Carl Radke is proud of his pearly whites.
The “Summer House” star tells Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” that he is “happy with” his veneers despite criticism from fans — and even a castmate — over his dazzling new smile.
“Dental stuff is hard. I didn’t get my teeth fixed just because I’m on a reality TV show. The teeth that I was born with had been chipped, had been damaged and then the roots were resorbing — which means they’re dying,” says Radke, 40, whose dental woes were caused by accidents sustained during his childhood.
The Bravolebrity — who was hit in the face with a hockey stick and baseball as an adolescent — says that the injuries not only impacted the shape of his teeth but their color as well.
“At some point early on in ‘Summer House,’ in Season 1, I actually was kind of made fun of for having yellow teeth at the time because those were my natural teeth. That’s how they looked,” he recalls.
“When you get hit in the face a few times, they naturally can discolor. So being on reality TV, I was kind of given a hard time about having yellow teeth my first season.”
Over the years, Radke consulted with dentists and surgeons to improve the appearance of his smile. It was eventually determined that porcelain veneers would be the best option to achieve his desired aesthetic.
The Soft Bar + Cafe founder tells “Virtual Reali-Tea” that his self-esteem has soared since undergoing the procedure in 2022. “I’m a lot more confident and comfortable,” he says.
However, Radke was disappointed when he saw “Summer House” co-star Gabby Prescod take aim at his teeth during a conversation with best friend — and his ex-fiancée — Lindsay Hubbard.
“Him and his, like, big-ass teeth and his non-alc Loverboy is contributing nothing to the party,” she said during the second episode of Season 9, also taking a jab at the sober star’s line of canned mocktails under Kyle Cooke’s beverage brand.
Prescod, 33, even doubted Radke’s ability to dip his toes back into the dating pool after calling things off with Hubbard, 38, the previous summer. “He’s not going to, like, pick up girls,” she asserted.
“I’ve been coming out [to the Hamptons and filming ‘Summer House’] longer than Gabby’s been friends with Lindsay,” says series OG Radke.
“I know we all say s—t, trust me, I’ve said stupid things. I’ve said really rude, nasty things about other people. So I think it’s more of a reflection of Gabby than it is of me,” he concluded.
Radke elaborates, “I don’t really care that much. It’s disappointing but that’s kind of why people love ‘Summer House’ is all the s—t-talking in the bedrooms … Here I am as a 40-year-old man still being made fun of for my teeth.”
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The Pennsylvania native emphasizes that he “actually really [loves]” Prescod and expresses hope that she will find more riveting topics to discuss as Season 9 progresses.
“I think the part that is more interesting is she’s talking about me not drinking, not being any fun, but literally Lindsay’s also not drinking,” he points out of his co-star, who was pregnant at the time.
“And so it’s interesting, the point [Prescod is trying to make],” Radke continues. “I think she brings a lot to the table. And I’m hoping for more from Gabby, more than her talking about my teeth this season.”
Still, he is willing to issue an apology if necessary. “If they’re too big, I’m sorry Gabby,” the entrepreneur says. “It’s something that I’m trying to not let bother me. But I was made fun of a fair amount of my teeth and even in the last year, there’s been a lot of commentary about my teeth. But listen, I’m happy with them.”
“Summer House” airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
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