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Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
VH1 Interview: Tully (My Antonio)
Tully started her run on My Antonio as the villain, but she ended up endearing herself to viewers (if the majority of comments on this blog can be believed) as the girl who was really, truly there for Antonio. It helps that they have a history that stretches back to the early ’90s, when they were married. Just a minor tidbit, that. Below, Tully talks about rekindling things with her ex in front of cameras, her feelings on Yvonne and her competitors, and whether her heart will go on after parting ways with Antonio yet again.
How have you been emotionally since shooting the show?
After coming home, going through a three-month recuperation for my injury took my mind off things a little bit. But then watching the show brought up every single emotion that I had during the experience. The final show was like ripping a scab off the wound.
What did you think of Antonio’s reasoning for letting you go: you make him feel like a kid, but he’s no longer a kid?
I don’t think of him as a kid. I felt like he was running again. I felt like he was running away from his emotions.
What do you think about his final two of Brooke and Miranda?
I love Miranda. I like Brooke. But no. Neither one of them is right for Antonio. His lifestyle is different from what they think. They look at him like fans, or they wonder what he can to for them, in one girl’s case. Antonio isn’t a partier. His kids come first. He needs someone who will completely accept the fact that he’s got an entire family that’s involved in his life. He’s not going to be out dancing or clubbing or drinking. He’s very quiet, and if they don’t like home life and just want the glitz and glamor, they’re going to be disappointed.
Tell me about your history with Antonio.
Antonio chased me from the time he was 17. I didn’t give in until he was 20, when he took me to a beach and said, “I’m serious. I want to marry you. It’s all I ever wanted. You’ve known that. I can’t do [General Hospital] without you. I need to know I have love and support at home.” We were in Vegas the next day, and that’s where we got married. He had lied and told me he was 21. I saw him filling out “20″ on the form, and called him out on it. He said, “I knew you wouldn’t date me if you knew I was younger.” And he was right.
And you were married to him for how long?
Two years, two months, too long. We got married in May of ‘92, and we were divorced in July ‘94.
So about 15 years pass, and you’re holding a candle for him the entire time?
I went on with my life. I was dating someone and I had a child during that time. But then I heard that Antonio was single again, and looking for love, and I thought, “Why not me?”
Were you apprehensive to give it another go in front of cameras?
I’m so used to cameras on me, they were easy to tune out. At the beginning it was more difficult, but as we moved deeper into it, I would forget that cameras were around.
But just the entire situation of having show challenges and restrictions and a house full of women you were living with must have made this very different from the first time you were romantically involved with Antonio.
It was completely different. To be around these women who were brutal to me and so wrong for Antonio, and watching him have to sort through them and taking a backseat to that and trust him, that was all difficult. But I had to prove to him that I was willing to take that role.
Now that you’ve attempted to find love with Antonio both in private and in front of cameras, do you think finding love on reality TV is possible?
It’s more difficult because of the cameras, but if two people come in there with honest intentions in their hearts, I would say that it is a possibility. If the motives are pure.
You talk about the girls being brutal, but you had some choice words for them as well.
If I ever said anything about someone, it was only because I was brutally attacked over and over and over again in the house. There’s a point where your back is so up against the wall that you feel like you have to defend yourself as a person, and not just be a punching bag. So every once in a while I would vocalize the truth.
What did you think of Christi’s betrayal?
I was clueless about that till I watched the show. She’d been brutal to me and she came up to me one day and said she wanted to be friends and we should talk. I’m so frickin’ naïve, that I was like, “OK! Yeah!” I think women, as a whole, should have each other’s backs completely. I took her at face value, and was shocked when I saw her intentions weren’t pure. And then I had this devastating injury where I had internal bleeding, and went into hypovolemic shock because I jumped off my horse to help her. And then to watch her come back and say, “Me me me me me,” had me floored. There was no general sympathy from her at all.
Yvonne had even less sympathy. She didn’t even think that you were injured.
It was almost funny that she was insisting I wasn’t even hurt. I was amazed that she could be so brutal.
Why does she resent you so much? I know you asked her that question, but do you have any theories?
Antonio loves me, and in her head, that’s always a concern. With other women, she can control him, but with me she can’t. He has this underlying, deep love for me, and I think her fear is that she’d lose control of her son if we were to fall in love and get back together again.
Do you hate her?
I don’t. I feel sorry for her, and I feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for her that she doesn’t have someone who she feels puts her first and she has to take all that from Antonio. And I feel sorry for him that he has a mother who won’t let go and puts so much pressure on him.
Do you at least appreciate her as a character on this show when you watch it?
When I can understand her. But I think a lot of women are appalled that a 37-year-old man lets his mother have so much say in his life. I understand that as a mom, my son will always be my baby boy, but there comes a time that you have to trust that you’ve given them skills that will allow them to fend for themselves and make decisions on their own. Your job as a parent is to love them and back them. It’s not to micromanage.
Your behavior was deemed “desperate” by your fellow contestants. What do you think of that?
I think that was Brooke’s word over and over again. I thought it was interesting that “desperate” was the word they came up with and not “loving” or “100 percent here for him” or “vulnerable.” To love a man and to open up completely show him that you love him, that’s desperate? I would not want a relationship where I couldn’t be open 100 percent.
You did take some extreme measures, though, like when you interrupted his date with Christi via Jet Ski.
All I can say about that is that I thought he was going to send me home, and I just wanted him to give me a chance.
What about the wedding dress?
Well, like you said in your blog, wasn’t everyone else in a wedding dress a few days ago? Why is it such a shock when Tully turns up in one? Antonio even said that he was sorry that he didn’t get to see me in a wedding dress.
Any thoughts on Antonio’s foot fetish?
Antonio loves my feet. He used to love cracking my toes, but he also liked sucking on them. A lot of people jumped on me, saying I was disgusting for sucking on his fingers, but we always used to do that kind of stuff. We used to suck on each other’s fingers, hands, ears, feet…you name it. I don’t need to go any further. Plus, by doing that, I was kind of egging the girls on. If I love somebody, yeah, I’m sucking on their fingers.
As you were sailing off on the Ciao Bella, you were sending Antonio one last hula message, right?
Yes. It was, “Here’s my heart, I leave it with you.”
So where are you with that? Is your heart with him?
I think a piece of my heart is always going to be with Antonio, but Max, my son, takes up the rest of it. I just put on my Facebook: “Life has a way of keeping going, even when you feel like your heart has stopped beating.” Really, I feel like I’m in a good space right now. My life is very full with my son. I cut a little bit of the umbilical cord everyday so that I won’t ever be like Yvonne.
vh1.com
Tough Love 2 returns November 15th
Master Matchmakers‘ Steve Ward is set to whip into shape a new batch of lovelorn women into shape when the second season of VH1 Tough Love hits the airwaves Sunday, Nov. 15 at 9/8c. We’ll unveil the cast next week, but for now, check the press release for more info about the new season and Crash Course in Love, a book Steve wrote with his mom, JoAnn.
Last season, break out hit VH1 Tough Love averaged 1.9 million total viewers per episode. Throughout the course of the season, professional matchmakers Steve Ward and his mother JoAnn Ward transformed the lives of eight women. Viewers tuned in regularly to witness the struggles each woman went through to find a healthy, loving relationship. This fall, VH1 along with High Noon Entertainment and Flower Films, are bringing back VH1 Tough Love for a second season. The latest installment will focus on a new group of unlucky-in-love women who are willing to do whatever it takes to find Mr. Right. Along the way, Steve will share his unique male perspective in attempt to reform each of their “destructive” dating habits. Catch the second season of VH1 Tough Love premiering on Sunday, November 15 at 9:00 PM.
Over the course of 10, hour-long episodes, Steve will put a new set of single women through his “tough love boot camp.” These ladies are attractive, successful and intelligent, but they just can’t seem to figure out why they are still single. What they don’t realize is they all make very typical dating mistakes that Steve will quickly help to correct. Throughout the season, Steve will also share his bold and insightful rules to help these ladies find their perfect match. In fact, Steve guarantees that if the ladies follow his rules, at the end of “tough love boot camp” they will each be prepared for a loving and lasting relationship.
“We are thrilled with the latest installment of VH1 Tough Love” said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President, Original Programming and Production, VH1. “The series, and Steve Ward’s very unique take on dating advice, continues to speak directly to our audience in a heartfelt, straightforward and entertaining voice. The fact that over 20,000 women applied for the 8 spots on this season clearly demonstrates that Steve and JoAnn’s brand of ‘tough love’ is truly resonating with our viewers.”
This season, Steve along with help from his mom JoAnn, will tackle an array of issues using a variety of new methods. From ex-boyfriends and intimacy to communication and dressing to impress, the women will be forced to address topics outside their comfort zone. At the end of the lesson, the ladies will be sent on dates with eligible men hand-picked by Steve. Over the course of 10 weeks, viewers will see these women put to the test and hopefully come out the other side transformed. Some of the women will graduate with new found relationships while others will struggle to break their bad dating habits. Although they may not like Steve’s rules, they’ve got to listen to his “tough love” if they want to find true love. The second season of VH1 Tough Love premieres on Sunday, November 15 at 9:00 PM*.
Beginning Friday, November 13 fans can catch a sneak peek of the season’s first episode on VH1.com - two days before the on-air premiere. Subsequent episodes will be available on VH1.com the morning after they air. Additional video content from VH1 Tough Love including extras from each episode will be available on VH1.com and on VH1 Mobile throughout the season.
On November 3, VH1 Tough Love fans can pick up a copy of Steve and JoAnn Ward’s new book titled, Crash Course in Love. The book is a refreshingly honest and handy resource for all women, whether they are looking for love and companionship or hoping to hold onto it. Steve and JoAnn’s dating principles are organized into different stages in the relationship life cycle, from first impressions to maintaining and developing a deeper connection. Readers will learn how to flirt with a purpose, how to set up a date, when to get intimate, the best way to bounce back from rejection, and much more. Each rule will be followed by a clear and concise passage illuminating the truth of each rule, with anecdotes and other helpful information. Crash Course in Love is published by Pocket Books.
Season 2 premieres November 15th.
vh1.com
-JT
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