Trading Secrets - 223. West Wilson: From Bleacher Report and Complex to Bravo’s Summer House, the BTS of balancing filming for reality TV, the business of journalism, and being banned by the NHL?!

Episode Date: February 24, 2025

This week, Jason is joined by sports journalist and Summer House personality, West Wilson! In this episode, West dives into how he defines himself during the current season of Summer House, and reveals what happened the day his severance from Bleacher Report came through. He breaks down the story behind a napkin contract for a podcast idea and shares the key question he asked during a Bleacher Report x NHL call, which ultimately got him banned by the NHL. West also discusses his work with Complex, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the journalism world, his experience at Bleacher Report, and how he found himself on a dating show with Complex. He opens up about being on three different types of payroll within journalism and reflects on what makes Summer House stand out from other reality TV shows. The episode wraps up with rapid-fire questions about life in the house, business finance, and more. West reveals all that and so much more in another episode you can’t afford to miss!                                               Host: Jason Tartick Co-Host: David Arduin Audio: John Gurney Guest: West Wilson Stay connected with the Trading Secrets Podcast!  Instagram: @tradingsecretspodcast  Youtube: Trading Secrets Facebook: Join the Group All Access: Free 30-Day Trial  Trading Secrets Steals & Deals! AirDoctor: Breathe easy with AirDoctor, the award-winning air purifier that eliminates 99.99% of dangerous contaminants like allergens, viruses, smoke, gasses, mold spores, and more. Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code TRADINGSECRETS for up to $300 off! Plus a 30-day money back guarantee and 3-year warranty for free! Upside: The free Upside app gets you cash back on daily essentials like gas, groceries, and dining. There are over 100,000 gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants on the Upside app, ensuring that cash back is always just around the corner. Use promo code tradingsecrets to get an extra $0.25 back for every gallon on your first tank of gas. 

Welcome back to another episode of Trading Secrets. I'm your host, Jason Tardick, and welcome to the pre-market trading segment. I'm going to tell you a little bit about what you can expect from our guest. One financial tip and a little update from myself. We have Wes Wilson coming on from Summer House. Now, if you're not watching Summer House, there's still so much to take. take away from this episode, but I'll tell you this much, this season is blown up. I'm looking at just like the trends and any analytics you can see on the season. And from what I'm seeing,

it looks like it's doing exceptionally well. If you're familiar with Summerhouse, you know that Wes had, he's very, very likable, but had a little bit of a tough go in the last season, especially on the reunion, which we'll talk about. And he'll tease a little bit about what we can expect from him in this upcoming season. But again, if you don't watch the show, there's so much hear about his story when he was fired what happened how he bounced back things that he's learned that's the beauty of this entire podcast is whether you're a fan of the individual or you know the show that they're on you don't know the show or don't watch it there's still so many great takeaways so you're going to love this episode and i'll tell you this much wait to the recap

david and i get into it but west is just a vibe he's just an absolute vibe and his vibes in person are immaculate uh before i go to a little financial trading secret and a little tip please remember to give us five stars we really really appreciate it and we're we're seeing all the feedback especially why you talked a little bit about my next chapter in that RV if you missed last recap you might want to go back to it but I did get a lot of messages a lot of people are team RV we'll see what happens there one financial tip for you I want you to think about a lot of people ask me in relationships how should you split finances the you know there's no cookie cutter solution and there's no one size fits all it all depends on the certain circumstances the

chip everyone has with money, which is very different. But first and foremost, you got to talk about your money with your partner. You guys got to put all the cards on the table. And then when we're talking about different systems, here's one that works. And I wrote about it in my book that was published back in 2024. And the idea behind this system is you want to make sure that it's fair. It's a fair system. And so what I say is based on your income, you could take the percentage of the bill and based on your income compared to your partner, that's the percentage you pay. So, you know, if you're making two times more than your partner, well, you'll pay two times more of the percent for the bill and for rent and for other things that you guys decide to

split. So I talk all about this in my book, talk money to me, the eight numbers that you must know about your personal finance. And if you're moving in with someone cohabitating or you're in a partnership, eight numbers you should know about their finances. So grab a copy of that. Now, a little update from myself, I'm doing this right here live from Cabo. I took a very impromptu trip here. It was supposed to be in New York for a Broadway show that I was investing in, which, by the way, if you want to become an investor in Nick Jonas's Broadway show, we have two slots left. They are 12.5K each, but you can be part of this group and be part of our co-producer investing group. So serious inquiries only, but just hit me up

at Trading Secrets at Jason Tarduk.com. But I was supposed to be there, and there was a huge snowstorm. And then I had a partnership that I had to, by May, fulfill with Hilton, grand vacations. And so we said, hey, can we fill that tomorrow? They said yes. And we went down to Los Cabos, stayed at the Hilton. And I'll tell you, it was amazing. It was such a great experience. The service, just everything down here is unbelievable. If you've never been to Cabo, it like might be my new happy place. And a perfect trip for some things that are coming down the road here soon. I can't wait to tell you about. But the present is great. in the future is even brighter.

And I hope that you have a great week. But enough of me, enough of my updates. Let's ring in the bell with the one and only, West Wilson. Welcome back to another episode of Trading Secrets. Today, we are joined by the newest cast member of Bravo's hit reality TV show, Summer House, Wes Wilson. West joined the summer house cast in the most recent season 8, where he became an immediate fan favorite by providing the right balance

of being extroverted, wholesome, and authentic. During his time on the show, his storyline centered around new friendships, Love Connections and his career, specifically being laid off from Bleacher Report and eventually landing a new career opportunity with complex networks. We are going to discuss his experience of being cast on the show, his plans to return for future seasons, and his unique career path. How did he navigate being laid off? What was job searching like at this point in his career? Did he ever consider leaving New York City? Did he foresee reality TV as a career opportunity in his future?

and if he could paint the picture as to what we can expect this season from Summer House, what will it look like? Wes, my man, thank you so much for joining us on Trading Secrets. I'm going to get into your career before the show, before I do, because you're kind of touching on it a little bit here. Yeah. The new season is now airing. Well, how would you define, let's say in three words.

You have to define what your character, what your edit will be in three words. What's your guess? One progress, which sounds wholesome, kind of. That is wholesome. Two, Spectator, one of my good friends on the show, we kind of, like, swapped, like, last year I was kind of, like, learning, like, how to deal with a relationship in that house, and he did it this summer. Okay. And I tried to give advice, and, like, obviously it got messy for him, but it's really fun not being a part of it and getting to, like, watch other people fuck shit up in the house. You get to watch the show and not be the show.

You get to have the popcorn and not be on the screen. So that's good. obviously just, like, fun. Like, I think I kind of, I mean, this isn't a secret, but I had a relationship last year that has ended. And so I wasn't sure how to navigate that, like, entering the house. Yeah. And I always kind of, like, I don't ever want to, like, come off as if I don't, like,

care, like, a huge dick or whatever. So I kind of, like, played it slow in the beginning and just tried to see how we would coexist. And then it kind of, like, then we get into the fun. So the third word is fun. It'll always be fun. Yeah. It's hard not to have fun when you're with your friends, like in a house that has a pool and you throw parties and stuff.

In the Hampton. It's like that's... Yeah. It sounds like you grew a lot. It sounds like you grew a lot. I think so. I mean, I just like, I'm someone who I love group activities. I love gatherings. I love when people are together and like getting along. And when that's not the case, I feel uncomfortable. So I just like for everyone to be happy and together. And so I, yeah, we got there. like it. We're going to, you know, this is a business podcast. I always like to take elements of

TV and like bringing the business side of it. Do you feel as though, because we've had like every single reality start from any show on, right? And this is always an interesting concept. Last year, you were in the mix. It's in the last season. You're in the mix. It sounds like this season you've grown a little bit. You're a little bit more on the sidelines. Yeah. From a business perspective, do you ever think about the consequences that does to your actual brand on the show, what you're doing for ratings, will you get renewed, things like that if you're staying on the sidelines and not getting involved? No, only because it's not that I, I mean, I'm not like a confrontational person by nature at all. If anyone wants that god awful reunion I did last year, they could probably

figure that out. So I think as long as you're sticking to like who you are, you shouldn't have any regrets towards that. But I kind of feel like, and this could be not true, but I've worked in Like, I just feel like once you have people who like you and people who hate you, like I think no matter what I do or how I am perceived this summer, there are going to be people who hate me and people who kind of ride with me or whatever. Yeah. Which is a product of kind of how maybe last year went. But I don't know.

