When Carlos King was initially approached to do a podcast about the latest in reality television, it wasn’t something that he immediately wanted to do.
“I was so focused on my production company Kingdom Reign Entertainment,” he said. “I was like let me build this. Not only that, I wasn’t confident in my ability to be out there and speak on a genre that I love so much.”
Then, after several meetings and creating more reality tv shows, he felt compelled to share his expertise on the genre with the world. “Reality with the King” debuted in April 2022. The popular podcast goes behind the scenes of the best moments on reality television via celebrity interviews, episode recaps and more.
An in-person video component for the podcast was added last year. Now, King is presenting his show to a live audience. The “Reality with the King” Tour stops in Atlanta on April 22 at City Winery. Singer and television personality Tamar Braxton will be the show’s special guest. Since its debut, “Reality with the King” has garnered more than 7 million downloads.
“It showed me that there was a void for someone who is a producer behind the scenes to really speak on the various shows that either I was a part of, or I’m close to, so it’s been a thrilling ride,” said about his work on the podcast.
King has served as a producer for shows such as“The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta” and “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” In 2012, he started his own production company, Kingdom Reign Entertainment, which has created shows like OWN’s “Love & Marriage” franchise and “Belle Collective.” WE TV’s “Bold & Bougie” is King’s latest brainchild. The show premiered in February and follows the lives of five Atlanta women: Malaysia Pargo, Tameka Foster, Gocha Hawkins, Princess Banton-Lofters and Crystal Smith.
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com
For King, MTV’s “The Hills” ignited his passion for reality television.
“I just remember watching it and being so enamored by the stories and the characters. I was just like, ‘Wait, is this real?’ I was so obsessed with that, and I caught the bug. And I do believe in speaking things into existence. Everybody who knew me knew that I loved reality, and I’m like, ‘I’m gonna do reality show’.”
King has been affectionately dubbed the “King of Reality TV” by his fans. It’s a title that he takes seriously. His throne within reality television was further solidified with his exclusive interview with Nene Leakes last year. Leakes, an original cast member of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” officially left the series after its 12th season in 2020. In 2022, she filed a lawsuit against Bravo, NBC Universal, Andy Cohen and the production companies behind the reality show for discrimination, alleging that they created a racist work environment.
Later that year, Leakes dropped the lawsuit. King’s two-part interview with Leakes has garnered more than 1 million views since it aired last year. That interview was the start of King adding an in-person interview component to his podcast, which was Leakes’ idea.
“NeNe Leakes is Nene Leakes for a reason. For two years, I approached her to be on the podcast because you can’t have a podcast by Carlos King without Nene Leakes being a guest. At the time I asked her, she wasn’t ready. Then she texted me two years later and she said she was ready, but wasn’t doing a Zoom interview. She wanted it done in-person. Within five days, I booked the studio, I hired a camera crew, and I rolled out the red carpet. She said I should do more in-person interviews. She said, ‘Doesn’t it feel different?’ I said, ‘Actually it does, girl’.”
Credit: Kingdom Reign Entertainment
Credit: Kingdom Reign Entertainment
King’s rise within reality TV has led fans to compare him to Andy Cohen. But it’s King’s close relationships, like the ones he has with Nene Leakes and Kenya Moore, that set him apart — blurring the lines between producer and talent (”I wanted to make sure that it’s a family affair,” he said). King said he doesn’t pay much attention to the comparisons, though.
“He paved the way for me,” King said of Cohen. “That’s something you cannot take away from him at all. He opened up the doors for producers to be seen as talent. He’s somebody who I love and respect and have great admiration for and he’s amazing at being Andy Cohen, and I’m good at being Carlos King. We don’t allow the comparisons to impact our relationship because at the end of the day, he is doing amazing things with with his career.”
For King’s interview with Tamar Braxton on April 22, fans can expect a party.
“We’ve got a DJ, food, drinks. She’s not singing. Don’t expect her to bust an eight-count, but we’re going to dive deep into where she is right now in her life, personally and professionally. She’s somebody who really trusted me with telling her story, so it’s going to be a good time — and get your Kleenex, too.”
IF YOU GO
“Reality with the King” Tour featuring Tamar Braxton
8 p.m. April 22. $49-$75. City Winery, 650 North Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-946-3791, citywinery.com/atlanta.
