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The Celebreality Interview - Rodeo

The %#++#. The diabolical laughter. The rage. Rodeo ran the emotional gamut as her time ran out on I Love Money. Below, she sorts out what went down: what you didn't see on TV (she gave people vitamins, damn it!), how she feels about being accused of playing both sides of the game and her longstanding resentment against Megan ("She a waste of the air I breathe!"). Rodeo also talks about her recent trip to the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to visit wounded troops. It turns out that some things are even more important than reality TV. Can you imagine?

What did you think of your portrayal on I Love Money?

I didn't appreciate them making me look like the Hulk, but hey, I'm gonna run with it and have fun with it. Something they didn't show was me cooking. No one brought vitamins. No one brought healthy shakes. I'm the only one that had anything healthy. I was helping everyone. People were coughing and getting sick. One time Heather came at me because she thought I was trying to steal 12 Pack. I told her I would never, ever take anybody's man. It's just disrespectful. That's painful. I went back at her big time.

Was that a screaming match? There was a fight involving you in the supertrailer that we never got to see on the show. I think you were talking about eating Brandi or something…

Oh yeah, Brandi pushed me. I think she called me a bitch and that's when I said I'd chew her up and spit her out. She was wasted. What happened was she was about to get into a fight with Hoopz that I tried to break up. Brandi then turned around and pushed me. She was shocked when I was yelling at her. She didn't mess with me after that. But I'm just staying positive. Hey, I'm the only one who was ever requested from a reality show to go see the troops, so that's freakin' awesome. This weekend I'm going to represent the Wounded Warriors and the Purple Hearts at Stone Mountain.

How was your visit with the troops last week?

Amazing. The corporal and the sergeant were teary-eyed when I came in. They said, "You have no idea how moved the troops were when they found out you were coming." They want to see the lady that has dreams and who was a classy lady. I'm trying to change the way people look at people on reality shows and, hell, I got the troops' attention! There was a guy who'd just gotten in there on Tuesday. A silent bomb hit him and crushed his skull. They put plates in his head to form his skull back. When I walked in there, I placed my hand on his shoulder and I said, "I'm here. At ease, solider." To have a tear come out of his eye because he said I took his pain away for a minute, it made me feel just wonderful.

So that's a good thing that came out of this experience, right?

Yes. By Megan eliminating me, it pissed me off.

She was mean.

Yeah. She's a very hateful person. I really don't think she has a care in her heart. Maybe for her dog, but she's the one who dropped her dog on its head and that's what caused its deformation, which is sad for that animal. Though she takes care of it now, so that's fine. But, I think she's sad with herself and to make herself feel better, she belittles other people. She does that to women who are older than her, like Heather and me. She's gonna wish that she looks as good as me when she's close to 40. I dislike her and I do not care for her. The troops don't appreciate her at all. I just hope that the fans know that I tried everything in my heart to win.

On the last episode, you were frantic.

I'd had it. One thing they didn't show me was rooming with Real and Chance, who were nothing but respectful to me. They treated me like a lady. I knew that they and Whiteboy were partial to Hoopz, though, because she's a wonderful person. We didn't know what we were doing. We were always trying to watch our own backs and figure out what everyone else was doing.

The situation seemed guaranteed to drive you crazy, with all the alliances and stuff.

You had to stab people in the back, tell stories, show support for people that you didn't care for.

You were accused of playing both sides. Agree?

No. I was helping everyone out with vitamins and shakes and cooking for everyone and asking questions of how people felt. I was doing the things 12 Pack did. Everyone was. It was obvious that other people were playing both sides, trying to get their asses to the end. You could cut the tension with a knife.

Is there anyone besides Megan that you have resentment for?

I had it for Brandi C., a little. But I love her to death. The show's over, I'm still there for her. But I really do not care for Megan at all. She's a waste of the air I breathe. But hey, she's good TV.

It was sad when you said that you only had $100 to your name on the show. How are you doing financially now?

I'm still struggling. I did spend all my 401K on marketing. For years, I wasn't getting paid to market Rodeo. I did things to get where I am today, free ads and everything. It's all come back and it's hurting me right now. Hey, I got my name out there. I needed Rodeo to be known in the fitness industry, and I'm happy to be in entertainment. But I'm leaving it in God's hands. That's all I can do. Maybe someone will invest in me. I'm a good, marketable person. A lot of the girls on the show get booked in bars, but that involves a lot of heavy drinking. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to strip. But I think in the long run, companies will come to me to promote their product, because I don't have that background of making out with women, all that. It doesn't matter what they do. It's OK, but I don't have that baggage that corporate companies might look down upon.

Is that what you meant about changing the image of people on reality TV?

Yeah. I don't look like a slut. I don't act like a whore. I'm trying to get more people to watch reality shows and see good instead of sex and making out and crap like that. I didn't do that. I'm not gonna sleep with somebody when I'm trying to win money. I'm not going to sleep with somebody to get to the end.

Did you have the opportunity to make a sexual alliance?

The Entertainer flirted with me, but I wouldn't do anything with that man. He's goofy!

How are the Rodeo products doing?

Coming along. With the barbecue sauce, we're trying to come out with a gallon jug because it's less expensive to ship that then glass bottles. Restaurants are slowly trickling in. I'm reaching out to send them samples.

What did you think of Rock of Love 2?

It looked the same to me. If it had been different, it would have been great. But hey, I loved my episode. (Cackles) A lot of parents emailed me on MySpace to say that they let their children watch that episode because they knew I'd be respectful and wouldn't be slutty. When I'm not on, they don't watch. I hear that he's doing the Rock of Love Bus.

What do you think of that?

Hopefully, it won't be the same thing. I don't think they should do it again. But I'd love to be a part of it and put the girls through a boot camp of working out. I'd makes sure that someone would be on her knees puking. (Laughs) But hopefully it'll be successful for him. Maybe he'll find someone this time.

So in all, how was this experience?

It made me stronger as a person. It made me determined to never give up. I hope my fans will see that. No matter how scared you are, you gotta keep going. I just love everybody. I'd love to keep working with VH1. I'd love to have my own fitness show or something that will make people feel good. Something to brighten their day.

It could be weekly half-hour block of just you laughing.

They could hear me all over the Walter Reed Medical Center. (Laughs.) They said, "We can hear her all the way across the building. Keep laughing, you're making people feel better!" That made me feel nice.

<3 Rodeo bearer of vitamins, BBQ sauce, and ROL ratings <3