Phaedra Parks

The Real Housewives of Atlanta recently returned for another season on Bravo. As usual the gals from the capitol of Georgia are already bringing the drama, just like fans expected.

Celebrity attorney Phaedra Parks is right in the thick of it all. The self-proclaimed "Southern belle" has the brains, booty and a hunky husband, Apollo Nida.

ChicagoPride.com's Jerry Nunn talked to Phaedra as the fifth season kicked-off.

JN: (Jerry Nunn) Hi, Phaedra. How do you feel you are represented on television?

PP: (Phaedra Parks) It is TV and for entertainment. I don't take myself so seriously. I think everyone is multi dimensional including myself. With seven beautiful girls you don't get to see every side of that person. I understand the medium and the platform because I've worked on both sides of it. I hope people take it as lightheartedly as I do.

JN: Did you grow up in the South?

PP: I am truly a Southern belle, Georgia peach. My mother's family is from the north Georgia mountains, Gainesville, Hog County. My father is from Louisiana. I am as Southern as it gets and never lived out of the South. Even if I travel to other parts of the world I always return here.

JN: Is it the smalls versus the talls any more or is it new cast members against old ones now?

PP: This year there are more tall people than small people. We are outnumbered but at the end of the day I think we all intermingle very well. There are moments of division or a team as well. That was fun last year. This season we have our spats but there are heartfelt moments as well. We have two new cast members to spice things up. I think it is a really good season.

JN: You are starting a new part of work with a pet burial business.

PP: I'm just trying to bury anything that has life and loses it. It could be people or a Venus fly trap that looks like it's breathing. I am ready to bury it!

JN: Do you have pets yourself?

PP: I don't. I am so busy with going to school full time. I am at the law firm right now. I am a mom and a wife. I am an apprentice at the funeral home. I hardly have any time to think. I definitely don't have time for a pet to chew up my underwear and my cute shoes. My son is friends with a neighbor and you saw on the first episode how cute their dog is. When he needs a pet we send him next door.

JN: Apollo has lots of gay men in love with him. Where did you meet him in the first place?

PP: I met him in 1997 on the 287 Highway in rush hour traffic. I tell people you can meet your mate anywhere.

JN: Would you ever go on Celebrity Apprentice like NeNe Leakes did?

PP: I think it would be fun and I am always up for a challenge. I like competition and pretty smart. I think I could win (laughs).

JN: You were at the casino here last year.

PP: Yes for the fall tour of the Housewives. I was with Gretchen from Beverly Hills, Sonja from New York, and Kathy from New Jersey. We had a real good time.

JN: You need to come back here.

PP: I absolutely love Chicago…in the summer. It is so cold there. The food is quite heavenly. I could come there and become morbidly obese by eating myself to death there.

JN: The gay bars would love to have you drop in sometime.

PP: I will be happy to come just tell them to invite me. Rustle me up some business and I will put on my long johns and knickers!

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