Will Kirby says 'I am the Alpha and Omega' of Big Brother

Leading up to the July 6th season 24 premiere of Big Brother, EW caught up with 11 former U.S. winners from the show with a set of questions designed to have them look back at their time in the house as well what life has been like since leaving it. Our seventh entry is with the season 2 winner considered by many to be the best to ever play the game. (Also make sure to check out our Q&As with Eddie McGee, Derrick Levasseur, Jun Song, Dan Gheesling, Ian Terry, and Rachel Reilly.)

It is not a complete stretch to say that Will Kirby saved Big Brother. After critics and viewers alike lambasted the first season of the show, the American edition of Big Brother appeared to be on life support, but CBS gave the reality competition one more shot — overhauling the creative elements of the series and bringing in a new cast of victims players to act as guinea pigs. One such player from that season 2 cast emerged as so outlandish, so fiendish, so clever, and so entertaining that he became an immediate lightening rod for both contestants and viewers, and that player was Will Kirby (a.k.a. Dr. Evil).

Will somehow turned being the house's biggest pariah into an asset, and, at the end, a $500,000 payday, even after telling the jury everything that was wrong with them. He returned later for Big Brother: All-Stars  (season 7), and even though Will was the only former winner in the cast, and memorably dared the entire house to evict him ("I hate you all. There is no one I hate more than anyone else…. I will do the best I can to ensure that we are all on slop unless you get together, have a big meeting, and vote me out.") he still made it all the way to the final four.

All of which is why Will is consider by many to be the best Big Brother player ever (and why he ranked #1 in our fan-poll of BB champions). Now, Dr. Evil looks back at his time both in the house ("I was one of three people on the entire plant who didn't know about 9/11 when it occurred") and out of it, and explains why he is the best to ever play the game.

Monty Brinton/CBS Will Kirby on 'Big Brother'

ENTERTAIMENT WEEKLY: First off, give the update as to what you've been up to since last appearing on Big Brother.

WILL KIRBY: In 2001, I would have never predicted that over two decades later I'd still have some pop culture relevancy so please let me thank you for even wanting to conduct this interview! So, I'm a board-certified dermatologist, an associate clinical professor of dermatology, a writer for dermatology journals like The Dermatologist and Dermatology Times and I'm also the lone health and beauty reporter for Life & Style magazine. The field of aesthetic dermatology is my occupational passion, and, at the risk of self-aggrandizement, I'm recognized as one of the leading voices in this exciting space. In terms of professional designation, I am the Chief Medical Officer of the nation's leader in aesthetic dermatology, LaserAway.

Oh, and Dalton, the good news is that no matter what, this EW interview can't be any worse than when you all named me "Loser of The Week" way back in 2002 when an NBC show I was hosting got pushed through no fault of my own!

Besides winning, what is your proudest moment from playing Big Brother?

Fans might recall that I'm not of the belief that being first in a competition matters much, so since I've never won a Head of Household (HOH) or Power of Veto (POV), I certainty can't reference a specific "win" to be proud of, per se. The most memorable moment might be my "I hate you all speech" where I told my fellow houseguests to evict me. Even today, it is rather shocking that a plan that brazen worked.

What is your biggest regret from your Big Brother experience in terms of anything that happened in the house in any of your seasons?

It's my strong contention that you should apply, get on, do your absolute best while you are there, and then completely move on afterwards. You never want to look back with regrets. See, the Big Brother house has been known to haunt houseguests long after they physically leave the premises. When it comes to reality television, I don't use my rearview mirror.

What are your thoughts about how you were portrayed on the network episodes of the show?

Let's recognize that the producers can only edit the footage that a contestant provides to them and that they are naturally going to select the most interesting and dramatic pieces from that. They, of course, also need footage to drive story. So, knowing that editing plays a role in how an individual is ultimately portrayed to the viewers, I was extremely pleased how I ultimately came across. It was my goal to entertain the viewers and I feel like I thoroughly accomplished that endeavor. I've always been very well received by the fans, and I'm thrilled to still be revered after so long.

Big Brother has the most impassioned viewers of any reality television show. These people dedicate not just hours of their summers to watching the show, but some spend weeks blogging about it and even others transcribe the show for many hours each day, for months on end. You know what enrages them? When the live feeds are cut for just a few hours: They don't even want a quick break! That's how much they love Big Brother content.

Monty Brinton/CBS Will Kirby and Julie Chen on 'Big Brother'

What are your feelings on the Diary Room and the interviews you would do in there?

Once I accurately conceptualized what they were looking for with Diary Room entries, things just clicked for me. See, it's really hard to be spontaneous, and funny, and charismatic with no sounding board. Since you can't see their faces and can't hear their voices, you don't know if they are laughing. The turning point for me when I realized that instead of answering the actual question being asked, I instead needed to create a narrative about the event being discussed. It makes for much more organic content and translates into a better experience for the viewers.

