Kandi Burruss Says Phaedra 'Got a Bad Rap'

Sure, Phaedra Parks hired ballerinas to dance at her baby shower -- and Dwight introduced her, Apollo, and Ayden as "The Royal Family" -- but that doesn't make her a snob. Not in Kandi Burruss' eyes, anyway.

"I think that Phaedra has been really getting a bad rap this year, but in person Phaedra's a really cool person," The Real Housewives of Atlanta star tells iVillage. "I feel like on the show it's too uptight, not the Phaedra that I've hung out with."

Although Phaedra's a Renaissance woman with thick skin, she admits that the words strangers type behind a computer can sting. "Any time personal things are exposed in the media, [and] people who don't know you are commenting on it, it can be very hurtful," the Southern belle tells iVillage. "I've been more hurt and my mother has been more hurt by the comments, and you know, people saying things who know nothing about us." 

For her part, Kandi doesn't want people to view her as a one-dimensional reality TV star, which can conjure up chilling images of Heidi Montag and Jon Gosselin. "I know some people [say], 'I don't want to be looked at as a reality TV star.' I definitely don't want that, either. I don't want people to think, 'Oh OK, she just does reality TV.' That's not my goal in life. But it's not bad to be a part of a show – especially if it's a hit show."

Watch Phaedra defend her behavior on The Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion this Sunday.

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