Leigh back in the real world
2001-11-25 20:32
Cape Town - Ruda Landman had a few serious questions to ask Leigh as the seventh Big Brother evictee went on to her second interview, in the Carte Blanche studio, since leaving the Randburg house less than an hour earlier.
Asked about her "low times" in the house, a more composed Leigh said, "Nobody understands, the public probably thinks it's like a paid holiday for three months. But when you are there, you don't realise that people are watching. You need people there like your family and friends and you feel very alone, although there are people in the house.
"Initially, when there were more people in the house, it was difficult, it feels as if everyone's at your throat."
The next question concerned two vibrators Leigh had packed to take into the Big Brother house. She wasn't allowed to do so.
After a loud laugh, the air traffic controller answered, "I'm not good at relationships. People say that women are too emotional, that's because they carry more frustrations around with them than the average man. If a man is excited he can deal with that, but a women is somewhat dependent on a man. I'm a self-sufficient woman."
Landman, looking somewhat surprised at Leigh's answer, then asked the newly-evicted housemate about her near-nude animal demonstration. One of the tasks given to the housemates were to be painted as an animal and then demonstrate the traits of that animal. Leigh wore only a bikini in her demonstration.
"Oh, dear," Leigh said as she watched the clip. "It hasn't sunk in yet, I'm not happy that my mother watched everything I did. I'm not comfortable with my body. That was very, very difficult for me."
The interview took on a serious note as Leigh explained that Vuyo helped her deal with issues she had as a result of being the victim of an attempted rape while she was in Pietermaritzburg.
"People generalise. A black man with a gun tried to rob me of my virginity and although he didn't succeed, my reaction to it changed my entire life.
"It felt like I was meant to die and I had been given a second chance. So it was like 'do everything that you need to do'. I failed university. But now, every black man that I befriend and learn to trust, helps me put things in perspective. Vuyo is sweet, loveable, gentle, friendly and he's so human. He's just like me and my friends and he helped to break the stereotype. He's a gem."
The interview continued on a serious note and Leigh became rather agitated when told about her employer wanting to fire her for being on Big Brother. One of the stipulations of her employer was that she should not mention her job. She was subsequently told that Big Brother intervened and she still has a job.
"Nice one," Leigh said through gritted teeth, "In a way I wish they had succeeded. What kind of mean person would do that? They have given me no credit, they've been mean to me from the word go. It's not like I have trade secrets, I'm just an assistant.
The 25-year-old then managed to get a grip on her anger and said with a smile, "In my fairytale, I'm not an air-traffic controller, I'm in the media, presenting. That's where I can be vibrant."
With that, the interview concluded, but not before Leigh laughingly told Carte Blanche presenter, Derek Watts, "I dreamt of you in the house."
A laughing Watts said, "We can talk about that after the show."
Leigh's eviction party will be held at Monsoon Lagoon on Wednesday.