I mean, I've only done this one time. So I don't know what the product or reception will be this summer. So I don't really know. Like, I don't know if I even know the answer to that. But, well, didn't it, wasn't there, weren't there claims from, like, Sierra saying that maybe the relationship was to make a storyline and, and then bringing it back to, like, the business side of the podcast, would be, like, what then is the storyline for? Well, I guess the storyline is to create a significant splash.

Like, what is your response? No, I don't want. I, I've had enough splashes. Like, I want to break. I'm still kind of like. Because you live it out, and then it's, you don't get the feedback until eight months later. So, that's true. When we were going into this, like, I'm still kind of like very exhausted from how the last season ended.

So, no, I didn't go into that looking for anything. I wanted to just catch my breath and like enjoy my time with everybody. Did you notice it all from like a business perspective that when things were, were going well when it was airing, like business was coming in at a faster rate. And then when things weren't going well, opportunities were taken. Did that impact the actual business side

of West? Not really. Only just because... Oh, that's fair, man. That's the business. It was good. And I mean, it's also, I think there's a lot of things. As far as, like, business goes, I don't know. People do crazy shit on reality TV.

And the outcry from us, like not ending up together was kind of crazy, but like, it was just like a little breakup. Like, no one cheated or a lot. Like, it seemed like a big deal in the moment, but I think as far as business goes, there's not a lot on paper for people to be like, right. This guy's not suit to like, you know, to align with or whatever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But no, I mean, it was a gradual build and like it's still been growing since.

So, I mean, it's all way beyond anything I would have ever imagined. Which is just funny because I need, like, I did the show. I got a voicemail. And the only reason I was checking my voicemail was because that was the day my severance ended from Bleach Report. Okay. And they were like, hey, we're going about a show, blah, blah, blah, blah.

And I was like, do I have no reason to not entertain this or see this through? Because if I was crazy, it was the day severance ended. Yeah. I was on, I was in Europe for a wedding, got home, and I was so like, holy shit, what's next, you know? And so I needed like a, my mom always jokes. People were like, how'd let's get on Summer House?

And she was like, he needed this summer job. He literally got laid off and his severance ended. So he needed something to do. And I was like, oh, yeah, let's try it out. And it all worked out. You met Lindsay, right? Yeah, I met Lindsay like at a bar or something, right? Dinner.

We were both at dinner at the same place and then like ended up at the bar after. It's like just your classic New York story where people are like just drinking. What do you think it was about you that she's like, yeah, I see something? That's a good question. Well, I didn't know she was So that as far as Like our connection or whatever Like I think obviously she knew

I was just like a dude at the bar Talking to her And I don't know, we just kind of like Fucked around Lindsay is a very like power Like very lot of like powerful energy Powerful she's been on the podcast Yeah

One of the thing we always do a recap So my good buddy and I Recap the episode And he's like man Of all the people we've had on And we've had some big people We've had some like Todd Graves worth $9.2 billion.

He's like, no one carries... That guy's on every pod. That guy... He's everywhere. He does a lot. He's just everywhere. He's like a marketing machine. Yeah.

But he was like, no one's voice, like, carries confidence like hers. He's like, you could like it, you can love it. You can love it. When she talks, you listen. Yeah. Yeah. And so I think I probably just met her with similar energy. I mean, I'm not like as brash, probably as Lindsay is. But it was just like a random...

fun little like 45 minute encounter and like we went our separate days were you taking shots you're definitely taking shots but I think I had like I think I was going on a hinge date after or something like that and so I had time to kill

and I don't know where she was going but it was like it was so random and yeah it was just like a nice little interaction and then that was it I mean the whole story the story is kind of long but we were talking about I somehow brought up that I was at Bleacher Report and she was like I have this

idea for a sports podcast, blah, blah, blah, blah. And she was like, don't steal this and take the bleach report. Like, it's my idea. But if we can ever, like, do it, let's do it. She made me sign a bar napkin that said... Stop it. She wrote out her podcast idea. She made a contract.

And I signed, yeah. That's incredible. Yeah, it's on my phone. So where is the idea? Does it anyone take it? It was, the idea was like, a guy and a girl host a podcast, and it's not, the girl is not trying to keep up with the guy. It was meant to, like, be.

the sports like Somaliers in the mail and then girls who are new to sports and like explaining it in real time on podcast I think I'll try to find

the napkin for you I like it we're going to find that napkin Lindsay came on this podcast and it was like a clip that went viral where she talked about the contracts for Summer House I saw that yeah we set it up right

so the first and second third so can you confirm like that is exactly accurate like your first season you were paid what they were and then your second season I don't know, and I don't want to, I try not to, like, ask people about whatever they're making because it's just, like, who can't, then things get weird. Anyhow I'm, yeah, talk to it. Like, that's a huge topic of this podcast, financial transparency, and everyone has a different

opinion. So, like, why is that your opinion? I mean, I think probably because black and white, that's the, that's your, how you are valued comparatively to your castmates or whatever. But, I mean, I do think it is tenure, though. Like, because I think a lot of the comments, like, Paige probably makes the most, right? Because she's at the most reach. Most of the comments were like, no way Paige is making the same is what she should.

But if they have it in their, like, contract that it's just like you, it's just gradual, then it probably is that. It's not like Paige needs to make an extra 2K an episode. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. You do it just fine. I know that the people who have been there from the beginning, like, certainly make way more than like Jesse and I do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was under the impression that it was just, like, it was linear.

But, I mean, maybe it's not. I don't know. I assume you're making way more in brand opportunities than you paid on the show. Yeah. So that's why I don't think anyone... I'm assuming at this point, you're probably making more in brand opportunities than you are at your current job. Oh, yeah. I mean, yeah.

So... But that's good. I mean, Complex has been so dope in the way they've handled it and, like, flexible with me and, like, we have just figured it all out. So, yeah, I'm like part-time with Comptus now. Okay. Like, how many hours you work with them? It depends.

So, like, we, like, I'll be at the Super Bowl in two weeks, and that will be, like, five straight days. Wow. But if I have, like, a busy week, they don't, like, you know, ride my ass crazy. So it's like, they've been super good about, like, we just work together when we can. And a lot of the stuff, because some of it's writing, you'll get opportunities just brought to you.

from outside companies who just want to, like, partner with Complex. And then if you have time, then I'll just be like, yeah, let's do it. And that's usually an interview where, like, the coolest one. I did three NFL games in one day. Okay. Ended in Buffalo. No way. Yeah.

Nice. What are you writing about? Are you writing about the fan experience? Like, what it was so the only thing that, like, that opportunity. So, like, Verizon came to me and was like, we want the article, like, to go out on Complex. And basically, like, the get the tradeoff is. referencing whatever their promo or their giveaway or whatever their marketing, I will reference that and like do it a good, like give it a good service within the article.

Okay. But the creative in the article, like I can do whatever I want. So that one I flipped into like, what was it? Like best NFL markets and the whole, the hook was like, we went from jets to Ravens to Bills. Okay. Like smaller, like started a huge market. Medium market ended in like a tiny market. Sure.

But that the day and the game's got more fun as the day went on. Oh, that's cool. Because obviously, yeah. And so unlike baseball where Dodgers, Yankees will be good forever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's no salary cap in baseball. NFL is awesome because places like Buffalo, Kansas City, Green Bay have incredible experiences and loyal fan bases. And size doesn't matter.

It's all about like tradition and shit. So I ranked them and then basically like hooked the whole. whole day into like why I was making that list kind of thing. Yeah, it was dope. That's kind of a good transition to Bleacher Report. So for people that haven't heard the story, why did you get fired? Why did that severance run out? Are you thinking of the hockey thing? Yes. Okay. Which and for people that don't understand. I was actually wondering if you're going to ask me about that because it has an update that I have not shared yet. Yeah. Let's get the update. Okay. So technically I got laid off like Bleacherboard had a bunch of layoff. So

Bleacherboard didn't fire me. I got the severance because there were a bunch of lay off. Okay. Question for it. I mean, they weren't happy with me. Severance. There's a lot of people

that listen to this that might get laid off and they might have a severance. Yeah. Did you negotiate it? And what percentage your salary was the severance? No,

I am so lucky and I, at any time I hear about people who get laid off now. Yeah. I am blown away. Bleacher poor gave me six months severance. Holy shit. And I'd only worked there for three and a half years.

Dude, that's unheard of. Oh, I know. Did you negotiate that or they gave you? No, they started with it. Wow. And I, I learned a lot from that whole experience because I thought when I heard six months, I mean, obviously I was sad to be like that company was like kind of a part of my self-identity

for like a long time. So I was sad, but I was like, oh, six months I can fucking take my time and like ease into finding what's next. Sure. Not how I should have handled it at all. I think especially just in the media world, like as you know, that stuff just does not move fast and that was 2022 so still like the job market was like reeling from COVID like just a little and it just wasn't what I thought it would be took my time and I went through interviews that

lasted you know two months and then they choose the other guy and you're like back to the beginning and it I mean I was very much humbled but I think looking back I could have handled it in so many different ways but I mean also at the same time the summer house thing came and so that was the beauty in it. But, yeah, so the NHL story. So, okay, are you a, are you a Sabes guy? Yeah, try to be. I know. It's tough. I've been my whole life, but they're brutal. Basically, like, Pleacher Report, who's owned by Turner. Okay. Acquired NHL rights. And they had this big kickoff call with everyone. And they were like, hey, like Gary Bettman, who's the commissioner of the NHL. People hate all commissioners, but I think he's probably, I'm also super biased,

but I think people hate him the most. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's up there. Very high. He It's booed very aggressively. So he hops on. It's just kind of like a let me brag about myself and show you guys how cool my job is and what I've done for the NHL. And I was so bored. And I was like, you know what?

Let me ask a question. So I like put a shirt on, unmuted my mic, like, turned the camera on. I was like, Mr. Batman, my mom's West from Bleach Report. How many people are on this call? Do like 400. Okay.

And for pretty big people. Yeah. Yeah. It was all the big dogs at NHL, Big Dogs from Turner, but it was like a Bleacher Report meets NHL call. And I'm like a producer and a host,

so my face is supposed to be at all of these like hockey events. Yeah. And I was like, I know the NFL's dealt with this a lot lately, but how are you guys going into this year keeping, you know, hockey the way it's supposed to be played,

the way it's been played for years, keeping the violence, keeping the physicality, while also kind of, you know, proving to the public that you care about head safety and you're taking measures to protect players. Well, I didn't think it was that bad of a question.

Because I know the NFL deals with it all the time and like proving head safety is important to the league is like, it's a great question. I thought I was like aligning with shit he would like want to say. Yeah, it's a great question. And so the word violent, I guess, is one of their trigger words. Yeah, and he freaked the fuck out on me.

No way. And he goes hockey, which now I just laugh every time I turn on the TV and dudes are punching each other's teeth out. He goes, hockey is not violent. There's nothing violent about hockey. It's a physical sport, but it's not violent. And then he was like, I guess we need to teach people at Bleacher Report, like, more about hockey. Like you guys don't know anything, blah, blah, blah. And I was like, whoa, like the guy lost it.

And so I just was like, got it, took it on the chin, kind of just like waited for the call to get over and was like, dude, whoa. So I started getting a much of slacks from everyone that was like, great question. He's a pitch, blah, blah, blah, blah. I was like, oh, cool. So I, like, people, like, thought the question was good. He just kind of got spooked. Yeah. Then I get a message from, like, my boss's boss's boss, boss that was like, hey, you got

to call me. And this was, like, the day after. I was like, damn. He was like, dude, the NHL is so mad at us, mad at you. They don't want you around hockey because, like, you have, like, created this tension amongst both companies, like, we're pulling you from all hockey events for the rest of the year. And I had shit slated like all the way through. So I was like, did I just get like banned from the NHL? And sorry, I'm like dragging the story on. But so then fast forward

Stanley Cup, they have everyone scheduled except like we don't have anyone to cover game six. Yeah. This was when the aves played the lightning. It was in Tampa. And they were like, we are going to have to like ask him if we can send West because we don't have anyone else. Avs win it in game six in Tampa. I was there. No one else. It just, happened that it was the game I had to go to. I was on the ice while they were celebrating and I took a picture like this and I tagged Gary Bettman above my head and posted it. And so HR called me like an hour later.

You like to flirt with fire in all areas, huh? Kind of. I just thought, I was trying to be a journalist and everyone hated me for it. And I was like, dude, fuck you guys. So I posted that, which that was dumb. And looking back, yeah, I mean, like they, no one was happy with me for any of that. When you posted that, what happened? Like, HR hit me up and was like,

are you an idiot? Like, we literally let you go to the stand with that. You're bad. So it's more just, and now just anytime I see him on my TV or whatever, I'll post a picture and write like, like, bitch or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay, so I thought it was over, right? It's been, what is it, 2025 now? That was three, four years ago. The blues hit me up. Okay. And we're like, hey, because I'm from Missouri. They were going to send you a hockey kit for the Winter Classic. I was like, that's great.

Gave him my address, whatever. A few weeks later. Later, someone at BR is like, dude, fanatics just asked us if you put us on the call because the NHL saw your name on the influencer list and asked to pull you from it. Holy shit. So someone higher up at NHL saw my name to get a hockey jersey and they were like, dude, don't send anything. Take about. So my beef with the NHL is back on because they wouldn't let me get a little cute Christmas gift from the Blues.

And I told the Blues to scratch my name. West versus the NHL. Yeah, it's on. It's on. Sorry, that took so long. That's a wild story, though. You're back. All right.

Bring me back, though, to, we've never had a journalist on. It's like a journalist for Bleacher Report. Give me an idea, like, what can you make in that career track? And, like, what's the trajectory? Like, how do you build your career? I mean, like, pay-wise, not great. Dope in your 20s. I also, for Bleach Report, wasn't writing.

It was more, it was, like, social production. So it's Instagram, TikTok, all the, like, I'm on site like here's like what we're going to like take you around do an interview whatever it's good in your 20s like it was manageable like I think at BR I ended I think I was probably making like 90 at the end oh that's like I would I would expect it way less for journalism I started it's pretty good I moved to Vegas to help them launch BR betting okay and then got sent back to New York after we built that for like a year that I started at 60 but I was in Vegas so I didn't like yeah yeah yeah that was cheap yeah

back to 70K and then that kind of like grew a little bit and then because we were on camera they sort of like threw us a bone and we're like if your if your face is in

X amount of videos a quarter then you get well that's cool well yeah so like when I say 90 that's counting like bonuses that we made for like being on camera and that gets I think bonuses get taxed like

yeah 45% something fucking crazy yeah but it I ended, like, around 90, which was fine, but I didn't really know where to go. Like, it's a great job for being in your 20s because you're traveling everywhere. They're paying for it. The events are, I mean, your access is crazy.

Yeah. You're like in the locker room when the Astros won the World Series. I mean, that's incredible. You can't beat that. And you're getting paid. Well, it's also crazy, too, because it's all these journalists, like, a bunch of, like, old white dudes and suits with, like, their big cameras and microphones. and then just like, I think I had on like...

Show up with a Britney sphere shirt. Yeah, like, camo pants and a backwards hat. Have you always had that on the side note? Have you like, that always been your style? Like, just like, it's a, if you always been a vibe? Dude, I get. I don't know. People really liked it.

I think it's not that foreign. I don't think to most people, I think it was foreign to Bravo. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, like, camo and baggy pants and like, they're just used to Kyle and Carl who were like white skinny jeans. Right, right, right. And Jesse kind of dresses like that, too. But, like, I think that network just has a lot of dudes in their, like, late 30s

who dress like they were born in the 70s, which they are. Like, I can't unfold them. But so that kind of played into my favor, too. I didn't really realize that it would. That does. Let me, let me ask you about this. So you lose your job and match your report. You then get on Summerhouse.

Yeah. Are you working immediately for complex networks? Are you only filming Summerhouse as a job? No, I was, I was filming Summerhouse by myself. Like, I was a part of that last season was the job search I was, like, still going through. Yeah. So I actually, and I don't know if anyone thinks this is fake. No one said it, but I couldn't believe that it happened.

Complex offered me on a Friday afternoon when I was in the house. And it'd been a part of the summer. I was like, yeah, like laid off last year. Like, I'm still trying to, like, figure shit out. Yeah. And I mean, I was insecure about it, obviously. So I was like going to, I was like, fuck, I had to go into this house. and tell all these, like, hot girls that I'm literally unemployed.

Yeah. But they sent me the email on a Friday, and I, like, jumped in the pool and then start, I started the Wednesday after we wrapped filming. Okay. So it was, like, Bleacher Report, a few months of, like, me thinking I had time to, like, fuck around with money and not working. And then that ended, needed something to do, Summer House. The second Summer House ended, started at Complex.

Okay. So you're working at Complex. summer house goes it then airs it's a little rough it's good it's bad yeah at any point do you think about like packing up leaving new york city getting out of reality tv was there any type of thought like that there were probably moments where i was like fuck like do i want to do this it's just a lot but no it's also like i mean i put myself in that situation like it's my own mess so i try to use everything to learn from but no it was never like to that point, I would say. And I mean, also everyone on the show was very, like, we've all had our

moments where people, like, didn't like us. Like, you'll be good. So, I mean, those people were, like, everyone in the house was, like, pretty supportive too. And I was just like, dude, whatever. But I will say, though, I think it's very important. And maybe not to everyone, but for me to keep a job outside of the show to, like, keep you grounded in like real life and that way you're not like i mean i what's interesting is i wonder how i'm thinking about the cast how many people have that it's so weird now because it's like people make money outside the show but i mean kyle very much yeah yeah oh yeah very much a real job page like page yeah i think jesse was in finance and then i think he's he got he got fired though

yeah yeah yeah they gave him the boot yeah um car reality tv and finance doesn't work a lot of people, I think on TV, like, want to be entrepreneurs and just think that I, because you can attach your name to it, that it'll work. It's a lot of work. I don't think that that's, will ever be my route. What do you think five years from now? Like, what does the dream look like? I would like to elevate the interviews that I am currently doing. So when you look at like five years, though, your career picture, it's not the West brand. It's not Summerhouse. It's elevating your interviews as like a journalist? Well, I'd like them to be one in the same if possible.

Okay. But no, I don't want to be... I still... If I meet someone out and they say, what do you do? I'm a producer at Complex. Like, I'll let the fucking TV stuff work its way to the surface if it does. But I don't... I'll never leave it.

You don't lead with that. But I mean, and I don't think this is necessarily true, per se, but, like, if, like, all the people who have been on the show for so long, having done it for one year, it would be really hard to do this for 10 years and then not get wrapped up into who you are

because of this show like aligning them together you know what I mean like Carl or Kyle like from somewhere like because it it it we film it for two months but the narratives

and people like associating you with the show are forever and so I don't know if I wasn't working and like all I kind of did was this summer house shit like it would be hard to to not self-identify in that way.

Yeah. And then I think that probably makes it harder when, I don't know, people have shit to talk. Like, and then you're kind of like, oh, this is me, even though it's not, I mean, it's not. Yeah. So. That's interesting. As you continue to move your career into getting better interviews and building this up. I mean, one thing that caught my eye was after the season, you had, you'll have to tell me about it.

Like, you almost had your own show where, like, you talk to on and all these girls. you're going on dates, all this stuff. Was that through complex? Is that a different show? So this is part of why earlier when I was like, they've been awesome and like leaned into it a little bit. After the reunion aired, they were like,

we want to do a dating show with you because you've like been through a full circle of dating with people loving it, hating it, whatever. We think it would be cool for you to like interview women while you go on dates and like relate to them about what dating while in the spotlight or being famous is. like.

Yeah. And so we shot three episodes in the fall and then paused it just because it's like, it's like winter. You had Hawk to her. Haute to. Hailey Welsh, we call her. Haley Welsh, sorry. She's trying to distance.

She's in trouble now. She's in some serious. She's in trouble. She's in trouble. I got to get her on the podcast. Dude, yeah. I mean, there's no way it was her, though. I mean, I'm sure her team was like, do the Bitcoin shit and like.

Yeah. That's true. It sucks. She's probably the team behind her. She's 21. Like, that's the craziest part. Yeah, she doesn't. How does the date go with her?

Fun. Obviously, she's young, so it was not like, like, it wasn't like courting her per se in that way, like romantically. But I did want to, like, get to know her and ask her questions that weren't Hock Tu, like, just the same shit. And I, and she opened up towards the end. But we were in Nashville and, like, went fishing on a boat and stuff like that. The second one was a woman named India Love. So there wasn't a second date with Hock Tua? No.

She was busy. That was like her, the peak of her craziness. She's killing it. Like, she's, I mean, well, no. Not now, but she was killing it. Yeah. Okay. Who was the second?

Second was a woman named India Love. She's a Los Angeles influencer, I guess you could say, but, like, got super famous on, like, Tumblr and, like, dated a lot of, like, rappers and athletes and stuff. And so we tried to pick, like, different corners of people to, like, do the show. And then the third was Joy Taylor, who is a host on Fox Sports right now, who also... is like there's shit going on there too. There's just shit going on everywhere. Dude, everyone's just getting fucking sniped and like in trouble and walking in shit.

Yeah, but I love Joy too. Like that was fun. That was the only date where I felt. Was there a second date? No. So the point is like, well,

the hook on the show is like, would you do a second date? And that's kind of like. Okay. Okay. Okay. But that was the only one where I was like, if camera crew,

if like production left, I think we would stay and like, get to know each other. Now, when you do that, because you're bringing in your celebrity, you're done bringing in celebrity. Yeah. Are you, does Complex pay you more? Do you get some kind of bonus for that? ComBux is, it's so bizarre right now because I'm a part of like three different departments.

Yeah. So if it's a show like that, it's part of production. That's production's payroll. Okay. If I'm writing something, that's the editorial payroll. And if it's something that goes on social, that's the social payroll. Interesting. So it's like really weird figuring out.

because obviously if a department like doesn't have to pay then they would rather just be like no you're like you're social like have social pay you so we've been trying to figure that out for the longest time how to like balance this out but it's just kind of more like all the card now okay um but so yeah so I got paid like per episode for that and so we're trying to like line up you know more

once the weather's better and things like shake out more dates we'll see what happened but speaking of dates going back to summer I want to think about just the house a little bit some of the financial things behind the scenes. Do you guys have... What do you have to pay for? Good question.

Like, when you guys go to the bars and stuff, are you paying? Like, how's that? Yeah, that people always find that super surprising. And I feel like it's not as complicated as people think. Like, it is a reality TV show. So, like, especially when you're sharing a house, like, what are things that you would fight with your friends about on a vacation?

Not fight with your friends, but, like, could potentially cause resentment or tiffs. I think I'm going to go back to, like, college days. Yes. Because right now, I'd feel like that. But college days you're like, don't eat my groceries or you're like, okay, who's getting the beard today? Right, right, right. Like, who's buying the booze?

