Cosmetic dentist Dr. Heavenly Kimes smiles through the shades on Bravo’s “Medicine and Marriage,” the medical industry’s answer to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Will she win a seat in Congress?
Cosmetic dentist Dr. Heavenly Kimes has been smiling and shadowing Bravo’s “Medicine and Marriage,” the health care industry’s answer to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” for more than a decade.
TV host and “Housewives” mogul Andy Cohen once asked Kimes about castmate Toya Bush-Harris, “So why did you say she wasn’t the brightest of the group?” Kimes answered frankly, “Because she’s different.”
Kimes, 54, is currently running in a crowded Democratic primary to unseat 80-year-old incumbent U.S. Rep. David Scott in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, and hopes her honesty on the reality show will translate into real results at the polls next May 19.
“People are still tired of politics,” Kimes told USA TODAY. “They need someone in their office who is authentic, trustworthy and empathetic – someone who, once they sit down, doesn’t want to leave.” USA TODAY has reached out to Scott’s office for comment.
“I grew up in a room with no windows. You saw it on TV, right?” Kimes cited health care and the economy as reasons for running. “I’ve been on both sides of the coin and have actually eaten free lunches.”
The battle to replace Mr. Scott, who has faced longstanding concerns about his health and age, has become a special made-for-TV moment as some in both parties call for generational change. The incumbent has filed for re-election in the majority-Black district, and 10 other Democratic candidates have announced candidacy for the safe blue seat, according to Federal Election Commission data.
The dental diva, best known as “Dr. Heavenly,” enters the race with perhaps more name recognition than any other candidate, boasting 1.5 million social media followers who have been following “Medicine” for more than a decade.
Reality TV games and “marriage”
In April 2014, Kimes joined the cast of Season 2 of Medicine. The show pairs up fellow doctors, including her best friend and obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Jackie Walters, with the doctor’s wife, like Frenemy’s Bush Harris.
Kimes quickly proves that she’s no angel as a newcomer, grinning as she engages in do-it-yourself battles with her fellow cast members. Kimsu’s vitriol and sweet tooth for chaos made her a controversial fan favorite of Medicine. “I think Heavenly has a natural ability to start the drama, lean into the drama, and still find a way out of the mess and talk the way out of it,” Gibson Johns, pop culture commentator and host of the podcast “Gabbing with Give,” told USA TODAY.
“Medicine” focuses a little more on family than the group dynamics of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” once a standout in a series known for its heated table flips and unruly brawls, but both center on the lives of wealthy black women living in the subway.
While raising her husband, Dr. Damon Kimes, and their three children, Damon Jr., Zachary, and Alaura, Kimes opened an upscale dental practice in Duluth, Georgia, called Smiles by Dr. Heavenly. Considered by its devoted fans to be an underrated part of Bravo’s programming, “Medicine” remains one of the network’s longest-running shows.
Season 12 of the series will premiere on November 30th, which is unusual for a cable TV show. In the next season of her life, Kimes hopes to accomplish a feat rare for a reality TV star. Kimes told Pastor Jamal Bryant, the ex-husband of “Real Housewives of Potomac” star Gisele Bryant, on a Sept. 4 podcast that she didn’t know there was a “medical” contract restriction that would prevent her from running for public office.
Kimes originally announced his intention to seek a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives in a July 7 feature in People magazine. He then abandoned the state-level race in September to run for the U.S. House of Representatives following the passage of President Donald Trump’s controversial tax and spending bill. “We realized that our legislators weren’t saying anything and that a lot of people needed help,” Kimes said.
“I’m not interested in politics, as usual, but I understand what’s going on,” Kimes said in an interview. “This is the best country we’ve got. I mean, if other countries can get free health care, free college, free child care, why can’t we?”
Rep. David Scott faces concerns over attendance and voting
Last year, his congressional colleagues ousted Scott from his post as the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. Despite breaking barriers as the first black chairman, he lost his powerful position on the commission.
