Erika – Big Brother

By starrymag | February 21, 2014

Q.  What have you been up to since we last saw you in season four?

A.  I worked in casting, I cast the last few “Survivor’s” and last few “Amazing Race’s.”  That is so much fun!  Basically that’s what I’ve been doing, you saw me this summer.  You know what I did this summer, I pretty much went back to my normal life casting and teaching pilates.

Q.  Did you do anything to prepare for the show before re-entering the house?

A.  Well, interestingly enough – this is going to sound so ironic, but I had actually said no.  I said no and then I called them and said I can’t do it, my dog was very sick.  t just wasn’t the right time for me.  But, Mike and I are actually friends on the outside world and we got together.  I was like, “You know what, I’m not going to do it.”  He was like, “Oh my God, you have to do it!”  He was like ninety percent responsible for me actually even doing the show.  In a way I can kind of thank him for giving me the fifty thousand. 

Q.  Do you think being friends outside helped him bring you to the finals?

A.  Yeah, I still think ultimately he thought he had a better chance against me in the end.  That’s why he picked me, I think that if he didn’t think he had a chance against me he would have definitely cut me for sure. 

Q.  Was the speech you made to the jury planned out or was it off the cuff?

A.  I am such a horrible public speaker.  I tried to kind of memorize it but then they were like don’t try to make it too prepared.  In my way of trying to prepare to not prepare, I don’t think I was really clear about what I was trying to say.  I think it backfired but ultimately, I think that Mike played a great game.  I wouldn’t sit here ad say “I played a better game.”  I think we played a very similar game, which is kind of ironic.  I would never say he didn’t deserve it, I think he played a great game.

Q.  What was the hardest question you were asked by the jury and by who?

A.  I think the hardest question, and the most upsetting question, was the one Janelle asked.  I think she was very hurt, I think she thought I betrayed her and I really threw that competition.  I really didn’t, I lost it fair and square.  Everyone keeps asking me, “Did you throw that last competition?”  No, I didn’t, I know I told Mike “Maybe I should throw it, should I throw it?”  Obviously, I was still playing both sides at that point.  I didn’t know if Mike was going to take me, I still was trying to keep him in the loop with what I was thinking.  I think that maybe and I think that people came up to her before she went to sequester and telling her “Don’t vote for Erika, she betrayed you.”  But, I think that question she asked about ass kissing during competitions, I kind of didn’t understand the question.  I was very hurt because she and I had really bonded the last few days.  That was probably the toughest question for me.

Q.  That was shocking as a viewer in my opinion.  We had seen her friendly with you when leaving and then at the jury house she had done a 180. 

A.  I know, me too!  Trust me, when she left I gave her a big hug.  I’m like, “I love you and I’m so sorry that this didn’t work out.”  We had actually a really nice conversation on the way home from the airport yesterday.  I was like, “Janelle, I honestly didn’t throw that competition.”  She feels really badly, because I think she feels like she went to the jury house and was on a tirade.  I think she feels partially responsible for getting people to vote against me. 

Q.  What is your biggest regret from the game?

A.  I think my biggest regret is after we had the Q&A and Janelle came after me, I started saying mean things about her.  Mike and I had champagne and I was getting intoxicated.  I think I said she was just jealous that I’m here and in actuality it was all BS.  We came to an understanding that it was all stupid.  It’s all water under the bridge at this point, I do regret saying things.  It wasn’t anything horrible, but I just said she was jealous.  I think I said she was chubby or something, but it was stupid high school crap.  You get sucked into it when you’re hurt and drunk and in a house for seventy days with people you don’t like. 

Q.  What was the most surprising part of the game?

A.  The most surprising part was the alliance that Chill Town had with Danielle and James.  I was pretty surprised about that, I didn’t know that.  They were the Legion of Doom.  I think that was probably my biggest surprise. 

Q.  Some people have said that this season wasn’t All Star caliber.  Not in regard to the house guests, but with the competitions.  There weren’t many physical or endurance challenges.

A.  Yeah, a lot of us were pretty disappointed about some of the competitions.  My season, I thought they were much more physical, much more demanding.  It’s kind of hard to say what could have been different.  Maybe there could have been more physical stuff, I don’t really know.  It is what it is I suppose.

Q.  A lot of people are going to be asking you if you will be weary of men now in the future!

A.  Oh no, I am not going to hold a grudge, I’m going to move on.  I won’t look at men any differently.  They’re all kind of shysters anyway.  All men are dogs right?  Yeah, what else is new? 

Q.  Why do you think a lot of people kept focusing on the fact that you were floater?  The term seems to have quite the stigma to it.

A.  It’s so weird, I don’t understand why people look at the floater strategy as a bad strategy.  I think it’s more like however it gets you there is how you got there and why judge game playon that level.  What makes an alliance better than a floater?  I told both Danielle and James, sorry I can’t help you.  It doesn’t make much sense to me why people judge that so harshly; but they did.  I am kind of confused with people saying, “You’re a floater.”  So what, okay, I’m a floater.  I wasn’t able to come in and trust anyone enough to build a strategy with them or an alliance with them.  If anything I would think that people would respect me more coming in by myself and getting by myself to the end. 

Q.  Have any idea what might be next for you?

A.  I honestly can’t tell you, I just want to get back to my normal life and start decompressing.  Get back to work as soon as I can.

Q.  Do you have any tips for future house guests?

A.  Don’t be a floater!  Obviously, they don’t like people who float!  Build alliances, break them if you can.

Q.  What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A.  I want to say thank you of course for everyone that has supported me from way back when.  Everyone has been really, really wonderful and I’ve gotten a tremendous amount of emails.  I probably won’t even be able to get to them but just know that I appreciate them.