Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe - Grape Therapy: Julie Chen Moonves' Pivotal Moment & Big Brother Insider Scoop

Episode Date: September 21, 2023

Vinos… Julie Chen Moonves is on the podcast today! Big Brother fans will understand Kaitlyn’s excitement as she sits down to talk with Julie about how a pivotal moment changed her life and, of course, Big Brother. Julie shares how she went from being consumed in her work, getting caught up in the hussle culture to finding gratitude in every waking moment. She is living life with a new perspective and wants to share her story with the world to inspire others. And since Kaitlyn has been a Big Brother fan since season 4, she couldn’t help herself from going full on fangirl and asking alllll the questions like, who the heck is Zingbot, who does she think was robbed of a win, and would she ever join the game? Plus, Julie shares some behind the scenes moments and what three contestants from past seasons she would form an alliance with. This episode is one for the books! Check out Julie’s audio memoir, ‘But First, God’ out now! THANK YOU to our sponsors! Check out these deals for the vinos: OAK ESSENTALS — Get 15% off your first order when you use code VINE at OakEssentials.com. 90 DAY: THE LAST RESORT SESSIONS — Listen to the 90 Day: The Last Resort Sessions podcast wherever you get your podcasts. QUINCE — Go to Quince.com/vine to get free shipping and 365-day returns on your next order. APARTMENTS.COM — The place t o find a place. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Okay, listen up if you love a good slow burn romance, and let's be real, who doesn't? You need to check out the new Audible Original of Pride and Prejudice. It's an intimate performance that literally makes you feel like you're right there swooning with Lizzie Bennett and Mr. Darcy. Marisa Abella as Elizabeth and Harris Dickinson as Darcy, I'm obsessed. So whether it is your first time with Jane Austen or your 50th, this version is such a fresh, fun listen. go to audible.ca slash jane austin to dive in this episode of great therapy is brought to you by oak essentials my vinos get 15% off their first order when you use code vine at oak essentials.com 90 day the last resort sessions listen to the 90 day the last resort sessions podcast wherever you get your podcasts quince right now go to quince.com slash vine to get free shipping and 365 day returns on your next order and apartments.com the place to find a place i'm kately bristow your session is now starting

I want to be able to be. Welcome to the shit. Okay, now can you hear me? Yes, very good. Okay, oh my gosh. Even just you saying, hi, Caitlin, like, does something weird to my soul because I'm just, I've been a super fan. I was looking up when I first started watching. I don't know how old I would have been, but.

Allison Irwin, I think. And it was like season seven. Four. Four? Yes. That was the X factor. Oh, when their exes came into the picture? Yeah. Was that the season that June won? Yes. I think that. Yes, she made it. Allison made it to the end. Yes. She was in the final two, but she didn't win. Yes. Oh my gosh. I can't believe your memory. That is incredible. I mean, that's 23 years of different seasons. But I'm telling you, it's my favorite time of the summer. I get so excited. My friends and I are in like a big brother pool every year. We send out emails. It's a whole thing. And then I didn't realize how many fans I had in my audience from Bachelor Nation. Like people love this show. Yes. You know, and I'm very grateful for the longevity and the interest, the continued interest. So that's amazing that you've been watching since season four. My whole family. I mean, my sister

nerded out with me when you were coming. She FaceTime me today. And she was like, like, Julie Chen Moonbeds is coming on your podcast. And I was like, I know. It's a very big deal for me and my listeners and my family, my friends. So thank you so much to come take your time today to be on the pod. I know you have a podcast that you do with big brother people, right? Yes. And it's not limited to big brother people. So I'd like to extend this invitation at this point so that we can explore your faith journey, your faith walk, you know, how you grew up with it and where you stand today. Oh, I would love to. I mean, I won't get too much into it for my story. If I'm going to to come on, but I absolutely have one. And I would love to come on and talk to you about that. Absolutely. And I want to talk to you about your audio memoir. So congratulations. And how are you feeling? Because sharing personal stories with the public is so hard. I feel like especially as, you know, you're such a presence as a host where a lot of people with me know, I'm just an open

