Though they now live on opposite coasts, Shep Rose and Teddi Mellencamp go way back in their friendship as South Carolina natives — and they just reunited in March 2025.
The Southern Charm-er, more specifically, visited The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum for lunch in Encino, California — and the two shared a behind-the-scenes look at their outing on social media on March 17. Over the course of their shared meal, the two discussed everything from Teddi's ongoing brain cancer battle to Shep's recent split from Sienna Evans.
As Teddi put it in an Instagram Story, "Teasing [Shep Rose] was the perfect pre-first radiation thing I could think of."
Shep Rose reacts to Teddi Mellencamp's brain cancer battle
In honor of his reunion with Teddi, Shep shared a sweet photo of the two on Instagram.
"In case you all didn’t know my hometown friend [Teddi Mellencamp] recently had several tumors removed from her brain," Shep wrote in the caption of his post, referring to Teddi's ongoing cancer journey. "There’s still lots to battle but we decided to meet up if she was up for it. We met in Encino, a magical village in the valley."
He continued, "As soon as I saw Teddi and gave her a hug we argued about where to sit. She then rather bluntly announced 'I almost died and I still might — make a decision for once Shepard.' We then proceeded to just laugh. We love dark humor and Teddi is the queen of it. So we ordered a loaf of bread (with oil and balsamic vinaigrette for dipping) and chicken parm pasta."
Of their outing, Shep said that the two had "More laughs than anything."
"She has a keen interest and derives much pleasure in my misadventures," he concluded. "Which I think means that she loves me."
Why Teddi Mellencamp grilled Shep Rose about his breakup from Sienna
In an Instagram Story video, Teddi addressed Shep's aforementioned "misadventures" by asking him why he tried "so hard to make it happen with Sienna."
"Well, I think it was coming off the heels somewhat of my relationship with Taylor [Ann Green]," he said about their 2022 split. "It's just sort of fun to like somebody, and so maybe you over — and if it's long-distance — you overestimate the feelings. It can be lots lost in translation, but we had some very, very nice moments together. Of course, it wasn't on television, but I had reasons to believe as strongly as I did, trust me."
"I don't trust him, and I've known him since I was 11," Teddi joked, and Shep said, "that's bulls--t."
"I don't lie, and that's the one thing that you said," Shep said.
Where did Teddi Mellencamp grow up?
Teddi and Shep both grew up in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Teddi Mellencamp and Shep Rose's connection, explained
As Shep explained in a video that Teddi later posted on her Instagram Stories after their March reunion, "Teddi had a great house on the beach, and we would all ride our bikes over there and jump in the pool. She had a trampoline that was built into the deck, so you could really get creative."
"See, your memories are coming to my house, and my memories are going to yours," Teddi said. "Like, Shep had a Christmas party every year, and it was honestly like getting into the Met Gala. Like, we would check the list to see who could get in."
Did Teddi Mellencamp and Shep Rose ever date?
No. As Teddi put it, "I'm one of the only people in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina who did not make out with Shep."
"That's true. That's very unfortunate," Shep joked in response. "I know that's one of your big regrets."
