Makensy Manbeck on why she has no regrets about taking Chelsie Baham to the finale

When it came to competitions throughout the season Big Brotheralmost no one could hold a candle to Makensy Manbeck. Earlier in the season, she felt like she was in a bit of a pickle after having a “showmance” with Matt Hardeman and being targeted as a result. However, thanks to her sheer strength on the field, she was always able to pull herself back to safety. All in all, she managed to win three Head of Household competitions (most notably the final one) and five Power of Vetos, and she saved herself three times with victories in the AI ​​Arena.

After narrowly winning the final Head of Household competition against fellow finalist Chelsie Baham, Makensy had the choice of whether he wanted to put Chelsie in the final two for the judges' vote or Cam Sullivan-Brown. With Chelsie having four HoH wins and one Arena win, some fans would have expected Makensy to choose Cam, who only had one Power of Veto win on his record. However, she boldly announced that she was not afraid of competition and chose to compete against Chelsie, who ultimately won.

So was it a strategic mistake on her part to choose Chelsie over Cam? How did she feel about these results? TV Insider caught up with Makensy to talk about it Big Brother Final.

(Also, be sure to check out our previous exit interviews with Matt Hardeman, Lisa Weintraub, Kenney Kelley, Cedric Hodges, Brooklyn Rivera, Tucker Des Lauriers, Joseph Rodriguez, Quinn Martin, T'kor Clottey, Leah Peters, Angela Murray and Kimo Apaka, Rubina Bernabe and Chelsie Baham!)

What does it mean to you to be the queen of competition this season?

Makensy Manbeck: Oh, the world. I came in Big Brother I wanted to win, and maybe I didn't win first place, but you know what? I've won a hell of a lot of competitions, and… now I'm tied with Jag (Bains, Season 25 winner) in winning the most competitions of anyone. I mean, hey, let's talk about some female empowerment.

Speaking of which, given your physical capabilities, have you ever thought about participating in some more physically oriented competition shows?

If I had the chance, I would definitely consider it. I find that fun. I love competition. I love competing against people. I love hitting people. So if this was an opportunity for me, I definitely think it would be difficult to pass up.

Given tonight's results, do you think you'll ever regret taking Chelsie to the final?

No, I've been asked this question a million times. Before I made the decision, I was asked if I would regret it if she won and my answer will be “No”, always because that was a testament to the game I played. I came into this house wanting to be a loyal, respectable player, to play with grace, to play with kindness and to play with my heart because a lot of people come in Big Brotherand they don't do that and get booted because of it. And the thing is, I didn't – I made it to the end and could have made a decision that probably would have allowed me to win first place. But I wasn't afraid of coming second, and I wasn't afraid of tougher competition to possibly come first, because it was a loyal decision that I would be proud of. And yes, I came second, but her first place is a victory for me. Whatever the case, she is an incredible woman. Very deserved. She played an incredible game.

Was there anyone whose vote surprised you?

I would say I at least thought I was going to get Leah. But I understand. I have to say that Chelsie can articulate her game very, very well. I didn't have much to articulate. My game was shown. My game spoke for itself. I had to win and it was very similar to Taylor (Hale)'s season. And so it's been shown, it's been seen before. It's been done before. Nothing new for anyone. It was much less complex than Chelsie's. And while I love Chelsie, she definitely dragged me out a little bit with her answers – and, you know, respect, that's what you're supposed to do, I guess, but it's not in my nature to do that to do. I never want to do that to anyone. I wanted my game to speak for itself, and if people can't see how great the game I played back in the day was, then so be it, because at least I do.

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So what are you looking forward to when you get home and can watch the show?

I don't know if I'll look forward to it. Other than watching me win because I feel like a lot of people have talked about me wanting to go home. I definitely know that I had the whole house against me for quite a while. I'm sure Chelsie even talked about me. Perhaps. I don't know. I am aware of the fact that I was in the Big Brother A house. He was probably lied to, deceived and so on. So am I looking forward to it? No, because I don't want to be seen as a naive 22-year-old. But I can only take what I'm given. I'm going to approach it with all my heart and just trust and believe and allow myself to just enjoy my process Big Brother. And that's exactly what I did and I'll probably watch it again in a few weeks. I need a break. I definitely need a break. I'll probably look at it again and say, “Damn, good time,” and I'll watch it again and say, “Damn, you really held your ground, Makensy.” Good job.” And I'll be proud be on myself and also praise other people's games.

Who do you most look forward to seeing when you spend time outside the house?

I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Leah again…. I know I took her out, but she was someone that I connected with from day one and night one and she was an incredible person to me and we have a lot of similarities, weirdly enough. But she's been a great friend to me and I can't wait to explore that friendship outside of this house.

What do you think ultimately came down to the vote?

Honestly, I think the vote came down to the complexity of the game and the ability to phrase it in a way that allowed the judges to understand why the moves they made and how they played were a win were. And Chelsie is a great speaker. This is how she earns her living. That's why I was afraid to choose her even though I knew that. But again, there's only so much I can say about the win, but I just hoped my game spoke for itself. That wasn't the case, and that's okay because it got me to second place and made me proud.

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