book and I share things with people on Instagram all the time. But how does it feel sharing such personal stories now? You know, I had a little bit of experience with it when I co-hosted a daytime talk show, but it was a panel talk show. So I didn't have to, you know, carry it. So, and even when I first started doing that, that was strange because, you know, by trade, I'm the person who asked the questions and I'm not the one telling any stories, but then I had to make that shift. But being able to tell my spiritual awakening is something that I want to scream from the mountaintop because, you know, like I didn't know what I didn't know. And now that I'm on this, path and this daily walk with God, it has changed my perspective on life. It has changed

how I speak, how I think, how I act. And it has provided such peace for me. And I want that for everybody. I thought my life was fine before. I was very busy. And I didn't have any time for anything except my false idol, which was work, my career. So I even put that ahead of, you know, my family. So now it's, you know, being able to tell my faith walk has been something that I'm very comfortable in talking about. You know, there's a lot of go-getters in the world. We're all living this hustle culture of go, go, go, and the more you do, the better it is. And how do you find that your relationship with God and finding this walk of life has helped you to prioritize things better? Well, he's at the top of my list. You know, before I always had a to-do list that

never got totally done. And now it's like, and I have found that when I do put God first, sitting, just sitting and being still and, you know, praying or, you know, talking to him on my head, somehow the things that I, you know, was off rushing trying to do works itself out. God will always provide, you know, we shouldn't feel like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders and if we don't do it, it won't get done. God's got our back. You know, you put him first and everything will sort itself out. No reason to have anxiety or worry. You know, at the time you're worrying about something that you have no control over anyway. You know, something that hasn't even happened and may never happen. I feel like I do that. I definitely. I feel like a lot of people can probably relate. I'm sure there's like a statistic of what percentage of our brains tells us and makes us worry about things that will probably. never happen anyways. So I do like a lot of meditating and that kind of thing. And I think like praying

for me personally, meditating is part of prayer for me. That does. It helps me even waking up in the morning and not prioritizing, jumping to my computer, my email, my Instagram, whatever, prioritizing taking that morning for me to set up my day with mental clarity. I feel like that little thing can go such a long way. And of course, it's a practice that I'm sure. How long have you been on this journey for? Only five years. So I feel like I'm a a five-year-old. I feel like, you know, I'm out of my toddler phase. I mean, it was, I was 48 years old when I, you know, started going to church and started to read the Bible and study the word and get to know who God is. So then I was just crawling. You know, there was, like, I really

knew nothing. I'm embarrassed to say. And every day, I'm still learning something, you know, and it's like, this journey will never end. We'll never stop learning. about who God is and, you know, how he works miracles and his, you know, how awesome his presence is until the day we see the face of God, you know. And then that's going to be forever. And what was your relationship with God before that age? You know, before that age, I didn't grow up going to church, but my parents, they had a cross in their bedroom. My mom did send me to a Catholic High School, my mom decided when she was 17, she wanted to be a practicing Catholic, even though her mother was Buddhist. And my mom always thought, you know, you girls, I'm one of three girls,

are going to have to decide on your own. So, you know, when I shared a room with my middle sister, we would pray at night, but it was kind of like, because I saw it on like Little House on the Prairie, you know, a show that we watched growing up. And you would just, you know, I used to always pray, and it was by rope. You know, it would be like, oh, you know, please. protect my family and make us healthy, wealthy, and wise. And, you know, it was just like repeating these words. And then as I got older and I went to Catholic High School, it wasn't a choice because of it being a Catholic high school. It was a choice because I actually didn't get into the super smart high school that my two older sisters went to. And my mom thought, well,

I don't know how safe the public school is that you would be zoned to go to. So we applied. there and i felt very um inadequate in knowing anything about god or his word because everyone i went to school with had started from when they were like in kindergarten um and the classes you know the religion classes there you know it was like morality it wasn't studying so much scripture um and then you know you start your life and it was only occasionally i would um talk to God in my head if, like, I had a really bad flu, you know, and you feel like you're on your death back. It's like, God, please take this feeling away, and I'll start going to church. But, you know, like many of us, he heals you, and then you totally forget your end of the, you know,

what your promise was. So it was very, when it was convenient for me, when it was convenient for me to believe in God, then I would, you know, talk with him. But when I found him, And I look back to my life when I thought he wasn't there. He was there all along. You know, I think about instances where like near tragedy, you know, like I had gone whitewater rafting the first time. I got like thrown from the raft. And I'm telling you, I had like no hand-eye coordination.

