Kaitlin Barnaby Big Brother Interview for JokersUpdates.com
Note: This interview was done after Kaitlin’s eviction but due to the controversial season it was held back until the finale.
“Pit race against race, religion against religion, prejudice against prejudice. Divide and conquer! We must not let that happen here.” Elanor Roosevelt
Kaitlin Barnaby came into the CBS Big Brother 15 house very naive about how the big brother game is played. She was a recruit and as she describes herself a “sweetheart, a newbie and a total codependent that doesn’t trust easily.” Kaitlin promised a breath of fresh air for Big Brother fans that were drained by the nonstop rehash of former contestants or “superfans” but it wasn’t long before Kaitlin was ensconced in one of the most controversial alliances in Big Brother history.
Kaitlin grew up in a close-knit community and although her recent life has been rife with the hilarious pitfalls of a rap-party lifestyle there is nothing worthy of condemnation about her life or her behavior in the BB house. Yes, some of the things she said or the stories she told, made me want to scrub my brain but she signed on to entertain us all summer and she did try. Battle lines were drawn and Kaitlin definitely ended up on the side of the game where people played rough, mean girls ruled and she got “salty.”
Kaitlin started the interview talking about her biggest downfall which she thinks was aligning with Aaryn. She believes Aaryn’s “cattiness” brought her down although she did not blame her own behavior on anyone else. Kaitlin regrets not being closer to Andy & Helen and believes the MVP twist that was supposed to prevent floaters, actually turned it into a house full of floaters.
Kaitlin then talked about Aaryn and how she felt about being a part of the “Mean Girls” clique;
Kaitlin: I really didn’t hurt anybody in that house, I was very sweet to everybody and I tried to stay super neutral even when Aaryn was bashing on other people I took up for them and I reminded her that they were humans with feelings and I really think Aaryn just brought me down with her negative attitude.
I was definitely hurt by the mean girls thing, I knew I was playing with some catty girls but I was very sweet to everyone in that house and I kept my dignity and my Minnesota “nice” all the way through that house. It sucks because there again, I am guilty by association.
The situation with Candice was immediately addressed and Kaitlin did not understand why the whole house seemed to be against Candice. Kaitlin said that people got irritated with Candice because even though she was sweet, she was very inconsiderate of other people in the house. Kaitlin went on to say that she felt Candice had good intentions and said everyone was good friends in the beginning but then “Aaryn and GinaMarie bashed on her a lot.”
At the time of this interview, Kaitlin said she would like to see Helen or McCrae win BB15 because she thinks they were both playing smart, loyal games.
BB Evers: Why do you want Aaryn to kick some butt and get people out of the house, is it just to get some retribution for your near blindside eviction?
Kaitlin: Yes, I want the house to feel like they voted the wrong person out because I was very honest and upfront with most of them and Aaryn caused a lot of issues! I understand they kept her in the house as the bigger target but I don’t see Aaryn and I being friends outside of this house not that I am realizing what she has done and I think she has a lot of work to do once she gets out of that house.
BB Evers: You have talked about Aaryn being the source of most of your problems in the BB house but in truth, you were seemingly attached to Jeremy from day two and even though you called him out on his behavior, asked him to calm down and saw what it was doing to his game, you stayed by his side. Why didn’t you distance yourself from him?
Kaitlin: I thought he was a very strong and determined player and I tried to stay very loyal to my team because going over to the other side would have shown that I was not a loyal player and I really didn’t know what else to do in that situation. I had a very strong connection with Jeremy and he was one of the only people in that house that I trust and I was really in a hard position.
BB Evers: Has anyone informed you of the way Jeremy talked about you and how he referred to your genital area especially when he was talking to the other Moving Company members?
Kaitlin: Yes, I heard that information this morning and I think that was in the very beginning when both of us were using each other. We got a much stronger bond towards the end, before he left and I went in there thinking I was going to use and manipulate him because he was a strong player and I think this game brings out the bad side of people, that’s for sure.
