Lisa Weintraub, the 33-year-old celebrity chef from Los Angeles, was the second houseguest to be evicted on Big Brother 26.
The TV Watercooler had the opportunity to chat with Lisa following her eviction. Lisa opens up on being bullied by Angela, if her fellow houseguests really thought she was a chef, and (of course) edible glitter.
You called your eviction a blindside. Nobody gave you a heads-up at all on how the votes were going to land.
No. I would have loved a little wink, or a “I’m sorry.” I had no idea during the eviction. I was completely blindsided on all levels.
I don’t know if I was the target all along and if I was, everyone did a very, very, good job of lying and manipulating me.
But I could tell [based] on how people hugged me. I can feel energy. When people hugged me after the voted [to evict me], I didn’t feel anything from them. But when they hugged me before, I felt that they had my back. Then after they hugged me [following the vote], I could feel [something]. You could literally feel the stark difference.
I thought my win was Tucker’s win and that Tucker’s win was my win. I thought we were all on the same page. So, if this was the plan all along, everyone did a really good about about Big Brothering me!
Why do you think they decided to keep Angela instead of you?
I think I was just a bigger threat and I take it as a compliment to my game and my brain. [They got] a strong one out.
What was it like being inside the house with Angela? Was she as disruptive as she’s been on TV? How did you feel when she was making fun of you (for example, mimicking how you’d walk)? It seemed very hurtful. Would you consider how she behaved as bullying?
Yeah, I would consider it bullying. Bullying is an unprovoked and malicious intent to cause harm to someone. I was bullied because of my smile and my strut. I’m “Tinkerbell” with edible glitter!
So, if these are the things that we can pick me apart for, then I’m doing a really good job at being the human I want. All of these sound like wins to me, however in that moment, it was really painful to endure.
I think there’s gameplay, then there’s strategy, and then there’s bullying. For me, those are separate things. Angela treated everyone in the house a certain way. It wasn’t just one person, but I do think she had a vendetta against me.
Those are her choices, but I handled myself in the way that I did. I was the first person nominated, and the first female on the block, but I handled my business. I took myself down [in the first week]. I took control over my own game and I’m proud of myself.
Do you feel that it sends a certain message that the rest of the house would rather have a bully stay?
I think in some sense, it does. I think that people didn’t want to speak up as much as I did because they were protecting their game.
I stood up for myself and what I believed in – my truth and integrity. I had my own back and that’s what you have to do in this game. I use my voice in the game like I would use my voice in the real world. It doesn’t change when I’m in the Big Brother house. I think that it takes a little dose of bravery [to play this game] and I stand by all of my decisions and how I carried myself.
Why do you think Tucker thought that you had a secret power?
I mean, you can’t have two cooks in the kitchen!
I think that he saw me as a competitor. We had a conversation where he’s like I want to compete and I want to be here with the competitors,” so, I think he got a little paranoid where he thought that that I was part of some bigger plan to get him out of the house, but he was never even on my radar! I would have been open to playing the game with him. We were supposed to cook week three when we both weren’t “Have Nots.” I think we’ll have to do that in the real world! Keep that cooking competition alive! I can handle the heat. I don’t know if he can.
Do you really think Tucker studied with the CIA?
I think there’s a lot that we don’t know about him. I think he’s really good at what he does. But whether he’s in the CIA or not, I don’t know, but I’ll get the tea after!
Do you really think your fellow houseguests believed that you are a celebrity chef?
No one believed I was a chef! I got some, “Oh okay…” I only told a few micro lies and one main lie – which was about voting Matt out when I actually voted to keep him.
I couldn’t be any more of a chef! Food is my love language. Did you see me running out of the storage room, getting excited about antioxidants from blueberries and raspberries? And avocadoes and my watermelon hat? AND my edible glitter? Like, none of that was a façade.
I love food. Food is my livelihood. I have built two beautiful businesses from the group up based around food and connection – Plates by Lisa and Bach Best Friend. I wanted to change the way we experience food and connect with sourcing sustainability as well – like what goes on your plate. So, the fact that there are theories that I’m not a chef is the funniest thing. All I can do is laugh at what people thought was a lie.
There were even theories that I was an orthodontist or dental hygienist! I have really good teeth – shout out to Crest White Strips! The other theory was that I’m a lawyer, which means I’m really good at arguing my case. Or that I was a therapist, so that means I’m good at communicating my feelings and putting my thoughts into words.
Tucker thought I was a Pilates teacher, which I get a lot in real life because Plates by Lisa, my company, is often misread as Pilates by Lisa! I’m in a crop top and I love to work out, so I take it was a compliment.
I can’t wait to tell them that I’m a celebrity chef and own two companies! That will be my tea that I’ll spill.
Was it easier to work out in the kitchen? Was it because it was more spacious?
Did I work out in the kitchen? I did go on a hike – I hiked those Big Brother stars the way I hike up a canyon!
How much of that edible glitter did you bring into the house?
Honestly, all my edible glitter is still in the house! I gave it to Brooklyn. I thought I was going to get it back later that night, so girl, I want that back!
I love edible glitter. I use edible glitter all the time to garnish! Garnish your life! Garnish your drinks! Garnish your avocado toast! I always garnish everything with edible glitter to get the party started.
I did bring that into the house myself, but Big Brother needs to add it to the menu. I think they should add it to the list of condiments that you can use in slop because I had a lot of fun playing around in the Big Brother kitchen!
Big Brother airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET, and Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Global and CBS. Canadians can also stream episodes at GlobalTV.com and the Global TV app.
