When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany - Heartbreak and Hollister with Stephen McGee

Episode Date: April 25, 2025

This week on When Reality Hits, Brittany is joined by her longtime friend Stephen McGee—an original cast member of Summer House! They dive into Stephen’s wild journey from small-town Alabama to the hustle of New York City, how heartbreak set him on a whole new path, and the unexpected way he landed on Bravo. He shares hilarious stories from his Hollister days, wild nights with the Wirkus twins, and where things stand now with castmates like Kyle and Lindsay. Plus, Stephen spills the tea on why he’s ready for a Summer House comeback.Please support the show by checking out our sponsors!Dipsea: You can get a 30-day free trial PLUS 25% off your annual subscription when you go to DipseaStories.com/REALITYHITSGdefy: Head to gdefy.com Use code REALITY to get 30% off orders over $120. Text my code reality to 91888 for 30% off orders over $120Koala: To get $100 off your new sofa, plus fast shipping, go to US.KOALA.com/REALITYHITSQuince: Go to Quince.com/realityhits for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hello everybody and welcome back to another episode of when reality hits. Happy Friday. I hope everybody had a great week. Today I have on one of my besties. This is Stephen McGee. Say hello. Hi. So for those of you who maybe don't know, Stephen was on your OG. Yes, season one and two for Summer House.

For Summer House, yes. And so he has been in the Bravo reality TV world for a long time. And I've known you for like, we met, I was trying to look it up. I feel like 2016. Yeah. We met and we've been friends ever since like, ever since the whole time. When, how did we first meet? Do you remember? I have the worst memory. It probably was when you came for Watch What Happens Live. I feel like when you guys would come to New York, we would, we would always get together. And then I think I've seen you every time I've been in LA since. And almost every time I do Watch What Happens Live, you're always backstage with me.

I'm backstage or in the audience, even though that doesn't get brought up for reasons. But you are always back there with me and hanging out with me. You were also just with me whenever I was in New York City and I had that Bravo, Bravo, F'n Bravo. Yeah. Bravo, Bravo, F'n Bravo. I was there when you did the live podcast. Oh yes. Every time. I just feel like we, because we can sit around and do nothing. Oh yeah. We went to dinner last night. We went to Firefly in the Valley. It's one of our favorite restaurants. Did you like it? That was your first time going.

Oh my gosh. It's so cute. And we obviously got the caviar, the caviar potato chips, which Brittany was like, maybe it's not good. Caviar on potato chips is my favorite thing. It's so good. It's the best way to eat it. What's it? Crème fraîche? Crème fraîche. Crème fraîche. We had to get extra. And then we put a little parmesan on it, which was, I had never done that before, but that

was so good. It was so, so good. We did like the millennial boom was, I had never done that before, but that was so good. It was so, so good. We did like the millennial boomerang, but instead of with drinks, we did it with our caviar. Yeah, we're very bougie. I'm very, uh, the boomerangs, like remember when everything was a boomerang? Everything. Everything. And you're like, oh no. And you just started like shimmying or something. It was like, those are times we're going to look back on. Our kids are going to say, we're going to be like,

Do you remember when like pick stitch was super popular way back in the day? And like remember the, And you kept the logo on. You're like, Oh no, I use pick stitch for this. And then you would have like, whenever Facebook was really booming, I'm sure I can't even log into my Facebook anymore. But whenever I was on Facebook a lot, all my pictures had that like orange really orange tint to them. You know, I used to use those preset Instagram filters. I think Valencia, Valencia, was there like it? I can't remember. It was the fifth option on the presets. And that was every

photo. If you scroll down, you'll see every single photo has the same filter. Going back and thinking of that, I've been seeing around TikTok or Instagram Reels or whatever, a lot of people are getting together now and I would love to do this with my friends back home. So they basically do a party and it's all their friends together and one, it's one person that goes up first and they're like, it's guests who said this Facebook, um, either like caption or status.

So they read the status or the caption and all the friends have to guess like which friend in the friend group said it. Okay. That's, that's fun because I'll tell you what I do. Every single day I log onto my Facebook and I click the memories because it shows you like everything that you did on that day. Oh, yes. But I do that to delete the old stuff. Oh my God, that's such a good idea. So I've gone through almost a whole year and deleted all the embarrassing stuff that I said on Facebook for like the last 15 years.

Oh, that's a good idea. And like on Twitter, there was some app I used that literally I was like, delete everything before 2016. Oh my gosh. Just delete it all. Like I never talked like bad about anything like that. No, but I said some stupid stuff. Oh my God, like I would always do like rap lyrics.

And things that I would complain about things that I would be so embarrassed of if I, like I would never complain about some of these things today. Or like, just like I'm older now and wiser and not a little bitch anymore. But like, I'm mortified if some of this stuff has said, but I would delete that. Me too. I mean, just thinking of all like the Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne lyrics that I use for like captions or statuses or anything like that. I'm like, people will go back and read it and have no idea what that was from and think I was just like crazy. I was a big song lyrics as the caption person. Me too. And I think it would be really funny.

