Cynthia Bailey, the gorgeous and powerful Real Housewife of Atlanta, joins The Global Townhall in her second interview focusing on being a Housewife, career and pageants. For her first interview please visit here. Stayed tuned for Cynthia's next interview by following us on Twitter at @globaltownhall .
Gabrielle Reilly: It's so great to have you on The Globaltownhall! How did you get cast in the Real House Wives of Atlanta?
Cynthia Bailey: I got cast into the Real House Wives of Atlanta when I decided to move to Atlanta from New York. That was the first thing. I moved here, I met Peter and I fell in love and he lived in Atlanta, so I decided to bring my child and move to Atlanta. About six months after that, it just kept coming up: "Why don't you be on the show, you would be great on the show!" It just kept coming up and being in the air.
At the time, it wasn't that I was close to reality TV, I just wasn't focused on it, and I was still really busy with my modeling career. I just hadn't thought about it. When I did check out the "Real Housewives of Atlanta," I thought "No way Jose am I going on here with these girls, they will eat me alive!" [Laughs]. It was just that the seasons I saw were very, very dramatic, to say the least. By nature I am not a super-confrontational kind of girl. I really don't have a lot of drama in my life, so I thought "Well, this would never work, because I just wouldn't be a good fit."
But my timing ended up being kind of perfect, because at the time when I did actually interview they were looking for someone who would be the voice of reason, a little more laid-back, and a little more rational. Someone with a career who is free, like mine, coming from New York, that made me stand out a little, with the whole fashion modeling thing.
Gabrielle Reilly: ... and bringing your own following, of course!
Cynthia Bailey: It ended up making sense when it didn't really make any sense, but it ended up being perfect, so here I am.
Gabrielle Reilly: How have you handled all the conflict, because it's evident that you're rational and reasonable... not into the drama, and very elegant. How have you handled all the drama? How have you managed to wade yourself through it without it all becoming ingrained?
Cynthia Bailey: Lots of cocktails! [Laughter.] I have no tricks except a big glass of wine before things, at this point, just to put me into an even state of mind. I will say that I try to go into most situations with the mindset that we are grown, that there should be a way we can talk things out without it getting too crazy. And in most of my cases, it has worked out that way.
And the kid stuff, I kind of remove myself from that kind of situation for a while. We do what we can to come and talk it out and work it out. I'm all about resolution. There just has to be a little space (for a couple of weeks). And if we can't actually work it out then that's fine.
I'm always thinking, "Let's try not to keep having a problem with each other. Let's try to work it out, and if we can't then we just won't be fine on the show, we'll just avoid each other and see each other when we see each other."
Maddie Wheat: How did you get started in the pageant industry?
Cynthia Bailey: I was getting a lot of girls coming to my school who were not super interested in being models or even fashion. There was a segment of girls who were too beautiful, academically sound, community leaders. So they wanted to be part of something that wasn't part of the fashion industry. So the pageant industry was a perfect fit for them. There was a demand for that at my school. I didn't want to turn anyone away.
Pageantry is one way I can empower and inspire young girls to follow their dreams and be everything they have always wanted to be.
And even though my background is in fashion, I am really getting into this pageant thing. These girls are like 12-13 and they have their own nonprofits, they show up in business suits and carrying suitcases. I really have an opportunity to work with and meet amazing kids who are going to do a lot in life, they are going to go very far.
Stayed tuned for Cynthia's next interview! For Cynthia Bailey's first interview please click here.
