Still catching up. Cynthia Bailey was never exactly sure what was happening in the Celebrity Big Brother house, but she does own up to owing Shanna Moakler an apology now that the season has wrapped.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum, 55, slowly learned after exiting the house on Wednesday, February 23, that she was deceived by Todrick Hall and Miesha Tate, the latter of whom won the game.
“I just reacted with the information that I was being given,” Cynthia exclusively tells Us Weekly. “And now that I’m hearing differently, obviously I feel horrible and I definitely owe Shanna an apology personally and publicly, at this point. But again, I haven’t even watched the show, so I don’t even know how bad it is. I have no idea how it even played out.”
Todrick, 36, and Miesha, 35, convinced Cynthia and her closest ally Carson Kressley to turn on Shanna even though it was not in their best interest.
The former model says that her “only reality is what has happened in the house” and that “Todrick was lovely to me,” which is why she was the one person to vote for him to win.
“I’m not a Big Brother superfan,” she explains. “I did not go into this knowing how to really play the game. I watched seasons 1 and 2 of the celebrity editions and that’s it. I thought that was enough, but I was wrong because I had no idea that two grown people would look me in my face and just make up a lie.”
What else did Cynthia have to say about her game? And what about the personal comments made about Shanna? Watch above or scroll down to read our full interview.
Us Weekly: Third place! How are you feeling?
Cynthia Bailey: You know what I feel incredible that I made final three. I had no idea – honestly, when I started this journey – that I would make it that far. I was really discouraged after my ride or die Carson left. I was alone in the house. I wasn’t really sure I was going to be able to navigate, but I felt like I played the game the way I said I was gonna play it. You know, I tried to stay loyal to my alliance and I was a woman of my word, which doesn’t really get you that far in the Big Brother house I found out. But it was the only way that I would’ve wanted to win.
Us: You didn’t win competitions, but you were well-liked, which is important too.
CB: I did not win any competitions and I would love to tell you that that was my strategy to not win anything, but it’s not true. I actually wanted to win competitions. I was never in any position of power, but I didn’t end up getting any blood on my hands because I could never put anyone up because I never won anything.
Us: You were the only vote for Todrick tonight. How do you feel about that and what have you learned after the fact? Were you surprised by the other jurors?
CB: I have been out of Big Brother house for maybe an hour now. So I haven’t seen the show. One of the things about being the third person in the house left, everyone else has seen the show. I haven’t seen anything. So my only reality is what has happened in the house. Todrick was lovely to me in the house. He actually took me under his wing after Carson left, which was difficult for me because Carson was my ride or die. And I was in there by myself. It was Miesha and Todrick and Lamar [Odom] and Todd [Bridges]. I was kind of on my own. But it was very clear once I came out and I saw my stone-faced cast, [they] did not look happy, and I was the last to vote. I was very surprised everyone voted for Miesha when half of the people were put out of the house because Miesha. I was like, “What is going on? What is happening?” I thought it would least be 50/50 because they were the dynamic duo that did everything together. So I was like, “Wow, why are they so strongly against Todrick? And not a little salty with Miesha too?” Because they worked together very closely as you saw.
Us: You’re definitely gonna learn some things. The biggest thing that fans were frustrated about with you was when you and Carson let Todrick convince you to turn on Shanna. She just used the Veto on Carson! How could you believe him over Shanna?
CB: For me – and I won’t speak for Carson – at that time, I was starting to be a little leery of Shanna because she flipped her vote on Teddi [Mellencamp]. And as an alliance, we had all decided where we were gonna vote for Teddi. And in the house, all you have is your alliance so everything is like a big deal in the house. So when she did that and she didn’t tell us she was doing that, I was like, wait, “What’s happening? Why wouldn’t you tell your alliance? We talk about everything before we make any moves.” So that’s when I started to get a little paranoid with her, like, this doesn’t feel right. I was also told that she knew when Carson and I went up on the block, that she knew about it.
I was like, “Why wouldn’t you tell us if you knew that information?” I was told she knew it. She said she didn’t know. But at that point, I was starting to be little leery because I felt like she was playing both sides of the team. And once Todrick had the conversation with me and Miesha basically cosigned everything, I was like …. And disclaimer, I’m not a Big Brother superfan. I did not go into this knowing how to really play the game. I watched seasons 1 and 2 of the celebrity editions and that’s it. I thought that was enough, but I was wrong because I had no idea that two grown people would look me in my face and just make up a lie.
