What The Cameras Don't Show You On Chrisley Knows Best
On Chrisley Knows Best, what don't the cameras show you? One of America's favorite TV families, the Chrisleys are a proud southern unit, known for unabashedly sharing the hilarious highs and heartbreaking lows of their everyday, albeit charmed, life. The reality sensation, which aired its eighth season on USA in 2020 (via Tennessean), revolves around patriarch and real estate bigwig Todd Chrisley, his wife, Julie Chrisley, and their hilarious children: Chase, Savannah, and Grayson Chrisley. It also documents the lives of granddaughter Chloe Chrisley, and Todd's mom, Nanny Faye Chrisley.
The Chrisleys first gained recognition in 2014, when Chrisley Knows Best aired on USA, after multiple network offered to put the family on the small screen. "They said they felt like our family was a show, that there was something there," Todd told OK! magazine. "I always knew there was some crazy."
Though the Chrisleys are pretty candid on the show, there's a lot that the USA cameras don't show you — everything from the family's financial troubles (via People) to the criticism they face from online trolls. You may think you know a lot about this southern family, but we're here to give you all the tea.
The Chrisleys' faith is important to them, but cameras don't show that all the time
Christianity is important for each of the Chrisleys, but the cameras don't show you the extent of it. If you follow any one of the Chrisley Knows Best stars on social media, you'd learn that faith is everything to them. Notably, in April 2020, after recovering from COVID-19, Todd Chrisley posted a bible verse on his Instagram account on Easter Sunday. Julie Chrisley has also shared inspiring religious posts on Instagram, as has Savannah Chrisley.
Chase Chrisley is also a man of faith, both on and off camera. In fact, his first tattoo was a bible verse; USA cameras captured the day Chase got the ink – as well as the day Todd forced Chase Chrisley to remove his tattoo — and here's the reason why. "Well, here's my thing. I paid for him to go a private Christian school his entire life," Todd told People. "So if he doesn't know that Bible verse by now and he has to use his body as a cheat sheet, then I need a refund from the school that I sent him to!"
The Chrisleys may live large on the show, but the cameras don't show you they've dealt with money problems
The Chrisleys were instant #familygoals when Chrisley Knows Best premiered. Dubbed the "patriarch of perfection" during the Season 1 teaser, viewers learned that Todd Chrisley is a self-made multi-millionaire. He and his family lived in a 30,000 square-foot Atlanta mansion, as per USA. Life seemed perfect on-screen, but the cameras didn't show you that the Chrisleys were dealing with financial problems.
According to People, Todd filed for bankruptcy in 2012 — and his debts totaled a whopping $49.4 million. Then, in 2019, Todd and Julie Chrisley faced "a federal indictment for tax evasion and other financial offenses, charges that could lead to jail time," per E! News. Yikes!
In response to the revelations, Todd's attorney told E! News that the Chrisleys are innocent, adding: "The allegations contained in the indictment are based on complete falsehoods." Additionally, the Chrisleys seem to be doing well as of Season 8 of Chrisley Knows Best, living in a smaller, but still extravagant 11,000 square-foot home in Brentwood, Tennessee, according to Tennessean. It makes you wonder how much the Chrisley family is worth.
Despite their tight bond on screen, the cameras don't show you that the Chrisleys aren't all super close
Though the Chrisley family seems super close on-screen, the cameras don't show you that things aren't all peachy keen with the entire bunch. While Todd Chrisley has a good relationship with the children he shares with Julie Chrisley, his relationship with his oldest daughter, Lindsie Chrisley (from his previous marriage) is pretty much nonexistent, according to USA Today. Though Lindsie did appear on earlier seasons of Chrisley Knows Best, she left the show in 2017; she later said on her podcast, Coffee Convos, that she felt like the "outcast" of her family (via Distractify).
Things got worse two years later, when Lindsie alleged that Todd and Chase Chrisley were blackmailing her with a sex tape she made, as noted by TMZ. According to the police report, Lindsie said that her father and brother threatened to release a sex tape with her on it if she didn't lie about the family's tax issues.
In response, Todd denied his daughter's allegations, and said in his Chrisley Confessions podcast (via USA Today) that he hopes to make amends with his daughter Lindsie.
The Chrisley clan always defend one of their own, which the cameras don't show you
For the most part, the Chrisley family sticks together, especially when online trolls threaten any one of them, which the cameras don't show you. That was surely the case when Todd Chrisley's biracial granddaughter, Chloe Chrisley — daughter of Todd's son, Kyle Chrisley, also from his first marriage — was a target of racism in the summer of 2020.
