Pop-Culturalist.com

The Traitors is a nail-biting psychological adventure in which treachery and deceit are the name of the game. Entertainment’s most competitive reality stars and famous faces play the ultimate murder mystery game. Hosted by award-winning actor Alan Cumming at an ancient castle set deep in the Scottish Highlands, contestants work together on a series of exhilarating missions to build a prize fund worth up to $250,000.

Hidden amongst the Faithful are the Traitors, whose goal is to eliminate the Faithful and claim the prize for themselves. Under the cover of darkness, the Traitors murder the Faithful one by one in a treacherous spree, while the Faithful try to uncover the Traitors and banish them from the game. If the Faithful contestants banish all the Traitors, they will share the prize fund, but if a Traitor or Traitors makes it to the end, they will steal all the money.

Among the competitors this season are Phaedra Parks (Married to Medicine), Carsten “Bergie” Bergersen (Love Island USA), and Chris ‘CT’ Tamburello (The Challenge).

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Phaedra, Bergie, and CT about The Traitors 2, their expectations coming into the competition, and more.

PC: Phaedra, having built this illustrious career as an attorney, as you entered this competition, did you have a preference on whether you wanted to be a Faithful or a Traitor? How were you planning to adapt your expertise given how the cards felt?
Phaedra: This is my parents’ most favorite show. My mom has watched every season and every country. However, I was late to the ball game because I was filming Married to Medicine, so I found out literally four days before I had to leave. I didn’t really have a lot of time to think about it. I almost declined it. But my mom said, “What? What show did she say?” I was like, “Some show called The Traitors.” She was like, “You’re doing it. Cut your nails. Get yourself together because you’re going.” She showed up the next day and was like, “I’m here to help you with your kids, and you’re going.” She’s like, “Phaedra, you can do this.” I was like, “Uh.” This has been one thing that my mom has been super excited about. Most of the television that I do is not so mom-friendly.

Being a lawyer definitely gives you a certain skill set to analyze things. But at the same time, as you know from watching the shows that I’ve done, I’m a Christian. I go into things with a different perspective. I’m always thinking, “If I’m in this place at this moment, I’m here for a purpose. That purpose will be fulfilled.” I came in with short nails. My short nails are still longer than most people, and I was like, “I’m going to do it.” I didn’t know I was going to be running and jumping because they told me it was going to be glamorous and it was in a castle. [laughs] I came in thinking I was going to be glamming out walking down in this castle to have lunch and breakfast. Then they threw me in a lake. [laughs]

CT: Bergie, do you want to say something about those nails? Because she came in with can openers. [laughs]

Bergie: She came in hot, and she killed those challenges through.

Phaedra: Thanks to y’all.

PC: Bergie, audiences are going to fall in love with you on this series. You really come into your own. What was the most surprising part about this experience for you? What did you learn about yourself being a part of this show?
Bergie: Great question. It wasn’t about proving to others more so than proving to myself that I could figure out who the Traitors were. I wanted to see if I could figure out who was lying to me and who wasn’t lying to me. Maybe I did really well. Maybe I did really bad. We’ll probably see that in future episodes. But I was like, “We can do it. We can figure it out. Let’s talk to people and see if I can pull it together.”

PC: CT, having built this legacy as one of the strongest competitors and one of the best to ever play The Challenge, what were some of the strengths that you developed having competed on that series that you were able to bring to this show? Having built such a reputation like that, did you want to lean into that or stray away from it?
CT: I appreciate that question. There was no secret that I was coming into this show starting a new chapter in my life. I can’t thank God enough about how much of a blessing it was to come into this new transition with this show where it’s The Challenge meets Clue meets Among Us meets murder-mystery, meets speed dating. To be able to have the people that I’ve met like Phaedra and Bergie, I don’t know. I felt like we were vibing hard. I was happy to be there. But coming onto this show, there are a lot of strong personalities whether it’s from game shows or not. I developed a new appreciation for this again. I didn’t think my fifteen minutes were going to last twenty years, so to speak. To be able to come on this show and build the relationships that I have, I’m very thankful for this experience. Regardless of what happens, this show will always have a special place in my heart.

PC: This is a question for the group. This is such a star-studded cast. Who is someone in your respective franchises that would do well on The Traitors 3?
Bergie: I would love to see my girlfriend on it. I would love to see that.

CT: Phaedra, talk to your boy.

Phaedra: Brandi Glanville was on the first season, but I would love to see her come back. She’s one of my best friends. I love her to death. But my other best friend, Dorinda Medley, would be a royal treat.

CT: I’d like to see Cara [Maria Sorbello] on it. I’d like to see [Wes] Bergmann, the Bergie 1.0. Something that I appreciated about this show is I felt like I was in my demographic. I’m 43. The Challenge is a young person’s game. To be able to come in here where I became more of a mental, mind manipulation, I would love to see Bergie 1.0 and 2.0 working together. Because Bergie got a crash course from Phaedra and myself, even though he did listen to Phaedra more. I wish he had listened to me more.

Bergie: I’d like to see Bananas get a second shot too.

CT: With Bananas, he would have brought it to another level. It’s a shame that he got persecuted for his past.

Make sure to follow Phaedra (Twitter/Instagram), Bergie (Instagram), and CT (Instagram). Stream The Traitors 2 on Peacock today.

Photo Credit: Peacock