Preston Mitchum Felt Isolated as the Only Queer Friend on ‘Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard’ [Exclusive]
He’s the voice of reason and the friend who has your back in the house, but Preston Mitchum said being the only gay person on Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard could be isolating at times.
“I think for me, after a while, I do feel there were many moments I felt isolated being the only gay person,” he told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “I’m very patient but you will absolutely I’m sure, see me not be patient all the time.”
Preston Mitchum explains why he sometimes felt isolated
Mitchum’s frustration came out during a military-style workout led by Silas Cooper. “I think that you saw a portion of it during the workout because I am very serious about what it means to listen to someone when they say, I’m done, I’m in pain,” he reflected. “So that was something that actually really did piss me off because I was like, what’s happening here? Like, this is not a platoon. What difference does it make if I can do six crunches versus 15? So it was stuff like that.”
But as Jasmine and Silas Cooper tried to make love connections and some friends expressed an interest in hooking up, Mitchum’s prospects were nil.
“I do think being in a house with give or take, 12, 13 housemates and friends, being the only person like you, it’s frustrating. I mean, it can feel very isolating even when it’s not intentional or malicious. So you do get to see a little bit more of me expressing things related to that and my queerness and how friends can show up and how we celebrate queerness, even if you’re straight right?” he said.
‘Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard’ was a different environment
Mitchum is often approached by fans who wish they saw more of him this season. “And I admit being the only queer person on the show, they don’t see me a lot in the way that they wish they did,” he said. “And I think for some of them it can feel stereotypical. I don’t believe I’m a stereotype, right? And I don’t believe that we show that in that way, like a caricature of queerness.”
“But I must admit that I do understand when people say like, ‘Oh, I wish you were in this more and that more,’ which makes sense, right? But I’m definitely OK with that as well. I’m definitely a comedic person. The voice of reason. The person who is like, OK don’t piss me off because you’ll know when you piss me off. But also let’s drink and just have a good time,” he laughed.
It was ‘easy’ to be the voice of reason on ‘Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard’
Mitchum is often the friend who guides everyone else back to the reason why they went on vacation in the first place – for fun. “No shade for my friends but I think it was easy to be the voice of reason within this house. I mean, I can’t be crazier than them!” he laughed.
“But that is just my natural personality. I always joke that I’m like one of the house elders,” he continued. “So when I see people arguing over certain things, my first reaction is, do you all hear yourselves? Because it sounds like you’re yelling over each other and y’all are both right and wrong.”
Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard is on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
