Transcript of Craig Conover on The Toast: Monday, October 14th, 2024

Welcome back to The Toast. We are thrilled to be joined by Toast Superfan, friend of the family, Spritz investor.

Colleague.

Reality star, heartthrob. It's Craig Conover.

Thanks, girls. Welcome back to the show.

I remember my first time.

Well, you know how at SNL, you get a jacket if you've done hosted five times, right? Oh, I love that. You might be one of the only people... What is it? The third time you've been on? Yeah. It's It gets better every time, but we need to get you a jacket.

That would be sweet. I remember Watch What Happens used to have a 10 Club. Yeah.

What did you get? Nothing.

But it was just like... A big deal.

You know that you've been on. You've been on how many times Watch What Happens Live. It's been a lot. Yeah, you lost count.

Yeah, which is... Well, we just did Andy's anniversary, and if you had been on over 10 times, I think you were invited. But mine was like... Or no, it was like over 15 or something.

Wow. Well, we didn't bring you a jacket, but you brought us a present, which was so nice.

I did It was just for you guys to have.

We always bring us presents. We are sewing down south to number one customer. Our studio is outfitted. We're not customers because we never pay. Our studio is outfitted with a ton of your pillows, and you brought us a holiday-themed pillow, a Hanukah. So inclusive. So inclusive.

You got dreadles. Look at the back with the dreadles. Isn't that pretty? It's very pretty. I'm not going to lie, it's hard to make nice-looking Hanukah stuff. The colors aren't the greatest.

I love- This is beautiful. Thank you. Well, I just brought it as gifts, but that was nice of you to bring it out. We love.

Oh, I'm so excited.

With a little velvet trim. Yeah, I love sending you all stuff, and you've had our pillows for years in the studio. But yeah, now we're partners.

Big time. You're doing so many things. You just launched a new can with us to Spritz. I mean, not Spritz. Craig loves Spritz. We went to the Ares tour. We were chugging them down, and you ended up coming on board. And we just released our first flavor with you. It's a lemon ice tea. We also début our new cans. We made much bigger cans. They were a little too small.

Yeah, they're great, and they stay cold. It was as organic as you can get because I don't drink liquor. I never can drink the ready to drink cans. And so when we were on our way to Taylor Swift, I saw them, and then I was like, Oh. And they were like, They're wine-based. I was like, Oh, my gosh, this is perfect. And then I tasted them and I was like, I love these. Then I found out that they were yours, and we had a blast at Taylor Swift. I thought I would know way more songs.

I was very disappointed. Let me tell you, going to the Aris tour with Craig was actually sad because all the way there, he was so lit up. He's like, I know so many songs. This is going to be amazing. Pedro was like, I don't think you know that many songs. He's like, No, I know so many songs. Cut to the actual concert. I mean, she plays almost 50 songs, so it's impossible really for you to have known, but you didn't know many.

No, it was very humbling that I clearly am a main Stream fan.

Yeah, bandwagon.

Yeah, not on purpose. Yeah.

How many songs do you think you know?

I guess 10.

I would say five. Five. Okay. Five, well. What's your favorite Taylor Swift song?

Oh, that's a great question. Probably my first love of hers was our song. I was in a freshman or sophomore in college, and I remember we had this party room in the fraternity house. It was just like, I guess it was supposed to be a dining room. And the music system was in there. I would go put on our song, and I would get in a fight with the other older fraternity guys who wanted to listen to rock. I was like, I do not care what you want to listen to. When I play this song, everyone in here starts dancing and singing. That's That's who I care about. Where did you go to college? College of Charleston.

Of course you did. And that's what brought you to Charleston? Yes.

Oh, right. Because you're from Delaware? Mm-hmm.

You're not native. No. I grew up on the Eastern shore of Delaware, which is funny because when Southern Charms started, one time, it was accidentally said somewhere, it's about six people from Charleston, or people thought of it, and it's about six people that lived in Charleston.

It was a big exposé. Yeah.

Everyone was like, He's not even from the South. I was like, I never said I was from the South. I just lived there. He doesn't even go here. Yes, exactly.

I don't know if I ever put together that you're not Southern. Just because the branding of Southern Charm and you act like Southern.

You're the face of Charleston at this point.

I'm the resident Yankee on the show.

Oh, my God. Wait, scandal.

Yes. Speaking When we have the show, where is the show?

Yes, we were just talking about that on the way here. You guys are taking a long break between seasons.

It always seems like that. I started filming when I was 24. I'm 36 now. Wow. We We just filmed our 10th season.

Mazel Tov. Thank you. You've been on every single season.

Yeah, me and Chep.

That's it now, you and Chep.

Yeah, me and Chep are the only OGs left, which is why... I mean, we grew up... I went through my 20s on TV.

