RHOA: Underrated and Overachiever Cynthia Bailey

00:00:00
Speaker 1: And that one choice change my whole life.

00:00:04
Speaker 2: Like I was known in the fashion industry, but I wasn't like famous like this.

00:00:07
Speaker 1: This is crazy, like you know when you've become my housewife.

00:00:12
Speaker 3: Stay tuned, we'll get into this conversation right after these quick.

00:00:16
Speaker 4: ASDs Hey rain Drops.

00:00:27
Speaker 3: On today's episode of Reality to the King, I am joined by my long standing good friends Cynthia Bailey, Yeah, the beauty supermodel from the Royal Housewives of Atlanta. On this episode, we get into why I consider her to be underrated and why people, for some reason just refuses to give Cynthia her props for being one of the best housewives Atlanta has seen, and my answer just may surprise you. In addition to that, we get into her filing for divorce from my Hill, her relationship with Peter Yeah, Peter and Nini leaks, and last but not least, we also get into what's next for this beauty bombshell. Without further ado, here is my conversation with Cynthia Bailey, Oh rain Drops. I don't think you guys understand how much I loved Cynthia Bailey. I want to go back down memory lane Cynthia for the girls and the guys.

00:01:34
Speaker 5: Come on, come through.

00:01:37
Speaker 3: So I got a chance to meet Cynthia. Season three, the network, the Producsia company raved, raved, raved about Cynthia, and long story short, Cynthia used to read me for fa I.

00:01:54
Speaker 1: Learned it from you. I learned it from you.

00:01:56
Speaker 2: I don't even know what I read was season three, but because if you, honey, I learned very quickly.

00:02:02
Speaker 1: Okay, let the girls know.

00:02:04
Speaker 5: Let the girls know.

00:02:05
Speaker 3: This was so funny about us working together, me and you and the rest of the housewives. You had this gay black man who was a part of this amazing show. Yes, and I told disturb before about how Nini used to mock my mannerism, and everyone was like child, Nini ain't not the but Carlos.

00:02:24
Speaker 5: Kid in address, like let's be clear. But in terms of like shade and read.

00:02:30
Speaker 3: It was something that I introduced to the cast in terms of just us having conversations. And although Cynthia has been a supermodel way before Atlanta Housewives and been around the gay community, I think the difference was we were shooting every single day her life and then you know, my interact with the ladies.

00:02:52
Speaker 5: They sort of picked up on, like the gay.

00:02:54
Speaker 3: Culture so talk to the audience about that because they don't know that about us.

00:02:59
Speaker 2: Well, okay, first of all, I as soon as you say, Carlos read one of the biggest reads that you ever gave, not just me but the entire cast.

00:03:09
Speaker 1: And I don't know if you remember this.

00:03:11
Speaker 2: We were I don't know whose trip it was, but we went camping or whatever, and we were sitting by we were sitting around the bonfire, honey, and for whatever reason, everybody was like quiet.

00:03:25
Speaker 1: Nobody was really trying to bring it. Nobody was really trying to give what needed to be given, honey. And when I tell.

00:03:32
Speaker 2: You, Carlos King, he was like, stop camps okay. He walked around all of us, he was like, let me tell you something. Okay, y'all can sit here and look crazy if you want to, but.

00:03:44
Speaker 1: We have a TV show to do. Please be clear that I'm going to get paid whether y'all bitches sit here and do nothing or not. Okay, So I'm gonna need y'all to.

00:03:55
Speaker 2: Open up y'all's mouse and make some goddamn TV okay, because I'm.

00:04:00
Speaker 1: Gonna eat my house. Is gonna be paid for you guys, maybe not so much.

00:04:06
Speaker 2: Okay, So if you want to bring your behinds back next season, I advise you to make some goddamn TV right now. I was like, when I said, we were all like, okay.

00:04:16
Speaker 1: Wait what I mean?

00:04:19
Speaker 2: We were all mad at you all on the bus the next day, I was like, you know what, Carlos, I just think I just think that was so disrespectful for you.

00:04:28
Speaker 1: Just I mean, I mean when I say he didn't only read us, when I.

00:04:32
Speaker 2: Say he laid us out, that nobody had no edges when.

00:04:35
Speaker 1: He got delt with us.

00:04:37
Speaker 2: But I remember that because I was like, you know what, He's right like, we're here to do a job and we're not getting paid to sit around the bonfire and toast damn marshmallows periods. Why, Which is why I will say you are definitely, hands down one of the best producers that I've ever worked with, for sure, because you always you how you had such a personal relationship with all the different girls. You knew us, you knew how to snatch us together, and we.

00:05:07
Speaker 1: Always had to come together.

00:05:08
Speaker 2: I have another funny story, but I'm not gonna take up on the podcast.

00:05:13
Speaker 5: No no, no, no no.

00:05:14
Speaker 3: So look, the purpose of this podcast and The reason why people love this podcast, Cynthia, is because they get to learn new things about my relationship with the cast and honestly learn new things about you.

00:05:29
Speaker 5: Yes, because you've done.

00:05:31
Speaker 3: Interviews from your I mean, four decades of being in this business like you are. And I'm not just saying this because you're in front of my faith. You are truly just a legend in the game. So I want to be able to show the world a different side of you and to go off of that story. Yes, I listen. I'm perfectionist. And one thing about working with the Atlanta women that I loved was the fact that we had a very close relationship. We were able to cuss each other out. So I'm gonna say a story about Cynthia. So rain drops, y'all know that I said, every single housewife has cussed me out except Kenya.

00:06:13
Speaker 5: Shockingly, Kenya is the only.

00:06:17
Speaker 3: No, never never, So and every time I say this story, Cynthia, the girls would be like, honey, Cynthia Bailey.

00:06:26
Speaker 5: Never cussed you out.

00:06:26
Speaker 3: I said, Oh, she did it the worst, I said, Ninie Chara khim Zosiac the rest of them, Yeah, I said, Cynthia cussed me out.

00:06:36
Speaker 5: So I'm going to give a story.

00:06:37
Speaker 3: I want the world to know the reals, not not not the real Cynthia, You're always real, but the other side of Cynthia.

00:06:43
Speaker 5: Honey. This is so. It was season nine. I will never forget this.

00:06:51
Speaker 3: It was season nine and we were going to film the up event. I think Phedra was organizing this season nine, this pop up event when ry housewife had their business accessories and business line.

00:07:12
Speaker 5: At the table. Yes, I forgot. What happened Cynthia bone cheek. I know I'm gonna say.

00:07:23
Speaker 3: I think, I say, probably cheekbones, but actually the bone structure is so severe that it surpasses her cheeks. Guy, so I call her bone cheek. So Cynthia bone cheek. Bailey called me and she cussed me something out fears.

00:07:42
Speaker 1: Why did I cutt you out?

00:07:43
Speaker 3: You cussed me out because of a schedule. You cussed me out because your time.

00:07:48
Speaker 5: Is valuable and every housewife.

00:07:51
Speaker 3: Is a sign of producer and the producer Brent that y'all know. She was like, I'm calling Carlos and she and when I say, she laid my ass out?

00:08:04
Speaker 5: And what you don't know, Cynthia.

00:08:05
Speaker 3: I was in the office with Joy who also works who worked.

00:08:09
Speaker 5: On Atlanta hospitals at the time.

00:08:11
Speaker 3: Yes, I'll put you on mute because I said, this bitch just read me, and I'm here for it. And I remember getting back on the phone saying I'm sorry, it will never happen again. And then she read me because she wanted certain people do her interviews.

00:08:27
Speaker 5: Cynthia. Cynthia is not like.

00:08:30
Speaker 3: This weak woman that people think she is. Cynthia speaks her mind. And that's what I love about you. That's the reason why when I think about your time on the real hospitals at Atlanta and our time together, you are always a star.

00:08:47
Speaker 5: And I want people to know that.

00:08:48
Speaker 3: When you came on season three, the network, the production company, we were all behind you and we were all rooting for you. You brought class, You brought elegance, you brought sophistication, You brought another world of an international black woman who was able to have conversations about things other than what was happening in Atlanta. So much so the world doesn't know this. Yes, we know she brought Russell Simson the show. We know that Miss Thing brought Boris Kojo and Nicole Ari Parker to do a tennis match scene. Yes, and it goes to show you that and I don't think you get the credit you deserve, and I want to talk about that more. Do you think that what you brought to Atlanta Housewives changed the game?

00:09:37
Speaker 1: Well, first of.

00:09:38
Speaker 2: All, thank you for my flowers. You know, it means the world to me coming from you because you were there. You were there, you know ninety percent of the time that I was on.

00:09:46
Speaker 1: The Real Housewives.

00:09:48
Speaker 2: I do feel like when I came on to the show, I brought something else that was other than Atlanta. I brought my world with me that included you know, Miss Jay from America's Next Time Model, Russell Boris and Nicole if you can remember, Carlos.

00:10:06
Speaker 1: I actually had Tiano Taylor sing at my wedding and we did.

00:10:09
Speaker 2: They didn't show, you know, you know, they're like really cheap about like you know the you know the music, but Kim key em not Kim Zozie, but Kim Thea sang at my wedding and Tiana Taylor and there was another group. And you know, I felt like for me, I was coming from a modeling career in New York City and I really looked at the show like a job. So that's why I was always very professional. I was always really excited to throw events. I still think that some of my events are legendary, honey, Seriously, I mean like, first of all, for my fiftieth birthday, Like the fact that I could get my entire cast to come as me for my birthday, fifty shades of Cynthia, Like who does that?

00:10:57
Speaker 1: Like who could pull that off other than to the bone cheek Mak.

00:11:03
Speaker 3: Bailey, But who also can pull off the belly ball? Because belly Ball season six, here's some insight.

00:11:10
Speaker 5: School for you guys.

00:11:11
Speaker 3: Season six, belly Ball, That's when Marlow Toneini, she wore Donald Trump.

00:11:16
Speaker 5: Wig, and that's when the ship went down.

00:11:19
Speaker 3: What y'all don't know is we had so much content season six that other producers who shall remain nameless, said, do not film Cynthia's belly Bowl.

00:11:30
Speaker 5: Did you know that? Yeah?

00:11:32
Speaker 2: I know that it would always come to by the end of the season, I couldn't film any more events or that many scenes anymore because I had done so much.

00:11:40
Speaker 1: Always, because I always showed up.

00:11:42
Speaker 2: You know, I was never really like big on bringing the drama, but I definitely you know, I always felt like a team player. I always respected everyone else's events, always showed up and you know, participated, and you know, I was actually one of the girls that I would get the phone call from you guys said, hey, we gotta get.

00:11:58
Speaker 1: This name going. You know, we're like three weeks in, nothing's happened.

00:12:01
Speaker 2: We need a Bailly queue, we need we need it. We need an all cast tomorrow. And I always had, you know, spaces I had. I had the Bailly Agency School of Fashion that was a physical place that we can go and shoot. You know, when Peter and I were together, we had bar one. We could all go there. So I was definitely I feel like one of the first housewives that actually had physical spaces that we could just pull together an event in two seconds. And I got that phone call.

00:12:24
Speaker 3: A lot for you guys, oh, because you were you were You were always able to have an event that made sense for all the casts to go because you know, everybody don't get along, but everyone got along with you. So the Belly Bow, we were not supposed to film it. Y'all know me, No one tells me no. So I was like child, I'm shooting the Belly Bowl and y'all gonna have to deal with it. And look what happened. Cynthia created an event that got some great content. We would have never seen the destruction of Nini and Marlow's friendship. I'm gonna take y'all back to season eight, the premiere. I was actual to comeback season eight because no Shae, nothing was happening, and I came back.

00:13:07
Speaker 5: To the show. Okay, go ahead, I came.

00:13:13
Speaker 3: I came back to the show season eight because another producer was wasn't producing, and I said, we need a Cynthia Bailly event. And that's when you guys saw the rooftop celebration of Cynthia's Remember, and that's when Scharay came in and Sharay and Kenya had their epic moment on the rooftop.

00:13:34
Speaker 5: I'm going to gag you some more.

00:13:35
Speaker 3: Season six, we had the White Party at the Bailey Agency, another Cynthia event, and that's when Ninnie and Kenya got into it when she said, no, Niche, you're gonna tell me who I can't cannot invite, because Kenya was mad that Nini invited Walter to her bdding.

00:13:51
Speaker 5: So that's a long way of saying this, y'all need.

