From girls to woman-ness! The Real Housewives of Atlanta head to group counseling in Sunday’s episode after NeNe Leakes asks her therapist, Dr. Jeff, to host a session for the women. NeNe says the friendships between Kenya Moore, Claudia Jordan, Kandi Burruss, Phaedra Parks, and Porsha Williams are “the worst they’ve ever been.” While Kenya, Claudia, Cynthia, Kandi, and Porsha show up, Phaedra, who doesn’t want to be around “dark hearts,” does not.
Seated in a circle of comfortable chairs, NeNe — whose heart seems to be in the right place — initiates the conversation. Unfortunately, although the OG mean girl usually dishes the jabs, it turns out she can’t take the heat and ultimately storms out. Here’s how it goes down.
“‘I’m a grown woman’…has been thrown around so many times,” NeNe begins. “But the ‘woman-ness’ has not been displayed. And I think it’s very negative being around you guys. I think that everybody has ‘fun-ness’ in them. It could be good if we all get on the same page.”
While the friendtervention was NeNe’s idea, nearly everyone agrees that NeNe is the true drama queen. In her confessional, Kenya notes that NeNe is “always at the center of controversy” in the group. NeNe immediately gets combative, and Dr. Jeff attempts to rein her in.
“I didn’t invite you here to represent me,” NeNe snaps at Dr. Jeff. “I don’t know you like that.” Yikes!
Before the session, NeNe promised to keep an open mind. But as the girls air their grievances, NeNe manages to find a defense for everything. For example:
Complaint: Kenya asks NeNe why they can’t get along — they’ve had problems since Kenya moved to Atlanta.
NeNe: Tells Kenya they will “never be friends.”
Complaint: Newcomer Claudia mentions that NeNe wasn’t very welcoming to her, either. Claudia calls her first encounter with NeNe a “very bipolar experience.”
NeNe: The Rich Bitch didn’t take too kindly to Claudia’s informal diagnosis, and warns Claudia to “get that s–t together.”
Complaint: Dr. Jeff asks Cynthia, whom NeNe “loved like a sister” once upon a time, what went wrong. Cynthia’s still offended that NeNe called her husband Peter a bitch for sticking his nose into Housewife business, and “once the rift started, NeNe went above and beyond to destroy the friendship.”
NeNe: “You’re are not a victim!” She snaps at Cynthia. “You are a mean girl. You found your voice yet?”
Complaint: Kandi’s gripe with NeNe is that she always makes it known that she was one of the first Housewives and finds the need to constantly “mark her territory” — and agrees that NeNe essentially threw her friendship with Cynthia away.
NeNe: Finally has enough and storms out of the session.
Kandi calls out to NeNe and tries to get her to stay, but NeNe doesn’t budge. The girls gawk at NeNe as she leaves and wonder why she even initiated the session. Dr. Jeff follows NeNe into the elevator and out of the building, but she refuses to turn around.
“This must be Attack NeNe Day,” she tells Dr. Jeff while waiting for the elevator. “Those people are very wrong.”
Kandi and Phaedra Fix It
A friendship that’s actually resolved this episode? Phaedra and Kandi’s. Phaedra feels that Kandi didn’t show much support as she dealt with Apollo Nida’s erratic behavior before he began his eight-year prison sentence. And when Phaedra swung at Kenya after Kenya confronted Phaedra about Chocolate, Phaedra’s rumored boyfriend, Kandi sat and watched — and didn’t do much else. Kandi cites the cancellation of her musical, A Mother’s Love, as the reason why she had been so distant. But Phaedra doesn’t want to hear that.
“If money could make me sleep at night, I would be sleeping like a baby,” Phaedra counters in her confessional. “I don’t have a shortage of that. But I do have a shortage of friends I can count on…and that’s what I thought you were.”
Though they’re hurt on both ends, Phaedra and Kandi decide to squash their beef.
“What people say, it doesn’t matter. As long as we have an understanding,” Phaedra says.
While there were some sugary-sweet moments, others left a bitter taste in our mouths. Here’s the winner and the loser of this week’s episode.
Peach of the week: Kandi Burruss’ display of vulnerability made Us tear up, too.
Pit of the week: Kenya Moore, for her desperation to be the new NeNe. Bye, Felicia!
Catch The Real Housewives of Atlanta every Sunday at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo!
