Codi On 'Floribama Shore' Definitely Isn't A Local

Codi might be a southerner with the rest of the Floribama Shore cast, but when he travels to Panama City Beach each season, he’s a little farther from home. A seven hour drive, to be exact. Technically, he's as much a part of the south as Nilsa and Kortni, who are both from Florida, but he’s definitely not a local. So where is Codi on Floribama Shore from? He’s the only cast member from South Carolina, where most of his family still lives. The small town is far from the beach, though, so his time on Floribama Shore each season is an extra treat because of its proximity to the ocean.

In fact, his hometown of Westminster is so far in the upper left-hand corner of the state that it almost touches Georgia. According to Codi, though, he’s a different kind of southerner than you might initially associate with his home state.

"I am a very liberal person and you don’t find a lot of those in South Carolina, especially in upstate South Carolina," he told The State. "Just because I look like a typical Southern guy doesn’t mean I’m the Old South. I represent the New South. I’m more accepting, more aware. I care about people’s feelings. To me, one of the greatest days as a South Carolinian was seeing the Confederate flag taken down from the State House. That showed that we’re moving forward."

Codi said in the interview that he almost didn't apply to be on the show because he thought the casting directors wouldn't want anyone from his small town. To be fair, Westminster is as legitimately small a small town as you can get. As of 2010, it had little more than 2,400 residents and according to the town’s website, there are only two lodging options. One is the Magnolia Manor Bed & Breakfast built in 1897 and also known for hosting weddings, and the other is WildWater, Ltd., which offers cabins, cottages, and yurts along the Chattooga River.

"My younger sister loves Party Down South on CMT, and we saw a commercial that they were casting for new people, and she said I should apply," Codi told The State. "I said, 'They don’t want nobody from Westminster, South Carolina, on there.'" But, he explained, he went through six months of interviews in person, on the phone, and through Skype, and obviously it worked out for him in the end.

Although Floribama Shore takes Codi away from home for a couple of months every season and he has to travel to promote it after filming, he still lives in or at least near Westminster. On New Year’s Eve, he posted a photo and tagged nearby bar, The Spot on the Alley. The day after Christmas, he was at the Sloan Street Tap Room with his parents, which is a half hour away from his hometown. Despite earning a little bit of fame from being on the next Jersey Shore, Codi has stayed true to his roots.

Depending on how successful Floribama Shore gets and whether or not there are more seasons, Codi could end up relocating somewhere else eventually. He wrote an Instagram caption about possibly moving to Charleston, but for now he seems content to stay where it’s familiar. It also helps that he has plenty of close family nearby, including his parents, with whom he has a close relationship. At least, judging by the promo for Thursday’s episode. I totally get wanting to branch out and see bigger cities, but Codi it seems is happiest at home.

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