-- by NNN.com contributor Michael J Narkunski

On Bravo’s newest edition of spa-treated programming this week, drama queen NeNe worked on a fundraiser for an organization that works to build girls’ self-esteem, which, as it turns out, is something she has in unhealthy abundance. This was chiefly observed in her plan to raise a $1 million at one auction… without selling tickets. She revealed this genius idea to her “gay boyfriend” at lunch, inside an inexplicable egg. You know it’s bad when a “celebrity stylist” has to be the voice of reason:

Dwight Eubanks, who is reminiscent of Jill’s “gay husband” on last year’s The Real Housewives of New York City, is an appropriately flamboyant addition to the show. But, how much can we enjoy him if his housewife counterpart is even more ridiculous than he is?

Naïve NeNe got even more wind knocked out of her sails when she went on Good Morning Atlanta to promote the auction with the news anchor set to help her co-host. Throughout the segment, NeNe was largely ignored by him and constantly begged for approval, asking, “Are you excited to be working together?” A shining example for those girls she’s trying to help with self-esteem issues! Needless to say, NeNe and fellow housewife DeShawn did not get the million they expected, and actually ended up $20,000 in debt.

I have relished in every episode of the previous Real Housewives incarnations, but now it seems to have outstayed its welcome. I can barely remember a time before Bravo milked a franchise for all its worth: a time before Jo and Slade started their nauseatingly vain spin-off, Date My Ex, and were just a nauseatingly vain couple in Orange County. Luckily, I can safely say there is absolutely no spin-off material to be found on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Everyone in this cast is too dependent on her illusions and on each other to ever break free.

Maybe when the season ends Bravo can realize how tired this series has become, and finally give these broads some much-needed beauty rest.