Things like that. It hasn't come up since I've been there. But, like, I know Kyle and Hannah Burner a few years ago, huge blow-up fight about, like, taking the trash out. Oh, interesting. Those are, it is real in the sense that, like, we are paying for the dinners and, like, paying for groceries. And if someone skips volunteering for groceries.

For all the dinners and stuff? A lot of times they'll be, like, we you know this place is giving us like a hundred dollar or whatever but yeah and like they want to see who's gonna volunteer like who's gonna take it this time who's whatever and i'll also say it's nice like our first summer like no one jesse and i would offer to like pay for stuff and they'd be like you guys are new like we'll handle it oh it's it's not like rookie treatment no no so that was cool but it is very like someone has to order groceries every week and it alternates and if you you hide from doing that?

Like, someone would be like, have you fucking ordered groceries? Like, it's your turn. Like, there are little things that I think our, that are unique to our show that you wouldn't get on any other show that just does, like, pop-up shooting. Yeah, most shows like that, all the groceries would be paid for. I would, yeah. Well, yeah, but they're not even, like, sharing a, oh, I guess there's a zillion other shows people share a house.

Like in the Bachelor Mansion, they know, all the food obviously. Yes. We actually had to cook it. We had to cook and clean, but it's all taken care of. Yeah. It's all paid for. Yeah. What about when you guys

Because the night we were there When you guys were filming We all went to like the club and stuff And that was fun Kyle was like Oh we're good man I got You were lit that

Dude You were pop I don't know if they're gonna show The morning after Woke up I don't When I'm hung over It's usually like a headache

And like nauseous I'm not like a throw up guy Not me either Dude face buried in the toilet All morning We go downstairs for breakfast And I laid my head On the my forehead on the

table while they all talked for 30 minutes couldn't lift my head up. Wow. I don't know what happened. I feel honored to be part of that. Dude, that was my worst hangover of 2024. Wow. I feel good to be part of that. Let's go. Did you know, we, Jesse had to pull over on the highway on the way. Holy shit. It was really like, it took me out for like two days.

But like that, who pays for that? The show picked that up? Or does the club just comp it? Did we, did they bring us? Did we film in the club that day? Yeah, we did. He did. So then in that case, I think. production and the club

would have an arrangement because they also wanted to like look like say that night all of us are like being cheap or whatever like you're buying something

it looks stupid so they do that but then if we go to a club or whatever they'll film for not that long and then we kind of just

like party after cameras go down yeah because it's also like you don't want to drive there and like start drinking and then just like leave

but then I mean a lot like most of the shit that we are like actively like swiping our cards for when you you guys do other stuff like bravo con or you go back i watch what happens live you get like

talent fees for that or no i think you get a hair and makeup like a budget or something yeah but it's all part of your i haven't done a bravo con no so i have no clue how that works i feel like you'd kill it at bravocon it looks exhausting yeah it looks exhausted do you do you have any interest in doing other reality shows if something felt like natural and like right i would what do you think but I mean like this show dating or competition dating I don't think I'd want to do that because that just like

I mean you would know more than any I mean like how I will I watch The Bachelor because I think it's so I love how it is almost like an identical script throughout this it's just like different faces and people and like it just gets moderated a little bit

but there's always like the first person say I love like that kind of stuff I think when it comes to dating then it becomes competing sort of and I like would love to do the challenge or whatever all those MTV people do that shit looks dope yeah like competition stuff

yeah yeah dating for competition I don't think I would do well honestly okay got you not your thing I don't know I just like I if are you like how often do you talk about what filming The Bachelor was like

oh I talk about yeah often do you feel like people got pigeonholed into like what needed to like happen next it's actually very it's funny bring this up because I know the psychology is super interesting yeah psychology they kind of like hide you yeah hide you in the bubble yeah but what was interesting just like I'm super analytical so when we showed up to your filming I was I'm looking at all the cameras the producers I'm trying to understand like the business side of it I couldn't believe how unproduced it was yeah

you guys are just sitting there talking yeah like with the bachelor there's there were tons of cameras huge production and it's their producers are doing their job they're like all right what do you know I'm like, let's get this conversation going. You guys were just sitting there like this. Chilling. Everyone's just chilling. And I said to Kyle, I go, Kyle, like, why aren't there's like, you guys just sit here? He goes, dude, they get enough content.

These cameras are on 24-7. Like, they don't have to worry about. So you don't feel produced at all in the show? No, but our show, you literally couldn't because it's, one, it's three straight days. So if you were trying to, like, perform in any way, you'd be so exhausted. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then two, we also have, like, we are being filmed when production is gone. Yeah.

Because there's cameras in the house, like, in the backyard and stuff. They're catching all that. So, like, they have enough shit for it to be, like, very genuine. Yeah. And also, I think when you are, again, unlike shows where you show up to have lunch and then go home, we are together for three straight days. Yeah. Things, like, will bubble naturally, like, how they normally would.

Okay. without having to, like, be told one thing or the other. Okay. But usually, I mean, like, before we go in, they'll be like, you know, Jesse, if you're feeling this way, blah, blah, blah, blah, like, ask us, whatever. But I don't know. We just filmed for so long that they don't really have to, like, try that hard. That makes sense.

It all just happens. How long, so we, so we know season nine's out right now, how long until you'll find out if you're on season 10? It's like last minute. It's from what I've been told. So you won't know until last minute. No. And do you worry about that?

Like, do you get, like, nervous about it? No, because then once you start, like, caring or, like, needing to be on it, then I think you, like, lose your self. If they, like, if I started worrying, like, I hope I want to be on next season, then I would probably act differently in the house. And then you probably wouldn't be on next season. But I think, though, that's why, at least I think that's why the first season for me went well is because I was, like, shit.

Like, I just was doing me. Like, I wasn't trying to, like, be, drama or do whatever. Yeah. Which I also tell this story which kudos to like Bravo, whoever cast me, whatever. I was like very pushy throughout the interview process where I was like, I don't want to do this if I need to be like the redneck guy from Missouri or like the dumb slutty jock or whatever. I was like, I like want to just do it and like be myself.

And I think they liked that I kind of like I put my foot down before they did. And that worked. I just had to learn how to do a fucking reunion. You're going to kill it this year. I got some rapid fire questions for it. So let's assume you got your whole cast there. We're going to talk a little bit of business. You can partner with one person in the house to invest in something.

Who are you investing with one person? I just feel like Kyle is so already. Sharp, dude. He knows how the business world works. I just think he's, but he's also like jaded in the business world. Yeah, yeah. Okay.

Like he's got like strong feelings certain types of ways. I'm going to go, Jesse, just because I think we're similar in age, similar in, like, careers right now. I think we could do it and be able to, like, no one would feel like they have the upper hand on the other person. Okay, final answer, Jesse, here's this one. You got to buy stock in one of the people. You can't buy you. You got to buy stock because you know what's going up. Who you buy it in stocking?

Who shares are you buying in season nine? Oh, I don't want to get, I shouldn't have answered Jesse for the first one, but it's Jesse. That's the easiest one. Jesse, too. He's in a train wreck. It's awesome. Remember when I was like, I got to sit back and like watch for once?

Yeah, but my question, so when you buy shares and something, you want it to go up, so you think his value goes up from the train rack? Because reality TV, though, your value can go up if you're kind of going through shit though.

True, yeah, yeah. Like he will be trend, like hashtag Jesse Solomon, that will be the trending hashtag. Okay. All right, so you're buying stock. Now shorting. Shorting stock is betting against it.

So you think like this season, Dude, people probably want to say me. Wait, can I... Fuck, I want to answer... You know who else I want to buy stock in? Who? Can I? Yeah?

Pregnant Lindsay's, I loved her. Oh, wow. Okay. I thought she was so fun. You think she'll be back for season 10? There's no way. I don't know. Yeah, yeah.

Unless they bring the baby. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't think I can babysit. I don't know how that works. Okay, so you want to buy stock in pregnant, Lindsay. You want to buy stock in Jesse. You want to partner with Jesse, who you shorten. Oh, you know who I kind of be...

