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If there’s one thing about season four Traitors We can agree that Rob Rausch played a good game. Well, his former traitors, who he voted for, may not agree, but even they will have their moments of praise.
the Love Island The alum entered the game knowing almost no one. But very quickly, the 27-year-old Alabama native, whose non-reality TV career is wrestling snakes, has endeared himself to the entire castle. There were numerous moments throughout the season where the contestants would go into the confessional and swear up and down that there was no way Rausch could be a traitor. No one was louder on the subject than his colleague Love Island Maura Higgins, the only person Rausch knew before the show.
Start the game with Housewives Mainstays Lisa Rinna and Candiace Dillard Bassett as her fellow traitors — Donna Kelsey was later revealed to be a secret traitor, who was also voted out — Rausch flew under the radar in a way that his fellow traitors did not. Rausch ended up voting against both, with Bassett returning the favor not once, but twice. He eventually recruited singer Eric Nam to join him as a traitor, and the pair lasted until the end until Rausch was forced to vote him out to win over Higgins.
Below, Rausch speaks with Hollywood Reporter About his journey to victory, whether he’ll ever host the show again and what he’s looking forward to now that the show is over.
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How have things been since the episode was released?
It was good. I really couldn’t see a lot of things. I’ve been very busy. I’ve been doing a lot of journalism and traveling and brand deals and things like that, so I’ve been out of the loop, but I’m glad it’s over. I’m glad it can be in the past now.
You obviously played a good game. Most people had no idea. Tell me what you were thinking while entering the game?
Going into this show, I didn’t have a game plan. It seemed silly to come up with a game plan. Going to a show depends entirely on the cast you’re in. I mean it’s a game, but it’s a game that depends on the players and their personalities and mindsets. There was really no point in doing that. Also, I didn’t know if I was going to be loyal or disloyal, so I didn’t have any plan. Once I was chosen as a traitor, I was very happy. After she explained the rules to me, I said, “Yes, I want to be a traitor.” They have all the control in the game.
When you’re a traitor, I feel like the only person who can lose the game for you is you. It is up to you to do your best in this position. However, if you are dedicated, there are a lot of things that can ruin your game.
In the beginning, you traitors definitely worked together. Last season, they went after each other right away. After you guys took Lisa out, the idea was always that you were going it alone
No, no, every time a traitor was voted out, that was when he was talked about. Once Lisa was voted out, the next day, I heard Candiace’s name from everyone in the castle saying how hard she was working for Lisa, which is the exact reason I voted for Lisa. I didn’t want this doubt on me. I mean, Candiace would have had it both ways, and I might as well talk about her a little bit here and there to make it seem like I was part of the group that came out as a traitor.
Can you take me through the decision to ask Eric [Nam] To be your traitorous colleague?
Eric was very logical. I needed someone consistent, someone who played a good game as a believer, but also someone who was more trustworthy. It wasn’t. He had a lot of confidence with people, but he wasn’t anyone’s number one. It was a little in the middle. I felt like he was the perfect guy for the job because I needed someone who could stick around long enough to get to the end of the game and get that extra vote there, but not necessarily someone who was more confident than me and could turn on me and take me out of the game to win.
Obviously when it came to the end there, he was hoping it would be you and him. But it was very clear that Maura was rooting for Eric. Did you have second thoughts about that?
I definitely thought again because it was possible to win anyway with Eric. She thought there was little chance if she bowled green, and agreed with Eric, and Maura saw to it; Maybe she turned on me at the last second. Then Eric had won. This wasn’t just a chance I was willing to accept being a traitor from day one to the end. This won’t happen. I also started thinking logically, would you give $100,000 to someone you just met? No, I don’t think so.
I think everyone watching probably wondered how you could do what you did, but when you said that about giving someone you just met all that money, I could see it.
When you really think about it, when you put yourself in that situation, I think it makes more sense.
There had been a lot of talk about Maura and how loyal she was to you and I really thought you were loyal. At that moment what were you feeling? I know it’s a game, but you’re friends. This is difficult.
That was a difficult moment for sure. I was afraid of it, but like I said, it was a game. Maura understood that. I got over it faster than anyone else I played with really, especially the traitors. I commend her for that. She received praise for it. It’s an amazing sport and well played.
When you were chosen as a traitor, how well did you know your fellow traitors Lisa and Candiace? Were you worried it was both? Housewives Will it have a bond at the basic level there?
I had no idea who either of them was. I didn’t know who was in the castle except Maura. I said, this is a shame in having two people who have common ground [with] I. I thought there was definitely a chance that, if the time came, they might conspire and turn against me. It didn’t happen, but it definitely crossed my mind. I think about everything when I play this game.
Do you see yourself doing something like this again?
I don’t know. At this point, I really don’t know. Maybe, maybe not.
If they ask you to come back and do it Traitors Again, would you?
No, definitely not. I couldn’t have had a better experience. What do I do? What am I chasing? nothing. I’m fine.
What do you want to do next? Obviously you have more exposure and you have options, I think.
I don’t know. All I can think about now is just some pausing. I just want to be home. It’s almost spring in Alabama. It will be great. The weather is getting warmer. I just want to be outside and hang out with my family and friends. That’s all I really care about now.
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Payment more than THR Traitors Coverage here.