I was so upset and I was so protective of Carson because Carson was so good to Shanna. We were like the three little bears in our room. We were all we had and I just reacted with the information that I was being given. And now that I’m hearing differently, obviously I feel horrible and I definitely owe Shanna an apology personally and publicly, at this point. But again, I haven’t even watched the show, so I don’t even know how bad it is. I have no idea how it even played out.
Us: I think she knows that you didn’t know what was going on in the game. But, there were things that were said about her appearance. Do you think those comments took it too far?
CB: One of the things I know that was said, and I don’t know who you heard it from, but the guys were saying that they felt like she was dressing kind of inappropriately or whatever. I didn’t really have a problem personally with the way she dressed. I mean, she’s a sexy girl. She’s a beautiful girl. I feel like, for me as a married woman, if I dress as sexy, I mean, it wouldn’t be a personal choice for me to dress super sexy in the house with men in the house, especially with us not having a lot of privacy and stuff in there. But I didn’t have a problem with the way she dressed. Just for me, I move a little differently just because I am married.
Us: Do you think you’ll have a conversation with her?
CB: I would like to. I mean, if everything that I’m saying is true and apparently it is true because this is like my third interview now, I 100 percent plan to have a conversation with her because I owe her an apology for sure. I was wrong to believe them, I guess. I never imagined in a million years that they were lying to us.
Us: Knowing that you were probably not going to win the final HOH, did you think about possibly pitting them against each other and making some kind of deal?
CB: Todrick and Miesha were a duo. I knew if either one of them won, they were gonna take each other. I was the third wheel in that situation so if by some miracle I won – which I didn’t win anything the whole time I was in the house competition-wise – I would have taken Todrick because that’s who I had a relationship within the house. I wasn’t super close to Miesha. I liked Miesha. I respect her, but we were never really close. And once Carson left the house, Todrick kind of took me in under his wing for the obvious reasons now. But to me, it felt like, “OK, great. I don’t have my ride or die. I don’t have any support in the house anymore.” So I felt very lucky for him to even scoop me up. But now I know better.
Us: How does it feel knowing you probably would have beaten him in the final two?
CB: I didn’t even know. Again, when you’re in the house, I had lost so many times, I didn’t even know if the fans would even be rooting for me at this point. I thought they probably [had] just given up on me winning competitions. So yeah, apparently I would’ve won had I brought him with me. I’m still processing. I feel like to be honest with you, I did win. Just even making it to the final three is a victory for me. I never saw myself going this far in the house because I’m not a Big Brother superfan. I don’t know the show that well. I really tried to stay loyal to my alliance and I really tried to stay loyal to my word. And a lot of those things don’t really carry that much weight in the Big Brother house apparently, but that was the only way that I wanted to win the game, if I won.
Us: You did come out with a good friend in Carson.
CB: I did, I did. I love Carson.
Us: What’s one thing that you wish you maybe prepared for or knew before you went into the house?
CB: Oh, my goodness. I wish I had watched more Big Brother episodes just to understand the gameplay because even … I was making big mistakes even when I was in an alliance. I didn’t know that was supposed to be a secret. Anytime someone tried to pull me, I was like, “No, I’m in an alliance. I’m with Shanna, Carson, and I think Todrick’s with us.” And they’re like, “Wait, we’re in an alliance with Todrick. What do you mean?” I was just doing it all wrong. If there was a book of Big Brother don’ts, I could write it because I think I played the game completely wrong.
Us: You came in third place so you did something right.
CB: Well, it’s a testament to … my main strategy going into the house was to just make the house a home. Cook and clean as much as possible. So I must have [done] a good job with that. People must have liked me because I didn’t win anything in the house and I went pretty far. So I guess I can, you know, be proud of that.
Us: And you’re the only one who cleaned those toilets!
CB: I am the only one! Did you guys see that? Those toilets were … you don’t even know. Celebrities do not know how to clean up after themselves. I can tell you that right now.