And for some reason, I actually listened to the guide who said, if this happens, which is very rare, we will throw you the rope. And when you catch it, you have to put your back to the raft. will pull you back in and your head forms kind of like a shell so you don't ingest water. Right. I'm telling you, I never could catch a ball at school anything. I was last pick for the team. And I caught that rope.

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Once you kind of have it in you to notice things and, you know, I think a lot of people just can go through life and pretend and not acknowledge certain things that are blessings. And once you do and once that door is kind of open for you to look at things through that perspective and have that faith, I feel like you start noticing so much more, which in the end is just doing gratitude practice because you're starting to see all the blessings, which that alone can change a process. person's life. They say practice gratitude, and I'm sure, you know, noticing these little blessings in life, that's a big part of gratitude. First of all, like, thank you for letting me wake up this morning. Thank you for letting me, you know, get out of bed, have my health, have clean drinking water, you know, the sun shining, these flowers, you know, like nature, you know, all these things that I, you know, quote unquote, didn't have time for, you know, it's kind of like the old adage, you know, you really have to stop and smell the roses.

So, and be like, like, I mean, look at that rose. It's, it's amazing. And, you know, there's none other like it in the world, you know, and God created that. It's, it's a beautiful perspective. It really is. And I know you share a lot of never been told stories from your life. So what inspired you to share these specific stories? Like, is there anything that you can share without giving too much away? Because I obviously want you to listen to. Yeah. I would say, you know, I just kind of scratch the surface when I was on the talk. And I had to dig deep into kind of showing people like, you know, who I am beyond what you've seen on TV and really open up my heart, you know, and make yourself vulnerable. And admitting, you know, not only like embarrassing things, but things

like how ignorant I was as to, you know, why I was living the life I was living, why God created me. And, you know, like, is it so ridiculous? Like, I didn't know until I was 48 years old that gossiping was a sin. And I was like, I got paid a healthy living for eight years for gossiping on a television show, you know, and talking about that and talking about, like, being, there's this one personal story that I've never told publicly before, which is, about how I got reprimanded and schooled, and I deservedly so, by a very famous designer who saw me, you know, getting a big laugh. I like to be the life of the party, getting a big laugh, doing an imitation of another woman that we know. And, you know, it was not kind.

And I had put on like this thick Asian accent. And I got a huge laugh. And someone, you'll, when you hear the book, you'll, you'll see who it was that, you know, told me, we don't do this. Like, I was definitely. And I didn't know, you know, Jesus then. And, but I knew in my heart, I deserved that. And she was right. And I look back on it now. And I'm like, and I'm like horrified that I would even go there.

I always think of that fine line, too, for comedians. that was your career too to, you know, be on TV, broadcast, being a host, having this panel and this conversation. So you don't think, you know, oh, I'm sinning right now. It's your career. It's your job. It's what you're paid to do. And especially with, you know, people, I'm the same way. I love to get a reaction out of people. I love to get a big laugh. And I too, you know, had complete ignorance. But I think being able to not only just write it in a book, but say it out loud in this audio memoir is so it'll just help so many people because it's also about forgiveness right and forgiving yourself for these things yeah i want people to know that like you know any deep dark

secret anything that you don't want to cop to first of all god already knows okay so if he already knows who cares if anyone else knows because he is the only one who can judge us and you know will one day when we go when we leave this earth so nothing is awful and But there are things that are personal between you and your maker. You know, that was one of the big things that I learned is that, you know, when people say, oh, I didn't know Julie got so religious. And it's like, no, it's not about being religious. Religion is about rules, you know, checking off the list.

