“I Did Something Right to Keep Me in the Game”: An Interview with Big Brother 5 Runner-Up Michael
by David Bloomberg -- 09/23/2004
Michael made it to the Final 2 but missed the win by one vote. Find out what his plan was coming into the game, what he has to say to those who claim he didn’t really play hard, who he thought Drew would take to the Final 2, and much more!
RealityNewsOnline: Congratulations on your second place finish! Do you think it was worth it to spend three months locked up for second place?
Michael: You know, I thought and thought about that. But I would probably do it all over again. I did it for my family, and fifty grand pays off some bills. I might not be able to get my dude ranch, but I’m a winner. It was an honor to be here and I’ve been a fan of the show for long time. It was an honor to be able to participate.
RealityNewsOnline: If you had won HOH at the end, would you have taken Drew to the finals, or would you have gone for the better bet and taken Diane?
Michael: I would have taken Drew because he is my best friend and we had an agreement. As everyone knows, I kept my word in the game.
RealityNewsOnline: How surprised were you that Drew chose to evict Diane?
Michael: You know, regardless of if he told me he would keep me, I would not have believed it until it happened. When he said he would shock one of us, I thought he meant me. It was unreal. My heart leapt for joy. I didn’t think I would bring first place. Drew played an awesome game. After we talked to the jury members, I knew they were basing it on the game, not on who needed the money. He did play a good game.
RealityNewsOnline: Whose jury vote surprised you the most?
Michael: Honestly, I was shocked to get Nakomis’ vote. I was honored and pleased – overwhelmed. I was really shocked about Will’s vote towards Drew, I was hoping he would vote for me. I guess they thought Drew was a better player. I would agree, I guess, but I had to do something right to make it where I was.
RealityNewsOnline: Do you have any regrets about the way you played or anything you said or did in the house?
Michael: I have no regrets. I came in to be myself and hoped the houseguests would love me. They loved me but they also loved to hate me. I was a threat to them. They hated that I got attention. When they realized I needed to go, it was too late. I cowboyed it up and finished second.
RealityNewsOnline: Who were the hardest and easiest people to vote out?
Michael: One of easiest was The Don [Mike]. He knew it was going to happen. The hardest was Lori. I really liked her and she was a great individual. But we had to vote her out because she took the ten grand.
RealityNewsOnline: Were you surprised to find out that Holly and Jase are together outside the house?
Michael: I am a little shocked. I don’t know if they’re doing it more for TV or whatever. But if there is true love there, I wish them the best. It might work out for them.
RealityNewsOnline: And were you surprised to find out that Jase and Scott are not on speaking terms?
Michael: When I found out, I was very shocked. We did the Horsemen for life, so it stunned me that they let a girl get in the way of a friendship. I hope they don’t try to pull Drew and myself in the middle of it. I will stay out of it.
RealityNewsOnline: What was your original plan coming into the game? How did it change once you got in the house?
Michael: Coming into the game, I honestly knew I was going to be myself. If I was going to be voted out, I would be regardless. I know you can’t go solo, so I figured I would be in an alliance with a female or two, but ended up being with the Four Horsemen and then Adria and Natalie – they are two awesome people and I love them both.
RealityNewsOnline: A lot of the jury questions were aimed at strategy and jurors indicated they thought you were just riding coattails rather than playing the game. What do you have to say in response to that?
Michael: The thing is, I played the game for myself and my family. The other players could have voted me out any time. That’s their opinion, but apparently I did something right to keep me in the game. I think that was their fault. And I wasn’t the only one, Karen was doing the same thing. --Message edité par Jadz le 2004-09-28 13:57:26--
Entrevue avec Cowboy -- RealityNewsOnline + TVGuideOnline
Un autre article provenant de TV Guide Online.
Cowboy semble légèrement amer de ne pas avoir remporté le gros lot. Dans une des ses réponses il mentionne que les jury des années précédentes votaient pour la personne qui avait le plus besoin d'argent. hmmm disons plutôt que c'est arrivé une fois sur deux selon moi. BB1 oui pour Eddy; BB2 non, Nicole en avait + besoin que Dr. Will; BB3 non, Danielle en avait + besoin que Lisa; BB4 oui pour Jun.
He might've been the most happy-go-lucky (if slightly dim-witted) cast member of Big Brother 5, but Michael Ellis, better known as Cowboy, is very bummed that his ex-housemates awarded the $1 million (sic) prize to cutie-pie Drew. The 23-year-old from Oklahoma doesn't begrudge his fellow "Horseman" the cash — he just wishes BB5's jury had based their votes on financial need more than gamesmanship. While this soon-to-be married gent tried hard to fit in — he even let his roomies shave racing stripes in his leg hair! — Cowboy couldn't win a Head of Household competition to save his life. Here, the downtrodden runner-up shares his regrets with TV Guide Online.
TV Guide Online: You must be happy. You won some money.
Michael Ellis: Well, it wasn't the 500 Gs.
TVGO: Well, $50,000 isn't too shabby.
Michael: Oh, no. I need to pay some bills.
TVGO: Did you at least have fun in the Big Brother house?
Michael: No. I think we made things to do to entertain ourselves because it is so boring.
TVGO: You talked about your fiancée, April, a lot. When are you two getting married?
Michael: We are getting married Dec. 9.
TVGO: Were you thrilled to see her and your stepson, Chason, again?