It's unique.

It's crazy. It's neat because it's open so many doors and I can connect with so many people that have rooted for me throughout the years. But there's a lot of times that I wish weren't filmed because it was like I couldn't watch. But now it allows me to say, Hey, the more open and honest I am about stuff, the more people are like, Yeah, I did... Me too. Me too. And you're like, Oh, cool. We can relate through this and also see that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. So we just filmed 10th Season. It'll come out soon. I don't think they've officially announced when.

Because it's seriously my favorite show on Bravo. I've never missed a season. I always say... Jack has been ride or dies since day one. It's like my comfort show. Even when I'm going through a phase where I'm not watching all the house or whatever it is, like Life gets busy. I always watch Southern Charms. I love it. She's always rooted for you. I always say Craig was on the right side of history. When you look back at stuff, everything you did as it relates to your cast members aged really well. I feel like you took the right sides in a lot of the disputes.

And they still never picked up on it.

No, and they don't give you your credit.

They don't. A circle moment for you. Another thing, I feel like a lot of things over the last couple of years have happened, and you've been able to really been like, Look, I was right. And look, I did it. Look, you passed the bar. And with this recent news coming out about that zoo, you've been vindicated. Can you remind me? Because I couldn't remember. You had said on the show that...

Explain that. You were talking about the conspiracy theories.

Yeah, so this is what happened. So Paige and I love conspiracy theories, And she's more of a TikTok girl than I am. I'm always two weeks late on my reels.

That's literally Jacky, isn't it?

And it actually bothers Paige.

Literally me.

It doesn't bother me. I'm like, This is great.

She's just living in delusion.

The thing with TikTok is you Who can disappear for a couple of hours? You can. And so there's a time and a place for it. But sometimes the worst time is in bed at night because you're like, I was going to go to bed at midnight, and now it's two. And you're like, And I'll never remember all this stuff that I actually think of. It's amazing what they've really done. It is.

It's great. But your specific TikTok content and your gardening content is really premium. And I think I speak on behalf of everyone. I'm like, We want more.

Yeah, we're working on that. Me and my assistant Jack, we're setting up... That's the goal, is to start to break down the barriers, make all of that stuff approachable because I never know what I'm doing, but it's okay to learn and get into it. The dogs, the pandas. Yes. So Pajia told me that there was this conspiracy that pandas weren't real. And then it was people in suits and stuff because of... And it was just funny enough that it stuck with me. And so we were on this cast trip to Shep's Mountain house, and Shep was actually doing it to... He was trying to weaponize it against me. And he was like, Well, And I said, Okay, Craig is this big conspiracy guy. Why don't you tell us something? And in my head, in that moment, I said, What can I think of in this moment that is completely non-political, which is almost impossible to find one that's not? And I said, But funny enough, what is the perfect thing that just fits that right down the middle that both sides can appreciate? And so I was like, Pandas aren't real. Just threw it out there.

And it was just ridiculous enough that people... I still think there's people out there that are like, We aren't sure if Craig actually believes this or not. So it was just ridiculous enough to work. I was like, Yeah, I really wish they were, too. I was really a fan of theirs. Then they were like, Wait, is he kidding or not? It allowed us to approach it in a fun way that you would have to really suck at life to get annoyed by. There's people out there. They're like, People like that just scare me. You're like, You're like, Yeah, because the pandas aren't real.

Then it turns out this week, a zoo actually corroborated your story. I've been sent that thousands of time. I was literally putting dogs in the panda display and painting their eyes black.

It was really incredible how things just play out where they're like, everyone thinks Craig is absolutely nuts when he says something. Most of the time, if not all the time, it comes true. And so we had a lot of fun with it, or I did, because it got thrown back into, look, I love Chef to Death, but he wasn't doing it to be funny, and it turned into this. Yes, he was mocking me.

He was putting you on the spot a little bit.

I think he even posted something that wasn't that funny this week when he saw it. He was like, Let's not encourage Craig. Oh, my God.

It's so lame.

I'm sure a million people sent it to But yeah, this zoo got caught painting dogs as pandas. Who would have thought a year later? It's been a funny week with him.

Where do you land on pandas in general now?

Again, I really wish they were real. No, someone was really upset one day, and I finally had to tell them. They were like, Please, I love them so much. Please tell me you know they're real. I was like, Yes, of course. I know panda bears are real. They just were never... They haven't been found in history. Going back 300 years, that's the first time they appear in history. There's a lot I have a lot of questions around panda bears.

That's definitely interesting.

Suss. Yeah, there's some suss. And then people be like, See, I knew he was like... You got to have fun with stuff.

Of course. Never stop asking why, where, when, how.

I said on the show or said somewhere, I said, Don't be afraid, but stay informed. I said, Don't stay scared, stay informed.

