Big Brother 13 Winner Rachel Reilly with fiance Brendon Villegas - Photo CBS


There have been some historic worst to first victories in sports and politics but I don't think anyone was fully prepared for the juggernaut that is and was, Rachel Reilly on the CBS summer hit, Big Brother. Last summer it seemed the world was laughing at her but this summer in a captivating display of the resilience of the human spirit, Rachel got the Big Brother world laughing with her. She quieted almost all of the naysayers by winning competitions, laughing at herself, ignoring her insecurities and securing solid friendships along the way.

Jokers Updates had a unique opportunity to speak to Rachel Reilly after her historic Big Brother win and it was a Rachel roller coaster ride of fun, truth and laughter.

Rachel picked up the phone and said hello and then gloriously screamed, "I WON BIG BROTHER!" It was classic "Big Red Vegas Rachel" and a "classic Rachel" way of starting the interview.

JokersUpdates.com: Rachel I want to start by saying JokersUpdates LOVES YOU!

Rachel: I LOVE JOKERS UPDATES! (laughing and giggling and very sincere)

JokersUpdates.com: Well I know last year the internet sites weren't always kind to you but I want you to know that Jokers Updates is full of "Big RED Love!"

Rachel: Oh, thank you so much! This has been so insane, like I WON BIG BROTHER and like, I never imagined it you know? I never fought so hard, last summer I went into the game a newbie and I said, hey, I'm gonna fight in every competition, I'm going to win everything, but I think I was way too aggressive, I didn't play a good social game and I got evicted. And THIS SUMMER (giggling that classic Rachel giggle/laugh) I came back and said to Brendon, you know what? We have to change our game, we have to play a social game, we have to obviously win competitions!

There is no laying low for Brendon and I, we have to win (the competitions) or we were going to go home. So, really, I worked soooooooooooo hard this summer, I fought every single week, I played with my heart in every single competition and I wore my heart on my sleeve and I think everyone saw that (giggling and laughing again) a few times.

JokersUpdates.com: Yes, quite a bit, it was good TV!. Wait a minute, are you wearing that black and white paisley dress with the dangle earrings and your hair parted on the side? You look amazing in that dress, with those earrings and your hair like that!

Rachel: Oh My God, THANK YOU! I love it, thank you!

JokersUpdates.com: Now, I want you to know I am going to ask some questions others won't ask but thought you got a raw deal last year and people didn't give you enough credit for who you are. I saw your confusion & vulnerability and I saw your kindness and intelligence, which a lot of people questioned.

Rachel: Yes, they did.

JokersUpdates.com: You redeemed yourself this year in so many ways but in addition to celebrating your win and your Big Brother Game-play, I do want to ask you some hard questions, ok?

Rachel: (big Rachel laugh) Yes, ok, I'm ready.


JokersUpdates.com: First I would like to tell you that the BB House Rodent says hello. His Squirrel Splat videos in support of you....

Rachel: Oh my god, I love them!


JokersUpdates.com: They are very supportive of you and Jokers Updates posted all of them. The Rodent just wanted to say Hello to you and he would like to know since you won so much money, how much is his cheese allowance going to be this year?

Rachel: (laughing a real long, genuine Rachel laugh) 500 thousand cheeses!


JokersUpdates.com: Those videos are so funny and so loving towards you, I think you are going to get a kick out of them.

Rachel: Oh my gosh, I can't wait!


JokersUpdates.com: Punxsutawneygal on Jokers Updates, who is a big fan of yours, would like to know when it will sink in for you that public opinion of you has shifted and you have a lot of fans?

Rachel: Wow, yes, I don't know. (her voice got very soft and sincere, as she said that)


JokersUpdates.com: I think the real turning point was when you pulled Jordan away from that fight with Shelly, after Jeff was evicted. You were genuinely upset and concerned for her and you cried and told her "this isn't you." You were amazing in that moment, how does it feel to know you have true fans this year because of moments like that where we got to see the real, true, Rachel?

Rachel: (nervous giggle and laugh) Thank you! Um, I think that I had no idea, this is all so new to me that I even have fans. I am so happy and yeah, when Brendon left the second time, I settled down as a game player and I think that I started like.....(to) grow-up, not just in the game but as a person and my friendship with Jordan really started to blossom............

