Ridgeland man to appear on reality show | People

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Ridgeland native Tripp Davis never thought he would appear in a magazine, have a photoshoot in New York or be on a reality TV show -- but that’s exactly what happened and it all started less than a year ago.

Davis’ friend nominated him last fall for Cosmopolitan magazine’s annual America’s Sexiest Bachelor contest. He was selected to represent Mississippi and his life hasn’t been the same since.

He and the 50 other sexiest bachelors flew to New York for several days in October for a party, photo shoot and press premiere.  All of the men were featured in the November 2010 Cosmopolitan, which has music artist Katy Perry on the cover.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Mississippi bred Davis, 27, but what happened next was even more unexpected.

“At first I thought it was a joke. I’m always skeptical,” he said.

He got an email from Country Music Television, or CMT, asking him to audition to be on an upcoming reality TV show called Sweet Home Alabama.

“I’ve always wanted to go and be on reality TV,” Davis said. He added “what’s the worst that could happen?”

Davis got the part and soon became one of 10 men from the south competing against 10 men from the city for a southern belle who “doesn’t know if she wants to live in the city or the south.” The show was filmed in Fairhope, Ala., during the end of May and most of June.

“It was like being at college again,” said Davis. He made some friends even though at times, as planned, it was “a culture clash.”

“I’ve never done anything like this before. There really is a camera on you 24-7. You can’t escape it. They had to tell me to quit looking at the camera,” he said.

After a whirlwind few months, Davis is back in Ridgeland, where he is an accountant. But that doesn’t mean his days in the spotlight are over.

“I’m one of those people who lives by the seat of my pants,” Davis said.

Sweet Home Alabama premieres Thursday at 8 p.m. on CMT. To catch a glimpse of what’s to come, check out the trailer CMT released, which is already getting some attention. He’s seen crying during the three-minute trailer, but Davis said “you’ve got to watch and see,” to find out just what those tears are about and how far he makes it in the competition.

Davis is a 2002 graduate of Madison Central High School. In 2006 he graduated from Delta State University where he was named an All-American Swimmer. In addition to accounting he teaches spinning classes and is a marathoner and Ironman.