I would go back there, post the lyric and then later then reveal the picture that I was like, oh, this goes so perfectly. I swear next time I'm back home with all my close friends, I am playing that game because that will be hilarious. I've got stuff from high school on there. I know. Even looking back because to the beginning of when I first moved to New York is more defined to me because I was a little bumpkin that just moved up to New York. And I was like, you know, I have my gap jacket and I'm like, I'm the baddest thing to hit New York in this gap jacket. But I keep that up there because honestly, and like I've made things private over the years, like whole albums and stuff, I need to put it back out there. I need to let people

see because they would be amazed. The thing is people would be way more impressed with me if they saw what I used to put it back out there. I need to let people see. It's funny. Because they would be amazed. The thing is people would be way more impressed with me if they saw what I used to be. So tell a little bit of your backstory. Like when did you move to New York? So originally born and raised in Alabama. I've been there my whole life. Country boy. Yeah. That's, I feel like one of the reasons why we connected so much was because of Hucky. And then I moved to New York. I had just turned 20 years old, like a couple of weeks before I moved to New York. I dropped out of college. Actually the crazy thing, I was in a private school called Bryan College. I don't even

know if it still exists. It's a private college in Tennessee. The reason I went there was because of my first love who we were lifeguards together at the YMCA. Oh my God, lifeguards. That was like my dream job whenever I was young and he was four years older than me So he was a senior in college while I was a senior in high school So he's the reason why I went to that school because he was gonna stay and live in that town when he graduated I've never told anybody about this And here you are telling it all Let me just tell you let me just tell the world

It's crazy. I'm just so easy to talk to. So I went to that school because I wanted to be around him and then literally... So wait, what city was the school in? It was outside of Chattanooga. So it's in Dayton, Tennessee, outside Chattanooga. I wanted to be around him. Sorry guys, if you hear Cruzy, he's here, you know, Mommy Duty 24-7.

So you might hear him in the background. He's just happy and playing right now. Sorry to interrupt you. I just had to say that just in case people heard him. I was in this school and literally after Christmas break, I wear back at school and all my friends, obviously I'm not out to anybody there. It's actually against the rules to be gay at that school, that school really, because it's a private school so I can do that.

But literally the guy that I'm in love with my first love, my friends who knew him were like, Oh my God, he just got engaged. I'm like, what? So I'm dying to a girl or boy? A girl. No! I'm dying inside. Oh, that's heartbreaking. Dying inside. And none of my friends know that I'm going through that. So you just did all that on your own because you didn't tell them? None of them knew that I was gay. None of them knew that I had a relationship. Oh my god, that's so heartbreaking. And literally, the person who told me this is one of my best friends to this day. And I remember when I finally did come out to her, Faith, shout

out Faith. She was like, I cannot believe that you went through that. On your own too. On my own. They are at the school. And then shortly after that, a senior at the school got kicked out because he came out. And I was like, I got to get out of here. I had just gone to New York and I was like, I want to move to New York. So I moved to New York with $2,000. You just did it on a whim. No job. Didn't know anybody. I only knew a couple, two people that I had like hooked up with when I was in New York

and they moved literally like two weeks after I moved to New York. So I had no friends. You just do it. And that's the best way because New York is very hard. Like to be honest, if anybody wants to move to New York, just do it because it's very hard to do it. But when you're just there, kind of you're like, I don't have a choice. But to make it, it was way easier.

So what was your first job in New York? My very first job after being in New York for two days, I started working at Hollister. Oh my God, I worked at Hollister for two weeks. I worked at Hollister for two weeks. I literally worked there. I was like, where can I get a job in literally a day and start working? So I started working at Hollister and then after I was working at the big Hollister store in on Houston and Broadway and so how and it was like the flagship like the bottom of the store you walked in and you're on the

Ground level but then there's a basement so you're on these catwalks and you're looking down at people playing beach volleyball in a sand volleyball court. That's cool So I played volleyball. I just stood there. I just stood there Like a model. Yeah, they called us models, which I literally hate I'm like and like we weren't allowed to talk to people. The only thing we were allowed to say is hey, what's up? And well did so whenever I worked at Hollister I had certain lines that they wanted me to say So I was like the girl that stood in the front and they would like have you come in, like people would come in and I'd be like, I forget. The one thing I can remember, the one line I can remember was like, check out our spring fling jeans.

Spring fling jeans. That's like the only thing I can remember. That was my first job I ever had. But I did that whenever I was in high school and I was also cheerleading and it was all the way in Lexington. I'm from Winchester. So it's not that long of a drive, but it was like 40 minutes and I just didn't have time at that time. So I only worked there for like two weeks and I only started working there because my friend Kara, who I talk about all the time, she was working there. So we were like, we got to do this together. And back then like Hollister, I have a cramp. Oh, it was the play. Well, seagull

being while I still have some of my Hollister stuff that I got while I was there, but I took a seam ripper and ripped all the logos off. So there's stuff I still wear. I'm like, this is good stuff. Good stuff, especially the jackets and stuff. We would get them so cheap. Whenever I moved into like moved to LA and I think whenever I'm like this is good stuff. It is good stuff. Especially the jackets and stuff We would get them so cheap whenever I moved into Like move to LA and I think whenever I first moved into this house that I'm in now I had like my closet organizer come over so we went through and like took out a bunch of stuff from the closet in there I still had some Hollister Hollister stuff in there like you don't need this anymore and I'm like, yeah It's hard for me to throw things like that away. Yeah, I'm a little bit of a hoarder and well and also those were nostalgia

yeah like that was yeah my parents would give me money to go get one American Eagle hoodie I kept those hoodies for so long I loved American Eagle and you know I haven't I know that Abercrombie holster they went through that whole rebrand I buy I haven't, I know that Abercrombie Halster, they went through that whole rebrand. I buy Abercrombie again. Oh yeah. Abercrombie's actually sent me some stuff that's like really good. And it's a whole rebrand. Yeah. And to be honest, it's like the price point. Is great. Great.

Yeah. And they always, the places still smell really good when you walk past it in the mall. I haven't been in in a while, but I don't like to shop in public. I don't really anymore unless it's like a last minute thing. But it's also kind of fun. Like whenever you actually like step out and go to those, goes to the shops and stuff, you're like, oh, it reminds me of being young. I love a mall. I love an Auntie Anne's.

Oh my gosh. Cruz loves that. Cruz loves those pretzels. I got Auntie Anne's yesterday. I got the pretzel nuggets yesterday. Where did you get it from? I literally, I got Auntie Anne's yesterday. I got the pretzel nuggets yesterday. Where did you get it from? I was in Newport Beach seeing my old dermatologist getting Botox. Shout out Dr. Blair, who fixed

my forehead. And I went to Fashion Island in Newport. Have you ever been? No, I don't think so. It is giant outdoor mall. Gorgeous. They have everything. See, I like outdoor malls because it's fun for kids to go to too. You know what I mean? It's a little bit more... There was probably, I probably saw 20 people there. I don't know how they make money.

Oh my gosh. But it was empty and so that's lovely. I love that. Yeah. No chaos. Yeah. The chaos of a mall. I'm not good at like trying things on either and that's one of my problems.

No, I buy, I buy everything and then return. I showed up, I was going to buy everything and then return. I showed up. I was going to tell you about this because this was funny. I showed up to the after show the other day and I only brought one dress and I had not tried it on or anything. And I go to zip it up and I could not zip it up over my boobs. It was the only dress I had. We're already running behind.

I was like Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. So we had to. We were just sitting behind. I was like, Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. So we had to- We were just sitting, right? Oh, just sitting, yeah. But we made it work. I had a scarf and this wonderful girl, Erin, that works with us, she was able to tie it around and hide it to where you couldn't even tell

that it wasn't able to zip all the way to the top. It zipped around my waist and everything. It probably looked hot. Yeah, you couldn't even tell that it was. But I was freaking out. I was like, this is my problem. I was but I was freaking out. I was like this is my problem I have got to try stuff on I know Like I'm also a guilty offender of like ordering a bunch of stuff and then letting it sit

I'm like, well, I already have it and then two months later I'm like let me try these things on and none of them fit and I can't return it and also you forget I forget about A lot of stuff and then it's just I don't know, that's my hoarding problem. My closet right now is terrible. But I go through, like I'm going to have Home on Pointe come over and do my closet again. And all the stuff that she takes, like I donate it all to women's charities. So, and last time we did it, I was able to give away like eight garbage bags full. So, it's because I've hoarded since high school. I mean, literally, I just keep everything. I'm like, I could use this for a costume one day.

Like what costume am I going to do that I need a belly chain from? My favorite thing too, I mean, I love, I donate clothes to Goodwill and things like that. But you know, the Buffalo Exchange, like the places, the resale places like that. Oh yeah. Humiliating to go to because when you're bringing your pieces that like, I wore this yesterday and they're like, no, we don't need this. There's no way we could sell this. Are you kidding me? And I'm like, I wore that last night.

Oh my God. That's hilarious. Yeah. You're like, wait a second. Should I have worn that yesterday then? So, oh, this is where our real friends, we just got this whole mall tangent. But yeah. There are a lot of awesome things that have come out of Australia, like the Hemsworth Brothers, Uggs, the Crocodile Hunter. I mean, I could go on and on, but my new favorite Aussie export that's finally available in

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So my first job was a Hollister and then Yeah, everything went from there. So summer house season 1 & 2 that you were on what year was that? So we filmed in the summer of 2016 I think gosh it sounds like sounds like so long ago as we up, actually, no, we would have filmed in the summer of 2015 because we're coming, this will be the 10th season that starts filming this summer. Right. Yeah. Because I've been in LA for 10 years and 2015 was my first year on Vanderpump. So that makes sense because it was like right after.

Because we already had, I came in on season four of Vanderpump Rules. Okay. So 2016 or 15ish. 15 was the Red Pearls. Okay, so 2016 or 15-ish. 15 was when it started filming. Okay. So how did that whole process, like how did you even get like casted for that? On Summerhouse? Yeah.

What was that like? So the process of when they originally did Summerhouse, they held a casting for groups of friends. So I think you had to come in at least a group of four Okay So the original people were kyle cook the work is twins and weirdly christina gibson who was only on season one Okay, so that was the first group of friends and they really liked them and then they Um basically were like introduce us to your other friends. It was real friends. Like they did not just put people together

Well, that's a recipe for a good show, aka Vanderpump and the Valley. We all knew each other through somebody and weirdly, so Summerhouse was not the first show I ever did. What? Wait a second. Do I even know this? No, because it's not great. I was on this flop show called Playing with Fire. It was on E. What was it about? So my job at the time, I think we filmed this in 2013 maybe, I was working, I was running

events for this restaurant group and E was doing this show called Playing With Fire. And it was about the food and restaurant and cooking scene in New York, which is a weird concept for a show. Not the restaurant scene, obviously, because this would have been happening around the very beginning of Vanderpump. But there was people that were just like a cookbook author on the show. Cookbook authoring, I don't think makes for riveting reality TV. But I was on this show because we were like the cool company that was on the show. There was maybe like six different things that focused on it. We were the cool ones. We had the restaurants and meatpacking group, I mean, meatpacking

district. And my bosses at the time were these two twin brothers. I was probably 23 at the time. They were like 33. Two twin brothers that were hot, they were like the main people on the show. And I was just in the office. I was not on that show. But then one day I was in the office and I was saying some bitchy stuff in the back and they're like, can we put a mic on you? And literally you could have seen like the sparkle, like, you know, cartoons where there's like a sparkle in someone's eye. You could have literally seen that. I'm like, of course. What do you need me to sign? So we did that show and then afterwards they wanted to film a spinoff with us. So we were shooting a pilot for a spinoff of that show.

