Another summer at Republic Garden & Lounge means another round of salacious cheating rumors. As we see in the Southern Hospitality Season 3 trailer — and the show’s explosive cold open — Will Kulp‘s fidelity in his relationship with Emmy Sharrett is being called into question once again, with TJ Dinch and Bradley Carter unearthing some shocking information about what he’s allegedly been up to while away at law school. DECIDER caught up with Dinch and Carter over Zoom, where they revealed why they started to question Kulp.
“A lot of this [information] genuinely came to us,” Carter said, referring to the accusations that Kulp was allegedly “fully together” with a girl he took to “law prom” instead of Sharrett.
While they initially “dismissed” the rumors, allegations kept piling up. “I think there was a point where so much was falling into our laps that we ourselves began to question the severity behind the issues and how factual they potentially were. Then we asked some questions,” Dinch said, promising, “There was never an initial, ‘Let’s find this out and nail Will down.’”
Emotions run high in the trailer when Dinch promises Sharrett he will be there for her when Kulp “fucks [her] over,” before angrily telling Kulp, “I bet you fucked that bitch.”
Looking back, the Republic bartender admitted he has “never reacted that way” in his life, explaining that he and Carter have been loyal friends to both Sharrett and Kulp over the years — even through the hard times in their relationship.
“I felt that they thought that it was not that way this summer,” Dinch said, while Carter added, “It felt like a disrespect, a slap in the face, a smile and laugh in your face. And when that happens, you can sometimes act out of character.”
The duo spoke to DECIDER at length about all things Southern Hospitality Season 3, including their respective love interests this year, how we’ll see some of the more damaged friendships evolve, and how they are preparing to relive all the drama. Check out the full interview below.
DECIDER: I am so excited about Season 3. How are you both feeling about going into your third season?
TJ DINCH: I’m pumped. I think it’s going to be a great summer. There’s some hard times and there’s some amazing times. I’m excited to live it back and share it and work through some things.
BRADLEY CARTER: Yeah, I would agree with that. I think there’s definitely a lot to look forward to. I’d say probably 80/20 right now. There’s a lot of good, definitely 80% good. There’s definitely some parts that I’m not necessarily the most proud of in the world. But I mean, that’s life. We’re going to have those ups and downs. And regardless, I’m enjoying the ride.
TJ, I feel like you are right in the mess of it all this season. How are you preparing to relive everything that happened?
BRADLEY: Calling me every day.
TJ: Yeah, I’m calling Brad. You know, it’s crazy you say that because yes, this is my first summer of being a little bit more involved and having more of a voice. I’m looking forward to it. I think there’s going to be a lot of good things that come from this, a lot of friendships that are mended and some that are [in a] not-so-great place right now. But I also start a business on camera this year, which I’m really excited about, and it’s been a huge part of my life the last six months and I can’t wait to share.
That’s so exciting! To get into everything going on, did you guys ever think Countess Luann would have such an impact on your lives?
TJ: No.
BRADLEY: No. I never even watched old RHONY, but I know who the Countess is. I don’t think any of us knew the waves that she would make just down here in Charleston.
Brad, we see in the premiere that you might have a thing for newbie Lake Rucker. Can you give any teasers on how that’s going to play out this season?
BRADLEY: I can’t tell the whole story, but I can give you a quarter. And needless to say, me and Lake have insane chemistry and you can kind of see in that first episode, even a simple conversation, it’s like we can’t even keep a straight face. It’s fun, it’s flirty. It got hot and heavy for a second, but at the end of the day, everything works out the way it’s supposed to. And we had a great summer together. We’re great friends right now.
While we’re in the romance department, TJ, I want to unpack everything that’s going on with Michols Peña. You say that you kissed him but you seem hesitant because of his age, which is understandable. But Michols also called you a “bag of mixed signals” after you brought him a coffee. Do you think you’re sending mixed signals? And can you tease how this is going to play out?
TJ: That kiss, it was natural. It was in the moment. It wasn’t thought [out]. And it just felt right. We have a lot of chemistry, and we get along so well. It’s a hard situation because there is a big age gap. But also Michols is new coming into the gay world, and he has a lot of learning and stuff to do. So that’s another factor within our friendship and our situation that plays out this summer. He’s my boss. And we also share the same friend group, and we work together. There were just a lot of questions floating around and situations. But we’re in a good place now. We worked through some things, and that’s all I can really ask for. I cherish any gay friendship that I have, especially in a smaller town, and I don’t want to lose that.
Bradley, I was happy to see that you and Maddi Reese are getting along as long as she doesn’t mention alleyway blowjobs. How did you get back to that place of friendship after everything that happened in Season 2?
