The 23rd season of Big Brother came to a historic end on Wednesday, September 29, as 27-year-old attorney from Milwaukee, Xavier Prather, was the first-ever African American winner for the U.S. edition of the popular reality franchise.
Following the finale, The TV Watercooler had the opportunity to speak with the three finalists. In this interview, we chat with this season’s winner, Xavier.
Congratulations!
Thank you, I appreciate it!
How confident were you that the votes were going to go your way against Derek F? Did you think you’d get them all?
Getting all of the votes wasn’t something that thought about. I felt that I could get a majority, but getting all of the votes was something that even I was surprised by! I thought maybe one or two weren’t going to go in my favour, but then when they did, it was definitely not only a testament to the game that I played but a testament to the jury members themselves and how much they evaluate things purely from a game perspective.
I loved it! I loved seeing it and it put me in elite company with past winners in Big Brother history. Only two had done it.
Did anyone’s vote surprise you?
Britini has a great relationship with Big D and I wasn’t sure if that was going to factor into her vote, plus Big D has a strong social game. I could say something similar for Kyland…Plus, Kyland and I didn’t end on the best terms. So, I wasn’t sure if there would be any amount of bitterness in his voting. I think when he was able to evaluate things from a game perspective, it’s a testament to how much love and respect he has for the game.
Things got so heated with Kyland when he was voted out. Did you two get a chance to patch things up yet?
We haven’t had a chance to talk. We’re planning on having a conversation to talk, just man-to-man about why what was said rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe what were some of his intentions in saying it. Just to kind of come to some sort of closure or understanding as to what really went down in that instance.
Kyland and I will forever be connected because we’re both a part of history. I think we can come to some kind of understanding into where we can move forward in a more positive light. I would prefer that.
I don’t know if we’re going to be best friends but are part of the same kind of brotherhood. If we could be more mature and just have a dialogue about it, I hope it’ll be good and productive.
You must be so proud of what you and your alliance were able to accomplish this season. Can you walk us through how that realization that there were six of you – which is so rare for an American reality show – and what that could mean?
I mean, we came into the house with the same vision. To do everything in our power that Big Brother season 23 would crown the first black winner. Even though there were personality conflicts, as well as gameplay conflicts, whenever push came to shove, we always stayed focused on the task at hand. It never wavered. I think that’s why you saw all members of the Cookout alliance in the Final 6 and I think that’s why we crowned our first black winner. I’m just fortunate to be the one sitting in the chair.
It was amazing to see. There were a lot of emotions from the houseguests who were at home, in the jury and those watching from home. Who was the hardest person to vote out for you?
I didn’t technically vote out Alyssa or Christian, so I’d probably say, Hannah. I viewed Hannah as a little sister in the game. She’s literally like my baby sister so that one was tough. Hannah is a lover of the game, just like I am. She knew what it was. She still gave me a hug on finale night. I’m still her big brother. She’s still my little sister. That’s never going to change. She’s stuck with me!
Is there a moment from your time in the house that you are either looking forward to reliving? Do you even want to watch this season after having lived it?
I think I may take a break from BB. For just a little bit. But I’m sure that I’ll eventually watch the season. I’m curious to see what Lucious was doing. I hear a lot about him but I was never in the same place as him for some reason. I’m curious to see just exactly who that guy is. Other than that, I think I’m going to take a little bit of a BB break before I decompress and rejoin society.
Would Lucious play All-Stars, you think?
If Lucious came to All-Stars, he’s going to destroy the house! [Laughs] As fall as All-Stars if I’ll come back, it’ll depend on when All-Stars is. I’m not going to say that it’s not a possibility, but we’ll see! I wouldn’t mind playing with the past Big Brother winners. It would be fun!
Who would you like to meet?
I’ve had the pleasure to meet Cody Calafiore, Derrick Levasseur, and Danielle Reyes. Those are three of my favourite players of all time! I still haven’t been able to meet Dan Gheesling. He’s one of my favourite players as well. I’d also love to talk to Janelle Pierzina and Kaysar Ridha is a person for who I have nothing but adoration. Those are some players that I’d love to meet. I’m sure there are more, but those are the ones who come to mind. Dr. Will Kirby too!
Look for the third edition of Celebrity Big Brother to premiere in February 2022, followed by the 10th season of Big Brother Canada. A new season of Big Brother will premiere in Summer 2022.
