Actress Kim Fields became a household name after runs on iconic shows like The Facts of Life and Living Single. So it did shock many fans back in 2015 when she joined the cast of Real Housewives of Atlanta for a bit of shade and tea. It didn’t last long, however, with Fields exiting after just one season. But Fields is opening up about whether or not she would consider joining the ranks of reality TV drama once again.
Apparently, the decision to join the Real Housewives of Atlanta was an effort of Kim Fields’ to try something new. Getting the Kenya Moore shade special is certainly one way to expand one’s horizons, but it’s not something Fields is willing to return to by choice. About Real Housewives of Atlanta, Fields said to ET Online:
You know, it was one of those things where I celebrated my 40th anniversary in showbusiness, and I thought, 'At this point the mandate is, and continues to be, [asking myself] what haven't I done? I need new and uncharted waters. And I did that, so there's no need to do that again.
We can’t say that’s an altogether bad choice. Kim Fields’ stint on Real Housewives of Atlanta was a bit cringe-worthy, to say the least. She was, for the most part, content to be the quiet, new girl of the group – until co-star Kenya Moore started throwing jabs about their careers and levels of success. Moore famously said at the reunion that Fields was “biting the hand” that fed her, implying that she thought Fields actually needed this Real Housewives gig.
But things really hit the fan when the group decided to question Kim Fields about rumors that her husband was “fruity or gay,” prompting backlash that the ladies were queerbaiting for the sake of entertainment. While she did not confirm it, there's a chance the husband drama is the real reason Fields will not be returning in any future seasons. However, she is probably having the last laugh when it comes to Kenya Moore. See her celebratory post about her new show The Upshaws as #1 in Netflix’s Top 10 lineup:
Both The Upshaws and Jamie Foxx’s Dad Stop Embarrassing Me being at the coveted #1 spots after their premieres indicate that Neflix is having some level of success in bringing new black-led family sitcoms to streaming. When speaking about her co-stars Wanda Sykes and Mike Epps, Kim Fields commended “how professional they are” and how they never try to “one-up each other.” Needless to say, this is quite different from Fields' experience on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Real Housewives of Atlanta closed out its scandalous “StripperGate” season on May 9, but the drama never stops, even if the cameras do. Porsha Williams’ announcement that she's going to be marrying her co-star's ex-husband after a month of dating has had fans in a tizzy. Alas, Kim Fields doesn’t have to deal with any of that drama anymore. Been there, done that.
