Audrey Middleton became one of the most stand out Houseguests in the early stages of Big Brother 17, but unfortunately standing out in the crowd isn’t always the best for a player’s long game.
Voted out this week by near unanimous vote Audrey had become the common threat among the Houseguests unifying them with one goal. When her own allies found she had started to undermine their trust in a bid to better position herself between them the players came together from both sides to end her run as the game’s official pot-stirrer.
“I said I was going to go in there stealthy like Dexter Morgan, but I came in like an Acme anvil.” – Audrey Middleton.
Update: Tonight on Big Brother After Dark Audrey will be answering fan questions sent in via Twitter. Here’s a preview clip but you can catch more later tonight on Pop.
Talking with Audrey today confirmed that there was no chance of her returning to the Big Brother house as once we’re allowed free conversation anything can be said and details revealed which would give her an advantage upon return. So this was her one shot.
What was the beginning of the end for Audrey’s game?
Audrey Middleton: The second I opened my mouth. It was fun, and you know what? You only live once. I know I’m a Big Brother fan so I know there are fans that are disappointed in me and rightfully so. I just have to own it.
What was her favorite pot-stirring the moment of her stay?
Audrey: How could I possibly pick one? Um, one thing that kinda worked was when I brought Da’Vonne and Austin and Liz to the Hammock Room and made them confront each other. I feel like that one didn’t totally blow up in my face. At least it went for a solid 24 hours before it did.
Audrey tried to warn the “other side” about Shelli & Clay’s mega alliance, but James just went and spilled the beans back to Clay. Was there anyone else she should have told instead of was no one going to trust her?
Audrey: From the inside, I didnt’ feel like there was. Jason already blab’d when I said I was the Day vote. Steve was so calculated on who he’d be seen with and for how long so I’m the last person he’s going to talk game to. Johnny Mac threw me under the bus so many times. I had been working on James for a few days and I thought we were getting somewhere. He was close to Clay and I thought this would have to feel like a betrayal. I’m just not a good sunshine salesman like Clay is.
Was Audrey on to the Twin Twist and keeping quiet or was it a surprise when she was were told?
Audrey: I was definitely one of the last to find out. I had heard about the speculation, but hadn’t put much thought in to it because I was fighting a different battle every day. In the last, last moments before my departure it was confirmed that this was happening.
If she could rewind and start over at Day 1, which allies would Audrey want to play with?
Audrey: I naturally gravitated to Shelli but would stay away from Da’Vonne.
Audrey didn’t attend the Power of Veto Ceremony and became the first HG to do so. Does she regret that decision?
Audrey didn’t attend the Power of Veto Ceremony and became the first HG to do so. Does she regret that decision?
Audrey: Yes, as a Big Brother fan, I do. But only people in that house understand, I was so overwhelmed. What a lot of people don’t see about me, in my real life I’m actually introverted. This whole experience was really hard for me, but something I really wanted to do. I wanted to exemplify the courage for other people to step out and do courageous things like this.
In my real life I deal with things internally and alone. You don’t get that time and space in the house and I know that’s part of the deal. I was just so overwhelmed with the stress of mourning over the inevitable that I just couldn’t physically make myself. I know it’s an excuse and it cheapens it. That’s all I can say. I apologize to Big Brother fans.
Fans thought Audrey could have been laying low in preparation of a Dan’s Funeral type game move, but it didn’t happen. Was there any strategy in hiding or was it the stress?
Audrey: At that point I felt so defeated. After the blow-up with Clay, Vanessa, and Shelli I was thinking “how can I turn this around.” I tried everything. I went to James, the only person I thought I could go to. I thought that if this didn’t put a fire under James’ buns then I’m done.
I was spent. I was drained. I stayed in the Have-Not room for days. People started bringing me food. They started bringing me food. Which was also confusing because Becky’s a Have-Not and she’s the first person to bring me food.
She brought me Slop. It was very nice of her. I took a few bites of it and then she took it back and brought me pizza. I don’t know if that was game play on her part or what, but I totally went for it and I shouldn’t have.
There were a lot of Have-Not rules broken this week. What was going on?
Audrey: That was news to me. That was totally news to me. I can’t describe it. People who had experienced it can maybe empathize but in that moment. Becky was being nice to me and she said, “you can have this” and I’m like okay and I ate it.
What did Audrey think of Vanessa telling HGs that she wouldn’t nominate her since they were both members of the LGBT community and she wanted to see Audrey go far because of that?
What did Audrey think of Vanessa telling HGs that she wouldn’t nominate her since they were both members of the LGBT community and she wanted to see Audrey go far because of that?
Audrey: From what I remember, she was saying that after her argument with Jeff, he walked right in to it and she basically said “F you. Why would I keep someone who is going to lie to my face when there’s someone like Audrey here representing something really big.” I don’t know, that’s how I interpreted it.
I don’t know if it was positive, if it was manipulative or not. I believe that Vanessa is a good person. If she said something like that I think it was probably spur of the moment and it wasn’t really thought out.
If that was the actual reason and that’s how she justified it on the show then I absolutely did not want special treatment.
It couldn’t all be bad, right? So what was Audrey’s favorite memory to take away from Big Brother?
Audrey: My favorite memory is going on the platform and speaking my truth. I’ve never done anything like that. I’ve always lived in a shell. I fought for my integrity. I fought for my independence. I got to share that courage with millions of people and hopefully I helped at least one person and not many people get to say that.
From a fan perspective, I think your first moments in the DR are really cool because you always see people having fun in there. Going in to the DR the first time was super amazing. Then the competitions! Oh my gosh, they were so fun. So fun. I wasn’t the weakest and I was pretty proud of that.
Audrey’s fans can find her on Twitter @OddreyM and on Instagram OddreyM.
Watch our preseason interview with Audrey Middleton and see how her game compared: