If you are a regular Bravo viewer, you are quite familiar with the role alcohol plays in any show you watch on the network. We’ve heard rumors production likes to ply an ensemble cast with a plethora of beverages that could cause a… change in personality. Watch any Real Housewives show during a dinner scene for reference.
But what happens if you are cast on one of these shows and you’re sober? You don’t drink, you don’t smoke, what do you do? Well, you sit there with your clear head and are most likely the most rational one of the bunch. You are basically a unicorn. Let’s celebrate Bravolebrities who do not partake in the devil’s lettuce, anything that could impair driving, and never wake up with hangovers.
Summer House / Carl Radke
Bless that tall drink of water, Carl Radke. When Summer House was first introduced, Carl was basically a f–k boy that partied most of his young adult life. The alcohol flowed freely and so did Carl’s bad decisions. His relationships suffered and his career took a major hit. Carl made the decision to become sober in a very unsober environment. It’s probably one of the most impressive displays of willpower we have seen on a television show that celebrates debauchery in every form. When Carl lost his brother to addiction, his journey through navigating his family’s loss was palpable and, I’ll say it, compelling television. This man has had some major breakthroughs and he should absolutely be celebrated. Carl is now enjoying engagement life with co-star Lindsay Hubbard and I’m sure we all truly hope he has a happily ever after.
Below Deck Mediterranean / Captain Sandy Yawn
Captain Sandy Yawn is our first (and so far only) female captain on the Below Deck franchise. When Sandy came on board Below Deck Mediterranean, viewers became familiar with the hardships a female can face in a male-majority occupation. As we applauded Sandy for being a woman in charge, we also need to applaud her for her recovery from alcoholism. At this time, Sandy has been sober for about 34 years. She battled financial issues, health issues, and… jail. Whether you like Sandy or not, she is a success story. It is with every hope she continues to heal and be a positive role model for those in the midst of their own story with addiction. Sandy once said, “I felt like a hopeless human being, always in trouble, people turning away from me because I was so destructive. The day finally came when I had my last drink and drug on August 29th 1989. My life today is beyond my wildest dreams.”
Vanderpump Rules / Lala Kent
Filming Vanderpump Rules is no joke and you pretty much need to have your wits about you at all times. Depending on how you look at it, the overwhelming presence of alcohol is one of the main characters on Pump Rules and the cast is not only serving it, they are heavily imbibing it as well. Alcohol has been the supposed reason behind cheating, lying, fighting, and acting like a complete and total moron. Believe it or not, it got so bad Lala Kent decided to get sober. In 2019 Lala was still with her baby daddy and both of them took partying to the next level. They also took fighting to the next level. Lala’s relationship with several of her co-stars were impacted due to her “mood changes” when she drank. She made a pact with her former man after “she got wasted and broke a hurricane proof window” and wanted to leave her drinking days behind. Lala joined Alcoholics Anonymous and credits the organization with saving her life. Congrats to Lala. Her sobriety is being celebrated in good company today.
Real Housewives of Atlanta / Kandi Burruss
Not for nothing, you have no idea how difficult it is to go through the Bravo roster to find someone who is actually sober. It’s extremely telling that there are so few. Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss is a needle in a haystack because she has never had a drink, smoked, or done any drugs. Mama Joyce may masquerade as a nosey mom with bullying qualities, but it appears she raised Kandi having a moral compass and respect for her own body. The level of success Kandi has received in life might not have come her way if she had chosen the partying route over the hardcore work ethic route. These days Kandi is rich with family, numerous accolades credited to her music career, multiple businesses, and actual money in the bank. Major props to Kandi for surviving the music world AND the reality television world without allowing the temptation of taking a few shots to prevent her from being the HBIC she is.
TELL US- CAN YOU THINK OF OTHER SOBER BRAVO STARS? WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SOBRIETY ON REALITY TELEVISION? WOULD YOU WATCH A SHOW WITH A COMPLETELY SOBER CAST?
[Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo]