Real Housewives of Atlanta's new cast member Kenya Moore is finding it hard to fit in with the Southern gals — especially Cynthia Bailey and NeNe Leakes.
Catching up with series veterans Phaedra Parks and Kandi Burruss for lunch on RHOA's Nov. 11 episode, former Miss USA Moore meshed well with the duo — only to clash with their costars Bailey and Leakes later in the show.
Recounting her lunch with Moore to Bailey and Leakes during a workout session, Parks suggested that the women give Moore — who won Miss USA in 1993 — the benefit of the doubt. However, for Bailey, that's easier said than done, given her outrage over Moore's behavior at a recent model casting for her Cynthia Bailey Agency.
"She was [nice] on the phone, but she came over and completely was a whole other person," Bailey said of Moore's antics during the first episode. "It was really disappointing. I have nothing against her — she's a great businesswoman, but it's not going to be a situation where you're going to disrespect me and my business and then we're going to get together and make up. No. I'm too old and too busy to go back and forth. It's going to be a no from me."
While Bailey had a personal ax to grind with Moore, Leakes couldn't get over the fact that Moore continued to flaunt her beauty pageant past — almost 20 years after her win. "She was a Miss America? How many years ago was that?" sniped Leakes during her conversation with Bailey and Parks. "This is 2012."
Later, Moore came face-to-face with her new foes at an female empowerment event put on by Bailey for Leakes. Clearly not one to hold her tongue, Moore grabbed the microphone midway through the bash to make her feelings known in a move Bailey declared tacky. "Enough of this clown show," Moore bellowed impulsively. "I know it's Cynthia's event and I think it's really sweet Cynthia would throw a party for [Leakes] and I hope it inspires all of us to be kind and good to each other."
Bailey found it difficult to be kind to Moore when Moore pulled Leakes aside after her speech.
"Kenya is a very attractive woman, but if you're ugly on the inside, you're ugly on the outside," fumed Bailey. "If Miss USA could just take her crown and sash and wave her way out the door, I'd be very happy."
Moore wasn't the only one to make waves on the episode. At the empowerment event, Leakes tried to chat up former friend Kim Zolciak, only to have Zolciak scoff at any interaction. Though Zolciak attended Leakes' bash, she was hard-pressed to speak with the guest of honor. "It's hot as f–k and I want out. I don't really have anything to say to NeNe," Zolciak snapped when Leakes tried to talk to her. "I've never been more motivated to get the f–k out of somewhere in my life."
