Big Brother Craze

Here’s the another little surprise for you all! First we had Alex’s interview, then the shirts and etc from us here at Big Brother Craze to James Fans everywhere, through Cafe Press, and now… another interview!

Jen was kind enough to sit down and answer some questions for me about her time in the Big Brother House, so without further ado, here’s the Big Brother Craze interview with Jen Diturno. Enjoy!

(PS – remember, if you get a high load warning, try again in a minute or two. It’s been getting better, but it’s not perfect yet.)

I ask that you do not take the liberty of copying and pasting this interview elsewhere. You may link to it using the direct url: http://www.bigbrothercraze.com/an-interview-with-jen-of-bb9/

~~~

BBC: Let’s start at the beginning! How many times have you tried out for Big Brother? What did the casting process involve for you, and also for Ryan? At what point did they tell you that you’d both be on the show together? And, of course, what advice would you give those currently trying out for the summer season, BB10?

Jen: This was the 4th time I tried out for Big Brother. I got closer and closer every time. This last time I went to an open casting call in Columbus. Big Brother called me and asked if my boyfriend (Ryan) would be interested in doing the show too. They said they were considering doing a pairs season. Ryan never applied, just got on this through me. We knew we were going to be on the show together while going through the process. It wasn’t until they came to our home town to kidnap us, that it was official. Even then, we still did everything separate. We were never allowed to see each other or even talk to each other. We were even in different hotel rooms through the finals and sequester process too! We were treated as individuals the entire time! My advice for others trying out for Big Brother in the future would be to never give up! Big Brother casts for the theme of the season…they cast for a character. If you don’t fit the qualifications this time, maybe you will next time! If at first you don’t succeed, try try again!

BBC: As a fan of the show, how much did you watch/re-watch in order to prepare yourself to enter the house?

Jen: I didn’t do much of that. During my week of sequester, before moving into the house, we were given past season DVDs that I watched, but only because I was bored out of my mind! You can never be prepared to enter the Big Brother house…..expect the unexpected! I actually think I was at a disadvantage having watched all 8 seasons of BB because it made me play the game a little too hard!

BBC: How was your reception when you got home – friends, family, work, fans? Have you been able to catch up on the show since leaving?

Jen: I had a big homecoming party once I got off the plane! It was all very exciting and overwhelming at the same time! I have received both hate and love mail, but so have we all! I have to read things on the internet very carefully because their is a lot of haters out there! I try not to let it get to me, and I am a very strong and independent person so I am able to look past all the bullshit! Work is crazy! Constant people wanting my autograph and picture taken! It’s cool though! I feel like a broken record with the million repetitive questions that I am asked on a daily basis, but hey….it comes with the territory! My friends never thought I would come back after this! Ha ha ha….some of them even though I would come back as a different person! But I am the same Jen as I was before I left! The 15 minutes of fame has not gone to my head and it never will. I know who is important in my life and it’s all the friends, family and co-workers that have been with me my entire life! I love my fans too, but my heart belongs with my home! I have been able to catch up on the show since I have been home. I watch the feeds 24/7 of course because Ryan is still going strong! It’s weird to see him on TV and I miss him more than you know!

BBC: Many previous houseguests feel like they’re not accurately portrayed by CBS on the network shows – there’s many a discussion about getting a ‘good edit’ vs. a ‘bad edit’. How do you feel you were portrayed on the show?

Jen: For the most part, I am who I am. I like you until you cross me and I can be a bitch! I don’t back down from confrontations and I deal with problems head on and that’s exactly what I did on the show. There were a couple instances that were edited and cut in a way that made me look really bad and I don’t appreciate that, but that’s what I signed up for. I knew that could happen and all I can do now is move forward from it. The racist comment did not happen in any way, shape, or form the way it was shown to America! In fact, that was not my way of campaigning against Ryan because it was said BEFORE I was even nominated! So people (haters) can say whatever they want….Ryan and I and everyone that knows us knows how that situation really happened and that’s all that matters! The thing about me saying my picture was first b/c I was gonna win……ha ha hha ha….lol….that’s me and my sarcasm and obviously some of the houseguests just didn’t get it, or me for that matter!

BBC: And naturally – do you think they’re portraying the other houseguests fairly?

Jen: I will let other houseguests speak for themselves on this one!

BBC: Could you describe each of the houseguests for us – both as you knew them in the house, and any changing opinions since your eviction? Many interviewers say ‘in one word’ but clearly I’m as verbose as they come, so go as in depth as you like for each of them.

Jen:
Jacob – The few, the proud, the marines!

Sharon – Fake, but smart….she is holding back, but it seems to be working for her in this game!

