Shayne Davis joins Vanderpump Rules, using the show as therapy to check his ego.
Vanderpump Rules Season 12
Would you let a camera crew follow you to your AA meetings, your family fights, and your worst romantic blunders just to see if you’re actually a “good person”?
For Shayne Davis, the newest face on Vanderpump Rules Season 12, that isn’t a hypothetical question—it’s his Tuesday night.
The Outsider Looking In
When Bravo announced a total scorched-earth reboot of VPR in late 2024, fans were skeptical.
How do you replace a decade of “Scandoval” and messy history? Enter Shayne Davis. Unlike the rest of the fresh-faced cast, Davis doesn’t clock in at SUR.
He’s the outsider, the friend of a friend, and the man who almost said “no” to the circus.
“I know what my life looks like, and it ain’t always great,” Davis admitted to PEOPLE. His hesitation is the most relatable thing about the new season.
In a world of thirsty influencers, Davis seems genuinely terrified of what the lens might capture.
Sobriety in the Lion’s Den
What makes Davis’s journey particularly high-stakes is his three years of sobriety. Vanderpump Rules built its empire on a foundation of tequila shots and hungover confrontations.
Davis, however, spends his time at AA meetings on the very same West Hollywood streets where his costars are partying.
He didn’t join for the fame; he joined for backup. His longtime friend Marcus Johnson—a SUR veteran since 2021—was heading into the reality TV “war,” and Davis couldn’t let him go it alone.
It’s a refreshingly masculine take on loyalty that feels different from the calculated alliances of seasons past.
The Mirror Effect
Davis is leaning into a concept most reality stars spend thousands on PR to avoid: Total Transparency. The Self-Reflection: He’s using the show as a radical form of therapy.
If he looks like a “s—– dude” on screen, he plans to use that footage as a blueprint for who not to be.
- The “Blackout” Factor: He admits to forgetting the cameras are there, leading to moments he describes as “sometimes really bad.”
- The New Guard: Along with names like Venus Binkley and Jason Cohen, Davis is tasked with proving that the SUR brand is bigger than the original “Vanderpump” legends.
The Post-Sandoval Vacuum
Following in the footsteps of Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval is a thankless job.
The original cast was informed of their exit just 24 hours before the new guard took over.
This creates a unique pressure for Davis. He isn’t just a new cast member; he is the “control group” for the experiment.
Since he doesn’t work for Lisa Vanderpump, his loyalty isn’t bought—it’s earned.
Embrace the Villain Edit
Conventional wisdom says you should always try to look your best on camera. Davis is doing the opposite.
By openly wondering if he’s a “s—– guy,” he’s effectively disarming the critics.
You can’t “cancel” someone who is already auditing their own soul.
Key Takeaway:
The most “real” reality stars aren’t the ones who act perfectly; they’re the ones who are brave enough to be caught being human.
As Season 12 unfolds on Bravo and Peacock, Shayne Davis might find that the “war” he signed up for isn’t with his costars—it’s with his own reflection. Whether he likes what he sees or not, he’s given us a reason to keep watching SUR.
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