Big Brother Craze

Here it is, at long last! We all know how busy our America’s Player has been since leaving the house, with all the interviews and making appearances with Jessica all over the place, winning giant martini glasses, and such - so it’s no surprise that he took a little longer then planned to get back to me. However - as we saw all summer long, Eric is a man of his word, and as such as answered all my questions in depth and personally.

No wonder we love him! So here you go, the Summer of BB8, in Eric’s own words (as led - er, questioned - by me, of course!) Enjoy!

BBC: As a ridiculously knowledgeable Big Brother Fan, what was your original strategy before finding out about the America’s Player twist?

Eric: Actually, I was still able to execute many of the basic strategy points that I planned to implement.

A) Wait as long as possible to make an alliance
B) Use the first 2 weeks to protect myself with the HoH while working hard/playing hard/being non-threatening
C) Forging relationships with as many other houseguests as humanly possible (allowing me options later on, as the game is ever-shifting)
D) Come across as a jokester & not a physical threat, so that people wouldn’t see me coming when I made my moves later in the game
E) Always be a part of the majority (as well as the majority within that majority). I consider it a sliding scale of alliances. Be a part of the group in control of the house (ie the LNC’s original 7), but within that group have the majority of 4-5 people, and within that 4-5 have a three, and within that 3 have a two (for example within the original 7 there was the 5 of us that were closer, then me/jess/jameka, then me/jess…obviously this shifted midway through the game)
F) Don’t be afraid to make a big move that shakes up the game

BBC: How did they present the option to you - did you think even for a second of turning AP down? Was Samantha, who we saw in previews but never entered the house, your replacement if you had said no? (SOMEONE has to know who this girl was! I’m betting on you…)

Eric: First of all, absolutely no clue who Samantha is/was, haha. (BBC: DANG IT! Who WAS this girl?!) I found out about the twist roughly 3 days before the show began. I did indeed go through the complete casting process just like everyone else…trust me, this was a bigger shock to me than anyone! The executive producers brought a packet of info to my hotel room and asked me to look it over. I never considered turning it down for a second…I was thrilled and honored to be selected for the show and was ready to fill whatever role they had in mind for me.

BBC: How much of the show have you been able to catch up on? Network, Feeds (via YouTube or refeeds), BBAD, the gazillion of Tribute videos for both you and Jessica?

Eric: I’ve made it through about 2/3 of the episodes so far. Honestly, once you’ve lived it - it’s a tad anticlimatic to watch. Naturally I’ve always loved the show, so that’s not the problem. It’s just that watching 3 hours a week can never compare to living all of the drama 24-7. Jessica & I both love the tributes. They really are a ton of fun to watch - it’s a great reminder of how much fun and happiness we truly shared in the house. It’s our own version of a scrapbook of memories!

BBC: Many houseguests of all seasons think they aren’t shown as they really are on the network shows - how do you feel CBS portrayed you? The other houseguests?

Eric: I think the portrayal was accurate, but not nearly as dimensional as it could have been. For me, so much of what was shown was related to AP that I don’t think people got to see some of the other sides of me on CBS (sense of humor, passion for the show, knowledge/strategic value).

BBC: Could you describe each houseguest for us as one who knows them better then we could? Many folks say “in one word”, but we won’t limit you here at BBC - feel free to type away and please include any 1st impressions vs. any changes since leaving the House.

Eric:
Carol - I simply feel that Carol was overmatched in the game. It was like that game on Sesame Street “which one of these things is not like the other” - and the answer was Carol. She never stood a chance.

Joe - Very charismatic, intelligent, and game savvy. He had a natural pull that people gravitated to. One of the major threats to me personally in the game. Came out of the gates guns ablazin’, but could have been a force. CBS must have been devastated that Dick & Joe went up against each other in week 2 - he could have brought a lot of excitement to the show. Joe went before his time.

Mike - Very nice and sincere guy - wish he had opened up to a few more of us. He was probably the very few people to never get on my nerves. I would have preferred him to stay the week that he was up, but I think people naturally perceived him as a physical threat. As an aside, his protein shake and food consumption was hilarious and very impressive…and I can’t believe that he truly was eaves-dropping all the time. Mike is a good guy.

Nick - We had lots in common with our love of sports. Viewed him as a major threat to me from day 1 - which really is a compliment. If Nick had stayed around, I whole-heartedly believe he would ahve had a strong chance of winning the game. He really loved tacos - and man, he should turn pro in teatherball.

