West Wilson Admits It Was 'Weird' to Film 'Summer House' for the First Time: 'It's Very Sobering'
West Wilson has endured a whirlwind year since stepping into the Bravo world.
The Summer House newbie quickly became a fan-favorite during Season 8 of the hit reality show. However, putting life's most vulnerable moments on television for the public didn't come easily to the sports journalist.
Wilson chats exclusively with OK! about what it was like when he first started filming at the lavish Hamptons home, going through life's hurdles in front of an audience and his partnership with Captain Morgan.
"I went in and didn't try too hard, but I was enough of myself to where I wasn't super shy. It's nice to have people receive who you are so well," he says of becoming a cast member on the series.
"The first ten minutes that I was in the house, there's no music; obviously, for audio. It's very sobering," he added. "You walk in and it's quiet, but you're supposed to talk and there's all the cameras. I remember being like, 'Wow, this is so weird.'"
Luckily, the veterans of the show made Wilson feel right at home. "I'll give credit to everyone in the house. Everybody is very welcoming. They know what that experience is like when you're new. You are in total shock right away and then it gets easier by the second — almost," he admits.
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During his debut season, Wilson was candid about the trials and tribulations of job hunting in your twenties, a struggle that resonated with many viewers. "I had been talking about what getting laid off was like for so long that I felt so versed on what my experience was being fired and looking for a job because I had to tell the story so many times," he admits.
"I was very OK with sharing that story. If I could share it on a TV show, then maybe I would be able to stop talking about it in individual conversations. I was very insecure about it when it happened, and the more I accepted it and talked about it, it was a lot easier," Wilson explains.
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Now, Wilson has a brand new position after partnering with Captain Morgan for their "Sliced is Better" Sweepstakes, which will give fans a chance to travel all across the 50 states. "In college, one of my friends only drank Captain Morgan, and I had a really good run with it for almost four years. I drank enough Captain Morgan then to last a lifetime!" he says of the brand. "To get to encourage travel and bucket list stuff is super cool for me."