Conover and Rose sat down for an exclusive interview with The List to discuss the show.
What do you feel like has been the biggest change going into this season?
Craig:I’ve never had a career.
I’ve never been successful in anything on “Southern Charm” before this year.
I was lollygagging around and trying to find myself.
This is the first season where I’m actually on a path to somewhere.
Shep:It was entering year two or a year and a half into my relationship.
That was a thing that we were going through.
We were going into filming, and I was like, “Okay.
Let’s see how this works.”
It was up and down, that’s for sure, but we survived.
Craig:It feels like a dream.
It’s a very warm feeling.
People are so positive about it.
I couldn’t be happier that it worked out the way it did.
Don’t make us look like idiots for supporting you, even though it’s taken so long."
Shep:Around there, yeah.
How do you feel like having your life on camera affects your relationships?
Shep:It can be quite daunting.
I never really had to deal with that pressure and anxiety in [Seasons 1 through] 6.
I would even say 7 because we had just started dating.
It was definitely uncharted waters, and there were some bumpy waves.
Craig:It’s a stressor.
Turns out that when you do that, it makes you cry because onions make you cry.
Craig:Happiness, sometimes, isn’t good for business, especially around our friends.
If it’s possible for you to push through it, it’s good.
Shep:You almost feel like you’re in the cross hairs.
That’s an uncomfortable feeling to have.
It can cause you to do stupid things.
Did you have anxiety about her coming on the show?
Craig:No, I was actually excited.
I mean, I’m fortunate that she does this.
She’s in the business too.
It was exciting to share with her.
Like Shep said, you’re in the cross hairs.
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.
Shep:I feel like we’re pretty darn good at what we do.
That’s being ourselves.
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.
Do you think that honesty and how real it is what attracts fans the show?
Craig:I think so.
There’s a lot of it this season.
You actually get to see friendships develop and all that stuff.
Craig was talking about “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?
Craig:Everyone’s minds.
Shep:It’s going to be good.
Me, Shep, and Austin have our friendship.
Once we work through some stuff, we find ourselves again, and we laugh.
Hopefully, you get to see some of that.
Craig:That’s why I said I hope you get to see the laughter.
It’s just how focused will it be and what scope will be on there.
Craig:They only have 46 minutes, and sometimes the context that we would appreciate …
They don’t care about.
Shep:Sometimes, not all sides of the story are taken into account.
Craig:It comes with the territory.
Shep:We wish we could have a “Truman Show” style.
Craig:I thought that too, at one point.
Well, if it was completely unfettered, but …. That’s one of the stresses.
What would you say is the most challenging part of being on the show?
Shep:It’s right now.
No offense to you, but it’s right before things are getting cranked up on TV.
Craig:You’ll see this season there’s a lot of conflict and conflict resolution.
You’re like, “We already worked through this.”
Reliving some of those crazy things that we already lived can be tough too.
Shep:We don’t learn lessons all that well, Craig and I.
We’re plodding along.
Have they ever thought of leaving Southern Charm?
I cannot do this again."
Shep:We’ll see.
Craig:I wouldn’t change a thing, though.
You either feel ganged up on or … Shep:There’s a black SUV outside going to take me to the airport in a little while.
I’m way too cheap in real life to be able to do that.
There’s a guy when you land with your name on a thing, just like in the movies.
I don’t regret it.
Shep:It’s the stuff that happens when we’re not filming.
It’s a trip.
[We] get to go to LA.
We get to maybe go backstage at a concert or something like that.
Craig:When we get to spend the time together is great.
Filming really brings us together.
We all see each other anyway, but [it’s] fun.
We’ve done a lot of cool stuff from it.
“Southern Charm” Season 8 premieres with a supersized episode tonight at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