00:13:54
Speaker 3: To stop fucking around and calling Cynthia borings or not relevant as the producer who worked on the show seasons one through nine. I'm telling you, without Cynthia, this show would not have been the hit that it is.

00:14:09
Speaker 1: Oh my god, Carls, You're gonna maybe cry.

00:14:12
Speaker 5: Wow.

00:14:13
Speaker 2: Okay, thank you, thank you. You know, it just feels good to be recognized, especially by you, Carlos, because I know you were definitely one of the wizards behind the curtain all the time making sure the show worked, because otherwise we would just show up the scenes and just eat all the food and drink all the cocktails. Any you know what I'm saying. And a lot of people ask me all the time, is the show scripted?

00:14:35
Speaker 1: Whatever? But no, of course the show is not scripted. But they have to put us, you guys, have to put us in situations. So when people say that I'm boring, I just.

00:14:45
Speaker 2: Kind of look at it like, you know, I've always tried to handle myself with class and grace. I'm just always this is who I am. That's just who I am, and I think it's like my superpower too. I think that's why the network liked me. I think that's what may made me such a good fit for the show at that time that I was just I just honestly came on being myself and that's it.

00:15:08
Speaker 1: That's all I could do.

00:15:09
Speaker 2: And it worked for me for eleven amazing, unforgettable, insane years of just being a part of the Real Housewives of Atlanta. And you know, anytime, you know, I think one of the things that I'm proud of is Carlos, is that I never left who I was. I never sold my soul. I never did anything that I was uncomfortable do, and I hate it even when I had to. Like I remember when Peter and Apollo got together, they were talking about mister Chocolate whatever, and of course Apollo told Peter, so of course I had to take it back to the group. And I tell you, I was like sitting there because I was like, you know, again, the show is not scripted, but I knew that I had to.

00:15:48
Speaker 1: Deliver a message.

00:15:50
Speaker 2: Okay, So the message was to left Page Renault that Apollo told Peter that she was like dating.

00:15:56
Speaker 1: Somebody named mister Chocolate.

00:15:58
Speaker 2: What I tell you, guys, I was sitting at that table praying for like the electricity to.

00:16:03
Speaker 1: Go out for like aliens to.

00:16:06
Speaker 2: Invade us like anything. So I did not have to tell this girl that because as soon as I got to the scene, Favor was so nice to me.

00:16:13
Speaker 1: She was like, oh my god, it looks so cute. I love your ear rings, I love your sweat, and I'm like, stop being nice to me. I had to drop a bomb. Stop being nice to me, because it just is so hard.

00:16:22
Speaker 2: You guys have no idea how difficult it is to do a reality show like this, because you know, it's a lot mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

00:16:32
Speaker 1: We get a lot to this show and it's very easy.

00:16:34
Speaker 2: And now I get to see, you know, as I'm not on the show anymore, I get to sit back and watch.

00:16:40
Speaker 1: You know, the show, and you know.

00:16:41
Speaker 2: From a whole different, you know, with a whole another set of eyeballs because I'm not a part of that drama anymore.

00:16:47
Speaker 1: And I remember like certain.

00:16:48
Speaker 2: Scenes, I would be like, oh my god, I have to, like, you know, tell the girls what happened. And everybody was like Kenny was kicking me on the table, like say it, say it. Claudie was like squeeze my hand, like you can do it, you can do it. And I think even Edie was fun to like. Girl, if you don't go ahead.

00:17:02
Speaker 1: And say what yes, it was a mess. It was a mess.

00:17:07
Speaker 2: But I will say I never enjoy even if the girls that you know, if I was going back and forth with someone or they really didn't care for me that season. I always hated to like have to you know it, I pour their tea to them, honey or or whatever.

00:17:21
Speaker 5: But it goes.

00:17:22
Speaker 3: And this is what I want people to know. And you don't know this. Everybody has a role on these ensemble shows. And I always tell people and this this is an exclusive to you, Cynthia. When I cast shows and create shows, I always say, okay, this is good, but who's our Cynthia Bailey? I promise you. I told Brent. I told Brent last week. I said, yeah, I hear you, but I think she's our Cynthia Bailey. And he understood what that meant. So I want to explain that to the audience. Every show has a person who is, you know, a loud mouth, a shade queen, a little DITSI like, there's always these different archetypes that they have. And I always tell people you can't do a show with five Nini leaks. Five Porschas. You know, you can't do a show with five Gazelle Bryant's. It doesn't make sense. And when I tell people you need a Synthia Bailey, you need someone who's able to bring balance to the show.

00:18:29
Speaker 5: You need someone.

00:18:29
Speaker 3: Who gives everything of their personal lives to the show.

00:18:33
Speaker 5: You need someone that can rally the troops.

00:18:35
Speaker 3: So the reason why we always said we need a Synthi of Belly event, there has never in the history of the Real Houseports of Atlanta that a girl did not show up at a synth of Belly event. And the reason why you have staying power is because you are always the one to rely on and people don't understand that when you have a show with a group of women. Every single show needs a Cynthia Bailey. And that's why this podcast is for me to honor you. And one of the other things I want them to say is Season three would have been a flop without you because we saw a real relationship go through ups and downs with Peter Thomas and your mama and your sister Hot in the marriage certificate, kid, you know it was it was something we've never seen before, and we saw the ups.

00:19:32
Speaker 5: And downs of your relationship with Peter.

00:19:35
Speaker 3: Obviously you two aren't together anymore, and then you were best.

00:19:39
Speaker 1: Don't forget about the Frame Contract.

00:19:41
Speaker 3: Season Grand Contract season three with Mimi and you guys being friends.

00:19:47
Speaker 5: And I want to ask you this.

00:19:50
Speaker 3: I feel like someone said this to you, but I want you to respond and tell me your truth. Were you ever told or felt that without Nannie or Peter that you would not have staying power on the show.

00:20:08
Speaker 2: Actually, Peter may have told me yourself were breaking up.

00:20:15
Speaker 5: Peter.

00:20:17
Speaker 2: I mean, Peter was definitely a huge part of my story for sure, because we were just honestly, you know, we had lost everything. We were like struggling, and you know, we had never saw, like anyone really actually in real time go through a financial struggle. Like I was like, you know, paying Tony come, we on a payment plan. It was like a lot going on, and I was so stressed out. And I remember when you know, we were having issues, and I feel like, you know, like in the middle of an argument he made be like, well, you know they're not going to keep.

00:20:49
Speaker 1: You on the show without me, you know how Peter is.

00:20:51
Speaker 6: But anyway, years later, years later, and I actually was like when he said that.

00:21:03
Speaker 1: I was like, you know, here's the thing too. When Peter and I did.

00:21:07
Speaker 2: Decide to go our separate ways, I knew that I would not drag him publicly.

00:21:13
Speaker 1: Again, That's just not who I am. And you know, it just didn't work out for us.

00:21:17
Speaker 5: It just is what it is.

00:21:18
Speaker 1: I mean, I'm dragged him. I'll camp we dragged off Camra. Okay, we definitely had some very you know, he did conversations.

00:21:27
Speaker 2: But you know, I'm out of respect for our marriage, out of respect for him as this as this black man, this strong black man that he is.

00:21:36
Speaker 1: You know, I'm always grateful to Peter because I.

00:21:39
Speaker 2: Was living in New York City, minded my business child when I met Peter Thomas and I decided to move to Atlanta. He was the one that said to me, you know what it was at April Love and Satchel were like, you know, I think they were working with him, Yes, they were working with him, and they were like, we love Cynthia. You know, was she ever go on Housewives? And I was like, what, like, oh no, no, no, no, I'm not like that girl at all. And he was the one that convinced me to, you know, take the meeting and the first person I filmed with to.

00:22:09
Speaker 1: Test with, and Joy can tell you this was Derreck j And I was like, it was in my house. I mean, that's so many things that happened at that house. But anyway, long story short, you know, shout out to Peter.

00:22:19
Speaker 2: You know, we are I'm always, I'm very I'm I will be grateful that he convinced me to step out of my comfort zone and do something different with my life, something that I was very unfamiliar with, you know, I mean, who knows how to do a reality show. I was a model living in New York.

00:22:39
Speaker 1: City and that one choice changed my whole life. Like I was known in a fashion.

00:22:45
Speaker 2: Industry, but I wasn't like famous like this, this is crazy, like you know, when you become a housewife. So anyway, so Peter Thomas. Shout out to Peter, but he did throw some shade and say that you know.

00:22:58
Speaker 1: Exactly.

00:22:58
Speaker 2: And then as far as Nanie, I'm sure the fans myth thought that you know or whatever, and that's fine. When I came onto the show, I was pretty much given Nini.

00:23:09
Speaker 1: Like Nini was like, we're like, okay, you're gonna be.

00:23:10
Speaker 2: Friends with me, and we actually had only met like once, and I'm so glad that we can break the four wall now and just like tell people how the show works. And I think that's one of the best things that happened actually when I went on girls trip, that we could just say, hey, you know, this is what it is, this is what's happening and whatever.

00:23:27
Speaker 1: So but we went to Papado's and I remember she was like huge, like she was like blowing up, like she was like she was the breakout star of the show. And I, as God would have it, was, you know, they placed me with.

00:23:40
Speaker 2: Nini, So I felt like, to be honest, I did feel like there was some safety under the wings of being with Nini on the show because literally all I had to really do was just be myself and she really just had to be Nini and I was just her friend. I was she would have to bring everything back to me. So I did feel some comfortability like, Okay, well, you know, Niani's not going anywhere anytime soon.

00:24:07
Speaker 1: She started the show.

00:24:08
Speaker 2: So if I'm with if I'm our best girlfriend, then that gives me some you know, some kind of safety because you know, we we shoot so much together. So I did I did feel that for sure. So I always would give you know, my props to Nini as well.

00:24:22
Speaker 5: No, we will too.

00:24:23
Speaker 3: And speaking of props, so she recently did an interview and someone complimented, you sing your beautiful and her response was, oh, really have you seen her in person?

00:24:34
Speaker 5: I'm sure you brought U saw the video.

00:24:36
Speaker 1: Everyone was sending it to me, as.

00:24:38
Speaker 5: Did you say that as shade?

00:24:41
Speaker 2: I take that as shade, of course, but I also know Nini, and you know, at this point, I'm just not surprised, you know, when she throws shade my way, certainly. You know, sometimes people don't see you as you see yourself. I think I look great in person, and.

00:24:58
Speaker 5: Thank you.

00:24:58
Speaker 1: And you know what's so funny our fans, and I'm sure the other ladies get it.

00:25:02
Speaker 2: As well, like when I tell you, every time I meet a fan, the first thing they say is, oh my god, you're so much prettier in person than you're on TVs. And that's the funny thing. And I'm sure she's gotten the same thing as well. But you know, I'm just in a place in my life, Carlos, where I just choose not to participate in anything that's negative energy, Like I'm really in Cynthia protection mode over here, and I'm very focused on my acting career and this next chapter as I you know, leave a marriage and start rebuilding my life.

00:25:39
Speaker 1: It's all love over here. You know. I just laughed, and I mean, was I shocked?

00:25:43
Speaker 2: No, But you know she did reach out to me and and you know, offer to have drinks or whatever and said she was sorry about my marriage.

00:25:51
Speaker 1: So I hope that that was genuine. But I don't know we're gonna be having them drinks anytime soon, but.

00:25:58
Speaker 2: Since right after she would right show it like you know, you know, shaded me for no reason.

00:26:03
Speaker 1: So whatever, I.

00:26:07
Speaker 3: Hate you interrupt, but stay tuned for more. We'll be right back after these quick ads. This is reality with the King, and I'm Carlos King. Let's get back into the show. You are always a classy woman, and you talked about, you know, leaving your marriage and as someone who knows you personally and saw you fight for your marriage with Peter against your own.

00:26:37
Speaker 5: Mom and sister.

00:26:39
Speaker 3: Because when you love Cynthia being an Aquarius, you love herd and you love I'm.

00:26:44
Speaker 2: Sorry, yes, well I'm on the customer PI gonna Okay.

00:26:51
Speaker 3: The Aquarius is the love side. The pisces are the sex side, because you're also freaking the sheets according to Peter.

00:26:57
Speaker 5: So anyway, so okay, we I just want to offer this up to you.

00:27:07
Speaker 3: You know, you have my condolences because I know getting married for you is something that means a lot.

00:27:14
Speaker 5: To you, and you take a hile seriously.

