Credit: Bravo
KJ Dillard revealed a text message he received from West Wilson after the reunion on Tuesday’s Watch What Happens Live, admitting that his Summer House castmate’s words made him “wanna cry.”
Amid West’s new romance with Amanda Batula, 34, which has resulted in the couple’s near-estrangement from the cast, KJ, 28, read West’s message live for the first time, looked back on West’s reconciliation with Ciara Miller, 30, and spoke of Carl Radke‘s upcoming meltdown on the show while also addressing claims of West, 31, getting handsy with Bailey Taylor, 31, and more.
“He texted me the day after the reunion, and I didn’t even look at the message. I was a bit scared to look at it. I still haven’t looked at it,” KJ explained on the May 5 episode of WWHL.
He then decided to read it aloud.
“West says, ‘I wanted to thank you for your articulation and kindness yesterday, despite being hurt. I’ve been off social, and I think I lost touch with how much hurt there was. I’m incredibly sorry. Also sending you love in regard to your mental health. You shared a lot yesterday, and I know it might [not] carry much weight now, but I’m always rooting for the best for you. I know it will take some time, but whenever you feel like you’re ready, lunch or a phone call would mean a lot in the spirit of healing. No need to respond. Take your time,’” KJ shared, immediately getting emotional.
“Oh, that hurts … It just hurts because it’s like, me and him were so close … I low-key wanna cry. This is a very tricky situation,” he noted.
Reflecting on the season, KJ said he was glad to see West and Ciara rekindling their friendship.
“I was so happy. I remember at the boat ride, I was like, ‘Are y’all getting married?’ And I really was rooting for them,” he stated.
KJ then said that while he came into the house as West’s friend, Ciara is “literally [his] sister, so [he’ll] ride or die for her.”
Looking ahead to next week’s episode, KJ said Carl, 41, was “a mess.”
“It was scary. But I’m glad that he showed his emotions cuz he held them in all summer,” he said of his castmate’s upcoming outburst.
Then, admitting that he didn’t think Carl and Bailey would work as a couple, KJ responded to a fan who wanted to know his thoughts about what may have gone down between West and Bailey.
“I told [my story] at the reunion, and you have to wait,” he teased.
KJ’s co-star and girlfriend, Dara Levitan, was also in the Bravo Clubhouse on Tuesday night and spoke of the events of the reunion.
“I was expecting a lot, and it was still even more than that. I think that as someone who is new to these relationships, there is so much hurt, and there was so much depth to it, and there were traumas and wounds that I didn’t even expect to come out that were expressed, and I really respect that everyone laid their hearts out on the line,” she reasoned. “That night, the both of us, we were like crying and talking for hours and hours just like going over everything.”
Dara also said that after the taping, she and KJ “ran away to Mexico.”
“We needed that,” he replied.
Later, on the WWHL: After Show, KJ spoke of dealing with anxiety in the public eye.
“I’ve dealt with it the best way that I’ve ever dealt with it. I used to hide for so long. [Talking about it] makes me realize that other people deal with anxiety, depression, whatever mental health issues, or blessings, I’ll say that people deal with, and talking about it is power because you don’t know how many people really actually struggle with this until you talk about it,” he explained. “Someone will message me and be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I dealt with the same thing,’ and so it’s like, ‘Oh, you deal with this, too? I’m gonna share again.’ And I just keeping [going]. It’s like, ‘Uh, I’m not alone.’ Because when I was young, I always felt alone. But I’m not, and it’s a great feeling.”
“I was scared to share at first. I didn’t know how people were gonna respond, but the responses have felt very good, and I’m just, I feel accepted,” he added.
Summer House season 10 airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.