Credit: Starpix/INSTARimages, NBCUniversal Media
On Still Flipping Out‘s premiere season, one of the main storylines has focused on Jeff Lewis dealing with Joey Zauzig.
Specifically, Jeff, 56, has accused Joey, 34, of having issues with boundaries, not respecting Jeff’s relationship with his boyfriend, having issues with controlling his drinking, and more.
Viewers of the show also saw Joey have issues with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Crystal Minkoff, 43, as he confronted her about giving brand deals to Jeff instead of him.
In the wake of all the drama, an insider spoke exclusively to Reality Blurb to detail that they feel Joey is being used on the show as a storyline.
“Before cameras went up, Jeff and Joey were having issues,” the source shared. “Their relationship had changed, and Joey was trying to figure out what had happened.”
One of the things Jeff discussed on the show as being problematic was Joey’s behavior at a “chump event.”
As fans of Jeff know, his “chumps” are his group of co-hosts, friends, and staff members who participate in his SiriusXM Jeff Lewis Live show.
“The event Jeff was referring to took place two months before the show even began filming,” the insider noted.
On this week’s episode, the source claimed it definitely “felt like everyone was talking s*it about Joey.”
They also shared that his fight with Crystal was not what the show made it seem at all.
“Joey’s fight with Crystal was about why he felt like she was getting close to Jeff,” they said. “Specifically, Joey felt like it was about her wanting to be on camera and be on the show. The brand deals part they showed was editing and not what the fight was actually over.”
As for how Joey feels about the show, the insider noted it “definitely seems” like they are “using him for a storyline.”
“It will be interesting to see where things go, as he doesn’t come back until the final two episodes of the season,” they concluded. “As Bravo says, we’ll just have to wait and watch what happens.”
New episodes of Still Flipping Out air Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.