Williams told Andy Cohen she doesn't think Leakes is actually done with the show for good.
Wendy Williams isn't holding back when it comes to her feelings about NeNe Leakes' departure from The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Sitting down with Andy Cohen on Sunday's Watch What Happens Live, Williams said she doesn't think Leakes is actually done with the show for good.
"NeNe has quit the show several times, and you'll have her back," Williams told Cohen, who is also an executive producer on Bravo's Real Housewives franchise. "NeNe likes attention. Dramatic attention."
Williams, who said that Leakes is "a friend," went on to say that RHOA is simply too lucrative of a deal for Leakes to actually walk away from.
"I don't know what NeNe is going to be doing for money. I'm not trying to count coins, but, you know, the Housewives is that one thing that all the girls use to promote their other stuff," Williams continued.
She explained that Leakes is probably as famous as Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel, yet Frankel has managed to turn her personal brand into "a legitimate multi-million dollar situation."
As for Leakes, Williams said she just can't see another show working out for Leakes, whether it's something involving her husband, Gregg Leakes, or their children.
"What are they going to do? Is it going to be like Gregg and NeNe? Are they going to give them another reality show? That's boring," Williams said. "How about NeNe being a grandmother? That's boring. NeNe and her own kids? That's boring. NeNe trying to figure out Hollywood? That's boring."
Williams admitted that Leakes "did say that the phone's ringing," but she also made it clear she doesn't feel this is the end of Leakes' time with RHOA.
Leakes, however, vehemently disagreed with Williams' perspective, and with Cohen bringing up her departure. Leakes took to Twitter to share a series of posts in which she slammed Cohen and threatened legal action.
Leakes revealed her exit from the show earlier this month in a video on her YouTube channel.
"There's been a lot of emotions on both sides," she said of negotiations. "It's been hard and I have made a hard, difficult decision to not be part of Real Housewives of Atlanta season 13. It wasn't an easy decision for me. It was hard."
Following Leakes' announcement, Bravo released a statement noting that the door is always open for her to return to the show.
"We wish NeNe all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for sharing her journey for over a decade with the fans of The Real Housewives of Atlanta," the statement reads. "She's been instrumental since the start and will truly be missed, and maybe one day she'll hold the peach again."
For more on Leakes' exit, check out the video below.
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