Paige DeSorbo’s ‘Summer House’ Redemption Proves She’s a Force

For years, Summer House fans have known Paige DeSorbo as the girl who “doesn’t leave her bed.” Her reluctance to partake in the wild, booze-fueled party nights that define the show has led to an unfair narrative: that she is lazy, disengaged, and lacks ambition. Meanwhile, her critics have ignored the empire she has been quietly building behind the scenes. But this season? That tired storyline is finally being put to rest and both Paige, and her career, are getting the attention and respect that they deserve.

Paige is stepping into her power, and for the first time, Summer House is actually acknowledging it. While cast members have spent seasons dismissing her career, the success of her podcast Giggly Squad—which she co-hosts with ex-Summer House star Hannah Berner—has become impossible to ignore. From sold-out live tours, countless opportunities within the fashion industry, a partnership with Amazon Live, her own Amazon mini-show and now an upcoming book, Paige has built a community of women who resonate with her humor, wit, and unfiltered takes on pop culture. But it wasn’t until this season that Summer House even addressed her success, likely due to the show’s reluctance to acknowledge anything connected to Hannah, who had a messy exit from the franchise.

Now, Paige’s professional success is front and center, but unfortunately, it’s coming up in the context of a very different storyline—her rocky relationship with now ex-boyfriend Craig Conover. The girl who “never left her bed” is now facing scrutiny not for supposed laziness, but for her growing success—and the effect it has had on her relationship. It’s a little difficult for this narrative that Paige doesn’t work and is lazy to continue when her professional success, drive and independence are a consistent point of contention for Craig.

The Narrative Is Finally Shifting

From the moment Paige and Craig got together, they seemed to be an unlikely pairing but a fan-favorite match: the fashion-obsessed New Yorker and the laid-back, southern-living Southern Charm star. At first, they appeared to be long-distance couple goals. But as time went on, cracks began to show—cracks that are now being fully exposed this season on both Summer House and Southern Charm. The biggest one? Craig’s complete lack of support for Paige’s career.

Paige has always presented a very united front when it comes to her relationship. Even in previous seasons, when there were rumors and moments of tension, she never let the audience see the full extent of her personal struggles. Based on her interactions with her friends and cast members, it didn’t appear that she was even confiding in them about any issues. Giggly Squad episodes rarely focused on any issues within her relationship either. But this season, that is shifting. Paige is being more open than ever about how difficult Craig has made it for her to happily thrive in her career. The subtle digs, the dismissive attitude, the expectation that she should drop everything to accommodate his world—it’s all finally coming to light. And Summer House fans are here for it.

One of the most telling aspects of their relationship issues is Craig’s reaction to Giggly Squad’s success. While Paige’s work has never been a major topic on the show, or a topic at all for that matter, the moment it started getting recognition, it became a point of contention between her and Craig. Whether it’s his passive-aggressive comments or his visible frustration when Paige prioritizes her work over his plans, it’s clear that he isn’t fully supportive of her success. And that, more than anything, is what has left Summer House viewers frustrated.

Women On Summer House Are Often Overlooked

For so long, the Summer House women have had to defend their careers and ambitions while the men in the house get praised for even the bare minimum. While Kyle Cooke and Carl Radke’s work at Loverboy has been a major storyline, and while we’ve seen Amanda Batula’s role in the company evolve, Paige’s career was barely acknowledged for years. Within Loverboy, the narrative has always been that Kyle is a workhorse and Amanda is lazy and contributes little to the day-to-day, despite the fact that she is responsible for creating all the amazing graphics that make Loverboy stand out as a brand and the merch that helped get them through COVID. Even Lindsay Hubbard, who built a successful PR company, which she has now parlayed into a career as an influencer as well, has faced scrutiny for prioritizing work over partying. Now, with Paige’s work finally in the spotlight, we’re seeing that double standard play out in real-time.

Craig’s jealousy, whether conscious or not, speaks to a larger issue—men who claim they want ambitious, successful partners but crumble when their success surpasses their own. For all of Craig’s talk about building an empire with Sewing Down South, he seems uncomfortable with Paige building her own. The narrative that Paige is somehow less of a hard worker because she doesn’t adhere to traditional work hours or corporate culture is outdated and dismissive. Giggly Squad has become a female-driven powerhouse, proving that success doesn’t always look like an office job with a 9-to-5 schedule.

Of course, it would be impossible to ignore the elephant in the room—Paige and Craig’s recent breakup. Rumors swirled that Paige had cheated, with Southern Charm cast members quick to add fuel to the fire. But as Summer House is airing, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that their relationship was already on its last legs. The way Craig speaks about her career, the way he challenges her priorities, the way he struggles to celebrate her wins—it all points to a relationship that was doomed not because of infidelity, but because of fundamental incompatibility.

Paige Is NOT Apologizing For Her Success

For years, Paige has been underestimated. But this season, she’s proving exactly why she’s a force to be reckoned with. She’s built a successful career on her own terms, she’s finally being honest about the struggles in her relationship, and she’s showing that success doesn’t mean conforming to outdated expectations.

If Summer House has been Paige’s slow-burn redemption arc, this season is the climax. The narrative is shifting, and for the first time, she’s being seen for what she truly is—not just the girl who “doesn’t leave her bed,” but a savvy woman in business, a fiercely independent woman, and someone who refuses to dim her light for anyone, especially not a man who can’t handle it.

One thing is clear: Paige’s star is only rising, and no amount of dismissive comments or passive-aggressive boyfriend drama is going to slow her down.Summer House can be streamed on Peacock.