BB22 - Post-season Interviews and Media

EW's interview with Cody

ew.com/tv/big-brother-all-stars-cody-calafiore-interview/


ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Last time you played, you had to decide who to sit next to you at the end. All you had to do was pick Victoria, and you would have won $500,000. Instead, you picked Derrick. How much was that going through your mind when you decided to cut Nicole loose at the final 3.

CODY CALAFIORE: Oh my, I can't even express to you how, like, the back and forth. I was losing sleep over it. It was so difficult because not only did I grow so close personally to Nicole — I did not feel like I would have been in the position I was in if it wasn't for her — and so it was very tough. Fortunately, I also felt very similar about Enzo. It was very tough, but the decision to cut her was more because I wanted to stay true to Enzo over her and not just, “Oh, I'm going to cut her because I think I have a better chance to beat Enzo.” Because in my head I was so thrown, and it was such a toss-up for me who I would have a better chance to beat.

I couldn't really wrap my head around what the jury was thinking, how they thought my game was. Did they think I was playing a good game? Or did they not? You just wrap your head in so many different thoughts that that wasn't such a driving force for me. And it was more so just staying true to Enzo, and just making the hardest decision that I had to because both of them, I had a final two with the second I walked in. I just clicked with Enzo. I clicked with Nicole, and I wanted to build that with Nicole and Enzo. It was just easy.

And so Nicole, I felt like I was worried about the trust from season 16. I didn't know if she was not going to trust me. And we grew to be so incredible together and such an incredible duo. That's what made it so tough. It was such an emotional decision for me at the end of the game because I don't think I would have been there without her.

What was it like having to tell her? I just spoke to her and she said that you gave her the heads up right before the vote. You didn't want to blindside her. You were emotional, and she was extremely emotional. She's still very emotional about it.

It was horrible. The bond that I ended up having with Nicole, we were such an incredible duo, but then she was literally like my little sister. Going back and forth with her was like a sister. Our relationship was so close. And so, for me, it was immediate. Once I won, I knew kind of where I was leaning and I could barely even look at her. It was so tough for me to even like make eye contact with her because cutting her felt like I was cutting a sister and it was just so difficult. And so for me, that's what made the decision so hard, but you know, coming after and winning, it's something that I hope doesn't affect our relationship because that would hurt even more than having to cut her dead. So, that's the only thing I can say about that.

You said you weren't sure which way the votes were going to go, but you ended up winning unanimously — just the second person ever to do that. Which votes were you most worried about?

So my biggest thing was that Nicole could get Da’Vonne, Ian, Kevin, and then Christmas. And so that was four votes and I was like, “Oh, all she needs is one more to swing her way.” And that could be anybody that's just like, “You know what? Nicole was a winner and is at the end of this game.” And a fifth vote is me losing again. And with Enzo, I was like, it's a toss-up, really. I still wanted to stay loyal to him, even though his social game to me was the best thing that I played with.

And so everybody could have been like “Enzo purposely was not winning competitions. So let's throw the competitions out the window that Cody won. Now let's match up their social game — Enzo's was better.” And I was hoping that people maybe viewed my strategy a little bit better than his, and I was hoping to get that with my explanations in the questions. And so that's why for me, it was such a toss-up with Enzo. I was like, I don't know how anybody will vote. But with Nicole, I felt a little more confident that I think these votes will go her way. And so that weighed heavily on me when I was deciding to, cause I was like, “Oh, I'll pick her and then lose again. And so it was very difficult for me.

Let’s say that you hadn't won that final HOH. Let's say you got sent to the jury. Whom would you have voted for between Nicole and Enzo?

Oh, that's such a difficult question because I've respected both of their games so much. It’s so hard for me to answer

Well, the jury had to answer. Now so do you.

Well, who cut me? Nicole. Then I would’ve voted Enzo. Although I think I wouldn't have voted bitterly, so maybe I would have voted for Nicole. I don't know. Well, maybe I would've been bitter. And in that moment, maybe I just would have voted for Enzo. I don't know. I thought both of their games were so incredible, but maybe I'll say Enzo just ‘cause I would've been bitter.

Was there ever a point in this game where you felt like you were in any real danger?

There were a lot of conversations that I was having, like when the stuff happened with Kaysar and then I had a conversation with Bayleigh, and very early on she said something to me that was very alarming. And it was in the fifth week when she went home. It was, “You're somebody that I feel like nobody's going to want to sit next to at the end of the game.” She said that to me very early on, which was very alarming. And so that's why that week, even though I love Bayleigh, I was like, "I don't know that I really want to fight for Bayleigh to stay because that's a bad thing to say to somebody early in the game. I don't want that, like spreading throughout the house.” Then it was coming up a little bit later again. And at that point, Nicole had won HOH, and I had won. So it was like the stress wasn't there, but my relationships in the house kind of saved me in a way. I'm just thankful that it worked out the way that it did because it ended up with me in the final two winning.

