Ousted Big Brother player Kirsten Elwin explains why she hasn't watched the show
Someone has to be voted out first. And in the case of Big Brother 25, that someone was Kirsten Elwin. While Kirsten was saved the indignity of actually being the first person to leave the house due to Luke Valentine being expelled for using a racial slur, it's still never fun to be booted after just a week — especially by a unanimous vote.
The 25-year-old molecular biologist from Houston took some time to decompress after her eviction, but finally was ready to discuss what led to her early ouster. Did the unanimous vote surprise her? Did she think there might not be an eviction after Luke was forced to leave? And does she still think Cirie did her dirty? We asked Kirsten all that and more, and found out why she hasn't watched the show yet.
Sonja Flemming/CBS Kirsten Elwin on 'Big Brother' season 25
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So what went wrong, Kirsten? Why are you in Texas now talking to us instead of in the Big Brother house?
KIRSTEN ELWIN: Oh my gosh, that is an interesting one. Honestly. I wish I knew. [Laughs] Truly. I came into the house and immediately I was really thrilled to see everyone. I think my first misstep was the first competition with the butt-kicker thing. I wanted to do the puzzle. I looked at the one where we're connecting the cables and I'm like, "Okay, I do some rows in the gym. Let me get on this row type of thing." I also didn't want to stand around and be in the way, so I just kind of went to the closest thing to me, which was the butt-kicker. And that did not fare me well. I'm going to attribute my loss there to user error. I kept getting stuck on the machine, so that was my first error.
Furthermore, going into the house, I was kind of like enjoying the scene. I was talking to people, kind of getting into some "Hey, you seem cool, let's talk. We may want to work together." And there was a moment where a houseguest let me know like, "Hey, you're chilling but the game's going on, so get your head in the game." And I think I may have just taken it a little too quickly.
I actually had a conversation with some houseguests that I really, really liked, and apparently that information just got out. Now how it was spun, I don't necessarily know, but I definitely sat in a room full of people almost like, "Hey, I heard this alliance is going on. That's so crazy!" So I'm thinking it's more of a jovial, we're all saying things. But what I said was actually highlighted and it got out there. So now the house has this idea that I either know about an alliance that they're part of, or I'm starting rumors. I don't know exactly what, because I haven't watched back the episodes yet, but that's what I'm thinking. So I definitely think poor choice in the first competition, not believing in myself, and just being honestly a little too mouthy around the wrong people.
CBS Kirsten Elwin on 'Big Brother' season 25
Why haven't you watched the episodes back yet?
Because I wanted to come into my interviews with like a clear perspective that I had in the house. While I was in the house, I had nothing against anyone personally. And I think just getting on the internet a little bit and seeing the people just say, "Oh, well this person was being cruel to you," or, "This person was talking about you" — I didn't want to get any negative sentiments about the houseguests that I don't currently have. I wish everyone well. I don't even know who I want to win. I just don't have any negative feelings toward anyone. So I didn't want to get some by watching it back.
Are you going to watch moving forward, or are you just not going to watch?
Yes, definitely. Obviously, I think I know them on a somewhat personal level. I think had a talent in the house for seeing people for what they were instead of what the house may have thought they were. And for that reason, I kind of want to see if my bets are right. I kind of want to see Red push through this competition. I want to see where Mecole is going to land. I want to see how long Hisam's able to protect himself from this target that's being put on him, and stuff like that. So I'm super tied in with them. I really want them to do well, so I have to watch.
Did you think after what happened with Luke being removed from the house that maybe you would get a reprieve and there might not be an eviction since he had left the house?
Oh my goodness, I couldn't bet on it. Right? Like, I'm the type of person that I don't get my hopes up about anything until I see it. I'm going to work like that option doesn't exist. And that's what I tried to do.
CBS Kirsten Elwin on 'Big Brother' season 25
What did you make of the whole situation when you first heard about what happened with Luke? That's a pretty dramatic event to have a houseguest taken out of the game.