Neil – Not too sure about this one. Had he stayed, he would have been very good at this game. I think he is a very intelligent individual!

Ryan – Love him so much and am so proud of him both outside and inside the house….as a player and as a boyfriend! He truly is one of a kind!

Alex – America’s sweetheart! Good friend of mine both inside and outside of this house!

Amanda – Very intelligent and a bundle of joy! She is my girl and we will be friends forever!

Allison – no comment….okay….lying, manipulative bitch! Nice try badmouthing me to my own boyfriend…..it got her nowhere! Shoulda kept her damn mouth shut! Ryan’s type…..ha ha haha ha ha….please….he wouldn’t touch her with a 10 foot pole!

Joshuah – Gay and proud! I use to like him until I saw that he used me! Don’ like the character attacks he had on Amanda, Sheila, and even Allison.

Matt – America’s player! He followed me around the house like a little puppy dog until he found out Ryan and I were dating! Love him though, good heart and a great guy! Full of himself though.

Natalie – What a doll…..annoying, but a sweetie! She is playing a great game and if she makes it to the final two….she will win hands down!

Adam – America’s comedian! He’s so funny to watch! I love him and Ryan working together and I think all 3 of us will be very close out of the house. After all, Ryan and I are moving to Florida….who better to hang out with than BALLER!

Sheila – uses the 45 year old single mom card way too much! Lousy game player and doesn’t deserve the money….not even 2nd place! She was in Penthouse and lived in the mansion for 10 years, was on 5 covers….SO WHERE THE HELL DID ALL OF HER MONEY GO???? Sorry, but I don’t feel sorry for her now. She should have planned better for her child when she had him. She gets no sympathy from me.

James – Crazy! Great game player and he needs to go because he is a huge threat!

Chelsia – A lot like me, but a little too immature! Very unclassy way to leave.

Parker – Great guy….negative at times and it was hard for him to make the best out of shitty situations, but he and I got a raw deal. He acted and reacted in a negative way, but I really can’t blame him! He and I are like brother and sister and we will always be friends for life!

BBC: What was your strategy going into the game?

Jen: To get out the floaters. I would rather be standing at the end with someone who fought to get there, not someone who scooted on by throughout the game. Also to keep Ryan and my relationship a secret…..Then we got paired up with partners and my strategy went to shit!

BBC: The Partners – tell us a bit about your thought process when you found out about the partners, and what you thought about being paired up with Parker instead of Ryan? How did this change your strategy?

Jen: As soon as Julie said we were going to be paired up with partners, I knew that Ryan and I wee not going to be paired up together and we were both not happy about that! It would have been a lot easier if I were paired u with Ryan, but it is Big Brother and there is nothing easy about this game. Why would they pair me up with my own real life boyfriend…..? That wouldn’t be fair to anyone else and I think the viewers would have hated it! They too would have thought that we were practically handed the half million had we been paired up together. Expect the unexpected! Once I was paired up with Parker and Ryan was paired up with Allison, my and I am sure they all would agree, that our strategies went to shit!

BBC: Parker was really upset to about you and Ryan having dated before, because it put a target on you as a couple. From your perspective, was it fair for you and him to be paired together instead of you and Ryan? If you could do it all again, would you have told Parker the truth, or found another way to get the target off of Ryan and Allison?

Jen: Parker was only upset that Big Brother gave him a partner that had a real life boyfriend in the game too. He (we) got a raw deal and it wasn’t fair. Parker and I were NOT attracted to each other and we had nothing between us, except friendship. If I could do it all again, I would have tried even harder to get the target off Ryan and Allison, although Parker wasn’t budging on that, I still should have tried harder. It was hard to work with Parker though too as a partner because I didn’t really have much say in anything. If I could go back, I probably would have still told Parker about Ryan and I, but made sure that Ryan didn’t tell Allison. Once she threatened me with exposing the secret, that was it for me!

BBC: It was said repeatedly (by you, then by others) that Ryan did the show for you. How are you feeling with him still in the house, while you’ve been evicted? Do you think he knows enough about the game to go all the way? (…I’m oh so tempted to make a bathroom joke here – I’ll refrain. Mostly. *grin*)

Jen: Yes, Ryan did do the show for me and I would be lying to say that I didn’t have at least a little animosity about him still being in the game while I am chillin at home! However, once I walked out that door, I told him that since I can no longer be here to fight for the prize, that I needed him to win this game! He deserves it more than anyone else in that house! He has overcome so much and has a really good chance of taking this whole game at the end! I think I knew way too much about the game and ultimately, that came at a disadvantage for me. It made me play to tough and too strong. Being that Ryan had never followed or watched Big Brother gives him an advantage. He is playing this game the best way he knows how…..with honesty and integrity. I don’t expect anything less from him. He is an amazing man with a huge heart and I hope that he walks home with the grand prize…..not only for me, but for himself because he deserves it more than anyone in that house, and even more than me! I am so very proud of him and I miss him so much! I love him with all that I have and I cannot wait to be reunited with him…..win or lose! I have won and so has he…we have each other and no amount of money or fame will ever replace that! Love conquers all!

