The doctor is in. Former Big Brother winner Dr. Will Kirby has some thoughts when it comes to this season of All-Stars.
The celebrity dermatologist and Chief Medical Officer of LaserAway, who appeared as the “neighbor” during a twist a few weeks back, spoke exclusively to Us Weekly ahead of the season 22 finale to break down the final three houseguests – Nicole Franzel, Cody Calafiore and Enzo Palumbo.
He also weighed in on former castmates Janelle Pierzina and Kaysar Ridha’s games, who he thinks should win America’s Favorite Player, and of course, all those rumors of pre-gaming.
Check out our interview with Dr. Will below.
Us Weekly: Who do you think deserves to win All-Stars between Cody, Nicole and Enzo?
Dr. Will Kirby: There is still the opportunity for one person to make a big move on finale night! If Nicole cuts Cody, then I think she has a strong argument to be the winner. The same rule applies to Cody if he cuts Nicole. But will one of them win part three of the final HOH, ruthlessly evict the other and rise to reality greatness? Or will they keep each other, evict Enzo, and leave their respective fates in the hands of the jury? We’ll find out on finale night!
Us: If Nicole becomes the first two-time winner of Big Brother, where does she rank among other winners?
Dr. Will: If Nicole is victorious this season, that is an incredible feat for a previous winner, and it definitely puts her in the upper echelon of Big Brother champions. But questions would remain: Would winning this season legitimize her previous win since that one was so close? Did she actually play against all-star caliber houseguests this season? If you lose on your first try but come back on a subsequent season and win, does that victory have an asterisk? I’ll leave it to the fans to debate and decide!
Us: Do you think it’s possible Cody makes the same mistake twice and takes the wrong person to the end, or is there a chance he cuts Nicole?
Dr. Will: Well, on one hand, we watch in hopes that a true champion will emerge from the house triumphantly, but on the other hand, we watch for the Schadenfreude! Many, many times in the past, the Big Brother jury has decided not who will win the season, per se, but instead who they want to see lose.
Us: Enzo hasn’t really made any big moves this season, but aligned himself with the right people and has played a good social game. Do you think that’s enough to warrant a win?
Dr. Will: Let me politely remind you that many former Big Brother winners limped into finale night and shocked us! Was Lisa [Donahue] a better overall player than Danielle [Reyes]? Was Ian [Terry] a better overall player than Dan [Gheesling]? Was Kaycee [Clark] a better overall player than Tyler [Crispen]? Both Nicole and Cody might be shocked to find out that Enzo has more jury votes than they realize! You do not have to be the overall best player to get the majority of votes on finale night!
Us: You played with Janelle and Kaysar in the first All-Stars. What were your thoughts on their games this season?
Dr. Will: Candidly, I would have thought that they both would have done better considering all the experience they have. We’ve seen many houseguests play once and then come back in a subsequent season and improve their gameplay. But rarely do you see houseguests come back and do worse repeatedly. So, I’m not exactly sure why their respective games haven’t evolved over time. I’d like to see them both come back and play again though! Let’s bring them back every year!
Us: There was a lot of talk of pre-game alliances this season. Be honest, which houseguests did you talk to before the season? Or how many of them reached out to you?
Dr. Will: My official statement on this matter is that I have no official statement on this matter. But rest assured, all the young bulls were trying to figure out if the matador was coming out of retirement and entering the ring again.
Us: Is a “bitter jury” a real thing or does the right person always win?
Dr. Will: Every jury has an element of bitterness. And why would we expect otherwise? You would be bitter too if you just lost half a million dollars. But the right person always wins. He or she did whatever it took to have the most keys come out of the box on finale night!
Us: Can you explain why you were you in your underwear at the end of the Friday, October 23, episode? Or was that a speedo?
Dr. Will: I’m truly privileged to still be part of the show after 19 years, and recognizing that is such a difficult time for so many people, I wanted to provide a little extra entertainment to the viewers this year. I pitched the concept and the producers weren’t against it, so I decided to let my freak flag fly high with a little bit of physical comedy. I actually wanted to do it naked with pixelation, but I don’t think the network would have given the green light. The vast majority of the fans were thrilled to briefly see the neighbor waking up to a hot cup of coffee and a good morning stretch in the Big Brother backyard!
Us: What do you say to fans who wanted to see you more during the “neighbor twist”?
Dr. Will: I wish it could have been more interactive and a bigger part of more episodes, but considering the pandemic distancing protocols in place, it went over as well as I could have hoped. Keep in mind, this is the 20th anniversary of Big Brother and super fans know there are frequently recurring concepts year over year. So, you never know when the Big Brother neighbor might show back up in a bigger capacity in a future season!
Us: Who would you vote for America’s Favorite Player and why?
Dr. Will: Da’Vonne [Rogers] made an inspired exit speech, so if you forced me to guess then I’d have to give her the upper hand in the voting. That said, I’m also not personally a fan of America’s Favorite Player at all. It’s like a participation trophy. It distracts players from actually trying to win the grand prize. I absolutely love and respect the producers of Big Brother and I can’t say enough great things about their unique skill sets in crafting such a dynamic show especially in the middle of a pandemic, but when it comes to America’s Favorite Player, we differ. I’d like to see AFP eliminated altogether.
Us: Are you the best player to ever play?
Dr. Will: Please let me address your question with a question of my own: What other non-scripted television show cast member is still relevant nearly two decades after his or her first appearance? I laid the foundation for the anti-hero gameplay that fans relish today, I was the architect of alliances, and I’m well rounded in every aspect of strategic gameplay. Moreover, I provided pure unadulterated entertainment enveloped in a comedic shell. On top of all that, I literally created the word “showmance.” So, yes, unequivocally, I’m the best to ever play.
Us: Where do Dan and Derrick [Levasseur], and other winners, stack up?
Dr. Will: If I’m being truly sincere, my name is at the top of the list in block letters written with a black Sharpie. Then there is a huge space on the page and Dan and Derrick’s names appear in blue Bic pen about halfway down (Dan’s just slightly ahead of Derrick’s). At the very bottom of the piece of paper are the names of all the other winners, lumped together written in unsharpened No. 2 pencils and broken rainbow crayons.
Us: Who would you like to see play again?
Dr. Will: I’m personally a fan of strategic, intelligent gameplay. Dan and Derrick are both really smart players and seeing them back in the Big Brother house would be an absolute treat if CBS could lock them down. Then I might consider making one last run of it.
Us: Which former Big Brother houseguests do you speak to the most?
Dr. Will: In the interest of full transparency, I’m not really connected to any former houseguests in a meaningful way. I covet small circles with high walls and I just don’t really have the time, the energy, or the desire to fraternize with Big Brother houseguests. I don’t make this next statement in an elitist manner at all, but former Big Brother houseguests just aren’t “my people.” Don’t forget, you can work with colleagues in an office all day long, clock out, go home and not want to hang out with them in your living room on the weekend. Everyone can relate to that!
The Big Brother: All-Stars finale airs Wednesday, October 28, at 9 p.m. ET.