The Real Housewives Blog: February 2014

Friday, February 28, 2014

Kim Zolciak Ordered To Pay Thousands In Taxes On Atlanta Mansion...Or Move Out

Kim Zolciak‘s dream home has turned into a financial nightmare. Just weeks after Zolciak was forced to take out a $300k loan to finish construction on her Atlanta mansion, RadarOnline.com has learned that she’s been ordered to cough up thousands of dollars in back taxes — or move out!

According to tax documents obtained by Radar, Zolciak and her husband, Kroy Biermann, were recently served with two tax liens: one from the City of Milton, Georgia, for $1,665.26, and the other from the State of Georgia and Fulton county for $10,572.67. Zolciak and Biermann were notified that they must pay the money within 90 days of the liens’ January 9 and 11 issuance dates. That gives them until April 11 to make good with their money, or the home could be seized.

As Radar has reported, it’s only the latest in a series of financial problems surrounding the home, which the couple bought in 2012 for $880,000.

On December 9, 2013, they signed off on a new credit line of $300,000 with Landmark Community Bank to finish the renovations on the 7,186 square-foot house.

Construction reportedly has included a two-story master closet, eight fireplaces, an elaborate chandelier, sweeping staircases and a huge pool.

In the meantime, Zolciak is caring for new three-month-old twins Kane and Kaia, in addition to her daughters Brielle, 17, and Ariana, 12, and son Kash, eighteen months.

Phaedra Parks' Ex-Pal Angela Stanton's Ex-Boyfriend Alleges The Two Were More Than Just "Friends"

RadarOnline.com:

Phaedra Parks is suing former friend Angela Stanton over the woman’s claims that Parks helped run a check fraud scam. But in a newly released sworn statement for that case, another explosive claim has come to light:

According to one of Stanton’s ex-boyfriends’ sworn testimony, he broke up with Stanton in part because he believed she was the Real Housewives of Atlanta star’s ”girlfriend!”

“I actually thought that Angela and Phaedra had an … I thought they were together,” Stanton’s ex-boyfriend Justin Cody said in a statement obtained by Radar.

Asked by an attorney, “Like, as a girlfriend?” Cody responded, “Girlfriend.”

“And that was one of the reasons me and Angela broke up,” he continued. “Because they was like real close, like closer than close.”

“Can you think of what made you come to that conclusion?” the attorney asked.

“Phaedra’s birthday is in March or sometime early in the year,” Cody responded. “And I remember one time Angela and Phaedra, they spent the night out during Phaedra’s birthday and Angela spent the night at her house and they went on all these parties and wild parties and she didn’t come home for like a couple of days.”

“I’m like, what y’all got going on?” Cody said. “And so we got into an argument about that and about then it turned into an altercation and that was like one of our first breakups.”

“Her and Phaedra was so close that, you know, I actually thought they was together…” he explained. “They kiss each other and hug each other.

Parks later married Apollo Nida, although as Radar has reported, they are living separate lives since his arrest for fraud.

Stanton has never mentioned any allegations that she had a romantic relationship with Parks. But in her book, Lies of a Real Housewife, she described an alleged display of S&M sex toys in “freaky” Parks’ bedroom. Parks has said those and other claims in the book are libelous and is suing for defamation.

Lisa Vanderpump and Yolanda Foster Reportedly Pushing for Yolanda's Ex-Husband's Fiancee Shiva Safai To Join 'RHOBH'

ChristianPost.com:

"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" stars Lisa Vanderpump and Yolanda Foster are reportedly pushing for a mutual friend to join the cast next season.

Socialite Shiva Safai, who has made a few appearances on the show, is the fiancée of Foster's ex-husband Mohammed Hadid. Bravo TV producers are said to be in the process of casting new housewives for season 5.

"Both Lisa and Yolanda are telling Shiva she needs to join the cast and they want her to appear on the next season," a source told RadarOnline.com.

"Shiva is not only gorgeous, but she is a true class act. Everyone loves her ... In fact, despite being divorced from Mohammed, Yolanda encouraged him to marry Shiva," the source continued adding "Yolanda and Mohammed have remained very close after their divorce because they have three children together."

On Wednesday reports revealed season four additions Carlton Gebbia and Joyce Giraud will likely not return next season. While both women each brought some level of drama to the hit reality TV show, producers reportedly believe that viewers do not find them to be exciting enough, according to TMZ.com.

In addition, veteran housewife Kim Richards will also be let go at the end of the season due to her alleged lack of storylines.

"The network is not entirely happy with the ratings for the current season of Beverly Hills and sadly, despite being Paris Hilton's aunt, [Kim] has little going on in her life," a production source told RadarOnline.com. "Viewers don't care about watching Kim's dog getting training. It's boring!"

Richards' sister Kyle, who has been a strong source of support in recent years, is said to be furious over Bravo's alleged plans to fire the mother of four. While the two have often bickered in the past, they appear to be closer than ever this season and as a result Kyle is reportedly threatening to quit if her sister is fired.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Real Housewives of Melbourne Debuts

Kenya Moore Slams NeNe Leakes’ ‘Acts Of Terrorism’

RadarOnline.com:

Kenya Moore is biting back at The Real Housewives of Atlanta alpha dog NeNe Leakes in a scathing new Bravo blog.

As the pair continues to fight to be the top dog on the show, Moore shot back at her co-star for labeling her “a bully.”

“According to NeNe I bullied her… There are children suffering, even dying from being bullied. Let’s not further exploit the word in order to gain sympathy, it only diminishes those who are truly victims,” Moore wrote.

Turning the tables, the former Miss USA challenged Leakes to take a look at her own behavior before calling someone else a bully.

“I have personally witnessed NeNe’s acts of terrorism,” Moore wrote, adding, ”Her cruelty and nastiness towards me is completely unfounded and based on her own insecurities.”

On Sunday night’s episode, Leakes kicked her former BFF and bridesmaid Marlo Hampton to the curb for befriending Moore.

“After seeing how disposable her long time friends are to her as she discards them like trash if they dare go against her, she is no one’s friend – only a dictator in her own mind. I don’t need friends like her in my life,” Moore said.