I had tiffs with Gabby this season. Okay. We just kind of both were like, shut up. Yeah. I'm not really, like I said, not really that confrontational person, but we had a couple, a couple moments. Now, how about this is one? You're, this apprentice, you know, remember the show?

Oh, apprentice. You're fired. You're fired. That was actually a pretty good impression there. All right. You got to fire one person on the show who you fire. Oh, fuck. You're the boss.

Okay, well, for me, then it's probably Sierra, just so we can get the, like, awkward shit out of the house, you know? Can I ask you a question on that whole thing? This is more just, like, curiosity. Yeah. From what I remember with watching it, you were committed in a relationship or you were? No, we never had, because we weren't hooking up for the longest time. And I was like, you know, I don't think.

And the thing is, though, too, she never said otherwise either. I think we both were on the same page, just like, if we aren't hooking up, she wasn't going to ask me to be exclusive to her if we weren't you know what I'm saying? Yeah. So you were never in a... But you met each other's families.

Nah, she met my family. No, after the show ended, we were like... We never, like, had the talk. When we had the talk is when we, like, broke up, kind of. Yeah. I think we were exclusive.

I mean, I don't know what she was doing. I never asked her. So I don't... She's not that type of person, so... So what do you do, like, in a situation like that where, like, you're... You know, it's connecting to your business, your career, but it's also like, you're committed,

but you're not committed. Like, what would you have done different? Like, to prevent the mayhem, what would you have done? The family thing I really fucked up. Introducing your family. Yeah. Because once you do that, even if you don't have a conversation of commitment,

it's like you're... That is in its own way, like a gesture. Like a formal sit down. Yeah. Yeah. But what I learned from that was, like, to me, I still don't think that, like, it didn't change anything for me.

it's I need I needed to know her better know what that would mean to her and then like if I wasn't ready to then like let's like right off into the sunset I shouldn't have like booked that trip okay you know and I think that's where I like screwed up but we we stopped yeah so right but that's for sure where it was I mean I think we were like pretty much on the same page at least like in communication for most of it, I think that was where. But that was three months before we like really stopped talking. So it wasn't like we just like went home

and then the next day, I was like, never mind. Okay. We just got to a place where we were in separate places. I like it. All right. You live, you learn to grow. A couple business finance questions. I'm a wrap up here.

Yeah. One thing you spend too much money on, you know you spend too much money on. What's that item? How much you spend on it? Wow. I mean, I'm sure everyone says this though. I don't want to say something that everyone else says.

I mean, plane tickets, honestly, probably right now. Okay, plane tickets. If I can just... Are your first class guy? I'll never book a first guy. No. So actually, in a way, I mean, I still am like buying coach seats, but I fly enough that I usually, bare minimum, I'll get the Delta comfort.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, gotcha. Do, how many, how often people say Doornash? Yeah, Uber eats is Uber, Uber, Uber eats, and DoorDash, probably top one. So, play tickets is good. What about, have you ever had any type of issues with debt? No. My parents are very modest with their spending, I'll say.

I didn't really realize that until I got older. Okay. Very much like the only thing that my parents ever took out money for was a home, like not even cars. Yeah. All right. And best investment. If you look at your career, the best investment you ever made. Both times I moved across the country.

So college. Okay. Which that was, I mean, I think I like earned, I mean, that wasn't all. That wasn't like just pocket money for me. Yeah. But, I mean, I moved to New York. right after I graduated and didn't have a job and slept on couches and shit. And so I think that I mean, that is some financial investment, but that was a lot of like time investment,

uncomfortability investment. Like I think you can invest more than just money. But that was like a big one. From sleeping on couches to now one of the stars of summer house. It's been cool ride. It's going to be fun to keep watching you. Wes, it's been great. If people are listening to this, not watching it, you have the sickest cardigan on. And I I've been admiring it this whole time. And I'm admiring your Britney shirt. So guys, go check out. What brand is that?

What do you think it is? I'll tell you. Is it expensive? No. That's another thing about actually while we're talking about money. Yeah. You were asking me about swag earlier. Yeah, yeah.

You can have swag and you don't have to buy expensive shit. It's so true. It's probably maybe easier for a guy, but I, like, buy shit on eBay every day. Oh, really? That's your, maybe that's your trinksy here. This is just hypercrombie. Oh, they're, honestly, this fucking, this, this, It might be ever crying.

Okay, let's go. The boys, though. No, they're crushing it, though. All right, we got to wrap with a trading secret, though. So it's like, it's special to you. It's a trading secret. It could be life, finance, business,

could be a quote, could be something you live by, but given your experience, maybe specifically even the last two years, like, it's a trading secret you give our listeners. Don't, I mean, for me, I think a lot of my life success has just been not taking yourself too serious.

I think you need to be, like being confident and being... cocky, you're, like, very different. I think believe in yourself, but don't treat yourself, like, I don't know, like, not changing up people. I get really offended when people say, like, have you changed? Are you different now? I'm like, no, brother, just stick to you.

Like, but you got to where you are by being yourself. Yeah. Always, like, stick to that. That sounds so corny, I realize. I think it's cooler to be, like, under the radar and people can, like, find out other shit about you. Do you know what I'm saying? Yeah.

I also think I think my trading sequence. I've learned from you is, like, perspective of things. Like, when you were going through the shit, it probably, like, felt like just absolute hell. Like, the world was ending. Yeah. But even when you were talking about it, say, you're like, listen, it was like, no, I didn't business didn't impact.

It was a breakup. Like, it just didn't work out. Yeah. No one did anything malicious. It just didn't work out. Yeah. And so, like, perspective and not taking yourself so seriously and just, like, it is what it is. I mean, it's corny, too, but I do think if you treat people,

respectfully and are a good person and like easy to work with. I think that helps business way more than fucking anything else does. Yeah, I like it. The first thing, like the team I work with now, he was like, dude, these people, if you're not a nightmare and you're not a dick, I think people will work with you forever. Just like be kind. Yeah. Sure. So.

Well, Wes, everyone that's listening right now, they want to go follow along with what you're doing with if they find it all. dude why not the nchel ticot's like westy wilson or something stupid and then instagram is just westling conrad which is my government first name and middle name there you go your government first name and middle name boom and like also if you care that much go follow complex socials do it a shot at complex at complex sports

and go check out your potential future dating show on there dude yeah and if not there maybe a competition show yeah there we go compete well go chiefs thank you so much for being on training secrets go bills appreciate you ding ding ding we are closing in the bell to the west episode I got the one the only the curious Canadian

with me here summer house has kicked off West has kicked off it's a new season David I know you're a fan of the show I know you're a fan of West what did you think of this episode yeah I mean I'm gonna keep it West I hope you're listening I'm gonna keep it in very West fashion we are gonna do this recap we're gonna just gonna kind of fly by

the seat of our pants we're gonna do it West style we're just gonna you know we're gonna be laid back here we're just gonna take it as it comes we're gonna banter about some things. And, you know, we're just going to, like West said, we're just going to, we're not going to take ourselves too seriously here. We're just going to, you know, we're just going to throw some stuff against. It's the West mentality.

Fuck it. This is who I am. This is what I am. Exactly. So the first question that I ask you, look, we'll, well, instead of starting with the business, we're going to end with the business. I do have one business question. I'm going to ask you.

But we're going to start with, you know, very West. Tell me how the vibes were. Tell me how the fit was. Tell me, just, just walk me through the West Wilson. You've done 250 podcasts now. give me a vibe scale of West Wilson in the room as he's checking out your cardigan that he said he wanted he wanted for himself and you're checking out his get out what just just does the vibes match what we see on TV oh to a tee I mean just imagine like the most

disarming person in the world like he walks in all your vibes all your walls come down chill guy great guy dresses like whatever is who I am like he's the kind of guy when you're with them you like want to hang out with him you want to hang out with him you want to to go get a beer with him you want to go like do something with him his perspectives are funny his outlook is cool and his care is uh is like list like he just doesn't care and as a result of it you're just like i just want to hang out with this guy like this guy is just a good dude well he gave us such insights of you said the care level like hopping on that n hl call with gary betman and 400 people on the call is like care level for that is care level almost like his approach to the relationship

in Summerhouse, like his care level and his care level in the way, I mean, he got, the guys wearing knee high, ugg boots with parachute pants and a Britney Spears t-shirt, like care level. But it's like he kind of, he kind of owns it. You know, like you said, he has people to love him. He has people that he has haters because some people don't float with that. But he ain't changing people.

