Southern Hospitality’s Emmy Didn’t ‘Betray’ Maddi With Promotion

Southern Hospitality’s Emmy Sharrett denies going behind Maddi Reese’s back to get her job promotion at Republic Garden & Lounge.

“I definitely feel a little betrayed by her,” Maddi, 26, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of season 2 of Southern Hospitality, noting that when she saw the trailer for the show she realized Emmy, 25, might be coming for her job.

Emmy, however, exclusively told Us that she wasn’t looking to hurt Maddi when she told their boss, Leva Bonaparte, she was working to become a bigger part in the Charleston club.

“It wasn’t betrayal. It was gradually over time, Maddi stopped doing the responsibility of her job,” Emmy explained, claiming, “I genuinely did not think that I was going to be a leader in any capacity. And the next thing I know, all these girls were looking to me to get stuff done. I just over time became that leader.”

Emmy recalled the transition taking place over summer 2023. “I’m like, ‘Why am I doing all this work if I don’t have this title?’” she confessed. “People were just like, ‘You’d be phenomenal as a VIP manager.’ And I’m like, ‘You know what, we don’t even really have one right now, so why not try and be one?’”

Emmy alleged that “Maddi’s priorities were less and less about Republic” as she worked on her DJ career. “You cannot be managing a company while DJing all over while you’re trying to grow that career. It’s just not possible. So with that expanding, I could just see it being an easy way for her to let VIP manager go and pursue that,” Emmy told Us. “But I think a big part of it was her ego got in the way.”

Emmy’s boyfriend, Will Kulp, also pointed the blame at Maddi for Emmy swooping in at Republic. “I also think that the only person Maddi should feel betrayed by is herself because she’s the one who dropped the ball,” Will, 26, said. “It’s very typical of Maddi to start pointing fingers instead of looking in the mirror.”

Emmy quipped, “I mean, she kind of handed it to me, but did know that I was going to take it.”

During the Thursday, February 8, episode of the Bravo series, viewers learned that Emmy was given the title of assistant general manager (AGM), which means she oversees both Maddi and Joe Bradley, who are VIP managers.

The promotion was even more than Emmy had asked boss Leva, 44, for at the beginning of the season — and it rubbed Maddi and Joe, 27, the wrong way.

“L-O f–king L,” Maddi said on the episode after Leva announced Emmy’s new role. “There’s no way Emmy f–king deserves it. She has no idea what an assistant general does. I will always be the bitch that runs the bitch, I don’t care what her title is.”

Joe was taken back by Emmy’s jump, telling her, “I’m happy for you, but you’re not my boss.” As the night progressed, Joe got even more upset by the news. He vented to Maddi, saying, “I just don’t like how she pranced in with her yellow dress on like, ‘I’m your boss now.’ Yeah f–king right. You’re not my f–king boss.”

Joe quipped, “I’d rather be a DJ and Joey Bottles than an assistant to the general manager.” Maddi fired back, “Yeah, no, it’s laughable,” to which Joe replied, “F–k that. That’s hilarious.”

Although Emmy has been in charge for months now, Joe exclusively told Us in January that he thinks she could have handled the transition better.

“Emmy just [went] about it the wrong way and it [brushed] me and Maddi off the wrong way because me and Maddi are the ones that got her the job,” Joe confessed. “What Maddi always says is, ‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.’ So, you can get promoted, but do it in the right way where you’re not pissing people off.”

Southern Hospitality airs on Bravo Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi