On last night’s episode of The Biggest Loser, the blue team couldn’t cut it at the weigh in and found themselves facing elimination. It seemed like Trent would be the one to go, who had been complaining of being homesick. Instead, Mark and Jay went back on their word and voted out Jackie. She and her son, Dan, were angry realizing that they had been blindsided, especially after Mark and Jay swore on their children’s lives to tell them first before they wrote their names down. A woman whose never afraid to speak her mind, Jackie sat down with BuddyTV today to dish on her fellow contestants and life after The Biggest Loser.
Below, you will find the complete transcript and mp3 of the interview.
Hey everybody. This is Gina from BuddyTV, and today I’m talking to Jackie from NBC’s The Biggest Loser. Well whose idea was it to join The Biggest Loser? Was it yours or was it Dan’s?
My idea, it was totally my idea. I saw the open casting call in Chicago. I came home from work one day, flipped on the TV, and it said open casting call in Chicago, so I asked Dan, “Hey, you know that show I watch?” And he’s like, “Well, vaguely.” I had it TIVO’d and I had him watch an episode, and I said, “Would you consider going for an open casting?” and he goes, “I’d love to.” He went downtown, I stood in line with him all day long, we got in line at like seven in the morning and we finally got in at five or six in the evening. I didn’t go with him, because I never considered that they would let somebody on my age. So he went in and they called him back for another interview, but he didn’t make last season’s show. Then this season they called him up and said, “We really want you to try out again, but there’s a twist: is there anyone else overweight in your family?” And he said, “Yeah, my mom and my brother.” When they came they said the brother wasn’t heavy enough, but mom was. That’s how it started.
So you were a fan of the show before going on?
Oh totally. I’ve watched it since season 1, every episode.
It must have been so surreal to meet Bob, Jillian, and Alison. What was it like for you when you first got there?
You know, it’s so funny because up until the moment of the very first challenge, it was all — I mean, it was surreal oftentimes. You’d be like I can’t believe I’m doing this and I’m here. But once the workouts and everything kicked in, it was like such survival mode, and such trying to do it all that they didn’t seem like big stars anymore. There’s Alison getting ready to send you home every week, and there’s Bob and Jillian kicking your butt every single day. The glamor was definitely gone quickly.
You guys had a little issue with the black team, Mark and Jay, right off the bat. When we talked to Ali and Bette Sue, they said that the only reason people didn’t like them was because they were a threat. What was your real reason for not liking Mark and Jay?
I will tell you this, I’ve come to really respect them both, honestly, and gotten to know them a little better. I think what it was, for me, is I always knew it was a game from the very beginning. I’ve been watching this show since season 1. I’ve seen all the game play and all that going on, so when I went in there I was very clear that it was a game. I think the thing that was hard for me with Mark and Jay, they were also very aware of the game and played it from day one, but they were just a little underhanded about it. Dan and I, we got ourselves in a lot of trouble because we were very up-front about who we were and what we were doing. I always felt like Mark was always trying to like woo people on his side and on his team. I always felt like I had to reveal his motives, that was what it was. It wasn’t even a matter of oh, I can’t stand these guys, it was oh my goodness, I’m in a game and they’re my biggest competition.
You made a good point that you and Dan really were up-front all season. You guys just spoke your mind. So when you watch the episodes back do you feel like that’s an accurate portrayal of who you are?
Honestly, I would have to say in a large way yes, but what I feel was maybe not as portrayed is how much everybody else was game playing, because they wouldn’t talk about it. They would pretend like. . .you know, it’s so funny like last week, we admitted the week we didn’t lose weight that we made sure we didn’t lose weight for game strategy reasons. Last week when some of them didn’t lose weight, oh they cried you know, said they let their team down. We all knew exactly what was going on. That was purposeful on their part. I think the difference on the TV is that everybody plays the game. Those are smart people. The Biggest Loser does not pick dumb people for that show, and everybody there knows what the story is and what the game is, and knows that you’ve got to play the game or you’re going home.
Has the show brought you and Dan closer together?
Dan and I have always had a very close relationship. My family’s very, very close. We hang out together, we go out to dinner together, we work together. I can’t say it brought us closer, because we always were so close, but what I think was cool is he and I have dieted much together. We always start a diet together, almost every month, so it was so cool for the two of us who have struggled with these weight issues to get the opportunity to conquer them together, because of the fact that we supported one another in being fat.
How goes the preparation for the live finale?
Well I’m definitely competing, and I’m working out every day and still going at it as strong as I can. Am I confident that I’ll be the biggest loser at the finale? There’s some pretty stiff competition out there you know. But I know one thing, my goal more than anything is to get on that scale and to have lost a hundred pounds.
Well we hope that you do reach your goal and lose a hundred pounds. We can’t wait to see you at the live finale, and I just wanted to thank you, Jackie.
You’re welcome.
– Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of NBC)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