What was it like coming back to regular society after being in the house? Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?

In 2001, the world was completely different. Smart phones didn't exist. Social media didn't exist. Taco Bell didn't have quesadillas. Winning a television show then was a much, much, much bigger deal than it is today. And keep in mind, I was one of three people on the entire plant who didn't know about 9/11 when it occurred. Needless to say, reentry from Big Brother was definitely bizarre for me.

Looking back now, it seems like a fever dream. Overnight, I went from being utterly broke and completely unknown to having money and fame. That was a really, really strange time in my life. So, yes, there was an adjustment period. No one is going to feel sorry for me, but imagine going to sleep and when you wake up the next morning, your life has completely changed. That literally happened to me.

Was there ever a point either during the game or after you got out of the house where you regretted going on the show?

While today I take a tremendous amount of pride in my role as one of the most recognizable dermatologists in the nation, transparently, there was time in my career when many members of my profession looked down on me because of my reality television background. I have absolutely experienced real trepidation that my history in entertainment would be an impediment to long-term dermatology industry success. Luckily, that's all in the past. Many dermatologists are really one-dimensional, so having a unique work history, it turns out, ultimately has worked to my advantage.

I parlayed my time on Big Brother into appearances on two seasons of Dr. 90210. From that exposure, I was able to land a role as the national spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena Dermatologics, where I appeared live on QVC more than 100 times. I went on to work with other huge healthcare brands like Kimberly Clark and even briefly for Proctor & Gamble and Unilever. And I showcased my medical acumen on shows like The Real Housewives of Orange County, The Doctors, LA Ink, and Shahs of Sunset. Big Brother was unquestionably an astounding means by which to showcase my dermatological capabilities.

And earlier this year, I played the wealthy, now-retired, bounty hunter, Karales, on a few episodes of Disney+'s Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett. It was truly dream come true and that's not a cliché! For many, many years I dreamt of being Star Wars canon and, let me tell you, dreams do come true! It was wizard! I've also appeared on Robot Chicken, The Young and The Restless, Chelsea Lately, I even won a reality edition of The Price is Right. It's been a wild ride.

Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your seasons?

I am not in close contact with any former contestants from Big Brother. No offense to them in the slightest but when a season is over, it is truly over. I move on.

TONY ESPARZA/CBS Will Kirby on 'Big Brother'

Do you still watch Big Brother, and, if so, what's your favorite season you were not on and why?

I'm a huge fan of the show and am honored to have served as the host of the jury roundtable segment on finale night for eight different seasons. Very seriously, I don't have a favorite season; they are all fascinating in their own way. And I try to go in very objectively when I watch. I take my role as the jury moderator very seriously and truly want to be as unbiased as I possibly can when I meet the jury members for the first time.

Who's one player from another Big Brother season you wish you could have played with or against and why?

If I'm being honest, there has never been a single Big Brother player that I actually felt frightened by. No one has ever given me a visceral sensation of apprehension. Lots of good imitators have lived in the Big Brother house but these derivative caricatures are often simplistic and never stand the test of time. When it comes to Big Brother, I am the Alpha and Omega.

If you could make one change to any aspect of Big Brother, what would it be and why?

Call me pretentious, but I'd love to see a season showcasing more psychological, mentally challenging competitions. And not just individual, one-time events, either. As a fan, I know I'd respond really well to subtle mind puzzles that last weeks or even months — riddles that you have to piece together slowly, methodically that give the discovery of an advantage in the game.

Imagine if the entire house had an "escape room" element to it with hidden clues that were slowly revealed! Think: Disney's The Haunted Mansion meets Murder on the Orient Express with a little Clue board game mixed in. And the fans could play along, at home, in real-time trying to decipher enigmas and secret codes. Now, I'm not naïve enough to think that you don't need people in swim trunks and bikinis arguing around a hot tub over a bucket of slop, but there is an unquestionable opportunity to pepper in more cerebral elements.

Finally, would you play again if asked?

I'm contacted about competing on various shows fairly frequently, and I have even very briefly mentally entertained some of the more intriguing offers I've received, but I always end up turning them down. I think it's fair to say that I'm officially retired from competitive, non-scripted television shows. See, reality TV was an interesting part of my life, I'm glad to have played a memorable role, and I'm happy to have entertained so many people, but I don't see any real upside to participating in another show, Big Brother or otherwise.

That said, I'm a competitive person so could a project eventually come along that was so interesting that I would be drawn out of retirement? Surprise me, Hollywood, surprise me. Until then, please come see us at any LaserAway in the nation for all your aesthetic dermatology skin fitness needs!

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