Before we get into I Love Money, what’s your boggle with the media?
The media irritate me because my words get switched around. And they put out so many rumors about me; I can’t defend my own self.
Because of past rumors, you don’t conduct interviews?
If I don’t have to do an interview, I won’t do it. There are certain radio stations that I don’t [talk to], because they came out with the AIDS rumor. It’s a no-win situation for me. Why put myself out there when negativity is going to come? No matter what you do, it’s critiqued. No matter what you say, it’s wrong. You guys don’t really care about what we feel or say. The way you handle your jobs, it’s so shallow.
And television, another form of media, isn’t shallow? Especially reality television, where they, at times, show African Americans channeling their inner Stepin Fetchits?
You’re definitely right. But you’ve seen the I Love Money previews, and you saw the people who were acting out. That’s why I’m not about to go on TV and act like a slut, because I know how that’s going to be portrayed. You see me conservative while everyone else acts like an ass. But I’ve been treated well, so I love [producers] 51 Minds and I love VH1. And I’ll continue working with them, because they have my best interests at heart. I trust them. When it comes to radio and magazines, I don’t.
Why bother modeling—and interviewing—for KING, then?
That comes with the territory—it’s all advertisement. Fuck, it’s not modeling to me. I consider it working. Shit, if I was trying to model, I’d be…. I don’t like modeling. First off, I’m short as hell. I don’t have the figure of a Goddamn model…
Wasn’t that you “modeling” in KING’s January/February 2005 issue as a Web Girl? Well before becoming a celeb-reality star?
Shut up! I’m too much of a tomboy for it, I guess. I don’t consider myself prissy or girly; I hate wearing dresses. I look at being pretty in a completely different way. Being down to earth and being myself is being pretty, to me.
Maybe that’s why you had a suspect rapper/singer in Real and a wannabe thug in Whiteboy fighting for your affections on I Love Money?[Laughs] Here it goes! I’m being hated on by the guy who’s interviewing me. Oh, my God, I can’t win.
These are just jokes, Nik. But in all seriousness, you could’ve done better.
Things just happen. They’re two great guys, we all get along and we’re all great friends now, [since] the show wrapped. We talk almost every day. See, Whiteboy, Real and Chance were in my alliance; therefore, most of the time we were together. We developed a closeness. There was a lot of drama, though. But that’s part of the show.
They had interest in you, but did you have any romantic interest in either Real or Whiteboy?
No, I’m in a relationship. Real knew that on the show, so that was the real holdup between us. But we’re not going to get into all that. Next question.
Can you honestly find true love on a reality show?
Definitely, because you’re totally away from civilization—there’s no radio, no television, you can’t leave the vicinity and you’re stuck for three weeks or a month. If you find someone remotely attractive, they have a nice personality that fits yours and you’re with that person all the time, yeah, it can happen. It can happen fast. If there’s chemistry between the two, I believe it’s possible.
Do you think it’s possible to avoid the flood of rumors that were associated with you the first time around?Well, definitely, you can’t avoid people hating. It doesn’t matter where you go. For every one person that loves you, for me, there are five people that hate. But it only makes me stronger.
Any regrets?
No regrets. I think any halfway decent–looking woman who goes on TV, it’s automatically assumed that she’s getting her 15 minutes. A lot of people think I went on Flavor of Love for TV and I didn’t care about Flav.
It looked that way after the first season was over.
But it’s not like I found out about the show and pursued it. Someone noticed me, came up to me and then it happened. That was a blessing. And for the second time, VH1 called me up and asked if I wanted to be on I Love Money. I like physical stuff, so it’s right up my alley. But I think if I were fat and ugly, people wouldn’t have anything to say about me. That’s the truth.
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