Kim Zolciak joined The Real Housewives of Atlanta as a bleached blonde nurse proud to acknowledge she was having an affair with a wealthy family man in Atlanta. The reality star wasn't the only mother of two sleeping with a rich guy to provide a lifestyle for her and her children, but she was certainly one of the few mistresses willing to go on national television and brag about the relationship. Kim seemed clueless when she received negative backlash from her cast mates and the rapidly growing audience for the franchise.
While watching her during the first season of RHOA, one would assume Kim believed her relationship with "Big Poppa" was as normal as any familial relationship on television. It could be Kim's delusional approach that made her a household name during the premiere of RHOA. For a white woman to be cast among a group of mostly married Black women and to boast about her married boyfriend buying her an Escalade and designer jewelry seemed preposterous, but it was Kim's reality, and it became her ticket to stardom.
Kim Zolciak Was Reality TV's First Public Sidechick
After "Big Poppa's" home life became a bit too hot because of the publicity Kim's role in Housewives brought to the dysfunctional marriage, he was forced to cut her off. Kim waffled a bit, but it wasn't long before she set her sights on a then 24-year-old Atlanta Falcons football player named Kroy Bierman. Kim met Kroy during a charity dance event she was invited to by her castmate Sheree Whitfield and immediately mentioned her attraction to Kroy's physique. "Can I be honest?" she was quoted whispering to Sheree, "I've never seen an ass like that." Lusting over a professional football player eight years her junior who had never been married and had no children might've seemed silly to some, but for Kim, Kroy presented a wonderful alternative to her life as a kept side chick.
Before RHOA fans could blink, Kim had Kroy following her around like a love-sick puppy. If fans were amazed when Kroy proposed to Kim, they were utterly stunned when the two began birthing babies at a neck-breaking rate. Kroy adopted Kim's older daughters, Brielle and Ariana, and the two of them had four children, including a set of twins. Although Kroy lost his position with the Atlanta Falcons not long after the two married, the relationship still seemed advantageous for Kim. Kim and Kroy were given the opportunity to star in their own spin-off titled, Don't Be Tardy.
The spin-off lasted eight seasons and the marriage lasted 11 years. Kim and Kroy enjoyed the finer things in life as if Kroy was a superstar franchise player for the Falcons instead of a former, very average, retired player. As the money dried up, so did the romance. And even with six children between them, Kim and Kroy began a toxic game of mudslinging in the press as their home and material possessions were garnished. Some would label Kim's ability to create an opportunity out of nowhere delusional, while others would praise her ingenuity. Whether fans are impressed or repulsed, Kim is famous for making an impression and after joining The Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets, Kim is back to her old ways.
Kim Zolciak Is Looking to Lock Down Tom Hank's Son As Her Next Means of Security
This round, Kim has set her sights on a much more lucrative conquest than a professional football player. Learning from the past that football players' physicality and contracts can expire, leaving them penniless, she has decided to go a different route that will ensure a lifetime of security. Joining The Surreal Life for a quick check and to increase her profile, she was introduced to Chet Hanks, the handsome son of legendary actor Tom Hanks. The 33-year-old heir to the Hanks estate has nothing much to do but enjoy life. Considered a hot commodity, the bachelor has a daughter but enjoys being lauded as one of Hollywood's most eligible bachelors. At 46, Kim admitted she had no idea who Chet was and had to call her 27-year-old daughter Brielle for more intel on her hot cast mate.
After Surreal Life viewers started gossiping about the chemistry between Kim and Chet, the former RHOA star admitted to US Weekly that she adores her much younger co-star. She is committed to convincing fans that her interest in Chet is more than purely physical. "Yes, he has a nice body, but it’s just kind of his vibe and what he puts off and his energy," she said. "He made me a protein shake right away. I adore him. I’ve gotten to know him throughout The Surreal Life and even more recently, and he’s great.”
Kim Is Working On Seducing Chet In the Same Way She Did Kroy Almost 15 Years Ago
Chet returned the compliments, suggesting he is enjoying getting to know Kim during their time on The Surreal Life. Some may assume that the mother of six, dating a man thirteen years her junior who is the son of one of Hollywood's most successful actors is delusional, but Kim is simply playing to win. Chet may be closer in age to Kim's daughter Brielle, but her daughter doesn't have the skills at seduction that her mother possesses. The scene of Chet sliding into bed with Kim in the trailer for The Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets is a salacious offering made by MTV to secure an audience, but for die-hard fans of Kim Zolciak, it's a page out of her playbook that we've seen her successfully work before.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta can be streamed on Peacock.