BRADLEY: Definitely time and kind of coming to a mutual understanding. Before any of the cameras [were] out, me and Maddi were great friends. She was one of my first clients. We spent plenty of time together at work and outside of work. I think that’s what made the feelings so heavy. Both of us were very pissed at each other because she said some things, and then I definitely retaliated. That’s what happens. We eventually, after the reunion, came to an agreement that we need to move forward. The only way to do that is to kind of start with a clean slate. You’ll see our relationship grow over the summer. And that’s become even closer and closer friends. It’s pretty cool to watch. .
Question for both of you, were you at all surprised that Maddi finally let Joe Bradley graduate from the friend zone? Or did you see it coming?
TJ:Yeah, we were both knocked off our feet. Yes, 100%.
BRADLEY: Yeah, no, we did not see that coming.
TJ: At first, it was weird for both of us and it took a while to get used to, but now it’s crazy. It’s working out for both of them. They seem very happy. And I think you’ll see a lot of that this season. And yeah, it is exciting.
BRADLEY: It is exciting. It’s cool to see. A lot of us have tried to date within our friend group, and 90% of the time, it ends horribly. So it’s cool to see that two friends can come together and actually be an awesome, genuine, real relationship. Those two are madly in love, and it makes me want to throw up but cry at the same time. So it’s cool.
TJ: They’re together all the time.
TJ, you say that you and Joe had not spoken since the reunion and since he had sent you those messages. Why didn’t you feel ready to talk to him when he approached you at the birthday party? And can you give an update on where your friendship is today?
TJ: Coming from a place [of] a lot of hurt, I think we were both hurt in a lot of situations in both parties. You say things you necessarily don’t mean or you do mean. A lot of things come out with anger. It sucks. But we’ve worked through a lot of things together, and I’m excited for everyone to see that. I think it’s very important. We have a long-standing friendship. There’s a lot of emotions there, and I don’t think I was ready to talk to him at that party. I think with any situation that we’ve gone through in the past, I’ve just swept it under the rug and mended things. I think just too quickly. We both needed time to think apart and to grieve and to be pissed at each other and maybe take time to actually look at things in a different perspective and heal. I did come across a little heavy at the birthday party, but I do think I was still in a hurt space, and I wasn’t ready to let that go. I’m all about out of sight, out of mind. We were spending more time together, so I do think it was bringing up old emotions.
I can understand that. When you don’t have to see someone all the time, you kind of forget about it.
TJ: Yeah, I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do, but the one thing I’ve noticed about myself going through a lot of things recently is I like to shut out, and I deal with it internally and potentially revisit it at a later time.
I hope that you get the apology you deserve. I hope we get to see that.
TJ: It ends up being a good summer. We’re in a good place now, and I’m excited for everyone to see that.
Brad, do you agree with what TJ said in the premiere about Joe being similar to Trevor? And if so, why?
BRADLEY: Good question. I see where TJ. was coming from at that point. But no, I wouldn’t say that him and Trevor are similar. Trevor, I don’t think genuinely at the bottom of his heart of hearts, cared for Maddi the way that Joe does. Joe, even on a friendship level, would move mountains for Maddi … He is more willing to do anything for her. And that’s how it should be in a relationship. You should love your partner so much that you’re willing to move mountains for them. You should be invested in them like that. I don’t think Trevor was ever invested in Maddi like that at any point in time in their relationship. And that’s one of the reasons that everyone, not just myself, was such a big proponent of them not being together. It’s easier and it’s more blatantly obvious through his actions and his words that Joe really does love and have a lot of love and care for Maddi. And I know she’s feeling that. It’s like a warm hug, and I think that she needed that.
TJ: And I’ll keep eating my words, because so far, I’m wrong. Joe has changed tremendously for the better. Maddi’s done great for him, and I think he’s done great for Maddi. Time changes everything, which I’m glad that it’s gone in this direction for them.
Sometimes, you just need the right person to make a change.
BRADLEY: Yeah, for sure. They definitely have been beneficial to each other, I would say.
That’s good. I’m glad to hear that. We all saw Maddi and Joe get married in Vegas in the trailer. What can you both tell us about that?
TJ: I’m eating my words. I’m just going to keep eating my words.
BRADLEY: Stay strapped in because Vegas was definitely a wild ride.
TJ: It was a very emotional day for Grace Lily.
BRADLEY: Everyone should check in on Grace. I’ll put it like that.
I’m excited to see that. Moving onto a different couple down in Charleston, it seems like Emmy and Will are kind of on the rocks – but I’m not sure that Emmy knows it at this point. TJ, you say in the premiere that you’re going to have a talk with Will about his alleged rant at Republic about Emmy. How will we see that play out?
TJ: Brad and I get a dinner with Will and we discuss some things with him. It was a very hard conversation for Brad and I. No one wants to be the bearer of bad news and tell you what’s been going around town. And it sucks. Will was going through a lot at the time, but I feel like it had to be done. We’re friends, and I don’t think we should sit on that kind of information. Maybe if we had a private conversation, that would be fine. But now that you have spoken how you truly feel out into the little tiny world we live in, in Charleston. Things are out and I don’t want you to look stupid, and I don’t want Emmy to look stupid.
