We bet you weren’t expecting to see JT Thomas‘ name pop up in the Southern Hospitality Season 3 reunion — but lest we forget that Charleston is a small town that just keeps getting smaller. DECIDER spoke with series star Joe Bradley before the Season 3 finale and reunion aired on Bravo — and he revealed that he was the one who got Thomas the job on Southern Charm.

Bradley told us that he first met Thomas at a bar in 2019, making him one of his first friends in Charleston.

“JT watched me start bar-backing at Republic. He watched me start Southern Hospitality,” Bradley said. “And then, you know, two years later, they’re calling me and my friends, and they’re like, ‘Who do you think would be a good fit for Southern Charm?’ And I’m like, ‘I know this crazy guy named Jarrett Thomas.’”

Bradley added that he has a “longer lasting friendship” with Thomas — who joined Southern Charm in Season 9 — than he does with his girlfriend Maddi Reese and close friend TJ Dinch.

Southern Charm Season 10 has put Thomas at odds with almost all of his castmates, resulting in his early exit from the cast trip to the Bahamas. The reality star maintained his innocence when Craig Conover accused him of calling Patricia Altschul a “bitch” — and even apologized to Madison LeCroy for bringing up a FaceTime call between him, her, and her husband Brett.

But late last year, Thomas shocked the Bravo universe by quitting the show before Season 10 even began airing, though he did make an appearance at the reunion.

“I’m rooting for him,” Bradley said. “I think it’s hard for him. Like, we all started our show [with] equal footing. And I think it’s hard. Like those guys on Southern Charm, I actually love all of them. [But] they’re pretty intimidating. Not only as a group, but they’re all like 6’5” too.”

While Austen Kroll has made plenty of digs at Thomas’ height, Bradley wanted everyone to know that his friend is actually pretty average-sized.

“JT is actually not that short but next to them he looks like Lord Farquaad,” he quipped. “I look like a short king next to these guys. So he’s not as short as people think.”

Spoken like a true friend!

You can stream Southern Hospitality Season 3 on Peacock, while Southern Charm airs on Thursdays at 8/9c on Bravo.