Big Man In The Shack! An Interview with Big Rick of Flavor of Love
Flavor of Love revolves around Flavor Flav, but Flav wouldn’t be able to do his thing without Big Rick, the quiet guy always by his side. After some email chatter, Big Rick agreed to do an interview for Reality Shack. Here he is.
Reality Shack:You play many roles over at the Flavor of Love mansion: delivering FlavOGrams, escorting women to and from dates, announcing the arrival of Flav and his guests ring-announcer-style, assisting in handing out clocks…
What is your official job title on the show?
Big Rick: Flav`s “body guard / right hand man”!!!
RS: Have you worked with Flav in the past or is your job just for the show?
BR: Yes! I did 2 episodes with Flav and Brigitte Nielsen on “Strange Love” on location in Las Vegas, Nevada
RS:How did you and Flav meet each other?
BR: In 2004 at the Hardrock Hotel Casino in Las Vegas at the shoot for “Strange Love”.
RS:Everyone calls you Big Rick. You’re a big guy. Your first name is Rick. Is that all there is to that nickname or is there more of a story behind it?
BR: I moved from L.A. to L.V. in 1989 at the advice of a great friend Eddie McLeod. He introduced me to great UNLV alumni associate buddy named Lonnie G. Wright. At an alumni basketball camp for kids Lonnie introduced me as “Big Rick” and the nick name stuck.
RS:During both seasons of the show, did you ever find yourself saying, I can't believe this is my job, or something along those lines?
BR: During the first season one day on set at the mansion I told a camera man that “ I love my job and someone has to do it and it might as well be me”.
RS:What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen happen on the show, either on screen or behind the scenes?
BR: When Pumpkin spit at New York!
RS:What’s your take on the whole Something shitting on the floor incident?
BR: I felt bad for her!
RS:Are Flav and the contestants the same on screen as well as off screen?
BR: Yes!
RS:Have you ever gotten to wear Flav’s Viking horns?
BR: No, because it never leaves his head (smile).
RS:Have any of the contestants ever tried to hook up with you instead of Flav?
BR: No, but they tried to get me to put a good word into Flav`s ear during the pilot and the season 1 shoot.
RS:During the first season reunion show and then during this season’s first episode, you were breaking up fights and carrying girls out of the house.
Have you ever worked as a bouncer? And were you expecting to have to use those skills on a dating show?
BR: Yes, I have lots of experience breaking up fights from when I was working in detention centers in Broward County/Ford Lauderdale & Pompano Beach Florida.
RS:Who is the most memorable contestant for you from either of the seasons?
BR: New York all day long.
RS:Which girl from each season was the realest? The fakest?
BR: New York was the realest.
Second question is a NO COMMENT!
RS:I asked Buckwild what she thinks of you. She said, "The best! Big Rick is pure genius! Love him. Did you see him rockin that party Vince McMahon
style announcin’ them rappers! Kind, Cool and Collected. That’s Big Rick!"
She also made you chuckle during some of the elimination ceremonies this season. What do you think of her?
BR: She is very comical. I hope that she continues to pursue a career in comedy. I liked her a lot.
RS:Do you keep in touch with anyone from the show?
BR: Yes, Flav and his hair stylist Antisa.
RS:When not holding down the fort at the Mansion of Love, what do you do?
BR: I live in sunny Las Vegas where I’m happily married.
RS:Did you ever think you’d be on a reality show or on the highest rated show on VH1?
BR: Yes, as a kid I had a dream that I would be the “right-hand” man of a famous talk show host. Something like Johnny Carson witb Ed McMahon. I love to laugh and would like to get paid doing it.
RS:Do people recognize you out in public?
BR: Here in Las Vegas people are on the look-out for characters from television and movies. So the answer is yes, people do recognize me.
RS:Has the show helped your career or social life in any way?
BR: On 9-9-06 I took 2 clients to Wynn Resort here in Las Vegas and there was a super long line to get into the club Tryst. I asked for the VIP host and introduced myself as “Big Rick” from the “Flavor of Love” reality show and we were admitted into the club for free and did not have to wait.
RS:How about some background info? Where did you grow up? Where do you live now? Anything else you think fans would be interested in?
BR: Born in Gainsville, Florida, home of the Gators @ the University of Florida. But I grew up in Broward County (Pompano Beach & Ford Lauderdale, Fla.) I played college basketball at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Fla. & also Western Carolina University in N.C. I lived in Europe and South America as a pro basket ball player for 8 years.
RS:Do you have a motto or saying that you live by?
BR: It’s all good!
RS:Where will we see Big Rick next?
BR: Hopefully you will see me doing something with my man Flav in the future. I would love to do a Springer type of show with Flav, or a limo confessions where people would be walking the street and Flav would pick them up in the limo and listen to their fantasies etc etc etc etc.
And now for some random questions:
RS:What CDs are you currently listening to?
BR: Donnie McClurklin, Seal, David Sanborn
RS:Aside from Flavor of Love, do you have a favorite reality show? Or a favorite TV show in general?
BR: Jerry Springer. Texas Justice. Old comedy shows like Sandford and Son, In Living Color, Three’s Company –anything along that line.
RS:If you had your own reality tv show, what would its title be and what would it be about?
BR: The Big Rick Show! I am a great listener. I can see myself answering people’s questions about themselves and making them laugh and hopefully can make them forget about any serious issues in their lives for a while.
RS:If Elvis were alive today and in your living room, what would you say to him?
BR: Yo Elvis! Can a brother hook you up a peanut butter and banana sandwich with some milk?
RS:What’s your favorite word?
BR: 2 words, YES SIRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RS:Do you have any hidden talents, party tricks, or special skills?
BR: I have a great sense of humor and a dynamite personality.
RS:What makes you smile?
BR: Good hearted and good natured people.
RS:Do you have a website or a way fans can contact you?
BR: www.headlimo.com or myspace.com/Big Rick.
RS:Do you now have a new-found love of clocks?
BR: Not really!
RS:Anything else you want to say? Say it now!
BR: I own a limousine company in Las Vegas. You can reach me at www.headlimo.com. I will treat you like a celebrity. If you would like to see more of Big Rick contact VH1 or 51 Minds Entertainment/51 Pictures and express yourselves.
RS:Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. We look forward to the rest of Flavor of Love Season 2 and to more of you on screen.
BR: Thanks for watching the Flavor of Love 2 Show. I will see you soon on television in your home.
Big Rick out! God Bless All…….
You can catch Big Rick on Flavor of Love 2 on Sundays at noon and 10 PM. Then on reruns throughout the week.
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