BBC: Allison seemed pretty confident that she was a better match for Ryan then you – and once you were evicted, she was practically gleeful at the chance to get to know him better without you around. Were you ever worried, even a little bit?

Jen: Hell no! Ryan is a very trustworthy and loyal boyfriend and I b=never had any worries where Allison was concerned. I am very aware that Ryan loves me and he would never do anything to put our relationship in jeopardy. Not to mention that Allison is NOT Ryan’s type at all. She is a plain jane with no figure and she is a lying, cunning, manipulative bitch who I have no respect for. Her bashing me to Ryan didn’t help things either. Ryan doesn’t appreciate people talking shit about his own girlfriend! She dug her own grave with him and that cost her the game.

BBC: You knew it was coming – let’s talk about the racism remarks. I know you’ve called into House Calls and spoken a bit about it, but here’s your chance to clear the air for those who missed it – what happened with that and why would you call your boyfriend raciest on national television? How do you think Ryan will feel when he discovers it was said, as we all saw his reaction when confronted with it?

Jen: Ryan and I will touch on this issue together. That racist comment was taken way out of perspective! I ended up going back on what I said in that exact conversation with Sheila. CBS didn’t show that! Not to mention, they said it was my way of campaigning against Ryan…..newsflash……That comment was made before nominations that day! I wasn’t even on the block at the time! For the record….Ryan is NOT racist and our relationship will not be affected by that comment! Regardless of how it was shown to America, Ryan and everyone that knows us, knows the truth about that situation and that’s all that matters! I really don’t care what everyone else thinks. The people that matter know the truth and that’s al I care about!

BBC: When were you told you might get a chance to go back into the house – and how honest were they about it being a CHANCE that was ultimately left up to the houseguests? How surprised were you when they decided to vote back in the “Devil they knew”? If you had made it back inside, what would have been your first order of business as a single houseguest playing for yourself?

Jen: Once evicted, I was told I might have a chance to go back in the house! I didn’t want to get my hopes up though because I knew nothing about the “chance!” I mean nothing! Not until I was standing on the steps in front of the house with all the other evictees! I was glad that America did not choose me however, because once the houseguests voted for James to return, had I been America’s choice….I would have been devastated! Ryan voted for the mystery houseguest because he thought it was me and that’s all that matters to me. Thank you to all of mine and Ryan’s fans who did vote for me to go back, but I am glad I wasn’t the one chosen. Alex was pretty upset, but I would have been crushed! Had I gone back into the house, my first order of business would have been to give Ryan a big hug and kiss! Next, win HOH, and get rid of Sheila and Adam for breaking their word to me and Parker! Ryan and I would have made one hell of a team!

BBC: Of the remaining houseguests, all of whom will be either on the jury, or in the final two – who are you hoping pulls out the win and why? (Yes, I know this answer is obvious! Thus…) who do you want to be in that seat next to Ryan as final two and do you honestly think they’ll award him the win?

Jen: Obviously I want Ryan to win this game! I can’t say who I want sitting next to him in the final two yet though. It’s best to say Sheila because I don’t think the jury will have the votes to have her win. She has won nothing in the game thus far and doesn’t deserve to win. The winner should be awarded the prize based on their game play in the house and Sheila has none! Adam would be a good person to sit next to Ryan and so would Natalie. They both deserve to be in the end and may the best candidate win. I am not sure if the jury will award Ryan with the half million and that’s sad. They don’t want to give it to him because of me and that’s not fair! I was evicted week 2 and have not played a big part in this game because of that! They should give him the prize based on how he played the game, not based on who might see some of that money. The jury shouldn’t base their decision personally, only on game play! I guess we will just have to keep our fingers crossed that the jury comes to their senses and votes for the better player!

BBC: And, as always, I end with the biggest question of them all – would you do it again? What, if anything, would you do differently?

Jen: Yes, I would do it again in a heartbeat! This time, I wouldn’t play so strong and cocky and I would have just hooked up with Ryan in the house instead of revealing our secret! Oh well…..it’s a woulda, coulda, shoulda kinda game and all you can do is move forward from it! By far the best experience of my entire life and I am grateful to all who had faith in me! Thank you to the casting producers, CBS, and most importantly, everyone who has made Big Brother a success!

Category: Big Brother 9, Interviews, Past Houseguests by Lessa