Realitys Only Getting Better for Tiffany New York Pollard
Day 20: Originals Only
Twenty-five moments, one per day in the walkup to Christmas, that brought definition to reality TV’s ever-blurring lines in 2023.
Day 20: Originals Only
Twenty-five moments, one per day in the walkup to Christmas, that brought definition to reality TV’s ever-blurring lines in 2023.
Tiffany “New York” Pollard is the reality-TV star. The OG. The HBIC. GIF and meme queen. The first true villain of the genre. From the moment she hit the screen and pledged her heart to Flavor fuckin’ Flav nearly 20 years ago, we knew she was the one. Her flashy, malevolent start on the seminal VH1 series and its sequel spawned two spinoffs centering her own Bachelorette-style dating competition, I Love New York, and since then, Pollard’s been in damn near every house (Big Brother, Hot Haus, muhfuckin’ College Hill), hosted her own shows, and produced some of the most iconic moments of 21st-century television. Throughout reality TV’s many transformations, from guilty pleasure to necessary asset in any streamer’s portfolio, New York has remained a central figure; this year, she received the legacy invite from E! to jump on House of Villains, a competition series that pits top reality-TV villains against each other to decide who’s the play-pettiest between them. The show presented a new challenge: the great shark up against the squabbling pups she raised. “I’m one of the OGs of the game,” she tells Vulture. “I’ve gotten to pave the way for a lot of things.” Despite all the changes to that game, New York has aged gracefully, distinguishing between her New York persona (whom she affectionately calls “Hollywood”) and regular degular Tiffany P. She’s not even sweating TV at this point. “The genre,” and, one could imagine, her life, “has gotten a lot easier.”
So, House of Villains. You developed different relationships with people pretty quickly. You started off strong hating Johnny Bananas. You took in Corinne as the stray cat. You ended up calling Jax a demon. Were there any contestants who defied your expectations? Who did you connect with the most?
It’s so funny because both directions point toward the same person. I was definitely taken aback by how open Corinne’s energy was toward me, straight off the bat. As soon as the girl walked into the house with her bags, instead of avoiding me — most people do because there’s always a preconception, like, oh, that’s New York, she’s going to start some shit, it’s going to be drama — she didn’t do that. She was really warm and open. We actually just communicated three or four days ago. She’s made me some beautiful custom pieces from her jewelry line. She’s definitely a friend.
Was it weird then ’cause she definitely voted you off …
We shared that personal space, being roommates. When I found out she voted me off, I wanted it to affect me a lot more than it did. It couldn’t because she was the person I was spending most of my time with in the house. Some nights I wouldn’t even have eaten dinner if it wasn’t for her, because I would refuse to go downstairs and mingle with the cast. And she’d be like, “Are you hungry? Did you eat today? Let me go get you food. My goodness, you’re going to stay up here and starve.” By the time I found out she voted me out, I was like, Should I be mad? I better get mad. And then I was like, No, we had a good time.
How do you feel about being perceived as a villain? Do you consider it a role you play or is this something you truly feel about yourself?
I always say this: A villain is not as harsh as the textbook definition may be. Technically, I don’t really think I’m a villain. I know I’m not because I definitely have a heart somewhere in there. People tell me, “Oh, you know how to read a bitch down and you’re going to sit somebody down and give a good read every time.” But that’s just one side of Tiff. She has this other side as well. If you know me, I have equal sides, sweet and spicy.
The quotes from this show are wild. When you called Bananas “a saber-tooth hammerhead bastard,” that felt really nice. You also called him an “amphibian reptile motherfucker,” which is like, okay, we’re crossing species. Are you coming up with this shit on the fly? Is it something that you practice in your mirror every morning?
I’m the kind of person that works well under pressure. If you’re pissing me off in real time, I’m going to say whatever is in my brain. It flows out. It’s like a switch, it just turns on. If I have to think of a read, it’s not going to come across. If you put me in a position, you upset me enough, you’re going to get a classic, tailor-made read just for your ass that you’ve never heard before.
Yo, you gave one to Omarosa that felt like it came from a really deep place. I screamed when you called her “a cocksucking cum-guzzling Republican cunt.”
Don’t get it twisted. The thing about Omarosa is she was deliberately playing on my top in that moment. I could just feel her pushing me. She wanted that read. So I gave it to her.
In terms of the editing, how did your experience on House of Villains compare to other reality shows you’ve been on?
A show like House of Villains or Big Brother is not based around you and your specific wants or your brand. If it was I Love New York, I know what would definitely not make it in the edit. But sometimes you need to be unprotected in those situations to keep flexing your muscles. Not knowing what things are going to be edited in or out, it’s like, you deserve that. You have a name, you have a platform, and sometimes you can’t take things super serious. You don’t know if they’re going to put in that moment you’re digging the crust by your eye one morning. But does it deserve to be seen? Yes.
What was it like to go from being a part of a show to having authority on your own productions?
