Some parents refuse to allow their children to watch television, let alone appear on the tube. Call New Jack Swing singer Keith Sweat an overprotective dad if you please, but he refuses to have his two sons, Jordan, 13 and Justin, 10, live under the microscope of reality TV with their mom and his ex-wife, Lisa Wu Hartell, one of the cast members of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta."
"I do not want my children exploited in that way," said Sweat, who has been divorced from Hartwell for some time. "It would be different if this was more of a family-oriented show on Nickelodeon or Disney."
Sweat refused to sign the waiver granting permission for his sons' participation.
Hartwell expressed her disappointment in not being able to share this new experience with her sons. "It's a shame, because they are such great boys and so much fun," she told ESSENCE.com. "I really wish they could have [experienced this]."
An entrepreneur, Hartwell owns a real estate firm, Hartwell & Associates, a jewelry collection, Wu Girls, a children’s clothing line, Hart 2 Hart Baby, all while juggling a budding acting, modeling and writing career, and has become known as the show's "worker bee."
Hartwell has remarried former NFL star Ed Hartwell and the couple have a 17-month-old son, Edgerton Jeremiah ("EJ").
Despite criticisms, the third installment of Bravo's reality series has received impressive ratings. A source close to the production has revealed that the network has already started planning for a second season. Get ready for more high drama.
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. EST.