He ain't changing for anybody. Well, well, I one thing that, yeah, like he is who he is. And I think he owns that. I also think you can see, especially when I like, this is why I would, I say good dude. because, like, you could see in his eyes and his body language and just everything when we talked about some of the struggles

he had with last season, some of the mistakes he made, like, you could see in his eyes sadness from that. And you could see in his eyes growth from that. He's conscious. He's conscious. He's conscious. He understands he definitely has, I think, a lot of compassion,

empathy for how things went down in his past. And I think, like, when he gave us the foreshadow of what we can expect this summer from him on Summer House, we also so got to see someone that's like, listen, I got my bell rung and I learned. Like, you know, he's going to be one of those guys when he finds the person he's supposed to be with is going to look back so fondly at this time in his life for the learning, for the learning of it because you could tell even though he gives off like,

you know, I'm just going with the flow. There's, there's a lot of thinking and mental notes. And I think, uh, you know, stepping back and reflecting along the way. So, um, so speaking so, so I think that that rums it up. But I got to ask you, Jay, speaking of flying by the seat of your pants there, uh, You just, you're looking a little crispy in our terms of Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O'Leary. Looking a little crispy this morning. You flew by the city of your, you flew by the city of your Pancacobo.

Was it, was it planned? Was it not planned? How was the trip in? So I was supposed to be in New York for, actually, we are investing and we are co-producers of the last five years. It's a Broadway show with Nick Jonas and Adrian Warren. By the way, anyone out there, I think we have two slots left. If you want to come in at 12.5K, we're putting 200K together.

we get certain rights we get great returns based on the fact we're a co-producing group so if anybody wants to own and be part of nick jonas's broadway show let me know where you are finalizing our group now but i was supposed to be out there for rehearsal and then there was a big storm coming and then there was a big storm coming uh to nashville and it was tuesday and i was just like i just i don't know i just felt like i had to get out and recharge batteries i had to deal with hilton grand vacations that was going to be done in may and i said you know what let's just accelerate that trip. Let's just go now. We called them Tuesday at 2 p.m. We said, hey, can we make that one trip that's supposed to be in May tomorrow? They said, yes.

I called John Gurney. We jumped on a plane. And by 12 hours of thinking about it, we landed in Cabo. And so it has been a great time. Were you able to put the work down? I saw that one story you put up. And that was a, I love, I loved the story. And I even was texting John on the side. I said, you know, you need a non-rewire talent agency guy to get in there to like instigate, like putting the work away. And that's where. What did you love about the story? I just love that you're like that you're personally reflecting on it and you're pissed at yourself for work and it's three o'clock and you're in like you said, all the things.

You didn't go to Cabo to work. You got to Cabo to get out of the snowstorm and you could have worked from your house. So back to last week's episode, doing things for you, right? Doing things for you, not for others. I liked seeing the perspective. I liked it. I know if other people follow you and and are rooting you on there like, yeah, Jason, put

the work down. Go enjoy yourself. which, you know, it looked like you were able to do that. So I like that. What did you think about the challenges I did on my Instagram? I thought it was cool. Yeah, I thought it was cool. I've been to Squid Row before.

I'm sure you felt very out of place and very elderly. But it is what it is. You're in Cabo. What are you going to do? You're going to rip it. Yeah. Yeah. We had a great time.

Yeah. Now, now, it was a good time. You didn't buy that bottle of champagne, did you? No, no, no, no. That was all show. Do you know what the price of that champagne was? Can I guess? Yeah, I know what it was.

that's at least it's at least a 10k bottle yeah yeah i think it's around like seven okay okay i do that nuts and then what what happens there is based on the dollar amount of the bottle that you buy they will do different uh entrances with the bottle yeah of course they might do like if it's more expensive it will like come out on a titanic ship and they'll do a whole like scene to it and it's hilarious now we just sat around and uh and just had beers like we didn't do anything crazy like that we did see it's funny how these trips work we're like between work and play you know like obviously we're here for work but that or for work and play just a little fun and uh we ended up seeing mass macy blackwell there so macy is going to be on the show and she is a big creator in the dallas

area so she was there and it's just i don't know man this world is so small like let me tell you let me tell you this story this story is kind of crazy we went out we meet this group of people the group of people two people, they say that they run the horse farm at this place called Acre. Then one of my friends was like, you got to connect with the chef down there. So I connect with the chef down there. She's best friends with the girls family who owns Acre. And all of a sudden, we're all hanging out. And six hours before none of us knew anyone. And that story is awful. New friends, new travel, new places. It was great. It's been fun. That reminds me of your ADHD story that you put up two nights ago. And I DM, I said that's the funniest piece of content you've ever put out.

And you're like, wait, why? And I was like, you, you let us into your brain. You were talking about how cold it was. You looked up in the sky and started talking about being greens of sand. You talked about this thing you're investing in and that you're like, actually, I'm doing nothing. I have no talent. And you're just walking. It was so unbelievable.

Anyways, it was good to see you hardest your West Wilson and that you were going out on a vibe trip with John. It was great to see. And you mentioned something. You said, work with play. And I got, you know, when I'm listening to West and I'm thinking the comparisons between you and West, I think it's fair to say that he had his dream job in terms of working for Bleacher report, right? He's flying to, he's moving to Vegas.

He's starting to be our betting. He's getting to talk sports, you know, before the NHL thing blew up, he's, he's right there, right? He's making decent coins, $60,000 to $90,000. Thanks for Sharon West. And now he's thrust in the summer house scene. And now he's probably like, now I'm really living my dream job, right? I'm able to, you know, I'm able to still do what I do part-time in the sports journalism field, but now I'm getting invited to these events, I'm well-known, my following's up, I'm getting

brand deals, I'm getting access, but then you see the dark side of it when, you know, the relationship with Sierra doesn't go great, people are attacking them on the internet. My question to you is, and I don't think I've asked it this specifically before. You had what you thought at the time your dream job in the sense of climbing the corporate ladder and being able to move in flexibility and kind of feeling like a boss making money. And now you're flexing in this new life coming off the show and the influencing reality space being a talent agency co-founder. And you're probably thinking that this is your dream job

because you're doing things that you would never, ever get to do. Knowing the sacrifices that each have, right? You've talked about delaying your life. You've talked about a lot of the scrutiny, the public, you know, being in a public relationship. What is the dream scenario? Let's not say dream job. What is the dream scenario?

What would you want little Jason Tardick, Jr., to go through having perspective of the both say, no, son, this is what you want. Getting deep here on the crispy Sunday afternoon as the door manager knocks on your door, door manager knocks on your door to kick you out of the villa. Yeah, literally, I'm supposed to get out of here this second. Here's what I would tell you.

I think, I'm going to say it's speak for West, too. I think the experiences that West is going through now and that I have gone since 2018 doing this are experiences that you learn more in such a short period of time than you would learn in four lifetimes. And so when there's more public scrutiny and there's more feedback

and there's negativity or there's positivity, it forces you as a person to cope, to understand, to grow. And so I feel, though, that like I've gotten 15, career lives in such a short period of time doing this and I've learned more about myself and industries and things that people do because of it so I don't know I think I would tell my younger self like just keep doing what you did did the do the do the blessings and the benefits of the

opportunities and experiences that you're getting in this job is that is that outweigh the sacrifices of the timeline let's just say the might the life milestones and I would say the no no no because because that's what we talked a little bit on JTA. Or even though, even on the Justin episode, like, I'm convinced if I wasn't in this world, I would be married with a kid right now. Like, I'm convinced. And that's preferential to the Cabo and going there on a whim.