Like, I'm supposed to do this. I'm going to do that. It's not about rules. It's about a personal relationship with God. That's between me and God. You know, and it's, and no matter. matter what, he's always going to love you. And because he's always going to love you, you got to love everybody, you know, your quote-unquote enemies. You have to find forgiveness because if

you want God to forgive you for anything you've done, then you have to forgive others. And I talk about that in, it was, I could hold a grudge like nobody's business. Yeah. And I held an eight-year grudge against Leah Remini, which was ridiculous. And I know if I didn't find God, I wouldn't be reunited with her in love and friendship now. Wow. And it's so interesting how God places people in your life because, you know, we had gone to our separate corners and she had reached out and I just wasn't, you know, my heart, my heart was so hard. in that space. And then sure enough, I had a friend's birthday party and her husband is the, he's a bandleader. He's on stage singing. So I was like, okay, here we go. Like, this is my, this is my

opportunity. So we mended fences. And I get into why we didn't speak for so many years and how we found our way back to each other. I love that because there's never too much time that can go by either and not and I mean maybe at one point she did feel like an enemy but enemies are also our teachers and that's how I try and think of people like that because that's when you're being shown like it's probably something within you it's probably something that you need to work on it's probably a mirror and these people come into our lives for that reason to learn from them and I even try and hold space for that for trolls online or you know people that are mean to just think of them as teachers or I know you would say

say, like, you probably pray for them. I will sit there and, like, have a moment for someone who's being mean to me because I like to think, like, have they triggered something within me that I believe about myself and now I'm angry? Or is something going on in their life? And I just have to have a little compassion and empathy for, you know, something awful has probably happened to them and they're upset and I'm an easy target. So it's hard to think that way. But I'm sure you feel the same way where enemies can be teachers. And that's why they're sent into our lives. Oh, absolutely. they help you grow. You know, God put them there right in your path for a reason. Are you going to let that opportunity pass you by until you learn again, you know, with either the same person

or somebody else? Or are you going to take that, you know, opportunity and learn the lesson right then and there? Right. And that has helped me. It's very powerful to go and go through life and be able to walk into a room and know that there's nobody here that I can run. run into that is going to trigger anything or, or, you know, make me feel uncomfortable or off my game. You know, that's just not possible. And especially in your world, like I feel like in Hollywood or in that industry. I mean, I'm sure every industry has a banking world or corporate America. I'm sure they all have these certain things. But I find that in that world of, you know, it's the LA dog eat dog trying to get to the top. This person, it causes a lot of unnecessary

jealousy and anger and so many things like that that are just obviously aren't doing anything for us in a positive way, only negative. So it's just like sometimes as simple as, you know, finding prayer, finding God, finding something that makes you look inward and be able to have compassion for outward. It's a journey that you can start clearly no matter what age, no matter where you're at in life. And it could probably teach you a lot about your past as well. And I know you talk about so many pivotal moments in your book, but was the biggest pivotal moment that you would say that made you go, I've got to find God, I've got to do something about this. It was a combination of things, but it was really Holy Spirit working through my aunt, who is a born again Christian.

She's my favorite aunt. She never, you know, pushed her faith on anybody. And she knew I was in a dark space because I had just left the talk. And that was a show that I, a job that I, a job that I loved. And it really, it gave me my identity. And, you know, it was a daily job that kept me very busy. And I was forced to leave. And that whole story I had never revealed until this audio memoir, you know, the reason behind why I had to step down from that job. And she reached out to me and said that a friend of hers from church, from New Jersey, who I don't even know I've never met, called her and said, you know, God touched me and asked me to pray for your niece. And I thought, who is this person who doesn't even know me and, you know, is so moved and like

would care and do this for me? And when I saw that email that morning, I, dropped off my child at school as I'm going to church. It was a Thursday morning and I found a church that was open at like 8.30. No one was in there, but the doors were open and I felt just like, okay, I can do my ugly cry hair and get on my knees and just pour out my heart to God and ask him to pick me up and help me out. I was just very lost. So it was, it was that morning at that moment, you know, feeling very directionless and very empty, just needing, needing Father God. And I bet that was so therapeutic in itself to say that out loud and share your story that you haven't until you're able. You know, it's one of those things where other people can tell your story and they'll screw it up and media will twist something or anyone can say whatever they want, you know.

but for you to be able to actually share your voice and your story of how you were feeling and that pivotal moment in your life must be so therapeutic for you. It really is. You know, and my hope is that it provides people inspiration to know that you can't go through life without hope. And the only way you can have hope is to have faith, is to have God. You know, and since I started my walk with him, you know, it doesn't mean you find God. it's going to be smooth sailing. But it does mean that when the hard times hit, when there are bumps in the road, that you're not alone and you're going to get through it. It was coming up on

two years ago, you know, so I was three years into my walk with the Lord. And my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. And she is like my heart, you know, she is my best friend. And I know old Julie before knowing God would have been a hot mess, you know, just I would have been a pool, you know, devastated and not know how to handle it. But because I had God and continue to have in my life daily, I had the confidence that he was going to deliver her somehow, some way. She was going to get through this. And that I saw as an opportunity for me to, you know, talk more deeply about my faith.

with her. And it also taught me a lesson that just because my walk with God looks this way doesn't mean hers is going to look this way or anyone else's. And she kind of, you know, schooled me and said, like, oh, I know God. You know, I've been praying my whole life. And like, I didn't even, I didn't even know this about my sister, you know. And she said, I've got this. I've got my own thing going with God. You know, I'm going to be okay. Like, don't force me to do it the way you do it. That's a bunch of like lessons obviously that you learn. And that's the beautiful thing about every different person in their walk and their belief and their idea of prayer. And it can look one way to you and it can look completely different to another. And that's something that I think

everyone can find beauty in. And how's your sister now? Oh, she's great. Thank you. Yeah. She's going strong. Cancer free. Good. And healthy, happy. Yeah. And but I do love learning from people like how do they connect with God? Because sometimes I'm like, oh, that's, you know, I'm going to try that one out. Oh, I never thought it that way. You know, it's funny, I know you watch Big Brother. So season, I don't know if it was 13, 14, Derek Lavasser, who won Big Brother undercover police officer. He told me when I interviewed him on my one-on-one on God 101 Instagram show, he said, you know, he was talking to the chaplain at, you know, at the police precinct where he worked and he was going through a hard time. And the chaplain said to him, you know how sometimes you talk to yourself?

He's like, you're not talking to yourself. You're talking to God. Like when you think you're talking to yourself, you're not alone. You're really talking to God. And I thought about to my life. And I'm like, I guess I was. Because, you know, when you're talking to yourself, your conscience, which I now know is really Holy Spirit, God in you, telling you the right thing to do, whether you listen to it or not. You know, it was God that I was talking to all those years that I thought I didn't have in my life. He was right there. That's a really interesting thought. I like that, too.

I mean, the amount of times we talk to ourselves, it's usually what are we searching for? What do we need? What do we want? What are we looking for? What's the next steps? And that's exactly, you know, usually what you're praying about anyways. So that's an interesting thought. I like that.

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How has that changed your life? I can't imagine my life today without Big Brother in it. So I went from turning it down and being told I could be technically assigned to take it because I was already working for the company. I was already working at CBS News, angering the morning. And I get into in my audio memoir like why I turned it down. because I thought it would be a barrier to what was my career aspirations back then

and I reveal who was the first choice who also turned it down but was allowed to because this person didn't work for CBS and they offered it to me one month before they were launching the show so they had a ticking clock they had to hire somebody and I was already on the payroll I was already

with part of the corporation so it made sense. Not a lot of wiggle room for negotiation there? No, no. But now, you know, again, it's like we can try and get in our own way or the plan that God has laid out for us. But, you know, he'll let us do what we think we want to do. And then, you know, he'll pick you up. No, no, here's where you belong. Drop you on the right path. But it's, that's where you learn the lessons and appreciate everything that is going to be coming to you after. So I do have to fan girl like a bit about Big Brother because I've, I've, I've dreamt about asking you questions.

Go for him. I'm so excited. So you've obviously seen a lot from over these seasons. But do you have like a top moment or top three months, one where you're like, that is the best thing that's happened in Big Brother history? Well, I have my favorite seasons, you know, and I'm partial to season two because it was so new then. And we had really drastically changed the show. The concept went from basically season one where. America voted people out week to week.

It was almost like American Idol. But, you know, they voted out people. And they voted out the troublemakers who were the most interesting. And there was no tension in the house. There was no drama. And everyone just sat around playing cards. So season two, I'm partial to that. I know.

