Reality TV legend Nene Leakes knows exactly who helped turn her into an enduring pop-culture icon, and she’s giving the LGBTQ+ community their flowers.
During a recent appearance at The Abbey, the West Hollywood institution long known as a home for queer nightlife and entertainment, Leakes spoke with Gayety about the staying power of her most famous one-liners and the fans who made them viral long before memes dominated social media.
Leakes, one of the original stars of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, has produced more quotable moments than many franchises combined. From “Ooh, child, the ghetto!” to the now-classic “white refrigerator,” her lines have lived on through reaction GIFs, TikToks, drag performances and countless group chats.
But even Leakes is stunned by the longevity.
“It’s crazy to me,” she said. “People are still saying white refrigerator. People are still saying, ‘Ooh, child, the ghetto.’ I’m talking about years later, and they’re still saying this kind of stuff.”
For Leakes, the cultural staying power is more than just flattery, it’s confirmation that she has cemented herself in the pop-culture canon.
“It means a lot,” she said. “That means I am an icon and I am legendary, honey. She’s never forgotten.”
Of course, the LGBTQ+ community didn’t just help make those quotes famous, they carried them across platforms, brunch tables and ballroom floors. Leakes said she feels that support deeply.
“It means the world to me,” she told Gayety. “Without the gay community, I’m not so sure that all of these memes and sayings would have gone as far as they did. The gays were the ones taking it there. They were snapping and ‘Yes, Ms. Nene!’ They were taking it there.”
The Bravo star didn’t mince words about how essential LGBTQ+ fans have been to her success.
“Without the gays, I don’t know if my career would’ve been as full as it’s been,” she said. “They have been one of my biggest supporters.”
Leakes’ affection for The Abbey, and for her queer fans, hasn’t dimmed over the years. She joked that she had to hop a flight from Atlanta with barely any sleep just to make her appearance, but she didn’t hesitate.
“I’m so happy and I’m so thankful for the gay community,” she said. “Every time they call me, I’m like, okay!”
For Leakes, the connection is personal, long-standing and rooted in mutual admiration. Whether discussing pop-culture impact, community advocacy, she noted her last Abbey appearance involved attending MISTR’s National PrEP Day or the joyful energy of queer audiences, Leakes made it clear: her career has been shaped, boosted and celebrated by LGBTQ+ fans from day one.