In that show, I met Lindsay Hubbard because she was originally going to be on our spinoff. And so she was going to be on the spin-off of the restaurant show as our publicist because she did our PR. So that's how I met her. And we were shooting our pilot at the same time that they were shooting the pilot for Summer House, like the teaser reel or whatever to sell it. And we did not get picked up by E and Summer House got picked up. So Lindsay was friends with Kyle and the twins and everybody, roommates with Christina Gibson. So Lindsay was her roommate. They were roommates. Okay, gotcha. They were roommates in this little

like attic apartment. I remember when I would go to Lindsay's, I would like fully be slanted to the side because it was like so funny. But they were roommates. So Lindsay went over to Summer House and like a week later, they were like, hey, they're looking for somebody. Do you want to do it? Do you want me to put your name up? I had one call with the producers, Matt and Scott, who were selling the show from Left

Hook Media. And then I had one meeting with Bravo and I had a contract. Awesome, of course, like you're gold. So I went, they want that. So wait, so, so Lindsay basically got you on Bravo. Lindsay was my connection to the show because she went in and through Lindsay is how I, so I had met Kyle, I had met the twins prior to going on to Summerhouse, but through Lindsay. Lindsay is the one who got me on to this. And she is doing amazing right now. I'm so happy for her. She is. I'm so happy for her. And I can't wait for people to see her trajectory on Summerhouse.

I think I don't even know, because to be honest, I've never watched Summerhouse again. But I do keep up with them. And I have talked to Lindsay and like, it's like the Lindsay that I knew from back then when we were so close. I think like, you know, she's done a lot of work on herself. She's obviously had a child and she's a great mother as well. Yeah. She's always been so nice to me. Every time I've been around her, I've always enjoyed her company.

I'm very happy for her because I think like she's really found a footing right now. Yeah, me too. I'm so happy for her. So how like she's really found a footing right now. Yeah, me too. I'm so happy for her. So how about the Work is Twins? You guys were super close and I love them. They were wild as books before they became mothers. And I mean that in a fun, like the most fun outgoing people I think I had met like in a long time. They like helped bring me out of my shell a lot in New York. They introduced me to a lot of people and they would always be like, who gives a fuck? That's their personality. I know being a twin, it's probably a lot easier because you always have somebody, you always

have backup. You always have backup. They are the best and I love them. Are you guys still close? Yeah, I talked to them I may see Ashley this weekend. I'm sure because she's down in Carlsbad, so I haven't seen them in a while, but I keep up like we are always keeping up and they're always like With two kids Lauren has two kids she's married to David an NFL coach to Brad with two kids. Lauren has two kids. She's married to David, an NFL coach. I'm like, oh poor Lauren. She's been moving around, but it's because David's been so successful

with all these teams. He's the commander. And they all have beautiful kids. So happy for them. Cutest kids. Yeah, but they were wild and funny and just so outgoing. And they have big boobs as well. I love that. I've sucked on their boobs. I remember during the beginning of summer house, all the guys would be like, they'd be like,

Stephen, let me put my tits on you. And all the guys would just be like, mouth agape. Well, they get mad at us if we talk about this because even whenever I would go out with them, this is before kids, before marriage, before any of that. They would just like flash all the time. What did they call it? They called it something. They had something and they would yell it and they would flash. They would just pull one out.

Yeah, just one. And just act like nothing was happening. They would just have one out and just act like nothing was going on. I can't remember what it was, but oh my God. It had a name, but it was so fun. Yeah. Oh my goodness. I love them so much. Okay. So that's how you got on Summer House. So during your two years or two seasons filming on Summer House, what was your favorite moment? There was a couple. I think, um, obviously with the first season, it was kind of a, you know, they didn't, we didn't really know what we didn't really know what it's going to be. Bravo didn't really know what it's going to be. We knew we were going to make a show,

but we didn't really have the formula or the dynamic and we didn't know exactly how it's going to be. But I had great memories on season one. I think like, honestly, one of my biggest things was my relationship with Kyle. We kind of had a falling out in the end of my time, which luckily now we've made up. We love seeing each other. Good, good, because I love Kyle, yeah.

But like, we had a good relationship and I kind of like regret. I think you know when you're fighting with somebody and it's like, then all of a sudden you're not really mad, but you're like, I'm still fighting with them. You're not even angry anymore. But you're like, I'm still fighting with them because we've, we don't run into each other and we've let time just take it away. And then all of a sudden it's been four years. And like, you know, I, if I'm like, those were, I was still young and I was, I had so much to learn still. Kyle was somebody, he was

always willing to teach, especially about business. Say what you want about Kyle and he may be crazy. He knows how to do businesses. He's done a lot of successful startups. Lover Boy is huge. I just actually ordered their new drink, which he doesn't even know that because I'm going to taste it. It's the margarita and I'm like, I love a margarita and I need to critique it. But I'm like sad that I missed out on time where I could have been friends with him. But actually, you know, Kristin Doty is the one that made us make up. How does she make you guys make up? She was in there for Watch What Happens Live in New York and I was with her and I was with

her at Watch What Happens Live and she goes, she knew that I was not talking to Kyle. She's like, I invited Kyle to have drinks after because he DM'd me. And she's like, I will uninvite him or you guys can see each other and I've got your back. She's like, I've got your back. I will uninvite him. And I was like, you know what? Let him come. And it was a blizzard in New York and he and Amanda came out and met us at some little bar in the West Village. I can't remember. I would know it if I walked by it. And it was just, we just literally both apologized to each other. We set our piece and like,

and how long had it been since you all had talked at that time? This was literally right before COVID. This was in January of 2020. Yeah. And I had not talked to him since we filmed the season two reunion. So probably three, three or four years. Oh my gosh. Well, good. I'm glad you guys are in a much better place now. I don't know. I see him often. We test. Yes. Yeah, who knows?

Cause I was going to ask you what was like your, like your height, like your favorite moments and like your least favorite moments when you were on Summer House. Well, my favorite, okay. My favorite moments. I mean, I loved the pirate party or the Boston Tea Party. We have the Boston Tea Party on season two where I was the queen. I was iconic. The hilarious thing about that is like the production kept egging me on to like invite the guy that I had just gone on a date with to the party, but none of production knew what I was coming dressed as because I did not let anyone know what my costume was going to be and that I was going to be the queen of England. And so, which I know it's not historically accurate, but I wanted to

be, I was going for the visuals. He just wanted to be the queen. I was going for the visuals. Yeah. Yeah. There was a king at the time, not even a queen, but I was like, that's not fun. Oh my goodness. But that was such a fun party. We had so much fun. We destroyed our pool. We ended up having to have the pool repainted after the season.

