Q:: First off, congratulations on your win! You deserved it!
Ian:: Thank you so much!
Q:: I asked this same question to Dan, so I want to get your take on it, but before the speeches, it looked like the vote might be close, but then the gold cross came up. Do you think that swayed the Jury at all?
Ian:: I do think that the gold cross was ultimately a huge factor in getting me a couple more votes. People definitely did not receive that well, especially if he was going to go back on it. I think that’s what cost him.
Q:: Did you have a plan to bring up the cross or did it just kind of come up?
Ian:: When I heard what Danielle had to say, I knew what was going on, so I was going to call him on it. It just kind of came out. I did wing that whole speech.
Q:: What big plans do you have for the money? What will be your first big purchase?
Ian:: I’m going to buy a lot of different colored sunglasses. At least 30 pairs. Just for fun.
Q:: You’re not going to buy a car?
Ian:: No. I can’t drive. Maybe a top of the line bicycle because I’ve been looking to get a really good bike lately.
Q:: You’ve been a fan since you were young, but how was the game different then how you expected it from watching on TV?
Ian:: When you play the game, you definitely don’t know exactly what’s going on, so you just have to form your opinions for yourself. Whereas when you watch, it’s really clear-cut what’s happening, so it’s definitely a lot harder because you’re playing a game, but you don’t have all the information you would need.
Q:: Watching some of the backyard interviews from after the game, you went a little rough on Dan at times. Now that you’ve had time to decompress and think about things a little further, do you still feel the same way about him?
Ian:: No, at the end of the day, it is a game show. Was I disappointed in the cross situation? He may have voted me out had he won that final HOH and lied on his Grandfather’s cross or the fact that he dangled the $50k in my face. Yeah, it’s definitely disappointing, but at the end of the day, it is a game show, so I’m over it. It ended up okay.
Q:: You had a few moments of your own where you were betraying and backstabbing for your own alliance. How does that compare and why were you more okay with what you did over what Dan did?
Ian:: The thing was when the game reset; I had never made any sort of promise to Boogie or Frank that late into the game. I think they just assumed that they had me. I knew full well based on the things that I had heard in earshot that I was expendable to them the whole time.
Q:: So, even when you were telling Boogie that you were going to vote to keep him?
Ian:: Yeah. That was hard, but they really just assumed that they had me wrapped around their finger. It hurt. I cried like hell.
Q:: As a super fan, did you ever feel star struck by the coaches and did that affect your game play?
Ian:: Yeah, I definitely felt that I was star struck by all four of them. It’s really crazy to play with some of the legends, but fortunately, by the time they entered the game, I was used to them. I really treated them like they were just any other players. I didn’t see them as coaches. I just saw them as other players.
Q:: Several times you told Frank, Dan and Boogie that you were a villain and that you had an evil side. How does that compare to Dan’s evil side?
Ian:: Dan’s evil side totally, totally outshined mine. He went hard on some of those folks, including me, so I definitely bought the mist. He played a rough game.
Q:: What are your thoughts on Janelle saying that it would be a travesty if Dan didn’t win?
Ian:: I would imagine on the surface it looked like Dan did play a very good game. It just seems that he forgot to account for the fact that he would need the Jury votes to win, so if you scumbag too many people, even though it looks really flashy and really great, you’re not going to get those Jury votes. That’s the crucial part that Dan missed, so I’m okay with it.
Q:: Did you really believe that you could beat Dan in the Final 2? Did you not think that you could beat Danielle?
Ian:: I actually thought that my chances were better with Dan than against Danielle. You know, Danielle was a sweet girl and everyone in the House kind of liked her. She was very popular within the House, so I thought that Dan would be slightly easier to beat because of the bitterness factor, which I kind of saw coming. The real reason I took Dan was to honor my commitment to him; even though I found out he wasn’t going to honor it to me, at least from what I understand.
Q:: When the Jury voted, do you think they were bitter or were they voting for you or against Dan?
Ian:: I think it was a mix of both. I think my speech won over quite a few of the Jury votes, so I’d like to think it was a vote for me to win, but a vote against Dan is a vote for me to win. I wouldn’t say that I won simply because Dan was too dirty. I think I played a decent game. A decent game. I’m not saying a good game. I’m not saying a great game. I think I played a decent game.
Q:: Now that you know the Quack Pack was formed a little bit differently from the original perception, has your perception of the alliance changed?
Ian:: No, I still adore the Quack Pack. I think they’re a great group of people. I really like all of them, especially Brittany. I think she’s going to be a friend for a long time outside of the House. I’m really, really happy about it. Quack Pack Pride!
Q:: Looking at part one of the Final HOH competition, did you actually fall off and just tell Dan that you threw it or did you really throw it?
Ian:: I did throw it. Although I didn’t completely trust Dan at times, he’s kind of a shady character; I kind of owed him at least that. It wasn’t an entire competition I was throwing, it was just part of one, and he did just save me from certain death, so I owed him that in my mind.
Q:: When you were hanging on for that first part of the Final HOH competition and you had already told Dan that you would throw it, was there any hesitation in your mind at all that you might be making the wrong move?