Kail - Had my ups and downs with Kail. I know this meant a lot to her and I’m glad she had the opportunity to play. However, for someone who knew the game so well, I was really shocked by how poorly she executed her own gameplan. Unfortunately, Kail has been a really poor sport and rather hypocritical after the show which has tarnished my opinion of her.

Dustin - Lots of fun…I get along with him great and think he’s a very solid person. One of the most intelligent players in the game and a viable threat to win it all. I was crest-fallen when America had me target him…I wanted Dustin to be around for a whole lot longer. It would have been interesting to see it shake out later in the game if he had stayed.

Jen - Enjoyed many good times and many rough times with Jen. She’s a very unique girl with her own interesting perspective. I was bothered by the fact that she stated her own opinion as if it were fact - which lead to her saying some very incorrect things about me. Unfortunately, I do believe that America’s Player had a big part to do with the deterioration of our friendship. If I didn’t constantly have to target her (which also made me wonder what else she was up to), I think there’s a good chance that we would have ended up on much better terms.

Amber - It’s laughable that she thought of herself as one of the “good people.” Considering her personal history, gameplay, in-house remarks, etc…that is pretty outlandish.

Jessica - My girlfriend! What can I say…as I said in the house a zillion times, she was my partner in crime/my sanity/my best friend/etc. For me, she was the person I had the most fun in the house with by far. Additionally, she was an extremely sharp gameplayer and deserved to win the game. Life outside of the house with her has only gotten that much better - we are doing amazingly well! In fact, she’s coming to NY in just about a week and will be celebrating Thanksgiving with the Stein Family.

Jameka - Always great for a laugh or a good time. Member of the esteemed BJ alliance. I was a tad disappointed with how she handled a few things towards the end of the game, but it was all in the scope of trying to win and I’d never fault her for that. Unfortunately, this was another case of AP getting in the way of what could have gone very smoothly. I would have stuck with Jameka to the final 3 for sure, no questions asked. Outside of Jess, she was always my fave and she was there for many of my favorite moments in the house.

Zach - I wish Zach showed more of himself and his gameplay earlier in the game. He never allowed himself to really fit in during the first half of the season, which created unnecessary obstacles later on in the game. Always enjoyed beer pong and quarters and delibrately throwing chess games when we played. Stepped up his game bigtime in the end. His raver-remix of petting the cat could make me laugh every single time.

Daniele - Made a huge mistake by targetting me when she did. No matter how many times she stated it was purely strategy, it was actually purely personal (and not to mention, a misdirected personal attack at that). That said, she did what she felt she needed to do. Very impressive in the competitions. Definitely had our ups and downs.

Dick - Outspoken, often hilarious, over the top, and played hard from start to finish. Everyone is entitled to play the game as they see fit and his strategy worked wonders for him. Brought an interesting dynamic all on his own, plus he was highly affected by both of the twists this season - hence, he was a definite focal point.

BBC: You mentioned in the Real chat that you were not allowed to use the power of veto the week you won it, because America would not have a chance to vote. Several people got caught up in a slight contradiction in your wording, as you further said that if you won POV the week Jessica was nominated and evicted, you would have pulled her off the block. So! Clarify! Could you, or could you not, use the POV anytime you won it? And if not, is THAT the reason you were never chosen via Magic Ping-Pong Ball in the veto bag all those times - did a ball with your name on it ACTUALLY exist?

Eric: My ping pong ball most certainly did exist! And as we have confirmed by now, the time that I won the PoV, I was not allowed to use it. However, the rules were more clearly defined moving forward. I would be allowed to use the veto, but I could not pull the person I had targetted for nomination off the block. In the case you stated, since I was targetting Jameka (not Jessica), I would have been able to save her.

With the America’s Player aspect in mind, the week that I won the PoV, it might have actually been even worse if I had been able to use it. I would not have been able to save Amber (who was lying and ripping me to Jess for no good reason anyway), as I was targetting her for nomination. In turn, I would have had to have saved Zach, resulting in Jess putting up Daniele vs Amber. America would have most certainly still had me vote out Amber and campaign for that, as would have Zach/Dick…3-1 vote and Amber still leaves. Plus, Daniele/Dick would have been upset with Jess and Jess would have been upset with me for the way I voted (not knowing my hands were tied due to AP). It was a no win situation.

BBC: The last Veto that Zach won on the Fast Forward - knowing that Dani was targeted (thanks to our fast texting fingers and Julie’s help) why didn’t you take Zach aside quickly, tell him to pull you or Jameka off, and promise that the two of you would help vote Daniele out?