That is nice.

Put it on a pillow. You need to put it on a pillow. There's so much going on, by the way. Not me getting tagged in a thousand Instagram stories that Amanda Seafreed went to your You have a selling down south, actual physical retail location in Charleston. Amanda Seafreed was there, and she was drinking a Spritz because you sell Spritz there. Question mark.

How awesome was that?

Was she a fan of the show?

No. Well, I mean, no, that's not why she was there. She has an incredible company called Make It cute, and with her two best friends from childhood. They got sick of seeing these cardboard forts in their living rooms. But the kids love cardboard. I remember when my parents got a new fridge, and I wouldn't let them throw the box away. I guess during COVID, They were like, it was driving them nuts. And so they made cardboard forts cute. That is cute. And sustainable and eco friendly or they're reusable. And so they're packing place. You can pack up your cardboard fort now. You need one. And they're Their patterns are awesome. And so you put it up, they play in it, and you can put it back down. The thing is, is the first thing that the kids want to do is take a nap in there or sleep in there, and they don't have pillows and blankets to go with it.

And sewing them. Oh my God. Sleeping on the Drano pillow in the Fort.

One of her partners lives in Delaware, near my parents now. One lives in Charleston, and Amanda has a place in the city, and it was very serendipitous. She came down, and she had a spritz in her hand, and I was dying because I was like, I'll never force things on people, but you just let it happen. It was one of our... We don't have closed events at the store, but we had to with this. There was 50 people outside, and Amanda was like, Does this happen a lot? I was like, Kind. It's on the bucket list for a lot of people to come by here. And she's like, Well, why don't we go take pictures with everyone? I was like, They're probably hoping that we take a picture. And she was like, Well, why don't we? And I was like, Yes. That's so awesome. Because you never know. And I didn't want to put her on a spot. And she was like, Well, yeah. Let's go take pictures. That's so cool. And so I grabbed my employee, Gracie. I was like, Gracie, let's do a photo line outside. And we went out there. And also, it's always a relief when you find out a very famous person is actually cool.

It's nice. It was cool. It was nice. And all these girls were coming up and crying because they play her in their school place for like, Mama Mia, or it helped them in their life. And it was a cool new dynamic that I don't see on the unscripted side. Yeah. That's so nice to hear. She was wonderful. We did a beach clean up the next day, and now we are going to work together. We're going to do something for the holidays together, make it cute, swimming down south.

The craziest thing, and I don't think people really understand it unless they've been to a store or purchased your products, you have built the most legitimate business. You're literally well on your way to being a Martha Stewart type. I'm not saying that as like, blowing smoke up your ass. You have stores, you have major partners. They sell your shit everywhere. It is so impressive, especially when you think your whole journey on the show, everybody was making fun of you for your sewing and not taking you seriously. And then you really ended up on top. I just think it's really not enough people get how... When Ben learned about your sewing down south business, he was literally jealous. He was like, wait, it's so impressive. Because I think a lot of reality stars start companies, and they get success.

And there's a A lot of smoke before there's substance. But I also think that's probably a part of your success is how hard you're working and what you're doing while not drawing so much attention to it so that when the spotlight is on, it's like, wow, we have this big thing.

It's insane.

It's been really I try to tell people, I'm like, look, everyone's just living for the first time that we know of. We don't...

Allegedly.

Yes, allegedly. No one knows what they're doing. We're all just trying to figure it out.

Do you think we're living in a simulation?

No, I haven't. At this point, I have no idea.

Do you?

The honest answer to that is, I don't know what that means.

That's a great answer. Oh my God, that's such a good answer.

When people say that, I don't understand what they're actually saying.

A hundred %. What's it mean to live in a simulation? Do you believe in God?

Do I believe in God? I believe in a higher power. I have a personal relationship with God. I guess for me, it's God because I was raised Catholic. I think organized religion, we all hit that age, and it's good. You start to ask questions, and you're like, Are there alternative motives here? History is... I think there's reasons for people to do things and control and stuff. But then you have life experiences where all of a sudden- You can't deny. You get chill saying it. My dad has had an open-art surgery twice. It's interesting to talk to him because he's like, I have my own thing. When your body is opened up like that. He's never really told us what it is, but he has his own relationship with whatever it is. So yes, I believe in something, and I love nature and all of that.

That's what we're saying. You can't believe in a simulation if you believe in God or science.

I think it's a healthy thing. I enjoy it. I will say my prayers at night as almost a form of meditation. I try to remember. So yeah, it's funny because I think it comes in waves. Yeah. I agree. So that's my- That's nice.

Thank you for sharing. Sorry for the deep question.

Well, no, because it's one of those things that I try to be honest about everything now because sometimes we've We're so connected through computer devices now that we've lost a lot of the convos we used to have.

