Big Brother’s house is open once more! Every week, Parade’s Mike Bloom will be bringing you interviews with this season’s houseguests as they get evicted from the game.
Despite being a pilot, Kelley Jorgensen was flying blind coming into the Big Brother house. She would be the first to tell you that she knew very little about the show before coming in, besides her love of Tucker Des Lauriers. And so Kelley, inspired by the former “AI Instigator,” deciding to predicate an entire game on instigating herself. Little did the web designer know, however, how much that would get her caught in the web that was the block, as she got nominated more than half of the weeks she lasted in the game. And, much like the dead bugs she brought into the house, she was eventually devoured, taken out in the first half of this season’s double eviction.
Kelley has a self-proclaimed off-beat personality, while simultaneously caused her to make moves off the beaten path. She showed that right from the jump as, after making a Final Two deal with Vince Panaro, she volunteered for him to nominate her. The way she figured, not only would this obscure their new relationship, but even if she lost the “BB Block Buster,” she would have the votes to stay. This would not be the case, as Kelley’s offhand comments and troublemaking had made her an easy target. Luckily, she guaranteed her safety by winning the Block Buster, ensuring she would not face a vote that would surely have sent her out.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
This first week, interestingly, served as a microcosm for Kelley’s overall game. Being an early nominee meant she became an easy person to throw up moving forward, as she was five more times over the rest of the season. Kelley even kept volunteering to go up, figuring she would carry through on the Block Buster. And she was almost always right, as she secured her place in the game by winning two more of the eviction night competitions, as well as a Veto power. At the same time, her position in the house both changed and remained the same. She did eventually find people to confide in, such as fellow outsider Keanu Soto. But she also continued to do things that ostracized her, like when her attempts to throw Rachel Reilly under the bus from a badly-timed wine pour culminated in the former winner boxing her out of the hammock, as well as denying her a hug in a moment that left her in tears.
Also in the first week, Kelley was left out of the vote, not brought into the majority to take out Zae Frederich. And it would not be the last time that she was blindsided by an eviction. Quite a few of her surprises lay at the feet of Vince, who kept her in the dark with many of the flips he was making. While she swore off trusting him early on, the two maintained a faint facade of a relationship, each knowing their Final Two pact had been broken a while ago.
After subsisting in the game on Block Buster wins, Kelley faltered just when she needed it most, losing to her close ally Lauren Domingue. Still, with Keanu on the block next to her, at least the votes of Lauren and Ava Pearl, and a promise from Vince he wouldn’t evict her in a tie, the frequent flier was confident she had a first-class ticket to the next round. Sadly, that flight got grounded. Kelley was shocked yet again with an eviction, as the votes were tied. And Vince made his latest, and terminal betrayal, booting Kelley. But, in true Kelley fashion, she had one last attempt to stir the pot on the way out, calling out her various alliances with Vince, and saying he was just playing Morgan Pope’s game.
Now in the jury house, Kelley talks with Parade about why she threw Vince under the bus in her exit, her various conflicts with Rachel, and her various “instigating” tactics (including where the dead bugs are currently in the house).
Related: Everything to Know About Big Brother 27
You seemed shocked that the vote ended up being a tie. What was your reaction to how the votes went? And how did that inform your choice to call out Vince on the way out?
I was not shocked in the slightest. I knew that Morgan and Ashley did not want me there, and I figured that Ava and Lauren did. That speech at the end was premeditated, and I’ve had that locked in the chamber since the last time Vince nominated me.
You constantly talked about “instigating” the other houseguests as a strategy, such as trying to get other houseguests to fight and bringing dead bugs into the house. What was your thinking behind these tactics? And where did you hide the bugs?
The instigating started with the Jimmy and Keanu fight, and that worked so well that I said “I’m adopting that, and that’s going to be my new personality in the house. I will be the drama bringer, and I’m excited to do that.” Where the bugs are in the house, there are five of them. And there’s one upstairs, in the pitcher plant by the chessboard. There’s one in the plum tree downstairs, in the bathroom, and there are 3 bees the lemon trees by the front doors
After you volunteered to go up on the block on Vince’s first HoH, you immediately regretted doing so. Why did you decide to continue to offer yourself up as a nominee at various points throughout the rest of the season?
On Vince’s first Hoh, I volunteered to throw off our alliance, which very clearly worked out for me. And I immediately regretted it, because the votes almost immediately flipped on me. And I continued to do so because I was very, very confident in my Block Buster abilities. That very first one, I got it immediately. And I knew I can do this from here on out.
You felt a certain way about Rachel throughout your time in the house, calling her a narcissist and getting emotional after a moment between the two of you at the hammock. Talk to me about your feelings about her.
Rachel and I never saw eye to eye in the game, and I think that’s because we played such similar games. And I do look forward to getting to know her outside of the game and when the cameras are off.
To finish, give your rapid-fire thoughts on each of the remaining houseguests. Starting with Ashley.
Ashley is the princess of our season. She is always asleep, and she looks like Aurora from Sleeping Beauty when she is asleep.
Ava.
Ava is so fun and insane. I love that girl so much.
Keanu.
Keanu had become actually a brother to me. And I do appreciate how he protected me throughout the game, and I wish him the best.
Lauren.
Lauren is like a little sister to me, and whatever happens in the game, I hope the best for her also.
Morgan.
Morgan is stunning. There’s no doubt in my mind that she was telling the full truth about being a model. She’s the most beautiful girl this whole season, and I do love her.
And finally, Vince.
[Sighs.] Oh, Vince. Vince has a nice mustache!
Related: ‘Big Brother 27’s Cliffton ‘Will’ Williams Says Morgan and Vince ‘Play the Game Too Hard’ (Exclusive)
