The Real Housewives of Atlanta has had some great friends, some terrific villains, some icons, some forgotten cast members, and some truly memorable moments. It's no surprise that the franchise has witnessed some of the most unforgettable clapbacks, shades, and showdowns.
Be it Phaedra Parks' 'take several seats darling,' or NeNe Leakes' 'I said what I said,' the impeccably timed zingers and the iconic taglines on the Real Housewives series are more than just meme fodder. They give a glimpse into how each person thinks, what they believe, or how they handle criticism, and even sum up their whole personality.
Kenya Moore - Gone With The Wind Fabulous.
Kenya's 'Gone with the wind fabulous' moment is one of the most iconic scenes in RHOA. Kenya's fellow castmates Phaedra and NeNe did smirk when she said it to Porsha and left the scene with a twirl of her dress. But Kenya has lived up to this claim in the last few years; she's not only the most popular RHOA cast member at the moment but also the most stylish.
She has managed to evolve with the show and has consistently worked to keep her storylines engaging so viewers of all ages can connect to her, so this moment would really go on to define Kenya's RHOA legacy.
Drew Sidora - LaToya Forever? No, LaToya Never Ever.
Drew is the newest addition to the RHOA squad and her feud with fellow newbie LaToya Ali has shed light on her personality. Drew prioritizes transparency and is good at balancing her emotions, but she can get very defensive if she feels threatened in any way. So, when the ladies were discussing Kenya and LaToya's tensions and the latter brought up LaToya's involvement in the 'strippergate' incident, Drew did not stay quiet.
"LaToyaforever? No, LaToya never ever. Don't ever say my name with regards to things you don't know," she told LaToya, as she took a jibe at LaToya's Instagram handle. Fans think this incident brings out Drew's sense of loyalty and protectiveness towards her loved ones.
Sheree Whitfield - Who Gon' Check Me Boo?
Sheree's feud with her event planner Anthony is still regarded as one of the best RHOA storylines ever. The way she handled being ignored says a lot about how she always gives the conversational approach a chance first and only lets things escalate when absolutely necessary. Anthony wouldn’t answer Sheree's queries about her big Independence party, he would avoid her calls and made some major decisions without consulting her.
During a screaming match, when Anthony tells her she needs to control herself before someone checks her, she says, "Who gon' check me boo?" This isn't just iconic but a glimpse into how controlled and self-aware Sheree is during confrontations.
Cynthia Bailey - If You Don't Respect How I Feel, Move Over There.
Cynthia has always had a calming presence; even during confrontations, she has managed to stay poised and logical, without going overboard with personal attacks. But her Lake Lanier fight with Porsha took a nasty turn when things got physical. Cynthia attempted to distance herself from the drama and told Porsha, "If you don't respect how I feel, move over there."
This reflects Cynthia's peacekeeping mentality perfectly. The housewife almost always gives a chance to other people to rectify themselves or to remove themselves from the situation, and Cynthia usually doesn't let things escalate if she can help it.
NeNe Leakes - I Don't Keep Up With The Joneses. I Am The Joneses.
This wasn't just NeNe's tagline for the show but was also one of her most iconic quotes on RHOA. NeNe was aware of the impact her presence had in any setting which is why she had also once said, "When I walk into a room, I own it."
NeNe has been an unstoppable force on the show, and definitely the most entertaining cast member; she knew exactly what she brought to the table and that's what made her so watchable. She was no-nonsense and she knew from season 1 how she stood out from the rest of the cast, and hence these words were aptly self-referential.
Kandi Burruss - Girl, Bye!
This phrase might be commonplace and Kandi may have only used it a few times but it reflects a lot about how Kandi deals with unnecessary drama. She's a straight shooter who is not afraid to speak her mind, which is why she makes for such a fierce ally. She has no tolerance for people who push their own agendas or fake something about their personal life. At times Kandi has used this phrase to disassociate from a situation.
She did it when she was wary of Kim mentioning her husband's whereabouts at every other sentence or when she got into a heated showdown with Porsha. Kandi can read situations quickly so she guards herself against any unpleasantness that she sees developing because she does not like getting pulled into situations that are not her business.
Kim Zolciak Biermann - Have Some Cake, Call It A Day!
Former RHOA sensation Kim had some of the best one-liners of the show that were refreshing because they were funny without being below-the-belt. RHOA loyalists know that though Kim liked her indulgences, she wasn't always a fan of too much pomp or fanfare. More importantly, she had never been someone who had endless patience for something she found too extra or pointless.
At Phaedra's baby shower/ gender reveal party, when dancers began performing to the tune of The Nutcracker and a pregnant Phaedra waltzed with Dwight, Kim could not see the point. "Sit in a rocking chair, have some cake and call it a day!" Kim remarked.
LaToya Ali - I Think The First Step Is For You To Shut Up.
LaToya has not had it easy since she joined RHOA; her personal relationships have often been called into question, she has been accused of leaking information several times, and her rocky dynamic with Drew Sidora hasn't gotten any better. LaToya isn't someone who goes looking for drama, however, she is quick to let people know when they have crossed a line.
When Drew tried telling how LaToya should have explained her relationship to their mutual friend Prophet, LaToya was not having her skepticism, which made it clear that LaToya wasn't entirely okay with labeling someone's relationship for them. "I think the first is for you to shut up because you don't know what you're talking about," she told Drew.
Porsha Williams - The Biggest Takeaway From This Experience? That I'm Gonna Do It Again.
Porsha has had a phenomenal transformation on the show. She has been bullied, made fun of, and she struggled with anger management, but she has come to find her own ground as a cast member. Though she had a reputation for starting fires, she has learned how to choose her battles, which has made her more loyal.
When she was arrested for protesting for something she believes in, she said during a confessional that her biggest takeaway is that she'd do it again. This shows how tenacious and resilient she is, not just on the show but even when cameras aren't running.
Phaedra Parks - Honey, I'm Pre-Housewife.
Phaedra is famous for her fierce zingers, most of which are remarkably spontaneous. Though her 'I'm pre-Housewife' comment comes off as a boast, Phaedra was actually quite secure about herself, and her storylines had almost no false notes or overly produced moments. Phaedra's remark stems from her successful career as a high-profile lawyer as she was notably Bobby Brown's attorney when she was filming for RHOA.
So, her reputation quite literally preceded her; Phaedra was also proud of her professional accomplishments and it made some of her arcs really empowering, which made her so very engaging as a cast member.