Moore hinted that Leakes will continue to show her true colors as the RHOA continues.

“The truth remains the truth. Her arrogant ‘I am better than everyone else attitude’ is hard to stomach. Even her most loyal fans can see her true colors, and no Kool-Aid in the world is worth dying over,” Moore concluded.

Reports Claim Joyce Giraud and Carlton Gebbia Were Fired From The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

TheHollywoodGossip.com:

Producers of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills are cleaning house and the show will soon be without Joyce Giraud and Carlton Gebbia, according to reports.

The powers that be are gunning to replace them because they're just not exciting enough ... make out sessions and/or fights with Brandi Glanville notwithstanding.

Joyce Giraud and Carlton Gebbia, the shot-callers believe, are simply not involved enough in the bread and butter story lines to justify key spots in the cast.

Sources say there's apparently a 95 percent chance they're toast.

It became obvious Joyce and Carlton were on thin ice during the reunion show taping earlier this month, when all the other women displayed great chemistry.

Joyce and Carlton were the clear outsiders of the crazy crew.

The latter is very interested in returning for Season 5 if she gets asked back, while it's unclear how Giraud feels about the show and her role on Bravo.

Brandi's obviously the one who should go, but she needs the money and she seems to be tight with Andy Cohen so I wouldn't be surprised if they make Joyce and Carlton the scapegoats for lousy ratings this season.

RELATED: RHOBH: Did Carlton Gebbia Put a Spell on Kyle Richards's Computer?

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Cynthia Bailey's Husband Peter Thomas Claims He’s Not Behind On His Rent, But His Landlord Is

RadarOnline.com:

Cynthia Bailey‘s husband Peter Thomas became the latest cast member of Real Housewives of Atlanta to be named in a lawsuit last week, when Radar reported that he was being sued by his landlord for nearly $100,000 in unpaid back rent. At the time, Thomas insisted it was only a “misunderstanding,” but now, he’s offering up an explanation: According to Thomas, he has always been up-to-date with his payments on the rent for BarOne — but his landlords are the ones who owe dough!

Thomas’ Bar One “is in foreclosure court right now,” Thomas told StraightFromTheA.com. “For the fact that these two guys, who are my landlords … didn’t pay the rent that I was paying them every month for over a year. They was upside down on the property but I wasn’t aware of that until I got the letter from the bank saying not to give them money any more."

“Shortly after that,” he claims, “it went into foreclosure.”

Thomas claims the property will soon be on the market, and says, “I’m partnering up with a group of people to purchase it.”

Indeed, as recently as January, Radar has learned, Bar One had launched a search for investors on their Twitter page.

As Radar has reported, Thomas’ landlord Eloshua Eliott and Showtime Cafe filed a lawsuit claiming Thomas “breached a lease agreement by failing to pay rent and other fees including late fees, bank charges, real estate property, taxes and unpaid utilities.”

In addition, Radar found, this is not the first time Thomas had issues with his landlords. According to court documents obtained by Radar, he was served an eviction notice by a different landlord, Boye Architecture, in August 2010. It is unclear how that case was resolved.

And in November 2009, court records show, Glenwood East Apartments served Thomas with an eviction notice, but that case was eventually dismissed.

Report Claims Ramona Singer and Estranged Husband Mario Are in Couples Counseling

Wetpaint.com:

We were all pretty shocked when word got out that Real Housewives of New York star Ramona Singer had filed for divorce from husband Mario last month after 22 years of marriage. But is there a chance that the two could reconcile through couples counseling?

Page Six is reporting that Ramona and Mario are now in counseling together. However, you probably shouldn't hold your breath waiting for them to patch things up, as sources say that Mario has been seeing a younger woman and is not interested in rekindling things with Ramona.

"Ramona has looked the other way — she’s filed for divorce to gain control of the situation," says an insider. "But he doesn’t want to get back together."

This is tough to hear, especially after all that they've been through together as a couple. We just hope that the counseling sessions will help them realize what they have together.

Last week, Ramona addressed the split on Twitter. "This has been the most difficult time in my life, but when I see so many messages of love & support, it gives me a much needed smile #Thankful," Ramona tweets.

This is such a sweet message for Ramona to share with her fans, given her tough situation. We wish the couple all the best moving forward.

Lisa Vanderpump Breaks Down Crying After Brandi Glanville Exposes Her To Kyle Richards

RadarOnline.com:

Lisa Vanderpump used to be the queen of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but on Monday night’s episode of the Bravo show, Brandi Glanville took Lisa down a notch, in convincing Kyle Richards that the restaurant owner wasn’t really her friend.

Brandi told Kyle that Lisa had put tabloids containing articles about Kyle’s husband Mauricio‘s alleged cheating into her suitcase, hoping she would take them on the gang’s Palm Springs trip.

And on the explosive episode, Kyle and Mauricio appeared to believe Brandi, and confronted Lisa. The question for viewers: Was it all a jealous Brandi lie to drive a wedge between Lisa, her former BFF, and Kyle?

The trouble began when the RHOBH cast members went on vacation together in Puerto Rico to visit co-star Joyce Giraud‘s home country.

Brandi, simmering with anger about perceived slights from Lisa, confided to Yolanda Foster that she felt Kyle had replaced her as Lisa’s close friend. (Unsurprisingly, Yolanda was taking bestie Brandi’s side, telling Bravo’s cameras that Lisa was a phony.)

Although Lisa used to call her every morning, Brandi said now she called Kyle.

“I feel like I’m on the down,” Brandi fumed.

Brandi was also angry that Lisa seemed to take every opportunity to befriend Scheana Marie, Lisa’s SUR waitress who had once had an affair with Brandi’s then-husband, Eddie Cibrian, as she felt that Lisa had exploited her marital breakup pain on TV by constantly shoving Scheana in her face.

Brandi also took a harsh dig at Lisa, saying she had her one-time houseguest Cedric Martinez deported back to England before the show’s season before was filmed after the two had a falling-out.

Even though she was admittedly intimidated and “scared of” the British beauty, Brandi was determined to confront Lisa about the situation on the trip.

On a beach outing in Puerto Rico, Yolanda decided to have a pow wow with Lisa, telling her Brandi felt there was a divide in the group.

