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"It was the greatest thing that's ever happened to me," said Dane Rupert.
He's short in stature and short on teeth, but after winning Big Brother Canada, he's walking the streets as the 'Prince of Kelowna'.
Rupert stopped in at KelownaNow to talk about his experience on the show and his return to life back at home.
Dane Rupert was always a huge Big Brother fan, whether it was the original American show or Big Brother Canada. Just getting on the show was like a dream come true for him, but the way it turned out was mind-blowing. "To win and win the way I did, I couldn't ever think of that happening in a hundred years," he said.
For 69 days, contestants on Big Brother Canada are sealed together in a house with cameras everywhere. The competitors are given no access to phones, TV, the internet or even a pen and paper. So adjusting to that isn't easy. "It got mentally frustrating at times," said Rupert. "You don't know how your friends or family are doing at home." He describes it as a social experiment.
With elite level hockey no longer in his life, he had been craving competition. "It was nice to fill the void up with the Big Brother games"
So he became very focused on doing everything he could to maximize his chances of winning. His first step came easy, as he used his boyish charm to form friendships with other competitors. "I just created genuine relationships with people," he said.
When he came into KelownaNow for our interview, Rupert was not wearing the prosthetic teeth he has to cover the gap in his smile. And he was often seen that way during the show. "It kind of helped my character," Rupert said. "I went in there trying to act like the dumb hockey player."
Acting is a big part of it. And there's a lot of strategies involved. He knew that in order to win in the long run, he had to sometimes deliberately lose a challenge to avoid becoming a big target for his competitors. "I'm just happy that watching 20 years of it paid off," he explained.
"I was trying to be as loyal as possible to people, but I knew at the end of the day it's a big triangle and you want to get to the top of the triangle."
Now that its all suddenly over, he said the transition back home and real life has not been easy. "The welcoming home and all the support and love. It's been helping."
He is getting used to being recognized on the streets, and he doesn't mind stopping to talk with people. "Everyone is so supportive and loving, and asking for pictures," he said.
He has no regrets and said anyone with an opportunity to get on the show should jump at the chance.
"It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
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