Phaedra Parks comes from a long tradition of reality stars with killer instincts, but you wouldn’t immediately know it from watching her on “The Traitors.”
The show on Peacock, hosted by Scottish actor Alan Cumming, brings together the fiercest competitors from the reality TV universe. Among all the boasting and back-stabbing, Parks — a self-described Southern belle and former “Real Housewife of Atlanta” — is taking a different tack than usual, playing a low-key savvy game that has kept her alive so far through nine of eleven episodes in season 2.
While her fellow Traitor Dan Gheesling (a “Big Brother” winner) received praise from contestants as a “smart game player” and Parvati Shallow (winner of “Survivor Micronesia”) is universally feared, Phaedra has been uncharacteristically flying under the radar, with no one expecting her to outmaneuver and outwit everyone. But after Gheesling and Shallow betray her, the gloves come off, and we see exactly why no one should be underestimating Parks.
When crossed, she knows how to cut to the quick, and her epic drags have become must-watch viewing on social media.
The ”Queens of Bravo” posted On Feb. 25, “One full minute of Phaedra dragging Parvati, Dan & Peter. Do you know how many times we’ve watched this…”
In one of the smoothest drags on TV, Parks gave Peter Weber, star of “The Bachelor” season 24, a reality check at the roundtable after the “cutesy bachelor” targeted her: “What you may have forgotten, Peter, this is not ‘The Bachelor.’ And I don’t have to kiss your ass for a rose.”
Even host Cumming was impressed with what he described as Parks’ “passive” approach to the competition, telling People on Feb. 22, “That’s a very good tactic actually in a game like this. She never really risks a judgment about anything.” He added, “As a lawyer, you have to be very authoritative but non-partisan. So, I was kind of surprised.”
Parks’ poise under pressure is arguably what makes her such a dangerous player on “The Traitors.” And no small part of it must be due to her years as an attorney.
The Georgia native earned a BA with honors from Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, and her JD from the University of Georgia. As managing partner of boutique law firm The Parks Group, she has honed her dealmaking skills for a quarter century. In 2016 she was named Atlanta’s Most Popular Lawyer by the Office of the Fulton County District Attorney.
But her other rather unusual passion gives us insight into “Phae Phae” too. The “Real Housewife” became a mortician as a side hustle after the untimely deaths of several loved ones. Turning tragedy into a successful business requires a grit that few possess, and the business took off. Even legendary singer Bette Milder inquired about the reality star doing her funeral. Recently, the high-profile attorney — who also appears on “Married to Medicine” — announced she added holistic healer to her résumé as she became a certified-level Reiki master.
Phaedra’s rebrand from Shady Southern Belle attorney/mortician to Black Blanche Devereaux is supreme PR. We love to see it. pic.twitter.com/ntaCrchuDH
— Certified G (@Garrettbdp_) January 20, 2024
Parks certainly has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. Will she add winner of “The Traitors” to her growing résumé? The season two finale airs on Thursday, March 7 at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock.
