True to form, reality TV star NeNe Leakes still has her classic wacky humor amidst difficult situations. Her husband, Gregg Leakes, unfortunately passed away in September after a lengthy battle with colon cancer. But the Real Housewives of Atlanta alum is taking her new reality in stride by hilariously addressing the men sliding into her DMs of late.
Before his death, Gregg and NeNe Leakes were married for nearly 20 years. Their relationship had many ups and downs that were well documented on the Real Housewives spinoff. It was Gregg’s cancer diagnosis and treatments in NeNe's last seasons, though, that were particularly heart-wrenching to watch. However, if fans think NeNe is against men shooting their shot in her DMs after Gregg's passing, well, think again. Along with her signature eyebrow wiggle, she jokingly said on her Instagram stories (via ET Online):
Thank you to everybody. All the gentleman that have been in my DMs, thank y'all too. I'm just over here doing me right now, but hey! I love reading the messages. They are inspiring to say the least. Thank you.
Honestly, I think it's equal parts hilarious and amazing that NeNe Leakes finds all the men in her DMs so “inspiring.” It is relatively soon after her husband's death to really start dating again in earnest, but no one deserves to live in grief forever. Even Gregg Leakes himself believed that. NeNe revealed to People, in fact, that some of his last words were that he wanted her to “move on” with her life.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star also told People that she has her “ups and downs” in the wake of her husband's death. She shared that her new normal is actually so surreal that she often finds herself “still waiting for him to come home.” Nevertheless, The reality TV star is soldiering on in a way that only she can. She even hosted a huge “celebration of life” party in honor of Gregg Leakes last month, with several of NeNe’s former costars/frenemies from RHOA in attendance.
More recently, NeNe Leakes’ ex-co-star, Cynthia Bailey, showed up to support one of Leakes’ nightclub events in Atlanta (via Radar Online). (A good place for others to shoot their shot…) But it was Bailey's first appearance to coincide with the sweep of rumors that she would not be returning to the show she's headlined for 10 years. She has since followed in Leakes’ footsteps and confirmed her exit as fact.
Evidently, there are a lot of Real Housewives cast shakeups in the works across the board. With Cynthia Bailey and Porsha Williams out of RHOA, Kyle Richards considering leaving Beverly Hills, and the Real Housewives of New York in flux, speculation has turned to which new or familiar faces will usher in a new era.
NeNe Leakes has as much as said in the past that she wouldn’t return again to the Real Housewives of Atlanta. But hopefully, she keeps us up to date on her DM situation. Surely, Lizzo is very proud as are Leakes' many fans.
