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Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - Exclusive Interview with Jillian Harris

Posted on 04/04/2011 by Gina and Cast Interviews

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Jillian Harris

 

by Gina Scarpa

 

Jillian Harris has done what few reality stars have been able to do - take a stint on a reality show and turn it into a long lasting, respectable career. The Canadian native first appeared on season 13 of The Bachelor in 2009, became The Bachelorette later that year, and joined the team on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition as an interior designer in 2010. This weekend, she'll be appearing at the Reality Rocks convention, happening April 9-10 at the L.A. Convention Center and today, we spoke to her in an exclusive interview.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you want to go on The Bachelor initially - was it about finding love or were you interested in the experience of it all?
A. Jillian: Wanna hear a really funny story? I'm a designer and I designed restaurants for a living beforehand. I was really, really passionate about my work - so passionate, that I was perpetually single. My life was always about work. My guilty pleasure was watching The Bachelor. I swear ABC is not paying me to say this! The only shows I ever watched were The Bachelor, The Bachelroette, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I applied as a joke. A week later, they called me and told me they received my application. We all laughed about it and I was like, "This is crazy!" That night, I did the video that they asked me to do. I did it and when I went to bed, I said, "I don't know if this is a good idea. " I wanted to do Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I did some research on it. I had the design experience but the fact that nobody knew me at the time, I was thinking maybe I should forget both. I ended up doing The Bachelor and it was amazing and I had so much fun. Of course, you're thinking of the various opportunities that can come from that. In my case, even though my relationship with Ed didn't last, I think I hit the jackpot in a lot of ways. I fell madly in love with Ed and then Extreme Makeover scouted me because of that show.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How did you deal with all the attention that you got after The Bachelorette? Over the years, the people on the show have had a lot of negative attention on them by the media.
A. Jillian: I never dealt with it well and I actually think that I suppressed a lot. I actually think I'm way funnier and way snippier and I've got kind of a sick sense of humor. I'm a total tomboy but I've always been afraid of being judged. I follow Kirstie Alley on Twitter and I laugh so hard. She does not care what anyone thinks of her and sometimes, I wish I could do the same thing! It wasn't easy being judged and you want everyone to love you and think you're fabulous but I'm not always in a great mood or I have a strong opinion about something. I don't voice my opinion like that because I don't wanna deal with all the articles that come out and the backlash on Twitter. I'd rather stay neutral, which I don't think is a good thing either. When Ed and I had all the negative attention, I was really sick. I was stressed out and crying all the time. I was like, "Why did I do this?" I didn't expect that. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me because I also gained so much for my life as well. I've been in the media for almost three years now. Now, if a negative article comes out. For example, on the back page of OK Magazine... I love them... but they posted a quote from me, comparing The Bachelorette to being on Extreme Makeover and my quote was, "It's completely different show because I'm not making out with guys in hot tubs although I do miss that." Normally, I would've been so stressed out and mad because I'm so afraid that it makes the show look bad but I did say that because I was trying to be funny. I'm going to own that and that's who I am. I can't try to be somebody else. I don't care about that stuff anymore, as long as it's true.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How did you end up becoming part of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition?
A. Jillian: When I came off The Bachelorette, Ed and I had a big discussion that neither one of us was going to stay in television and focus on our relationship, ironically enough. ABC had a few ideas for us to stay with them. One was a reality show about our life, which we didn't want to do because we started off on shaky ground. Right off the gates, there were stories about him cheating on me. I didn't think we could handle a reality show. I said, "The only way I'd continue to do anything on tv is if it was something I'm passionate about." I was driving one day and ABC called and asked if I wanted to go on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I called Ed and he said I had to do it. I was trying to be so calm. I got off the phone and pulled over in my car and dancing on the side of the highway. It was literally a perfect fit for me. I feel so blessed. I can't think of a better job!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What should fans expect when they meet you at Reality Rocks this weekend?
A. Jillian: I'm there on Saturday with Michael [Moloney]. Fans can expect a good time because Michael and I should take our act on the road. Michael will definitely be making fun of me the entire time. We have huge energy and I don't like to call fans "fans". I actually have become very close with a lot of my fans throughout the last couple of years and have become friends with them. I actually helped one of my Twitter followers and sent him on a job interview. I sent some Christmas presents. One of my favorite parts of my jobs is going out to see the viewers and laugh with them and chat with them. I have no filter and I will pretty much answer any question you have and so will Michael.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: I read that you signed a deal to work with Rocky Mountaineer in Vancouver to redesign one of their trains, which we saw during your season of The Bachelorette. Tell us a little more about that!
A. Jillian: That project is almost over. They called me right before Christmas and said that they were revamping the design of the trains and asked me to be a part of it and design it. I've been working on that for the last three or four months. Now, they're starting to execute the designs.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What else do you have going on?
A. Jillian: The new season of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition finished filming at the end of February. I went and moved in with my grandma for a month. She had hip surgery. I just finished renovating my condo and now, I'm working on my yard. I'm spending time with family and friends and I'm going to Ireland!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You've been on tv for a few years now but you seem like you're the same person you were beforehand.
A. Jillian: Yeah, absolutely! I always wanted to be someone that was filthy rich. Well, I've always been down to earth but you dream of money. I still live in the same condo as before. I still pinch pennies. On my travels, I've seen what all that money can buy and that's not really what I want at the end of the day. My happy place is sitting around a campfire with a 99 cent hotdog, a can of beer, and country music. I don't need all the money in the world for that. I love playing rummy with my grandma. The great thing is that I have the luxury to choose to spend more time with my family and around campfires and in my backyard. I don't need anything else. My life is really inexpensive to run. I have one designer purse, I shop at Forever 21, I'm cheap! I didn't really want to change. I think I have changed but I think I have more perspective on what's important in life, as cliché as it sounds. Another thing I've changed is that I judge people way less than I ever did. I think everybody is unique and if Snooki wants to be Snooki, then bless her for being Snooki. You have to accept everyone for who they are. People have opinions about me and they don't upset me anymore because I am who I am. I think that's what's changed in me now.


Stay tuned for more interviews with stars appearing at Reality Rocks!

Don't forget that RealityWanted will have a booth at RealityRocks for both fans and members of the reality industry to check out our service! Mark Yawitz, co-founder of RealityWanted, will be in attendance and also serves on the honorary advisory board for the convention.

 


Extreme Makeover: Home Edition airs Sundays at 8/7c on ABC.

 

(Image courtesy of ABC)

 


Check out Jillian's website at jillianharris.com!  Follow Jillian @jillianharris and Gina @ginascarpa

 


  


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