Michael: I was so excited to see Chason and April for the first time. It was just unreal to be able to hug and kiss them. I know it was hard on me, and I know it was hard on them as well. Chason was crying because I didn't win. I hope I can get back home and sit down with him and say, "I did win. I've got ya'll."
TVGO: Will Drew's victory hurt your friendship?
Michael: Drew and I will be friends. He won the $500,000 and I won the $50,000, so I think we have something in common that the other houseguests don't have. I even told April that I'm thinking of putting Drew as my best man in my wedding. He's really been a great friend through this experience.
TVGO: Who surprised you by voting against you?
Michael: You know, when it came down to a tie vote, I really, honestly thought that Will would vote for me.
TVGO: Think you lost because you didn't win many competitions?
Michael: That has been brought up so much. I think not winning [any] HOHs did hinder me in this jury. Past juries voted for someone who really needs the money more, and that is not what the jury went for this time. I respect that. I think that Drew played the game very well. He won four HOHs and I only won one veto.
TVGO: Describe what it was like to learn Nakomis was your half sister.
Michael: It was a very hard time for me, and I guarantee it was hard for my family to witness that and not be able to comfort me. I went almost 24 years not knowing who my real father is.
TVGO: Was your father at the finale?
Michael: He was not there, unfortunately. We might try and meet for the first time in the near future.
TVGO: Think you'll stay close to Nakomis?
Michael: I really hope that there will be a relationship between Nakomis and myself. I hope that we can put the game aside and just start a brother-and-sister relationship.
TVGO: Are you surprised that former "Horsemen" Jase and Scott aren't speaking?
Michael: I don't know what the deal is with Savage and Jase. I think it is immature. I wish that they would put the girl or the game aside and just make up. We said "Four Horsemen for life," more or less, when [we made that alliance]. It is just kind of upsetting to hear that they are not on speaking terms.
Cowboy semble légèrement amer de ne pas avoir remporté le gros lot. Dans une des ses réponses il mentionne que les jury des années précédentes votaient pour la personne qui avait le plus besoin d'argent. hmmm disons plutôt que c'est arrivé une fois sur deux selon moi. BB1 oui pour Eddy; BB2 non, Nicole en avait + besoin que Dr. Will; BB3 non, Danielle en avait + besoin que Lisa; BB4 oui pour Jun.
He might've been the most happy-go-lucky (if slightly dim-witted) cast member of Big Brother 5, but Michael Ellis, better known as Cowboy, is very bummed that his ex-housemates awarded the $1 million (sic) prize to cutie-pie Drew. The 23-year-old from Oklahoma doesn't begrudge his fellow "Horseman" the cash — he just wishes BB5's jury had based their votes on financial need more than gamesmanship. While this soon-to-be married gent tried hard to fit in — he even let his roomies shave racing stripes in his leg hair! — Cowboy couldn't win a Head of Household competition to save his life. Here, the downtrodden runner-up shares his regrets with TV Guide Online.
TV Guide Online: You must be happy. You won some money.
Michael Ellis: Well, it wasn't the 500 Gs.
TVGO: Well, $50,000 isn't too shabby.
Michael: Oh, no. I need to pay some bills.
TVGO: Did you at least have fun in the Big Brother house?
Michael: No. I think we made things to do to entertain ourselves because it is so boring.
TVGO: You talked about your fiancée, April, a lot. When are you two getting married?
Michael: We are getting married Dec. 9.
TVGO: Were you thrilled to see her and your stepson, Chason, again?
Michael: I was so excited to see Chason and April for the first time. It was just unreal to be able to hug and kiss them. I know it was hard on me, and I know it was hard on them as well. Chason was crying because I didn't win. I hope I can get back home and sit down with him and say, "I did win. I've got ya'll."
TVGO: Will Drew's victory hurt your friendship?
Michael: Drew and I will be friends. He won the $500,000 and I won the $50,000, so I think we have something in common that the other houseguests don't have. I even told April that I'm thinking of putting Drew as my best man in my wedding. He's really been a great friend through this experience.
TVGO: Who surprised you by voting against you?
Michael: You know, when it came down to a tie vote, I really, honestly thought that Will would vote for me.
TVGO: Think you lost because you didn't win many competitions?
Michael: That has been brought up so much. I think not winning [any] HOHs did hinder me in this jury. Past juries voted for someone who really needs the money more, and that is not what the jury went for this time. I respect that. I think that Drew played the game very well. He won four HOHs and I only won one veto.
TVGO: Describe what it was like to learn Nakomis was your half sister.
Michael: It was a very hard time for me, and I guarantee it was hard for my family to witness that and not be able to comfort me. I went almost 24 years not knowing who my real father is.
TVGO: Was your father at the finale?
Michael: He was not there, unfortunately. We might try and meet for the first time in the near future.
TVGO: Think you'll stay close to Nakomis?
Michael: I really hope that there will be a relationship between Nakomis and myself. I hope that we can put the game aside and just start a brother-and-sister relationship.
TVGO: Are you surprised that former "Horsemen" Jase and Scott aren't speaking?
Michael: I don't know what the deal is with Savage and Jase. I think it is immature. I wish that they would put the girl or the game aside and just make up. We said "Four Horsemen for life," more or less, when [we made that alliance]. It is just kind of upsetting to hear that they are not on speaking terms.