Eric: This is quite simple - there was absolutely no time to do any such thing. Plus he had just declared seconds earlier that he was going to be loyal to “his group.” If it wasn’t a fast forward, I am 100% positive that Zach & I would have needed only 5-10 minutes to concoct a plan and team up, but the way the cards fell…there simply wasn’t any time.

BBC: The Banner That Changed The Game - while we all watched how it sucked, especially for you, I have to know. WHY was the fact that Amber’s name was also on that banner completely ignored by the other houseguests? Why didn’t you point it out when they were all in the midst of ‘Sh..pit on Eric’ week?

Eric: I made a very conscious choice in week 5 to keep my mouth shut. I thought the more I fired back, the more I defended…the more it would look like it was all true. I played up the “who should you believe, me or Dick” card as often as possible and really chose my spots. That’s why I waited until the 11th hour to actual plead my case. Amber’s name was left out of it, bc the BB house is all about scape-goating one person and then dog-piling onto them. The part I resented was that the banner/the long DR sessions/the hinky votes were all directly as a result of AP. I found it ironic that the banner stated I was lying when all I was doing was America’s bidding in the first place.

BBC: The internet is FILLED with conspiracy theorists when it comes to the Game. Many have voiced discontent with the idea that you had more information via the Diary Room/Producers then anyone else, feeling that you had to have been told more then just given the tasks to complete, etc. Other houseguests made comments the week you were first up for eviction, that insinuated the DR was trying to convince them to keep you in the house, etc. Just how much influence does the DR really have on decisions and evictions, or are people simply blowing random comments out of proportion?

Eric: No no no no no no no! Blowing random comments out of proportion bigtime! The DR always has everyone look at both sides of why each person would be good to keep or get rid of every single week. I most certainly did not have any additional info whatsoever.

BBC: Before Jameka joined everyone in sequester, Dick and Daniele filled her mind FULL of things she had not known about the game - some true, some outright fabrications due to misinformation on their part. She made no bones about the fact that she was going to “lay Eric out!” when she got to the house. Did she? How so? And how are you two getting along now?

Eric: Nope, not at all. We had no issues whatsoever in the jury house and when I saw her after the show, we were getting along just fine.

BBC: When things finally settle down a little for you, any future plans? Jessica once asked why you remained in a job you didn’t like, and now that you’ve the chance to breathe, and find something suited to you, what would you like to do? How are things going with you and Jessica and seriously, can you BE any cuter together?

Eric: Honestly, I am hoping to parlay this experience into job opportunities in the reality show community. I’d love to produce/cast/work on BB etc. As for me & Jess, things are going fantastically! In a period of under a month we were in LA twice, Seattle, NY, Kansas, and Texas - and the good times follow us wherever we go! We continue to grow closer and the sky is the limit for us.

BBC: Josh has told everyone that you sing, one of your friends has told us you can Karaoke like no one’s business, they all say you have an really good voice. They tried to get you to sing on Real and you wouldn’t. Come on… sing us a little something into the mic, save it and send it to me to add to the post? You know you want too…

Eric: Sadly I have a very old comp and my mic doesn’t work…oh well, hahaha. Anyway, it’s all a lie…my voice is highly mediocre! (BBC: Likely excuse! (grin) Oh well, guys - I tried!)

BBC: Your friends and family, as well as Jessica’s mom, made this years’ Big Brother a completely unique and interactive experience for us fans. We’ve gathered from those talks that you and your brothers are quite close. How much ribbing have you gotten since getting home, and what incidents in the house are they giving you the most hell about?

Eric: Absolutely none! They have been insanely wonderful and the entire support system that I had back home throughout this experience was amazing! I am very lucky to have such excellent family and friends.

BBC: And the million dollar question that I ask everyone - if you have the chance to do it all over again (Allstars!) would you - and if so, what would you change/do differently?

Eric: Let’s face the facts…I should most definitely be there on All-Stars. I won’t need to change anything…I’ll be getting to play the game for myself next time. I only got to utilize a small part of my arsenal…I’m not sure that people understand how much AP truly affected the way I played the game. I adapted EVERYTHING I did around it. I had 30 additional impossible challenges, many of which were directly contrary to my own personal agenda - and I still made it to the top 5. Mark my words, Jessica & I would have been the final 2 if I wasn’t AP…period, end of story.

BBC: And for you, a bonus question. Would you REALLY do that for a dollar?

Eric: For you guys, sure!

Thanks again, Eric, for taking the time to answer our questions, and interview with Big Brother Craze! You were, and are, the absolute perfect person to go down in history as America’s Player, and I wish you and Jessica all the best in the future, wherever it takes you!