NeNe Leakes
News (Page 2)

It's no secret that NeNe Leakes and Kim Zolciak don't get along.

But these The Real Housewives of Atlanta castmates were friends at one time. As a result, "now that they're enemies, [NeNe is] ready to dish some dirt," an insider said of Leakes' upcoming book, "Never Make the Same Mistake Twice."

The book, which is being published by Simon & Schuster, supposedly focuses on on Nene's life as a single mother, but it saves room for a couple digs at Zolciak.

Most notably, NeNe exposes her former's pal's shady past: she worked as a stripper named "Barbie" in New Jersey's Atlantic City.

Hey, at least you have company, Danielle Staub.

"Never Make the Same Mistake Twice" will come out later this year.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta premieres on Bravo tonight.

But two of the show's stars are already involved in a heated exchanged of words as veteran cast member NeNe Leakes says she doesn't get along with newbie Kandi Burruss.

“I did not know her before the show and I still don’t know her now,” Leakes said. “I think she was hearing negativity from somewhere else because she does not know me well enough to treat me the way that she does. But, it’s okay. I find that women who are very weak cannot stand up to a strong woman like me.”

Leakes was responding to Kandi's assertion that the former "called me ghetto at one point. She has a lot of nerve. Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?”

Burruss added:

“Her mouth is just way too much. I cannot take the loud talking and the waving of the finger in your face. If you do that to me, I am ready to go after you.”

Ding! Ding! It's already on between Kandi Burruss and NeNe Leakes!

When The Real Housewives of Atlanta returns on July 30, the focus will once again be on NeNe Leakes.

While making her publicity rounds for the second season of the Bravo series, Leakes dished on a number of topics to E! News. Here's a look at what she had to say:

On Anderson Cooper: "I follow him on Twitter and he follows me. But we haven't talked. I'm going to New York in August, and I swear to God I'm going to his office and knocking on the door. I'm going to be like, ‘What is your problem? Why haven't you called me?'"

On new Housewife, Kandi Burruss: "I think [Kim Zolciak] has been feeding negative things about me. And instead of Kandi getting to know me for herself, she just prejudged me…Most people like me, but I just find women who are very weak let someone get it in their ear and they prejudge."

On the most recent Housewives: "We're the queens, honey. We're back to take our crowns. New Jersey don't have nothing on us! They flipped a table, but we go and flip some weaves."

Move over, New Jersey. You had your chance in the spotlight.

On July 30, NeNe Leakes and The Real Housewives of Atlanta return for a second season.

Just a few days after the premiere, Leakes' new book, Never Make the Same Mistake Twice, will be released by Simon & Schuster. Aside from chapters on being a single mother and escaping an abusive relationship, NeNe focuses on her controversial co-stars.

"I talk about my relationship with Sheree [Whitfield]," Nene told S2S Magazine about the book, which comes out on August 11. "I pride myself on being a very good judge of character, and some of the things that we went through, I didn't see them coming."

As for Kim Zolciak, and Nene's contention that she aspires to date married men?

"I talk about it very openly... and she makes no excuses for it," Leakes said.

Finally, Leakes touched on her purpose for writing the book:

"I'm really just trying to build a brand, and it's really important. I want longevity, I don't want to just be a reality star. You know, I was a business woman when they found me and I want to continue to be a business woman."

Talk about a match made in reality TV heaven.

During a recent conversation with E! News, Gretchen Rossi said she is tight with NeNe Leakes.

"I'm really good friends with NeNe," the Real Housewife of Orange County said of The Real Housewife of Atlanta. "NeNe is one of my favorite people ever. She is so cool."

The pair met on a commercial shoot for Bravo.

"She is one of the most confident women I have ever met and I love that about her," Rossi said. "She would sit there and go, 'I'd watch me too if I were watching the show.' She's so all about herself... I'm a strong, confident woman, but just in a very different demeanor."

Speaking of relationships, Gretchen - who still wears the engagement ring of late fiance Jeff Beitzel - made no secret about her feelings for Slade Smiley.

"Slade is one of the best men I've come across in my life besides Jeff," Rossi said. "And I know he's a secure enough man that whether or not I'm wearing this ring would not matter to him at all."

Might Kim Zolciak and NeNe Leakes be friends after all?

It depends on which of these Real Housewives of Atlanta you ask.

Fresh from the Sundance Film Festival, Zolciak told People Magazine she was psyched to see Leakes, despite their numerous differences on season one of the show.

“I am actually waiting on NeNe right now. We are buddies,” Zolciak said. “When the filming stopped, we had a glass of wine, talked and it was great. I miss her.”

Are you on Team Kim or Team NeNe?

Told of Kim's comments, Leakes didn't exactly reciprocate the sentiment.

“Kim says that we are friends now, oh really? Well, I never make the same mistake twice,” Leakes said. “We can squash the drama, but we will never be friends. She is not a good friend. We can be associates, but never friends.”

NeNe Leakes is fighting back against talk that she's been evicted.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta star says it's all been "a huge misunderstanding and grossly inaccurate," adding in a Bravo blog:

"I am truly blessed to enjoy a wonderful life and lifestyle. We have indeed moved to another home, but we did so on our own free will. We live in an absolutely beautiful home, and we are fortunate to be able to live in the place of our choice."

Leakes continued:

"Unfortunately, there are many families who are facing real foreclosures and real evictions. That is not and never was the case with us. I know where we live and how we live, and for those blessings, I am humbly thankful.

"Without wasting time on the details, the only thing I will say is that we were NOT evicted. Everybody knows that I like to be honest, real and upfront. If something was wrong, I would tell you!"

NeNe Leakes, along with her enormous breasts, have been evicted from her 5,000-square-foot, five-bedroom home shown on The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Leakes and husband Gregory Leakes, left the property in November, a month after an eviction notice was filed by Winwood Properties. The notice, which was filed on September 24, claimed the couple owed $6,240 in past rent.

NeNe wouldn't reveal where she's currently living.

"It's none of your business," she told the newspaper in an e-mail, adding that the property "was a lease purchase corporate deal with Greg & his company. Things didn't work out between the two of them so they did what they had to do and he did what he had to do."

You go, girl! No, seriously, go away. You can't live there anymore.

Tomorrow night, The Real Housewives of Atlanta become The Real Fighting Housewives of Atlanta.

Former BFFs Kim Zolciak and NeNe Leakes enjoy a verbal smackdown on the show's reunion special, which you can watch via the video below.

When asked by E! Online's Marc Malkin about the blowup, NeNe replied:

"I knew something was going to happen because I went into the reunion show saying, 'I’m going to confront Kim on everything she said during the show. And if we have to get into an argument then we’re going to get into it.''

They got into it, alright...

NeNe Leakes has seen her life change considerably since joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. In her own words, here are a few ways the Bravo series has benefitted NeNe...

• “I have tons of fans who love me and come up to me everywhere I go.”

• “I’ve learned a lot of things about myself. I’m learning to be a little bit more patient. I’m learning to tone certain things down. I’m learning to be not as outspoken.”

• “My business has increased. My foundation Twisted Hearts brings awareness to domestic violence against women in the community. I have tons of people reaching out to me wanting to help me with my foundation. Had I not done the show, I would not have this platform.”

Reality TV fans haven't heard the last from NeNe Leakes!