ATLANTA — Reality television star Nene Leakes is giving credit where she says it has always been due: to her LGBTQ+ fan base, particularly gay men, who she has long acknowledged as central to her success, cultural relevance and the viral afterlife of her most iconic memes.
Leakes, best known for her breakout role on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” has repeatedly said in public appearances, interviews and club performances that gay audiences were among her earliest and strongest supporters. She has referred to them as the backbone of her fan community, emphasizing their role in amplifying her one-liners and reaction moments across social media.
“My biggest supporters have always been the gays,” Leakes said during a past nightclub appearance, a line she has repeated in various interviews over the years. At another well-documented event, she doubled down on that sentiment, telling the crowd, “The gays made me,” a remark that has been widely quoted by fans.
Leakes has also spoken openly about the online influence of her LGBTQ+ followers, noting that many of her most recognizable reactions—from “I said what I said” to her animated facial expressions—gained renewed life through the memes, remixes and edits created by queer audiences.
“When I walk into a room full of gay men, that’s my audience,” she said in a recorded fan-circulated moment that has resurfaced repeatedly online. The line has since become shorthand for the symbiotic relationship between Leakes and the community that helped turn her reality-TV presence into a digital phenomenon.
Social-media analysts note that Leakes’ reactions and catchphrases remain some of the most recycled content in meme culture, often resurfacing during national debates, pop-culture conversations and online humor cycles. Many of these clips are preserved and propagated by LGBTQ+ fans who have embraced her as both an entertainer and a cultural touchstone.
Leakes has frequently expressed gratitude for that continued support, acknowledging that the community’s enthusiasm contributed heavily to the staying power of her television career and her identity as an internet icon.
Her appreciation has remained consistent even as she pursues projects outside of Bravo. “They’ve been with me since day one,” she has said in multiple appearances, reflecting on the loyalty of her queer supporters and the digital longevity they helped create.
For Leakes, the connection is mutual—and enduring. As her memes continue to circulate through new generations of social-media users, she credits LGBTQ+ fans for helping transform a reality-TV personality into a permanent part of internet language.
