Parade.com got the chance to ask the contestants before they entered the house about the best advice they received, what their fellow houseguests will underestimate about them, and what they hope to get out of the experience besides the $250,000 check. You can check out our interviews below, and take a look at our full cast announcement for more information about the celebrity players. Celebrity Big Brother 3 premieres on Wednesday, February 2 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Carson Kressley – Emmy Award-winning TV personality
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? The best advice I received was from other celebrities who played Big Brother. Of course I called people. And they just said to be yourself. And that has really what I’ve always done on television. So I’m thinking that’s going to be easy breezy. What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? Oh, gosh, what’s not to love? I’m a little bossy, actually. And I think I always know what’s best, whether it’s what we should be eating, or how we should be decorating the house, or what we should be wearing. So they’re probably going to get sick of my suggestions. Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? There are two ways to play Big Brother. You can be the social butterfly, which I love. And I also love butterflies, just FYI. Or you can be the conniving strategist who’s really under the radar and does all was plotting. I think I’m going to try to do both! What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? The key to Big Brother is keeping people guessing. And I think that people see me on TV and think, “He’s so nice.” And I’m generally the nice person on Queer Eye or the nice judge on Drag Race. So maybe they will not suspect that I’m going to do anything to win. It’s a game, it’s allowed, it’s encouraged. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? I’ve done so many of these shows where you’re on a desert island with a bunch of celebrities or you’re learning how to cha-cha for the first time. And I don’t remember any of the things that I learned on those shows. But I do remember making great friendships. I know, this is a game and it’s competitive. But you’re still really bonding with people in a really unusual way. For example, one of my friends from Dancing with the Stars is my best friend now. I was in her wedding and I’m the godfather to her kids. So I’m excited to meet some people I never would have met before. It’s going to be really fun. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most actually.
Chris Kattan – Comedian
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? Have a good time and be myself! What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? I don’t know! (Laughs.) I hope everyone in the Celebrity Big Brother house is okay with me relaxing. I don’t know. I’m literally answering your questions in an honest way. So I don’t know! (Laughs.) Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? Definitely more social butterfly. What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? I’m much better looking in person. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? I’m hoping to be able to have a good enough time in the Big Brother house that I have good stories to tell when I leave.
Chris Kirkpatrick – Pop star
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? The best advice I received is to listen. And I think that’s something that everybody should do. If I can sit back and just listen to everybody else, let them run things, make the moves, and do what they have to do and then eat each other up, then it’s better for my game. What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? I think the other houseguests might not like the fact that I joke around way too much. In the scenario of the Celebrity Big Brother house, there’s probably gonna be instances where they’re gonna want something to be serious. I just can’t be serious. Plus, I have restless leg syndrome, and it’s hard to sit for a long period of time. That’s gonna annoy people. Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? I think it’s more important to be the social butterfly. The social butterfly can still be strategic. It’s about making those relationships and not angering anybody and playing the game the right way. What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? I think they’re gonna underestimate my stunning good looks. I go in there with this beautiful face and they’re just gonna see it and just think of me as just a character or an actor. No, I’m just kidding. (Laughs.) I think they’re going to underestimate the fact that I love mind games and I love just playing games. I’m going to enjoy this whole experience. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? I’m hoping to make a lot of friends and have a lot of fun. I’ve been a big fan of this show. So going around the house, experiencing the competitions, experiencing Julie, experiencing everything Celebrity Big Brother has to offer. That’s what I’m most excited about.
Cynthia Bailey – Model/TV personality
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? The best advice that I received is to just have fun and just be myself. And I’m going to take that advice! What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? I’m pretty easy to get along with honestly! I don’t think the other houseguests are going to dislike anything about me really. I’m pretty easygoing. I’m not really that high maintenance; I’m not a diva. I’m friendly; I’m helpful. If anything, hopefully I’ll win Miss Congeniality. (Pause.) I don’t think there’s even an award for that. (Laughs.) Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? I think I’ve got to play both. I don’t think Big Brother is the kind of house you go into with just one strategy. You have to be flexible. You have to be able to slide back and forth between people, go to rooms and see who everyone is talking about. You have to be social in that house. Otherwise, you’re not going to know what’s going on. What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? I think that the other houseguests will underestimate the fact that although I’m not super athletic or physical, I still have some good upper- and lower-body strength still left in me. I will probably be one of the older people in the house. And they will probably take my oldness for weakness. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? I really hope to have an amazing time and make some amazing friends. I’m really looking forward to seeing who’s going to be in the house and connecting with everyone on some level.
