'I just can't believe that they lied to us straight to our face,’ says Cynthia about Todrick and Miesha. ‘It definitely sounds like I owe Shanna a huge apology.’
Cynthia Bailey was not exactly what anyone would describe as a competitive animal. And she was totally duped in the trick of the season when Todrick Hall and Misha Tate convinced her to turn their actual ally in Shanna Mokler. Yet Cynthia still made it all the way to the finale of the night on Celebrity Big Brother, where she was voted out to be the final head of Misha's household after she finally decided to sit next to Todrick.
How does Cynthia feel about making it to (almost) the end? Does he regret being duped into turning on Shanna? And what does she think she would do with the jury if she sat in the final two? We asked Real Housewife all that and shortly after she moved out of the house, and she was still spinning from the jury's reaction to Todrick's and new information about what really happened inside the house.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How do you feel now about being quite unfamiliar with the game and still making it through to finish on game night and third place?
Cynthia Bailey: I'm still in shock, basically. I never expected that I would go this far. I played the only game I knew how to play, which was just to be faithful to my alliance and be a woman of my word, which doesn't really weigh much to all those things. Big Brother House, I found out. But at the end of the day, that was the only way I wanted to win, if I was able to win. So surprised a little.
Obviously, some things have happened. I have just left home. I haven't seen the show, but my cast didn't look happy today. That's why I look forward to watching the show because I know what my reality was in the house. And I don't know what is happening in this show and in the outside world.
Were you surprised how salty everyone on the jury was with Todrick?
Hey, God. I was like, "What's going on?" I was so excited to leave the house and see everyone. And everyone was like a stone. I was like, "What's up? And then of course, Carson, my ride or die, I didn't get a chance to talk to him. Really quick, he just said, "You have to watch the show." And I It was like, "Of course I'm going to watch the show. I'm going to watch it anyway, no matter what. I can't wait to see the show."
And basically, once the voting started and I was the last person to vote and no one voted for Todrick, I was like, "Wait, what's going on?" Because the last time these guys were in the house with me, they weren't even Misha's fans at all. So I didn't know. I thought it was probably 50/50, because Misha was HOH taller than anyone. So there was a lot of blood on his hands. I was surprised Todrick didn't get more love. So I'm still processing all that.
Did Carson even have a chance to update everyone on the whole situation, where Todrick and Misha kind of pulled on you guys about Shanna?
That's basically what Carson told me, after the show. I mean, when we just finished, I don't know, an hour ago, he was like, "Basically, we were cheated on. And none of it was true." And I was like, "Oh, my god." I just can't even believe it. I still can't believe they lied to us to our faces. And I feel awful because I was so hard on Shanna. Because when you are in that house, you only have your alliance. And I was super protective of Carson. That was my ride or die.
There were a few things Shanna did that made me suspicious, like when she flipped her vote on Teddy and she didn't tell us. And we were like, "Hey, we're in an alliance. We all agreed to vote for Teddy." And then he didn't. And then we were told that she knew Carson and I were going to be on the block and I was like, "What's an alliance if we can't be honest with each other?
So now if what I'm hearing is true, and I've had a chance to try and see for myself, it certainly feels like I have to apologize personally and publicly at this point. Because at the time I really felt like I was doing what I had to do to protect my alliance.
Have you had a chance to talk to Shanna yet?
No, I haven't had a chance to chat with Shanna at all yet. And then, I'm still processing. I can't even believe I'm even talking to you right now. I haven't even seen a computer in 30 days! I'm still in shock that I've seen other people who weren't in the Big Brother house.
So give me a minute, but absolutely, if what I'm hearing is true, that's a conversation I definitely know I have to have with Shanna. And I apologize very much for that. I don't even know where to start. Because now that we're out there, I don't know what a big deal it is. But inside, when you have nothing but 11 people in the alliance and house, everything feels huge. Do you know? Because you have no outlet.
Honestly, Cynthia, it was like watching a horror movie watching you and Carson get duped. We all sat there watching, "No! No!"
Oh dear me. You guys were like, "Don't believe it."
Completely.
Oh dear me.
Yes, it was bad.
Hey, God. I want to see this.
Listen, Cynthia, you're not the first to be duped and not the last to be duped in Big Brother. it happens.
OK, that makes me feel a little better, but oh my god.
you are processing. I have to imagine Todrick actually processing. How is he doing now? How has he been since he left the house? Because I'm sure he had a lot to take in.
I haven't seen Julie since we left her. So we're all doing press here in different rooms, but he quickly came up to me and was like, "What's going on?" I was like, "I don't know. Everyone's upset and I don't know." So I didn't get a chance to really interact with him, and I don't... I can't either...
If it's all true, and you're saying it's true, you saw it, I honestly don't know what to say to Todrick or Misha. Because I really... I don't know. I can't believe they lied to us straight to our faces.
So here's the $250,000 question, Cynthia: how do you think you would have done against Misha in the final two had she brought you in? What do you think happens with the jury vote?
you know what? I may have actually had a shot at winning, as I was never in a position of power. I never won a comp, so I could never put anyone in the block. So there was no blood on my hand. I tried to be nice to everyone. Everyone was in our room all the time.
I felt like I had a great relationship with most of the people in the house, for the most part. I think I may have a shot. Because then, if for some other reason, I had clean hands. I've never won anything. I was part of the village at home.
I just talked to Carson and I asked him the same question. He says lower your hands, you would have won.
very nice. Oh dear me.
You brought the competitions. What happened in those competitions? You were having some difficulty with them. Was it disappointing?
Listen, if there was one person who couldn't win to lose, that would be me. I just couldn't win. And I wish I could say, "Oh, that was my strategy to win nothing, so I wouldn't have a target on my back" but really, once you're out there, you really want to win. And I just sucked. I just couldn't win anything.
So what are you going to do now? Are you going to go back immediately and start watching stuff again? Or do you need to decompress for a while?
Well, the plan was… I'm excited to see my husband, Mike and my kids and Noel, everyone. But now that I am out of this house, now that all hell is broken, I have to watch the show. I have seen what everyone is so upset about.
Well, listen, people are upset too because coming in tonight, I think a lot of people were pulling you to win that contest and get to the finals.
you know what? Once I discovered it didn't materialize, I was like, "You know what? I might have a shot at this." And I was quite optimistic in the beginning. I think I got the first one right. But honestly, if I had won, I would have brought Todrick with me, not knowing that he cheated on me. And then that would just suck, once I found out what had happened. So maybe it was God's way of protecting me and not letting me win, because if I had won and brought him with me with all this new information I would have really shut down.