Brandi Glanville made an appearance at the Television Critics Association press tour last week and afterward shared her thoughts on The Celebrity Apprentice and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills with a small group, including OHSOGRAY. She also talked about her upcoming projects and the perks of being a celebrity. The best thing about Brandi is she never holds back.
The Celebrity Apprentice airs Mondays at 8/7c on NBC and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Tuesdays at 9/8 on Bravo.
First off, what charity did you compete for?
Brandi: Make-A-Wish.
The drama and the in fighting [on The Celebrity Apprentice] was it more than you expected it to be?
Brandi: You know, I think we all hit a level of stress that…it’s not like Housewives, at all. Housewives, you go and you drink a little wine, socialize, you act crazy. This—there is no time for rest. You work 18-hour days, you only have Sundays off and you usually sleep on Sunday. It was the most stressful thing I’ve ever done. But at the end of the day looking back, I grew so much as a person and I went in thinking I would go home. ‘I’ll do it, be home in a week, it’s fine.’ And I really challenged myself. I didn’t go to college, I don’t have a business background…but it didn’t matter. I put my best foot forward. There was some drama, obviously, because of some of the pre-existing relationships between Kenya and myself and then Ian and I butted heads quite a bit.
Who did you bond with?
Brandi: I actually got along with almost everyone. Leeza and I and Vivica…great friendship. Geraldo as well, but, I never –I don’t want to say ‘had to’ work with him, I was never on his team, so we got along very well. But, we only saw each other after the boardroom and when we’re toasting[….]
Who do you never want to see again?
Brandi: There’s no ‘never want to see again.’ Do I want to spend 18-hours a day with Kenya or Ian or Kate – not really. That’s just the truth of it.
What does it take to win The Celebrity Apprentice?
Brandi: Oh gosh. It is mentally challenging. I’m not used to competing with my teammates. It’s a human chess game. There’s a lot of manipulation, there’s a lot of underhandedness. I don’t have that. I don’t know how to do that. I don’t want to do that. Thank god. I just never want to operate that way. I’m really straight forward—what you see is what you get, and if I don’t like something I’m going to say it. Other people formed little, weird bonds. It was like Survivor. It was really scary. It was a little clique-ish. People were doing underhanded things to try to sabotage you if they didn’t think your team was going to win and you were the…. It was a nightmare. So you’re not sure if your teammates are really your teammates because they’re sabotaging you.
Is this “teammates not being teammates” something that you’re used to dealing with?
Brandi: Well no because there’s no prize at the end of Housewives. It’s a popularity contest, so…I’m used to people backstabbing you, but I’m not used to trying to win for our team and then having someone throw you under the bus. At the end of the day, we’re all playing for charity, so for me I just said we’ll go into this and—Leeza I can say—100% every time we worked. We really formed a close bond—her and myself and Vivica. It’s hard then all of a sudden you’re put on teams against each other and you’re like, ‘Nooo!’ And you’re friends with someone and they’re like, ‘You should go home’ and you’re like, ‘ I thought we were best friends.’
How do you think The Celebrity Apprentice is going to help with your career?
Brandi: My dream is to one day have my own talk show. So that is something I would really love to do. Something a little more, like a nighttime talk show – I wanted Chelsea Handler’s job. I always said that, so that’s why she pretty much doesn’t like me….
You’ve been doing something similar on radio. Is that preparing you to make the jump to a TV talk show?
Brandi: I hope so. You know, it’s not something I had ever done before – being on the other side of the interview so I’m really enjoying the process of the podcast. It’s been amazing and it’s nice to be able to speak your opinion and have a voice and get your side of it out. I use it as a way to clear up a lot of gossip, because I read things about myself every day and I’m like, ‘Ok, alright.” So I go in and I’m like this is what happened and it’s kind of freeing. But, it’s also nice to interview other people and get them comfortable and then go in for the kill.
How’s the podcast going? There was talking of toning it down.
Brandi: Yes, I’ve decided not to. [Laughs] It’s going really well. We’ve a ton of new advertisers. We’re getting almost 400,000 downloads. It’s great. I’m really enjoying it and hoping that it will turn into something more.
Did you carry the Housewives baggage with you onto The Celebrity Apprentice or were you looking at it as a fresh start?
Brandi: I went into it with the headset of just hopefully changing the conversation—people seeing a different side of me. I do have a temper. No matter what—as you saw with me yelling at Ian [in the clip]; I couldn’t help myself. But, I think that as you watch you’ll see I can compartmentalize. I can put the drama on the shelf and work as a team. I can say I gave my 100% every single time I did a job, whether it was Kenya leading or Ian leading or someone I didn’t enjoy leading. I put my best foot forward. I raised a lot of money.
Have any of the other Housewives reached out to you regarding your role on The Celebrity Apprentice?
Brandi: Um…Kim and Yolanda, yes. Lisa Rinna a little bit, because she went through this herself, a couple times. But, there’s a lot of competition, even though it’s not a game show so to speak between the Housewives—of who’s doing what, of who’s getting this show. There’s not a lot of patting on the back and saying, ‘Good job, go do it!’ There’s a ‘why didn’t I get that? I’m calling my manager.’
Do you watch the Housewives episodes in order to see what your cast-mates say behind your back?
Brandi: Oh god, I have to watch them because I have to blog about them. It sucks. Every time you think you’re friends and they’re saying something in the little interviews behind your back, you’re like, ‘And I liked you. No more.’
Have you talked to Yolanda recently since her relapse?
Brandi: I have.
How is she doing?
Brandi: She’s not in a good space right now. She’s at 30% brain function and she’s really, really fighting the fight.
Are you working on another book right now?
Brandi: I am.
About?
Brandi: Well…[Laughs]. We’re doing something different. That’s all I’ll say right now. We’re waiting for the ok from my editor.
What do you watch on television?
Brandi: I watch Pokemon. No, I watch all the Disney shows. I know all about Jessie and all of the little…it’s really what we watch. My favorite show is Real Housewives of Atlanta. It’s like my guilty pleasure. So actually Porsha was going to be doing my podcast yesterday, but we couldn’t work it out. But, it is something I’m very invested in.
Whose team are you on?
Brandi: I’m team Kandi. And I like Claudia and I like Porsha. It’s just hard…I like all of them.
How are things with your ex [Eddie Cibrian]?
Brandi: My ex and I? I mean it’s ongoing. The gossip is ongoing. We co-parent, we have two amazing little boys and we get along. We have our issues—because as anyone…two different households, two different sets of rules, so we have to talk because of our kids. We do the best we can and right now…what you’re seeing on Housewives right now was 4 months ago. That’s all been resolved.
What’s the biggest perk that comes with your current success?
Brandi: I did get a new car. But I traded in my old car for a new lease, so it wasn’t really like that big of a deal. It’s still difficult. Perks? People send me ProActiv. Thanks! [Laughs] Great, thanks! Obviously, they’re noticing my acne. I use it. They sent it, I tried it, I use it.
You’ve been in the public eye for a couple years now. Has it gotten easier?
Brandi: No. [Laughs] I don’t think you ever really get used to people having an opinion on you as a human being, and your life. Actually just seeing you for 20-minutes a week and deciding you’re this, that or this. I’m liking that they’re seeing a different side of me. That [Celebrity Apprentice] is on Mondays [with] me being a business woman, then on Tuesdays it’s drunk, fun Brandi saying stupid shit.