MTV’s “The Real Friends of WeHo” Cast Member Chris Salvatore Allegedly Fired in Production Due to OF Account

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Reality show The Real Friends of WeHo  premieres tomorrow night on MTV. The show features Brad Goreski, former star of The Rachel Zoe Project, actor Curtis Hamilton of Insecure, Dorión Renaud, CEO/founder of Buttah Skin, choreographer Todrick Hall, influencer Joey Zauzig, and Jaymes Vaughan, formerly of Access Hollywood.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 05: Jaymes Vaughan, Brad Goreski, Todrick Hall, Joey Zauzig and Curtis Hamilton attend the ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 Premiere’ at Conrad New York on January 05, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

The friend who mysteriously went missing from the show during production was actor Chris Salvatore, who has come forward and alleged that the cast refused to film with him due to his career on OnlyFans. Salvatore could not be reached for comment at this time.

Fans of the new show’s cast were disappointed to learn that Salvatore would no longer be included. Media personality Perez Hilton took Salvatore’s side.

Brad Goreski clarified on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen that he was not one of the cast members to bar Salvatore from filming, as he believes OnlyFans shouldn’t deter people from other opportunities. Goreski also spoke kindly of Salvatore’s friendship with an elderly neighbor of his, who he befriended in 2020.

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@chrissalvatore

My Neighbor Norma – Part 2 #myneighbornorma #kindness #caretaker #elderly #love #inspirational #soulmate #bestfriend

♬ Happy Background – TimTaj

Many clapped back that to minimize Chris’s personality and career to his OnlyFans account was dehumanizing and petty of the original cast.

The exclusion of Salvatore is only a precursor to the controversies this show drummed up. Some LGBTQ+ fans of other MTV shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race have taken to social media to criticize the negative reputation they feel the show could bring to the gay community.

@giletslays

Are you gonna watch this? #friendsofweho #realitytv #breakdown #greenscreen #fyp

♬ original sound – Anthony Gilét

The show seems to be modeled after Bravo’s Real Housewives. People were quick to call out the lack of authentic friendships on the show, going as far as calling it “gay content for straight people.”

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@dylan.horner

MTV why… #mtv #realfriendsofweho #realitytv #gay #greenscreen

♬ original sound – Dylan

Joey Zauzig took to TikTok to clear up his lack of involvement in Chris Salvatore’s firing.

@joeyzauzig

Replying to @thasklassy

♬ original sound – Joey Zauzig

The show has received so much backlash that fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race made a petition to bring back the show’s 90 minute episodes to bump The Real Friends of WeHo from their time slot.

@tommyitaliano_

Do you think #RPDR should be cut for The Real Friends of WeHo? ???? #dragrace #rupaul #realfriendsofweho #todrickhall #rupaulsdragrace @Kris Avalon @Anthony Gilét

♬ Breaking News – Breaking News

Recent Sex Workers in Television

Chloe Cherry, an adult actress, was famously cast in Sam Levinson’s acclaimed HBO show Euphoria, opposite a star studded cast including Zendaya, Hunter Schaefer, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi and more. Cherry’s past as an adult film actress has been discussed in interviews, and appears to be viewed as a part of her life that doesn’t block her from other opportunities.

Cherry’s humorous personality has been celebrated by fans of Euphoria, and Cherry has even walked in major fashion shows for brands like Versace and Yves Saint Laurent.

Cherry recently spoke on her personal life and her thoughts on hookup culture on model Emily Ratajkowski’s podcast. Cherry has been applauded for changing the public’s view on sex work and paving the way for other adult entertainers to transition to television and film roles.

@brokemagazine

never thought we’d see chloe cherry and emrata together ???? #chloecherry #emrata #emilyratajkowski #emratapodcast #brokemagazine #popculture #popculturenews • • • ???? emrata

♬ original sound – Broke Magazine

The evolving perspective on sex work from modern media is why it is puzzling that Chris Salvatore was let go from The Real Friends of WeHo. Cherry is an example of how sex work has become more respected by the general public in recent years, and it is likely that Salvatore’s OnlyFans would not have impacted viewership of the show. This is what has led many MTV fans to suspect that Salvatore’s firing could have been the result of a more personal problem with one of the cast members.

