For those who don’t know, the famous exes have reunited for a fun podcast where they rewatch and break down each episode of Laguna Beach. They dive into which scenarios were real versus which ones were made up for the sake of reality TV.
While dissecting Episode 5, “What Happens in Cabo,” Kristin admitted she felt uncomfortable when the producers filmed her while shopping for bikinis.
“They had us trying on these bathing suits,” Kristin said. “And they made us come out of the dressing room and show off our bathing suits.”
“I was so uncomfortable every second. And watching it back now, ugh. God, I hate it. I hated it!”
Stephen added that rewatching that scene made him feel uncomfortable as well, because the producers were in the dressing room with Kristin and two of her high school friends.
“I was 17. That was crazy! Like, my God,” Kristin added, as she analyzed the situation she was put in at such a young age.
Stephen referenced another example of how Kristin was sexualized on the show, citing Kristin’s opening scene on Laguna Beach‘s first episode, where she’s seen hanging out in the pool in a red bikini — a pool/home they would later reveal wasn’t even hers.
Kristin followed up by adding that they never showed Lauren Conrad trying on bikinis, playing into the roles the creators gave them: Lauren was the good girl and Kristin was the “wild woman with loose morals.”
They even made Kristin comment on a thong bikini and how she would never wear one to set up Lauren’s future comment about Kristin dancing on a bar in Cabo while wearing a thong and a jean skirt.
Throughout the podcast, the Uncommon James founder has commented about the way her character was painted on the show and how they never really captured her true personality.
This podcast has been so eye-opening and entertaining to listen to, not only because Laguna Beach is one of my favorite reality TV shows, but also because you learn so much about what was really happening behind the scenes.
Dear Media
To learn more about Laguna Beach and the cast, check out Back to the Beach with Kristin and Stephen. New episodes air every Tuesday. And if you’re thinking about rewatching the reality series along with Kristin and Stephen, it’s currently streaming on Paramount+.
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