It was not exciting. So then they brought in, the network brought in new producers. And they changed up the game. And a lot of people still back then, you know, they weren't sure what they were signing up for. And reality TV wasn't. what it is today. So it felt very raw and very new and people, you know, weren't so much trying to mug for the camera and all that. But, you know, I have to say in the season of the

cookout, and that was history making. That was. That was so cool to watch. That is so hard to pull off. It is hard to pull off, you know, an alliance of six getting to be the final six. And then as you saw that there was tension within the six. A lot of them, they didn't particularly like each other very much. And they would be at odds on, you know, whatever. But they put their ego aside for the greater good. And that moment when they're like, the cookout, it was like, whoa, this is history making. So that was probably the pivotal moment of, you know, of Big Brother. I remember watching that and feeling that too. It was really powerful. And I think, what you said was my favorite part is they put their egos aside for the greater good. I thought that was

the coolest thing. And they obviously will go down in history. And that was just one of the best alliances. I love that. Which three contestants from any season would you join an alliance with? And what would your alliance name be? Oh, that's a very good question. Okay. I would say, well, I'm not going to consider this season's house guests because, you know, still a lot to be seen. Yes. Well, I do love Janelle, you know. Janelle's amazing. Yeah, she's a queen. Yeah.

I do love Derek Lavasar because he knows how to keep his mouth shut. Yeah. And I think Danielle Reyes is so fierce, you know. So, you know, that would be Derek's angels. Yes. That's perfect. Oh, my gosh, I would root for that. Would you ever consider playing the game if it was like the last season and you were like a twist?

Oh my gosh. No, because I do not want to humiliate myself. You know, this game is so hard and it's gotten so much harder. Those competitions over the years, you know, that's why when like Janelle went back in, the last time she went back in, it's like, it's so many puzzles. You know, it's not just, you know, physical endurance. it's on firing on all cylinders and I did try and play once when we went in for like four hours my co-hosts and I when I was working at the talk and we did one challenge and I saw how bad I was because like I'm a very I think you know I think like sequentially I don't know how to

shortcut things and I thought like this is how you do it and I'm kind of rigid in the way like I was trying to solve this puzzle. I didn't know how to shortcut anything. I was just terrible. I always think that with the puzzle ones, I'm like I would make a fool of myself. I feel like I would be good in the competition ones because I am so competitive.

It's kind of unhealthy. But in like the brain ones and the puzzle ones, I'm always like, oh my gosh, how do they know? Okay, everyone always says every veto is the most important veto. It's always like, this is the most important veto. But in your opinion, at what point in what competition is like crucial to winning? Oh, the finale. The finale veto, it's all about the veto. That's the soul, that person decides who's going in the final two. That person guarantees themselves a spot in the final two and it decides who they're

going to compete against. So it's all about that final one. But it's true, week to week, it is so important because as long as you don't get backdoor and you can play in the veto, you can save yourself. You know, as long as you are eligible to play. So that's the real, that's why they invented the back door. Like, let's not even nominate that person and give that person a chance. I love a backdoor moment because that's when you get the big dogs out, like the heism one that just happened. I was like, genius. I, you had to do it. And they did it.

And they all stood together. And at one point, I was like, oh, gosh, are they not going to do it? But they did. I was so happy. Okay, this is a random one. But when people are saying, oh, hi, Julie, you look beautiful tonight. Can they actually see you? They have already seen me when I first greet all the house guests on the monitor.

But they can't see. Otherwise, they're just looking at a camera or something. something. Right. When they're actually in the diary room, they don't have another shot of me, but they've just seen me like a minute earlier. So, oh, you look lovely tonight. And that's their time to say it. Yeah. And you always do look lovely, by the way. Thank you. Thank you. Every time your outfits, your hair, makeup, glam, everything, I'm always like, yes. Do you ever get scared you're going to press the button and, like, ruin something for the, or they're going to be, like, hearing you? They, one year, they did think, like, somehow my audio bled through into the house.

