It’s not often in life you get to meet people in person that just make your life better. Luckily, social media has made it way easier. I was able to interview the wonderful Marie Roda. This week wasn’t Marie’s best showing from a competitive perspective. In Redemption, she was too disgusted by the water rat, the cow eye, and slimy pig snout to even give the challenge a solid try. The positives are, she didn’t have to jump in nasty mud, and she isn’t a racist (unlike someone else still in the game).

In all seriousness, Marie was a complete joy to talk to. The difference between Marie and many of the other competitors is that she’s very genuine and real. She provides a level of honesty to the game that’s refreshing. Marie understands she’s playing a game, and to win you have to do certain things. She also understands that she has a life to go back to when it’s done, so it’s important to not take this all too seriously. Many cast members have let this show go to their head and drain their lives. Marie is harassed all the time, with people questioning “who she is?” Her response is to google her! She takes in the positive and generally replies to a ton of her fans. In my books, the care she reciprocates to fans makes her an incredible person.

Q: First, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to answer these. You’ve done two shows in a year, how does it feel to be thrown back into this crazy universe? How are you doing with life/work?

Marie: I have a love/hate relationship with the show, but I love it way more than I hate it. Sad it took me so long to come back. Life/work is good. By leveraging my reality life, I’ve put myself in a position to benefit professionally.

Q: I did an interview with Laura a couple of months ago. She was very candid about how much the St. Thomas location sucked for you guys and made the season boring. What city would you have preferred? Do you think it would’ve been a better season with that location?

Marie: I always joked keeping me out of the states was for the best (and places like Vegas particularly). Would it have been a better season in a new location? Perhaps, if you dropped half the cast, haha. I felt like many of my roommates put on for the camera, and I think any normal person can recognize that when watching. It’s corny.

Q: If you were 22 years old today, and were offered Real World or Are You The One, which show would you choose? Be in a house filled with Cory/Tony’s or Anthony B/Hunter’s?

Marie: Are You The One for sure. More money, more men, more booze…. and much less physical activity. Whenever they want to cast a season of 25+ year olds — HOLLER AT YA GIRL MTV!

Q: Do you think you should start throwing yourself in against weaker competitors in order to bump up your rep? I know that you’re a solid physical competitor, but you’re facing the girls who aren’t only strong, but train like pro-athletes. Going against Kailah and Tori in your last two eliminations is just bad luck.

Marie: You can’t always be in control of who you go against, you can only control what you do to put yourself in that situation. Everything in life is a learning curve. I try to live by the saying, “a wise man once said nothing,” but clearly I don’t keep to it that well. Kailah and Tori are GREAT players and it will only be a matter of time before they “prove it”.Rather lose to them than someone else. Pisses me off when people say I’m a shit challenger though. My size alone should make them realize otherwise. Haters gonna hate though. Cant imagine they’d fare much better since they haven’t left their computer chairs in weeks.

Q: You’re asked about the girls drama all the time, but what are your thoughts on the younger guys, the ones you did Invasion with? Cory-Hunter-Nelson-Jordan-Dario?

Marie: Love all of those boys. Great, genuine guys. There’s a ton of people MTV can choose from for this show but they know what they’re doing. 30 seasons + says so. Trust the process.

Q: You’re somewhat famous for your consumption of alcoholic beverages. What are your top 3 drinks? Also, where did get your tolerance from? Besides practice.

Marie: I don’t love that people think I’m an alcoholic. I’m just a good time (even though my edit seemed so shady). Sorry I’m too busy having fun to care about the stupidity around me. BUT that being said, my go to is: vodka soda, Johnny on the rocks, or a blue moon if I’m feeling low key. I don’t discriminate though!

Q: What is your favorite thing about these shows, and what is your least favorite thing? Would you do another? If so, is there a theme you’d love to do?

Marie: Traveling and the people. For better or worse, it’s an experience we all get the fortune/misfortune to share. Would I do another? If the timing is right. If I could choose a theme, I’d say exes. Both of mine are in great shape and I get along with them extremely well.

Q: What’s your biggest regret from any of the shows you’ve been on? What are you most proud of?

Marie: Biggest regret — not pulling it together and talking my way out of elimination in my first challenge on BOTS. Most proud: My rookie appearance on BOTS — say what you want but I’m likable as fuck! Haha.

Q: Battle of the Seasons is probably my favorite season of the Challenge and fans have came around to it about five years later. I started the show a couple of years ago on a binge, and that was the first season I really felt engaged. However, the season was nuts! Why were you all fighting so much? Also, if you could, out of this group, who were the gold, silver, and bronze medalists of crazy: You, Frank, Knight, Dustin, Trishelle, Jemmye, Nany, Camila, Jasmine.

Marie: Rookies and alcohol. It was a war of the newbies. We had such a great time though. I totally agree it’s underrated LOL — you wouldn’t have had some of the most epic challenges today if not for it. Crazy is a hard crown to coin. What is crazy? To me if those names are all crazy then crazy makes challenge faves. Normal people don’t do challenges, they just dream about it. Haha.

Q: Before this ends, I wanted to thank you again for taking the time to do this. Do you have any bigger message for your fans or your haters?

Marie: Yes. To my fans — thank you!. You make this whole experience 10x more enjoyable. To my haters — thank you! You make this whole expeRience 20x more enjoyable. I am smart, I am strong, and I represent the 99% of Americans who love carbs and light hearted competition. While It’ll be hard to beat the 1% in a foot race to the bank, doesn’t mean we can’t get there. #realrecognizereal