TV personality Lindsay Hubbard has been at the center of attention in the reality TV world this year. The Summer House star, who’s known for her bold personality and love of the East End, faced a public breakup just weeks before heading to the altar that had everyone talking. Now, she’s stronger than ever, and ready for the hottest Hamptons hot-girl summer anyone has ever seen.
Lindsay, you are coming off your eighth season of Summer House and a very public year personally for you. How are you feeling now that it’s over?
Like a weight is lifted off my shoulders! This was obviously a tough season to watch and relive. It’s the last step in the entire process of my breakup [with fiancé Carl Radke]. I now get to close that chapter and put it away and never read that book again.
Are you happy where things ended up at the conclusion of the reunion?
It was one of the first reunions in a while that I didn’t have anxiety. I wasn’t nervous going into it. I just kept telling myself, “You just have to get through the day.” It was almost like as the hours went by, it was another hour closer to closing this chapter. I think because I had that mindset, it wasn’t as intense for me.
Was it the first time you had seen Carl since the breakup?
No. I had seen him at BravoCon, but this was the first time I addressed him face-to-face.
How were you able to get through such a difficult time, knowing the world was watching along with you once the season aired?
It was definitely difficult. I would have to stack the episodes and watch them a few at a time to be able to give myself a breather. You’re opening yourself up to the judgments and opinions of the general public for better or worse, so it’s just to be expected.
By the time the season aired, were you already over the breakup or were you still healing?
I was already over it. It didn’t take me too long, based on how he broke up with me. It was just a massive betrayal and lacked integrity and respect. It made it easier for me to shut my emotions off for that person. Because he did it the way that he did, I didn’t have any residual feelings for him. I was over it well before this season aired.
How are you going to handle filming the next season with him?
I’ll cross that bridge when we get there. We don’t know what’s going to happen. Carl, to me, is just another guy in the room. I feel indifferent about him being around me. It doesn’t make me feel any certain way.
You’ve shared that you’re dating someone. Details, please!
He’s incredible. We actually dated a few years ago and it just wasn’t the right timing. He reached back out in December and we started dating in January. It’s been wonderful.
Does he watch the show?
He’s never watched it, and I don’t think he ever will. He doesn’t care about it, which is so refreshing to me.
Whoever you’re with romantically in your life, do they have to like the Hamptons?
My boyfriend does like the Hamptons. But, no, they don’t have to like the Hamptons. However, it would be nice if they did.
What qualities are important to you in a future partner?
I had a lot of boxes that I moved to the top of my priority list after my breakup. They need to be ambitious and driven, hopefully successful, but doesn’t have to be at the top yet. Someone who matches my lifestyle, and, of course, we should have chemistry.
Do you plan on continuing to be open with viewers about your dating life?
I’ve shared my entire life with viewers for the past eight seasons of the show, from my romantic life and all my relationships to my personal family and childhood traumas to my career. I even talked about how I had a miscarriage at one point. I’ve shared my entire journey up until this point with everyone. I’m an open book, and I will always continue to share every aspect of myself with everyone.
How did you originally land on Summer House?
The creators stumbled across my and Kyle [Cooke]’s group of friends. We would go out in the heyday of New York. We went out in packs of people. They started interviewing everyone in our group and that was it. We’d been living this lifestyle well before the show existed. It’s the culture of New York in the summertime—to be in the city during the week and then go to the Hamptons on the weekends and party. I’ve been going to the Hamptons since I interned in the summer of 2007. I was a VIP hostess at a club called Star Room in the Hamptons.
Any tips for staying in a shared house?
Clean up after yourself! No one wants to be the one cleaning up everyone’s dirty dishes the whole time. Don’t get wasted and annoy your roommates. Just have fun and figure it out for yourself!
Some people feel that Summer House isn’t an actual reflection of Hamptons life. What do you say to those people?
The Hamptons is different for everyone. If you have a family, it’s obviously going to look a little different than people who share a house. If you’re in Montauk, that level of partying is probably even way more aggressive than what we do.
What was life like for you before garnering reality TV fame?
I’m from Florida, originally. I grew up in a small boating and fishing town about 20 minutes north of Jupiter, and I went to the University of Florida—go, Gators! Three days after I graduated, I sold everything and moved to New York with two suitcases and a couple of interviews lined up. I got a job right away at one of the PR firms I was interviewing with, which was honestly a miracle because it was 2008 and we just had this massive financial crisis in the United States and nobody was hiring.
I was in New York for a year and then moved to L.A. and landed a job at a different PR firm. I was in L.A. for three and a half years opening every restaurant, lounge, bar, club, and hotel. My boss at the time needed me to come back to New York, so I moved back in 2012 and by 2014, I wound up leaving and opening my own PR firm. Then, Summer House started filming in 2016. After COVID, things didn’t go back to where they were, hospitality-wise, so I just leaned into being Lindsay from Summer House. That’s where I’m at now.
A lot of people dream of being famous when they go on a reality show. Did you ever have those aspirations?
No. I thought to myself, “I’m just going to go be a kick-ass publicist.” It was by chance that I wound up on a reality TV show. I also have that personality, which is a good formula for sharing. To all these people who want to be famous, as long as you have thick skin and you’re mentally and emotionally tough, then you should be fine. Many don’t realize that there are a lot of people in this world with a lot of opinions, and they’re not afraid to share them.
Do you ever regret being on reality TV?
No, I don’t believe in having regrets. I think the best thing about being on reality TV is using my stories and my journey to inspire other people and make them feel less alone about whatever’s going on in their lives.
Who else in the Bravo community are you close to?
I’m close with Katie [Maloney] and Ariana [Madix] from Vanderpump Rules. I’m close with Whitney [Rose] from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Leva [Bonaparte] and Olivia [Flowers] from Southern Charm. There are some old New York Housewives that I’m friendly with. It’s kind of all over the place, but obviously with BravoCon, it’s like a big reunion. I’m close with mostly the girls, not a lot of the guys.
What do you hope fans learned about you this season?
This season, I didn’t react the way that people wanted me to, and I didn’t get activated. I was always calm and handled everything with grace. I think it was a true showing of growth on my part.
How do you think you were able to do that?
A lot of therapy for a lot of years.
Who did you get the closest to this season on the show?
I got even closer with Gabby [Prescod]. She’s one of my best friends at this point.
What does your typical Fourth of July weekend look like?
Typically, I’m in the Hamptons. So that’s been the past 12 years of my life. I usually chill, and go out to dinner or to a bar. Hopefully, have a couple of barbecues and maybe bounce around to other people’s houses!
What is giving you fireworks these days?
Every time my house in Nashville is rented, I get fireworks.
Speaking of which, how is Hubb House going? For our readers, you can rent Lindsay’s house in Nashville. Just FYI!
It’s going well. I closed on the house at the end of December, then we designed it by February and started renting it out in March. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough that every single week, it’s rented. A couple of times a week, I will check my owner’s portal to see when there are openings and to see if I can even stay at my own house.
Before you go, what would you say is the biggest misconception about you?
I think people think I’m really hard, but I’m actually a soft, nurturing person. I’m strong, but that’s because I’ve had to be my entire life. At the end of the day, I cultivate a lot of love and generosity around me.
