On Sunday night 26-year old South African student and entrepreneur
Thami Prusent was the eighth housemate to be thwacked from BBAfrica in the showdown to the season end.
Evicted by 12 votes to 1, he was unanimously dumped in favour of his girlfriend and fellow nominee Hazel. Here's what he had to say when I hit him with
our questions:
Tashi: Why do you think you were evicted?
Thami: I think I was up against a much stronger candidate, evidently, I think Hazel’s the strongest of the remaining five and that’s why there was such a huge distance.
Tashi: What’s with the ridiculous laugh?
Thami: Ooof, I really have tried to change it - to make it more sexy over the years but it’s part of me and I can’t change it and I have tried, believe you me, but when something’s really funny, it comes from the heart and that’s what comes out my throat.
Tashi: Why do you laugh so
much?
Thami: I’m just a happy person I suppose - I think life’s too short to be so miserable, especially - I can’t be miserable on such a huge platform. Also, my whole family’s a very happy family - they always encouraged us to be happy so maybe that’s why I laugh all the time.
Tashi: So you’re a family of hyena’s?
Thami: Ja, I’m afraid so.
Tashi: Will you be getting a tattoo of a hyena?
Thami: *
hy-ee-eee-na* It depends on how far it goes but a hyena would be a nice animal to get, even an African wilddog but I’m not sure I’ll get one just yet.
Tashi: Where would you put it?
Thami: On my forehead - right there.
Tashi: Are you in love with Hazel?
Thami: Um, I think love in the space of three months would be unrealistic - maybe in a soap opera but three months is too short a period to know you’re in love with somebody. Also, because our relationship wasn’t tested in the outside world I don’t know how real it is but I have the ultimate respect for Hazel - she’s an amazing woman - so love is ... I don’t think it’s anything near.
Tashi: Will you get together after the show?
Thami: I have a very warped perspective on marriage and love, maybe it’s good she’s all the way in Malawi so I can’t be tested. I really have no idea, we’ll have to see and talk about things after - she wants marriage very soon in her life and I don’t know if I’m there yet, I don’t know.
Tashi: What do you mean you have a warped view of marriage and love?
Thami: I think in my profile I said life’s too short for marriage and kids so that's what I mean by warped - there’s so much more I want to achieve by myself before I consider bringing in a partner. There’s so much to do, so much of the world to see, so many girls.
It would be nice to have a partner to help you out but I’m still too self involved at the moment to consider marriage.
Tashi: So you don’t have a girlfriend out of the house?
Thami: No it’s depressing.
Tashi: It’s actually a good thing considering TK had a girlfriend of six years and declared his love for Sheila (
the rest of everyone who’s done the same etc etc)
Thami: I hope so - I think people underestimate a relationship - it’s a huge emotional toll.
Tashi: You said that Hazel was an emotional crutch - what emotion was she crutching?
Thami: I said she was my emotional crutch - I wanted to go into the house with a complete emotional detachment but to me she became very important to talk to, I could confide in her so she became a crutch to me.
My strategy to be emotionally detached backfired because I needed her to talk to. Something like affection was very huge for me. I’d wanted to be able to vote for anybody, any time with no remorse but with her I grew very fond of her.
Tashi: Did you go for her because she was the most passive woman in the house - were you too scared to go for the others?
Thami: Attraction was very important - it was only her and Lucille, she was passive but very strong. In terms of the others there was no attraction, only Hazel and Lucille and I think Hazel’s much stronger.
Tashi: Did you like her because she cooks so much?
Thami: *
hy-aa-aaaa* No I think I liked her from the nurse outfit.
Tashi: Okay. Were you scared of her?
Thami: No, I think she’s too forthcoming to be afraid of. I think every guy's afraid of rejection - especially on the internet or TV - so maybe not her, but the idea of being rejected.
Tashi: So do you prefer a woman with enough meat on their bones or not?
Thami: Essentially, with the whole thing - I’ll use my grandmother as an example - intellect and strength are still a major key when it comes to a relationship. If you have meat and no brains then what’s the point ja?
Tashi: Is it true that you had a relationship with Carol Manana?
Thami: *
hy-aa-eeeee* For a brief spell - my first year out of high school, for a brief spell. Probably not even a month, it was brief, very brief.
Tashi: Why did she dump you?
Thami: I think she fell in love with her husband, ... how do you know she dumped me anyway? *
hyee-eeee*
Tashi: *
Hye-eee*.
Thami: Yes she did dump me but I think she met the man she’d marry, I’m not sure, also maybe I was all over the place, I was having a good time.
Tashi: If Hazel wins, how much of the money do you think she should give you?
Thami: Nothing, nothing - it’s her money. If I’d won I wouldn’t give anything - it’s her money and she must do whatever she wants to with it; and she will.
Tashi: In the house you said that if you win you’d blow the money on booze and parties - is that what you’d have done?
Thami: I’d travel the world with it - an international roadtrip, international booze, international parties.
Tashi: If someone else had thrown meat, chocolates and chips over the wall - would you have nominated them for it?
Thami: No, I don’t think so. It’s a cool prank but it would have been unoriginal because I’d done it and I’d be looking for originality.
Tashi: Did you have an overall strategy before going on?
Thami: I hadn’t watched the show as much as I should but basically to be as flexible as possible, to not be part of any cliques, to move around everybody. To be as honest and flexible as possible, to be myself.
If you irritate me to tell you and not hide and snicker behind people’s backs, to be as upfront as possible and avoid being nominated.
Tashi: When you arrived, who did you think the best contender for the win was?
Thami: Uti was strong, he was very entertaining and also Sheila and her knowledge of Africa. TK was also a very strong player.
Tashi: Why did you only properly come alive when Johan arrived?
Thami: I think maybe it was that I was making up to Hazel for nominating her because I told her. That week - I wouldn’t say it was about coming alive - but our relationship changed from being a friendship and us getting cosy.
Also it could have been knowing that Ricco, having lost Mimi, might have made a move on Hazel so there were a lot of factors but for me it was the timing of not having spoken to Hazel for two weeks and then making up.
Tashi: Out of you and BBAfrica 2’s Lerato - who do you think represented SA best?
Thami: Being self involved, I’d have to say me.
Tashi: What’s up with being such a terrible drunk?
Thami: I’m not a terrible drunk - I just drink a
lot. We didn’t really get given enough liquor - by terrible drunk, the first day it was excitement and lots of bottles of champagne I had by myself and the second incident it was blown out of proportion and I think it’s because there wasn’t enough liquor but I think, I’m not a terrible drunk.
Tashi: What one word would you use to describe to Munya?
Thami: In my internet interview I said "sheep" but now, my one problem with Munya is that he’s from a country where there’s a lot of chaos and not a lot of it came out - I said “sheep” but now I think he basically flowed with the wind.
Tashi: What do you mean not a lot of it came out? That he didn’t talk about it enough?
Thami: Maybe I’m priviledged to be in a country like South Africa where there is no - I can say whatever I feel about my country - whether it’s about Zuma, whether it’s about the current president. If my country’s in such crisis I wouldn’t limit myself to what I can say and how I feel about my country.
He’d speak about it and then stop and then say “No I’m not speaking about it because of whatever issue.” I think if your country’s in crisis, it’s your duty as a youth from Zimbabwe, who’ve not said anything - that’s my biggest problem with Munya.
Tashi: Last season it was the same with Bertha - I kept waiting for people to ask her about it, like “What’s life like etc?” but no-one even mentioned it.
Thami: I tried to put him on the spot a couple of times - I compared our ’76 youth to their youth, saying they basically stood up and took control of the country and said: “As a youth of Zimbabwe, what are you doing?”
I did tease him a bit about the country and I think he took his flag and went to sleep with it. Essentially I wanted to hear more, they can talk a lot about what’s happening but as a youth I feel they’re not doing enough.
Tashi: What did you think when you heard we’ve got a different president from when you went into the house?
Thami: I really, Kgalema Motlanthe, I knew he’d be president but not in these conditions. I still need to look over how the ANC recalled Thabo Mbeki - three months seems like a very short time, it’s very interesting to see how we’ve gotten this far. Maybe it’s healthy for democracy where there’ll be another option in terms of opposition but the new president was totally, totally a shock - I knew he’d be president but not in three months.
Tashi: One word to describe Ricco?
Thami: He’s from Angola but his heart’s in Portugal - he’s not very bright.
Tashi: Haha - I’m pleased you said that because I think he’s a total punk but everybody likes him.
Thami: I know - I started quizzing him about Angola and stuff and he didn’t know anything - he didn't know what the national animal was for their soccer team - Hazel told him, I think that’s very embarrassing, I don’t rate him, he’s not a bright kid.
Tashi: And Tawana?
Thami: The psycho? I don’t like psychoanalysing people but I think “troubled” is one word I’d use - I think she should seek help.
Tashi: Hazel.
Thami: She’s very strong. Winner I suppose.
Tashi: If she doesn’t win, who should?
Thami: Whew ... Munya’s had an easy ride with nominations, maybe Tawana needs the money, Ricco’s just survived a lot of nominations - probably Ricco because he’s survived more nominations than anyone else.
Tashi: Who will you stay in touch with after the show?
Thami: Hazel of course, Morris because I think we might be aligned and Sheila - definitely Sheila. And Uti because it would be fun hanging around with her.
Tashi: What was the worst thing you did in the house?
Thami: I think I was backed in a corner with Munya - my comments about Zimbabwe might also have been very, very hurtful but I’d need to get a reaction from him. I think maybe those comments were the worst but I don’t see anything else I did bad - except not win.
Tashi: Which of the housemates' success would surprise you the most - if someone came out and made a million?
Thami: I don’t know - Latoya maybe, we were all very self-conscious of ourselves in the show but I think she should have shown more assertiveness and strength.
Tashi: Will you be watching now?
Thami: It’s very hard to watch - I just started about 10 minutes ago, a couple of the comments were interesting. It’s very hard to watch so I don’t know but I really do hope that Hazel wins. It’s hard because I wish I was still up for the $100 000 and also the change in lifestyle - that was your life for a long time.
Last night, sleeping by myself as pretty awkward, not having people around me. Watching the show might actually help to get back into society.
Tashi: You said that you entered the show to get into an adventure - what do you want to do next?
Thami: When I came in I basically set up a profile for a magazine we’re going to be launching so now’s all the hard work. I’ve been sitting on my bum for two months and I’ve been held back so I need to work hard.
Tashi: What’s the magazine about?
Thami: It’s essentially a mens magazine about black women. *
Added by me: " and Hazel will be the first cover.*
Ends