Steve McVey, the rancher turned reality TV star, shared his thoughts on how the explosive popularity of “Yellowstone” sparked a Western cultural phenomenon.
The 52-year-old entrepreneur is founder and owner of McBee Farms and Ranch, a farming and ranching operation on 40,000 acres in Missouri. McBee and his four sons, Steven Jr., Cole, Jesse and Brayden, appear on the reality TV show “McBee Dynasty: The Real American Cowboys,” which has been dubbed a “real-life Yellowstone.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, McVey reflected on the role “Yellowstone” played in creating a “craving” for the cowboy lifestyle.
“I think what Yellowstone did is, at the end of the day, it’s in all of our DNA and genes, farming and ranching. It’s how we survive,” he said. “Growing food and raising cattle.”
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“So I don’t care if you’re a hedge fund analyst on Wall Street, when you watch Yellowstone, it sparks in your heart a desire to ride a horse or drive a tractor and grow crops,” McVeigh continued.
Steve McVey, the reality TV star who plays a rancher, talks about the impact of “Yellowstone” in pop culture. (Paramount/Getty)
“‘Yellowstone’ really popularised it and started the adoption of country music. Look at Beyoncé and now it all makes sense. The iron is kind of hot in the Western world,” he added.
“Farming, ranching and agriculture is a topic that sparks a lot of discussion, so I think there’s a lot of opportunity to educate consumers about how much better we’re doing for the environment and the food that people are eating. So I think we need to seize the opportunity to use this platform for that as well.”
McVey told Fox News Digital that he rarely watches TV because his busy job doesn’t give him much free time, but he did watch two seasons of “Yellowstone” and several episodes of another popular reality show in preparation for his role on “The McVey Dynasty.”
WATCH: Rancher reality TV star Steve McVie discusses how his show compares to ‘Yellowstone’ and ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’
“I watched about four episodes of Keeping Up With the Kardashians because I wanted to know what reality TV was like. And I was like, ‘Hmm, I don’t really get it,’ but I thought I should get a little bit of background,” he said.
While McVie hasn’t had much experience with reality TV before, Steven Jr. appeared on Fox’s reality dating show Joe Millionaire: For Rich or Poor in 2022. While filming scenes at the family’s ranch, producers were intrigued by the details they got of the family’s interactions and daily life.
After “Joe Millionaire” ended, the McVies were approached by several production companies about developing their own show and decided to work with Jeff Jenkins Productions. “The McVie Dynasty” premiered on USA Network and Peacock on March 11.
McVie stars with his son, Steven Jr., who starred in the show “Joe Millionaire: For Rich or Poor,” and with his sons Jesse, Cole and Brayden in the reality show “The McVie Dynasty.” (FOX via Getty Images)
In an interview with Fox News Digital, McVey praised NBC, Peacock and Jeff Jenkins Productions for giving the family a lot of freedom while filming the series.
“They really were like, ‘Just be yourself. Just be yourself. We’ll just be a fly on the wall,'” he recalled. “They were really following us around.”
The show explores the family dynamics, as well as the challenges of running a large ranch and the McBee family’s other businesses, including McBee Coffee & Car Wash and McBee Meat Company.
Jesse and Steven appear in “Joe Millionaire.” (FOX via Getty Images)
“We have a lot of laughs because we have a lot of different businesses and the farm and ranch is the biggest so it’s all tied together there,” he said. “Every day there’s a new crisis. And I want to say, and I’ve said this many times, that after some of the shows that I’ve watched, I feel like we’re the most realistic reality show because what happened on that show was real, and it is just so true.” Running a Farm Or run a ranch or run a business.
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“You’re basically dealing with different situations every day,” McVey added. “The sky is falling.”
McBee said he thought “Yellowstone” was entertaining, but feels “McBee Dynasty” gives viewers a truer look into the realities of running a ranching empire.
McBee said the family’s show is “the most real reality TV there is.” (Emerson Miller/Peacock via Getty Images)
“We’ve said for years that we’re literally a reality show,” he recalled, “which means that what we cover on our show is everything that happens to every business, every farm, every ranch and every person. We can’t make up things that happen in our everyday lives.”
“It feels authentic to our show. I don’t know if there’s a more authentic show out there.”
“I’m not taking anyone to the station, but I’m almost there,” he joked, a euphemism used by the Dutton family in “Yellowstone” to refer to the place where they kill their enemies and dispose of the bodies.
In the show’s first season, McVie’s business is on the brink of becoming a billion-dollar empire or financial ruin. (Paul Andrews/Peacock via Getty Images)
USA Network describes “McBee Dynasty” as “a mix between Yellowstone and Succession,” as the show follows how each brother vie for succession in the business. Season 1 follows the family’s efforts to close a deal that will turn McBee Farms and Ranches into a billion-dollar business. If the deal doesn’t go through, the business is at risk of financial ruin.
McVey told Fox News Digital that running a business with his sons is “both a blessing and a curse.”
McBee said each of his sons has different responsibilities on the ranch. (Emerson Miller/Peacock via Getty Images)
“But there are definitely more benefits than drawbacks,” he says. “You know, there are challenges that a lot of people don’t face in their day-to-day work because there’s not that personal connection. But it’s that personal connection that makes it all worth it and makes it so valuable at the end of the day, regardless of what happens during your work hours.”
WATCH: Rancher reality TV star Steve McVee says ‘Yellowstone’ whets ‘craving’ for cowboy lifestyle
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“The McBee Dynasty” not only focuses on the business dealings of the McBee family, but also delves into the complicated love lives of McBee and his sons. McBee and his wife, Kirsty, recently divorced after almost 30 years of marriage, but the family patriarch is caught up in a love triangle with Galina Saltkowska, the chief financial officer of McBee Farms and Ranches, and Brooke, a waitress.
However, McVie has made it clear to both women that he has no plans to remarry and is not interested in a romantic relationship.
McVie is also involved in a love triangle featured on the show. (Paul Andrews/Peacock via Getty Images)
In an interview with Fox News Digital, McVie spoke about her on-screen relationships and her outlook for romance in the future.
“It’s been a complicated situation,” he said of his love life during the show’s first season. “My life is a love triangle. I’ve been very open about it, and I’m going to talk about it now.”
“I try to be very transparent, so I get some hate, but I would say I get more love than hate.”
WATCH: Rancher Steve McVee explains why his show, ‘McVee Dynasty’, is the ‘realest reality TV show’
“I’m divorced after 28 years,” McBee added. “My [sons’] My mother is the mother of all four of my sons. I will love her until the day I die, but I don’t want to be in a serious relationship. I don’t want to remarry. It doesn’t make sense. I’m not having any more children.
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“So for me right now, it’s very situational. That’s my situation. You know, I get some nastiness about it. I’m not trying to stop other people from getting married. I’m just speaking for myself,” he added.
“I want to be open and honest. I’m not going to lie to women. I’m just going to be who I am.”
Kara Jackson, who won “Joe Millionaire,” is still Steven’s girlfriend and appears on the show. (FOX via Getty Images)
The show features three of McVey’s sons’ girlfriends, including Kara Jackson, who continues to date Steven Jr. after winning “Joe Millionaire.” Fans can expect to see plenty of drama as the couples try to navigate the ups and downs of their relationship in the show’s first season.
McVey spoke to Fox News Digital about the love advice he’s given to his sons.
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“Choosing who to be the mother of your children is a big decision,” he said. “Don’t choose on a whim. There’s a difference between desire and love. We’ve all been in a relationship with someone we desperately wanted but who wasn’t the best mother for our children. So be patient and choose wisely.”
All episodes of “The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” are available to stream on Peacock.
