'Real Housewives of Atlanta' recap, episode 8: ready to drop a major load of

Muhammad had dubbed himself  "The Love Doctor" earlier this decade, landing on "The Ricki Lake Show" and Hot 107.9 locally as a relationships expert. He also taught at Clark Atlanta University. But he was not a psychologist, as he claimed. Clark Atlanta subsequently dismissed him. In an AJC story in 2005  that exposed his lies, he changed his title to "life coach," which requires no actual licensing.

But he clearly was still portraying himself as a real doctor to Sheree on this reality show. He also claimed on the show last night that he had gotten a PhD from an online operation. He sounds like he said Ashford University, an online operation which does not offer PhDs and may or may not be legitimate. He may have meant Ashwood University, in which you can get degrees based on "life experience," whatever that is worth. He lists Ashwood on his "credentials" on his web site though there is no sign of a PhD anywhere.  This is what he lists:

NeNe Leakes and Kandi Burruss outed him at a spades party Sheree hosted at her home. They had both heard about and told her. He tried to defend himself but it was obvious he was a faker.

Sheree kept it to herself on camera, let the girls do the dirty work. "I feel so shocked," she said later to the Bravo cameras. "I've been bamboozled!"

Earlier, when Sheree holds a party for her son and daughter at Andretti's Indoor Karting & Games in Roswell, ex-husband Bob Whitfield actually shows up on camera. Has he ever done so before? I recall seeing the back of his head in a car once. While there, NeNe reveals her "wussiness" by citing claustrophobia on the go karts and cutting out earlier. Sheree, on the other hand, has "a need for speed."

In other news on the show:

- Phaedra Parks had her baby! She had a family friend who works in Augusta named Dr. John Lue induce her. And yes, he's no fake "love doctor." Dr. Lue is an actual OB/GYN doctor who got his medical degree from Morehouse.

"Are you ready to drop a load?" her husband Apollo asked to open the show.

Phaedra on the surface tries to act nonchalant but she's actually terrified, not only of the birthing process but all that is going to happen afterwards.

The Bravo cameras capture the event in action and we see the baby as it comes out. The first time Phaedra glimpses her baby, she says, "Gross." Once she sees him all cleaned up (and he's adorable), she later thought "he just looked Chinese to me. But it was my baby because nobody else was in the operating room!"

- NeNe is seeking a job (though being a reality show cast member is a job, isn't it?) now that she knows she's on the verge of splitting from Gregg. So she hooks up with WXIA-TV, the local NBC affiliate. We see her meet with local anchor Karyn Greer, news director Ellen Crooke and Ben Mayer, manager of content (whatever that means!). [UPDATE: Ellen told me he is what used to be known as the assistant news director but since he oversees social media and online content as well, his title changed.] NeNe wants to interview celebrities such as Jermaine Dupri, Mo'Nique and Tyler Perry. Though it appears NeNe is going to get a long-term job there, it ends up actually just being a two-week gig this past summer. [UPDATE: in an interview today, Ellen Crooke was nothing but complimentary of NeNe, said she worked hard, showed up on time and exhibited no diva tendencies. They are taking advantage of the publicity by replaying her stories and bringing her on Monday mornings to talk about the show.]

- Kandi's Smyrna-based TAGS Boutique finally gets some airtime on the show. It was her birthday and Kim gives her a red wig. Kandi is not impressed, calling it "hooker-ish." She also visits Phaedra and finds out from Dr. Lue that Phaedra is 40 weeks. Phaedra acts like she didn't know. The reality: her mom is a pastor and does not believe in children out of wedlock. If she did the math, it's obvious Phaedra got knocked up before she got married. That's why Phaedra was dissembling. The other housewives got a good laugh when Kandi reported that yes, Phaedra was to term, not two months early.

- Cynthia Bailey pops up at Kandi's party and the spades party but nothing of note happens to her this episode.

- Kim too was at the spades party but didn't get much time on air besides yet again questioning Phaedra's seven month pregnant line, citing her nursing credentials, and giving Kandi her wig.

- Lisa Wu Hartwell, who was a cast member the first two seasons, showed up again, this time with Ed, to the spades party. She was also at Kandi's birthday party.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

"This is a twin-size bed. Don't they come bigger than that?" - Phaedra Parks, as she is placed on a bed at a hospital ready to get induced.

"I'm not a bad-looking chick so I can go to the door with rollers on," - Sheree Whitfield, after Tiy-E Muhammad arrives early for a spades party she's hosting.

"I'd appreciate the royalties from 'Tardy for the Party' a little bit more." - Kandi Burruss, after Kim gives her a wig as a birthday present.

"I'm not even a diva." - NeNe Leakes, talking to the WXIA-TV folks when warned she has to prove herself and not put on airs.

AFTER THE SHOW

Kandi has complained to me and others that she was not paid for "Tardy for the Party." Kim told Andy Cohen on "Watch What Happens" that she did. Who's right? Kandi would tend to be more credible, given Kim's track record.

More quotes from the show:

"The butt came first, the face came second and the heart followed." Kim on Kroy Biermann, her Falcon boyfriend.

"I haven't spoken to him," she said about "Big Poppa" Lee Najjar.

"Do I look fat?" Kim, reacting to questions of being pregnant.

RATINGS

Season to date: 2.49 million after seven episodes vs. 2.9 million for the first seven the second season. It's down 14 percent year over year. The seventh episode last week drew 2.8 million, a season high vs. 3.2 million a year ago for that comparable seventh episode.

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By Rodney Ho, rho@ajc.com, AJCRadioTV blog