Yeah. Okay. No, I, oh, I, oh, yeah. Oh, I would, yeah. Oh, I mean, grass is always greener, I feel like. Yeah, yeah. But, like, for me, yeah, I wish, I'm like, this is like, okay, this whole Cabo thing.

is great. Hilton's great. It's fun. It's a dream in one aspect. But also, like, I'm, right now, I am, I'm happy and I'm lonely. Yeah. Right. It's okay. You can be both. Both can coexist. And that's, I'm happy. And I'm, you know, and I feel like good about where I'm at in life and where I want to be, but I'm also very lonely right now. So even when I'm here and I'm having a good time, I'm still lonely. Like, you know, well, I think that that's why I, I asked the question though is it's important for probably people listening to hear that perspective of it because we're like you said the grass is always greener and what you have maybe I want some of it and what I have maybe you want some of it and it's important in this

world of social media and influencing that people hear that message too and maybe it maybe maybe it just calms them down or puts them there eases a little bit if maybe they feel like they're you know feeling something that they don't have because the grass isn't always greener and you've got to talk about these things to give you the grounding and the foundation of perspective of it all. And hopefully you take some highlights out of it and some motivation out of it too.

Yeah. Yeah, 100%. It's like I know we talk about a lot in this podcast, we talked about West. Like we circle all laggons here of financial, personal, and professional worlds. And they all definitely connect with each other. Yeah, like 100%.

Right. So while professionally things are great, I'm missing like there was, you know, in my last really, I had something that was was such a like a beautiful feeling that I'm I don't have right yeah yeah and that creates like you know that creates that creates that loneliness but it also it's like you know what the future's bright like that that that's part of life like you go through

these things you learn and there's going to be a day I'm not lonely there you go absolutely well that is awesome appreciate you always allowing me to ask those questions I'm going to ask you another question we're going to get you're coming in drew yeah where i'm going to ask you guys coming in hot i'm going to ask you another question it's going to get back to the roots it's a business question i'm sure someone may if it's the voice of the viewer someone may have thought about this when he is sitting with lindsay at the bar talking she's pitching him his her sports idea for a podcast and says hey do not steal this this is my idea and she whips out a napkin and makes him sign it is that legally binding is that a legal

legally binding contract. If he then goes and steals that idea, can she go to a lawyer and say, I'm suing this motherfucker. He signed this napkin. I am curious about that. I'm sure someone else is too. I am not a lawyer.

So any attorney is listening to this, if you want to correct me, you can correct me. But I'm going to tell you what I believe the answer is. I believe the answer is absolutely not. Oh, I was going absolutely yes. Really? I don't know.

Like, like there are certain things in a contract that have to be perfectly spelled out. otherwise it couldn't be bound right in the quarter of law you know yeah yeah uh i know there are things like now emails can be binding but that's if emails are also like connected to a contract so i'm going to do a follow up on this but i i know in the contracts that i've worked with and done the smallest things the smallest line item can make the contract go poof when it's in right an actual it which in like a core system so i don't think it holds any binding other than just

like a mutual respect all right all right al for me, but maybe we'll follow up on that, but potential L for me, look, I think you, I think you're probably going to get kicked out of that room. I know you have to go to the airport. Maybe you give us a little bit of a video on airport theory as you're going back. Do you know what airport theory is? You've never heard of it. Man, get on the trends. Airport theory is a theory that no matter what time you show up before a flight, you get on the flight. Like, there's no such thing as having to get there like an hour before or two hours before. Airport theory is airports work at such an efficient scale for the timings of the flight.

And if you search airport theory on TikTok, which maybe on the Uber ride or whatever car service, you get back to the airport, look up airport theory. I'm still not understanding what you're saying. Airport theories, people go and say, I'm going to test airport theory out. I just showed up to my plane leaves in 32 minutes.

I'm at JFK Airport. Like, I'm going to prove you airport theory is a real thing. I'm going to get on this plane. So airport theory is kind of the idea that like time doesn't exist. You just get through. Correct. It just happens. Yeah.

interesting search it up and so what's the idea the idea is like you create expectations not others no it's like i think so or it's like whatever they're saying like don't listen to him like you're going to get on this plane regardless interesting yeah yeah we got a theme on this the recap there's definitely a theme here yeah there's a theme in this recap and it ties to west and his career track and his lifestyle and his style and his vibes heavy heavy vibes i mean you're wearing knee high Ugg Boots. You're wearing knee-high Ugg-boots to an interview and trucking around New York City doing bodega recaps? Yeah, you're viking. You're high-viving. I'll also say, you know what I'll also say about this? It's always interesting to me to meet people that are on TV and have a public

persona and then meet them in person and see what you think about in person. I'm going to tell you this. Anyone that's listening to this, whether you like West or you don't like West, if you meet West, you're going to like, period, end of the story. You might not like his season last year and you might not like a decision he made um you might love him but like he's the kind of guy when you meet in person and i cannot say this for everyone that i meet in this world at all you just like the guy he's very likable vibes it was very like and i saw what i think i saw something at the super bowl that him in briana chicken fry had a little how you do a little how you do shocker oh yeah shocker oh yeah i could totally see couple two though couple trading secrets guests just

couple trading secrets guests and speaking of another trading secrets guest we had we didn't have West on at the end of last year because and he was getting buried after the reunion we did have Jesse Solomon on last year who was getting all the praise now from what West told us

to see him go through this season it's flipped big time so I'll have my popcorn I'll be getting it in there and I'll be watching the season so looking forward to it. I feel like Yeah, I feel like this season is, of Summer House is like popping. I feel like it's trending. I just think the show in general, I mean, you think Craig and Page, you think Cal and Amanda,

you think Carl starting soft bar in New York City. You're thinking Lindsay's pregnant. You're thinking, you know, West and Jesse just keep getting big characters. Lexi, the new girl, seems like a little bit of a firecracker that they're adding to some spice to the show. I mean, there's, there's history. That's what you get when you bring cast back for nine seasons. I mean, it's dynamic. it's time for us to maybe get other people

from the show on because every time we have them on like Lindsay Hubbard it's great so Jesse's been on Lindsay's been on now we have had Kyle on twice we're gonna have to get Amanda we're gonna have to get Lexi 100% we're gonna have to get I mean there's Gabby there's Danielle we've tried to get

Gabby Sierra would love to have Gabe oh I would love to have Sierra too I want the whole crew on yeah great maybe we're just serious they're great yeah series Summer House series hey maybe on our live when we do our live shows live shows heard of it

we just have the whole cast on it working on by the way are you going to be on an episode because you talked about when you guys were with them are you going to be featured on an episode no no no we just went we went to go support Kyle

and we were it was like I was there with John Alex in in Kat at the time right it was last summer and we just went to go like hang out with Kyle they were filming they were there but you're not on yeah no no no no we weren't in it would you have had to sign something if you were to be on

that's how I know oh okay yeah a little trading secrets and trading secrets love that love that look at us go yeah yeah exactly so okay yeah and sometimes those

shows will very strategically get you to simply like oh we're just you know oh you were just everybody that's in the football game is signed yeah you just you know for your charity event and then you sign and you don't realize and can you just wear a little slip inside

can you just wear this microphone it's just for crowd effects it's just for noise for the crowd yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, sure. All right, we're rambling. All right, get 19 minutes and 32 seconds. I got to get out of Cabo. Yeah, you do.

And David. Yes. We got a lot of people. A lot of people messaging me, Team RV. Oh, yeah. Well, that's going to be a whole episode once. I think if it becomes, if it becomes fact, we have to do an episode dedicated RV life and everything that comes with it. A lot of Team RV.

Okay. I'm in. I'm in. I love it. All right. All right, good stuff. Well, then guys, give us five stars. Thank you for tuning into another episode of Trading Secrets.

One you couldn't afford to miss.