I mean, who doesn’t love being the center of attention when it comes down to doing a project? I mean, literally, “You can go, guys, I need 45 minutes. I’m going to sleep.”
This is your production and it’s about you. But when you’re doing an ensemble-cast type of situation, you gotta be mindful of others’ time and space. It’s a different kind of flex. I’m just excited to be a part of things like House of Villains because it’s what the fans want. They get so excited: Oh man, I’m so glad to see you back at it. So you’re going to be there regardless of the comfortability level. Not saying you’re not comfortable — I mean, you’re living in the mansion, you’re doing whatever you want. But it’s always good to have your own set.
Reality TV has evolved a lot since you first started. What do you think of the various reality stars coming out and saying they need protections and rights?
The word evolution is perfect terminology because with anything that’s been around for a long time, it has to grow. Those needs need to be met. I’m one of the OGs in the game. I’ve gotten to pave the way for a lot of things. And when you go on set now, I’m not going to lie, it’s a little bit easier because you have people feeding back lines or painting a picture you may have forgotten. They can help you out. A lot of the technology has changed — back in the day, you better remember every beat of what happened because you’re living in real time and nobody’s going to come in with notes to help you out. So I believe the genre itself has gotten a lot easier. That said, with the edits and interviews you have to do to make the show come together, if people need more rights and protection, I’m here for it.
Yeah, it seems like it’s been pretty tough, especially at the streaming companies where they just be wildin’ over there, putting them in really difficult situations.
Oh yeah. And back in the day, a lot of that fighting wasn’t really encouraged. Some of that stuff would just happen. I can’t really sit here and say I was in anybody’s production who was pushing for that.
They weren’t saying, “Please go whoop Pumkin’s ass real fast.”
I had to look for her on my own!
Today it feels like reality stars say, “Yo, the crew kind of pushed me,” or “They put something in my ear to make me think this person is fucking with me,” to get a rise out of you. But you’re saying it felt different back then.
Oh, absolutely. You have to understand that this is not the only shoot the production companies or networks have going on. They don’t want us to create a situation where there’s going to be liability. If anything, they’re flying someone in to take you for a walk or out for a drink. They’re always looking to deescalate. And I know that to be true back then. Now, I think it depends on whose set you’re on. I don’t want to be on anybody’s set who’s encouraging me to pop a nail, especially at the big old age of 41.
You have an outsized influence on reality TV, but sometimes people don’t realize that there is a time when the camera’s off and you are yourself, moving through the world. Have people ever tried to check you in real life?
I can pinpoint just one time this ever occurred. It was at the height of things for me and my career. I had just gotten off Flavor of Love and I went to Universal City Walk with my girlfriend. This girl goes, “I don’t like New York. I don’t like how she is on that show.” And I’m like, “Sweetie, but you’re watching it. You’re entertained.” And she kind of gave me a look like, “Oh my gosh, you’re right.” People are going to put you in this box and think that’s exactly how you are 24/7, seven days a week. They don’t realize, hey, this is a competition situation. My head game is a little bit different than if I’m at Ralph’s or Sephora, you know?
You feel like it’s calmed down more as your status within reality TV solidified?
Absolutely. And I love it. I could be out now and enjoy a beautiful meal or walk through the airport and people will just say things from afar. It’s not like they’re rushing up on me like in the beginning. I like this little parlay between Hollywood Tiffany and regular Tiffany. I get to walk the lines of both when I want.
In the house you said you don’t really be watching reality shows now. Was that shade or real?
Lemme tell you, I love reality television. I mean, that’s always going to be my first go-to when I get the opportunity to watch television. Now what’s going on is that my attention span is changing. I can’t really sit there and watch too many shows all the way through. I kept bits and pieces here and there of the highlights. Or I’m watching all episodes of The Twilight Zone.
It feels so different from where it started. You parlayed reality tv into more talk show stuff, and I feel like that’s a smart move. But do you think there’s some sort of purity in being a reality-TV star and not doing anything else?
If it’s really in you to develop, let’s say, a T-shirt line or a high-heel company, if those are things you want to achieve and reality television could be a starting space for that, I’m all for it. Go and do it. But if you’re a person, let’s say like myself — I like to classify myself as a regular person — and once in a while I put on my Hollywood and I go into the world of reality television and I’m this New York persona. That’s really me. But at the same time, I come out of that and I authentically live for Tiffany, which might be just hanging out on the beach and grabbing a beer and a hot dog.
Do you stumble upon GIFs or memes of yourself?
Oh, it hits different. It feels so, so good, especially when it’s younger people. I’m surprised by the fact that they know me. I get requested a lot on Cameo to wish a lot of 20- and 30-somethings, “happy birthday.” I’m not going to lie, that feels good. The younger people are the pulse of the world. They drive everything. When I get the meme sent to me, it keeps me circulating. It keeps me relevant to the audience that would not otherwise know who I was.
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