Last week on Watch What Happens Live, host Andy Cohen showed a clip from this week’s Real Housewives of Atlanta episode, “Nice to Metria,” and said it’s one of the most awkward scenes in this show’s seven seasons.

He’s not kidding.

When will Apollo learn that Phaedra doesn’t take a husband lying, stealing and getting sent to jail lightly? 

To a proper Southern belle like her, that is kind of a big deal. This point is lost on Apollo. But let’s get to some less awkward scenes first, shall we?

Real Housewives of Atlanta Star NeNe Leakes: “I’m Not Friends with Cynthia” >>>

Six Degrees of Roger Bobb

Kandi arrives at her aunt’s family barbecue, fresh off of defending Mama Joyce to Todd’s mom in New York.

Unfortunately for Kandi, Mama Joyce is less than appreciative of her daughter’s efforts. She is angry that Kandi is angry about the state of the house she let Mama Joyce live in. If you recall, Mama Joyce’s boyfriend tried to “fix” the house by ripping out bathrooms and light fixtures. 

Demetria McKinney is a friend of Cynthia’s from way back. Demetria is a singer and she’s looking for a hot model for her new video, so she goes to the Bailey Agency for help. 

Cynthia promises to hook her up with a hottie — and, oh, look who it is! It’s Peter, dropping by right in the middle of the meeting. This dude is seriously desperate for airtime.

Peter oddly asks Demetria if she’s single, but she responds that she’s not. She has been dating her manager (and Peter’s old friend) Roger Bobb for eight years. But it’s a secret. 

Yet even though the relationship was under the radar, Demetria still harbors resentment towards Kenya for having the audacity to take a picture with Roger Bobb at an event months ago. The nerve!

It’s a well-kept secret, apparently, because Peter and Cynthia had no idea that their friend was dating Roger Bobb. Neither did Kenya, who finds this out from Cynthia when she’s having her glamour shots taken.

Claudia also shows up to see Kenya’s photo shoot and it turns out she knows of this Roger Bobb character, too. With a name like Roger Bobb, I am having a hard time picturing him as anything but a clown with a red nose and big yellow shoes. 

Hopefully, this is not actually the case.

NeNe Needs a Nap

NeNe’s clothing line for curvy gals is premiering on HSN during the midnight timeslot. NeNe has two goals for the evening: stay awake and sell a bunch of clothes!

Phaedra’s goal, on the other hand, is to make it through this season speaking as little as possible about Apollo and her legal issues.

Kandi has other plans for her, however. She stages an intervention of sorts when Phaedra comes over for some girl time. Kandi trots out her cousin Melvin to give advice to Phaedra. Melvin’s dad went to prison when he was a little boy, too. Melvin advises Phaedra to tell her sons the truth about where their father is.

Phaedra is forced to converse a little bit about Apollo, but reveals in her confessional that if she wanted to talk about him, she would do so. So thanks, but no thanks, Kandi and Melvin.

The Man of the Hour

No, I’m not talking about Apollo ambushing Phaedra yet. We’re still on Roger Bobb here.

Kenya goes to visit Roger Bobb, who turns out to be a producer and not a clown. He promises Kenya that acting jobs and Emmys will soon be falling into her lap.

Kenya asks Roger Bobb about Demetria and gets an answer that surprises her. Roger Bobb admits that Demetria is “his lady.” He invites Kenya to Demetria’s video release party. Seems like a smart idea, knowing how Demetria feels about Kenya.

All the ladies — Cynthia, Phaedra, Kandi, Claudia, Porsha and Kenya — show up for Demetria’s party. Noticeably absent is Roger Bobb, who got called away to an editing session. Sounds legit. (Not.)

Demetria takes this opportunity to confront Kenya about the photo with Roger Bobb, but Kenya puts her mind at ease. Roger Bobb is merely Kenya’s means to achieving fame and wealth. Beyond that, she has zero interest. This seems to satisfy Demetria and what could have gotten ugly does not.

And now for the real man of the hour. Apollo struts into the event like there’s nothing weird going on between him and Phaedra.

Poor Phaedra. She looks like a trapped animal, forced to sit there and be polite to Apollo because she’s on camera. You know she wants to scream at him and ask him why the hell he is showing up at her events.

“I’m sick of straddling the fence,” says Apollo. “If two people are unhappy, there’s one solution.” And clearly that solution is coming to a nightclub to discuss the state of their marriage!

As Phaedra continues to give Apollo one-word answers, he makes the whole room cringe by hugging her in the most awkward embrace ever. He is literally just wrapping himself around her and telling her that she’s still his wife while she sits there squirming and looking like she wants to die.

And on that note, coupled with the fact that Demetria’s video release party is an absolute dud, the ladies exit the party and Phaedra is free.

Next week, NeNe invites Porsha, Cynthia and Kenya out to resolve some grievances.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sunday nights at 8pm on Bravo.

(Image courtesy of Bravo)

Lindsay Podolak

Contributing Writer, BuddyTV