Do you feel like, over the years, you’ve gotten used to being on camera and living your life like that? Or does it still ever feel strange while you’re shooting?
Shep: It doesn’t feel strange. We’re used to it. It probably took a season and a half.
Craig: We would be better at protecting ourselves if we realized the cameras are there, but what you see is what you get.
Shep: I feel like we’re pretty darn good at what we do. That’s being ourselves. That’s also realizing a situation that’s developing, realizing how to approach it, and being as real and honest as you can. Even if that means it hurts someone’s feelings, that’s what we have to do and what we should do. We’re not trying to hide anything. There are not secret alliances or anything like that. I hope that comes through because this is … We’re not actors. We’re doing it. Real.
Do you think that honesty and how real it is what attracts fans the show?
Craig: I think so.
Shep: 100%.
Craig: If we weren’t as transparent as we were, we wouldn’t still be on because that crazy stuff is what brings people back. There’s a lot of it this season.
Shep: In the beginning, what drew people in was the friendships and the honesty and the closeness because we didn’t know each other all that well, necessarily, when it started. You actually get to see friendships develop and all that stuff. People enjoyed that. That mixed with the beautiful backdrop of Charleston and a part of [that] world, people were interested in how it works. Craig was talking about “Jersey Shore.” People from around the country and beyond were like, “What the hell is going on in Jersey Shore?” They have that much curiosity about the South and especially Charleston.
Do you think there’s anything on this season that viewers will be excited to see?
Shep: Yeah.
Craig: Yes. Yes.
Shep: There’s one big romance that we can’t tell you about, but it’s going to blow everyone’s mind.
Craig: Everyone’s minds. Yeah.
Shep: It’s going to be good.
Craig: I don’t think you’ve seen it in a while, but the guys really have some fun times. Me, Shep, and Austin have our friendship. Once we work through some stuff, we find ourselves again, and we laugh. Good old laughter. Hopefully, you get to see some of that.
