At one point, rumors were swirling that Jeannie Mai Jenkins was set to join the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. We know what you’re thinking. Jeannie Mai? A peach holder?
Source: Michael Tullberg / Getty
We can kind of see her fitting in well with the sassy Atlanta socialites, but the rumor also claimed that she’d be coming to snatch a peach from Kandi Burruss which made it VERY hard to believe.
Well, this week The Real co-host set the record straight about the alleged hearsay.
“That was crazy. I literally was just over here having a baby and I’m hearing these rumors, I was like ‘Where? How am I going to go from this into that because that’s a full-time job,” the 43-year-old told viewers on a May 11 airing of the popular daytime talk show.
Mai, who just welcomed her adorable daughter Monaco in January with rapper hubby Jeezy, told fans that she’s not even sure where the buzz came from.
“Do you know when they say where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire? That was a complete rumor,” the star continued. “I haven’t talked to one person, my people haven’t talked to one person from Bravo, so that was a complete rumor that got made up.”
RHOA vet Kenya Moore appeared as a guest on Wednesday’s episode of The Real, and she claimed she heard the gossip too.
Interestingly enough, Kenya gave Mai her seal approval, noting how the ABC correspondent would “make an excellent Housewife.”
“You could come on as my friend,” she added.
That definitely sounded kind of shady, but anyway… All in all, Mai said she’s not interested in joining the drama-filled Bravo series.
“The door is closed. It’s sealed. There wasn’t a door to begin with. It was a wall. There is no door,” she laughed, before referencing her co-host Garcelle Beauvais, who stars on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
“I say that, just because it’s a lot of work. And even knowing Garcelle, I always ask her ‘How do you get your mind in the place of going in to shoot and you’re not ready for what might come at you? And she tells me too, it’s a full-time job.”
Dang… we could totally see Jeannie Mai throwing out “fun shade” and on the epic girls’ trips too, but according to the Emmy-award-winning producer, she’s just happy to be enjoying her full-time job as a new momma.
“I’m going to leave it to you guys because you do it well,” she added to both Moore and Beauvais.
As for Kandi, the RHOA OG also shut down the chit-chatter during an exclusive interview with ET. She said she didn’t even know where the heck the rumor came from.
“I don’t know who makes these rumors up. I think somebody secretly wants to get rid of me or something. I’m like, ‘Too late. I already filmed season 14, ” she joked, but all is well for the Old Lady Gang restauranteur.
Burruss said she would happily welcome Mai with open arms if she were to join next season.
“I’m cool with Jeannie and I love her. So, please, I would love for her to come on,” the bustling entrepreneur shared, before adding:
“I don’t know if somebody wants her to come through. I mean, it would be great to see her. I would love for her to be a part… We’re friends, so let me be the one to bring her on.”
Welp, there you have it! Check out the actual Real Housewife of Atlanta Kenya Moore talk about the new season below.