Kandi Burruss’ Old Lady Gang restaurant staffers Shawndreca and Dom’Unique reveal why her ‘RHOA’ spinoff is a must-see!
Kandi Burruss, 45, and husband Todd Tucker, 48, have had their fair share of drama on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, but now, they have a whole new slew of drama coming their way with a fantastic new spinoff: Kandi & the Gang! The series is a Bravo workplace drama focused around Kandi and Todd’s restaurant, Old Lady Gang, following their various employees and the three “old ladies” off which the name was based: Kandi’s mother Mama Joyce Jones, Aunt Nora Wilcox, and Aunt Bertha Jones.
Although many have already drawn comparisons to another Bravo restaurant-centered series, Vanderpump Rules, OLG staffers Dom’Unique Variety and Shawndreca Robinson sat down with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY to share why there’s actually “no comparison” to the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills spinoff.
“For one, I think that we are spicy, we’re funny. We have a lot of different people that are part of the cast and these different personalities all brought together,” Dom shared. “I think that the energy is crazy, us trying to get through the hardships and just the things that come along with restaurant life and still be ourselves alone is just something that the world has to see!”
Shawndreca echoed her co-worker’s sentiment, saying that the OLG staffers are really more of a “family” and have “built a bond” together outside of the show. “We actually really hang out in real life, we go through our ups and downs together like a real family.”
As for having Kandi as a boss? Dom said the longtime RHOA star is “inspiring” and realistic,” with Shawndreca noting she’s not at all “demanding” or “controlling” as many bosses can be. “She pretty much paved the way for us to balance having a successful future and still currently working and pursuing our dreams to get to the next level,” Dom stated. “She shows us how to do all of that. She’s everything to me as a boss. She is a boss that I would wanna be!”
The ladies also shared how Kandi and Todd brought in some new talent to the restaurant, which shook things up for the two of them who have worked at the joint since the beginning.
“As far as me being the OG, the original host of Old Lady Gang, I work alone. I don’t need any assistance, I can do the whole restaurant with my eyes closed,” Shawndreca shared. “And then when you have them bringing on new hosts, it’s like, ‘What?’ No, I’m the one and only, you can’t replace me. And so that kind of spices things up because it’s like okay so … do you not need me anymore or what’s next?”
“We’ve seen so many people come and go I think that we understand the integrity of the brand and I don’t think everybody comes there and actually understands that,” Dom revealed. “Like some people come and they try to make it what they think it should be but it’s like actually, no, you’re new, you should just follow along with the way this is, you know?”
Shawndreca Robinson (Quantrell Colbert/Bravo).
Although the ladies said their show wasn’t exactly like Vanderpump Rules, we couldn’t help but notice in that explosive trailer how intimate relationships between staffers seems to definitely be a common theme.
“I get into a little trouble with some of the new people that are there in terms of relationships. There’s some things going on!” Dom exclaimed. “We can’t tell you anything!”
Shawndreca then laughed. ” I don’t even know what’s happened! The trailer confused me! So I don’t even wanna say the wrong things. I was shocked. I was shook!” She also shared how “bad” she thought it was to mix business with pleasure, but perhaps that can be the nature of the business, considering how the staffers hang out and get together outside of work.
“I am cracking up,” Dom responded, laughing. “For me, I am totally against work and pleasure, I don’t believe that those two should be mixed.” Shandreca then stepped in to exclaim, “But you can’t control it either! You can’t control it!”
Dom’Unique Variety (Quantrell Colbert/Bravo).As for their dreams outside of the restaurant, Dom has danced for Megan Thee Stallion and continues to pursue her passions in that regard. She noted how “down to earth” the “Savage” rapper was and how she inspired her to continue to follow her dreams as a performer.
“When people are at such a high caliber or when they reach a certain level of life you think that they’re unrelatable or that they won’t look at you as just a person, more so looking at you as maybe being under them,” she shared. “But nah, she was very down to earth, she was very cool. I had a ball on stage, okay! I felt like I was in the club twerking with my friend!”
Although we’re excited for the spinoff, we couldn’t help but wonder if any of Kandi’s RHOA co-stars would make a little cameo at the restaurant.
“No, we are going to manifest us being the next future housewives of Atlanta!” Shawndreca exclaimed.
“Amen! Yes lord!” Dom replied, encouraged by the idea. “I definitely feel like you gotta watch to see. I feel like Kandi is acquaintances with a lot of Atlanta, so you just never know who may pop in the door!”
Kandi & the Gang premieres March 6 at 9/8c on Bravo.