00:27:17
Speaker 3: And I've got the pleasure of meeting Mike Hill because I was on his network and he has interviewed me and he's been nothing but sweet and nice, and Mike, if you're listening, high and I love you too. A lot of people Cynthia have said things like, Cynthia, girl, you didn't see the red flags. I mean, the man wrote in his memoir how he was never faithful to a girlfriend of his his ex wives. You know, experance all these things, did you. How do you feel when people say, Cynthia, the red flags were there and you chose to ignore them.

00:27:51
Speaker 2: Well, what I say to that, Carlos is, you know, people don't know what's all the ins and outs of someone else's marriage.

00:28:03
Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. This is my second time being married, and.

00:28:09
Speaker 2: Of course, like I take people as they are, So I mean, there were red flags with Peter, but I still married him.

00:28:14
Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying.

00:28:16
Speaker 2: I think people are going to have red flags, But at the same time, I'm a loving woman.

00:28:21
Speaker 1: I'm a forgiving woman again. I meet people where.

00:28:25
Speaker 2: They are, and I think that, you know, when I went with Mike, when I decided to be with Mike, when I fell in love with Mike, I felt like whatever was going on in his past, that was his past, that has nothing to do is how, nothing to do with how he's going to show up with me. And you know, we had an incredible, incredible years together. We honestly, honestly did. And to be completely transparent, I still very much love Mike Hill.

00:28:54
Speaker 1: I'm still healing.

00:28:55
Speaker 2: You know, you guys saw the announcement, but we're still Like I thought I was gonna be with this man forever, and I believe that he felt like he was going to be with me forever as well, and we just made the adult decision because you know, my life, his life, my happiness, His happiness is important. I'm fifty five years old, maybe twenty five thirty more summers left in my life, you know what I'm saying, So it's very important for me to to have peace and to be happy, and we just got to a place where, you know, I'm going through a new transition with a job. You know, I don't technically have a job yet, you know what I'm saying. But I'm working hard, I'm growing as an actress. You know, I'm a hustler, I'm a boss, I'm all of those things. You know, he's in transition with his life. You know, we just met at a place where we would just be better off his friends at this point, and that's just honestly what it is. But one thing I do want to clear up, though, what I do see and I don't like is when people say, girl, just give it up. You've been married like multiple times. You've been you know, you know how many times you go get married. Maybe you're just not the marriage type. Maybe you're just you know, you know, you just should just be with someone. You should never get married again. Let me just first say, I've been married twice. That's not multiple, that's two times. Okay, It's not like I've been married like ten times and nothing worked out for me. Twice and the first marriage, God, can you get some grace on the first one. You don't know what you're doing the first time you get married. This is your first marriage, and I learned a lot from that marriage, and I took a lot of wisdom into my second marriage, and I didn't make the same mistakes in my second marriage that I made in my first marriage. So I say to the people that say that, let's just get it the fact straight. I've been married twice and I am a piscis woman. I am a lover of love.

00:30:40
Speaker 5: I love with my heart.

00:30:42
Speaker 2: I jump in both feet first, and that is my choice because this is my life and I'm the only person that has to live in and I have no regrets.

00:30:51
Speaker 1: I have no regrets with.

00:30:52
Speaker 2: Leon, with Peter, with anyone that I have given my life to, and.

00:30:58
Speaker 1: I am looking so forward to my future.

00:31:02
Speaker 2: I'm still very optimistic and hopeful of funding love again, however it comes. If it's a boot a bay a marriage, I don't know what it's going to be, but I'm here for it and I'm ready to receive it whenever, whenever God wants me to have that.

00:31:17
Speaker 1: And I think it's crazy to think that someone isn't deserving of, you know, figuring it out. You know what I'm saying.

00:31:32
Speaker 2: It's like I mean, jay Log can get married how many times she wants to, and it seems to be working out for her.

00:31:36
Speaker 5: Okay, now that's knowledge. Get married twice, now that's that's tea and no. And the thing about is this.

00:31:43
Speaker 3: You are a woman who's been famous and successful since you were fifteen years old, and I don't think people understand that that you have always been independent and when you when you go through life, you go through these abbs and flows because at the end of the day, you're trying to figure things out. And a lot of people, even when they tweet, think Cynthia like girl. We saw the tweets with Mike hil He was blurting, what do you say to people who think that infidelity was a part of this decision?

00:32:13
Speaker 1: Well, I say to.

00:32:15
Speaker 2: Them, first and foremost, it's none of It's none of their business, to be honest, you know, marriages can survive infidelity number one. And I'm not you know, I'm at age where most of my friends are either married or divorced. And believe me, the ones that are married have gone through a lot and they decided to stay. And worse than infidelity sometimes, you know, you know, children have been.

00:32:42
Speaker 1: Born in marriages and people still decide to stay. So with that said, what I say is live your life, and live your life because you're the only person that can live it.

00:32:53
Speaker 2: And you know, it's like, whatever my cross is the bears, it's my own personal decision to deal with whatever I choose to deal with because it is my life and to each his own. You know, love is love and at the end of the day, what you choose, what works for you, what works for your marriage, is completely your choice and your option.

00:33:13
Speaker 3: And to get away from the rumors, this is my last question about that. One of the things that people have said to say things because I want I want you to use this to be able to debunk all these rumors, and because you're not close friends, I want to give you the opportunity.

00:33:26
Speaker 1: To do that.

00:33:27
Speaker 3: One of the things that people have said is, you know, Mike Hill wrote in his book how when the Steve Harvey show happened, it was an opportunity for him to cross over in the entertainment space. And obviously you're somebody who is on the biggest reality show in the world, and people felt that after you weren't as back. That's also a reason why the marriage didn't work because he no longer had the show to promote himself.

00:33:54
Speaker 1: Okay, all right, So.

00:33:56
Speaker 2: Two part question as far as him going onto the Steve Harvey Show as an opportunity to get exposure, whatever his reasons were probably so you know what I'm saying, I didn't know him, he didn't know me. You know it is it was a national TV show.

00:34:13
Speaker 1: So whoever, whatever his decision was, I don't.

00:34:16
Speaker 2: Have an issue with that, you know what I'm saying. So if that's that was his reason, and that probably was his reason.

00:34:23
Speaker 1: Okay, fine, so be it. People you know want to get exposure. That's what it is. He didn't know.

00:34:28
Speaker 2: First of all, I didn't know if I was going to pick him, so you know, it could have went that was, you know, two of the very nice men there to choose from, So.

