Summer House’s Carl Radke and Kyle Cooke’s reality TV bromance has been going strong since at least 2016 — but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.

Fans met the duo when Summer House premiered in 2017 after filming the prior summer. As their friendship grew, Carl eventually came to work for Kyle at Loverboy in 2019, which Kyle founded one year prior.
When Kyle married their Bravo costar Amanda Batula in 2021, Carl served as their officiant. However, the longtime friends hit a bump in the road the following summer when Carl’s relationship with Lindsay Hubbard accelerated — the two got engaged in August 2022 before splitting one year later — and he chose to leave Loverboy.

“I love being around Kyle. I care about him and I love him but it’s been hard. I’m not gonna lie. We’re gonna navigate it the best we can,” Carl exclusively told Us Weekly in February 2023, noting that their business relationship had begun to affect their friendship.

Scroll down to see what both Carl and Kyle have said about their friendship after their work shakeup and beyond:

The Blame Game
“He’s checked out. Ever since he’s been dating Lindsay, he’s been doing less,” Kyle claimed in the Summer House season 7 trailer, which dropped in January 2023.

Carl, for his part, argued with Kyle on the beach, saying, “I’ve been working my ass off, and it’s not good enough.”

Elsewhere in the teaser, Kyle told his other housemates, “Carl could you walk away from the company right now and the company won’t feel a f—king thing!”

Kyle Considers Carl His ‘Brother From Another Mother’
Kyle gushed over his longtime friend in January 2023 via Instagram in celebration of his 38th birthday. “Happy birthday 🎉 to my brother from another mother, my best man, and my 6’5” handler👨‍👦,” he wrote alongside a picture of the pair smiling. “We’ve come a long way — looking forward to keeping the wild ride going. Xoxo.”

Carl Is Still ‘Team Kyle’
“I’ve always been ‘Team Kyle,’ so to hear otherwise, sometimes it’s hard. But I wanna move forward and not necessarily focus too much on the past,” Carl exclusively told Us in February 2023. “I 100 percent think I can get back to that place with Kyle.”

The Bravo personality explained that the pair are “growing up,” noting that Kyle turned 40 in July 2022 while he celebrated his 38th birthday in January 2023.

“I’m engaged, he’s married and naturally there’s gonna be some evolution with the friendship. … I wanna find a healthy place for us as friends,” Carl added. “I think we’ll find that but working with your friend — this is a warning and a disclaimer — is really, really hard.”

Finding Their New Normal
“Going into the summer, I had my own feelings about where I was at with the business and my career trajectory. And at the end of the day, [thinking] ‘Is this the best thing for me?’” Carl exclusively told Us in February 2023, pointing out that he spent three and a half years working alongside Kyle and Amanda, who is Loverboy’s creative director. “I’m very proud of everything I’ve done, and we’ve worked really, really hard — and that’s what Kyle demands.”

Now that he’s stepped back from the job, Carl insisted that he and Kyle are finding their way back to having a close relationship.

“Ultimately, Kyle and I are friends. I want the best for him. I want his success and I want his happiness,” Carl revealed. “But I also had to really look myself in the mirror and kind of decide what’s best for me and what’s best for my career, but most importantly [what I want] is I want to get back to that friendship with Kyle because the business [has] overshadowed that. [Our relationship has] taken a huge backseat and that’s on both sides. It’s not just one or the other.”

Carl’s New Loverboy Role
“I’m still an investor, I’m very proud of that,” Carl told Entertainment Tonight in February 2023. “I’m beyond proud of what I’ve done for that company, but for me day to day — I’m doing other things now which is great. I’m fully supportive of the company, I still get texts and emails about Loverboy, I pass them to the right person, but I think it was best I moved on.”

Carl noted that there might be a “world [where] we can work together in the future,” but for now the pals have decided to focus on their friendship. “Kyle and I just got dinner together the other night, you know? We’re friends,” he continued. “It’s gonna be hard to relive all of it [on the show] but I think both of us are very supportive of the journey.”

Carl Was Always In Support of Kyle’s ‘Dream’
“My dream was never to build the baddest, coolest alcohol brand,” Carl confessed to ET in February 2023. “I wanted to support Kyle’s dream. I love the guy to death. I believed in his vision, and I wanted to support that; but it’s also now a point where I wanted to maybe reconsider what I’m doing at the business, and you’re gonna see a lot how that unfolds. It’s hard, because we are friends, but the friend world has gotten very blurred by the professional life.”

Kyle ‘Hardly Recognizes’ Carl Filming Season 7
During the season 7 Summer House premiere, which aired in February 2023 and filmed in summer 2022, Kyle expressed concern over how much Carl had changed since he started dating Lindsay.

