A Reality Check With ... Joe Barber (CBS's "Big Brother 8")

23-year-old Joe Barber was looking to make waves when he entered the Big Brother 8 house. What he got was a wave of his own when he found out his ex-boyfriend, Dustin, would be joining him. Daniele & Dick were on the chopping block this week so it seemed Joe was safe until Daniele won the Power of Veto. She took herself down & Jen (as Head Of Household) put Joe up, where he met his demise. Joe takes time to talk with RealityCheckByGina about his time in the Big Brother house.

RC: You are a fan of previous Big Brother seasons. What did you think you would bring to the table in season 8?
Joe: Being such a fan of the show, I felt that I had a lot of the same strengths as Dr. Will & Janelle combined. I really could’ve worked it. I had that whole manipulation aspect going on & I thought if I had more time, I could’ve built some strong alliances.

RC: How did you end up becoming a part of the new season of Big Brother?
Joe: I never applied before & I applied on the last day. I decided that this year needed to be about me after going through the breakup. The first thing I decided to do was apply for the show.


RC: Your game needed to change when you found out your ex-boyfriend, Dustin, was in the house. What adjustments did you make to your strategy?
Joe: The whole game went out the window. I didn’t want to be there. It took me about a week & a half to get back into game mode. It’s like being in a race and they’re like, “Ready, Set” and before they say “Go”, the guy shoots you in the leg. I tried to focus on the positive aspects of being there.

RC: Did you think you’d have a rival?
Joe: The second they announced the rival, I knew it was me. Dustin’s a very charismatic guy… it’s not until you’ve known him that you see what a jerk & how self-centered he can be. I knew he was charismatic and he’d get on the show.

RC: Was it more important to you to stay in the house or to make sure everyone knew the things Dustin has done to you?
Joe: By the second week, Dustin & I were able to tolerate each other & not trash each other. I wanted him to give me the opportunity to apologize. I took all his friends & his best friend. When he needed his best friend the most, I took him. At the time, I was like, “Wow I’m awesome, I did this” but then I felt guilty. I wanted to apologize & I did.

RC: I have a conspiracy theory that Daniele & Dick are working together. Do you have any thoughts on that?
Joe: I agree! It’s not a conspiracy theory, it’s the truth! For not talking for so long, they sure talk a lot now. Daniele does a good job saying, “I’m so disgusted by my dad”. I can’t imagine how uncomfortable it is to sit with your dad & listen to his sexcapades. But blood is thicker than water.

RC: How do you feel when you found out Eric was America’s Player?
Joe: I thought that was brilliant. I think that’s the best twist they’ve done in any season. They’re really set the bar high. It helps the viewers be part of the show every week. They have an effect on situations and what they can get Eric to do. It’s a brilliant twist and someone deserves a promotion.

RC: Nate (Dustin’s best friend) said some harsh things about you last night in his interview. How did you react to that?
Joe: Actually I didn’t get a chance to watch the episode. It’s been a busy day. The way I need to apologize for what I did to Dustin, Nate should apologize too. Nate was his best friend. But Nate’s a theater kid and he needed to get his 2 seconds in. If he wants to piggyback off me, that’s fine.

RC: Did you form genuine friendships in the house?
Joe: I’m very close to Eric & looking forward to spending time with him in NY once this is over. I love Jessica, she’s as sweet as pie. Nick is awesome, even though he screwed me in the end. I won’t hold it against him, he’s a great guy.

RC: The vote was 9-1 last night to evict you. That had to hurt a little.
Joe: It hurt a little bit that I got the one vote. But I had told Jameka & Jessica not to vote for me if they didn’t have the votes. Dick could’ve put them up this week saying, “You guys tried to evict me.”

RC: With Dick being the new Head Of Household, that has to be a nightmare for some people.
Joe: I would say for Jen, Mike, and Kail it definitely is. Dick & Zach are getting along better. Dick is an extremist, he’s going to go one way or the other. He could put up Jen & Kail or he could do something crazy & turn the house upside down.

RC: Do you have a way that fans can contact you?
Joe: I’m gonna have a MySpace set up for myself. I’m getting back to Chicago. I’m looking forward to the opportunities the show has give me. I like putting my Joe spin on things.

A new episode of Big Brother 8 airs Sunday night on CBS

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