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” Lisa said.

“Are you a Hollywood friend or a real friend?” Yolanda pressed.

Brandi then joined in and told Lisa, “You’re moving away from me and back towards Kyle.”

Lisa walked away and Brandi told the cameras that “she can’t handle a conversation.”

“They’re mean. I want to go,” Lisa cried to husband Ken Todd.

“I’m not a mean girl,” Brandi insisted.

Oh, yeah? Brandi then told Kyle privately that she had had tabloids featuring Mauricio’s cheating scandal at her home — and Lisa deliberately put them in Brandi’s luggage so that she would take them on the girls’ getaway to Palm Springs.

Kyle seemed to believe Brandi and sighed about Lisa, “I’m an idiot.”

Kyle told the group that Lisa clearly wasn’t her friend.

It wasn’t the first time she’d had doubts, as Kyle admitted to the cameras, “Lisa has not always been supportive of me.”

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Porsha Williams Spills Her Version Of Why NeNe Leakes Didn't Fight Back Against Marlo Hampton

Ummm, it's actually called Marlo Hampton having an extensive arrest receord and NeNe Leakes knowing damn well whose face she can get in (without getting her ass kicked) and whose she can't:

While we watched Marlo Hampton completely lose it on NeNe Leakes on last night’s February 23 episode of Real Housewives of Atlanta — calling her former bestie “dumb as f—,” “insecure,” and even dissing her hair — Mrs. Leakes refused to lash back. It seemed really unlike the OG Atlanta lady to not take her verbal shots when she had the chance, but apparently there was a very good reason.

On last night’s episode of Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen grilled NeNe’s RHoA co-star Porsha Williams on why the Glee star didn’t stop walking away, turn around, and take Marlo down.

Andy had his own theory on the situation. “I think NeNe left because she did not want to get in her face,” he muses. “She was trying to stop herself.”

But Porsha has a little behind the scenes scoop that better explains why Linnethia didn’t retaliate on the Friend of the Housewives.

“Marlo was just viciously coming after her. I think NeNe didn’t want to go there maybe because her son was in that park, too. What you didn’t see was Brentt was standing right there to the side,” Porsha reveals.

Ah, it all makes sense now! We know that family has always come first for NeNe, and we can imagine she would never want her impressionable 15-year-old son to see his mother act a fool. Come to think of it, Marlo should probably be thanking Brentt right about now...

RELATED: RHOA: NeNe Leakes Fights with Marlo Hampton

Bethenny Frankel Claims She's ‘Relieved’ By The Cancelation Of Her Talk Show

RadarOnline.com:

Just a week after her talk show was canceled after one season, Bethenny Frankel released an open letter to explain how she feels about her show being axed, and RadarOnline.com has all the details.

Published Monday on the talk show’s webpage, Frankel, 43, titled it “An Open Letter From Me To You” and in which she says she loved “connecting to women” but that parts of the job weren’t “authentic to her” and she ultimately felt “a bit diluted, filtered and somewhat constricted.”

“People ask me how I feel about this, so I wanted to share it with you straight up,” she writes of the show being canceled. “What I love about doing my talk show is connecting to women. I love the opportunity to inspire, to be inspired and to be able to help women to be their best, succeed and feel better about themselves.”

Plagued by a season of low ratings, the mother-of-one continued, “In order to have the freedom to create a talk show, there are required elements that the job entails. This is the part that I didn’t enjoy so much and that wasn’t authentic to me. In addition, I tend to be quite inappropriate which may not be suitable for daytime television or for the suits that run network television nationwide,” she wrote.

“Unlike my time on Bravo, I felt a bit diluted, filtered and somewhat constricted. I am a free spirit. My late father (a horse trainer) used to say ‘She is a mustang. You need to let her run.’ I am more comfortable in my natural surroundings and in a setting where I’m surrounded by crazy, where anything goes and where I can be authentically me.

“When interviewed about the show, I always said that it could only work if I was true to myself and only if it was genuinely a good fit and marriage which it turned out not to be.”

Kim DePaola Denies Ripping Off Designs Of Ohio Jeweler

TMZ.com:

One of the 'Real Housewives' is going full Mick Jagger on the jeweler who's suing her for ripping off designs -- saying the guy is using her, and he better get off of her cloud ... before she sues his ass.

Kim DePaola from 'RHNJ' tells TMZ ... Ohio jeweler Constantino Frangopolous is "delusional" for claiming she jacked anything from him because she swears she's never met the guy or even heard of him.

TMZ broke the story ... Frangopolous sued Kim -- claiming they had a verbal agreement to design jewelry for her to wear and promote on the show ... but instead she copied his pieces and sold them as her own.

KD thinks Frangopolous is trying to piggyback on her fame, and her only response to his lawsuit is ... "Hop off my coattails and try to mess with someone whose intelligence level is as low as [his]."

She's thinking about suing for defamation.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Aviva Drescher Talks New Memoir, New Season of ‘Real Housewives of NYC’ and More

PopBytes.com:

“When people tell me I’m fake, I know they’re just pulling my leg,” says Real Housewife of New York City Aviva Drescher (@AvivaDrescher) in her opening tagline for the upcoming sixth season of the hit Bravo reality show.

Since making her television debut last season, Drescher has been hard at work writing her memoir, Leggy Blonde. And unlike her new tagline, her debut book is much more serious in tone about her life as an amputee. Amongst other things, the book chronicles how Drescher lost her leg in a freak barn accident as a child, and the various ways that both she and those around her have dealt with that loss throughout her life.

With a book hitting stores next Tuesday and the new season of Housewives premiering on March 11, Drescher fans certainly have a lot to look forward to over the next few weeks. I caught up with the television star and new author about writing her first book, why her’s is an important story to tell, her plans to lobby in the nation’s capital, the juiciness coming up in Housewives, and much more.

ALEX NAGORSKI: February is a busy month for Real Housewives books. In addition to yours, this month sees the release of new books from Beverly Hills’ Brandi Glanville and from Carole Radziwill (check out my interviews with Brandi and Carole about their respective new books), your fellow New York cast mate. Have you already read either of these books yet, and if so, what are your thoughts?
AVIVA DRESCHER: I’ve read Carole’s. I liked it very much and I think it’s completely different from her first book. It doesn’t have anything to do with her first book at all and I think it’s really courageous that she took a stab at writing a novel. I think it’s great.

