Tiffany 'New York' Pollard befriended demonic ghosts on Scared Famous

With some of the most memorable reality TV brawls in history under her belt, Flavor of Love star Tiffany “New York” Pollard has rooted her legacy in contentious acts of the physical world. Now, as she prepares to square off against a batch of fellow television stars within the confines of a haunted mansion in the sticks of Savannah, Georgia, Pollard has extended her reach into the spiritual realm, aligning herself against a house of shady ladies and slithering snakes — both human and reptilian — with a dark army of demonic spirits from hell.

“I definitely made friends with a set of [ghosts],” Pollard tells EW of her time on VH1’s newest competition series Scared Famous, which pits several stars (America’s Next Top Model‘s Eva Marcille, Mob Wives‘ Drita D’Avanzo, Alaska from RuPaul’s Drag Race) in a ruthless duel for charity money. “Any scenario where I’m living with strangers, I’m automatically annoyed,” she says. “But on top of that, there were ghosts there, and they made their presence known! I decided to align myself more with the ghosts than the people. They were easier to get along with.”

Scared Famous premieres its first season Monday at 9 p.m. ET on VH1. Read on for EW’s full interview with New York, during which she talks her love of clowns, teases her platonic bond with supernatural entities, gives an update on her clairvoyant mother, and reveals potential interest in fronting a long-rumored third season of her Flavor of Love spin-off series I Love New York.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: I’m so happy to see you back on TV, but when I saw the clowns in the Scared Famous trailer, I was so done.
TIFFANY “NEW YORK” POLLARD: People are so terrified of clowns, but that challenge was so much fun because I’ve never been afraid of clowns! There were other things going on in the house, like voices and ghosts, which I had a hard time with. But I rather enjoyed the clowns. That was so much fun that day… I don’t get why people think clowns are so scary. I love clowns!

Uh, did you see It?
I did see It! I also love Killer Clowns from Outer Space. I have an obsession with clowns! They’re so cool!

So you weren’t watching It as a horror movie, you’re watching it like, “Oh, I want to be friends with that guy.”
Yes, exactly! [Laughs] Am I weird? I know I’m weird.

No, you’re perfect! That’s what you are! Even if you’re not scared of them, how’d you stand up to the murderous clowns chasing you in that house?
I said a healthy prayer, but I did a lot of reminding the clowns and the ghosts that we live here right now. I said, look, you guys can have this house for the rest of the time after we leave, but for right now, I’m the HBIC in this haunted mansion. I had to remind the ghosts of that and the clowns of that by flexing on them both.

Pick a wall, clowns!
Exactly!

Because in the trailer you tell Erica Mena, “You have the prettiest eyes and the fattest ass in this house, but I still can’t trust you,” I feel like you think she’s scarier than the clowns and the ghosts.
Yes! I had to let her know that there was no way I could trust her at all, because she was trying to win my trust the whole time, but I reminded her, look, I don’t care what you look like, you can’t use your charms on me.

In your experience, are pretty eyes and fat asses exclusive to truthful people?
[Laughs] Yes! I was a little bit afraid that I was going to fall prey to her gorgeousness, but I had to remind her, bitch, I don’t care how cute you think you are, I’m still not going to trust your ass… that house was full of snakes!

There was a lot of game-playing going on, as it should have been, because we were there for our charities, and no one lost sight of that. Feed the Hungry was mine.

That makes it okay that you guys stabbed each other in the back, then, because it’s for charity. That lets you off the hook! But you also had an advantage because you’re very experienced. You know how the reality TV game works.
I didn’t feel like I was at an advantage moving into a haunted mansion, though. I didn’t know what to expect or how to survive… this was the toughest scenario to live in! I had to remain the HBIC, I couldn’t let those people see me sweat, but I was terrified.

What’s more nerve-racking: living in a haunted mansion or realizing the vengeful spirits are actually your housemates?
It was all nerve-racking! Any scenario where I’m living with strangers, I’m automatically annoyed. I knew I was going to be annoyed by the other housemates, but on top of that, there were ghosts there, and they made their presence known! I decided to align myself more with the ghosts than the people. They were easier to get along with.

Wait, you made friends with the ghosts?
Without giving away too much, I definitely made friends with a set of twin girls.

Kid ghosts!?
Uh oh, we gotta stop talking about it. They’re about to come through the line. They’re trying to push you out!

That reminds me, I have to ask you how Sister Patterson is these days. I know she’s pretty religious, so did she have reservations about you going face-to-face with spirits from hell on this show?
She’s doing wonderful. She’s definitely doing more reality TV coming up in the near future, so we’ll see more Sister Patterson soon… but I didn’t tell her [I was going on this show]! But I did call her [while I was there] because the house was so spiritually heightened one day that I had to call her and get some advice. She’s clairvoyant, so she was able to see my surroundings and she was like, “I see exactly where you are! Those spirits calling your name are dressed in white, and they’re coming toward you!” I was like “Mom, be quiet, you’re making me even more scared.”

You had nothing to worry about though: If there’s one thing spirits from hell are afraid of, it’s Sister Patterson.
Exactly, that’s right!

I miss seeing her on your shows! Will we ever see another I Love New York?
I would never leave that portion of my career behind until I’m married, of course, which I’m not! I’m always looking for a bachelor in my life. But will that search be captured on camera? I’m not sure. There were talks about doing I Love New York 3 years ago. People always tell me they want to see it come back, but I haven’t actually been approached to shoot it. I’d give it some healthy thought if I were approached, though.

Do you still talk to people from the show?
I haven’t talked to Flav in so long! It’s driving me crazy because I feel like he’s avoiding me.

Well, the fact that you love clowns should bring him right back. He’s going to hear that and come running.
[Laughs] Oh my gosh, you’re throwing all kind of shade today, I love it!