A Deeper Look at the Cast

The cast is specifically made up of millennial gay men whose careers Many of the cast members bring their own past scandals to the show–and do not plan on holding back on discussing them. Brad Goreski was an assistant to celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, and the pair parted ways in 2010. Goreski was able to drum up a celebrity client base, and even had his own reality show for two seasons, It’s a Brad Brad World. He later judged Canada’s Drag Race.

@realfriendsmtv

“Girl, my biggest goal is to get through the season!” ???? Meet @bradgoreski before The #RealFriendsOfWeHo premieres Friday, January 20th at 9p on @mtv ✨ #realitytv #bradgoreski #mtv

♬ original sound – The Real Friends of WeHo

Choreographer Todrick Hall has found himself at the center of a few different controversies. In 2022 he was criticized for allegedly not paying his dancers, and for threatening to expose a fellow Big Brother contestant’s HIV positive status. He was also accused of sexualizing his dancers, and of speaking poorly of Taylor Swift’s talent before he collaborated with her on her “Look What You Made Me Do” music video.

@doubleminority

Reply to @amytstoneburner Final part! Thank y’all so much for supporting me!!! #celebritybigbrother #bigbrother #todrickhall #blacktiktokcommunity

♬ Lo-fi hip hop – NAO-K

While Hall created a Taylor Swift medley in 2022 and continues to voice his support for the singer publicly, some of his critics allege otherwise.

@todrick

????

♬ original sound – TODRICK

@danadavisii

Todrick Hall is not friends with Taylor Swift. His Gaslighting needs to end today. #TodrickExposedParty #taylorswift #swifties #TodrickExposedParty #Fyp #fypシ #lgbt #gay #BB #BigBrother #CBB @todrick

♬ Luxury fashion (no vocals) – TimTaj

Todrick was famously caught in the middle of a Katy Perry and Taylor Swift feud that ended in 2019 when Swift featured Perry in the music video for her song “You Need to Calm Down.” Swift alleged that Perry attempted to steal her tour dancers (Hall included) for her own tour.

Despite his own controversies, Hall spoke to Access Hollywood about the importance of forgiveness in the entertainment industry.

Jaymes Vaughan is  an entertainment host who has worked with Access Hollywood and Celebrity Page. Vaughan recently married actor Jonathan Bennett, known for his iconic early 00s role as Aaron Samuels in Mean Girls opposite Lindsay Lohan. Bennett recently made history for appearing in the first LGBTQ+ led Christmas movie on Hallmark, The Holiday Sitter.

Actor Curtis Hamilton’s recent credits include roles in Insecure and the Kings of Napa. He also played Dr. Dre in the 2016 film Surviving Compton. Hamilton recently came out as gay with the announcement of the show. He said that he hopes to continue to be an advocate for diverse, queer-focused stories.

@realfriendsmtv

“If I could talk to my younger self, I’d let him know everything is gonna be okay.” ???? Meet Curtis Hamilton before The #RealFriendsOfWeHo premieres Friday, January 20th at 9p on @mtv ???? #realitytv #mtv #fyp

♬ original sound – The Real Friends of WeHo

Dorion Renaud is an entrepreneur who recently entered the skincare industry with his brand Buttah Skin. Last, Joey Zauzig is an influencer who has amassed a large following on TikTok for his relatable and inspirational content.

@joeyzauzig

Never gets old

♬ original sound – Joey Zauzig

The Real Friends of WeHo premieres on MTV tomorrow night after a new episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Despite the show’s pre-premiere controversies, the cast has continued to be open about themselves on social media, and invite viewers to watch the program before making their own judgement call. After all, they’re just trying to keep it real.

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