by Gina Scarpa

 

Before The Real World: St. Thomas got underway, we talked to cast member Brandon Swift and we could only imagine the drama that we'd witness as the season unfolded. Now that everything has played out on television, and with tonight's finale and next week's reunion, we thought it would be good to sit down with him once again. Check out our exclusive interview with Brandon as we rehash this season and find out his feelings about his housemates.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Now that you've seen all of the episodes, what has been the most surprising thing to you?
A. Swift: The most surprising thing... I didn't know that Marie was running her mouth like that. I knew she wore the pants but that episode where she was trying to get Robb to fight me, I was like, "Wow, how do you let her talk to you like that?"

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You and Marie argued pretty regularly but when you guys did talk it out, it was said that maybe you two are just too similar. Why do you think you and Marie had so many issues?
A. Swift: I just think that Marie likes to pop off her mouth and is used to people not checking her back. When I grew up, if my father called me and I said "WHAT?" I ain't gettin' up off the floor. When it comes to respect, I'm not gonna have somebody talk to me a certain way. I've met her friends back home now. Similar personalities...

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: It was clear and you even said how much you liked St. Thomas and the people there. What was it about them?
A. Swift: Oh, the people of St. Thomas love to relax and have a good time. If we put a Virgin Islander in our house, they'd be like "What's wrong with you people?" They're so hospitable and that's what made me really love it. The St. Thomas mentality is very different. The United States is fast paced and everybody is so happy.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Speaking of LaToya, you two really had it out during the episode where she and Marie joked about you being gay and then about whether or not you two hooked up. Did that damage your relationship permanently?
A. Swift: I don't see me and Toya ever really being friends. I'll probably see her only during anything business related. I'm not gonna say it was damaged because of that one incident. Her character itself... I don't deal with people who put up a false facade. I started seeing how fake she would act on camera compared to how she is off camera. A week or two before I came out with that, I already knew I wouldn't be friends with her.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: In the episode where Chelsea came to visit Trey, you were very protective of Laura. We don't get to see too much of your friendship with her because the show focuses so much on her and Trey. Can you talk about her a little?
A. Swift: You'll see in the last episode that Laura will talk about our relationship. We were very close and she was like my sister. We never called each other by name. Love Bug - everybody knew I was talking to Laura. It was like that the whole entire time, that's why I'm surprised they didn't put it in. I love her to death. She's such a huge contrast from Marie and Toya, personality wise. Laura is one of the most loving, kind people I've ever met. She doesn't get mad. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body. People try to come at her that she's getting played but whatever. Who she is as a person is super attractive. That's what made Trey so attracted to her. I love her to death. I wish they showed our relationship. Out of all the girls, I was closest with her.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You took it really hard when Brandon had to leave after failing his drug test. What made you so emotional?
A. Swift: It was a combination of everything. I was there with him when he went to AA. The cameras couldn't come to the meeting. I saw how proud he was that he was making a step to better himself. I really wanted him to really grow. I thought Brandon would gain and grow the most. To see him leave really hurt. In addition, Brandon is the one that ran around the island with me the most. I would leave at 8:30am and come back at 1:30am. I spent most of my time on that show off camera. Brandon was the only one to see how I was living my life. The one person that knew how I really live my life and I can relate to was leaving.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Have you filmed the reunion yet?
A. Swift: Yes, and I'll tell you this. The reunion show is the nastiest, craziest, meanest, low down dirty shows ever. It's pretty bad. They don't even show how bad things got in the house. You guys are gonna watch the reunion show and it might not make sense. There are a lot of arguments that didn't air. It's gonna be Marie and Toya fighting with all of us. It was two on five.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What are your plans from here?
A. Swift: Well, I'm really busy doing different things. I hosted a Wiz Khalifa concert, I'm doing photo shoots, I'm getting ready to be a celebrity judge for a Red Bull competition in Philadelphia and I can't wait for that. I'm working on doing other things that I can't talk about. It won't be the last that you've seen of Swift.

 

The Real World airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on MTV.

 

(Image courtesy of MTV)

 

Follow Gina @ginascarpa