Oh, wow. Because they poured tea in it, like 100 pounds of tea. Oh, they actually did that? A hundred pounds of loose tea. Who did? Who poured the tea? I don't even know. I think people, I think some people knew what was going to happen, but I think it was like random people put the tea in. Oh my gosh. Because if they did that at my house, destroyed the pool.

I have some videos that the pool is absolutely disgusting. Like poo poo water. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. The low, I felt like the low for me was, there's a couple, but I think that it was just really like, it's more about the making of the show. It's like I was, you know, really in my head about the show.

I was young. Aside from Amanda, I was the youngest one. I was the youngest one on season one. And then Amanda was younger than me on season two. And I already was kind of on the outside of the friend group. So I really got into my head during season two. And I also was not in a great place in my life. I was really just kind of like not very confident.

I had all of these issues with my family, with being gay and things like that. And I just felt really, I don't know. I think I was just kind of like an angry person right then. Out of sorts back then. Which is kind of like, I was unhappy. I was unhappy and I was trying to be the best I could be on the show, but I felt like there was so many people against me. I don't know why, but that's how I was feeling. I think it's easy for people to get in their head, especially on on reality TV because a lot of people see comments and different things and blogs and

different things that are picked up and it's you you're like that's not even like who I am but it's easy if they're saying over And over to start believing things. Yeah, and that can make it very difficult, especially when you're that young and You know just trying to figure it out as you go and it's a new show and everything else, you know, just trying to figure it out as you go. And it's a new show and everything else. You know, I understand that. I think I was like, for me, the worst part to me is that I think I walked away from season two and a lot of people I think just thought that I was like a bitter, angry, nasty person. And that is really not who I am. I admit that like, that it was what they saw. That's what you were then. That is what they saw on camera. But that is just so not me. And I think like that was

what was hard. I think I went too hard because obviously you can, you can have a villain on a show. But I think I went too hard where it did make it where I was not able to come back. It just would not have made sense at all for me to come back into that situation. But now you feel like you're in a good- I didn't get to show people. Right. You never got to show how you guys became friends again and how you became okay. The apologies weren't on camera. They happened.

Right. They're all real. And to be very to be very like Frank, like I would love to come back to summer house because I would love to go back on now because one, I am very successful. I have developed a very great career for myself that's super interesting that we can talk about. But yeah, the relationships, this, that is real life. You want to show reality TV. This is real life. We were not friends for years. Me and Lindsay did not talk for years. Me and Carl did not talk for years. Even Carl and I talk now. Like I ran into him at the summer house premiere. He hugged me. Literally, I think some of the Bravo executives were there. I think their mouths dropped because it's like, but that's not because we don't care. It's because it was years of time and

like we want to rebuild. Did you ignore each other for those years? Like you just completely ignored and tried not to be around the same group. Yeah. What was so hard for me is after the work is twins, like Ashley obviously was living in San Diego, but then when Lauren moved out of California, I felt so alone, I would not go out or I would not go places because I was so terrified of running into Kyle or Carl or these people

that I was so angry at for no reason. I was so terrified that I would run into them and just kind of be on my own and I wouldn't know what to do. So now do you look back and I'm sure you're like, why was I in my head so bad about that? Of course. Yeah. And like, obviously now I'm 35 years old. Yeah. Thus even 30 at the time and obviously just like a very different place. I think it would be cool to see you in this new place and how you guys had all like came over the weirdness in your past. I think so because I think it's just, that's real life. That's real life and you can go through not being friends. I also think it's just like, even in the production set, I'm like, it should be obvious that it would make sense because it gives storyline to people that maybe haven't had it for a minute.

But, but it's interesting. You are so bitchy and I love it. The truth is the truth. When life feels overwhelming, sometimes the best thing you can do is slip into another world. Whether you need a break from the daily grind or just want to get lost in pleasure, Dipsey is your perfect escape. Dipsey is the audio app that lets you immerse yourself into spicy stories that transport

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Heidi D'Amelio, Big Brothers Taylor Hale, I have to bring it up because it happened and we're going to get through it. And so many more. So come hang out with us, hear ridiculous confessions and get a little vulnerable because you know what? We're all just floating on this weird little planet together. Follow, rate and review Off the Vine podcast wherever you listen to your podcast. So was Paige on when you were on the show? No. So Paige, I've only met Paige. Actually, I've only seen Paige a handful of times, which

to be honest, I have not watched one. I did not watch for a long time because I was so angry. I was like, I don't want to watch that show. And now I don't watch in case I meet these people. I don't want to have any preconceived. Yeah. Honestly, I've just seen a bunch of clips and I see Instagram stuff, but I don't fully watch the shows. But I know all these people through being in New York, BravoCon, and everybody that I've met. I really like everybody. I really like Paige and I actually think that we would really get along together. I think you would too. The first time I met Paige, we were sat next to each other at a restaurant in Capri, Italy. I was like- Just random? I was sitting there and her and her family

walk in, Craig was not there, but her and her family walked in and I was like, are you kidding me? We're sitting next to them and we said hi and then I've seen her at a couple of things and we have a lovely time. Yeah, she's always been so nice to me too. I love Gabby. Oh, yes. Yeah, we just had dinner with her. Yeah, we just had dinner with Gabby when we were in New York. Shout out STK, New York,

meatpacking district. We had dinner there, but also I did that trivia thing with her as well. And she is just such a doll. And so chic, a good time. Yeah. They all are a very good time. I've never met Sierra, but I think I would like Sierra either, but Jesus, is she beautiful? She's beautiful.

