“Not surprising”— Big Brother star T’kor reflects on “sympathy vote” and house alliances post eviction

In a shocking yet strategic turn of events, Big Brother season 26 houseguest T'Kor Clottey was evicted with a 4-1 vote. T'Kor, a 23-year-old crochet business owner, had made a significant impact early in the game by teaming up with Kimo Apaka to flip the house and dismantle the Pentagon alliance.

However, her luck ran out when HoH Leah Peters put her up as a replacement nominee after Angela Murray's veto win saved Kimo from the block. Despite her efforts to secure votes, T'Kor was evicted, with only Kimo's vote in her favor. Reflecting on her eviction, T'Kor shared that she wasn't surprised by the outcome. During her exit interview with Julie Chen Moonves, she admitted:

"Getting one vote to stay was not surprising."

She believed that the lone vote came from Chelsie or was a collective decision by the house to let Kimo give her a sympathy vote. Although she had hoped to secure votes from Chelsie, Cam, and even Kimo, the majority chose to keep Rubina Bernabe, viewing T'Kor as the bigger threat in the Big Brother house.

---

T'Kor's exit interview on Big Brother season 26

T'Kor's stance on sympathy vote and strategic alliances

After her eviction, T'Kor took a moment to reflect on the events leading to her exit from the game. Her journey in the house had been filled with strategic gameplay and key alliances, but in the end, her perceived threat level sealed her fate. Despite hoping to secure more votes, she received just one vote to stay, which she didn't find surprising. Speaking to Julie Chen Moonves, T'Kor stated:

"I gander that it was either Chelsie who voted to keep me, or the house collectively deciding to let Kimo give me a sympathy vote."

She admitted that her goal was to secure votes from Chelsie, Cam, and even Kimo. However, she acknowledged that the house's decision was influenced by various factors, including Rubina’s emotional appeal and her own growing threat level. While the sympathy vote provided some consolation, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome of her eviction on Big Brother. She noted:

"The vibe was very much so that people already had their minds made up even before those speeches."

---

Rubina’s emotional appeal vs. T'Kor's threat level

T'Kor addressed the reasons behind the house's decision to vote her out instead of Rubina. She believed that a combination of emotional and strategic factors played a role in the decision. T'Kor said:

"I do think that it might have been a mix of both, as the vibe was very much so that people already had their minds made up."

According to T'Kor, Rubina had a unique ability to connect with people emotionally, which helped sway the house in her favor. At the same time, T'Kor acknowledged that her own game had evolved into a significant threat, which may have influenced the votes against her. She admitted:

"I started being perceived as a threat."

The combination of Rubina’s emotional appeal and T'Kor's strong gameplay made the decision difficult for the remaining houseguests, who ultimately chose to keep Rubina and send T'Kor packing from Big Brother.

---

Reflecting on missed opportunities and regrets

T'Kor’s time in the Big Brother house was marked by strategic moves and alliances that helped her navigate the early weeks. However, looking back, she expressed a desire to change one key aspect of her game—the last Veto competition. T'Kor recognized that winning the Veto could have drastically altered her fate in the game. She said:

"The one thing I wish I could go back and change about my game is honestly just winning that last Veto."

Despite not securing the Veto, T'Kor remained confident in the overall strategy she employed throughout the season. She stated to Julie:

"Other than that, I don't have many regrets about how I played my game."

While her close relationships with Rubina and Kimo ultimately contributed to her downfall, T'Kor valued the trust and bonds she formed with them. Reflecting on her experience, she added:

"Not a lot of regrets for me in terms of my gameplay."

---

Observations on remaining houseguests' gameplay

Following her eviction from the Big Brother house, T'Kor shared her thoughts on who she believed was playing the best game. While she acknowledged that multiple houseguests were performing well, she singled out Chelsie as someone making significant strides. T'Kor remarked:

"I think for me, I would say Chelsie is one of the people who are playing a really great game."

Chelsie had proven herself to be a strong competitor, having won two Head of Household (HOH) competitions and maintaining a solid social presence in the house. T'Kor praised Chelsie’s adaptability and social game, describing her as "well insulated socially" and someone who had the "great ability to adapt."

---

Life in Jankie World

During her final week in the Big Brother house, T'Kor experienced the unique challenges of living in Jankie World, a twist that isolated houseguests in a themed environment. For T'Kor, the experience was less than ideal. When discussing the toughest aspects of Jankie World, she explained:

"For me, it was being on the block, for sure."

Adding to the discomfort was the repetitive nature of the theme, which featured constant interruptions from Jankie, sing-alongs, and pizza. T'Kor shared that the constant sing-and-dance routines were exhausting, adding:

"Everybody kind of just spent their time napping and wasting the day away."

Despite the frustrations, T'Kor managed to keep her focus on the game, even as the relentless theme song and pizza diet made for a memorable, if trying, experience on Big Brother.

---

Interested viewers can catch new episodes of Big Brother season 26 every Sunday at 9 PM, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 8 PM on CBS and Paramount+.