Yeah, the podcasting is bringing it back, bringing that conversation.

It's very old school of us talking IRL.

That's what I try to tell people. Yes, the company is doing It went really, really well. But for a year, I was stuck in my dining room sewing pillows. I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't know how to scale it. I was like, Am I going to have to hire a bunch of retired old women in my community to sew in my garage?

That's a nice idea. Also a nice idea.

Yeah. So we did. I didn't know there were pillow factories. When my partner, Jerry, and his sister-in-law, Amanda, came on board, I tell everyone, Get partners. They wanted a third of the company I grew up watching Shark Tank. You're not supposed to give up half of your company. But my dad was like, do you want all of a $100 company or a third of what could become a really big company? And so with them, we have had a really fun I'm scaling this. We were just in Missouri at a quilting company called Missouri Star to get into doing fabrics and stuff like that.

Wow. A project runway of you.

Yeah. We've got our store in Nashville now, and the What's wrong with my baking line just came out with Kroger.

What's wrong with my baking?

That's hysterical. Yeah. So we have a full kitchen line now at Kroger. So we do their store brand stuff. So sheets, towels, stuff like that.

That's amazing.

But it did take... Here's what I have to figure out how to tell people. We're almost in our sixth year, so it's very easy for people to see what it is now and just be like, Oh, he got lucky. Of course. It's because he's on TV. Yes, there are a lot of benefits from that platform that Bravo gave me, but there's not a lot of companies on Bravo because it still takes challenges. I try to tell people, Yes, I had that platform, but there's ways to donate to local charities and get on the local news and do things. I get to go around and help people with that. When you bought a pillow for us in the beginning, we took your money and went and had the pillow made, and then we would ship you the pillow. We didn't have to put any money into the company, which I didn't know was real.

But also a lot of people who are on TV start companies, and they don't thrive. So it's a little bit more than It's just that.

Yeah. I love going around and meeting people and grinding. And for me, it gives me a way to connect with people. But it's funny because I really thought when I got my sewing machine, everyone was going to think it was so cool. I thought I was going to walk in the room and everyone's going to be like, Oh, my God. I couldn't have been more wrong.

What sewing machine did you have?

It was a brother, a two-in-one brother. Not to step on your toes. No, I have to ask you about this.

I need to learn how to sew because we're really short. Half the clothes I buy, I have to take to the seamstress, and that's really It's really expensive for a pair of jeans.

Well, I got paired. I just wrote the foreword for Sowing for Dummies.

I saw that you posted that on Instagram. Did you see? No. They're coming out. You know those books, Blank for Dummies? Yes. They did one for Sowing, and they asked correct to write the foreword. Brilliant.

I wrote the foreword, and everyone tagged Claudia. I was like, All right, I got to ask her why.

I'm dying to learn how to sew. One, I think it's a good skill to have. I know how to sew. If my jacket were to rip on the seam, I can put it back together. But in terms of really making a hem, I feel like that would be a really money-saving, valuable thing. We're in the dressing room when we go on tour. I'm literally having to sew my dress because I'm so short. The straps are too long. I think it's a good life skill to have, and I think it would save me a lot of money.

It is. Can you hem your own pants? Yes. We were just at a wedding in France, and I was like... And like, Paige was getting ready. I was like, Heming my pants.

Do you ever hem her clothes for her?

Okay, I'll be honest. I don't think I have yet, and so she holds that. You've never had my pants. Why haven't you done that? She's so right.

If Ben knew how to sew, totally. Oh my God, it would be over.

I know I I've done some stuff for her, but no, she still has that in her pocket where I have not hemmed. The book's great, and I think learning how to hand stitch stuff is a great thing to know. But with the machine, my first machine was $200 is an embroidered and it's sewed. The embroidery is a great gateway drug into sewing because it's easy. It'll make sewing less intimidating. We're trying to break down that barrier where a lot of people want to get into crafting, but they're like, Well, I don't have grandma's huge sewing machine. It's like, you don't need that. It's an easier hobby to get into. People don't have hobbies anymore. Yeah.

I just started a personal arts and crafts project just for fun, and it's brought me so much joy I'm making my own cookbook with recipes that I like and writing them all down. Now I'm getting family recipes and then scanning them and sending them to the rest of it. It's so nice to have hobbies that are wholesome that aren't just like, doomscrolling. And working with your hands. Tiktok.

And it's creating. I had someone, God forbid, they make us talk to a million therapists in reality TV, probably for liability purposes. They're always like, I'm just not great at it. They're like, Craig, what's up? I'm like, Are we going to do this? And they're like, Are you okay? I'm like, I'm okay. They're like, Okay. But one told me that I have a need to create. That's why I love to cook and garden and like, so because they were like, You really love that joy of creation. I was like, You're right. That is what it... I don't think a lot of kids do that right now because they took home back out of schools. They took Tech Out out of schools. So we donate a lot of sewing machines. And it's funny because they're always like, If you had a curriculum to go along with this, it would be better. I was like, It existed for 200 years.

It's so true. It's like back to basics. It's like, you don't have to go forward.

You actually just have to go backwards. Yeah. So like, Emmeral Lagassey, apparently, does a gardening program that comes with a curriculum, so you can get credit in schools, and it's done really well.

Oh, interesting. I'll say emerald.

Yeah, I know. I'll shout out to- Throw back to emerald.

What is the tool that you would suggest for people who want to get into embroidery and then sewing?

Yeah, I think... So hemming your own pants, you can actually... I do by hand. So just a little sewing kit. But YouTube is how you learn. Youtube is how you learn everything. I have to see it. I can't read it. And so seeing someone do it... In France, when we were at this wedding, I still, and I've done it before, had my 65-year-old woman that I was watching.

Do you have a fave creator?

No, it's funny because there's this one lady who only has 35 views on her videos, and most of them are me, and I need to reach out and tell her. Yeah, you do.

Oh, my God.

I would recommend just getting a starter machine because mine still works. I have a Bernina now, but my brother, I still have, and it works just as well. I know $200 is a lot of money for some people, but it's less than a video game system. There's a time and place for video games, too. But when you actually finish making something, it gives you this rush, and then you get to gift it to someone.

Homemade gifts. That's like me and my sourdough. I feel like sourdough is next for you in everything that you're saying.

I've really disgraced the sourdough gods because I've had people send me starters, and I'm just not home enough that I haven't been able to jump into it.

You have to be totally ready. You can't voice it on someone. I actually just brought Claudia starter, but I Keep it in your fridge. Do not start today. You're not mentally prepared.

I was trying to jump the gun.

When you need starter, Jackie will give you hers.

Yeah.

Okay, great. Because I would love to. Paige and I... Paige is very supportive of all of that, which is awesome. We save recipes and things to do with it. We have this pipe dream of getting there one day, but it just seems like I'm in and out of the door too much.

It's a full-time dream. Yeah. It's like if you're traveling a lot, which you do, you need a sitter for your starter. Or You keep it in the fridge when you travel, if it's once in a while. But if it's three days here, even for today, I actually might need to send my husband directions to feed my starter. It's like a pet.

I had to get a beekeeper.

He's getting into gardening.

I love our bees, but every 10 days, you should check on them. They're very self-sufficient, but I'm starting to be gone a little more.

Where do you find a beekeeper?

She's amazing. I won't break the rules yet, but Paige and I During the time that we were supposed to start filming, got into beekeeping. There's a beekeeping farm north of me, 30 minutes north of me. We went and we took a class, and she loved it so much that if Paige loves something, I'll go all And then they're going to get in with it. It's just the frequency that a bee vibrates is the frequency of nature. It's healthy and calm.

They say if bees were to disappear, the entire Earth would be done in a week.

Yeah, everyone should have bees. If you have land, it's crazy. So they're so calming, and they They don't sting you. They have no business. They don't want to. It's like having a bird house, and they're very self-sufficient. She likes it because the boys have zero purpose. They mate one time, and then they die. If they don't mate, the girls kick them out of the vive, and they die. So a beehive is all girls. Yeah. We brought two... We painted beehives in our backyard, and she brought us a queen bee and got us started.

Do you follow that lady on TikTok? Yeah. Another day of saving the fees.

I still will... You should never come to your house. We'll go out there and talk to them. As long as you're not pulling the trays out and stuff, you don't have to be in a suit. But it's funny because we're having the day after my brother's wedding party there next weekend, and he just doesn't understand it. He's like, Why do you have bees in your backyard? We're going to have 170 people in your backyard. And I was like, They're not going to buy there anymore.

They don't buy. They're very self-sufficient.

But I saved on after the hurricane the other day. I saw that it was tired and way I was too far from the vive, so I didn't use my hand. I used a piece of computer paper because I wasn't there yet. And then I took them back to the vive. I'm cracking out. Anyway.

Wait, is that going to be on this season? Is that why you said you don't want to spoil? Yeah, I hope it is. It was during that time, and we still have bees.

We just had a hornet attack and lost our first clean as a thing. Oh, no. But yeah, you should get bees. I want chickens really bad.

So does Jack eat? I want chickens, but my county doesn't allow for them. Also, I'm scared of animals. Oh, really? Like, low-key. A chicken is in a wild. Yeah. I have a dog that I love, but I'm not like- Chickens would be intimidating if you were having to handle them.

