“Real Housewives of Atlanta” fans reliving one of the many memorable franchise reunion moments are shocked to realize that some missed the measures Phaedra Parks took to feel safe in the same room as Kenya Moore.
A clip from the season 5 special, which aired in 2013, resurfaced when Bravo launched a viral tweet urging viewers to share their favorite show memories. “Who got that one Bravo clip?” they tweeted, garnering thousands of responses.
Among them was the aforementioned end-of-season gathering, where the cast members rehashed the highs and lows they experienced with each other that year.
In the scene, Moore is in the midst of a heated exchange with Peter Thomas, then-husband of Cynthia Bailey, when she stands up and twirls in “Gone with the Wind fabulous” fashion. A pregnant Parks, who is seated on a sofa across from Moore, stealthily reaches behind a pillow where she has a pink stun gun tucked away.
As the back-and-forth continues, she looks off-camera while holding the non-lethal weapon nonchalantly. At no point did any of the cast members or show creator Andy Cohen, who also moderates the reunions, inquire about the device.
I’m glad I caught this during the reunion. Phaedra Parks stay ready!!! 🤣🤣#RHOA https://t.co/rs5tccc1ye pic.twitter.com/7jBYPiQ65M
— ✨Lei Lei✨ (@leiileiijaee203) January 26, 2024
As observed by reactions to the video years later, the attorney’s safety measure still packs the power to stun. “NO WAY!!! I never caught that.Oh she was for real for real back then!” tweeted an X user.
Someone else noted that during that part one of the special, Moore and Parks argued about their rift, which stemmed from a failed partnership to launch a workout video. “But then away Kenya did say Phaedra would be picking up her teeth pregnant and all, at that very reunion,” read the tweet.
After the airing, the former Miss America winner apologized for making the unwarranted threat. “I was keeping my composure but that was unacceptable,” she said.
Their storylines were especially explosive as the women also shared tense moments over Moore being overly friendly and flirty with Parks’ then-husband Apollo Nida. Though she denied being involved with the married man, their interactions were edited to make it seem as though clear boundaries were crossed.
During the season, the two women soured on joining for the workout video endeavor, which led to years of tensions between them. They instead moved forward with releasing their own solo exercise efforts, Moore with “Booty Boot Camp” and Parks and her husband Nida, with “Phine Body.”
The hair care line proprietor slammed Parks for trying to ruin her reputation over the business rift and for fighting dirty. Years later, in an interview with “The Breakfast Club,” Moore reiterated her disdain for her foe.
“She started off telling lies about me. … I became an alcoholic, I became bipolar, I became, like, all of those things. … That whole situation came from her, and that’s slanderous,” she said. Moore added also said the show had no room for liars.
Throwback to #RHOA Season 7 — Phaedra lunges at Kenya when “Mr. Chocolate” rumors are brought up! pic.twitter.com/kKaBDefExU
— jay (@JaysRealityBlog) May 1, 2022
By that point, Parks had been revealed as the source behind a false rumor alleging that Kandi Burruss and husband, Todd Tucker, sought to drug and rape cast mate Porsha Williams.
Two seasons later, Parks lunged to smack her nemesis with a clutch purse amid accusations that she was cheating on Nida with a man dubbed Mr. Chocolate.
