Tiffany “New York” Pollard knows a thing or two about how to make iconic reality television. The instant she strutted into the Flavor of Love mansion in 2006, she cemented her place as the undisputed queen of the genre, and she’s got countless mega-popular memes to prove it. She’s also earned the less positive-sounding label of a villain, which she has no problem with.
“The title of villain doesn’t intimidate me. I wear it with pride,” Pollard tells Elite Daily. “A villain is just living life on all cylinders — having fun, being outspoken, standing in truth. If that is what a villain is, by all means, call me a villain.”
After becoming the face of the golden age of VH1’s reality franchises, Pollard never slowed down. In 2016, her stint on Celebrity Big Brother provided an unforgettable moment of reality perfection when she mistakenly assumed a houseguest had died. (It’s so viral that internet denizens simply refer to the scene as “David’s Dead” in shorthand.)
In recent years, the 42-year-old from Utica, New York, has turned to hosting, starting her own talk show Brunch with Tiffany in 2020 and taking the reins of the queer adult entertainer competition Hot Haus in 2022. But she’s still not afraid to compete, as she’s proving on Season 2 of House of Villains. Having had a tough time in the competition series’ first season, Pollard returned with a new strategy: playing nice… but just at first.
I have such a tedious job of making myself friendly.
“When you’re the HBIC and you walk into a house like that, the notion is already formed. ‘Oh, she’s just drama. Don’t trust New York,’” Pollard says. “Then I have such a tedious job of making myself friendly, because there’s this huge target on my back. I have to really push to get people to see the human side of me. That is a job within itself.”
But that friendly facade can only last for so long. After a couple of episodes, Pollard finally got to do what she does best: unleash chaos. Because if there’s anyone who knows how to play the villain, it’s the one and only New York. Below, Pollard dishes on her 20-year journey in reality TV.
Elite Daily: What makes a great villain in your opinion?
Tiffany Pollard: Someone who already has a strong set of core values when they enter the realm of reality television. They know who they are, what they’re about, and what they will and won’t do. I’m a fan of people like that, who are going to be on the front lines of the battle every time. That’s a great villain. Once you start bending toward the audience, then you’re losing me.
ED: Who is your favorite villain of all time?
TP: I love Gordon Ramsay. He’s handing these chefs their *ss and they still have to prepare a good dish. And you know what? I clashed with her in Season 1, but my girl Omarosa. I’m happy to give it to her because she really stands in her villainy, and she believes in what she believes in. NeNe Leakes is another good villain — I could see her doing House of Villains. Those strong characters are always going to win.
ED: Have you been asked to be on The Traitors?
TP: My UK management has been hitting me up for everything but that. I’m like, “Ignore until it’s that.” I would be there in a heartbeat. I can totally see myself on that show.
ED: Is there another reality show you want to be on?
TP: The Masked Singer. I know that’s left field for me, but I would love to be under that mask singing. I love the drama, but I like those lighthearted shows as well. Dancing with the Stars would be cool, too, even though I have two left feet. I’ll probably go home first, but I’d give it a shot.
ED: Do you have a favorite New York meme?
TP: The one that’s circulating right now is the “30 minutes” thing. That seems like yesterday to me. Those Flavor of Love girls were taking their time getting ready; I was like, “Do you realize that you’re supposed to be ready in 30 minutes for this challenge?” It took me by surprise people are gravitating toward that one, but I’d say it’s my favorite right now.
ED: Do you ever use memes of yourself when you text?
TP: I’m not that vain! I use other people’s memes and people send me memes of myself all the time, but I can’t send them of myself.
ED: Which of your legendary speeches do you feel is more iconic: the Gemma Collins diary room one on Celebrity Big Brother, or when you cussed out Omarosa on House of Villains?
TP: For the Gemma Collins one, that was me in a house without all my glam. Celebrity Big Brother was so hard, but in a good way. But when I was telling Omarosa off, I was standing there in sequins, flipping my weave, looking all gorgeous. So in the looks department, I’m going to go with me reading Omarosa. But I can’t deny the Gemma Collins moment is probably the iconic one. That was a good, long read.
ED: Have you spoken to Omarosa since that moment?
TP: Absolutely. We respect each other. It’s like two lionesses; you’re going to throw those heavy blows around when you have to, but after the dust clears, you’re going to shake on it.
ED: The way you insult people is so uniquely verbose and eloquent. Do those phrases come to you in the moment?
TP: Honestly, when I get uncomfortable, I open my mouth and let it all out. I don’t really sit there and put together phrases. It depends on the situation, but for the most part, that only happens in the moment. If I feel uncomfortable, I’m at my best.
I am a drag queen in my heart.
ED: My favorite New York moment was when Bootz called you a drag queen at the Flavor of Love reunion, and instead of taking it as an insult, you celebrated it. Have you always felt connected to drag culture?
TP: I honestly feel like I am a drag queen in my heart. Who celebrates womanhood better than a drag queen? I love to celebrate being feminine, having fun, and not taking fashion too seriously. I was born that way. And that is drag culture. We’re going to throw it on and get that look together, honey. We’re going to turn heads wherever we go.
ED: Do you still talk to anyone from the Flavor of Love or I Love New York days?
TP: Sometimes, in passing. Tailor Made texted me a little while ago, and I’ll hear from Heat. There’s this little community still there, but it’s not tight-knit. It’s definitely spread out, but we have our moments.
ED: How do you feel reality TV has changed in your nearly two decades of experience?
TP: The genre has changed for the easy. Back in the day, you had to get in there and paint your picture, but today, producers will remind you of things that happened and tell you what to convey to the audience, because it’s easy to forget. It has more structure now, whereas, in the beginning, you had to make everything happen on your own.
Be in everything you can get in, act a little thirsty, and make friends with the producers.
ED: Do you see a negative side to those changes as well?
TP: Absolutely. Back in the day, you could just go at it and say whatever you wanted, but now you have to be more careful. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes I like to let my brain flow and go for it.
I’m an old-school reality person, so that restraint is kind of hard.
ED: What advice would you give to someone who wants to make an impact on reality TV like you have?
TP: If you’re about to embark on a reality endeavor and you want to be the one to stand out, be yourself. Know that you’re enough. And make yourself available. Be in everything you can get in, act a little thirsty, and make friends with the producers. Save all the drama for your castmates.
But don’t overwork it, because when we see that, we don’t like that.
