LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former star of “The Actual Housewives of Atlanta” NeNe Leakes sued the businesses behind the present on Wednesday, alleging that they fostered and tolerated a hostile and racist work surroundings.
The lawsuit filed in federal courtroom in Atlanta says Leakes, who’s Black, complained to executives about years of racist remarks from fellow housewife Kim Zolciak-Biermann, who’s white, however that solely Leakes suffered penalties.
It names as defendants NBCUniversal, Bravo, manufacturing firms True Leisure and Really Unique, executives from the businesses and “Housewives” government producer Andy Cohen, however not Zolciak-Biermann.
“NBC, Bravo and True foster a company and office tradition during which racially-insensitive and inappropriate habits is tolerated – if not, inspired,” the swimsuit says.
Representatives for NBCUniversal declined remark. Emails despatched to representatives for the opposite defendants and Zolciak-Biermann in search of remark weren’t instantly returned.
Leakes, 54, a TV persona and actor whose authorized title is Linnethia Monique Leakes, spent seven seasons as one of many central stars of “The Actual Housewives of Atlanta” between 2008 and 2020.
It alleges that throughout the first season, which aired in 2008, the solid was planning to attend a barbecue, and housewife Kim Zolciak-Biermann, responded to the concept with “phrases to the impact of: ‘I don’t need to sit round with NeNe and eat hen.’” The swimsuit says the assertion “perpetuated an offensive stereotype about African-People.”
The swimsuit says in 2012 throughout the fifth season, Zolciak-Biermann made “racially offensive and stereotypical” feedback concerning the new house of housewife Kandi Burruss, calling her neighborhood a “ghetto” and perpetuating a racial stereotype in an offensive remark about whether or not Burruss wanted a swimming pool.
That very same 12 months, the swimsuit says, Zolciak-Biermann used the N-word to check with Leakes and different of the housewives after a dispute with them, the swimsuit alleges. It additionally alleges Zolciak-Biermann falsely implied that Leakes used medication and referred to as her house a “roach nest.”
The swimsuit says after Leakes complaints to the executives overseeing the present, they “didn’t terminate their relationship with Zolciak-Biermann, nor take another significant motion to place an finish to her racially-offensive habits,” and if something rewarded her by giving her her personal spinoff present.
“From the day the sequence started filming, NeNe was the goal of systemic racism from co-star Kim Zolciak-Biermann, which was tolerated by Bravo government producer Andy Cohen and different executives,” Leakes’ lawyer David deRubertis stated in an announcement.
Joe Habachy, one other Leakes’ lawyer, stated by way of electronic mail that “not a day goes by that NeNe doesn’t get up with an onslaught of overwhelming feelings as a direct results of these unlucky and avoidable occurrences.”
