The Reason DeShawn Snow Was Fired From Real Housewives

Although we often see the glitz and glamour of the ladies of the "Real Housewives" universe, being a Real Housewife is still a career. Despite the simplicity, there are only two ways to screw up your 15 seconds of fame: not bringing the drama to the show, or bringing entirely too much drama that's too hot for TV. "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" franchise is quite familiar with both scenarios. 

If you haven't been living under a rock, you'll remember "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum Phaedra Parks' infamous allegation about Kandi Burruss and hubby Todd Tucker supposedly conspiring to abuse cast member Porsha Williams. The rumor backfired, resulting in Phaedra being fired by Bravo — and it's a prime example of how to bring too much drama to the series. While Phaedra's case is more extreme than others, on the other end of the spectrum, there are those Housewives who just didn't bring enough oomph to the show. One specific OG housewife couldn't keep up with her co-stars? DeShawn Snow, who ended up being let go from the franchise after just one season. Womp.

Considering the drama-packed first season of "RHOA" — more so the dramatic friendship triangle featuring Shereé Whitfield, NeNe Leakes, and Kim Zolciak-Biermann — DeShawn Snow's social events and (formerly) solid marriage to Eric Snow being the center of her storyline just didn't make the cut with Bravo. Per an Essence interview in December 2009, DeShawn found out about her scheduled exit from the show through a phone call from one of the producers.

Prior to the phone call that DeShawn said "hurt her," she recalled speaking to producers within the same month about the second season of the show. "[One of the producers] called and said that I was 'too human for a circus show' and that because the show did so well, they are about to pump up the drama and they didn't think that I would fit in," she claimed. 

DeShawn did find some good in her exit, though. After being fired, she was able to focus on the end of her marriage amidst rumors that her then-husband had an affair with a woman he knew from college without the prying eyes of the cameras. Although she didn't expect to be cut from the show, she doesn't regret being part of the "Real Housewives" franchise. "At the end of the day, I was the same person throughout the show. I never changed. I was authentic and true to myself and I can't control what other people do," she said.

Though we wouldn't blame DeShawn Snow from closing the door firmly on the "Real Housewives" franchise following her departure, she clearly didn't harbor too many bad feelings towards the show that shot her to fame. In fact, she even returned to "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" in 2022, popping up in the Season 14 finale to support her friend and former co-star, Shereé Whitfield (via Vulture). DeShawn appeared during Whitfield's She by Shereé fashion show, alongside another blast from the past who appeared in the episode — none other than Phaedra Parks' ex, Apollo Nida! Not only that, but she also showed her support for Whitfield on Instagram, promoting She by Shereé and even offering a discount code.

Making it even clearer there's no bad blood here? Snow appeared on "Behind the Velvet Rope" in March 2021 and revealed she actually still watches the show, but thinks there's someone missing from the cast. "I can say I do miss NeNe [Leakes]. I mean, NeNe was the show," she admitted, referring to Leakes saying sayonara to "RHOA" in 2020. "So, I mean, I still watch it but, like, this season I'm just, like, you know it's not as good as the other seasons. But I still watch it and I'm here for all the reads and all the shade."

With DeShawn Snow admitting she's still a "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" fan, it will probably come as little surprise to hear she had no issue reuniting with her old co-stars. Snow joined her fellow OG "RHOA" cast members — Shereé Whitfield, Lisa Wu, and Kim Zolciak-Biermann (NeNe Leakes did not attend) — for "The Nightcap with Carlos King" in June 2022 to reminisce about old times.

But, the real question is, would DeShawn ever be willing to return to Bravo in a bigger capacity? Well, at least one other Bravolebrity is hoping so. "Shahs of Sunset" star Reza Farahan threw his support behind having DeShawn back on "RHOA" during a January appearance on "Watch What Happens Live," telling Andy Cohen he'd like to see the OG return as a friend of Kenya Moore's. "I want people like DeShawn Snow and, like, other Atlanta housewives to come around again and I feel like if beautiful Kenya Moore was friends with them they could," he shared.

But, despite the pleas to have her back, it sounds like DeShawn has other ideas. She revealed on "Behind The Velvet Rope" that she was actually pretty happy to have been let go way back when. "When I left the show, my life just totally changed," she said, admitting she wouldn't have wanted to go through her divorce with Eric Snow on camera. "It all worked out for me. I have no regrets."