Yeah. She's upfront. No, no games. Like she tells, she tells it like it is. And I love that. That's how you are. I really think like the people that are there now, and I've met Jesse, I've never met, I don't think I've ever met West.

I don't know. I haven't met him either, but he did like some recaps of the Valley last season. And they were hilarious. And I was like, can you do this for every episode? I actually think that I would get along with most people. Now, you know, tensions always rise. But I think at the very least there wouldn't be anybody that I despised. Of course.

Yeah. Like I said, the Bravo community, it's crazy. Like even if you don't really like watch 24 seven, of course I've seen a couple here and there and I've seen, you see everything on social media anyway. And I follow all of them. They follow me and just meeting everybody. Like the Bravo family is such like, you just get to know everybody from all these different shows. It's a trauma bond. It's like pretty unique though, because like all these other networks don't have things like BravoCon where we're all in the same city, all staying in the same

hotels, getting to know each other, meet each other. Like I know people from the Housewives and different things that like I would have never met otherwise, you know, all these different cities. It's definitely a benefit being in LA or New York because you're, you're meeting a lot of people. That's where people are going. But yeah, meeting the Housewives. I used to love, I used to be friends with all the Dallas Housewives, which was like so wildly and Carrie Duper. I love Steph Holman. It was like, but we'd be drunk. I mean, we'd be out there at the clubs. We would have so much fun. The one person who I never vibed with was Tinsley, Tinsley Mortimer. And I met for the first time, approximately seven times.

I don't think I know if I've met her ever. So I don't have a way to pretend like she did not know me. And I'm like, baby, that's why you're like, here's the picture you posted of us. Like, like, like every time that sounds like Jacks, he would meet people for like the hundredth time and never remember them. It was so embarrassing for me because I was always like they're trying to be like nice and be like, oh, yeah But remember this love of long and you play. Oh Well, I'm the kind of person I might not remember you but I'm gonna lie to you

Yeah, like I might not remember you but if someone walks up to me with their arms out there like hey, I'm like up to me with their arms out there like, Hey, I'm like, Hey, you know, I'm going to be, have you been since that last time we saw each other? Like, I'm going to lie to them. Oh my gosh. You're cracking me up. Oh my goodness. Okay. So we were talking at dinner last night about, and I just thought this was cute to mention You had said you brought it to my attention actually because Kristen just did watch what happens live Yeah, and you had said that you were so happy that she got to do a watch what happens live episode While she was happy engaged and pregnant. I literally I'm like yes for What people don't know and I always say this Kristen, and a lot of it goes back to

the Kyle Cook. I'm like, Kristen is the most loyal friend you could ever ask for. She always has your back. She's always there. And like, I feel like Kristen gets such a bad rap. Like, and you know, Kristen Hamm, be crazy. But she's also a good person I think she's grown so much like those old Vanderpump rules days from before I met her because ever since I met her

She has just been Amazing friends. Yeah, absolutely. I'm like that's fun That's what keeps it and I think that whenever they talk about crazy Kristen or whatever it was that was like before I even came on the show. Like that was like season one through three or whatever. And they were like kids. It's like you are not, you are not smart. Like no one should be in their 20s. Like to be on reality TV in your 20s, it's a risk.

But I thought that was such like a cute point that I wanted to say because like, yeah, like she's happy, she's engaged, she's pregnant and I'm just like so happy for her. She's going to be such an incredible mom. Oh my gosh. She's going to be the best mom. The way she, you can tell, you can tell a lot by the way people treat their pet. Oh, I say that all the time about her. I say that all the time.

The way she treats her dogs. I want to be her kid. Yeah. The way she treats her dogs, I want to be her kid. The way she treats those dogs. Yeah. And she loves my Cruzee so much and supports him so much. I'm so happy for her. She's just got it all going for her right now.

And she looks so cute. Her and Nea both look so cute. And I'm happy for them both. But yeah, that is great to see Kristen having her moment and shining and just excited for her. Even just watching her on the valley, even so far this season where she's like the mediator. She's checking in. There's just so much growth, which I think is like...

Yeah. She's like, yeah, she's just so happy right now and I'm just she's like her namaste. Yeah Yeah, I can't wait to meet this baby girl so excited I'm having a baby shower for her on Sunday and oh my god Oh, I just cannot wait. It's gonna be so amazing You know me hostess with the most I already know there's gonna be a huge charcuterie You know me hostess with the most I already know there's gonna be a huge charcuterie There's a charcuterie it's just gonna be beautiful. I'll talk more about it next week Maybe I'll have Kristen on again to talk about it But um, I'm just excited cuz I just I just love her so it's gonna be a fun weekend

Okay, if you could go back in time, what are some things that you would tell yourself to do differently? Well, we kind of already talked about that. Yeah. But should we again, or is there anything else? Like in the big scheme of life? Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. I mean, I think if I could go back in time, obviously I am gay. Yeah. And growing up in, you know, the South, I just think like, obviously, I'm so happy for people now. Everything is not great, obviously, but can I say obviously again? Everything's not great, but there's progress. And my progress is slow, but as long as things are moving, I think it's just really being like Don't try to fit the mold that you think you need to I think and like When I've informative parts like in my early 20s was when like Instagram came out Yeah, and like that impacted I think now kids are a little bit smarter

but the way that Instagram was and like at the peak of influencer culture and everything else, like you're, you're just think you have to be the certain thing. And like that doesn't make, to be honest, that does not make you special. Just be you. Yeah. I think that's like, have a little bit more trust in yourself and be, be kinder. I like, I think that's really important. I'm very, I'm my worst critic. I am too.

