[WARNING: Spoilers ahead from Thursday's live eviction episode of Big Brother.]
Team America is down a member.
Fan favorite Donny Thompson, the soft-spoken 42-year-old groundskeeper from Albemarle, N.C., was evicted unanimously by a 5-0 vote Thursday (including fellow Team America members Derrick Levasseur and Frankie Grande), making him the juror. But Thompson, whose quiet demeanor raised red flags for the rest of the house — many believed him to be anything from a ninja to a supergenius — became an instant underdog for viewers to root for, even scoring a guest spot on CBS' daytime soap The Bold and the Beautiful. His fate had been sealed at the start of the week, though last-minute scrambling hours before the eviction made it seem like he had bought another week of safety. In the end though, they all feared the beard.
Because the nine-person jury has now begun, evicted houseguests will be answering questions via email for The Hollywood Reporter following their evictions. With a juror back in the game (congrats "froot loop dingus" Nicole!), questions will only be centered on conversations, alliances and events to which they were privy. In his exit interview for THR, Thompson answers nine questions, including the failed Team America task and being a frequent target.
For this week’s Team America mission, you wanted Frankie and Derrick to keep you safe. Yet Frankie decided to throw on the Big Brother play. Had they gone with your idea, do you think the task would have been successful and why do you think Frankie and Derrick weren’t on board?
I think that if they had went with my idea, it would have been successful. America had put us together and I think America would have wanted us to work together longer. Frankie and Derrick are the brains of their large alliance. Besides Nicole, they controlled everybody in there. They knew I was capable of winning competitions, and that scared them so they got me before I could get them.
There weren’t any clear alliances that you belonged to; instead, you played the game as an individual. If you had another chance to redo your approach, how would you have changed it?
Well, with the same people I was dealt with, I don’t think I could have done anything differently.
You’ve been on the block seven times this season. Why do you think you were a constant target and was there anything you could have done to change that?
I was probably a target three or four of the times, but with the Battle of the Block twist, the same people were put up every time so the HOHs didn’t get as much blood on their hands. So it was easy to put me up because I had been put up before.
A number of the houseguests believed you weren’t a groundskeeper. Looking back, was their paranoia something you could have used to your advantage?
No, I even thought about it as I went out the door to say goodbye to them in a British accent or something. I could have probably tinkered with them more for entertainment, but that could have hurt me.
Had you survived eviction and won Head of Household. Who would you have targeted?
The leaders of the big alliance.
What was one decision you wish you could do over?
As of right now, I can’t think of anything that would have kept me in there any longer besides winning competitions, but you can’t control that.
This season was filled with memorable moments. What was your favorite?
The veto competition during the double eviction episode. I twisted my ankle and still beat Beastmode Cowboy, Zach Attack, Hayden and Cody! Four of the youngest, fittest guys in the house.
Julie Chen said you would be guest starring on The Bold and the Beautiful. Are you still in shock over that news?
Yes, I am. I am a humble guy and never would have imagined that a soap opera would want someone as common and average as me. But I am very flattered to know that I was perceived in a positive way.
Who do you think is in the best/worst position in the house and why?
Derrick is probably in the best position because he has never been on the block, he gets overlooked. As of right now, I think Nicole is in the worst position because she is outnumbered six to one. She took over my position.
Big Brother next airs 8 p.m. Sunday on CBS.
Email: Philiana.Ng@THR.com
Twitter: @insidethetube