You do. I eat eggs every morning now. It's part of my routine. I was like, If we went back into lockdown, me and Paige's life would It was very simple. She would fly to Charleston, we would get chickens and do the entire homestead.

Then you would start Sourdo.

Because my community doesn't let me, but I wouldn't care. I'd be like, I'm getting chickens.

Yeah. We're all just one week away from a homestead. It's so true. Force me. Yeah, sure. I'm there.

We're like one traffic jam away from just throwing it all away.

I'm not going to the store anymore.

I hate to bring this up, but you did just... You were coming off of summer. Page just filmed Summerhouse. I know you were there. I know there was some awkwardness. We've put it all to bed. I think we've all moved past it. Spritz drama, but I want to know what that was like being in the house when there had been all this. Was that awkward?

Well, yeah.

Obviously, the funny thing is, is because I went and filmed, it does put that wait and see barrier on me.

If I hadn't have filmed it, then we could probably talk about it, but I can talk enough about it. I have a long leash, which I have earned, I think. I'm trying not to ruin it. I think I was taken back when it all happened because Kyle is one of my favorite people on Bravo. I truly enjoy our friendship and filming with him and when the four of us get to hang out. I was very taken back night as a lot of people. It's just one of those things where I guess everyone is just different. I could not have thought about what was happening differently, but I I try to be in a calm state and respect that other people do. I deal with it with my own cast a lot. Austin and I are different in every single way that there is, and the things that he does, I will never understand. But I love him as a person, and I do love Kyle, and I think we had... I was more bummed because it took my excitement from going out to the Hamptons away a little bit because I was like, Man, yeah, this is awkward.

Yeah, it really is. This I was like, I don't get myself in these situations anymore because I'm in my 30s. Because you're mature. Yeah. And if I do, then I just will run... I'll ghost the person. I can't ghost them. And so it went as well as you We can hope for, and we flush it out, and you'll see how it plays out on this season of Summerhouse. But I think watching Boys Be Awkward is funny.

I think so, too. I'm very much looking forward to it.

I think the drive out there, and you're getting miced up, and in my head, I'm like, All right, so do I dap them up? Do I give them a hug? Do I pull back? Do I act like nothing's going on? And so it reminded me of being in college. But Charleston is such a small town that you run into exes and stuff. That's what it felt like. I mean, it felt like I was dating his girlfriend. I felt like I was going into a party and being like, I have to somehow approach.

There's drama, conflict resolution.

Because we had seen each other at Andy's Watch What Happens Party.

Right. That was directly after.

Yeah. I said hi to him and Amanda, but that was it. But this was months later. I also I can't stay mad at people. Life's so short. Totally. And it's tough to meet people. But you will see that it was not ignored. We completely- Worked through it. We give it enough. We gave it its time and addressed it, and we did everything that it deserved. Great. Because sometimes, I used to brush things under the carpet, but that'll eat me up. I want to deal with it, but I also... There's a balance of... And I'm sure the other parties in this feel certain ways, but to me, I felt that I was wronged a little bit. So I was like, You don't want to let someone... You just want to address it. I hadn't talked to her.

Of course, you want to feel heard.

Yeah. And there's that balance of being like, Do I care that much? But I also don't want to let them get away. We live in a weird world.

You, especially. Having to rehash things that happened months before just for entertainment purposes. Well, that's even like with the reunion, you might have healed from something. Then you sit down and keep talking about it. You get yourself mad again.

Oh, yeah. That's what it was like. But it's always fun to go out. I have such a weird relationship with the Hamptons because so many people, to them, it's this oasis and retreat. But I only know the Hamptons through summer house, which I mean- No, but it's cameras on you 24/7.

It's work.

I mean, I've been out to them on talk a couple of times and had fun. I want to do it with you all. Yeah, that'll be so fun. Hopefully, one summer. But it's always great to go see them. I love that we do the crossover on Bravo now. I think Paige and I almost forced their hand a little bit. I don't think that they were actively avoiding it. I think just it didn't fit inside the fourth wall or the four walls or whatever. And fortunately, those are coming down a lot more because I think the viewer deserves that. And it's going to be really fun. Certain shows are doing more of it. I love it. Yeah. I liked when the Salt Lake City, the producers were like-Yes, exactly. You're like, yes, because that's what was going on.

It was crazy. It's so much more fun for the viewer.

Yeah. Someone had to... And you're like, you see a cameraman fall or not lit up, and you're like, it's neat to see the behind the scenes. Stasi and I were really close when the show first started and Bo and everything. I had been on set at Van der Polk Rules, and she had been in Charleston before, but they wouldn't show us because they're like, It doesn't make sense. You're only friends through Bravo.

Whatever. It's so fun. Well, am I misremembering, did they cancel Winterhouse? Or did they put it on pause? Yeah, I don't know.

You stopped doing it, right?

