Jeremy Bradley-  The world was first introduced to you on the first season of the CBS show Big Brother, which you were the winner. 

Eddie McGee- Yup.

JB-  So what made you apply?

EM-  I was going to school at the University of Texas at the time, I was a broadcasting major and it was actually, more or less, a dare from a couple of the guys I played wheelchair basketball with.  They wanted me to go out for (MTV's) The Real World.  And Real World auditions were in August and this was April or so of that year.  What happened was I had a friend of mine in the hospital with cancer and saw an advertisement and I thought, "Shit, let me give this Big Brother thing a try."  Whatever flaws I find in myself in the application process I'll go ahead and adjust my game a little bit more so I could better my chances to get accepted for The Real World in August.  And they were like, "Naw, you don't (have) the balls to do that."  And I thought, "OK, we'll see about that."  So I got a case of beer and bunch of pizzas and I called everybody I knew at school - everyone ranging from an 18-year-old snot-nosed kid to a 45-year-old career woman, mother of two.  And I brought them all around and we went through the 50 questions and I went around the room asking each person a different question so I look like the most diverse person in the world.  And then I handed in my application and they said, "Well you gotta have two minute video accompanying it."  So I was like, "Oh, OK" and I said, "Look, I'm a college kid and all my money goes to, like, gas and beer for the weekends.  I don't have a camera."  She said, "Give me a minute and I'll set one up here and we'll go ahead and record it for you."  And I thought "OK, great."  She said, "You've got two minutes from when this little red light comes on to tell us why you think you (should) be on Big Brother.  But you only have two minutes because after two minutes I have to turn it off."  So she goes, "Ready… three, two, one… Go."  The little red light comes on and I'm like, "Hey, how ya doing?  My name's Eddie, I'm from New York and lost my leg to cancer when I was 11.  I play basketball down here now.  If you want to know anything more about me, you come find me.  Now turn the camera off."  And she goes, "What?"  I go, "Turn the f***ing camera off."  She turns the camera off and I said, "Look, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to get like that."  She said, "No, no, no.  Great approach, great approach.  You used 12 seconds, that's great, that's great."  And that was it.  Next thing I know I got a couple of phone calls and I came down.

JB- So really it was 12 seconds that changed your life in a really positive way.

EM- Yeah, I guess so.  It changed my life.  It was cool. 

JB- Once on the show, did we see the "real" Eddie on Big Brother?

EM-  There were aspects of the "real" Eddie, but you've gotta understand is if you're a competitive person - some people are competitive and some people aren't - I always was and I think I will always be a competitive person.  But when you're put in a situation like that you can't bring out some of the nicer or the kinder stuff your mother put into you.  You gotta be a little nasty, you gotta be a little tough.  You know, down and dirty… ready to push someone's face in the mud if you have to.  Something your older brothers or your old man teaches you, you know what I'm saying?  And so those aspects, yeah, you saw the shitty parts of me when I was a kid but you can't bring in the nicer, sensitive, caring part of yourself when you're in a contest like that.

JB-  I think it was probably one of the most tame seasons of the show.  Have you been following the show since?

EM-  No, I haven't watched it.

JB-  There was almost like a family feel with the group of you.

EM-  Yeah.

JB-  And the show has completely changed since then.

EM-  I've heard.  I've got glimpses here and there.  Yeah, but everybody's six-foot two and buff and chicks got bleach blond hair and big fake titties and shit so it is crazy nowadays I've heard.  But I remember hearing from people that our show was the most tame. 

JB-  Did you enjoy that though?

EM-  Well I had better things to do with my summer, but yeah it was all right.  I mean, get locked up for 90 days and walk away with $500,000.  It's not a bad summer job. 

JB-  What did you miss the most (while you were in the house)?

EM- I love the beach.  I live here on Long Island and I absolutely love the beach and beaches are crucial for the summer here.  But I love film and I love music and not having that around sucked.  But the one thing that I really did learn that we take advantage of every day is the ability to pick up a phone and tell somebody that you love them - to your mom or your brother or your girlfriend.  Not having that luxury was something that I didn't anticipate on hitting as hard as it did.

JB-  Was there ever a time when you thought, "I can't do this"?

EM- Um… no.  No, there was a couple of times I got a little claustrophobic and I had to step outside to the porch.  But no, my mentality was if I didn't get thrown out the first round I was going to win the whole thing.  And when they didn't throw me out the first two rounds I was like, "Oops, sorry suckers".