Zakiyah Everette Says She Is Still Team Paulie For ‘Big Brother’ Win

Zakiyah Everette is not holding a grudge against her Big Brother showmance, Paulie Calafiore. While Calafiore went back on his word to pull her off of the block after he won the Power of Veto competition — ultimately setting the stage for her to be sent home — Everette says it’s all part of the game. In addition, Zakiyah says she used Paulie just as much as he used her in the Big Brother house.

Everette told Entertainment Weekly that Big Brother host Julie Chen got it wrong when she said she spent too much time pursuing Calafiore and not enough time playing the game.

“No, Julie was not right,” Zakiyah told EW. “I don’t know how it looked, but I feel like I used him to my advantage and it has gotten me this far. It just so happens that I am linked to him, so I am guilty by association and I am out of the house.”

Zakiyah says she used Paulie on #BigBrother: https://t.co/wa8rBJSR67 #BB18 pic.twitter.com/svuENit7Oi

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) August 12, 2016

Zakiyah revealed that while her eviction appeared to be a blindside, the only one who was surprised by it was Paulie. Still, she said she warned her showmance that she’d be out the door. Everette also said that she stayed under the radar early on because she “didn’t want to be the drama-filled chick” on the show.

Despite the fact that his actions led to her eviction, Everette said her money is still on her former flame to win the Big Brother game.

“My money is on Paulie,” Zakiyah said. “I think he has the potential to win it. If he keeps beating out the competitions like he has been, then he has a good shot.”

Of course, Zakiyah Everette will have a say in who wins the $500,000 Big Brother grand prize, as she’s now in the jury house and will get to cast a vote on finale night. Everette told The Hollywood Reporter that when it comes to the in-house drama that led to her demise, she still stands by her man.

“I feel like certain things Natalie [Negrotti] was saying had some truth to it, but I am team Paulie all the way,” Everette declared. “When Natalie wanted to tell me info the night before, seems like there are some ulterior motives there. Clearly it worked, but I don’t trust anything she says.”

Everette went on to say that if her showmance partner doesn’t win the Big Brother grand prize, then she hopes it goes to Corey Brooks.

“I think maybe Paulie and Corey,” Zakiyah said of who she hopes to see in the final two. “That would be great. Two people that I can say I respected in the game and I like both of them.”

Zakiyah Everette rattled off a list of reasons why several other Big Brother houseguests will never get her vote if they make it to the end.

“Victor because he put me up, Natalie because she had everything to do with me leaving this week, Michelle because she is shady for avoiding me before I left, Bridgette because she is the mastermind, Paul because he put the bug in Victor’s ear to put me up and James because he let his girl run the show and ultimately get me out of the house. I hope to see them all very soon in Jury.”

As for the backstory on what led to Zakiyah Everette’s eviction, Julie Chen told EW that there was a ton of drama just before Thursday night’s live double eviction episode.

“James [Huling] told Paulie the plan had changed and he was using his power to cancel votes to keep Michelle and bounce Zakiyah. James was trying to be honest and didn’t want to blindside him. Paulie was NOT happy, to say the least. But then it was a whole back and forth and Paulie was trying to strong arm James and/or guilt him into going back to the original plan and bounce Michelle. James was nearly convinced and we were all unsure how he was going to vote.”

In the end, Zakiyah Everette went, and now some fans are surprised she is still standing by Calafiore.

Take a look at the video below to see Zakiyah Everette getting an earful from Paulie before her Big Brother eviction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usgKclbtmGA

[Image: CBS Zakiyah Everette Instagram]