What do you get when you add the ”Jersey Shore” and “Honey Boo Boo” together? Country Music Television’s (CMT) hit show “Party Down South.” A series about a group of beer-guzzling, gun-toting, cowboy boot-wearing friends that are proud to be called “rednecks,” living under one roof.
“I don’t think redneck is a negative term at all,” “Party Down South’s” Josh Murray told FOX411. “I'm proud of it, hell yeah I am.”
“People will put a negative turn on anything but redneck to me has always been country," fellow cast member Taylor Wright or “Lil Bit” as she is known on the show, told FOX411. "A redneck is no-filter country.”
No filter is right; Wright is known for her outspoken beliefs especially when it comes to her religion. The reality star boasted on the show that she always sleeps with her gun and a Bible nearby.
The 23-year-old’s comment caused quite a stir as many viewers pointed out that the self-titled Christian drinks, dresses scantily and behaves “un-Christian like” on the show.
“I think number one reason I get a lot of hate is because I do express my Christian views,” she said. “Jesus died for our sins because he knew we weren't going to be perfect and I never said I was [perfect] either, I just always said I love Jesus.”
As for the gun laying on her nightstand? “When I got my gun I just set it on my nightstand in case someone breaks into my house, I’m gonna kill em.”
While there may be plenty of drinking and loose behavior on both “Party Down South” and the “Jersey Shore,” the New Jersey-based show is nothing like CMT’s creation, the stars said.
“I understand the comparison because we have the same production company but we’re opposites,” Murray explained. “[Cast member] Daddy summed it up real good. [The ‘Jersey Shore’] has this little thing called gym, tan, laundry.’ We’re rednecks, we have gym, tan liquor.”
“Jersey Shore” also lacks mudding, hunting and fishing. “See I'm more of a fisher but I got no problem with hunting but I don’t like sitting in one spot for hours,” explained Murray.
Both Wright and Murray are glad to see their reality show succeed.
“I don’t have any regrets, everything that we've done with the show has really been fun,” said Murray. “I decided to do the show because it was an opportunity people like me just don’t get. I’m literally a barefoot idiot from a small town.”
Murray may not have any regrets, but he’s not ready to share his wild antics with his 6-year-old son, who he doesn’t allow to watch the show – yet.
“There's a lot of people that still don't know that I have a 6-year-old son,” the single 31-year-old said. “I try to keep him away from the show, I don’t let him watch the show. He’s never seen ‘that Murray’ [on the show because] I don't cuss in front of him and there's no partying. He just knows the cool laid back daddy and when he gets old enough to see it I don’t think it will change his opinion of me.”
Wright said she enjoys when she’s recognized and even though some fans are “creepers,” she’s glad she joined the “Party Down South” cast after going through a rough divorce prior to filming.
“I was going through a divorce and kind of depressed not even really thinking about life at all just living every day and my neighbor saw the casting and he told me about it and he said this is so you and you need to do it,” Wright revealed. “It was awesome for me because [the producers] wanted me when my husband didn't. “
Catch new episodes of “Party Down South” Thursdays on CMT.
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