BRADLEY: Yeah, I would agree with that. I think that me and TJ have been the biggest fans of Emmy and Will. We had their back all last summer. We’ve really taken a lot for them behind closed doors and openly as well. I wouldn’t change any of that for the world because we love them. And so when things like these rumors keep happening, and then you see in the first episode him going around town saying negative things, it became bigger than just private conversations between us and close friends. It became a bigger issue when we started involving people that don’t care about their relationship, that aren’t invested in their relationship. And so I think that’s kind of where things really grew legs and then it really started to take off as the summer went throughout. Where we are right now, we just need some questions answered. Put it like that.
In the opening scene, Maddi says the both of you did an investigation and you found that Will was “fully together” with a girl he took to “law prom” instead of Emmy. What proof did you find? Will we see you share that news with Emmy on the show?
BRADLEY: I don’t think it was…investigation is a reach. A lot of this genuinely came to us. And so I think that you’ll get some questions answered but not completely. As the season plays out, you’ll be able to answer the question yourselves.
TJ: I think there was a point where so much was falling into our laps that we ourselves began to question the severity behind the issues and how factual they potentially were. Then we asked some questions. But there was never an initial, “Let’s find this out and nail Will down.” It was definitely like things kept flying at us, and it was just weird, and we asked questions.
BRADLEY: Initially when these things came out, we completely dismissed all of it. Again, having their back. And then, like we were saying, things just continually kept bubbling over. We did all that we could. Speaking personally, I felt like I did all that I could.
TJ: Yeah, I don’t disagree with that.
TJ, I feel like in the trailer we see it in your face how much you care about Emmy when everyone is yelling about Will allegedly cheating.
TJ: I honestly have never reacted like that in my whole life. And I think I had just gotten to a point, kind of like Brad said earlier, I’ve been there for them so much, and so has Brad. We both listen to them on both sides, and we never share what one says to us about the other or vice versa. We’ve always done such a good job staying apart of their issues, but also being a rock to both of them and holding a lot of their secrets. I felt that they thought that it was not that way this summer. And I lost it. I felt like they didn’t feel the same.
BRADLEY: It felt like a disrespect, a slap in the face, a smile and laugh in your face. And when that happens, you can sometimes act out of character.
TJ: You’ll see more of that play out. And I’m interested to see it play out myself too.
I’m excited to just see this whole season. It seems like so much happened this summer. TJ, last season you weren’t the biggest fan of Salley Carson. What was your reaction to hearing she’d be joining Season 10 of Southern Charm? And how is your good friend Taylor Ann Green handling it?
TJ: I’m so happy for her. This is her fourth reality TV show, and it finally stuck. Dreams do come true, right? That’s all I really have to say. Taylor’s wonderful. Her and Gaston are still together. They just spent my birthday with me and Brad.
BRADLEY: They seem great. Better than ever, honestly.
TJ: Honestly, I think that he has done great for her in ways, and I think that she has done great things for him. They’re kind of opposite, but I can tell that they’ve learned a lot from each other, personality wise and just growing. He’s been very supportive of her business, and I know her family truthfully loves him.
BRADLEY: And they’re not wishing for her to be with anyone else.
You were both recently at Kathy Hilton’s holiday party. Are there any fun stories you can share from that night?
BRADLEY: Yeah [laughs]. You’re asking the hard-hitting questions. We had a phenomenal time. All the Salt Lake City housewives are phenomenal. Me and T.J. went out with Whitney [Rose] for a little bit after and some of her friends, and we had such a great time. So that was a lot of fun.
TJ: I will say that it was very overwhelming, the party in general. It was amazing, but then there’s so many people that you’ve seen on TV all in one spot. The Housewives are very welcoming, and Mary Cosby was lovely. Yeah, we had a blast with Whitney. We met a lot of people, and it was definitely a good experience.
Love that! What else can you both tease about the rest of the season?
TJ: I’m excited to watch this back and learn from myself and learn from my mistakes and how I can potentially handle things differently. Or the other way — the good moments. The best part about this is we have this forever. We can grow from it and make it our best.
BRADLEY: I would agree with that. There’s a lot to look forward to, to watch. We had a lot of fun. There’s so much fun. And I think that this summer was more unique than our summers before. Going into our third year, we kind of get how all this works. We have fun with it.
TJ: Everyone is more comfortable. Everyone definitely opens up, is their true authentic self and shares hard stories.
BRADLEY: When we’re all being honest and open and organic, it creates a better show and it’s easier for us too. We had a lot of fun. We had two cast trips that were both fun and explosive in their own ways. So definitely a lot to look forward to this year.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
Southern Hospitality Season 3 premieres Thursday, Jan. 2 at 9/8c on Bravo.
The post ‘Southern Hospitality’ Stars TJ Dinch And Bradley Carter Talk Season 3’s Cheating Rumors: “So Much Was Falling Into Our Laps” appeared first on Decider.