And they thought I had pressed the button, but I know I didn't because there is an override button that the, you know, audio board can do. Because if you've ever noticed, like, on the finale, like, they don't do the button. But I'm pretty good about not because, I don't know, I'm just, because I am nervous about it, I'm very, very aware, you know. Yeah, oh my gosh, yes. And I would be so nervous because it's live. Yes, I know. Yeah. The thing that did happen that was another oopsie because the machine froze up was summer of 2020 when we had All-Stars and it was a surprise double eviction night. And I had to say,

house guests, get back to the living room. And they all sat down. They saw me on the screen. And behind me, it said like, double eviction night. And they were like, oh. And I thought, what? And it was because the machine froze up. We couldn't get it to shoot. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, live TV, I had to host the live finale of The Bachelor once, and it's terrifying because literally anything can go wrong. Anything can happen. And you have to just, like, somehow be a professional about everything and just roll with the punches. And you do that three times. Do you have to be there tonight? No, I only have to go on live eviction night. I like to be there on eviction night on Thursday. The other nights, it's just, you know, content of what catch you up on what's happened the last few days.

Right. Oh, right. Okay, I forget about that. And like I said earlier in the podcast, so many of my listeners were, they were like, how are you getting this person on your podcast? Like, she is the queen. So everybody was very excited. I'm going to ask you a couple rapid fire before I let you go, just because everybody wants to know, who is Zingbot? Who's under there? And some people think it's you. Oh, okay. It is not me. Zingbot is actually a few people. We have one person to be in the costume. We have one person. person who does the voice. And then actually we have a couple of people who write the lines. So Zingbat is. I think there had to be some comedic people in there that are writing the jokes. It's so every time I'm like, I'm like, oh, oh, they just said that. Like it's, it's, they definitely get some zings in there. You got to hear the ones that don't make the show because they're too mean. Oh my gosh. Is there a way that I could hear the ones that don't make the cut? I would that is it's like my like bucket list and life to get zing by zingbot. Zingbot should be on cameo and do zings for people and make money.

That would be amazing. Yeah, right. Happy birthday, sing, like a roast. Yeah, I would buy that for myself. What would be in your H-O-H basket? Oh, it would be, of course, pictures from home, especially like my son's baby pictures and current ones. My snacks would be, I'm pretty healthy. I can't think of anything that would be in there that wouldn't be in the house. Like, I would want like coconut, yogurt and almonds, you know. Oh, yeah, you are healthy. And what else would I have?

I think they might let you have one CD. I'd want my Christian contemporary music playlist. Oh, they let you have a CD. They might. Sometimes they wear, like, headphones in the HOH room. That's what they're probably listening to. yeah yeah um and what else well they let you bring a bible in so well it was just you know and then of course my letter from home which everyone gets yes that's the best um are they allowed to drink on big brother

um you know we haven't seen that much of it but there are yeah they are like champagne or beer once and a while yes yes well they have champagne on the opening night when they all toast and eat each other but yes and beer there was a season where we were like okay if you guys don't curse during the live show, pizza and beer tonight. Yes, you got to tempt them with a good time. They still free your hands sometimes. I want to talk about season 25 really quick because I just want to know if you have any, obviously you don't know who's going to win.

So it's like we can talk about this because there's no spoilers. But how long do you think the secret relationship will last with Jared and Surrey? Oh, at this point, as long as he doesn't fall in love with Blue and like tell her. I know. I know. I think it's going to last. I mean, all these seasons we've had secrets, you know, whether it's a twin twist coming in and out, they last. Yeah. That's, yeah, that's interesting. There's red, there's America, and there's blue. Is that something happening there? Or is that just a weird quinky dink? I know. I didn't even think of putting America in there. I was just like,

we have like red and we have blue. Like, what? In one season, Like, what are the chances? I know. It's so funny. I'd love to be part of the casting for it. It's every time, the casting is nails it every time. I mean, of course, for a couple idiots that we got to get rid of and kick them out for what they say. But for overall, like, you can't predict, you know, people are going to be racist or say awful things.

