Voted Bravo's most popular member of "The Real Housewives of " NeNe Leakes is a woman with a plan. Her debut "Never Make the Same Mistake Twice" (Touchstone), hit shelves last month. The jet-setting wife and mother (NYC for VH1's Diva 2009 one day, flying to Vegas for a championship boxing match the next) is also working on a shoe collection, a talk show, and even trying her hand at creative directing. Not bad for a former single mom and stripper from smalltown Athens, Georgia. The busy ATL peach took a break from her full schedule to chat with ESSENCE.com about all her exciting new ventures, blended families, and why she just might be tardy for the party.
ESSENCE.COM: How's your book tour going? What has the feedback been from women who have read it thus far?
NENE LEAKES: The turnout at all the signings has been amazing. I've been averaging about 300 people at most of them. In my hometown of Athens, Georgia, I received a very warm welcome--over 400 people came out for the signing. I'm a first-time author, but I've heard that's really good. Women have said they know me better from reading the book. I've gotten nothing but love.
ESSENCE.COM: This season on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" you reunited with Kim. What do you have to say to those viewers who think you guys are fake because you weren't cool when the show ended last season?
LEAKES: Well, it's not fake. We're just like any other group of girls that hang out. We have our ups and downs, we get back together--that's real life. There's nothing on the show that is fake. It is what it is.
ESSENCE.COM: You directed an alter-ego photo shoot in an episode this season which we all loved. Do you have the bug to do more creative directing down the road?
LEAKES: I'm a reality star, I'm an author, I'm a businesswoman and I'm a director. I really like the entertainment industry. Directing? I love that kind of stuff. In tonight's episode, I will reveal the final photos from the shoot to all of the ladies. It is difficult to direct people because everyone doesn't see your vision, but at the end I think they all appreciated what I did for them. The job was definitely meant for me.
ESSENCE.COM: You and your husband, Gregg, are a wonderful example of a blended family that works, and it's nice that we get to see more of you guys coparenting your oldest son, Bryson, this season.
LEAKES: Thank you. I was a single mother when I met Gregg. Bryson was my only child. Gregg had children too from a previous marriage; they're adults now. I wasn't going to be with a man that wasn't a father to my child. One thing that Gregg and I did agree upon going into the marriage was that Gregg does not discipline Bryson. I told him that he wouldn't discipline my children and I wouldn't discipline his. But my kids can't disrespect him and his kids can't disrespect me. So I definitely think that blended families can work but both parties have to lay down the ground rules going in the door.
ESSENCE.COM: So true. Earlier this week, popular Atlanta hairstylist Derek J stopped by the ESSENCE office and mentioned Kim's single "Tardy for the Party." We all recall that you encouraged Kim to record the song last season. Your thoughts?
LEAKES: I think the way it turned out was kinda shady in the end. You guys will have to see it on the show. Kim never liked "Tardy for the Party." It was a song that I liked. She wanted to go record a song with Dallas Austin called "Tightrope." Then all of a sudden she wanted to record the song when fans started saying "Don't be tardy for the party!" She started being shady and wanted to take me out of the whole deal. It all worked out in the end though because I don't need "Tardy for the Party" to make me popular. I'm already popular.
ESSENCE.COM: You were working on a footwear line and a boutique hotel the last time you checked in with us. What's next for you?
LEAKES: The footwear line is something I'm going to be doing on the third season, so it's not a lot that I can talk about. I'm not trying to be in the fashion world like Sheree and Lisa are. I was asked to partner with a company but there won't be a big show or anything. The boutique hotel has been put on the back burner. It takes a lot to open a hotel but it's still one of my long-term goals. I'd also like to have my own talk show or my own syndicated radio show. NeNe Leakes is a woman of many faces.
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