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Thursday, Nov 26, 2009
Reality TV's big loser -- Dave -- talks back about being betrayed on "Paradise Hotel."
Oct 3, 2003 | In a finale as twisted as "Paradise Hotel" itself, Keith and Charla were awarded $500,000 and given the option to share half of it with their partners. Keith did the right thing and shared with Tara, rendering them the best couple to hit the small screen since "Jake and the Fatman." Sadly, That Whore (Charla) was drawn in by the Dark Side, keeping all of the money for herself and leaving Dave, who helped her get that fat check in her hand, twisting in the wind. I talked with Dave on Thursday by phone about his peculiar position as paradise's fall guy.
What the hell was Charla thinking? Has she explained anything since the show was taped?
She has told me that she wanted to give me some money, and that she wants to talk with her family about it.
Lame.
She said she wished she had more time.
It should've been automatic. I mean, I know not everyone believes that.
Well, the interesting thing is that I would've refused it (the $125,000), unless she really insisted. I mean, she would've had to really insist in order for me to take it. But, instead of insisting, she basically tested me and put me in the unenviable situation of either trying to ask for it, or looking disappointed that I had no chance at it. And, you know, what was I to do? I obviously wasn't gonna try to convince her to give it to me. It was her decision, and she won the prize, fair and square, and I absolutely have no right to ask for it, or demand it, or expect it.
I would've split it with her if I had won it. I would've split it with Toni if I had won it with her. Just for the sake of, if you win something as a couple, you know, you're in it as a team. That being said, I absolutely have no bitterness or animosity towards her.
Are you sure?
I'm sure. She's 21. It was a great learning experience for me, and I hope it was a great learning experience for her, and I hope in her future, she will continue to learn from it.
I didn't win the game, but there are more important things than winning games on TV.
No, there aren't! Were you surprised by what the Originals were saying behind your back?
Yeah, I was surprised. I was surprised by Scott.
Scott was really freaking out.
I think he was the most recently eliminated and therefore was the most bitter. Because we've since been friendly. Yeah, it was tough. You know, I knew how the jury had been towards me and Tara, so I wasn't that surprised to see it on TV. The only place where I wasn't thrilled with editing was with regards to the final decision. I think they edited it in a way to villainize Toni more than maybe was necessary.
She makes a pretty convincing villain.
And also they made my motives look questionable when, in fact, they really weren't.
How did they do that?
It seems that some viewers interpreted that final scene with Charla as me wanting the money, and trying to get the money from her when I didn't deserve it, when really, that couldn't be further from the truth. I was very disappointed that she didn't offer it to me as a friend, but it wasn't about the money, it was about the friendship and partnership. And I mean, I wouldn't in a million years try to persuade her to give me the money if she didn't want to. It was her prize, so...
I think you get into trouble, because when you're thinking, you look like you're really bummed out.
Yeah, you're right.
It's like the camera reads you the wrong way.
Yeah, and I don't know if it's a mixture of people not ... I don't know, and I don't want to throw around a word like "anti-Semitism." I think a lot of viewers don't know my sensibilities or some viewers at least don't get me. Tons of viewers really do get me. But there are viewers out there that, either because I'm Jewish, intelligent or very thoughtful as you suggested, where they didn't necessarily get me and some of my actions. To the extent that I schemed to play the game -- obviously I did. But in terms of actually building relationships with people like Charla, like Keith and Tara, like even Scott and others. I really tried to like them and appreciate them.
I think the combination of you being a nice guy and being slightly political didn't work out that well. You care about whether or not people like you, obviously.
Absolutely, and sometimes that's a weakness. But for the most part, it's been a strength in my life.
Well, of course. It's rare that you're in such an absurd situation. Everyone thought that because you were nice, you would be on their side.
Maybe I should have, like Keith, just gone about playing the game. Or, like Zack and Amy, gone about it having a good time. But, you know, that's not me, so ...
The way the game went, it definitely helped to stay detached, like Keith did.
Absolutely, but part of Keith's strategy and brilliance was relying on me to take care of the relationship building and the dirty work, so to speak, along the way. I'm not bitter towards him, I don't blame him for that, I tip my cap to him. He was brilliant in that regard.
Does he acknowledge that you helped to get him that far?
Keith, absolutely. Tara absolutely acknowledged it. Charla did as well -- she acknowledged it on the show last night. She said, "I never would've gotten here without Dave." That was a direct quote.
