Celebrity Apprentice cast member Nene Leakes’ name has been all over the internet, print media and television for the past few weeks, and the fourth season of the program has yet to air its first episode. Scheduled to begin in March, the program promises to deliver a tension-filled fourth season for fans.

Reality television thrives on conflict, with competition being the basis for most such programs. For this reason, Leakes appears to have been a perfect choice for inclusion in this season’s Celeb Apprentice.

Leakes is a controversial individual from the start. She first received public attention when cast in the Bravo Network’s reality television show, The Real Housewives of Atlanta. During the course of her three-season cast position, Leakes went through financial struggles, including eviction from her home. She also experienced a rocky divorce.

She was promoted by Bravo as "an outspoken socialite," and "an advocate against domestic abuse." She in fact, was operating a Limited Liability Corporation called Twisted Hearts Foundation during the course of the program. That foundation was investigated and closed as a result of potential money laundering. Though Leakes’ former husband was implicated as having "gone behind her back to do some business deals."

Leakes is the author of a book entitled, Never Make the Same Mistakes Twice, a memoir in which she discusses her own struggles with domestic violence. The book was published in 1999.

Following her divorce, she reentered the work world, securing herself a position on local news broadcast as an entertainment correspondent. Her tenure with Bravo certainly influenced her ability to obtain the role, but the entertainment correspondent position also helped build Leakes’ star status.

Her casting in Celebrity Apprentice season four is just the next step in solidifying Nene Leakes’ stardom. There have been a number of individuals who have begun their professional careers as reality television stars. Eventually, if Leakes is to truly achieve stardom, she will need to move away from the reality entertainment genre. Celebrity Apprentice may be her opportunity to do so.

Leakes confrontational communication style and her aggressive competition strategies which she will undoubtedly apply during the course of this season’s Apprentice will certainly make the rating for the show go up. While these character traits may be of benefit to the show, they could potentially backfire for Leakes.

So far, Nene Leakes Celebrity Apprentice has been a rocky road, with tensions building on the set of the show. Leakes is reported to have really bumped heads with cast mate and competitor, Star Jones.  Some sources even indicate that the two women have actually come to physical blows during filming.

This kind of controversy is often what reality TV fans crave, but it is not necessarily the best for sustaining a career. Leakes may find herself the talk of the town for a period of time, but without finding her way out of reality television to a less confrontational and aggressive role in pop culture, she may not be able to maintain her star status. Winning on Celebrity Apprentice would definitely be a move in the right direction for Nene Leakes.