Josh Duhamel’s reality TV show Buddy Games promises to bring longtime friends back together so they can relive their younger glory days and play like kids again. Casting involved finding six teams of four old friends to compete in camp-like competitions. So, let’s take a closer look at the Buddy Games cast, and how these group of friends know each other and made it as the teams chosen. We’ll also look at their Instagram accounts to learn more about the competitors that isn’t shared on the one-hour episodes of the show, including jobs, ages, and more.
“Buddy Games unites six teams of four deep-rooted friends, who met at various stages of their lives, at a stunning lakeside location for a nostalgic adult summer camp adventure. ‘Ride or dies’ get the chance to play ‘buddy games’ where they will relive their glory days and compete in an assortment of absurd physical and mental challenges in the outdoors while bunking together in the same lake house,” CBS bills the show Buddy Games to deliver.
Without further ado, Josh Duhamel can blow his bugle to get things underway on getting to know the Buddy Games cast and six teams’ friendships better. Fans can then decide which group of friends they want to root for to win the $200,000 grand prize.
Buddy Games Cast: The Pageant Queens’ Lourdes, Lauren, Devi & Yoli
The Pageant Queens team of four friends Lauren, Lourdes, Deveney and Yolanda (CBS).
The Pageant Queens are four ladies who met through competing in beauty competitions. Lourdes Spurlock’s Instagram shows she was USOA Mrs Virginia in 2022. She’s also a navy veteran in nuclear and works as a mechanical engineer. She’s an advocate for women to go into STEM. Lourdes happily married and she and her husband have a son and daughter. She lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia with her family.
Buddy Games contestant Lourdes as Mrs. Virginia (Instagram).
The Pageant Queens team member Lourdes and her husband on a hike (Instagram).
Lauren Cisneros Campbell’s Instagram is private. She works as a Colorado realtor and was Miss Colorado USA 2005 and Mrs Colorado America in 2018. She lives in Denver, Colorado.
Deveney “Devi” Shea’s Instagram shows she’s the founder and CEO of her marketing media company Deveney Media. She was Ms. Earth USA 2023 and celebrated turning age 41 on July 17, 2023. Deveney is based in Lorton, Virginia.
Deveney “Devi” Shea celebrating her 40th birthday (Instagram).
Yolanda “Yoli” Stennett’s Instagram shows she was the former stadium co-host of the Washington Nationals professional baseball team. She’s also a four-time beauty pageant winner, including Mrs. Maryland recently, and is a coach and Survivor superfan. Yoli lives in White Plains, Maryland.
Yolanda “Yoli” as Mrs. Maryland (Instagram).
Buddy Games Cast: Team OK’s Justin, Stephen, James ‘Huddy’ & Yue
Team OK members Justin, Stephen, Brian “Huddy”, and Yue while on Buddy Games (CBS).
Justin Palmer’s Instagram shows he’s a banker and is happily married with three sons and loves to play golf. He lives in Edmond, Oklahoma, alongside fellow buddy Stephen Craig. However, Stephen goes by Craig Smith on Instagram. His social media shows he’s been happily married for three years and works as a welder.
Buddy Games contestant Justin Palmer and his wife (Instagram).
Stephen Craig or Craig Smith from Team OK with his wife (Instagram).
Team OK member Yue Pun Szeto’s Instagram shows he’s based in Edmond, Oklahoma, and is happily married to his wife of fifteen years and they have two sons. James Brian “Huddy” Hudson’s Instagram shows he’s based Isle of Palms, South Carolina, and has been married 14 years. They have a young daughter and son, as well as a dog.
Team OK’s Yue with his wife (Instagram).
Team OK are four friends who all grew up in Oklahoma together. “I’ve known Palmer for almost thirty years. We met in middle school. Huddy and I were fraternity brothers. When Huddy and I graduated, we rented the apartment across from Craig,” Yue explained for how the group of friends know each other.
Brian “Huddy” with his wife (Instagram).
“Hudson said the show brought his group of friends closer together. The show offered these lifelong friends the chance to disconnect from adult life and tend to their friendships. Hudson thinks it will remind people what it’s like to be young and at summer camp,” an interview with Huddy reads.