I really enjoyed Brandi’s first book. Obviously, it was her trying to get revenge on her ex-husband, but I thought it was really good. I hope she does well with her second book too.

So if someone wanted to purchase only one Housewife book this month, what would you tell him or her about why they should pick yours?
Well, I think that Carole’s book is more of a beach read, whereas I think my book can really touch everybody. It’s not just for Housewives viewers. I think it can touch everybody because it shows by various examples how you can get through life’s trials and tribulations.

Everyone’s touched by anxiety, health issues, addiction, divorce, and marriage – whether it’s your own relationships, your parents’, or whoever else’s – everyone gets touched by these things and I touch on all of them.

So I feel like my book has a more of a serious/funny tone to it, but I do think that everyone can relate. Mine’s more of a serious book, whereas Carole’s is more of a beach read. And if you are a Housewives viewer, I think that this is a good way to get to know me without an editing team involved.

That’s a really interesting point. How do you think that this book depicts you differently than the show has?
Well, I think that most of all, it shows that there was definitely a misunderstanding between the camera, the editors, the viewers and me. The show dwelled a lot on the bumps in the road that have happened to me. I think that the book really does show that in fact I don’t dwell on those things. And I think the viewers will see that. People will see it very clearly.

I also think that you see more of my sense of humor in the book. I think that when the camera’s around, I tend to get a little bit, you know, more uptight. But with the book, I have more control. I can be more myself to a certain extent.

There’s a point in the book where you discuss turning to fashion as an outlet to draw attention away from your prosthesis. Fast-forward to today, and you’ve published a memoir that goes into great detail about what its meant for you to be an amputee for the majority of your life. What made you decide to finally want to share your story and why is now the right time to tell it?
Well, I turned 40, and I think that at 40-years-old, you start to think about a lot of things in your life and you get a certain kind of sense of security and maturity about yourself – especially if you have children. It’s a time where you really start to officially grow up, and my growing up meant that I was done hiding. I’m done being ashamed of wearing a prosthesis.

There comes a point where you come to full acceptance – hopefully – in your lifetime. I felt ready at 40, and with the show falling in my lap, I felt that was an opportunity to do it. And I couldn’t just put it out a little bit because everything is so full force on the show.

It was a combination of being 40, having 4 children, feeling like a mamma bear, and feeling like a real complete grownup who was self-aware and secure. So it was important for me to come onto the show without really having anything to be ashamed of. Because I think that when you go on a reality show, you can’t really have any skeletons in your closet.

Yeah, I imagine that wouldn’t be very easy to do.
Yeah. So it was kind of a whole combination of like, “Okay. I’m going to go on a show. I’m 40. I am who I am. This is who I am and I’m not, and I’m going to be proud of it, and I’m going to use whatever obstacles are in my way to help other people.” And the helping other people part really helps me to not worry about any sort of uptightness that I had about my leg or my accident.

One chapter that really stood out to me was the one in which your parents took you to India at 15-years-old to see someone that they believed was the “avatar of a healing spirit” and could grow your foot back. You, however, did not share your parents’ faith in this man’s alleged abilities. What type of effect, then, did this trip have on you as a teenager when your parents obviously didn’t get the result that they were hoping for from it?
It just made me realize that parents are certainly not perfect. As children, we look up at our parents and we think they’re gods. Even when we hate them, we still think that they are all knowing. And I think that that was really my first step towards adulthood and separating from my parents.

In some ways, my parents were overprotecting, and in some ways, they were very, “get on with it, move on with it, do everything like everybody else.” I think that as a teenager, you begin to separate from your parents. So seeing this craziness that they brought me into not come to fruition definitely led me to being more independent. I think everybody’s parents are a little bit crazy in their own ways, but maybe my parents were a little bit more crazy than most.

Speaking of parents, the book also discusses your mother’s alcoholism and how you dealt with the tragedy of her early passing. What advice would you give to someone experiencing a similar type of grief today?
You know, they say alcohol is as addictive as heroine. And to live with someone who’s an alcoholic is so enraging and so painful. The extent where my mother went with it was just one of the most horrific things in my life. Alcoholism took my mother’s life from me and deprived my children of her, my father of her, and my family of her. Every day that I raise my children, I think about my mom. I think that the only way to deal with alcoholics is with a very, very severe tough love and that would be the message that I would get out.

I always second-guess and say, “Well, if we were tougher, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten to that point.” Now look, rationally, I don’t think that we are responsible at all for her death, but the message that I would say is, “throw them out of your house. Take away the keys. Take away their money.” Make them hit rock bottom before it’s too late, so that the alcoholic can want on their own to get the help that they want. Because the drug is so strong and unless they are on the floor naked and aware of it, they’re not going to get help. And by the time my mom was so bad, her brain was already going from the alcohol. She didn’t even know she was hitting rock bottom. Do you understand what I’m saying?

Yes, absolutely.
Someone else going through this needs to really, really get knowledge and get in there. Don’t sweep it under the carpet. To someone who lives with someone with alcoholism, I would say, “don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault.” We’re all responsible for our own actions, we all have to deal with the consequences of them, and only alcoholics can really help themselves.

This disease really affects and seethes into everybody around it, not just in the way that an alcoholic is disruptive and not a functional person in society, but it psychologically affects the people around you. So I would say don’t feel guilty and just remember how that person was before they got lost in the alcoholism. Remember them for the great person that they were, not for what they became.

I really loved the theme of survival throughout the book. You write about a great amount of loss – not just in terms of your leg and your mother, but also of past relationships (including your first marriage, Harry). Each time, you learn from your experiences in what seem like very universally applicable ways. Is there any particular message or experience that you want your readers to take away with them after they’ve put the book down?
I would say as long as there’s breath, there’s life. Life is very short and you’ve got to get as much joy out of it as you can. You just can’t know what’ll happen from one day to the next, so you gotta keep on loving the best you can and taking the high road – which, by the way, brings great pleasure. Enjoy every day to the best of your ability, and just remember that no matter how many times you get kicked, if you’re breathing, you can enjoy this life. You can find enjoyment out of this life. That’s what I would say.