It’s crazy that neither you nor Enzo was ever put on the block.

That's another thing that was incredible. The fact that both of us never sat on the block next to each other. I felt like Nicole and my relationship was masked a lot. But Enzo and I were tight, and I feel like everybody knew that we were tight and we'd never sat on the block together. It was the most bizarre thing. We would almost joke about it all the time. It'd be like, “Dude, how are we not on the block next to each other? Why are they not putting us up? What is happening?”

Trust me, the viewers were saying the same thing.

Why are we not on the block together? I think it just really holds true to the game that we were both playing the social aspect and the relationship aspect. I think a lot of people got nervous with me in the aspect of “If I put them up, I'm going to piss him off.” And I think everybody likes Enzo, so they're not going to send them home. So I think we both countered in completely different ways to avoid the block, which I thought was awesome.

You won eight competitions. You were never put on the block. You won every single jury vote. Did you just play a better season than Derrick?

No, definitely not. I always say I was playing a game with somebody that's so masterful and incredible at the game with strategy and relationships and decision-making. Playing alongside him taught me what I needed to know about coming back. Watching it back, what Derrick was doing that I wasn't doing, and then coming back and being like, “You know what, that's what I'm going to start doing now.” So my hat goes off to Derrick because if it wasn't for him, I don't know that I would have played the game that I played. And so I think it almost just rings true to the incredible game that he played because I don't know that I would have been able to do this if I hadn't played with him

I don’t believe you haven’t been daydreaming about what you were going to do with that money. Lay it on me. What are you thinking?

So I do have a thought I need to get rid of my school loans first. That's my priority. My whole life is, “Why did I put myself in this debt?” I don't even work in the industry that I got my degree in. So getting rid of my school loans is just going to be huge for me. And then I want to invest properly. I want to be smart with this money because I want this money to be able to help my future and help my family and help my kids. And I don't want that to just be something that like, “Oh, I had it, and then it's gone.”

So I need to really sit down and like talk to some of my friends who work at investment companies and just figure out the best strategy for me at this age to set myself up for the next stage of my life, which is a family. I want to have a family. I want to have kids. And I want to make sure that this money at this time helps me at that stage in my life.

Finally, what do you call a person who comes from the state of Texas?

A Texan, apparently! That’s not a thing! I’m still going to hold to that because I’ve never heard someone be referred to as a Texan. Or a Californian. Maybe it’s just because New Jersey doesn’t have a cool trendy name like that. We’re not New Jerseyians. We’re not! We’re just from Jersey. I don’t get it.

No, but you can own up to the things you said and did. Fact check your damn self for once, you sure like doing it to others.

I'm over her, over Nicole, over Dani. They can all go away.

Spoilergirl1


With no Survivor, I'm still being told they want some form of a BB season before the Summer.

Memphis on if he would play again.. "Call me in 10 years" what are we looking at BB from the Retirement home?? Wait, that could be interesting..

Yes, Kaysar gives the best answer lol.

Aww! This is so sweet

Washington Post article

www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/10/29/big-brother-all-stars-season-22-finale/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=wp_main

How ‘Big Brother’ (barely) redeemed itself after one of the most boring seasons ever

Every season of “Big Brother” is terrible in its own way. It’s one of the reasons it’s hard to look away from the long-running CBS reality show, whether you watch it for entertainment value or in horror. But this season, “Big Brother” had one of the worst flaws you can have on reality TV: It was deeply boring.

Case in point: To the surprise of no one, Cody Calafiore, a 29-year-old soccer coach, was named the winner of the $500,000 prize in Wednesday night’s finale by a 9-0 vote from a jury of his fellow contestants. He’s only the second unanimous winner in the show’s 22-season history. Cody ruled the game from the first day, winning the inaugural Head of Household competition (his first of many victories) and taking control of the house. This enabled him to quickly build solid alliances with the other competitors; as a result, he was never nominated for eviction the entire season.

Once he made it to the final two, the conclusion was obvious. Even runner-up Enzo Palumbo, a 42-year-old insurance adjuster, knew he was doomed. As host Julie Chen Moonves started tallying the votes, he mumbled, “They’re going to shut me out.” And they did.

However, two things happened during the finale that managed to redeem the season. Barely.

“Big Brother,” which debuted in 2000, is billed as a “social experiment”: Stick 16 people in a house with cameras and microphones everywhere and have them vote each other out, one by one. Paranoia seeps in and usually leads to pure chaos — especially when multiple alliances form and battle for control through ridiculous (and often degrading) physical and mental competitions. Sometimes producers introduce special “powers” that can throw a wrench into things.