And I think I just, it's something I've tried to learn, especially probably the last five years is just being a lot kinder to myself. Actually, I got this tattoo on my finger that says love you. It's my own handwriting looking at me. So that like, it's like a message to myself. People are like, Oh, who's, is that your mom's? I was like, no, that's my handwriting. Cause it's a message to myself just to be a little bit easier. A little bit kinder on myself because... That's great advice to yourself and to anybody that's like going through the same kind of thing and you know, trying to feel like they're, you know, not included in different things

in life. Whether it's social work, I mean, we're just so we're conditioned to be so critical on ourselves. We always have to be better. We always have to be doing better. Yeah. Like, if you have a bad day, that's fine. Yeah. And I think that's part of my problem is I don't like having those bad days or like, you know, it being like on TV in the past and this and that because I'm normally a very positive person. So whenever I like have those moments, people don't like understand I feel like.

And I take that kind of hard because I'm like, it was just a bad day for me. Like that's not even like I'm it like that's not even really who I am. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, it's tough. Things are tough sometimes. And like being having bad days, even a bad week, having that and like just accepting that and getting through it. That's not being lazy. Yeah. Like that's not being lazy. You can't turn sometimes you can't just turn it around. Yeah. You just have to get through it. Get through it. And I always say that people that

listen to my podcast are probably like enough with the positive, but I'm always like, stay positive because I always like think like, focus on what is positive in your life instead of the negatives. Cause I, you know, sometimes the negativity can take over and it's like, I got to remember, I have a beautiful son, a beautiful life, a beautiful home, like all these amazing things. So whenever I'm having a bad day, I'm like, Oh my God, but I'm so lucky. I'm so lucky, you know? And I think that we need to all try to remember like even if we're going through the roughest times, there's things that we can look up to and be like, thank God I have this or thank God I have that. You know what I mean? Of course. So switching gears, how amazing is my cat Lola? Oh my god.

This cat is, I'm literally like, wait, do I like cats? Do I want a cat? So all of you guys listening, if you remember, I adopted Lola from heaven on earth cat sanctuary. And she was three months old when I got her. She's probably nine months, ten months old now. So she's going through like her teenager-ish phase, but she is just the most social cat ever. She literally comes up and like rubs on your leg like a dog. Yes. Whenever I open the door, my two dogs, Kingsley Monroe, they run to me and so does Lola. And like, I've been around people with cats and their cats just like hide or stay away or anything. But everybody that meets Lola is just like falls in love with her.

She's so friendly. Like, how did I get so lucky? And wants to be loved. Like cats, you know, they'll let you pet, but they'll just be laying there and they'll look at you, but they're not getting up to come. Oh, she will come. Like if I'm like, Lola, come here. Where is she at right now? I bet if I call for her, she'll come.

She's right here. Lola. Oh, she's laying in the chair. Maybe we should let her chill. Cause she goes through these like crazy phases where all of a sudden she just like darts off running and she's like on top of my headboard or like she's in my lap right now. She's in your lap right now. I just, I got so lucky and I love her. I just like giving Lola updates here and there because people love cats.

And she's so cute and gorgeous. She's a cutie pie. We're talking about you Lola Pearl. Her middle name is Pearl because Sissy Monroe always wears a pearl necklace. So I just thought it was cute. And she has a little pearl on her collar. She has a pearl on her collar. I'm like, my girls are fancy. I'm talking about you. It's like she knows.

She knows. She is so smart. She's a star. She is a star. Hopefully, if we get a season three, Lola will be seen. Featured cast. I got Kingsley Monroe and Lola. You need to have in the title sequence, I feel like you need to be like walking all

your pets. With your dogs. Yeah. Like pets don't get enough credit on the valley. I used to have no idea what to get for my mom for Mother's Day, especially when she hits me with the classic, don't get me anything. But I still want to give her something that feels special. Quince totally solved it for me. Everything is high quality, feels super thoughtful and is actually affordable. Now I don't overthink it. I just go straight to

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She is going to be so excited. They smell amazing. The quality is great on everything. The leather bags, the clothes, everything I've gotten from there has been incredible. My mom is going to be so happy this Mother's Day. They have so many luxury gifts and the style and quality and the price. I mean, it is just the perfect place to shop for everything, especially for Mother's Day. So make sure you guys check it out. Thoughtful, timeless, totally her. Shop Mother's Day at Quince. Go to quince.com slash reality hits for free shipping on your

order and 365 day returns. That's q u i n c e dot com slash reality hits to get free shipping and 365 day returns quince.com slash reality hits. Lola, I got Lola mainly for Cruz because Cruz just always seemed, he loves elephants and he loves cats. So anytime he gets his iPad time, he seems to be able to find on YouTube kids, uh, videos with cats and videos with elephants. She went back to Stephen's laugh in like two seconds. So I was like, Oh, he really wants a cat. And after I got the house back and Jax used to always say he was allergic to cats. And I was like, No, you're not because you've

been in my mom's house a million times. She had all kinds of farm cats. Like I've never seen you sneeze up because of, because of cats. Sorry, that's a lot of funny, but I've never seen him sneeze because of the cat. So I was like, he never wanted me to get a kitten or rescue a kitten. And I was like, you know what? I just like on a whim one day, I was like, Cruz deserves a kitten. So I went and got a kitten and she's just the best. And she's great to be around a kid. Yeah. Oh, she loves him.

She loves him. He loves her. She goes right up to him and just lets him like pet on her and she loves on him. It's probably good for like sensory. It is. Yeah. So I was like, Oh, this is perfect. And he loves animals.

So I was just so excited about that. And it's worked out perfectly because she's so well behaved. She like climbs all over you. Well, that's my Lola cat update. I'm doing Watch What Happens Live on Tuesday. I'm sure. And then I'm going to clear things up. Tuesday, you'll see me with Andy, Watch What Happens Live. All the tea will be on watch. Yes. And then I'm also going to Boston after I'm in New York City and I am doing a trivia

night. So if you live in Boston or anywhere near the area, please come see me. There are tickets for sale. I have them on my Instagram stories and everything right now. It's on April 30th and it is at Loco Takaria. Takaria. Okay. I had asked Stephen how to say that word. Takaria. But it's at Loco Takaria.