And obviously when I say, “take the high road,” remember that on television I’m not being paid to take the high road. So I can’t really always do that on television. But in life, I do believe in taking the high road as much as possible.

What have you personally found to be the most common stigma about amputees?
When people say things like, “are you okay?” or “can you walk?” The most common stigma is that we can’t physically do what two-legged people can do. And that’s just entirely untrue. It’s just untrue. I mean, granted sometimes wearing six-inch heels is a little bit more of a challenge to me than, you know, it is for a two-legged person, but I can still do it. So I think that’s the most common stigma –that we can’t physically do everything that everybody else can do. And we can.

Another thing you mention in the book is your array of phobias, which was also the focus of a few discussions on last season of Housewives. What’s one that your fans might be surprised to read about?
They’ll probably be surprised about my passion for health, which to some degree, I guess, translates into a little bit of fear of things that are unhealthy. I’m definitely trying not to be fearful of things that are unhealthy, but I do avoid them.

Like, if I walk into my apartment and my babysitter’s making chicken fingers and she’s putting aluminum foil into my toaster oven, I’ll say, “Can you please not cook it in aluminum foil?” Listen, maybe it’s a phobia and maybe it’s a little kooky. But by the same token, over the past few days, there’s been a dangerous chemical found in many bread ingredients.

RELATED: 'RHONY' Carole Radziwill says Aviva Drescher is a liar

Porsha Stewart Says Marriage to Kordell Stewart Held Back Music Career

Examiner.com:

Many viewers of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" were surprised to find out that Porsha Stewart can actually sing, which she proved on the last episode when she auditioned for Kandi Burruss's musical. In her latest Bravo blog entry, posted on Wednesday, Feb. 19, Porsha explained that she has always wanted to be a singer but her musical ambitions got sidetracked when she got married.

"I started singing when I was younger in church, took some time off, then came back and sang as an adult on my church praise team....As time moved along I started singing demo tracks for various producers and studios. I ended up getting married and ended up losing my support system that wanted to help push me into the music industry towards my musical dreams. Well long story short, now I'm on my own and ready to follow my dream!" she wrote.

While Porsha didn't specifically say that her ex Kordell Stewart held her back, she sure does imply it with her line that she lost her support system when she ended up getting married. As viewers saw on the last season of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," Kordell was quite adamant about having a wife who fulfilled the traditional stay-at-home model.

She also revealed that she will be releasing her first single, titled "Flatline," done with producer Chris "Traxx" Rogers, in two weeks time. Perhaps soon she'll be releasing a single written and produced by her co-star Kandi Burruss? She may very well be the housewife to release a single that beats Kim Zolciak's "Tardy for the Party."

Alex McCord Recaps RHOA and RHOBH, Plus a Preview of RHONY

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Kyle Richards and Brandi Glanville Make Peace And Join Each Other On Ryan Seacrest’s Show

Kyle is such a phony:

Call us crazy, but it seems like Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Carlton Gebbia may actually have magical powers after all.

Case in point: it would appear that she is the driving force that brought costars—and former enemies—Brandi Glanville and Kyle Richards—together!

The two ladies stopped by On Air With Ryan Seacrest on Feb. 20, and spoke about how they finally became friends.

“I think it was just time and getting to know each other,” Kyle said of her friendship with Brandi. “Sometimes we’d be filming things and then afterwards maybe grab a bite to eat off-camera. You know just talking and over time getting to know each other and relating more on a mommy level.”

Of course, the women have found different places to channel their negativity. For Brandi, it’s her ex husband, Eddie Cibrian and his new wife, LeAnn Rimes.

Most recently, the mom-of-two took to Twitter to accuse the father of her children of asking her for child support money, although his rep vehemently denied the claim.

During their radio spot, a fan called in and asked Brandi if she could see a future where she and Eddie got along.

“You know I’d have to check with my lawyer on that and get back to you,” she joked. She then added, “Hopefully one day.”

Likewise, Kyle has been able to work on her friendship with Brandi—thanks to her feud with Carlton.

“She just hasn’t been nice to me from the beginning,” Kyle explained. “She wanted not to like me. Clearly, in my opinion, she was a viewer of the show and had made an opinion of me and came into the show and said, ‘I want to have a problem with her.’”

That couldn’t be farther from the case for Brandi.

“I really like her… Carlton and I get along really well,” she said. “Kyle and I get along well. Carlton and Kyle don’t. I just try to stay out of their situation.”

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Jacqueline Laurita Confirms She's Leaving 'Real Housewives of New Jersey'

LifeandStylemag.com:

With filming out of the way, Jacqueline Laurita has more time to do the things she truly loves!

Confirming that she’s not returning for season six as a Housewife, Jacqueline opened up for the first time to Life & Style about life after leaving The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

“Right now, I’m really just enjoying time with my family and I’m writing a few books,” she told the mag.
“My husband [Chris Laurita] and I are writing a book together about our journey with autism.” (Their 4-year-old son Nicholas is autistic.)

But that’s not all the mother-of-three has up her sleeve.

“My other passion is the beauty industry, so I’m also writing a book about busy moms and beauty things. I’m also writing children’s books! I enjoy writing — that’s what I love,” she shared.

“It’s just been really great with my family. I feel like I’m in a very good place.”

So why did she decide to opt out of this upcoming season?

“I needed a little bit of a break, but we’ll see what happens from there,” she told Life & Style at a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Thursday.

It was revealed in October that Dina Manzo, who’s returning to the series after skipping three seasons, wanted her sister-in-law Jacqueline booted from the Bravo hit.

“I understand why Dina wouldn’t want me on the show: She doesn’t want to address family issues on-camera!” Jacqueline told Life & Style at the time.

She isn't the only housewife heading out this season — Caroline Manzo also confirmed her exit, and Teresa Giudice's cousin Kathy Wakile is filming only part-time.

Fans will see lots of new faces, though.