This year was “Big Brother: All Stars,” theoretically meaning the most legendary players in “Big Brother” history would return to compete. However, given that we are in the middle of a global pandemic, the logistics were complicated. The show followed safety protocols and required contestants to quarantine before entering the house. Then, shortly before the August premiere, three potential competitors tested positive for the coronavirus and weren’t eligible to play.

CBS didn’t reveal who would have been in the cast, but many contestants did not live up to the level of “all star” strategy and gameplay that fiercely loyal “Big Brother” viewers were expecting. Instead, one alliance ran the house the whole time; it was dubbed “The Committee,” with Cody, Christmas Abbott, Memphis Garrett, Tyler Crispen, Dani Briones and Nicole Franzel. From the first week, members of that alliance (and Enzo, secretly aligned with Cody) won the majority of competitions. The rest of the house didn’t stand a chance.

Fan favorites from early seasons, such as Janelle Pierzina and Kaysar Ridha, were targeted and evicted in the first few weeks. Even the “twists” largely fizzled, as special powers could save non-Committee members for only so long. The six on the Committee plus Enzo picked off the rest of the house, like a well-oiled machine, until they were they only ones remaining. Methodical, yes, but a complete snooze fest.

That’s why it was mildly thrilling during the finale when there was actual drama. Cody won Head of Household over Enzo and Nicole, meaning he could decide whom to take to the final two — a situation made more awkward by the fact that he had promised both of them he would remain loyal to the end. Enzo, the inferior player, obviously expected Cody to choose Nicole. And Nicole looked like she anticipated the same decision.

But Cody, who came in second place in Season 16 when he stayed loyal to a better player, wasn’t about to make that mistake again — especially because Nicole already won Season 18. “It was such a blessing to have the both of you in the final two. This is horrible to do this to one of you guys. Nicole, I’m so sorry,” he said, in tears.

Enzo was stunned. Nicole, who previously appeared so confident that cameras caught her rehearsing victory scenarios out loud, was especially shocked. She broke down and could barely keep it together during her post-eviction interview. “I can’t look at you right now,” she told Cody moments later, when she joined the nine-person jury to determine the winner.

According to social media, this moment was a pure shot of schadenfreude to fans watching at home, many of whom felt Nicole frequently played the victim after criticizing her castmates. There were unconfirmed rumors she and Cody talked strategy before the show started, which is strictly taboo. In one live-feed moment that did not air on the edited-for-TV broadcast, she was seen laughing as Memphis mocked houseguest Ian Terry, who is autistic, and also agreed with Dani, who said Ian’s “constant movement stresses me out.” (Franzel, a social media influencer, reportedly lost several sponsors after that.)

The finale’s other redeeming factor was the fan-voted “America’s Favorite Player” award, otherwise known as $25,000. The prize went to Da’Vonne Rogers, who immediately started to cry. This win was especially validating to many viewers, as Da’Vonne has become adored by fans over the years, especially for her priceless reactions in response to the madness of the “Big Brother” house. (You might have seen these GIFs approximately 1 million times.)

Da’Vonne also had one of the most powerful moments of the season when she was evicted in Week 7. “Big Brother” has had a long, ugly history of houseguests making racist comments, as well as a lack of diversity: A Black contestant has never won the show. This season only added to the problem, as all the people of color were voted out by the eighth week.
Producers have clearly heard the criticism; they featured several scenes this year of contestants talking about the Black Lives Matter movement and racial injustice. But Da’Vonne, who paid tribute to Breonna Taylor multiple times over the season, made sure to bring up the issue directly before she left the house.

“Twenty-one seasons of winners and not one of those faces look like mine. … Not seeing a face that looks like mine is very discouraging. It’s hurtful, and it does make me feel like maybe it’s impossible. But I’m wrong about that, because it’s definitely possible. We can do it, it just hasn’t been done yet,” she said. “I want to acknowledge every African American who has walked through those doors with the same desire to be that face that I have. I see you, I salute you and I appreciate you.”

Okay, I'll admit that made me a little teary eyed. 

Enzo and his children, adorable.

He did okay. I just hope he's done with BB.
Does nicole know some sponsors dropped her?

Loved seeing Enzo with his kids, thank you Juls for sharing that sweet moment!


I've been wondering too, how Cody plans to spend the money, and now we know.


Do you know yet how you’ll spend your winnings?

Cody: I’m going to pay off my school loans, which is an incredible relief. I definitely want to invest, I just need to figure out where and how I want to invest. I want to prepare for my future. I want to prepare for the next couple of years, the next steps in my relationship, and all that.

I really want to make sure I’m very smart with this money because I think coming into something like this at my age, it’s very important for me to be smart or it could just be a waste. That’s what I want, to invest in my future because that’s so important to me now.


Thank you Susan for sharing this interview. 

Still waiting on Nicole, Memphis and Dani to apologize to him.

TMZ caught up with Cody at LAX

Entertainment Tonight interview with Cody

Entertainment Tonight interview with Da'vonne

Aww!