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21.04.2022 / 03:11
NeNe Leakes sues saying racism accepted on 'Real Housewives'
LOS ANGELES -- Former star of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” NeNe Leakes sued the companies behind the show on Wednesday, alleging that they fostered and tolerated a hostile and racist work environment.The lawsuit filed in federal court in Atlanta says Leakes, who is Black, complained to executives about years of racist remarks from fellow housewife Kim Zolciak-Biermann, who is white, but that only Leakes suffered consequences.It names as defendants NBCUniversal, Bravo, production companies True Entertainment and Truly Original, executives from the companies and “Housewives” executive producer Andy Cohen, but not Zolciak-Biermann."NBC, Bravo and True foster a corporate and workplace culture in which racially-insensitive and inappropriate behavior is tolerated – if not, encouraged,” the suit says.Emails sent to representatives of the defendants and Zolciak-Biermann seeking comment were not immediately returned.Leakes, 54, a TV personality and actor whose legal name is Linnethia Monique Leakes, spent seven seasons as one of the central stars of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta” between 2008 and 2020.It alleges that during the first season, which aired in 2008, the cast was planning to attend a barbecue, and housewife Kim Zolciak-Biermann, responded to the idea with “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.”The suit says in 2012 during the 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