Tiffany Mitchell stepped into The Traitors Season 4 with a reputation for being a trustworthy strategist. That’s what made it all the more jarring when the Big Brother 23legend suddenly found suspicion coming from nearly every corner of the castle,
In her exit interview with Men’s Journal, the Detroit native opens up about the emotional aftermath of her banishment, the accusations against her, specifically from former BachelorColton Underwood and musician Eric Nam, and why even her closest allies couldn’t stop the momentum once her name came up. She also reflects on the players she trusted most, the roundtable exchange that spiraled out of control, and why, in her words, “I had no time to think.”
Scroll down to read the full interview with Tiffany.
Men’s Journal: Hi Tiffany. So how are you feeling now that you’ve watched it back?
Tiffany Mitchell: Oh, man. We recorded so long ago, but I don’t talk to anybody about it, so all of those emotions stayed locked in. I almost don’t remember what happened because so many things have happened in the last half year. It was surreal, and it was tough for me to watch. I actually got emotional watching it back because it was very intense. I don’t ever recall a time I’ve been in a hot seat like that, probably since I got suspended from school in seventh grade for drinking. But to be in that type of fire — it wasn’t just Colton and Eric, it was every single person. People that I thought… it’s hard to say, and it’s silly to say you think people know you, but when you’re not guilty of something, you feel like it’s obvious you’re not. That was a tough position to be in. My ass was on fire.
Men’s Journal: Did anyone give you any warning that your name might come up at the roundtable?
Tiffany Mitchell: Michael [Rapaport] did. People wonder why I was so close to him — he trusted me. He told me everything. And in a game of no trust, when I didn’t feel connected to Natalie [Anderson] and Yam Yam [Arocho], who were my last gamers left, Michael was somebody who trusted me. If you trust me, I have to trust you just a little bit. He kind of alluded that my name was going to come up at the roundtable. I didn’t have time to think about it. So I sit at the table, and when Colton turns his wrath on me, I am livid. I’m no longer playing a game. I was really surprised at the way I handled myself. People say I handled it well, but I wasn’t supposed to go into that mode. I was supposed to go into game mode, psychology mode. I had no time to think — I went straight back to Detroit.
Men’s Journal: What was the actual evidence being used against you? It seemed thin.
Tiffany Mitchell: He said I gave a half-ass, insincere, fake eulogy for Ian [Terry]. I was laying out a plan. When people have a goal, they strategize how they’re going to get there. That’s all I was doing. It was a mistake for me to vocalize vivid details to people I thought were like-minded. I didn’t feel like anyone was looking at me. And honestly, no one really was until that day.
Men’s Journal: Did Eric’s case put the final nail in the coffin?
Tiffany Mitchell: Oh, he sealed it. With those magic 99 percent ears he claims he has. I told him, “I would stop talking about that career if I were you, because you’re dead ass wrong.” He thought he recognized my laugh. It wasn’t me. I wasn’t there. Even watching it back, my friends and I were like, “Was that you? Or Candiace [Dillard Bassett]?” And even I wondered. But it wasn’t me.
Men’s Journal: We saw Candiace really go to bat for you. What did that mean to you?
Tiffany Mitchell: I had no idea she felt the way I felt about her. In my mind, the Housewives are way up here, and I’m just somebody who did a couple of game shows. They can be intimidating, but she didn’t give me that vibe. We would talk, do our hair together, get dressed together. I really liked her. When I heard her standing up for me — even when I wasn’t there — it was heartwarming. I teared up. No one has to like you, and I wasn’t doing anything to be liked, but she took to me, and I love that.
Men’s Journal: Did you hear from the rest of the cast after your banishment?
Tiffany Mitchell: I heard from everyone. When they were revealing their votes and all the cards had hearts on them, people were tearing up. I was like, “If you don’t want to see me go, don’t vote for me.”
Men’s Journal: What do you think prevented you and Yam Yam from ever getting on the same page?
Tiffany Mitchell: I think it was because I was attached to Michael. Yam Yam probably felt that if I was associating with someone coming after him, I must be after him too. But I wasn’t even looking at Yam Yam at that time. With Michael, I was just like, “This isn’t a movie. Nobody wrote this script for you. Watch what you say.” He kept saying his wife told him the same thing. I was like, “I ain’t your wife. Be quiet.”
Men’s Journal: What was going through your mind when Colton made his move at the roundtable?
Tiffany Mitchell: I was gone. I was no longer Tiffany — I was Monique. Tiffany got pushed to the side. I was fuming. Everything coming out of his mouth, I was ready. It wasn’t just Colton speaking — it was back and forth, over and over. At that point, I knew everyone was ready to vote for me. I had nothing to lose. I wasn’t trying to change minds anymore. I just wasn’t going to let everyone beat my ass while I sat there.
Men’s Journal: Did you originally want to be a Traitor?
Tiffany Mitchell: Only for safety reasons. Strategy-wise, it’s one less chance of leaving the game. But I knew I’d have to play very differently from who I actually am. It was a relief not to get tapped. I could just go out there and be myself. I didn’t have to lie.
Men’s Journal: How difficult was it to lose Ian and Rob [Cesternino] so early, given how close you were to them?
Tiffany Mitchell: I had never met anyone on the cast before. When I saw Ian, I instantly wanted to protect him. I could tell he was nervous. I told him, “If you ever need somebody, just come sit next to me.” We’d just sit together. I even gave him one of my crystals. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to him if I could help it. Rob was right there with me too. When he started saying names early on, that showed me he trusted me. I work with people who trust me. Rob and Ian were my core.
Men’s Journal: What was your reaction when you finally learned who the Traitors were — especially Candiace?
Tiffany Mitchell: Candiace blew my mind. I was shocked. Lisa [Rinna] was on my radar. When she came back from being hung in the tree, she was so dramatic. I didn’t know if it was for TV or to throw us off. It was always the sunglasses — Lisa and Donna [Kelce] both. I was suspicious. Rob [Rauch] looked exhausted one day, and I joked that he looked like he’d been killing people all night. But I was so focused on Yam Yam, and that’s a big mistake in The Traitors. You can’t fixate on one person. You have to look at everyone.
Related: Every Player Eliminated on ‘The Traitors’ Season 4 (So Far)