00:34:35
Speaker 1: He didn't know.

00:34:36
Speaker 2: So good for him that he's you know, trying to use whatever platforms he can to get.

00:34:40
Speaker 1: Exposure, to get exposure to do the things that he's trying to do with his life. Okay.

00:34:46
Speaker 2: The other part, in terms of me going back not going back to the show. You know, it's interesting because a lot of people, a lot of people were saying oh, you know, you know, she probably didn't go back because Mike didn't want her to go back.

00:34:56
Speaker 1: One of the things I will say to you is I've been married on this show twice. Okay, I will never say that this show breaks up marriages. I won't say that, But what I will say, I will.

00:35:13
Speaker 2: Say it's very hard to start a marriage and be on a show like this because you have to give so much of your marriage and you're still really you know, getting to know like the person that you're married to. And I feel like, you know, once you actually become married and become husband and wife, that's really you know, where it becomes more sacred than just dating. And some things are just just that, some things are sacred. So with that said and done, with everything that I went, I gave so much with my marriage with Peter. Honestly, you know me not really you know, wanting to share that or feeling like I wanted to share that once Mike and I became married. Really was just me protecting myself and my marriage. But I will say Mike had nothing.

00:36:05
Speaker 1: To do with me not going back.

00:36:07
Speaker 2: If anything, if I had to lean one way to the other, I think he was happy that I did that, I didn't go back, to be honest with you, and he was the one that was always saying, hey, you know what, I feel like, you're definitely someone that can transition into other things. You know you've done You've done such a great job on this platform. You know, you have a great relationship with the network. You know, you're Cynthia Bla you you you know, you still have so much that you can do with your career. So if it went one way or the other, it was definitely Mike pretty much encouraging me to believe in myself to take that leap of faith after eleven years of being a consistent housewife on the Real Housewives of Atlanta to do other things, which which was something that I personally wanted to do.

00:36:49
Speaker 1: And in terms of me not going back.

00:36:51
Speaker 2: To the show, let's get this straight too, because I know a lot of times I think I saw like a clip of one of your podcasts.

00:36:57
Speaker 1: You know a lot of times when people get fired from the show, they'll you.

00:36:59
Speaker 2: Know, the network always gives them grace to just you know, put whatever narrative they want out, which is very nice of them to do that. Okay, I've always been very transparent with how my eleven year run run on The Real House West Atlanta ended. For me, I was honestly in a place where I just didn't feel like I really felt like I had that full circle moment, Like I just didn't I wasn't having that much fun with it anymore.

00:37:27
Speaker 1: I felt like I didn't really have a lot to give.

00:37:29
Speaker 2: I did want to like just kind of get to know my husband off camera and just spend time with him and not have to shoot because we shoot a lot in Atlanta, like it's a very rigorous schedule.

00:37:39
Speaker 1: So for me, that was that was my thought process.

00:37:44
Speaker 2: So when The Real House was Atlanta did start back up, I got a call from my girl of Rain and basically they were interested in me coming back as a friend, which which I actually entertained to be honest, because this is how the friend games changed. People are housewives one season friends one season. I mean you you were like definitely instrumental and like, you know, some housewives starting off as housewives.

00:38:11
Speaker 1: And becoming friends. But by the time you know, you know, the season wrapped up or whatever, so you know, they do it in all the other franchises.

00:38:17
Speaker 2: Like the friend thing is not a bad deal, Like, it's not like I know people though, you know, you have to be a housewife. I've seen people be housewives, be friends, they'd be housewives again.

00:38:27
Speaker 1: Be friends again.

00:38:27
Speaker 2: It's like it's involved. The show has evolved so much in terms of what a friend of the show means exactly exactly. Now she's back as a full time housewife and that's that's great. So I love that Number one of the network gave me that option because I really thought, well, maybe this is a way because although I had my reasons for feeling like it wasn't right for me to go back to the show, I definitely felt like, you know, it was kind of hard to cut the core and just be like, Okay, I'm just done with housewives. So I was like, maybe the friend brow is a way I can just shoot sometimes and still be.

00:38:59
Speaker 1: Able to focus on acting and focus on my marriage. But what I realized is really, you know the friends, you know, they do a lot of work too. Friends gotta go on the trips, the friends. The friends still have to show up everything. And I was like inflence money. So I was like, well, now, okay, once I think about like, unless I can just pop up like you know three times in the season.

00:39:25
Speaker 2: Then I'm pretty much working, except I'm just not a housewife, and you know, I'm just making a smaller check. So I just thought, you know what, I'm gonna go ahead. I appreciate this good offer, but.

00:39:36
Speaker 1: I'm going to gracefully decline on that one. Okay, And but it was but it's great. I did think about that, but I was never like, oh, I was fired. I guess I don't know what that's called.

00:39:46
Speaker 5: Maybe yeah, No, it's a thing.

00:39:50
Speaker 3: It's a thing, because obviously I said something like these are the housewives who quit or whatever, and listen, I will admit when I'm wrong, because everything's about wordplay.

00:39:59
Speaker 5: And at the end of the day, you weren't fired.

00:40:01
Speaker 3: You were offered a lesser row than a peach holder and you chose not to accept it, and that doesn't mean you got fired. So I want to make that clear, and you're right about that. But I want to ask you this though, on some honest shit.

00:40:16
Speaker 5: Did it as someone who has watched you give at bird read thing to this show.

00:40:24
Speaker 3: You gave every god she gave, every piece of her life to the real Hospital of Atlanta. Did it ever come a moment when you felt like the moment you were told to be, the moment you were asked to be a friend of. Did you have a moment where you were like, well, damn, Like I gave everything to the show and you got some chicks on this show who ain't given half of what I gave and they get.

00:40:47
Speaker 5: To still be on.

00:40:50
Speaker 2: Okay, all right, Honestly, it always feels good to be wanted. Okay, it always feels good to have that. You know, I've never not gotten that letter. I've never not gotten that letter early. Okay, I well those let us go out. My letters usually at the top of the list. Okay, let's just be very clear. I've never had the network.

00:41:13
Speaker 1: Like you guys have never called me and said, hey, we need to talk to you. We're not sure if we want to bring you back. You're not.

00:41:19
Speaker 2: There was never a point in any of the seasons where anyone, you know, the Bravo people were like, hey, well you know you're not bringing en up.

