The Real Housewives of Atlanta : Is Mama Joyce "Special Needs"?

I'm not trying to be mean or offensive at all but Mama Joyce strikes me as possibly having a case of mild mental retardation. I base this on her behavior as well as the way she talks. I've also noticed that her sisters are the same way. They all seem as though they are suffering from mental retardation. Does anyone know if Kandi has ever mentioned her mother having any kind of mental health issues? I have missed 2 seasons of the show so I could've possibly missed them discusssing MJ's mental health.

I don't think so. I would say that what you are seeing might instead be a result of:

-growing older
-education level
-behavior modeled at home during her/their formative years
-difficult life experiences (which imparted an innate suspicion, bitterness, etc.)

Joyce is simply an ignorant woman because she doesn't know better. She is a backwoods country bumpkin who didn't have anyone to teach her better. No doubt she was no scholar in school. I understand regional language patterns and accents and these things don't equate to ignorance. Joyce doesn't know better therefore she can't do better. Arrested Development!!!

There you go; she's just ignorant and no one told her any better! History repeats itself with the Burris family running wild, having kids, and being a single parent! It's hard to be a genteel southern belle when things are tough during your formative years!

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I don't think it's totally off to say that she might have something going on. I wouldn't say special needs. But I wouldn't be surprised if there were some type of imbalance going on there, in additional to personality flaws.

I say she's just a mean old bat! Kandi can't do much with her! Remember they didn't speak for a while! Kandi's emotionally crippled trying to keep her mother in check and to stop her from embarrassment!

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Exactly. She's a mean old lady who doesn't gaf anymore. You can't do nothing about that. Joyce is looking at seventy, she's not about to change now. All Kandi can do is cut her off which she won't and honestly I couldn't do that to my mother either.

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I don't think so. I would say that what you are seeing might instead be a result of:

-growing older
-education level
-behavior modeled at home during her/their formative years
-difficult life experiences (which imparted an innate suspicion, bitterness, etc.)

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I agree with this, especially the part that I put in bold. I think that Mama Joyceand Bertha, for that matterdidn't really receive a top notch education. The youngest sister appears to be more educated and poised than the other two. Not reading or judging; just an observation.

Love,

Notzi

Yep, like that said. She's just ignant.

Some have said that she just doesn't know better. I think she does know better but is just a bitch that wants to be in other people's business.

Joyce puts the guilt trip on all concerned; talking about going to work at midnight in "what was it" a pie factory? I can't remember, but Kandi has more than repaid the old battleax!

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Woman should ditch the ugly hairstyle and ugly attitude.

Could be what you and the others have said, but I also think:
The fame from the show has gone to her head big time and Kandi has bought her everything.
Mama Joyce acts like a big spoiled brat. She is very selfish and makes everything about her. When kandi and Todd were talking about Ace's new line, Mama Joyce walks in and says,"What about MY line?" When Kandi went to buy Riley birthday earrings-Mama Joyce immediately says something about herself getting the earrings.Everything is always about her.

Yeahthe fame has definitely gone to her head. Her trench coat visit to the lawyer was totally staged and absolutely ridiculous. Why would she care about Phaedra's divorce? The whole thing was stupid.

It's clear that Mama Joyce is not very bright and clearly out of her league trying to play with the players. But, she's not smart enough to see that she looks like an ass.

Totally agree with you two above. She's a biatch and classless but like the rest of the women on these shows, they think the fame and money equals success and aren't able to see what fools they make of themselves. She's got a lot of money and thinks she's someone amd add the show to that, her ego is out of control. Thing is, her so-called fame and wealth isn't even from her own hard work but leeched from her daughter.

Lmfao!!!!