Yeah, we didn't do the third season.

Yeah, and then there was other people.

Yeah, other people. They got to go out to the steamboat, which I was jealous because we did it in Vermont both times. Oh, yeah. But that was cool. I mean, that was a catalyst. I think the Road Rules, Real World Challenge would work in Bravo. I know that they have to keep it somewhere somewhat structured, but Paige and I force the hand on being like, Hey, we're dating. There's no avoiding this now because it's different companies that do it.

Have you ever been asked to go on traders?

No. I think you would be good. I would do it.

But you're so busy, but you should do it if they asked you.

Yeah, I would do it if I was asked. Paige is very excited to one day, hopefully, do that. She would be amazing. She loves it. I have a feeling, and I know nothing about this, but I have a feeling they would probably want us to go at the same time.

Has anyone from your cast?

No. That's a good call. That would be great.

I asked her, I was like, so would we work together? Would you tell me? And she could not have been more like, What? Absolutely not. I was like, well, what do you mean? She was like, no, that's not how the game slay. It's true. I was like, oh, well, they probably should ask. She's like a stickler for the rules. My employees think I would be on the nice side of things. I don't know. I think people underestimate you. But they were talking. And I was like, but if it was for a game, I could do. Or maybe they said, one of them is here. But we had this conversation the other night. One was like, you might get kicked off pretty quick.

Oh, because you're very trusting.

Or I could lie if I needed to.

Oh, yeah.

I hate that storyline on Southern Charmed because I've actually never lied on TV, and I get this rep from being a liar. And I was like, Shep said I lied.

I just want to I never lied. I just want to say, that's not the reputation for being a liar. Maybe it feels that way.

Focus group over here.

I'm openly and honest. People would be like, What are you talking about? That was a storyline. I have never lied on television.

No, I would say you're honest to a fault. I don't think that you have a stigma or a reputation for being a liar.

Well, how does How would that play into traitors?

Well, you have to be a little deceptive. It's like dead-ass lie to people's faces.

But I think because you're not a liar, you have that credence. Credibility.

People trust you.

If it was for... I mean, I would love to. It's funny because I've been asked to do a couple of different things now. Of those other All-Star shows? Yeah. There's been some that one was just way too much physical stuff.

Dance with the Stars? No, that was always the dream. The Challenge Force?

There was one of them.

Special Forces. Special Units.

Special Forces.

Special Units.

It was one that was going to require a lot of physical exertion.

The Tom Sandoval.

I would love to play a... It wasn't that one.

I'd love to go to a castle in Scotland.

But yeah, I was like, my dream is to play a Special Force guy as a role.

You're getting there, by the way. You're having a major glow up. We were talking about that before we rolled. You look like you've lost significant weight and you look like jacked. Thank you. And that was a journey you went on on purpose?

Yeah. I'm going to stay ready for when this call comes. They're like, Hey, we need someone to play a Navy SEAL.

Who else was experiencing reality TV? Or it's a director who's a fan of Southern Term. I feel like that happens a lot where they're like, You could be in the truck.

Yeah, I got to read for some stuff this year. That's exciting. We just got to watch it on TV, and Paige was like, Those were my lines because she had to read with me the whole time. They went with someone way older.

What was the show? Can you say?

I don't know. I'm not sure if I can.

That was you with Law and Order.

I didn't get it. I didn't get it either. It was 10 years ago. I could recite the monolog. She was from Pensacola. That's not much bigger than Maceville. When the episode comes on, the girl that they cast was really ugly-looking, and that's the solis. I don't think I was ugly enough. They needed this backwoods, actual mole woman. I was clearly too beautiful.

That's amazing. I was too beautiful, yeah. One of my buddies lives in Charleston. One of the guys from the show lives in Charleston now. We did this, but we were on a ski trip, and I remember Paige was like, You should be taking this more seriously. I was like, I am. This This is what I want, but we don't have to fly home for me to do this reading. I can do it here. But she knew all the lines of the other guy. So we watched it on TV the other night, and it was like me. It's how I read it. So I felt good. And it was a bad guy with red hair, and he was balding. And I was like, my friend was like, you weren't a bad guy. We didn't want you for a bad guy. That makes sense. But it was a cool process. And I did a movie last year called Tuesday's Flu, and I got hooked. I I did my scenes, and I was like, This is what I want to do. I do think that I want to go into acting. I understand that. I will say this.

If I would have had to take the route of move to LA, start from scratch, no. But if there's opportunities where people are like, You've been on camera for 12 years, so you're comfortable in front of the camera, and you don't have to unlear any bad habits, maybe we'll try you out here or there. You're open. I'm open to that.

You said you're open to dancing with the stars. That's a dream. Yeah. That seems like a no-brainer. They don't have a lot of Bravo people on.

