Kenya and Porsha’s “Budding Friendship” Is The Beginning of a New Era for ‘RHOA’

On September 24, 2019, a picture was posted on Instagram of two adorable baby girls enjoying a sunset in Greece. Not only was this a little preview of the latest season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, but it was also the confirmation of a peace agreement, and with the addition of the hashtag #bestfriends in the caption, the beginning of a new era.

The two pretty babies were Pilar Jhena, or PJ for short (formerly known as Porsha Junior), and Brooklyn Daly, the daughters of Porsha Williams and Kenya Moore. This picture wasn’t just cute, it was symbolic of so much more. Kenya and Porsha have spent several seasons of RHOA as enemies, frenemies at best, with some of the harshest words and actions in the show’s history exchanged between these two women. We now know they were likely lashing out due to jealousy on many occasions as both so badly craved (and don’t we all!) a successful relationship and children — though each counted many fails in the relationship department (again, don’t we all). But in a world filled with constant bickering and clapbacks, this friendship is like the sun and the moon coming together to warm the whole world, a sign of hope for the entire globe.

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#bestfriends @thebrooklyndaly @pilarjhena #greece #passportstamps #porsha4real #kenyamoore👶🏽👶🏽

A post shared by Kenya Moore (@thekenyamoore) on Sep 24, 2019 at 12:03pm PDT

Both that original picture, as well as the scene in the RHOA premiere where the two women escape Kenya’s Barbie party to reflect on their lives, are a big deal for anyone that’s not a complete and total monster. After years of shade, harsh words, and reunion meltdowns, it was nothing short of a supremely sentimental moment to see these two women in over-the-top dresses, holding their precious baby girls and getting along.

“Can you believe this?” Kenya asks Porsha. “We have our babies.”

“I’ve been appreciating you texting me and we’ve been talking about the babies, it’s been very nice,” Porsha tells her. And the craziest part is, she means it.

“I really do have love for you, I really do and I want you to know that,” Kenya says with a shaky voice. “I know I’ve made mistakes, I can’t think about the past and I just gotta think about where we are right now. Look at our baby girls.”

“That’s exactly how I feel, and protective of our budding friendship,” Porsha says. She goes on to say that “Kenya and I have definitely had a toxic relationship, but at the end of the day, we both gave birth to beautiful daughters we don’t want them holding a grudge. Trust me, it takes a lot of energy to be mad at a bitch for years.” 

Which is why I am allowing this scene to power me through the new season of RHOA. I liked last season just fine, though it is always, always good to have Kenya back in the mix. She brings an effortless energy to the show that is equal parts fierce and funny, and to see her happy (at the moment) and loving life as a mom is not just hopeful, but super fun to watch. Now, when we see her going through her separation with husband Marc Daly later in the season, well, that could be a little less fun. But the good news is that even during trying times, Kenya still consistently delivers.

Now, on the Porsha side of things, seeing her devastated by fiancé Dennis is heartbreaking. It really is, especially coming off of the last season that saw Porsha at quite possibly her best in the show’s history. She was in the best mood, having the best time, and making the best jokes (and faces). That she’s dealing with her breakup (or at least a break) literal weeks after giving birth is a bummer for everyone. But it’s a great sign that Kenya is around again, that their friendship is flourishing, and that she just might be the pal to lift Porsha out of her funk.

It’s not just intriguing to watch these two explore their new friendship, it’s a positive message that these two women, especially these two women, were able to bond over the biggest moments in their lives, motherhood. Their daughters have given them a new clarity, one that even the biggest fans of drama would acknowledge is good for the show. When these two women team up, they could be truly unstoppable. And imparting these lessons and this friendship on their daughters could lead to a whole new generation of Real Housewives, one that is guaranteed to be interesting (hello, look at the women they came from) perhaps without even needing the digs about having “a dick in your mouth.”

Of course, any non-haters would hope that they could’ve seen Kenya and Porsha’s new roles as wives prove to be just as successful as they’ve been with their babies. Although even though they didn’t necessarily get their happy endings, they DID get happy middles and happy stories — and a new friend that’s happy for them. This also means we get to watch them cheer each other on and pass the all-important lessons down to their daughters about finding the men they truly deserve. Though with the humor, strength, and the newly formed bond these two share, that’s pretty much a happier ending than any man could provide.

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