Takaria. Takaria in Boston, April 30th. Tickets are for sale right now. There's only a few left. So if you're around that area, come see me. It's going to be such a fun night Okay, Stephen I asked everybody that's on my podcast is this question if you could be on any other reality TV show What would it be and why?

Hmm good question You know what I mean I would Hmm, that's hard. You know what I really want to be on? Survivor. I know that sounds crazy. I know never in a million years think that you would say that.

I know that that sounds crazy, but part of it is like, I just love to prove people wrong. Okay. That's part of the reason. Okay. I like that. I like that. I love proving people wrong. It's like, it makes me, it makes me so happy.

I'm like, told you. But it is, like I would go play survivor for free. Like if they just, if they did the games. Yeah. I love a challenge. If they did the games and stuff and the manipulation, the manipulation I love. But the strategy of it, all of that. If there was no cash prize, I'd still play. Wow. Okay. That was a shocking one.

Yeah. But I also like to really challenge myself. Yeah. No, that's great. Randomly, I was on vacation in Bali having a lovely vacation in Bali one time. Oh, just in Bali. Just in Bali once. And I was like, you know what I want to do? I want to climb the highest volcano. What? Did you do it? I did it. I tried to quit. It was just me and a guide. It's on my Instagram. It was me and a guide. And I did not see another human the entire time. It was an eight-hour hike up in the pitch black middle of the night to be there at sunrise.

Wow. Was it beautiful? Most beautiful thing that you ever saw? Covered in leeches. No. It was raining, got covered in leeches. I've been in leeches before because I used to play in the creeks all the time. You know the creek. So yeah. The creeks.

Always in the creek. It was the hardest thing. And like the rain with my headlamp, I was like getting dizzy. I had to stop and throw up this guy, this man that did not speak any English. And he could have skipped up the mountain, this little Indonesian man. He could have skipped up the whole thing. But I did it. And I was like, I remember- So proud of yourself, I'm sure. Yeah. I remember I texted my friends because they're 12 hours ahead. So when I was climbing in the middle of the night, it was the afternoon in New York, I texted them. I was like, I

think I'm quitting because it's just too hard and like it's dark. It's dangerous because it was raining and muddy. And then the next picture I sent them was me at the top. And it was like, yeah. Was it so beautiful? It was so gorgeous and just so nice. But like, I love doing things like that. And I just want to whim. I'm like, you know what? I'm going to try to push myself. That's awesome. I applaud you for that because that is hard to do stuff like that. And you

just still have to be physical. Yeah. But like anything that gets you out of your comfort zone, I'm like, I'll do it. That's like one of my 2025, like New Year's resolutions was like, do things that I wouldn't normally do and try things I wouldn't normally try. Right. Because it's a whole new world for me right now. It can even be like as little as like some people like would never go to like a yoga class or something. Exactly.

Exactly. I'm just down to try like more things and get myself out of the house more and do more things and like focus on that part of life as well, you know? So I like that. Okay. Another question I always ask is who is your favorite reality TV star at the moment? At the moment? You know, I'm not watching. Oh wait. Okay. I know where to look because

I'm not watching a lot of reality TV at the moment. I'm trying to read books, which is pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I'm trying to read books. I love a competition show. I don't watch a lot of regular reality shows, but I was really obsessed with, what was their name? From the Traders. I watched the Traders, which I loved. I was obsessed with Gabby. She's hilarious. I was obsessed with, do you know Gabby? I haven't met her yet, but my hairstylist-

Because she lives in LA, right? Does she live in LA? I think so. My hairstylist, I saw he posted on social media that he did her hair and I texted him immediately. Bradley? Yeah, Bradley. I texted him immediately and I said, I have got to meet Gabby Wendy.

I was like, how is she? And he was just like, she's fabulous. You would love her. And like, the truth is, is that I'm going to be so upset if she is not, which I think she is exactly as we see her. But if she is not like, if that's like a Paris Hilton voice, if that's a Paris Hilton voice and all of a sudden she's just talking normal, I'm going to scream. I'm going to cry.

But like I'm obsessed with her. Oh my God. Me too. She's made me laugh. Lala was on my podcast a couple episodes ago and I was like mimicking what she said on Watch What Happens Live. She just is so funny. So funny. Wasn't she the paired up bachelorette with my like Rachel, Rachel Rechia? I think so.

Pilot Rachel. Yeah. So I'm really good friends with Rachel. She's always said that she's amazing as well. And she obviously knows her really well. I just think like she there she's tapped into something. Like she's found a little niche that is just so like, I love seeing her clips on like TikTok and reels and like, I basically just go between like her reels and um, that Jessica Kershaw, that, um, comedian. I love her. Um, Kershaw that comedian. I love her. But she's definitely my favorite. She's like, I would maybe be, I would be intimidated to meet her probably. I think she's driving right now and that's awesome. All right, Stephen, tell everybody where they can find you. You can find me on the internet, on the corner.

On the internet, on the corner, at LAX, on Instagram at Steven McGee. That's it. So I'm working to try to get the handles at Steven, which is a tribute to you because you've got a great name. But I'm trying to get the Steven handles. But right now, at Steven McGee. All right, everybody, go follow him and watch seasons one and two of Summer House if you haven't to get to know Stephen. Tweet bravo. Let them know you want to see me back if you do.

Yes. Yes. All right. I love you guys. Thank you so much for tuning in to when reality hits. Remember, stay positive and don't be an Instagram troll. I love y'all. See you next Friday! Bueller's Day Off. Mystery is free with countless cases to crack from Criminal Minds, Tracker and Matlock.

And thrills are free with heart-pumping hits like The Walking Dead and Pulp Fiction.