Buddy Games Cast: Chicago’s Finest’s David ‘Sarge’, Elyse, Kei & Melvin ‘Rae’
Chicago’s Finest includes David, Elyse, Ikeila, and Melvin (CBS).
Chicago’s Finest are four cops who met at their police academy. David “Sarge” Moore’s Instagram is set to private, but in a CBS promo video it’s revealed he was the others’ instructor.
Chicago cop Elyse Rodriguez is the only Buddy Games contestant who appears to not have an Instagram account.
Ikeila “Kei” Jones who’s on Chicago’s Finest (Instagram).
Ikeila “Kei” Smart’s Instagram shows she’s a proud mom to two boys and appears to be a single mom. Kei’s TikTok shows she big into fitness and spending quality family time with her kids.
@keijones0 Working out with @ichoosefitness ??
Chicago’s Finest team member Melvin “Rae” Davis’s Instagram reveals he likes traveling and scuba diving. Besides being a police officer, he’s also a stuntman, choreographer and actor. If their team name didn’t give it away, they all live in Chicago, Illinois.
Stuntman Melvin “Rae” enjoying scuba diving (Instagram).
Chicago’s Finest in police uniform (CBS).
Buddy Games Cast: Team Pride’s Steven, Bekah, Andrew & Summer
Steven, Bekah, Andrew and Summer from Team Pride (CBS).
Team Pride is a group of friends in the LGBTQ+ community. Steven Mosier’s Instagram shows he’s based in Portland, Oregon, and goes by Steven Svetlana when doing drag.
Pride Team’s Steven Mosier from Buddy Games (Instagram).
Steven Svetlana appears to be his drag name (Instagram).
Bekah Telew (based in Seattle, Washington) on Instagram reveals she’s a baker and therapist-in-training.
Bekah Telew from Buddy Games (Instagram).
Andrew Shayde (Lexington, Kentucky) is a gay comic book author and reality TV star who’s been on The Amazing Race season 3, and Naked and Afraid season 12.
Team Pride member Andrew Shayde (Instagram).
Summer Lynne Seasons (Tigard, Oregon) is also a drag performer and goes by the pronouns they/she/he.
Contestant Summer Lynne Seasons from Buddy Games (Instagram).
Summer Lynne Seasons as a drag queen (Instagram).
Buddy Games Cast: Derby Squad’s Jacky ‘Shu’, Melissa, Shengul ‘Shaggy’ & Rachel
The Derby Squad team Jacky, Shu, Shengul (Shaggy), and Rachel (CBS).
Derby Squad includes four women who met at roller derby LA, California, which is basically brawling on roller skates. Jacky “Shu” Shu’s instagram shows she’s a mom and loves to spend time with friends.
Jacky from Derby Squad on Buddy Games (Instagram).
Melissa Berglund with her German girlfriend (Instagram).
Derby Squad team member Melissa Berglund’s Instagram shows she’s in a happy lesbian relationship with her German girlfriend. She also owns a fur baby pug.
Shengul “Shaggy” with her husband (Instagram).
Shengul “Shaggy” Plummer’s Instagram shows she’s the manager of the roller derby and is happily married. They have two kids together.
Rachel Johnston from Derby Squad (Instagram).
Derby Squad’s fourth member Rachel Johnston’s Instagram reveals she goes by “Rachel Rotten” when at the roller derby. She’s a self-described boss lady and works in PR and communications.
Buddy Games Cast: Philly Forever’s Erica, Anthony, Mike & Louis ‘Freddie’
Philly Forever’s Erica, Anthony, Mike, and Louis (CBS).
Philly Forever on Buddy Games is a group of tightknit friends born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Erica Franzzo and Anthony Franzzo are the only married couple on the show and have a son and dogs at home. Anthony works as a DJ with the stage name DJ ZO.
Buddy Games married couple Erica and Anthony on their wedding day (CBS).
Philly Forever couple Erica and Anthony with their dogs and son (CBS).
Anthony and Erica who competed on Buddy Games (Instagram).
Mike Ward’s Instagram shows he’s married and they have four kids, three boys and a girl.
Philly Forever teammate Mike Ward with his wife (Instagram).
Louis “Freddie” Meyers IV’s Instagram is private.