“These are two of my best friends dating, you’d think I’d be jumping up and down,” Kyle confided in housemate Mya Allen. “I thought I was going crazy. The guy just officiated my wedding and I can hardly recognize him.”

The Loverboy founder confessed that his and Carl’s work relationship was “weird too” amid tension over his whirlwind romance. “I’m so scared to death to talk to him. I actually want Carl and Lindsay to be amazing together,” Kyle continued. “I don’t want him to be, like, I don’t support him and Lindsay.”

Kyle later told his wife that he was “stressed out” over his awkward dynamic with Carl, revealing he thought his best friend was ready to quit Loverboy. Carl, meanwhile, told the cameras that he was feeling the pressure of his and Kyle’s work and personal relationship evolving.

“I love Kyle to death, but we work together. We spend a lot of time with each other,” the Pennsylvania native said during a confessional after joking that he wished there were more guys in the house than Kyle to talk with all summer. “And to be honest, lately, it’s been a little rocky. Still trying to figure out, is Loverboy for me. It would be nice to mix it up a little bit.”

Carl Gave Kyle ‘Plenty of Opportunities to Fire Him’
In an exclusive February 2023 interview with Us, Kyle confirmed that his former colleague “resigned in good graces” — but was already on thin ice.

“He gave me plenty of opportunities to fire him,” Kyle told Us, adding that he paid Carl “a full-time salary for an entire year when he spent most of it checked out.” The businessman also noted how he was “disappointed” how “Lindsay and Carl … [made] our business everybody’s business,” revealing that he “didn’t see that coming.” Ultimately, however, Kyle acknowledged that being in an alcohol-fueled atmosphere was not a healthy environment for someone who is trying to remain sober.

Carl Claimed He Wasn’t ‘Valued’ at Loverboy Before Leaving
“I feel like there’s an elephant in the room,” Kyle told Carl during Summer House season 7, episode 2, which aired in February 2023. “I just want to check in because I can’t put my finger on it, but something’s off.”

The entrepreneur hinted that something had shifted with Carl when it came to working at his company, Loverboy, which Carl eventually acknowledged. “Work wise, it’s just been nuts. I’m burned out. I’m thinking longer term,” the former VP of sales told Kyle during the beach chat, which was filmed in July 2022. “Sometimes I feel like the face of the brand sometimes. [I think], ‘Well, Amanda and Kyle aren’t doing as much as I am publicly sometimes.’ It falls on me. I just feel like the effort that I put it and the recognition and the value that I feel like I bring — it’s not maybe seen as much. And it hurts.”

Carl continued: “Some days I’ve been pissed. I’m like, ‘F—k, I’ve been working my ass off and it’s not good enough.’ I don’t feel like I’m valued sometimes.”

Kyle Alleged Carl Started ‘Doing Less’ When He Began Dating Lindsay
While the longtime friends talked out their issues at the beginning of Summer House season 7, episode 2, tension rose between the pair when Carl left town without giving Kyle and the company fair warning.

“We’ve worked so hard … and then he neglected it for nine months,” Kyle alleged of Carl’s work ethic while talking to his wife during the February 2023 episode. “This is just a small little microcosm of the last nine months. He’s trying to claim he’s working 90 hours a week. Ever since he’s been dating Lindsay, he’s been doing less.”

Kyle’s frustration boiled over when Carl was away in Los Angeles and his work was seemingly put on the backburner. “When I hired him, he was unhireable,” the alcohol brand owner told housemate Mya of Carl during a group dinner. He then claimed that during the early days of Loverboy, “[Carl] showed up to work drunk. He showed up one day so coked out that he didn’t bring his computer to work.”

After pal Danielle Olivera tried to defend Carl, Kyle hit his breaking point, telling her, “I’m getting worked up, you know why? Because if you had any f—king clue what actually goes on Monday through f—king Friday, come talk.” He further claimed that Carl was given the “chance of a f—king lifetime” and that he gave his friend a lot of leeway when other bosses wouldn’t have.

Reuniting Amid the Drama
“Filming can be A LOT. But the actual airing of the footage is what really challenges friendships and relationships,” Kyle captioned an Instagram Story selfie of him and Carl in March 2023. “The cast gets to see what they missed while others were filming. Confessionals create an environment where you can speak your mind way more feely in the moment to someone’s face. And then social media platforms allow everyone else to weigh in on what they saw in the condensed edit.”

He added: “So in a weird way I just wanted you all to know that @carlradke and I are watching this season together as friends and learning a lot about ourselves and one another in the process. We’ll be good. I love this guy.”