Nicole Napolitano, Amber Marchese and Nicole's sister, Teresa Napolitano, have reportedly joined the cast.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Brandi Glanville Posts Private Legal Letters From Ex-Husband Eddie Cibrian, Demanding She Pay Back $114K In Overpaid Child Support

RadarOnline.com:

Brandi Glanville can’t help herself when it comes to the financial feud with her ex-husband, Eddie Cibrian.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star has been going head-to-head with LeAnn Rimes‘ hubby since she claimed earlier this week that he was now asking her for child support for their two sons together — an accusation Cibrian denies and calls “a preposterous lie.”

And it was Thursday afternoon, after RadarOnline.com exclusively reported Glanville’s $40,000 per month spending habit when married to Cibrian, that the single mother decided to publish legal letters she claimed proved she paid him back for those expenses.

But the legal letter in fact proves…nothing.

“@radaronline eddie got paid back 4any of my personal expenses during the end of our marriage. #checkurfact,” Glanville tweeted (to the wrong Radar Online handle!) with a photo of the legal letter below:

In fact, what the legal letter states is that Cibrian overpaid Glanville to the tune of $114,738 — which is likely the money he was asking for,” not new child support payments.

As Radar previously reported, court records indicate that during their nine-year marriage slated her monthly spending habits at $40,000, including a $3,000 stipend for clothes and $4,000 for eating out and socializing!

Glanville, 41, also published a legal letter on her Twitter page — which she later removed because it showed her home address (which has been blurred by Radar to protect her) — from her attorney which lays out their fees regarding an agreement to represent her.

Cibrian, 40, told Radar on Wednesday via a rep: “There is no truth to the claims that Eddie has requested child support from Brandi now, nor will he ever request child support from his ex-wife. The notion is preposterous. This is yet another ploy for self-promotion.”

And an insider close to the situation says, “Eddie’s four years of paying alimony [to Brandi] are up. She received a letter from Eddie’s lawyer advising her of this. He absolutely still pays child support, just no alimony any more.”

Glanville and Cibrian divorced in 2010 and share custody of sons, Mason, 10, and Jake, 6.

Speaking of divorce, Glanville tweeted on Thursday: “I didn’t start drinking until my divorce!! Read my books its all in there!!! :) have a great day!!!!”

Cynthia Bailey’s Husband Peter Thomas Is Being Sued For $100k

AJA,com:

Peter Thomas, Cynthia Bailey’s husband seen frequently on Bravo’s hit show “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” is being accused of not paying all his bills at his Atlanta bar Bar One.

His landlord, Eloshua Elliott and Showtime Cafe, filed a complaint in Fulton County superior court saying Thomas owes more than $100,000. The charges: “defendant breached a lease agreement by failing to pay rent and other fees including late fees, bank charges, real estate property taxes and unpaid utilities.”

The lawsuit said Thomas hasn’t paid his rent of $10,000 a month since March, 2013 through the end of the year. (Late fees are another $5,000.)

Elliott also separately filed a complaint against Thomas’ entertainment group for the property across the street at 670 Memorial Drive which houses the Bailey Agency, Bailey’s modeling and talent company. There, he owes more than $29,000, the complaint said.

Peter Thomas, in an exclusive interview this afternoon, said the problem is his primary landlord Showtime Cafe for the Bar One property. (Elliott is partial land owner.) Prior to March, he said they had been taking his money for a year and not passing it on to the bank First Fidelity for the mortgage they owe. He said Showtime is in foreclosure proceedings and according to Loopnet, the property was auctioned off in October, 2013 but does not say to whom (Thomas’ attorney recommended he not release the names of the owners of Showtime.)

Starting last March, he started placing his rental payments in escrow with his attorney until Showtime straightened out its issues with its bank.

“I’ve been caught in the middle of the crossfire,” Thomas said. In reality, he has no problem financially paying his rent.

Believe me. I’m confused too by the situation. I’ve asked one of our investigative guys to dig up the foreclosure paperwork and see what the heck happened and who actually owns the properties.

Cynthia Bailey moved into the new property Industry Space at 670 Memorial Drive and the lease began in June, 2013, at a rate of $2,700 a month, according to the complaint related to that property.

Thomas said he is paying the bank directly for Industry Space and not Elliott. “I don’t owe them anything,” he said. He said the bank has no issue with him and he’s annoyed the landlord Elliott has tried to kick him out twice. He noted he spent more than $120,000 last year improving what had been an empty garage space.

In the Bar One filing, his lease ended Dec. 31, 2013 and has not been extended. He said he had a five-year option and the lease is set up so since he did not get a notice saying his lease is over, it was automatically extended. So he has remained and operates the bar normally in the interim.

His lease, signed in late 2010, has an escalated rent schedule that started at $2,500 a month in early 2011, jumped to $5,000 later in 2011, then $7,500 a month in 2012 and a whopping $10,000 a month last year.

Elliott’s attorney Dana Tucker Davis said she hopes to get a hearing soon so they can kick Thomas out for non-payment. She hopes to get a “For Lease” sign up soon on both properties.

Davis, who has represented Elliott since October, was aware that Thomas paid some back rent last summer but knows nothing about money in escrow. She also does not have any knowledge of him paying rent to directly to a bank for Industry Space.

Alexia Echevarria Sues Over A Car Accident

RadarOnline.com:

The Real Housewives of Miami star Alexia Echevarria is suing her car insurance company after it allegedly refused to pay her full bill for treatment following a 2010 car accident, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned.

In legal documents in which Echevarria and Mount Sinai Medical Center in Florida filed suit against Infinity Auto Insurance and obtained by Radar, the Bravolebrity claimed she was injured in the accident.

Mount Sinai alleged they treated her for the injuries and the medical bill for their services came out to $2,928.38.

The hospital said they provided a copy of the bill to Infinity multiple times. However, the insurance company has refused to pay the full amount owed for Echevarria’s treatment.

According to the documents, the insurance company owes them close to $600 plus interest for Alexia.

However, the hospital has fired back, claiming Alexia’s policy only covered 80 percent of 75 percent of hospital bills. Mount Sinai has asked for the suit to be dismissed.

A judge has yet to rule in the case.

As RHOM fans know, it’s not the first time Alexia, 46, has been involved in a car accident case: Last year, she sued her insurance company Garcia Lorenzo & Associates for $2 million, claiming they dropped the ball when it came to executing her insurance policy.

