After Todrick Hall broke his silence about his time on Celebrity Big Brother, Julie Chen, Teddi Mellencamp and Cynthia Bailey weighed in on his controversial approach to the game.
“It was probably a smart move to not do interviews from the beginning because I don’t think he remembers some of the things he was saying,” Mellencamp, 40, told Us Weekly prior to taking part in The Modern Day Wife’s What She Said panel at the W Hollywood in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 24.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum questioned whether Hall’s outlook changed after he caught up on the comments he made on screen. “It takes a little time to process once you get out of the house. I’m one of those people that really remembers a good amount of what I say and the things that I do. But I think he probably should be taking some time to reflect,” Mellencamp added, noting that she hasn’t stayed in touch with Hall.
The Celebrity Big Brother runner-up, 36, previously received major backlash from his costars based on his time with them in the house. After the reality series wrapped last month, viewers called Hall out for his comments on Shanna Moakler’s appearance and Chris Kirkpatrick’s family.
Bailey, 55, for her part, explained that she had a different partnership with the choreographer than her cast members.
“Todrick was the one that kind of took me under his wing. In any case, I like Todrick. I got a chance to really get to know him inside the house. I had no idea what was really happening,” she shared with Us, adding that she still hasn’t seen all of the season 3 episodes yet.”I guess all of the cast, pretty much everyone that got a chance, were really upset with him and it is what it is. But I never saw it.”
The former Real Housewives of Atlanta star continued: “He played a game. I don’t really think it’s true to who he is as a person. I got a chance to really know him. So I’m not holding that against him. I will judge him on his character in the outside world as opposed to things that he did to win a game.”
While she has spoken to Hall, it hasn’t been about the game. “I felt like one of the beautiful things about being in the house was I do feel forever bonded with everyone that was in the house because when you meet people, especially celebrities in the outside world, you could never bond the way we did,” she added.
Earlier this month, Hall took to social media to address his decision not to discuss Celebrity Big Brother after winning second place.
“I haven’t avoided press because I’m afraid to comment on my experience on big brother, but more to protect myself and my mental health to make sure I could actually get my show on stage and fulfill my obligations to my fans and my PAID employees,” Hall wrote in a lengthy Instagram post on March 12.
At the time, the dancer pointed out that he had “no desire” to prove himself to anyone. “I do want to say to my fans that I will be commenting on my experience once the show is open, because I feel you deserve it,” he continued. “Thanks to everyone who watched and supported me in the bb house. It was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, but I’m glad I did it.”
The Texas native admitted that he did make “mistakes” in the past but chose not to name what he was referring to.
“I am a human being, a real one … I’m not always nice, not always kind nor have I ever claimed to be,” he concluded. “I’m very flawed, I’m a work in progress, but that’s the beauty of being human. I have made a ton of mistakes in my life and I will continue to make mistakes, some publicly and some privately.”
Chen-Moonves, 52, also weighed in on the criticism that Hall had to deal with during his time on Celebrity Big Brother.
“I think it’s impossible to not take anything personally, especially when you are in this bubble and you are a master at the game,” the host told Us on Thursday. “I felt bad for the guy. He didn’t break the rules of Big Brother. It’s a game. If he can become square with the other people that he lived with, then who are we to judge and who are we to say?”
The New York native noted that she chose to respect Hall’s privacy by not making contact after filming ended. “I just pray that he took that time and continues to take some time in quiet reflection and kind of surround himself with people who don’t have an agenda and listen to what they have to say and what advice they have,” she added. “People who really care about him and know him and then the rest is just noise.”
With reporting by Diana Cooper
