Jelly Roll Pleasantly Surprised with His ‘Star Search’ Experience

When Jelly Roll was tapped to be one of the judges of Netflix’s Star Search, he said he felt like “a white duck in a yellow duck pond.” Now, however, he’s singing a different tune, saying the experience left him completely surprised.  

When PEOPLE Magazine asked the Grammy Award-winning singer what surprised him the most about being a judge in the reality show, he shares it was the treatment of his fellow judges, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Chrissy Teigen. “Them to be so nice to me,” Roll admits. “I did not expect them to have my back the way they have. They have been supportive friends. I've been invited into their homes. I've hung out with their children. They've treated me like family from day one.”  

The 41-year-old Tennessee native reveals this wasn’t the case in the beginning when he thought he was brought in as “the ruse.” He explains, “Like we're going to bring a kid all the way from Tennessee, just dump him in this with a bunch of real A-list actors,” to which Teigen says, “No way.” Gellar adds, “I'm very lucky to have these two on my corner.” Roll declares, “We'll be friends forever.”   

The three might have found new friends from the show, but one was definitely feeling left out.  

Anthony Anderson reveals the judges have been hanging out together outside of filming, sadly, without him. “I thought we were all friends, you know, while we were doing press in person together. Then I find out that Sarah, Chrissy and Jelly, they've been off doing their own little things without me. Sarah invited Jelly Roll to go to the gym with her, Chrissy's invited Jelly Roll to basketball games to see her son play.”  

He jokes, “Everybody has everybody's telephone number, but me. Then they're like, 'Well, Anthony, you're working. You're the host. We're the judges.' I was like, 'Don't hide behind that. Don't use that as an excuse.' I thought we were all best buds and pals. Apparently, we're not.”