By Bridget Bland, BlackVoices.com

As soon as Bravo announced that its third installment of 'The Real Housewives' reality television series would be heading south to Atlanta, people began to speculate on what southern belles would be chosen to highlight what really goes down behind the closed doors of one of the most celebrated cities below the Mason Dixon line.
Previous seasons of the hit reality show have showcased the day-to-day happenings of 'The Real Housewives of Orange County' and 'The Real Housewives of New York.' And, although both docu-dramas visited two of the most exclusive communities in the country, they included a variety of characters presented.
'The Real Housewives of Orange Country' included Jeana, a former beauty queen turned multimillionaire real estate mogul, and Quinn, an Internet marketing manager who also edits an 'Orange County' entertainment website. On the other hand, the New York cast took things up another notch by featuring a truly elite and powerful set of Manhattan socialites, to include a fêted chef, a real-life Countess, and two entrepreneurs.
Make no mistake about it 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta ' is a totally different crop of women.
There's Sheree, the ex-wife of Atlanta Falcon Bob Whitfield, who although having previously owned her own popular clothing store, decidedly confirms in the show's pilot that she expects her alimony to allow her to maintain or exceed the lifestyle she had when married. DeShawn, wife of Cleveland Cavalier baller, Eric Snow recently moved to a palatial mansion with her three sons and hires a governess and wait staff upon arrival.
Then, there is Kim, an aspiring country singer who loves designer duds. As the sole white woman featured on the show, she is a divorcee, whose mysterious –and very private – 'Big Poppa' buys her whatever she and her two girls want.
NeNe (pictured right in grey dress) is hood-fab and fortunate enough to focus on partying – thanks to her real estate mogul husband. She is relegated to being the show's outspoken and outrageous firecracker.
And, finally there's Lisa, (pictured right in green dress) who can be lauded as the most believable working woman among the other 'Housewives.' In addition to having her own real estate firm, she has a jewelry line and baby clothing line. Plus, the newlywed and new mother still finds time to work out daily with her husband NFL player Ed Hartwell.
'I think our cast is more wealthier than previous housewives,' Nene, who is working opening a boutique hotel, told BlackVoices.com.
Never the character on the show to stray from speaking her mind, she proclaims to be 'the realest housewife in every sense of the word.'
'I don't know if you will see that with all of them,' she added, "I didn't pretend to have all of the stuff going on everyday (like the other housewives) everything that you see I chose to keep it very real.'
Lisa, the entrepreneur of the bunch, knows that there aren't a lot of people who have the same work ethic,' that she does, on the show or otherwise, but she does believe, 'there is a character for everyone...a shopaholic, a diva. She fulfills the role of someone who 'just has several businesses.'
Nene and Lisa are currently working on a book together called 'Battered not Broken' about battered wife's syndrome.
Audiences can make up their minds for themselves whether these housewives are the real deal or not, when the show debuts tonight at 9pm on Bravo.
Comments: (113)
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By: Natalie on 10/07/2008 11:07AM
I Looooveeee NeNe!!!...but the rest of those gold diggin tramps are NOT the REAL ATL deal.
signed a TRUE GEORGIA PEACH ;)
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By: Natalie on 10/07/2008 11:08AM
I Looooveeee NeNe!!!...but the rest of those gold diggin tramps are
NOT the REAL ATL deal.
signed a TRUE GEORGIA PEACH ;)
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By: Nia Fana on 10/07/2008 11:23AM
I look forward to the premiere of the show as im so glad to see a group of successful black women being represented on primetime television. And I can alreayd tell, NeNe is gonna be off da chain! I love black people!
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By: Jovie4rmdablock on 10/07/2008 7:34PM
They are all golddiggers, some of them more than others. only one is smart enough to have her own legitimate thing goin on on the side. I am truly lookin forward to this season. I loved the Orange County version hated the New York version (sooooooooooooooo boring), but these ladies are truly in a league of their own. I was waiting on them to do one with some black chicks, now I just need to get to work on the true "project version" of Real Housewives. It could be called real "Hoodwives of ____________ County" LOL!!! They could feature a chick whose man is locked up (one of those in every hood) but also show the positive side, like the single mom raising kids, working, and goin to school. Believe it are not, there are some of those in the "hood". Think about it people. It would make for truly interesting TV. I can see BET picking this one up. Just remember who you heard it from first. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Jovie4rmdablock.
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By: zanee on 10/07/2008 11:52AM
why do women (especially black women) insist on calling each other "Gold Diggers?" I have white girl-
friends who never refer to their counterparts in that
way. In fact, their M.O. in life is to marry up, have
a few babies and sit home eventually...and they'll tell you that in a minute. But us Black women are some
hatin ass fools! We'll call another chick who has
more than us a gold digger in a minute, especially when we don't or can't get what they have. I say...
"Don't hate tha playa, hate the game!" If ur not smart
enough to marry up or spend up, but u'll take care of a man with no job, that's nobody's fault but ur own!
OH, and by the way...I am independent and have my own
dough!
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By: Syd Hunt on 10/07/2008 2:08PM
I would love to know, why is it that the "real Housewives of Atlanta" has a white cast member when the sisters shows (Orange County and New York) have no African American cast members? Are you telling me that there are no black socialites in either location? Because I have news for Bravo, I have relatives in both locations!!!! So, why the double standard Bravo?
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By: Missy on 10/07/2008 5:03PM
This show is unbeweable.
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By: none on 10/07/2008 5:45PM
watch the whole episode on bravotv.com
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By: Karen on 10/07/2008 11:51PM
Is it NeNe or ShaNana? Either way,as a black woman, I find her behavior gooch and inappropriate. Is this the image that we want America; blacks and whites alike.
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By: rece on 10/08/2008 12:24AM
I think nene is a blast. I think kim is a blast too. they seem like such fun girls. The others are boring. I cannot stand Sharee
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