00:41:25
Speaker 1: Well I never I.

00:41:27
Speaker 5: Never had to be.

00:41:30
Speaker 1: They never had to like talk to me about like me delivering or anything like that.

00:41:34
Speaker 2: So I've just had like eleven really very successful years where I didn't hear from the network at all. I just got my letter back and I went back to work. If anything, they rewarded me in other small ways.

00:41:45
Speaker 1: But like, you know, I did so much.

00:41:47
Speaker 2: I did many commercials with them, like I was always you know, my daughter Noel has done work with them like I was, you know, really that girl that I felt like although I was in the star of the show or if I never like, people never looked at me that way. You know, I never said next day Dad, never was in the middle or any of those things. I felt like the network always gave me other things to say, we appreciate you, okay. And I don't tak take those things for granted because they were amazing, amazing spots for me for me to get.

00:42:18
Speaker 1: And and you know, you know very you know, great money as well. So I didn't look at it like a slap in the face or anything like that.

00:42:27
Speaker 2: I just kind of looked at it like, all right, Yeah, in a perfect world, you know, nobody wants you to break up with them. You want to break you know, you don't want them to break them with you. You want to break them with them even if you want to leave. You're like, can I just break up with you? Though, key, just send me my letter and let me just tell you I don't want to come back, you know, Can you just give me that, like we both are gonna get what we wanted to end. You know what I'm saying, I'm not gonna come back, but at least I could say, you know what.

00:42:52
Speaker 1: I You know I was asked, and you know I didn't. You know whatever. You don't understand. It feels good to cut it off with with someone before they cut it off with you.

00:43:01
Speaker 2: But honestly, at the end of the day, because my heart was so heavy about even coming back in any capacity at that point, I was just I don't know if I ever would have cut the cut the cord if they had sent me a housewife letter back, because I think I would.

00:43:17
Speaker 1: Have been because you know, Mama was making a cheap boone Baylor. People's doing good that much.

00:43:22
Speaker 5: Oh No, you were making a lot of money. Hard to cut off, you know, Oh trust me, I was making a lot of money when I left too.

00:43:31
Speaker 3: I get it.

00:43:32
Speaker 5: Look the check is you okay?

00:43:35
Speaker 3: Hence my background, So as we wrap things up, you are somebody who loves love. I know that you're still technically married, but are you dating anyone, a man.

00:43:49
Speaker 5: A woman, Like, what's going off with Cynthia's love life?

00:43:53
Speaker 2: Well, I am dating, I'm I'm dating myself. I'm dating myself right now. I am loving all myself, Carlos. I had three hour massage last night. I'm really taking some time to just get back to me. But I am absolutely one open to to dating soon without question. I do miss and want companionship. Mike and I are friends, uh without benefits.

00:44:19
Speaker 3: So.

00:44:23
Speaker 5: Are there?

00:44:24
Speaker 1: Do you think it's still married?

00:44:26
Speaker 5: So I'll I mean, are you having benefits with other people?

00:44:32
Speaker 2: No?

00:44:32
Speaker 1: No, no, no, no, no, no no no.

00:44:33
Speaker 2: I'm totally into my own thing right now. And I am actually I am actually celibate. And you know, even before we announced everything, you know, we had cut off that part a while, you know, before that because we were like, you know, we're going through it and then you know, we're going through it privately and.

00:44:50
Speaker 1: That means you know, no sex, like going through it.

00:44:53
Speaker 2: So anyway, but yeah, it's been a minute, it's been a minute, and you know, I'm here at Lake Bailey. I'm still spending my time between La and Atlanta. But I do think that I'm going to spend a little spend a little bit more time in Atlanta in my house because it feels good to be back in my space.

00:45:13
Speaker 1: And I am very open to dating at some point for sure.

00:45:18
Speaker 5: You know, Peter is still single. Would you ever want to see Peter again?

00:45:24
Speaker 2: Okay, that's let me correct you on that, Carlos. First of all, do you believe Peter has a girlfriend?

00:45:29
Speaker 1: That's number one? Number two? What he does have a girlfriend? You need to have him on your show, Chot, because he does have a girlfriend.

00:45:37
Speaker 5: I don't have my show. And he's dating. He's not exclusive, Okay, I'm sorry.

00:45:40
Speaker 2: Well, he's dating and he seems very very happy with who he's with, So kudos to shout out to Peter and his and whoever he's dating.

00:45:49
Speaker 5: Okay, haven't paid you your money back?

00:45:50
Speaker 3: Because he was just straw over that lawsuit, honey, over the one hundred and seventy thousand.

00:45:54
Speaker 5: He was sad sat the I Did Peter ever pay you back the money?

00:45:57
Speaker 2: Girl?

00:45:58
Speaker 6: Yes?

00:45:58
Speaker 1: Yes, yes, Peter and I are good.

00:46:01
Speaker 2: Peter and I are good, and he has been very very nice to me throughout this whole process, and he has made it very clear to me that he feels like I you know, he's you know, sad that things didn't work out with Mike and that I deserve happiness, and he wishes me well, and he's you know, you know, nice, nice things, as he should. But you know, Leo will tell you the same thing, and and Mike will tell you the same thing.

00:46:28
Speaker 1: Like I don't. I don't leave relationships and disarray in that way.

00:46:34
Speaker 2: Like it's always very important to me to have respect and honor for whoever it is that I'm with, and.

00:46:42
Speaker 1: And that's what I have. And that's exactly you know what Mike and I will have as well. And that's it.

00:46:46
Speaker 2: So we'll see, I mean say, I mean, when I, you know, do meet somebody, you know, God is moving my steps and if he moves a man uh down this driveway.

00:46:54
Speaker 1: At Lake Bailey, I'll come back on the podcast and we talk about it.

00:47:00
Speaker 5: Yes, yes, yes, okay.

00:47:03
Speaker 3: So enclosing, I always have a former housewife or current housewife for that matter, answer this question.

00:47:11
Speaker 5: So my last question is this, Okay, name.

00:47:14
Speaker 3: If you were ever to go back on the Real Housepital of Atlanta and they told you you could come back with the cast of your choice. Okay, but it only has to be five ooh, okay, so including yourself makes four other housewives. What four other housewives and your dreamcast would you bring back with you?