They do their own ABC bachelor type thing.

That, I think, was the golden... I thought that was the golden ticket.

Well, Phaedra's on right now.

Oh, is she?

How's she doing? Really good.

And Ariana was just on. Yeah, that's true.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, that's right.

By the way, put it out into the universe. Someone who works for Desirata stars.

I just feel like you would get in the best shape ever.

Yeah, that's really the- That's what they say. That's a great motivator.

You would get in the best shape. Honestly, that's what happened to me. I was like, A year and a half ago, I got a trainer, and I started to work out in the morning because I can't hold myself accountable. I acknowledge that to myself. But all of a sudden, I started to work out, and I went to... That glass of wine at night seemed like a waste. I was like, Maybe I'll have a soda water. Or Spritz. But no, it's like... In my life, and I think a lot of people, everything snowballs. You're either going in the right direction or the wrong direction. And hopefully, you're doing enough right stuff that if you have to take a couple of steps back, it's okay. You're not going to fall off the horse. I don't know. I want to be a good family man eventually. I think in my head, I just thought that that happened when you just got married.

You just flip a switch, and you just are that, but no, you grow into it.

Yeah, and I think that's what dating page helped me realize. She didn't have to be forceful about anything, but I was just like, Oh, I'm a fun boyfriend, but I don't know if I can be seen as a responsible husband. I mean, I guess you've gotten to see that on TV, but it's been fun to grow up a little bit. I just would have never thought I would... Earlier, Craig would have been like, No way would you ever say that. But I'm having fun growing up a little bit.

That's such a great message.

And do you find also that it's hard because the people that you're surrounded by on the show, at least, notoriously-Memory is growing as fast as you. Notoriously don't grow up. That's the thing. And it seems to be the culture in Charleston where the men, it's Peter Pan syndrome, and they don't grow up. I feel like you actually are up against greater odds.

Yeah, I think you'll see that this season. There's definitely some conversations about that. I just Yeah, I guess we are getting into the season, which is fine, but your values and priorities change in life. I think there's some individualistic priorities. I'm such a team sport guy. I grew up playing team sports. I grew up when I started to make money on TV, I wanted all my friends to come out with me. I've always been surrounded. But sometimes you get to these crossroads in life where there's only room for a single file line, but you can bring other people, but everyone has to be aligned and stuff.

You got to go it alone.

Yeah, and you can't force people to want certain things. And so I think there's been some things over the last few years where I've had that challenge of like, do you... Sometimes you just... Especially to grow a business, you got to be lonely for a little bit. So true. And you're going to feel lonely because your business has to be your buddy. There's some fun in that because you know that you're doing the right thing all of a sudden. But there's just challenges that I've never faced before that are starting to happen in my life now. I know that's a whole bunch of circling around.

I have one show question to ask you as a fan of the show. Who do you think is Austin's OTP? Who is he really supposed to end up with? Every season, he's with the new person. I'm like, this and Austin. Him and Austin. Her and Olivia. And last Last season, I was really feeling like it was Taylor until it wasn't. Who do you think it is?

Who's the one that got away?

I think last year... I don't know if I... I mean, I hope I said it, but I think that it would have made sense for him and Taylor to date, even though that sounds so-Weird. Yeah, weird and messed up. I think that, unfortunately, there was too much chaos around it, but they clicked. It's funny because him and Madison get along so well now, but as friends. But it's fun to watch them now in a friend relationship because she's so tough on him. Good. She has a blast doing it. He reacts well to the back and forth. He's dating a wonderful girl now.

Oh, so I guess, her.

So she's next. Yeah, her.

So he's dating a wonderful girl now. Yeah, I can't wait to... I know that Austin wants to... If he was to choose, I believe that Austin would choose the relationship life. I think he wants a special... I think he likes having a partner. I don't think he would ever choose to be single. I think he wants the happy ever after. I think he's just trying to figure out how to-Achieve that.get there.

Understood. Okay, well, thanks.

Well, things are stopping by. I know you're busy because you're like, low key, the new face of cracker barrel, and you have an event to go to, which is why you look so spiffy. So we will let you go. You can get your Craig Lemonized Tea Spritz Society. Obviously, it's spritzsociety. Com. Shop Soan Down South. Follow Craig on Instagram. Read his forward in Soan for Idiots.

Read We need a book. If you want more Craig, listen to his podcast.

Why don't we do Toast 20, too, for Soan Down South, 20% off?

Oh, wow.

Don't say we never gave you anything. Do you guys do custom cushions? We don't.

But for you, we could figure something out.

Okay, see, I have a bench that needs cushioning.

Toast 20 at Soeing Down South. Thank you for stopping by. Thank you guys for listening, and we will see you on the next one. Love you. Bye.