Kyle Was Team Carl and Lindsay During Their Proposal
During season 7, episode 13, which filmed in August 2022 and aired in May 2023, Kyle was a pivotal part of Carl proposing to Lindsay. While their mutual friend Danielle took issue with the engagement after her own drama with the couple, Kyle chose to help Carl with his special moment.

“Dude, I’m proud of you and I’m excited for you guys,” the entrepreneur told Carl during the episode after he popped the question. “I know we’ve been through a freaking lot this year, but I don’t want you to think for one second that clouds my excitement and my happiness for you. I know you well enough to know that this is the real deal.”

It’s Been ‘Difficult’ for Carl to Watch Kyle ‘Lash Out’ on Show
“Kyle brings a lot to the table. Energy. Comedic stuff,” Carl revealed during a May 2023 appearance on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast. “What’s been hard is we have a friendship here. There’s a long history with us.”

The businessman noted that seeing Kyle “lash out” on season 7 of Summer House at both he and Lindsay when they “have looked out for him and really [tried] to protect and look out for his relationship” has been “really difficult to watch.”

However, Carl pointed out that he and Kyle give each other “a lot of grace” in their friendship since they understand how being on reality TV can make things worse. “I hope we can continue to forgive and move on,” he said, adding that his former boss has apologized since they feuded on season 7 of the reality show. “I’m proud that we’ve moved forward a little bit. There’s still more to it for me and our relationship to move forward in a positive way.”

Season 7 ‘Summer House’ Reunion Revelations
During part 2 of the season 7 reunion, which aired in June 2023, Carl reflected on his relationship with late brother Curtis. “I spoke about my brother’s heroin addiction. It wasn’t my place,” he confessed, noting that during season 1 of the series he drunkenly aired his brother’s struggles with the world. “He watched the show, like, ‘All excited to see my brother on TV,’ and [in reality] he watches the show and it’s me railing into him about his addiction. It really was damaging and really hurt our relationship.”

Kyle’s season 7 comments about Carl’s “coked out” behavior at work felt like a “role reversal” for Carl, who became sober in January 2021. During the reunion, the longtime friends apologized for their summer 2022 actions and seemingly moved forward.

“To be honest, it was one of those moments where I just realized what you’ve gone through and how much you’ve done to change course,” Kyle said while looking back at his harsh remarks toward the salesman. “[You’ve] become not even a better man, you’re a new man.”

Carl, for his part, called the Maryland native his “f—king brother” and friend whom he wants to maintain a positive relationship with. “I’m not going to harbor that anger and hate. This guy’s done a lot for me. We’ve been through so much together,” he concluded. “Dude, I appreciate you man. I love you man, that’ll never change.”

Kyle Weighs in on Carl and Lindsay’s Broken Engagement
Us confirmed in August 2023 that Carl called off his engagement to Lindsay while filming season 8 of the Bravo series. While Danielle exclusively told Us in October 2023 that she is “Team Lindsay,” Kyle chose to support Carl as he tried to move forward.

“I want to emphasize they’re both hurting. This is a very unfortunate situation,” Kyle told E! News of Carl and Lindsay in October 2023. “Yes, he’s the one who called it off and he’s giving her space. He’s basically homeless, letting her live in the apartment that they both pay for. But he drew the line in the sand.”

Kyle noted that Carl “tried very, very hard to be as respectful as possible” after breaking up with Lindsay. “The poor guy’s trying to figure this all out in real time,” Kyle confessed.

Back in Business
During BravoCon in November 2023, Kyle announced Loverboy’s new nonalcoholic line. He also revealed that former employee Carl would be coming back to the company part-time to help launch the product.

3 Years Strong
“Happy 3-year sober anniversary to my bestie @carlradke,” Kyle wrote via Instagram in January 2024, celebrating Carl’s accomplishment. “I’m so proud and inspired by your growth and determination to be the best version of yourself. Keep up the good work brother! I can’t wait to hit the road with you like the good ol’ days, this time with non-alcs in hand. #LFG.”

Loverboys Reunite
After working on their friendship in summer 2023, which fans will see on season 8 of Summer House, Kyle and Carl reunited professionally, which has only strengthened their bond.

“I just love where we’re at now. I mean, I feel like in a crazy way, we kind of had to go through last year, kind of those tough moments, but it brought us a lot closer,” Carl exclusively told Us in February 2024. “I had a lot of fun with him this past summer. Since everything [that happened last] fall, he’s been right there with me supporting me and super supportive. … I feel like we’re in a different friendship level.”

Kyle, for his part, confessed to Us that after having “strictly almost, like, a business relationship” with Carl for years at Loverboy, they are now back on track.

“We got each other’s backs,” Carl added. “I mean, I love this guy. I officiated their wedding. I am such a big part of their life. I love Kyle and Amanda, so just really nice to be able to get back to where we were, but even more so.”