NeNe Leakes Opens Up About Her ‘RHOA’ Departure

“Real Housewives” fans were shocked when NeNe Leakes announced her decision to leave “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” after seven seasons.

Leakes, an original cast member since the show debuted in 2008, is speaking out about her departure from reality TV as she begins shooting her new gig on ABC's “To Tell the Truth.”

“I had decided at the end of my contract I was going to not do 'Housewives' again, and then the moment I announced it to tell the truth, producers reached out and said come over here and play with us at 'To Tell The Truth,' this would be a great place for you to come.”

Leakes is unconcerned what others think about her career move; she's more concerned with making sure she is happy. “I don't really care what people think anyway, I'm kind of that girl, I'm at a place in my life where I really don't give a s**t about what people really think at the end of the day, because people always going to think something. I just want to be in a place where I'm free and I can kind of get back to me and laugh, 'cause that's what I like to. I don't really like being in a place where I am not laughing.”

NeNe suggested that perhaps viewers didn't get to see the real her on “RHOA.” “When you're on certain shows, they only show certain parts of you, so people don't always get to see all sides of you. I like laughing, and I like being fun. I'm a fun girl, I'm a girly girl, and I want people to see that.”

During “RHOA's” recent 100th episode special on “Watch What Happens Live,” Andy Cohen pulled NeNe's audition tape out of the vault. Leakes laughed, “I wanted to die! It's like lookin' at those childhood pictures of yourself, of like, oh my god, what?! I was so much younger then and so raw, and I would say anything then!”