NeNe Leakes Sues Bravo & Andy Cohen

A former Real Housewife of Atlanta whose been adamant that she’s been discriminated against is taking things to a new LEGAL level.

In a new lawsuit, NeNe Leakes is accusing Bravo, NBCUniversal, Andy Cohen, and The Real Housewives of Atlanta production companies True Entertainment and Truly Original of “racism and creating a hostile work environment.”

Source: Bravo / Getty

The Hollywood Reporter reports that NeNe, 53 is alleging that;

“NBC, Bravo, and True foster a corporate and workplace culture in which racially-insensitive and inappropriate behavior is tolerated — if not, encouraged.”

She also alleges in particular that her former costar/ on-again/off-again friend Kim Zolciak-Biermann, 43, made racist comments for years, however, “Leakes was the one who was punished after telling executives” citing it as the reason why she was “forced off” the show.

Oh yeah?

Source: Bravo / Getty

NeNe is alleging that executives “did not terminate their relationship with Zolciak-Biermann, nor take any other meaningful action to put an end to her racially-offensive behavior” but instead gave her a spinoff, referencing Zolciak-Biermann’s Don’t Be Tardy spinoff show that aired for eight seasons.

“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,” Leakes’ lawyer David deRubertis said in a statemen to THR.

Joe Habachy, another Leakes attorney, said via email that “not a day goes by that NeNe doesn’t wake up with an onslaught of overwhelming emotions as a direct result of these unfortunate and avoidable occurrences.”

Source: NBC / Getty

NeNe Leakes’ Legal Team Cites Kim Zolciak-Biermann’s Alleged History Of Racist Behavior

The Hollywood Reporter notes that NeNe’s lawsuit alleges that during the first season of #RHOA, Kim said she didn’t want to attend a barbecue and said, “words to the effect of: ‘I don’t want to sit around with NeNe and eat chicken.’” The suit says the statement “perpetuated an offensive stereotype about African-Americans.”

NeNe also brought up Kandi in the suit and said in 2012 that during #RHOA’s fifth season Zolciak-Biermann made “racially offensive and stereotypical” comments about the new home of housewife Kandi Burruss, calling her neighborhood a “ghetto” and perpetuating a racial stereotype in an offensive comment about whether Burruss needed a swimming pool,” reports THR.

Kandi previously accused Kim and her assistant at the time Sweetie (who NeNe Leakes likened to a “slave”) of making crude comments about the part of town she lived in.

The suit then takes things further and alleges that Kim flat out called the Black housewives the N-word and cites those previous “roach” comments involving Kim and her daughter Brielle Biermann.

“That same year, Zolciak-Biermann used the N-word to refer to Leakes and some of the other housewives after a dispute with them, the suit alleges. It also alleges Zolciak-Biermann falsely implied that Leakes used drugs and called her home a “roach nest.”

Remember that?

Kim Zolciak’s Reaction To Being Named In NeNe’s Lawsuit

Kim, who’s not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, just cited as an [racist] example, was allegedly blindsided by NeNe bringing her up.

“NeNe and Kim have been fine for a while now,” a source close to production told PEOPLE about NeNe’s lawsuit. “Kim isn’t sure where all this is coming from.”

Back in 2020, NeNe and Kim did an IG live together to announce their reconciled friendship. NeNe shared that she” let bygones be bygones” after Kim reached out during her late husband Gregg Leakes’ cancer battle. Not only that she returned the favor by checking on Kim’s son after he was brutally bitten by a dog.

“Before we get started, a lot of you guys have been asking ‘how did you and Kim get back together?’ And I wanted to wait for you to get here, Kim, to explain” said NeNe. “As most of you guys know, my husband was diagnosed with cancer, and for me — I just realized life is too short. Kim’s son had an accident and I just felt like we should move on,” said NeNe.

“I agree, between Kash being bit by a dog, Gregg being sick — life is too short, and life can just change in an instant and it just wasn’t really worth hanging onto that anger or irritation,” said Kim.

They also hugged it out in 2021 at the Ultimate Atlanta Women’s Expo.

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

Guess that friendship is over, again.

NeNe is seeking monetary damages to be determined at trial while alleging that the “defendants’ actions violate federal employment and anti-discrimination law.” This also comes amid NeNe’s claims that she was “blacklisted” and “being followed.”

This also comes after she recently said she’d “open to a #RHOA return.”

What do YOU think about NeNe’s lawsuit?