Ian:: Yeah, there was. I definitely went a little longer than 10 minutes. I did have a little hesitation. I saw him wink at me and mouth, “On the next one…”, and then I did fall on the next one. I felt like I did kind of owe it to him, since I was only throwing part of the competition and not the whole thing. Risky move? Yes. Did it pay off? I mean it worked out okay.
Q:: How difficult was it for you to overcome your issues with OCD while you were in the House?
Ian:: It was really tough. There were certain things in the House that would drive me absolutely insane, most notably the ants in the kitchen. They came one day and never left. It was terrible.
Q:: Did you find that you had to downplay your OCD at all?
Ian:: Yeah, and I think that was part of my problems in the early goings there. I was just so OCD that it was off-putting for a few people.
Q:: After Dan evicted Shane, you kept muttering to yourself, “To be the best, you have to beat the best.” Was that specifically about Dan?
Ian:: Yes. That was absolutely about Dan. I knew I was going to take him to the Final 2 since after the OTEV competition, so I intended on taking him for a long time. I really did mean that I was taking him to the end. There was no question. Once I did that Renegade “gunshot” move, I was taking him.
Q:: You had a love affair with the backyard hammock this season. When they upgraded the hammock, you were so happy. Did you put in your request to take it back home with you?
Ian:: I didn’t request it, but I think I will be getting a hammock for my own house. I really enjoyed having it this summer. It was a really great way to relieve stress for me. Obviously, as you’ve seen, I really like to be in motion at all times.
Q:: Do you appreciate the irony of Dan scum-bagging Shane is what ended up keeping you in the game?
Ian:: Absolutely! You have to understand, though I don’t think that was the reason he did it, he knew that I would take him to the Final 2, where as Shane wouldn’t. Would you really want a 66% chance of not getting taken to the end versus Danielle who probably would take him? By doing Shane dirty, he guaranteed himself at least fifty grand. Well, Danielle wouldn’t have taken him. [pause] Well, who knows? 66%. Better than what he was looking at.
Q:: Which friendships are you most looking forward to keeping up with?
Ian:: I’m definitely going to be keeping up with Brittany. She was a great friend to me in the House. As far as I know, she was completely truthful to me once we made our Final 2 deal. I’m obviously bummed that it didn’t work out and get to the Final 2 together, but ultimately, I made a great friend and she was one of the first people to hug me after I won the game. She’s just a great person all around.
Q:: You mentioned that you grew up watching these coaches, but were there any that you were hesitant to get close to for fear of learning they weren’t as cool as they seemed on TV?
Ian:: No. I feel like the coaches did a really good job of trying to incorporate us newbies in with them, so I didn’t really have a problem. At first, I was a little put off by Brittany actually, but ultimately, it wasn’t a problem at all.
Q:: Of all the women in the house, you talked a lot about Kara. It was very cute that you were amazed that she was sleeping one bed over from you. Did you talk to her at all since the season ended? Has it ever occurred to you to ask her out?
Ian:: I think Kara’s a very beautiful woman, however, she’s not really my type and I don’t think I’m hers either. I will definitely remain friends with her.
Q:: What is your type?
Ian:: I definitely like a down-to-earth, really intelligent girl. If she’s cute, that absolutely helps. That would be it in a nutshell.
Q:: What advice would you have for contestants entering future seasons of Big Brother?
Ian:: Don’t be like me and make yourself a target early. I would say to lay low at the beginning.
Q:: How do your parents feel about your win?
Ian:: They were like, “You said you were going to do it and you did it!” I’m sure there were a lot of moments where they were at home watching and they thought it wasn’t going to happen. I think they were shocked I pulled it off. Any financial problems that my family had are gone, so I’m sure they’re elated.
Q:Aside from winning, what was your favorite moment this season?
Ian:: Getting the shark fin out of the slide puzzle for sure. It was a great one. I didn’t know that I needed it, but just to win on live TV was really, really something. It was great.
Q:: What does this win mean for your future?
Ian:: It means I’m going to be debt-free. I’ve got a nest egg going in the world now. I still plan on being a chemical engineer, so it doesn’t really alter anything as far as my career path. It’s an awesome notch in my belt and something to tell my kids or grandkids some day that I did. I’m really pumped, and it’s something that I can never have taken away from me.
Q:: As a super fan, is there anything that you didn’t get to do this season that you would have liked to do?
Ian:: Actually, I don’t think so. I did slop. I did a penalty outfit. HOH. Veto. Pandora’s Box. Did it. It was great.
Q:: Do you have any regret over the Maui vacation versus the dog costume?
Ian:: Not for a second. What happened at the Finale told me that was ultimately the right decision and the right thing to do. I really did enjoy that one. I got to sleep outside. It was like camping. I thought it was quite cool.
Q:: Did you take the dog costume with you?
Ian:: Yes, I do have it. It will probably hit eBay, sadly. I love the thing, but I do have a few more items I just love more. I think it’ll bring a lot of joy to someone’s life, as it brought joy to mine.
Q:: Would you ever consider coming back for an All-Star season?
Ian:: I would like to finish my degree, but I would come back for All-Stars, if asked.
Q:: Congrats again on your win, Ian!
Ian:: Thanks so much!