Kaitlin was shocked that America was the MVP and was even more amazed that America put her on the block. Kaitlin’s conspiracy theory about Elissa nominating herself is a perfect example of the paranoia that takes over in there.
If Kaitlin had not been evicted, her number one target would have been Amanda. Kaitlin felt that Amanda was playing a manipulative game and hopes that someone targets her. Kaitlin acknowledged that Amanda was running the house and wished it was different.
BB Evers: I wish you and Amanda had found a way to form an alliance and run that house together. You have a lot in common and I think you could have been a true power couple, she is loud and proud and funny…..
Kaitlin: She is hilarious, I will give her that and she does do some great entertainment
BB Evers: At one point it seemed like each of you had a side of the house completely under your thumb and my dream was that you would join forces and make a F2. Was there ever any chance of that?
Kaitlin: You know, I thought we were really good friends in the beginning of the season but she betrayed me a couple of times and it’s hard to know who to trust and I think I trusted way too many people in the beginning and that was my downfall. I put up a wall after she betrayed me and then she was with McCrae. [note: The BB players are in the house for almost a week before we see them “enter” the house. Many alliances are formed before the feeds or the “game” begins]
BB Evers: It was a rough season.
Kaitlin: I’ll say!
BB Evers: These are more personal play than gameplay questions but David was amused when I told him about your conversation with Aaryn when you discussed getting your guys wrong and he would like to take you surfing before you go home, would you be open to that?
Kaitlin: I would totally be open to that! I have never been surfing before!
BB Evers: Aaryn made a couple of plays for Jeremy especially when the three of you were sharing the HOH room. He even reached over to “pat her leg” while the three of you were sleeping together and it registered with the live feeders so, I am wondering how you would feel about seeing that?
Kaitlin: Um, you know, I think all three of us were very close and I think they had a close brother/sister type thing so I don’t really know, it doesn’t really bother me at this point. It is what it is. He told me that he had very strong feelings for me and it is what it is, we were all stuck in there together!
BB Evers: Do you wish you had used the veto on Jeremy to keep a bigger target in the house?
Kaitlin: The same situation could have happened so I don’t think it would have been worth it if I had chosen not to use the veto. And I was happy that I won the veto! Especially since I have been evicted...I got to win something and I can’t take anything back in that situation.
Kaitlin felt that a rumor did her in and she didn’t campaign because she did not think that Aaryn was campaigning against her and she thought she was protected by Helen, Elissa and Andy.
BB Evers: What rumor are you referring to?
Kaitlin: A rumor about my alliance between Judd, GinaMarie, Howard and Spencer and it was a fake alliance and I just needed numbers on my side.
BB Evers: I thought that was a really good game move. Late night in the HOH to do that but even though Judd said he liked you best, he aligned against you at the end because he saw you as the bigger threat after you kept coming in 2nd or even winning comps. There was also the Jeremy factor and I am curious about what your game would have been like without him?
Kaitlin: I don’t know!
BB Evers: At the last minute Elissa came to you with a lot of questions about that alliance rumor and she was trying to help you…
Kaitlin: At first I thought she was making it up and I was very snippy with her and now I realize she was just coming to me to give me a heads up but I felt threatened by her and that she was coming to me telling me that I am going home and at the same time (if she is telling me the truth) I am thinking someone is a rat in my alliance, so I was upset and more or less taking it out on her. She kind of lied a lot in this game and I just didn’t know whether or not I could believe her.
BB Evers: When she approached you, she didn’t make it clear that she was on your side or wanted you to stay so it was easy to see where the confusion came from. Did she ever tell you she wanted Aaryn out?
Kaitlin: She didn’t make it clear at all and the way she came to me it felt like she was going to vote for me to leave which she ultimately did end up doing.
BB Evers: These “house” votes are killing me! Will you watch the show when you get home?
