An Insider's Look at the Real Outsiders Inn
It can't be easy to run a bed and breakfast - especially a four-diamond resort. That's what the cast of Outsiders Inn quickly learned during their shoot at Christopher Place, a luxurious resort in the Smoky Mountains. The wacky situations might make for a good TV show, but if you're looking to simply relax, or rekindle a romance, let me recommend a really, really nice place.
The inn's owner, Marston Price, said he accepted the offer to film Outsiders Inn at Christopher Place because the community of Newport, Tenn., has been so gracious to his business, sending tourists up the hill to escape the rat race for a few days. (By the way, the accompanying restaurant is open to all visitors, not only inn guests.) Price also has kind words for the cast -- Maureen McCormick, Carnie Wilson and Bobby Brown - who originally met during the filming of another CMT series, Gone Country.
"I think it's part of Bobby's shtick that he's a bad boy, but he wasn't really that much of a bad boy. He was fun, he was courteous," Price says. "Carnie really can cook. She's amazing. Everybody got fatter when she was here - not her! She doesn't eat it, she just cooks. I went antiquing with Maureen in Asheville (N.C.), and she's an exceptional hostess."
Price and his wife, Anne, looked at properties all across the U.S. before settling at Christopher Place. Because he once sailed professionally, he says he didn't expect to choose a landlocked location. And then he came up the driveway and took in the spectacular view.
"I got up here, saw the place, sat on the porch and had a glass of wine," he says. "It sounds a little corny, but I felt like, ‘All right, I'm home. This is it, I found it.'"
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
Peggy Sue Davis says:
GONNA WATCH TONIGHT ..SURE WISH I COULD HEAR YOU GUYS SING SOME MORE..ESP BOBBY BROWN..
Manchester Art Gallery says:
Most offer Price of a bad boy to choose from. A bad boy paints small, collorful, abstracted landscapes. They’re amazingly adept at the filming.
Tom says:
Wow:
Where do I begin. This is a show that takes every stereotype and amplifies it. The truly ignorant and poor people are the actors and producers that missed the beauty and cultural riches of this wonderful place in the Appalachians. I won’t bother to watch this program or channel again.
G-Man says:
Looks like some good ol’ boys straight out of Goodlettsville, TN to me. Anyone else?
Go Trojans!
Bill says:
I was channel surfing and ran into this…I felt like I was watching a train wreck and I could look away after a very short time. While I love some of the entertainers who were featured, the stereotypes and pitiful portrayal of the culture was simply not something I will watch.
jonathan sweeten says:
I Live in newport.. What cmt did in the 1st airing..was well I cant put it n words.. we are not a dry county we have more than 7,000 people.. and everyone doesnt run around town in overalls…they went shoppin at brocks..not foodcity walmart whites..or save alot..Newport doesnt have the best of names anyways..but you guys are just makin it worse….You should of captured the real beauty and people of cocke county…
jamie madden says:
I’m also a Newportian who was a bit dismayed at what I saw. I have always wondered about how real these reality shows are and now I know for certain. While Maureen, Bobby, and Carnie may have actually been reacting and improvising their way through the situations, it is very clear to me that everything else was scripted and set up beforehand by whoever put this show together. Let’s start with the guy who lives on the property of the inn. I have stayed at Christopher’s Place before and there was no hillbilly living in a tiny run down camper. The portrayal of that is a disgrace to the true beauty and tranquility of the place. Next, let’s look at Bobby’s visit to the pool and spa store. He wanted to go to a liquor store and was told it’s a dry county. WRONG!!! We have 3 liquor stores and at least a dozen bars that would gladly serve him. If I am correct, there is even a pub inside the inn. Instead he was given “tater water” by 2 hicks that don’t even exist in real life much less run a spa store. I recognized the outside of the building and the name on the sign is not even the real name of the place. Next, like the guy above mentioned,..Carnie and Maureen went to shop for groceries at Brock’s. They came out with several paper grocery bags full. I don’t think Brock’s even carries the type of stuff you’d use to cook a nice meal, but they do make the best sub’s in town. There is a Food City less than a mile from Brock’s and they would have passed Wal Mart on the way to Brock’s. Let’s get back to the tater water….I don’t think it was even real. A statement was given to the local paper by the owner of the inn that our Mayor was not allowed to give a jar of it to Maureen because it is illegal and he wasn’t going to allow it onto the property. I will probably watch the show again, but only because I want to see how much more messed up they can make it. Yes, we are a small town, but we are so much more than this show makes us out to be. This is one of the most beautiful place I have ever seen and I think people should be shown that aspect.
W Stoneman says:
Jamie…this is a TV SHOW….not life as you know it in Newport. The show is an interpertation just as Lucy and Ricky’s New York address was East 68th Street….in the middle of the bay (i.e. read water), out from FDR Drive. I really hope you don’t think there is a “Petticoat Junction”.
