Alyssa, you came in saying you wanted “revenge” on the Cookout. And you were able to eventually get that when you and Kyland sent in Xavier. How do you look back on that decision?Alyssa: I do want to be clear. Whenever I’ve used the word “revenge,” it’s like a team beat you in this game, and you want to watch and make sure that you win this other time. It was never deeper than that. It was never anything about not understanding or appreciating what they did. And I would have never used that term if that’s how people would take it, I would that was never my or Derek’s goal to be revengeful in a negative, hurtful way. For me going in, I will say, you have interviews every week in a different outfit. And the first few episodes, I was in so many different outfits! Everyone else has the same exact outfit on. But I’ve got four outfits and different wardrobe changes. So I understand it’s good TV, but I will say it did help that no one really trusted Big Brother. Big Brother came in really hot, especially since Tiffany was just like gaming from the get-go. Big Brother 23 was super tight. We just got off a season together. So everyone definitely saw us as the ones to get out. And I knew out of the six, I was at the low end of that. I knew if Azah had to choose between me and Tiffany, she would choose Tiffany. You saw that with Tiffany on the second episode. Kyland would choose Tiffany over me. And I also just felt like X still saw me as his sidekick. He never really added me into conversations with game unless I brought it to him. So I just felt like I was still at the low part of that pole, and I needed to get at a high point of a pole and a different alliance and a different team. So I felt like making the move was strategic. Because as soon as I did take out X, other people outside of Big Brother started talking game with me, wanting to work with me. And I think if I stuck with that, I probably would have gone out sooner than I did. I might, I was right there at the final elimination.Desi: I agree, it was the best move you could have done. Everyone was like, “Big Brother 23’s gotta go!“Alyssa: Exactly. But they realized I wasn’t working with them. I had so many game conversations after that. I don’t think I would have had that alliance with the Survivor guys if I didn’t do that. And I think they would have probably thrown me in before someone like Azah or Tiffany.Something interstingly in common with both of you is that you felt dissatisfied with the way your game and edit panned out in your first season. Talk about whether you were able to find redemption on The Challenge: USA.Desi: I’m eternally grateful for this experience. Because of how Survivor went for me, I also kind of came into this game with a lack of cofnidence in how I was going to do. I remember Day 3 before our first challenge. I was terrified. And Sarah pulled me aside and talked me off the ledge. Just because I came into this game without that alpha confidence that I knew how to play every reality competition show. I was like, “I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know why I’m here with Sarah and Tyson. I’m going home immediately.” (Laughs.) So I do feel like I had a really big evolution in this game. When we arrived at the final, there was no part of me that didn’t think I could win. I had gained enough confidence and done enough mantras. And I truly felt like I could win the game. And I don’t think there was ever a point in Survivor where I felt I had a shot at winning. So I’m grateful for the experience. If I never get to play again, I know that I’ve come out of this game a stronger, more confident woman. And I feel like I’m capable of doing anything I can talk myself into doing.Alyssa: I love this experience so much more than Big Brother. Not just how it went. But I just really enjoyed it so much more, because it was so much more fulfilling. I was doing things I never thought I would be able to do. I was accomplishing things I didn’t even think could be a goal of mine. So I am really proud. I mean, going into Big Brother, I wanted to play harder. But being nominated Week 1, you have to be calm and not talk too much game and go with the flow. I wish I played harder. And I feel like I didn’t hold back. I wasn’t scared to make big moves. I didn’t chicken out on things. And I gave it my complete all and never quit. And I literally almost made it to the final. One vote switched, and I would have been in the final. So I don’t think there’s a move in my head where I’m like, “I should have done something different to get me there.” Maybe just being besties with Dom But other than that, I am very proud of how I did, and it was very rewarding.Next, read our interview with The Challenge: USA winners Danny McCray and Sarah Lacina.