Kaitlin: I will be watching the shows and the live feeds, you know I kind of wasn’t really aware of Big Brother until I got thrown into the mix and I couldn’t be happier~it was the best experience of my life and thank you to CBS for choosing me out of thousands of people and I will continue to be a huge fan as of now!
Kaitlin continued, saying she had a lot of laughs and the connections she felt with everyone in the house made it feel like family and she doesn’t think she will experience anything like it again in her life. She acknowledged that a lot of “crappy” things happened but she didn’t take anything personally and wants to stay in touch with all of the houseguests. Kaitlin said that everyone in the house was “fantastic and genuine” and everyone has a bad and a good side.
Kaitlin plans to move to Vegas to be closer to her father and brother and is currently working as a bartender while doing the footwork to finish college.
BB Evers: What is your college major?
Kaitlin: It was Graphic Design but I have a little bit of a TV-bug right now so, we’ll see where that takes me.
BB Evers: The Big Brother houseguests were together in the house for almost a week before the Live Feeds came on and I was wondering if there was anyone that you bonded with during that time that you didn’t pursue to further your game or build an alliance?
Kaitlin: Um, I think Andy and I really bonded at first but Andy ended up going with Helen and um, I didn’t get to know Helen very well, I just know she is a very respectable person and I thought she was loyal but it didn’t happen.
BB Evers: Kaitlin, thank you for your time.
Kaitlin: You're welcome, thank you!
BB Evers: Will you be interacting on Twitter?
Kaitlin: Yes, I will! [Kaitlin’s twitter is: @twitRless_kb]
Kaitlin appears to have a good grasp on how the BB house affects individuals and may bring out the best or the worst in each player. I do wish she had formed different alliances and after watching her exit interview with Jeff, I hope she continues to sparkle and finds a place in the world that makes her happy. She is intelligent and talented and fun to watch, and yes, she and Jeremy are pursuing a relationship and I think they would be a great addition to The Amazing Race.
The controversy over Kaitlin referring to Candice as “black Candice” was discussed and Kaitlin talked about the fact that Candice referred to herself as “white Candice and black Candice.” On the first days of the live feeds, Candice talked openly about thinking that there were two sides to her personality and she named them black and white. She said her good side is white but when she gets mean or angry, her black side comes out. Candice is an intelligent, beautiful mixture of races and I believe she thought this was a way of explaining her behavior but it got twisted. And then Kaitlin used it in the middle of one of the worst fight nights and it got twisted even worse.
My hope is that Kaitlin and Candice are given a national forum to discuss the implications of this type of speech and neither is vilified or scapegoated. It would make a fascinating segment for Oprah or The Talk. My mantra is “Don’t hate, EDUCATE!”
Kaitlin may not have been perfect but who wants to watch a houseful of saints all summer? I don’t and CBS knows what makes ratings and what generates advertising dollars and because of this summer’s controversies Big Brother is more popular than ever and generating huge revenues. Love it or hate it, millions of us are fascinated watching mirror images of ourselves act or act out in circumstances that are similar to what we face in our everyday lives. But are we always our best when put under extreme pressure? Are we capable of jumping into rushing waters to save someone or do we not want to look at ourselves and instead feel safe to judge others?
It is interesting to me that while pointing out the bigotry of the BB15 houseguests, many of us have started drinking from a different type of hatorade and exhibiting similar behaviors to those that we want to condemn, all in the name of righteousness. I am as guilty of this as any others and I decided to be a part of the change I would like to see. That doesn’t mean I am going to stop snarking about Helen’s hilarious and cheerleading or other typical BB houseguest nonsense, it just means I am going to stop condemning those who may display behavior I find less than stellar. Hate is Hate.
Isn’t this summer’s CBS Big Brother the perfect opportunity to educate and find ways to let go of the hate that permeates our society? Kaitlin seems to be doing just that and I support her and all of the Big Brother players. Right or wrong. Good or bad. They sign on to entertain us not to be condemned or have their families harassed. I am still working on forgiving the ones that were boring!
“Here we are now, entertain us….” Nirvana