After Alexia was hit with massive medical bills following her then 13-year-old son Frankie’s injuries in a 2011 car accident, she said she was left holding the bag due to Garcia Lorenzo & Associates’ shoddy coverage.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Eddie Cibrian Slams Ex-Wife Brandi Glanville: Her Claims He Wants Child Support Are ‘Preposterous’ Lies To Drum Up Publicity For Her New Book

RadarOnline.com:

Eddie Cibrian is hitting back hard against Brandi Glanville‘s new claims that he has asked her for child support for their sons. In a statement to RadarOnline.com, his rep slammed Glanville’s allegations as “preposterous” lies, which are nothing but an obvious “ploy for self-promotion”

“There is no truth to the claims that Eddie has requested child support from Brandi now, nor will he ever request child support from his ex-wife,” Cibrian’s rep said in a statement. “The notion is preposterous. This is yet another ploy for self-promotion.”

An insider explains, Glanville’s “horrible lie“ perhaps unsurprisingly “coincides with the fact that Brandi has another book out and is doing everything she can to promote it. She’s creating drama yet again!”

As Radar has reported Glanville wrote on Tuesday, “Im not taking cheap shots at my ex in my new book [Drinking & Dating] cuz its all true &now mr fancy new cars&house man is asking ME for child support!Uknownada” (The couple, who divorced in 2010, share custody of sons, Mason, 10, and Jake, 6. Cibrian married country star Rimes in 2011.)

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star even hinted that he had served her legal papers, tweeting, “everytime I take 1 step frwd I get a lawyers letter that takes me 3 steps back so wen [sic]people say move on, I say 2 my ex LET ME! Just STOP.”

According to the insider, Glanville did in fact receive legal paperwork from Cibrian recently, but not about child support.

Says the source, “Eddie’s four years of paying alimony [to Brandi] are up. She received a letter from Eddie’s lawyer advising her of this. He absolutely still pays child support, just no alimony any more.”

Meanwhile, on Feb. 19, Rimes seemed to be ignoring the controversy, tweeting a romantic photo of her and Cibrian on a jet ski, and writing, “Happy time the last few days in the Bahamas."

Yolanda Foster Addresses the Kyle-Carlton Drama During Gigi's Party

RadarOnline.com:

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Foster threw a beautiful party for her daughter Gigi on this week's episode. But she was aware thatKyle Richards and Carlton Gebbia's drama might surface during the shindig.

The party was mostly calm, although there were definite instances of tension. For example, the ladies had to switch seats at one point. Then, as Carlton was leaving, she refused to accept Kyle's ring, which Brandi Glanville offered to her.

"As you can imagine, a peaceful going-away party for Gigi was very important to me, but to be honest, I was nervous that there would be a blow-up somewhere," Yolanda writes in her Bravo blog. "I know there was a lot going on between all the woman, but I am grateful to each and every one of them for showing respect and keeping all the drama to a minimum, making this a memorable night for Gigi, her friends, and our family."

Indeed, the party could have been a lot more dramatic, so we can understand why Yolanda is pleased with how it went, all things considered.

And what does Yolanda think about her trip with Carlton to the candle store? "I enjoyed meeting Carlton at the candle store and learning more about her," Yolanda adds. "We have seen the crazy part of her, but I believe there is much more to her then just that." Yolanda is always amazingly open-minded, so it's no surprise that she enjoys getting to know Carlton and exploring Carlton's world.

Kenya Moore Threatens To Leave ‘Real Housewives Of Atlanta’

RadarOnline.com:

Kenya Moore is sick of the cattiness on Real Housewives of Atlanta and has revealed that she might be over the drama – forever!

While she’s continued to stand strong, the former Miss USA revealed she is tired of being the group’s punching bag.

“If Bravo asked me to come back, I’d have to really think about it,” she told OK! Magazine. “Right at this moment, it’s a very tough question.”

Moore has been the center of plenty of drama this season. On the Jan. 26 episode, NeNe Leakes hosted an adult pajama party, and during the gathering, guest Christopher Williams and Kenya got into a screaming match, and the other guests piled on for a big physical brawl.

“I don’t want you to take that the wrong way, because I’m nobody’s victim and never will be. But at some point you want people to put aside their differences and back you up because it’s the right thing to do,” she said.

Moore added that she’s upset the other RHOA cast mates did not take her side during the nasty fight and couldn’t find a way to be more supportive.

“I will never shrink in the presence of anyone,” she said.

“If that is what they would like me to do so they can feel more comfortable around me, it will never happen. You have to just be you and never shrink who you are for anybody,” she said.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Dina Manzo Detained at Airport for Having Bomb-making Chemicals on Her Person

Wetpaint.com:

Oh, no! Dina Manzo recently had quite the adventure at the airport and it sounds like it was slightly traumatizing for her. The Real Housewives of New Jersey star was on her way home from Raleigh, North Carolina, where she attended a Home Show, when she was detained for having bomb-making chemicals on her person!

Dina took to Twitter to talk about her awful experience.

"Whoever put the bomb making chemical on me at today's meet & greet I'm not laughing #detained #nakedpatdown," Dina wrote.

OMG, did they really perform a strip search on her? That is crazy.

Dina posted a photo with the tweet, looking mighty sad about her predicament.

As it turns out, a simple hair product can cause a big headache at airport security. Dina later went on Instagram to update us on her busy flying schedule and share a tip about future travel.

"I'm home & another crazy week begins! 8 more plane rides in the next 3 wks...I'm not using the hairspray with the bomb chemical in it ever again!" Dina wrote.

Wow! Who knew that hairspray could cause so much drama?

Apparently, Dina had bad luck on this trip from the get-go. Shortly after arriving in Raleigh, she posted, "What I learned tonight...do not fly @AmericanAir and don't mess with @JLJeffLewis."

RELATED: Dina Manzo Boycotts 2014 Olympics

Phaedra Parks’ Husband Apollo Nida Partied With Other Women On Valentine’s Day After Report He Cheated

RadarOnline.com:

As if it weren’t bad enough that Apollo Nida is accused of masterminding an elaborate fraud scheme right under his wife Phaedra Parks‘ nose, RadarOnline.com has learned that the Real Housewives of Atlanta star chose to spend the night of Valentine’s Day away from his wife — partying with other women!

