Like them, love them, or hate them, Ivory and Kennis played a vital role in the ” I  Want to Work for Diddy 2″ saga. Editor in Chief Dexter R. Mullins talked with both of them about their experience, and got some more clarity on a few things.Interview With Kennis

Dexter Mullins: What made you want to be on “Work for Diddy 2?”Kennis:Actually, my junior year in college, I saw the first season and it was just so great and so wonderful. I was like “I can’t sing, I can’t dance, so this was something that I thought I could do.” I went to the University of North Texas. I don’t think a degree can prepare you for working for Diddy. It’s really more experience wise. I would say that my experience was more vital to the experience.

DM:How did it feel to be the youngest person on the show?K:It was fun. People underestimated me because I am young, and everyone else was more uptight. With Ivory being the oldest person on the show at 33 she was a lot more conservative and I was able to be myself. DM:Obviously, no one wants to lose or be eliminated. Did you think you would have been eliminated the way you did?K:No. Who would have thought that? (laughs) I guess the way I got eliminated was kind of childish. As I sat in the room and they called up Ivory, then the next person…Then capricorn called my name and I was like “I don’t have any speech, I wasn’t prepared for it.” DM:You mentioned in your exit interview that you should have taken more of a leadership role, and that you should have been “more of a hustler.” Do you still feel the same way?K:Yes. A lot of things were edited. I actually raised the most money on one of the earlier challenges and it was edited to make it look like “Kennis didn’t do anything”I wish I had been more assertive.DM:If you had it to do all over again, what would you have done differently to stay on the show?K:I probably would have trusted Ivory more. Im the kind of person that doesn’t trust anyone, and we had a great bond. We would have worked well together. As far as the exercise ball, they didn’t show that Ivory pumped that ball for like 3 hours. So I think that puts it in a different perspective. She was just being herself. DM:Do you think that someone else should have gone home before you did?K:Yes. Melissa! Who else!!! The girl was crazy. She had some serious mental problems and everything she does is just out of the ordinary. I wanted to beat her I really did (laughs). There’s just a lot that can’t be shown on a 60 minute show. I would have felt better losing to Daniel and Ivory. Melissa was only on the show for entertainment. DM:Now that the show is over, do you think that Mr. Combs made the right decision? Why or Why not?K:I definitely think so. Oh yes. I love Ebony. Her determination, her drive her energy, it’s overwhelming. Waking up beside her it was just like “wow she is really in it to win it.” I picked her to win out of everyone, even over Ivory. And Ivory was the most qualified. If it had been anybody but me, I would have picked Ebony. I’m actually on my way to see her for lunch. DM:What was your favorite part of being on the show?K:My favorite part was being in New York. Something that Daniel told me that I really look back on was ” Even though your on a show, this is a life experience and You need to enjoy it.DM: What was the part you liked the least?K:Dealing with reality TV. People don’t understand how hectic it is. There are times when we are just sitting in a van where we have to “Hurry up and wait.” So we would be in a huge hurry to get somewhere and we would get there and have to wait. All the taping and filming….it gets old.I will be back fall 2010 on reality TV. I can’t disclose what it is at this time.DM:Overall, how would you describe the experience?K:Great. It was wonderful, magnificent. I enjoyed myself, meeting Mr. Combs, other celebrities. aAnd our prod. crew was awesome. Something I can take from it was just how magnificent it was. I love tv and I love production and it was just fascinating. 

Interview with Ivory

Dexter Mullins:You made it to the final three, how did that feel?Ivory:I always knew, It was a great feeling. It was one of those things though that I always knew going into it that I would be a very qualified person. Everybody brought different elements to the table. DM:You and Ebony seemed to have had an alliance all the way until your elimination/ What do you think happened to break that down?I:It wasn’t more of an alliance as much as …. after we came as one, I basically said ok “me and you should be able to come together and work together.” I never tried to throw anybody under the bus based on their character, or casual conversation. At the end of the day, I should have never went home. The two things that the judges said, not having enough furniture, and the fashion show being a disaster, were Ebony and Daniels job.It’s an unfortunate set of circumstances….and I say that to say just be patient. It just aired. You couldn’t have been seen with him or the whole show would have been given away. The experience itself is something that I can take with me. It wasn’t so much about me going in and being Mr. Combs assistant. But right now what I’ve had is, I went in with an entrepreneurial mind.

DM:Looking at your last challenge, do you think there was anything that you would have done differently?I:I would have definitely took control of it. Another thing that they through into the plans were the dogs. The biggest thing realistically is that three people cannot put on a show with the budget and time that we had. To do something that we did in 24 hours takes other people two weeks to a month to do the same thing. If we’re going to go off of facts, the facts were how they had me say that if we fail the challenge, “send me home.” The components of the challenge could have came off smoother, more flawlessly. I knew he was going to try to pull this. For you to say I stayed up all night, but when you’re working on things that aren’t beneficial, is it really worth staying up all night.DM:You called yourself “the star player.” Do you think the other contestants felt as if you were not? I:You knew who was coming into the competition to be on TV and who was coming in to win. There is no right, there is no wrong, there is only win. DM: Do you feel that Diddy made the right decision in selecting Ebony over Daniel as his assistant?I:It could go both ways. I say that with the statements that Ebony made, I believe that because of Daniels demeanor and Daniels behavior, I don’t think Daniel would have done that. I think Mr. Combs made the right decision for him for right now.Will Ebony come in and be a great hustler, find ways to get the job done, give 100 percent everyday? Yes she will. Sometimes the best candidate is the most over qualified.DM:What are you doing now that the show is over?I:Now I am getting ready for All Star, and I am getting ready for SuperBowl. I am helping a bunch of promoters and Athletes come to the city and get the most out of the experience. The biggest thing that I’m working on is the Dallas All Star Pass. That arena (the show) gave me experience. There are several things that i have learned from out the door to make a way out of no way.  If you can’t see the forest for the trees, then cut down the trees, and I totally believe that.DM:What was your favorite part of being on the show?I:It was small victories every week, when Capricorn would say “who do you think you can be.” Jen and Blake will probably never admit that that’s how the situation went down.What happened was, I cooked dinner for everyone in the house all day long, because when we were in the house that was the only way you were going to eat. DM:What did you like the least?I:The way that they let Kim come in and attempt to manipulate the show. On that second episode I said to all of them “She is the enemy. I don’t know why she’s here, but it is not for the benefit of all of us.” I would come back but it wouldn’t be the role of a snitch, the role of a manipulator, it would be as a consultant. I would love to play that lifeline.Which challenge was the most difficult to you?I:The boat. Do you still talk to anyone from the show?I: Yes, absolutely, I talk to Dalen, Daniel, Ebony, all the time.

• Dexter R. Mullins