Yes, I can speak first hand experience. I live in Kingston, TN and installed all the original window/guest room decor when the Inn first opened.
CONNIE says:
IT’S GREAT TO SEE THE 3 OF YOU DO A SHOW TOGETHER. GREAT JOB VERY FUNNY. IT’S NICE TO SEE COMEDY ON TV AGAIN. BEST WISHES FOR THE SHOW AND FUTURE. BYE FOR NOW CARNIE YOUR GREAT PERSON VERY FUNNY. YOU ARE JUST LIKE MY MOM SUZIE
kim says:
Hey
Love the show. Keep up the good work. I had so many laughs
hard to find a show on tv like that anymore.
27 says:
It says right at the end that the show is scripted.. I don’t think it’s suposed to be a reality type show.. I thought it was kind of nice when I found that out and thought of it as a sitcom rather than something that actually happened in an unscripted way.
Peggy says:
Hey Ya’ll
loved the show.. and yes i saw that it was scripted so it is more of a sitcom than reality..but it is still soooooooo funny..
looking forward to next episode
Wylie says:
Great show, this is funny stuff. People need to lighten up, this is all very tongue and cheek. Good irreverent country humor, as opposed to “You Might Be a Red Neck” etc… I can’t wait to see the upcoming episodes.
Jacque says:
This show would have been ten times better if it had actually been a true blue reality show. The script tries to hard to be funny and tries to hard to entertain. After ten minutes I was completely bored and wishing Maureen, Bobby and Carnie were back on Gone country.
Nicole says:
My husband was flipping channels and somehow landed on this monstrocity. I can accept the fact that this show is scripted - if only the script were good. The plot itself isn’t a bad concept, but the dialogue and situations are so outrageous and cliched that I felt like I was watching an inverted Beverly Hillbillies - with the three local hicks reminding me of Larry, Daryl and Daryl from Newhart. Too bad they weren’t as good of actors or nearly as funny as those lovable Newhart characters.
I hate the fact that this is 25 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back.
W Stoneman says:
“….my personal puppet………that was the greatest finale!! Keep it coming.
brandy says:
when i saw the previews for this show i thought,not another reality show. when im wrong i will admit it. this show is a crack up!!! i laughed untill i cried. my kids got tickled at me because i was still laughing 30 minutes after the show was over. GOOD JOB MAUREEN, BOBBY, AND CARNEY. this show is the best!!!
brandy says:
ITS ME AGAIN. PEOPLE LIGHTEN UP THERE WAS NO HARM DONE AND PEOPLE GOT A BIG LAUGH. IF YOU DONT LIKE THE SHOW DONT WATCH IT!!!
Lilly says:
Ugh. This show is terrible. The “acting” is so FAKE ! I live near where this is filmed. I think shows like this do nothing more than make the south look bad. I am proud of my country roots but COME ON, this is terrible. Everybody down here doesn’t run around in overalls drinking “tater water”. Even the accents are so fake from the “fake hillbillies”. Ha ! This area is so beautiful and this show does nothing but amplify the stereotypes that ignorant people believe in. Thanks SO much CMT ! With shows like this, My Big Redneck Wedding, and Country Fried Videos…..wow…..way to represent !! Not to mention Mobile Home Disaster. It’s like CMT tries to pick out the worst possible way to portrey this region and then plasters it all over their channel. Who comes up with this stuff ? Some yankee in a plush office in New York ?
Jennifer says:
I live in the neighboring county to where this was filmed. I do watch the show, and I do find parts of it to be funny, but the episode with the goat in the room- well that was a little ridiculous. I work for a doctor’s answering service, and I actually answered a call one day for a doctor’s office in Newport, from a CMT producer, wondering if they could use the office (for what turned out to be the scene with Carnie and the hemorrhoid). When we delivered the message to the office, they were amused by the idea, but ended up not letting them use the office for fear of being made fun of or made to look silly. The people of Newport knew before the show even aired that they were going to be made to look like ignorant hillbillies. But I know, its just a show, all in fun.
SGT RALPH ANDERSON says:
I have retired from the U S ARMY after 31 years. And I would be interested in visiting The Outsiders Inn as seen on CMT. Thanks SGT ANDERSON
gail says:
I haven’t laughed like this in a long time. Great comedy!! My eleven and nine year old love the show. I hope you do another season.
Julie Hinrichs says:
I loved the whole season of your show!!!! I want to see more but I haven’t seen or heard anything yet about another season of the show. Please don’t tell me there will not be another season because you will have alot of dissapointed fans! I would go back to work and tell people they need to watch it because it is awesomely hilarious!!!! I love Maureen, Bobby and Carnie! Three of my favorites. It is just a great show with a great cast that has great chemistry. Come on 2009 season! Your fans are waiting!!!!!