Todd defended his granddaughter, whom he shares custody of with his wife, Julie Chrisley, after an online hater responded sourly to an Instagram selfie of Todd and Chloe. The Chrisley Knows Best star captioned the photo with words showing support for the anti-racism movement. In a comment on the post, a particularly mean-spirited user wrote (via Prevention): "I'm sorry, I don't like it. Marry your own color, it really screws up the kids." In response to the vitriol, Todd took the high road: "I hope that the Lord lets you live long enough to see that color doesn't screw kids up, but ignorance and hate most certainly will." Way to shut them down, Todd!
The cameras don't show you that Todd Chrisley is often questioned about his sexuality
For more than 20 years, Chrisley Knows Best star Todd Chrisley has called Julie Chrisley his wife, and their marital ups and downs are often featured on the show. However, that doesn't stop viewers from doubting Todd's heterosexuality. Sure, he may love fashion, and according to his wife, he's a metrosexual (meaning he cares about his appearance, but that doesn't mean he's gay).
Todd said as much during an interview with The Domenick Nati Show in 2017, and revealed that he doesn't take the rumors to heart. "In order for it to disappoint me, it would mean that I don't agree with someone being gay," he explained. "I don't believe that's a choice that you make. I believe that you are the way that God has made you."
Always the funny man, Todd went on to say that he and his wife are actually flattered by the rumors. "I'm flattered that people think I can get laid on both ends," he continued. "And my wife certainly is flattered that as many men want her husband as there are women."
Savannah Chrisley doesn't necessarily like watching certain episodes, which the cameras don't show you
A movie night at the Chrisleys may involve watching the latest Chrisley Knows Best episode, but Savannah Chrisley — who's undergone a stunning transformation — probably won't want to tune in to some of it. Savannah Chrisley got engaged to Nic Kerdiles in 2019, after they dated for two years, according to E! News. However, the duo called off the wedding in early 2020, and a good chunk of the fallout is documented on Season 8 of the popular reality show.
Savannah told E! News she's unsure as to whether she wants to relive the heartbreak by watching footage of that event. "We're not going forward with the wedding right now, so it's hard to watch that on TV," she revealed. Savannah also isn't excited to hear opinions and criticisms from viewers either. "The hard part too is that people only see the 30 minutes of something and love to come at you on social media, be hateful, and kind of give their opinions where they're not really needed," she continued. Some things are better left unwatched.
The cameras don't show you that Todd Chrisley credits Chrisley Knows Best for much of his children's successes
The cameras don't show you that the success of Chrisley Knows Best led to the successful careers for two of the oldest Chrisley kids: Savannah and Chase Chrisley. At 23, Savannah, along with TV host Giuliana Rancic, launched a fashion line – Faith Over Fear – on HSN. "It's such a wonderful feeling as a parent to be able to live long enough to see your child's dreams, that they've worked so hard for, to actually start coming true," Todd Chrisley gushed in a joint video interview with Savannah on his YouTube channel. He added that while the show provided a platform for Faith Over Fear to become a reality, his daughter's work ethic made it possible.
Chase, who's a year older than Savannah, tried his hand at acting, an experience that was documented on his and Savannah's very own spin-off series, Growing Up Chrisley. However, he's not pursuing that any further, and seems to have become quite the social media influencer; he millions of Instagram followers, and over 400,000 followers on TikTok. Not bad for a pair of 20-somethings!
The cameras don't show you that growing up in the public eye wasn't always easy for the Chrisley kids
The Chrisleys may look relaxed at home while a camera crew is filming their every move for Chrisley Knows Best, but the scrutiny hasn't always been easy for the family. The latter is especially true for the younger members of the Chrisley bunch, like Savannah and Chase Chrisley, which the cameras don't show you.
The siblings opened up to People in 2020 ahead of the Season 8 premiere; both now in their 20s, Chase admitted that fame made them grow up faster. "I know I've made my fair share of mistakes, and learning how to bounce back and just grow from each mistake," he revealed. "It's a little bit different because every time we screw up it's in the public eye."
Savannah agreed, and said she used to feel the need to be perfect all the time, especially in front of the cameras. "I've put a lot of pressure on myself in order to live this perfect life and not disappoint people," she explained. Despite their unconventional childhood, we think they turned out OK.
The cameras don't show you that the Chrisleys inspired another famous family to try reality TV
In 2020, Season 1 of a series entitled DeMarcus Family Rules dropped on Netflix. The reality show documents the life of Rascal Flatts member Jay DeMarcus and his family, and is similar in style to Chrisley Knows Best. So it's no surprise to learn that Todd Chrisley is actually the show's executive producer, as per E! News.
According to Jay's wife, Allison DeMarcus, Todd and Julie Chrisley gave the Nashville family advice before they embarked on their own reality TV journey. "[Todd] has been an integral part of the process and we are truly grateful for that because him and Julie are fine, fine people," she said. Additionally, Jay said Chrisley Knows Best fans will love DeMarcus Family Rules, adding, "It has a lot of the same heart in it, love for family and unpredictable moments."