Especially after Brendon left and especially after Jeff left, but then it was (just) Jordan and I and she's MY GIRL and I'm not about to go down without a fight and I wasn't gonna let us get evicted and when I pulled Jordan away from that fight, I don't know.......I was like, THIS ISN'T YOU JORDAN! And it wasn't you know, she is such an amazing person and it wasn't like her and Shelly came AT HER and I mean.......the old Rachel would have been like, SCREW YOU SHELLY and just give it to Shelly but you know what? This isn't Jordan and I had to play a different game and I/we had to be/have a more social game and you know it was Jordan and I and we were friends and you know? You are not going to let your friend go down like that and let someone be like that with your friend!


JokersUpdates.com: You can be the funniest, most charming, beautiful woman in the room and then you get upset by something and your dagger looks even scare me, (Rachel starts laughing) why do you do that, where does that come from inside you?

Rachel: (big laughter and giggling as she answers) Oh, my god, I have NO IDEA! (still laughing) I had no idea I did it, I don't think I realize I am doing it on my face, like I get very emotional and I don't know it is on my face and my face is so expressive that I didn't/don't even realize sometimes when I am upset with someone that I give them these mean, horrible looks and (laughing again, but softly) it definitely rubs people the wrong way sometimes.....


JokersUpdates.com: Sometimes it's funny and sometimes endearing, but sometimes scary.

Rachel: (lots of laughter, then soft and giggly) Now I know!


JokersUpdates.com: Awfuleehandsome on Jokers Updates is also a big fan of yours and she wanted to know why you were so loyal to Jordan when you were so mad at her early in the game and said you thought she was mean to you, especially when she made the comments about babysitting you and gave you that long talk about your personality?

Rachel: Yeah, well............


JokersUpdates.com: You seemed to handle it well.

Rachel: Yeah, Jeff and Jordan and Brendon, the four of us, had an alliance since like what, day one! And I wasn't going to turn on their alliance, you know we could butt heads, that's real life and in the Big Brother "pressure-cooker" you're going to butt heads even more and it really did hurt my feelings when you know Jordan made that comment about babysitting and I was like well you know, I'm like "fine, I'm sorry you.......I had to put that on you."

(Rachel's voice got very soft here, very contemplative) but I realized people sometimes, you know, don't say things right and they don't always think, you know how the other person will feel, you know, pointing out a few things, (now, with more energy in her voice) but Jordan was my friend and she was someone that was always there for me and she and Jeff, no matter what happened in the game, we always stuck together and I think that you know, I did have a rough summer but hey, I WON! (soft but solid, Rachel laugh now.)

I don't think I will ever turn my back on Jordan, EVER, she is my friend and I am her friend!


JokersUpdates.com: You made some good friends in the Big Brother house this year, not like last year, but I wanted to tell you that BB12 Hayden Moss and Matt Hoffman and his wife, Stacy were rooting for you to win.

Rachel: I heard about that (giggling and very animated vocally) that is so exciting!


JokersUpdates.com: It was really fun to watch them Rally for Rachel! They tweeted a lot about you and not just in the last few weeks, you were their solid favorite from the middle of the summer all the way to the end.

Rachel: That is so amazing. Matt and his wife, really? And especially Hayden, who would ever think that? (long, classic Rachel laugh.) I know I heard that, they told me, yeah, Hayden's been rooting for you all summer and I said, "Really? Hayden?" (more laughter, softer) and I just think that is so awesome, I think like last summer I fought so hard and played such a bad game and I was just way too aggressive and I, you know, I had my back up against the wall the whole time last summer and I didn't have any allies and so it was really tough.........but I went in and changed it!


JokersUpdates.com: Yes, you did and it seemed to me, correct me if I am wrong, it seemed like last year you were being very kind to production and that they really wanted you to be "outrageous VEGAS".........

Rachel: (good hearty Rachel laugh) That is possible but...........ok, a little bit, but it was my game and I came in this one to win the game and not to play for anyone else or play to anything, I came in to win this time and everything worked out the way it needed to for me to get this far and win!


JokersUpdates.com: A lot of sports teams go from worst to first but you have done it on Big Brother.........

Rachel: (laughing) Yes, 100 percent, yet I did that! It is great, it is amazing, I could have never imagined this and it is such an amazing, surreal experience.


JokersUpdates.com: I think your fans have a lot of confidence in you that I'm not even sure you have in yourself yet, and early in the game you cried about not being able to get a job last year. This year i think you will be able to get any job you want, and I think any grad school would be happy to have you..........

Rachel: (starts laughing and giggling) Yes, YES! Oh, I hope so, thank you so much!


JokersUpdates.com: You touched a lot of hearts one day when you said that UCLA was intimidating..........so what would you like to do?

Rachel: (laughing, again. her laugh is really lovely, even over the phone and not echoing in the Big Brother house) I really want to get my Masters and um, you know really work on my vocation and I could definitely see myself working with chemistry education and science education, I think that would be perfect for me because I would have like an excitement and I could get people and students excited and um, I would make them excited about science, which I love and so eventually, I would definitely see myself doing something like that and it would be such a dream come true. I've had a crazy past two summers and right now I am just like on Cloud 9!


JokersUpdates.com: Well, we are happy for you and I think you would make a great teacher.

Rachel: Thank you! Thank you!


JokersUpdates.com: 1DrunkNMonkey on JokersUpdates would like to know what you plan on doing with the half million dollars that you won? And I would like to know if you think you will be able to save it and use it for your future because bridal and jewelry places might be willing to help with the wedding now?

Rachel: Hey, if they did I would definitely want to talk to them because that would be amazing! Hey, thanks to the Talk (on CBS) I just won a honeymoon today so I mean I am so excited about that! I won't be spending it all (the money) on a/my wedding. I want it to last and help my future.


JokersUpdates.com: I hope it does. One of your followers on Twitter has been to that resort and says it's great.

Rachel: Oh my gosh, I can't wait, I am so excited!


JokersUpdates.com: Ok, this is the part I would be remiss in not asking.

Rachel: Ok, I'm ready.

JokersUpdates.com: You have such a great heart and I am so happy that people got to really see it this year, you also have a remarkable ability to forgive and forget, (Rachel laughed) but, some of the fights you had with Brendon were very hard to watch on the Live Feeds. They were very scary and you seemed to blossom without him in the game. Is there any chance you will give yourself time to find someone who might be better for you?

Rachel: (shocked) OH MY GOD, NO! Brendon's perfect for me! You know, things that happen, things that you have in the Big Brother house, you have this pressure cooker on you and you're under so much stress and Brendon was constantly worrying about his PHD and about us staying in the game together and I think that um, you know it was tough!

Both of us wanted the same thing but we have to work on our relationship and I think that is something you are going to find with anyone in any relationship and you have to work on it, you have to so you can move forward and nothing is perfect and nothing good in life is you know.......if it's not worth fighting for you're not going to get it and it's hard work that makes everything what it is.


JokersUpdates.com: If you keep greeting everything in your life with the love and laughter you have now, I think you will have a beautiful life. We want you to have a wonderful life. You were a delight to watch this year, so thank you for entertaining us all summer and congratulations on winning Big Brother.

Rachel: Thank you! I loved all of it!


JokersUpdates.com: You were great at those competitions and your social game rocked this summer, so kudos! Go rock that dress, you look fierce and Jokers loves you!

Rachel: I love Jokers, I love that site, I do.....I have to go but thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me! Good bye to you and Jokers!


And with that, she was gone and I was a little confused. I had to rewind the tape to see if she really just thanked me and Jokers Updates for talking to HER? She did. She is handling her victory with the poise and presence of mind of a Beauty Queen or a Winning Politician, maybe a combination of both. She did fight hard all summer and now an amazing, gentle, graceful Rachel is shining through in victory. It is a wonderful thing, she is a wonder!

Later, she did rock that dress at the wrap-party and looked like the winner she is. Rachel and Brendon are planning a destination wedding, maybe in December and Rachel plans on having Jordan as one of her bridesmaids. I see her, maybe on a beach in Hawaii, throwing rose petals over her head and laughing.........all the way to the bank!

Good for you Rachel, because you did earn it and Jokers Updates couldn't be happier for you!