“I think, had I won, the show would have been edited very differently” – An interview with The Assistant’s Tanika Kennedy

Tanika may have been labeled as a suck-up, but her “out of the box” style of thinking helped her make it all the way up to the second-to-last episode of Andy Dick’s reality show The Assistant. Tanika was always on top of things, and always there to give Andy a hand or go head-to-head with one of the other assistants in order to stick around longer. In this interview, Tanika discusses why she feels that the editing of the show made her look like the bad girl, whether or not she’s still in contact with any of the other assistants, and who she thinks has a shot at making it in Hollywood!

RNO: How did you find out about the show and what made you decide to apply?

Tanika: I was the host and senior producer of the cable television and Internet show, Entertainment Chicago, a Gordon Lake Production, the same production company that gave Halle Berry her first television role. I was a few months from moving to Los Angeles at the time. My executive producer approached me first about the show, and I was intrigued. I hadn't watched much reality TV, but I thought that, since it was based on the industry, obviously other industry professionals would be watching, and I thought it would be a good way for me to show what I was capable of. And of course the other obvious answer, exposure.

RNO: Would you say the show met the expectations you had when you signed up?

Tanika: Andy was a lot of fun; he made me laugh uncontrollably all of the time. However, I did think that it was going to be a serious competition. I took it very seriously, and until I actually SAW the show AIRING, I didn't know how much of a farce it was.

RNO: What did you think when you saw Andy Dick would be the guy you were working for?

Tanika: Honestly, my first thought was, "I'm going to get spit on!" (I had seen on celebrities uncensored that he likes to spit!)

RNO: After the first episode, when you took the initiative to cut the "crab grass," did you know or think the others were labeling you as a suck-up? Did you even care?

Tanika: What you didn't see was that there were a few girls who thought it was a good enough idea that they joined me after a while... Let me put it this way, I looked EVERYWHERE for something more conventional to get the job done, but bottom line, he wanted it taken care of. If it was Trump, I may have gone a different route, but Andy's unconventional... I figured he'd appreciate it.

RNO: Did you think that cutting the grass put you in Andy's good graces and kept you from being eliminated at any point?

Tanika: Every single show, I made sure that I did something "out of the box"... and more than was expected. I never, EVER rested on any laurels.

RNO: C'mon, you can level with me - most of what happened was set up, right? There's no way his life is THAT chaotic, is it?

Tanika: Well, first of all, HIS life IS that way! HAHA... but yes, those situations were set up for us to see how we would handle them. Our reactions were all completely real.

RNO: Do you think editing wanted to make you look like a bitch or label you as the "bad girl?"

Tanika: I think, had I won, the show would have been edited very differently. But, of course things are taken out of context to convey a certain story. The truth is, many of us didn't know each other long enough to form any kind of relationship. We were in competition, but the people who stayed on the longest all became friends.

RNO: How have your family and friends reacted to the way you were on the show?

Tanika: Many people who know me said they barely recognized me with how I was portrayed. But everyone thought that I was very hard working and deserved to win. They were all very proud of how far I made it.

RNO: There were several times when someone was eliminated that you said you didn't feel bad at all for them. The one that sticks out in my mind the most was Stefani. Was there friction between the two of you that we didn't get to see?

Tanika: Me and Stefani have very different backgrounds and lifestyles. In our typical lives, our paths would have never crossed, but we were very professional. There was never any hardcore "drama," so to speak.

RNO: Do you keep in contact with any of the other assistant hopefuls or have you moved on from the whole thing?

Tanika: I have kept in touch with a couple of people, but we are all so busy right now. We're all mostly focused on our careers. I love to hear how people are doing, though! I root everyone on in their success!!

RNO: What about Andy? Have you spoken to him since the show has ended? If so, what has he had to say and if not, whose choice has it been?

Tanika: I have seen Andy twice at show viewings. I wish him the best professionally and personally.

RNO: What are you up to now and do you plan on still trying to make it in Hollywood?

Tanika: I am working for a post-production company, taking classes at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, and auditioning. I also finished with my first film, Unaware, where I play a psych patient, which wrapped production this summer. I am very excited about my future!

RNO: Do you think the twelve of you were treated fairly on the show, or would you say that Andy took advantage of you all?

Tanika: He wanted to see how much we could take. He pushed the envelope repeatedly. In this industry, you really need to be able to take a lot. I learned so much and I think it "toughened my skin" a little. In the aftermath of it all, I also learned some very valuable lessons.

RNO: Do you think it was fair that Mark and Nikeda got to come back after they were eliminated or was that just part of the game?

Tanika: Just part of the game.

RNO: Excluding yourself of course, who do you think deserved to win the most? The least?

Tanika:I think the person that will be very successful in Hollywood is Mark. He is very talented and has just the right combination to his personality that makes him approachable and no-nonsense at the same time. He will go very far. The least? That's not for me to say. I think every person on that show was there because they had certain talents or personality traits that were deemed plausible for success.

RNO: Knowing what the experience was all about, would you do the whole thing over again, or pass? Also, is there anything you think you could have done differently to stick around for the finals?

Tanika: I honestly don't know if I would do it again, in hindsight. I have tried not to think about what I could have done differently. There's a LOT the audience didn't see.

RNO: Is there anything you would like to say to your fans, or anyone else that has supported you? What about letting us in on some of the stuff we didn't get to see?

Tanika: I want to thank everyone for the enormous amounts of support and encouragement I was given! I have the best friends and family in the world!!!!!! And as far as what you DIDN'T see… trust me, I would LOOOOVE to tell you, but I can't for three years.

RNO: Thank you for your time, Tanika! I appreciate your answering my questions, and good luck in the future!

Phil Kural is finally a college graduate! You can still reach him at pkural@temple.edu, but he's not sure how long that address will remain his. When it changes though, you'll be the first to know.

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