Laura Turner and the leased car sale. We have always had a good laugh about Ted having to quickly write a check to cover her sale of a car she did not own.
phaeydra
February 13th, 2012
6:04 pm
CAN WE JUST CANCEL THIS SHOW?!
Marlo's man
February 13th, 2012
7:11 pm
Afro girl, Rhonnie, Toodo Poodle. Get your fabricated stories straight. Marlo was with a 60yr old Caucasian male if you listened last night. The 80yr old story was just a schtick for you hicks who have no life’s.
Ted Turner’s daughter used Real Housewives as a vehicle to generate more publicity for her charity. She has too much money and class to join a tacky reality show. Bravo realizes most women in Buckhead who are influential live far too productive lives to ever have time for this nonsense.
@another comment
February 13th, 2012
7:17 pm
What’s your point @another comment? First I doubt the story. Second I’m sure your panties stink. Give us the real mess about you’re life. Crickets Chirping.
Really Now!
February 13th, 2012
7:41 pm
Any woman that has an ounce of sense or class would not think about going on this show! I really think it is going downhill. Ignorance is the order of the day every episode! I thought Phaedra would “class it up” some, not! Then this last trashy tramp Marlo that they added is CLASSLESS! I really wish that black women would think about how they show themselves to the rest of tbe world. When given an opportunity to be role models, they should be ashamed!
S2C
February 17th, 2012
8:48 am
Believe me, I know that the HOA is strictly entertainment, and over the top, IT IS!!!! Only for our viewing pleasure. HOWEVER, if Ghetto Marlo is going to be a permanent cast member, I’m out. There’s only so much I can take. It went from being fun, funny, and purely unbelievable to ghetto, trashy and embarrassing. Guess THIS is the formula for great ratings. PEACE OUT my fellow HOA viewers!