NeNe Leakes has filed a federal lawsuit against several networks and producers of ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ alleging that they enabled a ‘hostile and racist work environment’ during her time on the show.
According to the lawsuit, Leakes had been the recipient of multiple racist remarks from former co-star Kim Zolciak-Biermann over the course of several seasons. NeNe alleges that production never disciplined Zolciak-Biermann nor attempted to correct her behavior, thus creating a toxic and unsuitable work environment that tolerated racism.
NeNe Leakes Sues NBC, Bravo, and Andy Cohen Amid Claims of Racism on ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’
The lawsuit names NBCUniversal, Bravo, True Entertainment, and executive producer Andy Cohen as defendants but fails to mention Kim Zolciak-Bierman. ‘NBC, Bravo and True foster a corporate and workplace culture in which racially-insensitive and inappropriate behavior is tolerated — if not, encouraged,’ says the suit, which also alleges that the defendants “violate federal employment and anti-discrimination law.”
It is important to note that ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ is a show that features a predominantly black cast, with Kim Zolciak-Biermann having been the only white woman on the show. Both Leakes and Zolciak-Biermann were central cast members on the show’s inaugural season and many seasons thereafter. Leakes was a staple on the Bravo network from 2008 until 2020.
In the lawsuit paperwork, NeNe alleges that during the show’s first season, which aired in 2008, Kim said “words to the effect of: ‘I don’t want to sit around with NeNe and eat chicken” and that her remarks “perpetuated an offensive stereotype about African-Americans.”
The suit goes on to reference an alleged incident during the show’s fifth season in 2012 where Zolciak-Biermann made “racially offensive and stereotypical” judgements about the home of fellow ‘Housewives’ star Kandi Burruss.
NeNe claims that Kim called her neighborhood “ghetto” and made suggestive commentary about whether or not Kandi needed a house with a swimming pool. NeNe’s other allegations include Zolciak-Biermann calling her the N-word, falsely accusing Leakes of drug use and referring to her home as a “roach nest”.
NeNe’s lawyer David deRubertis released a statement saying, “From the day the series began filming, NeNe was the target of systemic racism from co-star Kim Zolciak-Biermann, which was tolerated by Bravo executive producer Andy Cohen and other executives.”
NeNe’s suit makes it known that Kim Zolciak-Biermann’s behavior was so overlooked that she was even given a spinoff show on Bravo.
NeNe further asserts that it was her complaints of racism that ultimately led to her being ‘forced off’ of the show, but fails to mention that NeNe herself physically assaulted a cameraman during a heated confrontation while filming season twelve which might have had something to do with her not being asked back for a full-time role.
