You remember the nose. You definitely remember the capes. If you watched early Real Housewives of Atlanta, you know that Dwight Eubanks wasn't just a side character; he was the atmospheric pressure that kept the whole show from floating away into total "buffoonery," even as he participated in it.
He was the "Sixth Housewife" before that term became a tired Bravo cliché. Honestly, without Dwight, we wouldn't have some of the most quotable moments in reality TV history. But where is he now? In 2026, the man behind the "Purple Door" is dealing with a much more serious reality than a fashion show with no fashions.
The Icon Behind "How Dreadful"
Let’s be real. Most people only know Dwight from that one scene with Shereé Whitfield. You know the one. Shereé was launching her "She by Shereé" line—or trying to—and the result was a runway that featured exactly zero pieces of actual clothing.
Dwight didn't hold back. "A fashion show with no fashions? How dreadful," he remarked. It was the read heard 'round the world. It’s still a meme today. People use it for everything from bad Tinder dates to actual boring fashion weeks. But Dwight wasn’t just there for the snark. He was a legitimate fixture in Atlanta's elite circles long before the cameras started rolling.
He started the Purple Door Salon back in 1990. Think about that. Before Nene Leakes was a household name, Dwight was already designing the "corporate images" for the city's most powerful women. He was the gatekeeper of style in Buckhead.
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Why He Really Left the Show
A lot of fans think Dwight was fired. He wasn’t. He actually walked away.
By 2011, he told reporters at BET that he was "absolutely not" returning. He felt the show was leaning too hard into "craziness" and not enough into education. He had a specific beef with the producers, too. He’d been running a successful salon for over 25 years, yet Bravo rarely showed him actually working. They wanted the drama, the gossip, and the chair-throwing—literally.
Remember the fight with Nene? The one about the $10,000 loan to Gregg Leakes? That was the breaking point. Nene and Dwight were once inseparable, but the show's pressure cookers turned them into enemies. Dwight claimed he'd loaned Gregg money; the Leakes family said it was a few hundred bucks, tops. It got messy. It got physical. Dwight later admitted Nene "bruised him up a little bit" during a confrontation at a hotel.
He realized the show was becoming "addictive like crack," but it wasn't helping his brand. He wanted substance. He wanted to be more than just a "divo" for the cameras.
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The 2026 Reality: A New Fight
Fast forward to today. Dwight Eubanks is 65 now, and he's facing a battle that makes reality TV drama look like a playground spat.
In June 2025, Dwight went public with a stage four prostate cancer diagnosis. It was a total shock. He thought he was "Superman." He’d been living with HIV since the 1980s and was meticulous about his health checkups every six months. He felt healthy. No symptoms.
But a routine blood test at a church health fair changed everything.
What’s wild is that his medical records showed high PSA levels as far back as 2022, but because his HIV was "undetectable," his doctors at the time told him he was fine. They weren't looking at the prostate. This is why Dwight is so vocal now. He’s not just a hairstylist; he’s a brand ambassador for ZERO Prostate Cancer.
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He’s using his platform to tell Black men specifically to "know their numbers." Black men are 70% more likely to be diagnosed and twice as likely to die from the disease. Dwight is trying to turn that "dreadful" reality around.
The Purple Door Legacy
The salon is still there. Located on Paces Ferry Place in Buckhead, the Purple Door Salon remains his sanctuary.
Dwight’s life now is a mix of high-end styling and deep community service. He’s worked with Jerusalem House and The Evolution Project, helping homeless teens who are HIV positive. He’s lived through the AIDS crisis of the 80s and now a stage four cancer diagnosis. He's seen a lot.
You’ll still see him on Married to Medicine occasionally or at the Bronner Brothers Hair Show, but he’s picky about his appearances. He doesn't need the "Sixth Housewife" title anymore. He’s a survivor.
If you're following his journey or just missing the golden era of RHOA, here is what you can actually do:
- Watch the PSA: Look up his work with ZERO Prostate Cancer. If you’re a man over 45 (or 40 if you're Black), get your PSA levels checked. It’s a simple blood test.
- Visit the Salon: The Purple Door is an Atlanta institution. If you want the "Dwight experience" without the scripted drama, book a consultation.
- Support the Causes: Dwight supports the Krystal Foundation and alopecia awareness. He’s always believed that hair isn't just about vanity—it's about dignity, especially for women going through chemo.
Dwight Eubanks survived the "tallest" heels and the loudest screams of reality TV. Now, he's proving that his real impact wasn't what he said in front of the lens, but what he's doing away from it.