‘I’m back, baby’: Kaelin’s calculated career move
Former famous house guest talks about Celebrity Big Brother
It seems fitting that the world’s most famous house guest finally pushed his way onto Celebrity Big Brother this season.
Kato Kaelin, who became a household name almost a quarter-century ago when he took the stand during the O.J. Simpson double-murder trial, joined 11 other notables last month for the second season spinoff of the popular CBS reality series.
“When the opportunity presented itself, I thought it was perfect,” Kaelin said in a recent interview. “I was the most famous house guest, now it was time for me to be a part of this show. It was perfect.”
But after the ousting of Joey Lawrence (Blossom), Jonathan Bennett (Mean Girls) and Olympian Ryan Lochte, Kaelin become the fourth house guest eliminated last week after a unanimous 5-0 vote.
Still, Kaelin, 59, is grateful for his time on the show.
After all, he became BFFs with Canadian funnyman Tom Green. He also plans on parlaying his time in the Celebrity Big Brother house into making sure his 15 minutes of fame keep going.
QYou were the most famous house guest in real life and people were excited to see you join Celebrity Big Brother. What made you say yes?
AI wanted people to see who Kato was. Maybe people don’t know that I have a fun spirit and I love life. So that’s what my goal was on the show. I never said, ‘I’m going to win this thing.’ I just went in there and said, ‘Here I am.’
QWhat was your strategy going in?
AI needed to find a person I could trust. It all fell into place when I met Tom (Green). From the first day, when we started talking, we both said, ‘No matter what, I’ll watch your back, you watch my back.’ Early on, Tom was worried he was going to be the first one out. I said to him, ‘Buddy, it ain’t going to happen.’ Now he’s going to be the winner. He won HoH, so now he’s got all the power. Everything switches once someone has the HoH, and now that Tom has it everyone’s going to be kissing his b-u-t-t. He’s going to break up that alliance between Tamar (Braxton), Ricky (Williams), Lolo (Jones), and Natalie (Eva Marie). It’s going to be so great to watch. I’m hoping, and thinking, he’s going to say, ‘This one’s for you, Kato.’
QYou and Tom really hit it off. Are Canadians just more trustworthy?
AI’ve done quite a few things in Canada and I’d say, yes, 100 per cent. The show comes with three Ds: dishonesty, deceit and dilemmas, so it was new to me and it kind of threw me. But I was talking to Tom and he said to me, ‘Kato, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re way too trustworthy.’ I remember thinking that wasn’t a bad thing, but on Big Brother I guess it is.
QYou went out 5-0, did that shock you?
AI was shocked that it was 5-0, but I knew I was getting knocked out.
QWe spoke to Joey earlier and he alluded to tension in
the household. Did you feel any of that?
AYes, 100 per cent. It didn’t feel like anyone wanted to have fun other than Tom and I. But a lot of the tension was down to sleep deprivation. Sleep is hard to come by on the show and that led to kneejerk reactions to some things.
QJoey, Jonathan and Ryan, they were the first three house guests eliminated. Did any of those surprise you?
AAll the dudes are gone. Isn’t that funny? Even when (host), Julie (Chen), read my name I said, ‘Can someone check for a typo?’
QWho did you think was the most toxic presence in the house?
AI think it’s a coin toss between Tamar and Lolo. I mean, they fought about what’s more expensive: sea bass or salmon? I was hearing that and thinking, really?
QYou think Tom’s going to win it all?
ATom’s going to be in the final four. There are a lot of questions to answer to get to the final two. If he does that, anyone that goes up against Tom for the final vote from the cast will lose. It will be a slam dunk for Tom. Slam dunk. He’s going to make Canada so proud.
QIt’s been 25 years since people all over the world heard the name ‘Kato Kaelin’ during the O.J. Simpson trial. How did this all measure up for you?
AI was about as relevant as the letter ‘b’ in the word debt. But I’m back, baby. I’m back. mdaniell@postmedia.com twitter.com/markhdaniell