Lamar Odom – NBA champion
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? Be selfish! What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? I’m loyal. I’ve heard a lot of shady [expletive] happens in the Big Brother house. I don’t really take too well to that. Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? I think I’m going to fall somewhere in the middle. What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? That I’m a killer. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? Some love! Maybe an endorsement or something like that. There’s gonna be so many people watching. Maybe somebody will find me interesting. Pay me a good lump sum just to show my face.
Miesha Tate – Former UFC champion
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? Have fun with it and take it day by day. I think that’s really solid advice. What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? How much time and space that I will take up in the gym. And just the fact that I’ll be a physical threat is something I think I’ll have to tread lightly with. I’d be happy to train with other houseguests if they want to come into the gym and taste my world a little bit. I have no problem with that so long as you let me get my workout in first! Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? What I think I’m going to do the best at on the show is winning competitions when I need to. And being strategic about that so I don’t put too big of a target on myself. I’m not a social butterfly, so I’ve got to be strong in the other areas. What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? I think they’re actually going to overestimate me. I’m afraid that the other houseguests will see me as an immediate threat just because I’m very physical and I think I’ll do well in the physical challenges. And historically, athletes have been voted off pretty soon. Anybody who has a real athletic presence about them tends to get ganged up on and everybody knows they need to get them out of the house early. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? What I’m hoping to get out of the Big Brother house is a new experience where I can continue to learn about myself. What the heck am I going to do when I film 24 hours a day, and I’m cut off from the world? hat kind of Miesha Tate is gonna rise from the ashes? We’ll find out!
Mirai Nagasu – Olympic medalist
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? The best play is to be a great listener. I don’t want to be like Frenchie and creeping on everyone’s doors. But I would love to just organically be in the right place at the right time. What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? As an athlete, I’m a natural people-pleaser. But if there’s anything that the other housemates might dislike about me, I hope it’s that I’m too likable and that I’m a really great listener. And they’ll say, “Ooh, you have to watch out for her because she is in all the alliances.” Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? I want the best of both worlds. But I would say the social game is more important. I feel like people who like each other and are loyal to each other usually make it until the end. So I hope I’ll be the social butterfly. What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? I think that other houseguests might underestimate my knowledge of the game. I would love to be more of a social butterfly and be a better listener than so obvious about my strategies. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? When I’m in the Big Brother house, I don’t really view myself as a celebrity. I get in and out of my car just fine with no paparazzi. But I’m really looking forward to really connecting with people who have that experience. You really don’t get an opportunity to become friends in this type of capacity where you’re thrown into living with a group of people and for these people to all have accomplishments of their own. That’s something I’m really looking forward to.
Shanna Moakler – Actress/former Miss USA
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? The best advice I’ve received, honestly, is just to be myself. My family is very supportive and they feel that I have a fun, outgoing personality, and that the other members in the house will enjoy that. So I’m going to try to take that advice. What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? I can be really loud. I’m an East Coast girl. And I’m constantly being told I’m too loud. So I’m going to try to work on that. Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? I want to find a happy medium in playing this game. I think to be strategic, you have to get to know everybody and know where their strategy is. So I’m going to try to do both. What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? I think I’ve been underestimated a lot just in being a former beauty queen and Playboy Playmate. That dumb blonde stereotype. But that’s always worked in my favor. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? I’m hoping that I actually do make some real genuine friendships. I’m really looking forward to America seeing who I truly am and having a lot of fun in the process.
