We don't always get a chance to check back in with reality show stars a few years after their shows air, but thanks to Bravo's Miami Social, premiering Tuesday, July 14, we're getting the chance with Big Brother's Hardy Hill and The Apprentice's Katrina Campins who recently took part in a conference call to promote their newest reality TV show.
Miami Social will take us inside the social scene of the up-and-coming of South Beach, exploring their lives both professionally and socially. In a way, it's similar to Bravo's Real Housewives. Yet we already know a couple of these movers and shakers in Miami. Interestingly, Katrina's bio talks of her being on the first season of The Apprentice, but there's nothing in Hardy's bio mentioning his time on Big Brother. You'd think to promote another reality show that he'd want us to remember him from before.
It seems Hardy's been busy since he was locked up with Bunky, Boogie, and Dr. Will. Come to think of it, maybe that's why he's hoping we'll forget. He managed venues and became an ambassador for Opening Group, taking care of VIP clients, then started Hill Hospitality Group doing management consulting for different hotels and nightlife venues in South Beach, seemingly for away from York, Pennsylvania, where he hails from. Sometimes work and play are a little blurred for him, but being an entertainment writer, I definitely understand that. He wants to achive a good balance of the two and would like to settle down with the right woman. I'm guessing anyone that would scrub the toilet with his toothbrush wouldn't be considered the right woman.
Katrina's been busy as well, and mostly with work. She's one of the hottest real estate agents in Miami, and ranks in the top half percent worldwide. We except nothing less from someone who went toe to toe with Omarosa. Her real estate brokerage firm caters to the elite celebrities and athletes in Miami. She admits she's a workaholic and that if she could find more hours in the day to work, she would. She's married and facing problems with the success of her company versus the time she doesn't seem to have with her husband. She worked as an NFL correspondent right after The Apprentice, then started The Campins Company. She uses a lot of what she learned from Trump.
Miami certainly seems the place to be. When asked if they weren't working and playing in Miami where they'd rather be, Hardy says there is nowhere else he'd rather be, as Miami has it all. Katrina has traveled all over the country for work, and says she gets goose bumps when she goes over the Miami Beach bridge, then again, she was born and riased there.
Heres something that definitely crossed my mind. Most of us are feeling a definite bite in the recession, but in a wealthy area in Miami, how will this affect those on Miami Social? Katrina says we'll definitely see it factor in, yet admittedly her clientele are the athletes, entertainers, and other high net worth individuals. They're affected, but just not in the same ways the rest of us are. She reaizes we may not be able to relate in the same ways, but thinks we will in that all of us have been left vulnerable.
Since the two of them are no strangers to reality TV, they know what to expect as far as publicity and possible ridicule form viewers. Hardy doesn't want to be seen in a "bad light," but would like to be seen in an "honest light." He's just hoping people will find something to like, love, or hate. Katrina mentions she was just 22 when she did The Apprentice, and she learned quickly how to have a tough skin. Now 29, it's completely different for her. Making it worse on The Apprentice was that they had hidden cameras, meaning "every move was fimed and scrutinized."
Comparing the relationships on Miami Social to Real Housewives, Hardy and Katina both say that they knew everyone on the cast before the show started, either as an acquaintance or a friend of a friend. They weren't the best of friends, but are much closer now. Katrina notes that fellow cast member Michael covered her wedding for People Magazine. The relationships will evolve and change just like any other relationships. Hardy explains "Are you going to see moments where people are on edge and at odds? Of course. Are you going to see moments where we're all having a blast and singing Kumbaya? Absolutely."
Both Hardy and Katrina have learned things from the show. While Hardy doesn't point to specific incidences, Katrina learned a lot watching herself on The Apprentice and calls it "humbling to say the least." Now having seen a few clips from Miami Social, she's taken a different view of her marriage, seeing things differently than when she was entrenched in it. When they were filming, she was in the process of a divorce, so calls it therapeutic in a way. They were high school sweethearts and got married shortly after The Apprentice, then became business partners. She thinks their relationship evoved and the business part of it took over. She realizes the pressures of being with someone 24/7 and also realizes it would be naive to think she's the same person she was when she was 16. He husband is still one of her best friends, and she thinks everying in life happens for a reason.
Asked if they're addicted to chronicling their lives on camera, being that they're reality show veterans, neither see it that way. Hardy doesn't think he's all that special, and says he lives his life, and if people find that interesting, that's great. It's an opportunity for them to showcase their lives, talents, skills, and passions. Katrina admits she stumbled upon reality TV by accident, but fully admits that The Apprentice changed her life. She's glad she took a few years off of being on TV, though, as it allowed her to build her company and the foundation, and now it gives her a chance to complete a long term goal to "utilize the media to empower women and encourage them to honor themselves."
Catch Katrina and Hardy, and five other movers and shakers from the Miami Social scene on July 14 on Bravo.
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