Around 10:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, Nida tweeted, “I’m here, Columbia SC Let’s Go!!! Palace 2,” referring to a popular nightclub in the South Carolina capital. And according to comments on his post, that wasn’t his only stop.

“Thanks had a great night chilling with u and bro at palace and mobay [restaurant and bar],” a pretty brunette, @audigirl33 wrote on his page the next day.

Another brunette, @rachelraad wrote, “think I saw u at urban nirvana spa today while I was at Starbucks … Too bad you weren’t with Phaedra but that other woman :/”

In fact, Radar has learned, Nida even posed for cozy photos with one Columbia native, Instagram user @luv_nicole.

“Apollo was so nice …” she bragged on a pic posted Saturday morning, that showed her leg wrapped around the RHOA star. “idk why he tried to pick me up tho.”

And at 1:44 am on Saturday morning, she tweeted, “Apollo fine [as f**k] in person.”

Meanwhile, Nida’s wife Parks was miles away in New Orleans, preparing for a series of book signings for her advice guide Secrets of the Southern Belle.

This isn’t the first time Nida has been accused of getting into mischief while his wife was nowhere to be seen.

In 2012, one woman claimed that she and Nida had hooked up at an Atlanta Holiday Inn, and even produced a receipt that she claimed proved Nida had paid for their stay.

Both Nida and Parks have continued to insist that their marriage is strong, with Nida saying last month that they will “NEVER” separate, despite his legal issues.

As Radar has reported, he is currently facing several federal felony charges of fraud and identity theft, and recently asked a judge to delay his trial to March.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Adrienne Maloof Files for Another Restraining Order From Paul Nassif

Wetpaint.com:

If you thought the drama between Adrienne Maloof and Paul Nassif was over, you’re sorely mistaken. The two have been separated for a good while now, but Adrienne is making headlines again by filing for yet another restraining order against her ex-husband.

According to TMZ, sources say Adrienne rushed to the courts on Valentine’s Day for an emergency order of protection, claiming that Paul had violently snatched her phone from her hand the week before when she was trying to take a photo of her kids.

This wouldn’t be the first time Paul was accused of using physical force with his family. He was accused of choking one of his kids back in 2012, leading to Adrienne being granted temporary custody of their little ones. Adrienne was even awarded a restraining order after the incident. That was a long time ago, but these new claims are a little unsettling — though we’ve just heard Adrienne’s side of the sitch.

In the legal docs, Paul claims that Adrienne was actually trying to film him while he disciplined one of their kids. Given the couple’s epic custody battles, it seems like this could also be a plausible excuse. Paul claims Adrienne was filming the situation in order to use it against him in their ongoing custody disagreement, and that she was in his face with the camera, almost hitting him.

Since there wasn’t an actual emergency, the judge opted to throw out Adrienne’s request for the order and set a hearing for April. Stay tuned for more developments.

Kandi Burruss’ Fiancé Todd Tucker Threatens To Leave Her, Thanks To Mama Joyce’s Sick Setup Plot

RadarOnline.com:

As RadarOnline.com readers know, the famously-disapproving mother of Kandi Burruss doesn’t like her daughter’s fiancé, Todd Tucker, one bit, considering him an opportunist.

And on Sunday’s episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, after hearing how Mama Joyce was plotting against him, Todd gave Kandi an ultimatum, saying he might just walk away if Kandi didn’t follow her own path!

Todd hit the roof when he learned Mama Joyce was apparently involved in a plot to put him in a compromising position with another woman so that he would look like a cheater. And then Kandi’s Mama Joyce planned to pay someone to get a picture of it!

Todd told Kandi incredulously about Mama Joyce’s actions, saying, “I don’t really have any respect for your mom! When your mom talking about setting me up, ‘Take pictures of him,’ f*** that!”

As Kandi tried to make an excuse for her mother, Todd said, “Your mama continues to mind f*** you and if you don’t check that, she’ll continue to run this relationship, run this house, run your business and everything else.

“Even for me, it’s only a certain amount of time before I’m going to feel like, you know what? I love you babe, but we can be friends.”

A shocked Kandi said, “So you’re saying you’re leaving me?”

Todd replied, “I’m saying that it may be an option.”

Kandi began to cry and defend her mother, saying SHE would never leave her.

But Todd said no man was going to be in her life if she would continue to let Mama Joyce disrespect them.

In confessional, Kandi told viewers, “I’m torn: I love my mom, but I don’t think she ‘gets’ that by hurting Todd, she’s hurting me, too.”

Lisa Vanderpump Admits Brandi Glanville's ‘False’ Bankruptcy Story: ‘Already Has Had Severe Consequences’

RadarOnline.com:

Lisa Vanderpump is not backing down when it comes to the allegedly false bankruptcy story that Brandi Glanville spread.

The latest Real Housewives of Beverly Hills feud began when Glanville announced on her Podcast that Vanderpump and hubby Ken Todd had once lived in the Valley and even filed for bankruptcy before appearing on the hit Bravo show.

After it made headlines, both Vanderpump and Todd fiercely defended the claim — so Glanville passed the buck to co-star Kyle Richards, claiming she told her the gossip on the successful British couple.

“Kyle Richards told me, I looked it up and on this site where you pay $9.99 it said yes, they lived off Mulholland drive in Calabasas,” Glanville told E! News last week.

Meanwhile, Richards is angry about being brought into the feud between the former BFFs.

“Finally, just when Lisa and Kyle were in a good place with their friendship, and Brandi starts running her mouth, again,” a source previously told Radar.

“Kyle made the mistake of trusting Brandi with information in the past, and now, that has bitten her in the ass.

Brandi point blank asked if there were any skeletons in Lisa’s closet….Kyle absolutely wasn’t the one to tell Brandi about these ridiculous rumors about financial problems with Lisa and Ken.”

No telling when this drama will cool, but sources tell Radar that if Glanville doesn’t back down soon and take full responsibility for spreading a lie, Vanderpump will take legal action.