“I thought it was going to be a much tougher decision for the jury than it was.”
And she was rewarded by being named the season 26 winner on Sundays two-hour live finale.
Was Chelsie surprised that Makensy chose to bring her to the end instead of easily beatable Cam Sullivan-Brown?
Chelsie Baham on ‘Big Brother’ season 26.CBS
Would she have done the same?
Which votes was she most worried about?
And what does she plan to do with the $750,000 prize?
Chelsie Baham, Julie Chen Moonves, and Makensy Manbeck on ‘Big Brother’ season 26.CBS
We asked Auntie Julies niece all that and more just a few hours after her big victory.
CBS
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First off, congratulations!
Is everything a blur right now?
Chelsie Baham and Makensy Manbeck on ‘Big Brother’ season 26.CBS
CHELSIE BAHAM:Oh my.
I am feeling shock.
Life is a blur.
Chelsie Baham and Makensy Manbeck on ‘Big Brother’ season 26.CBS
I don’t even know my name right now, so you know.
I had a slight worry when she was standing up there giving her speech.
I believe the woman that she is.
‘Big Brother’ season 26 Jury: Quinn Martin, T’Kor Clottey, Leah Peters, Angela Murray, Kimo Apaka and Rubina Bernabe.Matthew Taplinger/CBS
So I didn’t worry too much.
That’s my friend, and I knew she was going to make that decision.
I would’ve voted for Makensy to win.
Chelsie Baham on ‘Big Brother’ season 26.CBS
Because we carried Cam this whole game!
This girl played a hell of a game.
So I was going to vote for her regardless.
If I wasn’t sitting next to her, she was getting my vote.
Alright, be real with me.
No waffling, no wavering.
I was going to take Makensy to the final two had I won, I absolutely was.
I would’ve chose her.
Im sure you were doing jury math in your head leading up to tonight.
Which were the jury votes you were most worried about?
I was most worried aboutQuinn, Leah,Angela, andRubina.
All four of them.
So that was a jury vote that I was worried about.
And then Angela and Leah were very, very close to Makensy.
You thought she was going to win?
So I was worried for a minute.
So that’s why in my speech, I had to pull that emotional card.
How shocked are you that it was unanimous?
I was so shocked!
I was like, Oh, cool.
Second one will obviously be her.
It was me again, and it just kept going on and on.
So I was not expecting that at all.
I thought it was going to be a much tougher decision for the jury than it was.
Nobody can influence me.
I made decisions for myself.
Matthew Taplinger/CBS
When did you get a sense during thejury Q&Athat things were going your way?
What moves have you done to benefit your game?
So that’s when I knew, They know.
I’m not going to have to fight too hard in my speech.
Big Brotheris a whole season long game if you want to win.
But there are certain points where losers become winners and winners become losers.
Is there a point like that for you?
Yeah, when I was on the wrong side of the vote in week three when Cedric went home.
Everything that I was fighting for and working for blew up in my face on day 35.
It was day 35, and I said, I have to shift how I’m playing this game.
That is how I got here.
Day 35, I said, “I don’t want to touch this block ever again.”
And I didn’t until tonight.
What are you going to do with the money?
I have no idea what I’m about to do with this money.
I serve my local community, and so I want to continue to serve my local community.
Now, financially, I would love to pay for somebody’s college tuition.
I would just love to give back.
So I got to give back.
This money is not all mine.
I may buy me a nice purse and some ice cream and cuddle with my dog.
Thats far as I thought about this money.
You didn’t just win the game.
You tied the record for most HOH wins, and you have a unanimous victory.
I didn’t know I was tied for the most HOHs!
And had I won this last question, I would’ve beat the record, dang it!
But that’s iconic.
And like I said in my speech, I didn’t want to only survive inBig Brother.
I wanted to get into the end thriving, having played this game.
And so that’s just a testament to, I didn’t survive this thing I was thriving.
I was truly like a diamond, and that was my plan.
So I’m grateful and shocked to hear that I actually played a really good game.
Would you do it again?
I would do it again.
I would go through the crazy again.
I would be a target immediately, but I would go through it again.
