“You keep me, I’m a target. I’m just telling you. He knows it, so he’s scared. He’s scared of me. Keep me here. Keep me in this house. He’s playing an individual game, okay? So if you want to play Big Brother, keep me in this house so that I can help you play Big Brother and get the big bad wolf out. I’ll go up every week. I will. I’m a shield, because I’m a target now, okay? I’ve got a whole house of enemies. So keep me in this house, and you’re safe week after week for as long as I’m here. I’ll happily sit on that block every single week. You all are all playing for second place, so if you want to play for first and even out this playing field, keep me in this house.”
That was Brooklyn Rivera’s last-second pitch to stay in the Big Brother house, but it didn’t work, as the 34-year-old business administrator from Dallas was eliminated 8-1 on Thursday’s live eviction episode. Tucker Des Lauriers decided that Brooklyn was the leader of the Pentagon alliance and therefore had to be taken out, and once he won the Head of Household and Veto competitions, Brooklyn’s fate was sealed.
What does Brooklyn make of Tucker pinpointing her as the leader of the Pentagon? How much does it hurt to go out of the game this early? And what does she have to say about eating Angela’s charcuterie board? We asked Brooklyn all that and more the morning after her ouster, and the woman did not hold back.
What went wrong? Why are you talking to me right now?
BROOKLYN RIVERA: First and foremost, I didn’t win a thing. Not one thing. I don’t know how I played in every single veto except for one in all five weeks that I was there and couldn’t win one. So I think that was the first thing that went wrong. Secondly, I trusted the wrong people, maybe. But honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing when it comes to that. I was loyal to the first people that wanted my loyalty, and I wasn’t going to budge on it, and it bit me in the butt. But I still wouldn’t change a thing.
Be real with me, Brooklyn: How much does it hurt to go out pre-jury in the game?
It’s a little bit of a bittersweet thing. I kind of maybe jinxed myself, but I said, “I’m either going to go out before jury or I’m going to win.” And I think I might be the last member evicted before jury. So it’s bittersweet. I get to see my children tonight. I know they would rather me be on TV and playing the game that I love so much, but I’m excited for the finale. I’m excited to see who walks away as the winner of the season because expect the unexpected. Who knows what’s going to happen in that house.
Why do you think Tucker zeroed in on you as the leader of the Pentagon and the person that needed to go?
Because he’s scared of me. He is scared of someone that’s smarter than him. He is scared of someone that has more cojones than him, and that’s me. Which is true, he should be! And I am not someone that backs down. I wasn’t nervous that he was a good competitor because he wasn’t good socially. That’s why no one wanted to work with him at first. He was kind of like a kid that got picked last on the playground and it put a chip on his shoulder, so all he wanted to do from then on out is blow everyone’s game up.
He’s obviously a competition beast, but how do you feel about Tucker as a game player outside of that?
I really don’t have any feelings other than he is a wonderful person, just person to person. But game wise, he’s playing a game of Big Brother that has never been played before. I mean, we all were. The A.I. twist this season really put us in a situation to where even if you knew the game as a fan and studied it, you had no clue what you were doing inside that house. Because having five weeks back-to-back to with three people on the block and a replacement nominee every single week — there was no way to truly strategize one way. You had to be flexible. And Tucker’s not flexible. He just was like, “Screw it. I’m just going to win when I have to win, and I don’t care who I hurt along the way.”
You made that last second plea to stay, telling everyone, “You all are all playing for second place, so if you want to play for first and even out this playing field, keep me in this house.” Why did that pitch not work?
They had already made up their minds. This house is a really scared house. Everyone is really worried about being the next nominee, especially with there being three nominees and a replacement every week. People just don’t want to make the big moves. They are nervous to get on Tucker’s bad side.
He can win. I’m hoping my girl Chelsie or Cam won HOH and they take the hit on Tucker. If Tucker doesn’t win this game, I think Quinn might. And even though I want Chelsie to win, Quinn is playing a better game than Tucker. I mean, he had Tucker put the Veto around his neck this week for a reason.
Take me through your emotions last week when the vote came down on Cedric and you realized you had been left out to dry. What was going through your mind when that went down?
I think I might’ve saw Jesus. So the rapture felt like it was happening right in front of my eyeballs, and I was left behind and I wondered what I did so wrong. To say shocked is the understatement of the year. I truly had no idea what just happened and why. The Collective in the Pentagon was flawless, other than liars and cheaters and schemers.
I was just mad that I didn’t give Cedric a good enough hug. He came over to hug me and I’m like, “You’re fine, you’re fine, you’re fine.” And I pushed him away. So it hurt that I was the fall boy for the alliance, but I have to kind of be flattered a little bit. It makes it sting less that they were so scared of me and my abilities to win, that they needed to push this whole narrative that I was the mastermind of everything, when really I was just literally brought into every single alliance in the house almost.
And so what did you make of Kimo and T’Kor flipping that vote on Cedric and blowing up the Pentagon, which they had heard about from Quinn?
It’s a little of spineless snake action. They just let their emotions get the best of them, and they couldn’t let go of Rubina. I’m not sure if they knew about the Pentagon before that vote or after. I do know that they knew about the Pentagon, but if they knew about it before last week’s eviction, it makes sense because they felt like they were on the outs of the Collective, which they were. But if I had it my way, I was going to keep them safe. Definitely safer than Joseph. Joseph was going to be the first one out of that thing. But hindsight’s 2020 and T’Kor and Kimo are a hoot. They’re the real showmance of the season.
They did know about it before the vote.
Of course. So no wonder they were like, “Let’s not tell Brooklyn.” Yeah, that’s great.
Let’s talk about charcuterie-gate. What do you have to say about eating Angela’s meats and cheeses?
There is no reason to let a good meat or cheese go bad. She’s a Have Not. That’s not my problem. Hang on the wall longer and you would’ve been able to eat it yourself. It’s not my fault that I just wanted to feed the children a good charcuterie tray. And I’m good at it. What was a girl supposed to do? Not eat it? No, come on Angela, please. She was lucky to still even be in the house, okay?
What would have been your take had the roles been reversed and Angela was eating your charcuterie while you were sitting there on slop?
I asked! We were like “Angela!” I also checked the expiration date. Some wasn’t till September, I’m not going to lie. But I was like, “Angela, you don’t mind, right?” She said no. If she had a problem with it, she should have spoken up. I mean, her rolling on the ground might’ve been my answer, but Angela did some really weird things in the house, so I kind of just overlooked everything she did.
Is there anything as you’re playing your game back in your mind that you wish you could go back and change?
Honestly, no. I am so incredibly thankful and grateful for the opportunity to play. I went out as a player and not a floater, and that was definitely something that I said I would never do was just float my way through that game. So there’s a couple people in there that would rather do their nails all day and just give tea for tea, while others are trying to play. So I really just hope a player wins this game and I’m proud of myself.
Again. I would’ve rather won something, but I threw a few comps and sucked at a couple other ones. So, what’s a girl to do other than laugh at herself and be eternally grateful for the opportunity.
You just talked about people doing their nails. Who’s playing the worst game or not playing the game at all in the house?
Leah’s not playing the game at all. MJ’s confused and not in anything. Joseph’s annoying and thinks that he is an actual mastermind, but he usually is just sleeping by the fish. T’Kor and Kimo are floating on the backs of other people, and then Angela again is just lucky to still be in the house, so she’ll make it a couple more weeks, I believe, until they don’t need her anymore.