Yeah, honestly, I wasn't there. I didn't see it, so I didn't have any thoughts on it. I think just the house was a little bit heavy that day, and obviously it's the day before eviction, so you want to campaign, but you also want to be respectful of what people may or may not be feeling. So I just took that moment to think about myself and what can I do to help some of the houseguests through it. I didn't know who all was affected, so I was just trying to hug everyone, let everyone know that nobody's excluded, nobody's wrong for saying anything as far as maybe how they feel. So it was just kind of more of a loving moment rather than a game moment for me.
Did the unanimous 13-0 vote surprise you?
No, the unanimous vote did not surprise me, only because I believe Mecole told me that the house wanted a unanimous vote. And I'm not the type of person to ask for a sympathy vote because if you didn't want to vote for me, I don't need it, to be honest. And so I had that in my mind, and I had a conversation with Jag as the live show was going on and he said, "Hey, I talked to Reilly, I talked to Matt, I talked to some people — what if there's some type of twist?" I'm like, "Hey, I'm not betting on a twist, so are you saying that you don't think we have it in the vote? And Jag goes, "No, I don't think we have it in the vote." And that was one of the most honest things that he could have done.
Now, with that information, I did go ahead and start rallying people together —literally during the live show in front of each other in the bathroom. Like, "Hey, Matt's here, Jag's here, Jag's telling me we have the numbers. Matt's telling me he wants work together. Reilly, this is what's going on. Cory, I have the numbers according to Matt and Jag." Cory says, "Okay, if you've got them, you got me." So we're all in this situation. I spoke to Jared, I spoke to Mecole. I'm like, "Okay, we have the numbers on Reilly's side. Do I have you?" Mecole says yes, Jared says yes. I'm like, "Okay, make sure you guys communicate that with everyone so that no one's on the wrong side of the vote." Obviously, that did not take place despite what people said, but that's to be expected. It's Big Brother.
CBS Kirsten Elwin and Felicia Cannon on 'Big Brother' season 25
Nobody likes getting voted out at any point, but the one thing everyone worries about the most when they enter the Big Brother house is getting voted out first, so did that hurt?
Oh my gosh, yes. It's definitely not the intention I planned for at all coming onto the show. I came in this game looking week by week, but also looking for the long shot, looking for a better outcome. But maybe this year will be different. Maybe I'll go down as the coolest first evictee ever. Who knows?
You mentioned to Julie Chen Moonves that you felt betrayed by Cirie. Why do you think she threw you under the bus?
Well, after I found out that Jared was her son, it made sense. But I had a listening ear in that house. Honey, I was up against every single door. I heard nine times of 10 what people were saying. And I would see the demeanor. When Cirie left Reilly's room, I had conversations with her, and if you've seen any of the live feeds, if you've seen my facial expressions, my face does not lie. As much as I hug you, I have a bulls--- meter. So I definitely knew the whole time, but I understand playing my role. I really meant what I said, that an enemy is a better ally than a friend because you already know what they're capable of doing. So had I stayed in the game, I would not have changed the thing about how I was going to work with her and what I stated to her and stuff like that. But, you know, it definitely hurt.
CBS Kirsten Elwin on 'Big Brother' season 25
I know you haven't gone back and watched the episodes, but just from being in the house and what you saw when you were in there and what you've maybe heard since you got out, who do you think is playing the best game?
I think Jared is playing a good game because he has Cirie there. And why I say that is when there's a lot of confusion and it's not directly at your hands, that can be helpful. I think Jared is playing a great game. I think Felicia is really positioned well in the game as well. But honestly, the people that are laying the lowest that are the biggest threats are actually Red and Bowie. Red to me is the strongest player in that house, because he's camouflaging right now. He's investigating himself, he's cooking, he's doing all these things a lot on his threat level. But Red is incredibly dynamic. He's intelligent. He can think far ahead. He's a great competitor. He's awesome socially. So it honestly may be Red's game if they're not careful.
So when are you going to start watching the show?
Oh, today! I want to see what's going on. I want to give some recaps and just give my commentary and show love to the show. So definitely today.
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