Jay first got a taste of reality TV fame when he guest starred on Chrisley Knows Best, even playing golf against Todd and Chase Chrisley in a Season 5 episode. Only time will tell how the DeMarcus family will fare as reality TV stars.
The cameras don't show you that even when they aren't filming, the Chrisleys love sharing their life with fans
Even when the cameras stop rolling, Todd and Julie Chrisley are still very much in the public eye, documenting their everyday lives on social media. And we don't mind that one bit, especially when Chrisley Knows Best is on hiatus. Todd even has his own YouTube Channel (Todd Chrisley Official) and a podcast with his wife — Chrisley Confessions — which often features special guests.
Savannah and Chase Chrisley also document their lives on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Savannah, who has more than two million Instagram followers, loves posting family photos and high-fashion glossy portraits of herself. So does her brother Chase, who has over a million followers on Instagram; he uses the platform to share his love of golf and family, and to promote Chrisley Knows Best. Furthermore, both siblings are often featured on each other's feeds, showing how close they are, which the cameras don't always show you.
Chrisley Knows Best stars deal with social media trolls all the time, and the cameras don't show you this
While fame comes with tons of benefits, it also has cons like internet trolls, as the stars of Chrisley Knows Best can attest to. For example, in the summer of 2020, Todd Chrisley posted a bed selfie that looked nothing like him on Instagram. But his youthful appearance prompted some followers to suggest he'd had plastic surgery. According to People, Todd clapped back at the haters who insinuated he went under the knife: "You are so kind," he wrote. "I actually have no filler in my face, but if you sleep better thinking that, then consider me fillered up."
In May of 2020, Savannah Chrisley was also criticized by fans for posting beach selfies with her friends during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whatever the Chrisleys do, as long as they share it with fans, criticism will most likely follow. Luckily, they try not to let it bother them. As Savannah put it to People: "Right now, I'm at a place where I want to live my life for myself and not be so fixated on what people think."
The cameras don't show you that Savannah Chrisley had major health issues
Ever since Savannah Chrisley was a teenager, she's suffered from endometriosis, which is a debilitating condition that affects women's reproductive systems, per the Mayo Clinic. However, Chrisley Knows Best fans wouldn't have known that, as the cameras didn't show her battle to viewers. Instead, Savannah chose to keep her long-time struggle to herself and family because she felt "discouraged" to go public, according to People.
However, in 2020, Savannah opened up to fans on Instagram about her endometriosis, after she underwent her third surgery to remove it from her "uterus, ovaries, bladder, and other nearby areas." Her condition was so painful, she told People, that "there were days when I couldn't get out of bed, and the pain was so bad that I would get nauseous and throw up." It even led her to develop anxiety and depression.
Fortunately, Savannah was nicely surprised to receive an outpouring of support. "A lot of other women have messaged me on Instagram about it and shared their stories," she continued. "It's been really uplifting." We're rooting for you, Savannah!
Is Chrisley Knows Best scripted?
Out of all the Chrisleys, there's probably no one more funny or outspoken than Todd Chrisley. The Chrisley Knows Best star is famous for dishing out funny one-liners and dad jokes with great comedic timing on-camera, like this one: "What happens at four o'clock in the morning, you're reminded of nine months later," (via E! News).
Todd is so funny that doubters have questioned whether or not those are his jokes — and they night not be. "Todd uses a team of comedy writers for his show, and has been using them to write dialogue for several seasons," a source told RadarOnline. "Todd does not come up with this stuff on his own, and is not as funny as people think."
But, according to a Southern Living writer, who interviewed the doting father in 2015, Todd is just as funny and quotable as he is on the show. "The show isn't scripted," they wrote. "Difficult as it might be to believe, [Todd] Chrisley speaks this crisply, this quotably." But if the show is scripted, the cameras won't show you.
The Chrisleys feel privileged to be able to share their lives on-screen
Despite all the naysayers and negativity, Chrisley Knows Best star and mom Julie Chrisley says she's grateful for the show and all it's done done for her family. "I want our fans to know that we, as a family, feel blessed that you bring us into your lives each week," she revealed in an interview with she told StyleBlueprint. "We consider this a privilege that you allow us to live out our lives and hopefully impact others in a positive way." She added that she's taught her children to view the show as a "blessing," and a reason to "pay it forward" to others.
Savannah Chrisley is already paying it forward by being open with her health struggles to help other women. "Growing up on TV has had it's pros and cons, but overall it's given us a platform to help others and meet a lot of people," she explained to People. "I don't think we can complain too much."
Though the Chrisleys are far from perfect, that's what makes them lovable on and off the screen.