I chatted with reality star Ben Frisone about his upbringing and his rise to stardom
Shabooyahee, Ben!
Shabooyahooo, Nick!
Talk about your background, where you grew up, etc
From Baltimore County..a little bit of Harford County. Went to High School at Calvert Hall. I’ve been working for the Baltimore County Government for seven or eight years.
What are some of your favorite hobbies?
Growing up it was soccer. My dad and I were consumed with it. Indoor leagues, outdoor leagues, even Futsal. Everything. In High School, I played some rugby. Was always hunting and fishing with my Nonno and the family.
How did “The Joe Schmo Show” come about?
I was living my life, working. Of course I was on the apps because I was single. I matched with someone who turned out to be a recruiter for a reality show. They quickly said that I seemed to fit the profile of what they were looking for.
What did you tell your family at first?
::laughs:: That’s what I told them. They told me it was a scam and not give out my Social Security number. I told them I vetted the situation. Interviews ensued, zoom meetings, and tests. That’s how I became The Schmo!
::laughs:: Not The Schmo!!!
Were they shocked when cameras came to the house to interview them eventually?
There was a cameraman, a sound guy, a lighting girl and a producer. A whole setup. That’s when they knew it was something serious. They were shocked.
How did your Nonna and Nonno react? I can only imagine.
I told some friends and some family, like my Aunt Val, that I was just taking a long vacation. My parents and I really kept it on the downlow, so Nonna and Nonno didn’t find out until a while after.
Favorite Movie?
“The Matrix”
Love it..mind-bending!
Favorite TV Show?
“Naruto”
Favorite Song?
“Ten Dollar Cowboy” by Charley Crockett
The show is hosted by Cat Deeley. I’ve had a huge crush on her since “So You Think You Can Dance.” What was it like working with her?
She’s very nice, funny, very tall. Elegant, classy lady. She’s the first British person I’ve ever met. A great first impression.
You lucky bastard.
Watching the episodes back, does anything pop out to you now, that didn’t why you were filming?
On Episode 5, the Yeoman were doing something in the background when Ryan and I were having a conversation. I never noticed that goofiness before. I think they were looking for a token.
You won your first competition in a recent episode. What did that feel like?
I was on Cloud 9! I dealt a blow to the rivals; the siblings. I took away their voting block advantage. I felt like I contributed to my alliance with Maya finally.
And that POSE when you swung that hammer! I was on the FLOOR, man.
::both laugh:: I’ve been thinking about my pose for DAYS.
You were like “YEAH!! NOW WHAT?!”
::Ben laughs:: I came into the show thinking I would do better at the challenges. So FINALLY I had the opportunity to smash one of the vases. There was so much buildup, so I had to have a wild pose. I wanted to look like a legend.
And it WAS legendary.
You had a watch party for the first episode with family and friends. What was it like watching it with everyone?
It was really cool to watch the wide range of support. Very heartwarming and fun. It was such an awesome night.
I have to ask about Elijah. He took to you immediately.
He did! I’ve always loved animals. I knew before we met that we were going to be fast friends. The stars aligned..it was fate.
When they showed that preview of you and Elijah after the first episode, I was in view of your Nonna and she was like “UGGH EWW” and made a face
::both laugh:: No way! That’s so funny. I always tease my little cousins and (my cousin) Sienna will say “I don’t want to hear it anymore. You kissed a goat!”
“You kissed a goat and you liked it”
Hey, he was a good kisser.
Now that you’re a reality TV show star, is it still weird for you to get interview requests or have people follow you on social media you don’t know?
Yeah, that whole process is weird still. I’ll never not feel like a nobody now. I’m still just a smalltown dude. Anytime I get a follow, I always go and check out their accounts to see who my fans are ::laughs::
You can catch Ben in “The Joe Schmo Show” Tuesdays at 9pm on TBS!
You can catch up via TBS ON DEMAND (cable/satellite) and the TBS app!
Follow Ben on IG