But casting overall does such a good job. How, okay, wait, who is you? Who do you think will win this season? Like, if you're like, if this person keeps going the way they're going, they could win the whole thing. Oh, I can't even. I will tell you, we usually, at the studio, will usually on opening night, like, put five bucks in the pot and, like, you know, place our bets when no one knows anybody. I don't even want to jinx that person because I've never been right. So I have no clue because, you know, if you look at all the seasons of winters, we've had people who are floaters who have won who didn't really, you know, didn't have a target in the back because they didn't, they weren't a threat.

And then we've had people who have really clawed their way in there. And other people have played an honest game. So I can't even venture to guess. I have no way. Would you play an honest game or would you play the game of Big Brother? I have to now, now that I know God, right? You know, I can't even lie in my heart. Lying in my heart is lying.

So I'd be very trustworthy. You can't go out and you can't lie. No. That's true. You can't spend rumors. You would be trustworthy. You know, if I say I have your back, You know, I've got your back.

That's true. If you could pick one celebrity that you would fan girl over to go on a season of Celebrity Big Brother, who would it be? Oh, let's see. Hmm. I would want to go with Kim Kardashian. Is there anything she can't do? Well, oh, my gosh, she would be, I feel like she's also, I've heard nothing but nice things about who she is in person. I feel like she would be nice.

She would work them. She's smart. She's athletic. She would be really, that's a good one. I wonder if she would do it. And then last question, who do you think was robbed of a win? I think Danielle Reyes was robbed of a win because that season, season three, we didn't sequester the jury.

So they all got out and went home and watched the tapes. And they saw, you know, what she was saying about them in the diary room. That's not fair. There was no jury house. Back then there wasn't next season. When Allison went on, we started the jury house. because of that she was wrong. Oh my gosh. Oh, that's so interesting. I mean, that's, I literally remember I didn't even know how to look up a person on the internet because I was so young. And I remember

like typing in her name at like hotmail.com to see if she would ever respond to me. Like I was that fan girl. Like I still watch the live feeds. I am a diehard big brother fan. So I just have to say thank you so much for taking the time today. I am so grateful for you. I love the journey that you're on. I love that you're sharing it and that you just want to inspire other people to live their best lives through this. So tell everybody where they can get your book and anything else that you want them to know. The audio memoir is called But First God, a wink and a nod to my but first, but first from Big Brother. Totally. And it is only available as an audio book. It's not published as a book book. So you can download it anywhere audio books are sold. Amazing. Oh, I can't

wait to listen. I'm getting a note from my producer. I never let anybody go without telling me a confession. And I feel like if you have a big brother confession or any kind of confession that my listeners would love, now's the time. Oh, my gosh. My big brother, well, my confession, I would say. Yeah. Because my husband knows this is that I always thought I was going to marry Lenny Kravitz. But that didn't happen. And he doesn't know me. We don't even know each other. So every time it comes I was a little bit of your friend. I met him once. He was very nice. Oh, of course he was. My gosh, that's a good one. Thank you for sharing that with me. I'm for everybody can relate. It's

Lenny Kravitz, right? Yeah. Everyone's like, everyone's like, join the club, honey. We all thought we were going to marry him. Join the club. That's amazing. Well, thank you so much, and I can't wait to listen. Thank you so much. God bless you. You are so, you're just as beautiful inside as you are outside, and you are the real deal. So I really appreciate you. Thank you, Chen Moon, Vez. Thank you. Dream come true. Bye. Bye for now. Caitlin Bristow, your session is now ending. And if I'm being honest, I wouldn't mind a rating and review.

This is Belowdex Captain Lee. Listen to my new podcast, Salty, with Captain Lee. Um, don't you mean our podcast? Uh, yeah. Yeah, I guess I do. Anyhow, listen to Saltie with Catherine Lee, co-hosted by my assistant, Sam. And we will be talking about the latest pop culture news and all the gossip every week. So does this mean we have to talk by ourselves, about ourselves, or can at least have some guests on?

I don't know, I find myself pretty interesting, but yeah, we can have some guests on some of our reality TV friends and some stars. Works for me. Listen to Salty now on Out. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Stream the biggest blockbusters this summer with popcorn summer movies on Pluto TV. Indulge in hilarious rom-coms like The Backup Plan or delve into award-winning dramas like Forrest Gump and Minari with thousands of other free movies. Pluto TV has something for everyone. Available on live TV and on demand.

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