Paulie Calafiore was eradicated on the Aug. 17 episode of The Problem: USA after going head-to-head towards seven-time champ Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio within the elimination ring. Nevertheless, earlier than he was despatched dwelling, he had a weak dialog with Tori Deal about his sexuality, publicly popping out as bisexual for the primary time in his actuality tv profession. In an EXCLUSIVE interview with HollywoodLife, Paulie admitted that popping out on the present is one thing he’d been grappling with for years.

“Season after season, I had are available and I had all the time been so on the fence about speaking about it,” Paulie shared. “I recall on earlier seasons, producers have been sort of being like, ‘The place is that this anger coming from? What is that this chip in your shoulder and why does it appear so aggressive and passionate?’ And it’s all the time been on the tip of my tongue, however I all the time labored round it by simply being like, ‘Oh, I used to be tremendous aggressive and I received picked on blah, blah blah.’ I by no means actually hit the nail on the pinnacle.”

Nevertheless, after “years of remedy,” Paulie mentioned he was able to lastly have that dialog this season after taking 4 years off from the present. “[I realized] it’s alright to have this dialog. You may nonetheless be a beast and present a weak aspect since you’re in charge of if you happen to’re letting any individual use a vulnerability towards you on the finish of the day,” he defined. “I feel as soon as I got here to grips with that, it was a lot simpler for me. It was like…let’s simply rip the Band-Support off. I’m gonna blurt it out.”

Ultimately, Paulie was proud of how his story was instructed. “It got here out precisely the way in which I needed it to return out and it was delivered the way in which I needed it delivered,” he shared. My coronary heart was pounding the entire time, nevertheless it’s on the market now and it’s a weight lifted off my again and chest.”

Paulie has been relationship fellow Problem vet, Cara Maria Sorbello, since 2018. Whereas Cara wasn’t on this season, Paulie mentioned that she additionally hopes to return sooner or later. “Whether or not we’re on a season solo or collectively, we’re simply prepared,” he shared. “We’re prepared to return again and be dominant. I feel we’re additionally each in a spot the place we’re not trying to let sure issues be taken too personally on our aspect. We’re actually simply centered on securing ourselves as two of probably the most dominant gamers to play the sport, but in addition as a pair, probably the most dominant couple to ever come from that present.”

Learn extra from our interview with Paulie under!

On why he was able to return after 4 years off: Within the day off, I constructed a enterprise and I attempted out for the Winter Olympics, so from a timing standpoint, it didn’t actually work out within the latter a part of the 4 years. It was only a scheduling factor. These first two years was just a little bit extra of me having to take a break when it comes to some issues that I did to myself, primarily, to get myself faraway from Complete Insanity and Double Brokers. Then think about COVID spreading these seasons out…it was just one season filmed per 12 months. However I used to be lastly capable of get the whole lot settled and I used to be prepared to return again for this.

On why he was prepared to fix fences with Josh [Martinez] and Johnny Bananas after earlier rivalries: It was 4 years off and although there was loads of animosity and hatred, it’s a type of issues the place you are available and it’s a contemporary begin. Us being on a workforce and being in a room collectively undoubtedly helped me mend that. You don’t actually wish to be that one that’s holding onto too many issues and clouding you from that final objective. My final objective is to win. If I’m specializing in them, I’m not specializing in profitable.

So I got here in with that mindset and I used to be capable of be in that center place and sort of perceive the place individuals have been mendacity and have the ability to decide up on issues quicker than I’d have if I used to be simply centered on whether or not Johnny and Josh have been making an attempt to get me out. I’d’ve missed sure issues and never paid consideration to sure conversations if my guard was down.

On why he began working with the vets earlier than his elimination: [When it started], I used to be sort of seeing the place the chips fell. I didn’t actually know the individuals on the CBS aspect. I knew the vets, however I wasn’t allies with them on earlier seasons we performed. I used to be making an attempt to trip the center so long as I might, however the CBS individuals have been me as a competitor, rightfully so. The vets…it appeared like they wanted me just a little bit extra, which is why I began leaning that manner.

It was scary coming again. I had no ties. It’s not like I used to be again there with individuals I had labored with up to now. I used to be sort of on an island alone. It was difficult, however I like that problem. If it wasn’t for the [random] Hopper, I used to be sitting in a fairly good place. [I only got] three votes out of a whole home and I wasn’t even thought of as soon as because the nomination to be the individual down there. So if it wasn’t for that [hopper] twist, I feel I might’ve actually made a run.