00:47:37
Speaker 2: Oh boy? Okay Eva, because she's my friend, Kennya. We just made up and we're good again, and I love her. Even when I was mad at her, I still loved her. Okay, So I get two more, right, Candy, she's my girl, and uh.

00:48:00
Speaker 1: Who else?

00:48:00
Speaker 2: You know what I'm gonna say, poor chef, because we always had fun filming.

00:48:03
Speaker 5: Together, even when you kicked her.

00:48:06
Speaker 1: Okay, Listen, I was under the influence. I was going through, uh you know, some stressful times in my marriage. You guys did know that, and we were drinking and having a good time. But you know that's so crazy because I was.

00:48:20
Speaker 2: Thinking about that too, Like when I think about like all the memories and how like you, Oh my god, like I remember like when that happened, like you like tackled.

00:48:30
Speaker 1: Her and everything, and I was just like, oh my god, this is so crazy, so crazy.

00:48:34
Speaker 5: You're a legend. You're legend.

00:48:35
Speaker 3: You you listen, you have great moments. I am so happy you came in this podcast, and I want the world to know this. I've said this to you personally. I'll say it again and I'll say it publicly. I adore you, I love you. You are a great woman, a great human being. You are probably, in my opinion, the most underrated housewife. And as somebody who has worked closely with you, I know that time and effort you have put into making that show great. And as God is my witness, as God is my witness, you were a formidable part of the success of that show.

00:49:13
Speaker 5: And I think people don't.

00:49:14
Speaker 3: Give you enough credit because at the end of the day, at the end of the day, the best cast of housewives history will always be the season six cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, because I know first hand each six of those women brought some excellence and something great to the show. And because season six was the greatest season of all time is because of those six women, and obviously it includes Cynthia. So I thank you, I love you, thank you for blessing me. And before I cry, tell the world child where they could follow you and find you.

00:49:54
Speaker 5: Honey.

00:49:55
Speaker 2: Well, first of all, honestly, when I got the call to get on this podcast, I was yes, Yes, one of the Carlos podcasts, because you know, we've had.

00:50:04
Speaker 1: Some moments, And I want you to know, King, Carlos King, I could not have.

00:50:11
Speaker 2: Done Real Housewives without you, Honestly, as much as you stayed on my butt, you.

00:50:16
Speaker 1: Made me laugh and you made me have fun with it, and you made me believe that.

00:50:20
Speaker 2: I could do it because I came on here like okay, what And I just remember when you saw that friend contract.

00:50:25
Speaker 1: You were like, this is everything, bitch. I was like it is like I was honestly just trying to have fun with it. Like I didn't even think it was a big day. You were like, oh, you'll be back season, You'll be back next season. I had this is everything.

00:50:39
Speaker 2: But I remember all those things, and you know, I know you guys don't ever get enough credit, but I'll say this on behalf of the cast that I've worked with, the most of the Real Housewives at Atlanta, we all were better because we had a Carlos King in our ear. In a lot of ways, we really really were because there were days where I just honestly was like I just can't do it. Especially my first season, we were just losing everything. I was so stressed out, I was so tired, and just I just didn't know how to keep going. And I was planning this wedding and we didn't have any money, and you would just come to me and you would just take your little EarPods out and you would just hold my hand and you would say you can do this, you can do this.

00:51:23
Speaker 1: And like in that moment in time, Carlos, I was like, that's all. Like it was like, God, tell me I can do it. I was like, okay, Carlos Things, I can do it.

00:51:33
Speaker 2: We don't have no money, I don't know I have a pay Tony Conway, I don't know what you know. Like and I was like, Okay, if Carlos Things, I can do it, I can do it. So you have been You were such a sense of strength for me throughout that entire time. And I know you got cussed out, you know, a few times, but just so you know, it's very important.

00:51:53
Speaker 1: For me to give you your flowers. Carlos King, you are. It's so rightfully so that you have this podcast and all the amazing things.

00:52:00
Speaker 2: That you have gone on to do, because truly, truly, I feel like we were all at the beginning of this whole reality thing, and I feel like we forget, like we we like we didn't know that there was gonna be like it would continue and all these other shows would happen as a result of And still right now, you know Real Housewives, Villina still has a certain Genese quadat.

00:52:23
Speaker 1: You know that people still love because you know, we had.

00:52:26
Speaker 2: You know, Tyler Perry, the Obamas, like people watch our show and anywhere I go in the world and the world people can recite things, you know, like what's up fifty seent like.

00:52:36
Speaker 1: They know everything.

00:52:38
Speaker 2: It has been a huge blessing to my life and I could not have done it without you. I was lucky enough to have you as my producer for again, you know, most of my seasons on the show.

00:52:49
Speaker 1: And I salute you, Carlos King.

00:52:50
Speaker 2: And you continue to blossom and grow, and there's ever anything that you're doing that I can be a part of.

00:52:55
Speaker 1: I can support.

00:52:57
Speaker 2: I'm your friend, I'm your girl, and I truly we love you, Carlos King. It makes me so proud every time I see you doing anything.

00:53:04
Speaker 5: Honestly, thank you fifty cent.

00:53:06
Speaker 1: Yah, You're welcome.

00:53:08
Speaker 3: There's a wrap up, yeah, baby See, y'all did not expect me to give Cynthia the flowers that she deserves.

00:53:22
Speaker 5: I really hope you.

00:53:22
Speaker 3: All understand why I feel like every reality show needs a Cynthia Bailey. She is somebody who will always be one of the most underrated housewives of all time, and it's time we wake up, smell the folders in our cup and give Cynthia her flowers. Thank you for listening to Reality with the King. New episodes drop every Wednesday and Friday, Share, comment, follow, and subscribe to.

00:53:57
Speaker 5: Reality with the King.

00:53:59
Speaker 3: Wherever you get your podcast, visit Reality withth King dot com and be sure to follow me at the Carlos King Underscore on Instagram and Twitter. Tweak me your thoughts and hot takes about this episode using the hashtag reality with the King. Reality with the King is a production of More Sauce by Stitcher.

00:54:24
Speaker 5: It is executive.

00:54:25
Speaker 3: Produced by Me, Carlos King, and Jasmine Heinley Brown. We are also produced by Lashik, Lotus Lee, and Brandon Nix. Engineering and music by Marcus pom

00:54:40
Speaker 5: More Sauce