Teddi Mellencamp – Television personality
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? Go in and let true relationships be formed. Don’t try to force anything. What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? I’m gonna try not to be so type A and organized. I’m going to try to just be one of those “live and let live” people. I just don’t know if it’ll happen. I’m 40! Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? I think that if you are the social butterfly, you can also be the strategic mastermind. What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? I think that people underestimate my ability to read other people. Unfortunately for me in my life, I get this feeling if somebody is going to be good to me or bad to me, and it’s hard for me to shake it. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? I’m hoping to form new relationships. I get to be in a situation where I am not tied to my phone. And I tend to be someone that micromanages every little detail of my life. I want to stop that a little. So I’m hoping maybe in the Big Brother house when I don’t have access to do it, I will.
Todd Bridges – Actor
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? Be myself! What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? Being myself! (Laughs.) Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? The thing is, I’m a very social butterfly. But you know that there’s a game to that. Sometimes the social butterfly turns out to be a big-ass bee! What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? How smart I am. Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? A different part of my life.
Todrick Hall – Entertainer
What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play? The best advice I received is from my good friend Tommy Bracco [from Big Brother 21]. He told me, “You don’t want to have any regrets.” I am a super fan of this show. It’s not about the money to me. While that would be nice and helpful for me as an unsigned artist, I think that going on a show like Big Brother is more about the experience. I want to fully experience every single part of it. I’m a person that doesn’t really live on the edge a lot. I’m always nervous about things. Winning has always been something that’s so crippling to me. And when I was on The Masked Singer I was so focused on whether or not I would win that I didn’t really necessarily enjoy the experience as much as I could have. I’m going to try my hardest in this experience to just let go and be present and have a good time making long friendships. In my opinion, oftentimes, the people who win the show don’t really win in life. A lot of times the people that everyone loves from the show are people who just had an incredible time and took advantage of every second they have in the house. And that’s more the direction I’m leaning towards. And if I happen to win while also doing that, then I think that that’s just the perfect storm. But I’d rather have a good time and make good television and make lifelong friends than to win the money. What’s something the other houseguests may dislike about you? I can be a little judgey if people get too emotional. People who cry all the time sometimes get on my nerves. I am a person that has gone through so much that when a situation presents itself to me, I can always say, “Todrick in two months from now, you won’t care about this.” And so I don’t harp on it usually. And I feel like a lot of people are not able to do that. So sometimes it frustrates me to have to sit down and listen to someone cry about a paper cut they got. When people are out here with bullet wounds, you can handle a paper cut. So I think that if I am not empathetic towards people that sometimes that can backfire on me. I’m not a yes, man. And if I think someone’s wrong, even if I love them, I’ll tell them they’re wrong. Is it more important for you to be the strategic mastermind or the social butterfly? I think the strategic mastermind is what I would rather be. But I think I’m going to be more of a social butterfly. I think that I think everybody wants to say that they’re a strategic mastermind. But if I’m being self-aware, I think I’m going to fall more in the social butterfly category. What will the other houseguests underestimate about you the most? I think they will underestimate the fact that I am very easygoing and can get along with pretty much anyone if there’s an enemy in the house. Unless they’re just godawful, I can’t see them also being an enemy of mine. I think a lot of people might find that shocking because they would think that I’m going to be the dramatic one that’s cutting people off. But I can’t imagine myself doing that. But who knows what I’m going to be capable of in the house? Outside of the win, what are you hoping to get most out of your time in the Big Brother house? I’m hoping to gain some friends and people in the industry who understand where I’m coming from. This industry is lonely. And oftentimes the friends that you have that are closest to you can empathize. But they never experience the type of ridicule it is. To make mistakes in front of the world, or not making mistakes and being blamed for mistakes you’ve made on social media. The internet can just be so brutal, and it’s so heartbreaking to see things like that. The thing I’m the most excited about is to be in a group of people who have all at some point in their lives and careers have probably been misunderstood. I think it’ll be good therapy for me to be able to talk to people who understand what it’s like. It’s not easy, and a lot of people just don’t have the experience to draw from. So to be in a room full of celebrities who have experienced it, who have lived it, who have survived it, or who are surviving it now ,is something I think is going to be tremendously helpful for me, the future, my longevity in this industry, and for my mental health.