Mr. Scott has been a member of Congress since 2003. Georgia Rep. Jasmine Clark, Kimes’ primary opponent, reprimanded Scott in recent weeks after a CBS News Atlanta report revealed that the congresswoman had not voted since voting absentee last May.
“He missed the game, so we lost that ranking member,” Clark, 42, told CBS Atlanta. “Unfortunately, his not voting feels like part of that trend.” CBS and Fox 5 Atlanta say the missed votes include last year’s presidential race between President Trump and then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Another primary challenger, Everton Blair, a former Gwinnett County Schools Superintendent, told USA TODAY that the breadth of the field shows how dissatisfied people are with Scott. Mr Blair, 33, said in a statement: “It is telling that so many candidates have followed suit and entered this race since we launched it.” “People are clearly fed up with Congressman David Scott’s lack of leadership and are ready to make changes.”
He also set his sights on Kimsu. Prime Minister Blair added: “People are tired of the ridicule of our government.” “I respect everyone’s interest in public service, but voters deserve a leader with policy experience and proven credibility.”
Kimes pushed back against criticism of his lack of political experience. “I built a business from scratch, so I know what the red tape is like in a small business,” she said.
“I think what people need most, whether it’s a reality show or something like that, is someone who has influence and a voice, and I just happen to have both, right?” Kims continued.
Reality TV stars have struggled in recent years with political campaigns
Usually, stars like Kimes face hardships during political campaigns.
“American Idol” runner-up Clay Aiken and Olympic decathlete turned “Kardashian Family” star Caitlyn Jenner both tried and failed to capitalize on their fame through elections. The most obvious exception, of course, is President Trump’s star appearance on NBC’s “The Apprentice” and its accompanying celebrity edition before entering the White House.
In recent years, C-SPAN cameras that capture the hustle and bustle of Congress and public hearings have become capable of delivering Bravo-worthy footage. Last May, after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) criticized Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) for her false eyelashes, Crockett made headlines when she referred to MAGA followers as “beach-blonde, bad-bodied butch-bodies.” Mr. Kimes said he was “able to go head-to-head” with Ms. Greene, but would work with Republicans on policy issues.
Sociologist Daniel Lindemann, author of True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us, believes politics and reality TV are more similar than many people realize. Both involve people performing in front of an audience, presenting themselves as “real.”
“In politics, we may be more likely to vote for candidates we ‘like’ based on their track record,” Lindemann says. “For example, there’s a metaphor for wanting a politician you can have a beer with.”
Will this be Dr. Heavenly’s last Bravocon?
Now back in his hometown of Georgia, Kimes has remained in the race like he’s been on “medicine” all these years. “This season has been very difficult for me,” she says. Kimes revealed that her eldest son Damon Jr.’s arrest will unfold on the show.
Kimes was demoted from the main cast and had less air time this season, but was allowed to film while running, although some believe Bravo did so due to Congressional expectations. Johns said it’s “unprecedented” for a Bravo star to take the stand during a show. “The fact that she gave up her full-time role on the show to run for Congress should tell you all you need to know about how serious she is about this,” Johns said.
Kimes counts co-star “Dr. Jackie” Walters as a major supporter. “She brings energy, fresh thinking, and a true dedication to the families and communities she serves,” Walters said in a Nov. 13 statement to USA TODAY, adding, “I would like to congratulate Congressman David Scott on his many years of service.”
Brave celebs like Kims, Walters, and the “Medicine” ensemble will be heading to Bravocon in Las Vegas from Nov. 14 to 16 to greet guests, pose for photos, and shade panels. The three-day extravaganza is the Super Bowl for people who love watching “Vanderpump Rules.”
This may be Kims’ last big Bravo success. “I don’t know what will happen in the future,” she said. “All I know now is that this country needs me.”
Who knows if Kims will be boarding a plane to Las Vegas next November? Georgia’s 13th Congressional District may choose Kimes as its next representative.
