Jeff Lewis is officially making his return to reality TV.
USA TODAY has an exclusive first look at Lewis’ new Bravo show, “Still Flipping Out,” ahead of its highly-anticipated Sept. 28 premiere. The series comes eight years after the original “Flipping Out” series concluded and nearly two decades since Lewis, 56, began his Bravo career in 2007.
While Lewis says his life “has changed pretty drastically,” the super tease proves his sarcastic humor, out-of-pocket remarks and blurred lines between his personal and professional lives remain the same.
In true Jeff Lewis fashion, the teaser kicks off with him pushing back after a producer asks him to say, “I’m back on Bravo, did you miss me?”
“No, that’s stupid. I’m not gonna do that,” Lewis declares.
Since viewers last saw him, his radio show, “Jeff Lewis Live,” has taken off. It airs for two hours every weekday on SiriusXM’s “Radio Andy” and features a variety of celebrity guests, including fellow Bravo-lebrities like Meredith Marks from “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” Cynthia Bailey from “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and Mercedeh “MJ” Javid from “The Valley: Persian Style.”
“I never expected the radio show to be as successful as it is,” Lewis says, adding that his team of co-hosts, whom he calls the “Chumps,” are a “close-knit group that know each other intimately.”
“Shane is inappropriate. Cian is inappropriate. Annie’s inappropriate. Justin’s inappropriate,” Lewis says, naming off the Chumps. He even teases that Aurora Chavez, the sister of his former beloved housekeeper Zoila, is also inappropriate.
“Jeff is inappropriate,” chief-of-staff Shane Douglas adds after acknowledging, “Jeff does love to poke, but that’s part of the game.” Social media manager Annie Sharp agrees, noting, “There’s no telling what he’s gonna say.”
They also refer to the fanbase as Chumps, which Lewis jokes is “a cult – but we’ll call it community.”
In addition to his radio career, Lewis continues to work as an interior designer. But now, “I’m picky about my design clients,” he says as the cameras cut to a scene of him telling a client he quits.
The chaos spills over into dynamics outside of work, too. In one clip, Chump Joey Zauzig gets into a screaming match with “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum Crystal Minkoff after he claims no one was texting, calling or checking in on him.
“Are you out of your mind?” Minkoff shouts back.
“He created this great community,” Douglas says. “But if Jeff decides that he’s no longer going to invest in a friendship or relationship, he is able to cut them out.” Chump and Lewis’ SiriusXM show producer Jamison Scala adds, “It’s everyone for themselves.”
Lewis knows he can be “petty,” even though he says, “I don’t want to be.” However, between his employees pushing his “three strike” rule to firing someone for messing up lunch orders and making “mistakes with my money,” Lewis’ patience proves to be running low.
“I’m afraid that I will explode,” Lewis says as the trailer comes to an end.
“Still Flipping Out” premieres Monday, Sept. 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo and streams the next day on Peacock.