Season 12 of the hit Oxygen television show Bad Girls Club just beganand this time it's set in Chicago.
Seven short-tempered young females live under one roof, hoping to make a change while being filmed for a reality show.
Jonica Booth ( also known as Blu ) is from St. Louis, Missouri, and arrives with a big personality and a blue Afro. Like all of the girls the 25 year old has issues but is ready to work through them while living in Highland Park.
The Bunim-Murray team who brought MTV's Real World to success continues to bring the drama with the Club.
Windy City Times called Booth to learn more on what it takes to be a Bad Girl, and finds some surprise answers.
Windy City Times: Hey, Jonica. When did you start wearing a blue Afro?
Jonica Booth: That's nothing that I put on. That's on me. It's my hair. It has me on today!
WCT: On the first episode you seem like the hit of the party.
Jonica Booth: I feel like you will either like me or not.
WCT: It must be nerve-wracking to enter a show that is known for fighting.
Jonica Booth: Yes, it is very nerve-wracking.
WCT: You are from St. Louis?
Jonica Booth: Yes, I am St. Louis, Missouri. It is about five hours from Chicago. We drive to Chicago like it's across the street.
WCT: How was it living in Chicago?
Jonica Booth: It was good. I have never been to Chicago when it was good weather outside. That was a shock. With it being the Windy City, I expected it to be cold. The weather was great and the scenery was cool. It was a rich neighborhood so that was really good. The people were actually nice.
I guess with the name of the show we are going to get a negative vibe, but other than that everybody was pretty cool. You expect worse because you think the show will have a negative impact but it's not the show, it is about how you represent yourself with the show. People have to not generalize Bad Girls Club. We are individuals.
WCT: It is more about what you personally do with your time on the show?
Jonica Booth: Exactly.
WCT: Where was the mansion located that you lived in?
Jonica Booth: We were in Highland Park. It was really nice.
WCT: I heard the gang went out to the gay bars.
Jonica Booth: We went to Progress Bar. I got on a cute little bartender there. I don't know who she was. I got on the same girl the first night when I went back. She seemed mad at me because I didn't call her. She must have been cute if I got on her twice!
It was fun and there were nice people there. Jerry, you missed out. You could have been twerking with us.
WCT: I am always late to the party! How was Whirlyball?
Jonica Booth: It was so much fun. I cheated the whole game. I can't drive a car and hold a plastic thing at the same time. There was a lot going on!
That was something that was needed for us to make us interact with each other. People try to be so distant when you don't like someone. Sometimes you have to have fun to break the ice.
WCT: Do you consider yourself bisexual?
Jonica Booth: I consider myself me. When I say that I mean I don't care who or what I like. If I like a damn tree, I am going to talk to it! Whether you like it or not that is just how I feel. I date both men and women. I like beautiful people who are genuine. I don't give a damn if you pee sitting down or standing up. That is just me and the bottom line!
WCT: Are you currently single?
Jonica Booth: Yes, I am single. I am in a single but in a committed relationship. I got people that I commit to. They will be mad if they knew about each other but they think I am committed. I don't know, Jerry, I ain't shit. I am just living the life! [Laughs]
I don't like hurting people's feelings, but that happens sometimes. I got a few female friends. For some reasons girls like me now and think I have money since I am on TV. I am still broke but if they want to talk to me, then it's cool!
WCT: What is life like after being on a reality television?
Jonica Booth: What is crazy is that my life is not that different. When I went to a club prior to this I wasn't a celebrity but people thought I looked different so they asked who I was. I grew up in the suburbs so when I when I went to the city everyone asked about me because I was different in the scene.
The show didn't enhance this but what it did enhance was everyone is asking a lot of questions. I am so friendly and used to talking to people. People think I have changed and that makes me feel bad. I haven't changed.
Social networks are larger. There are people that don't like me or think I am unattractive but unlike the other Bad Girls prior to me who might say "I am going to beat you ugly" or talk back to the haters, I just laugh.
WCT: You have too many friends on Facebook to add anyone new.
Jonica Booth: My Facebook has been maxed out for three years but after the show it has gotten worse. I'm kind of a big deal in St. Louis, Jerry! [Both laugh.]
WCT: I can tell. What did you think of the other girls in the house like Red?
Jonica Booth: Red was cool. She was somebody I had to get to know off the show for me to respect her on the show. I don't want to say too much but that is something you will see as you watch it. It will be a lot of me going back and forth. I was in my mind thinking, "Is she real or fake?" You just don't know. I couldn't gain real respect for her until after the show. It let me know who she really is.
WCT: That has been a common theme over the years with judgement right when someone enters the house on the Bad Girls Club.
Jonica Booth: Right, and it's crazy because I am not used to that. I am not that type of person. Me and you are talking right now but if I see you 10 years from now I will be the same way. I am not used to people coming out of a shell because I am already out of my shell. I usually know if we will be cool or not. That is what you are dealing with in a house full of females. Everybody reveals themselves differently and slowly. You just never know who is real and who is not. That is why I tended to cling to Lo more than anybody. She showed herself in the same way that I showed myself.
WCT: Maybe that is why people liked you immediatelybecause you are so down-to-earth.
Jonica Booth: Maybe, but I thought it was because my eyebrows are kind of cute. Either way I will take it!
WCT: Did you watch Bad Girls Club before your season?
Jonica Booth: I am not going to lie. I watched an episode here and there, but I couldn't get into the cattiness, bitching and fighting for no reason. With that being said I didn't really like it. The reason I chose to be on the show is for people to see that you can be a bad girl without physically fighting.
People say the baddest girls in the world are people like Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Beyonce but, for me, it is Oprah. She will buy everyone some chicken in the whole wide world. I remember in college she bought our school some chicken and everybody could just go up there and pick up some free chicken. To me that is a bad girl! No one disrespects her and that is the bottom line.
Don't get me wrong if someone puts their hands on me I will do what I have to do but there are other ways to prevent things from getting to that point.
WCT: That is very mature of you.
Jonica Booth: I try to be.
WCT: What did you learn from doing this show?
Jonica Booth: I am not good with relationships. I don't mean just significant others but I mean period. If someone crosses me then I will just stay away from them. In that house I still had to be around them. It made me learn to tolerate people especially women. It was a challenge in there keeping my composure. I wanted to slap the shit out of somebody here and there but I had to keep it together.
I had to learn that people are different and everybody has a life. I learned to live with other people.
WCT: What do you want to do with this newfound fame?
Jonica Booth: I actually want to start a show of my own. Some dreams never come true but that is something I have always thought of. Who knows? It could come true.
Acting, modeling and DJing would be good. I have a bachelor's degree so I want to land a good job.
WCT: You could be the next Oprah Winfrey!
Jonica Booth: I couldn't be the next one because she doesn't talk to anybody. I am definitely more friendly with my fans!
Bad Girls Club: Chicago blows up every Tuesday on Oxygen. Visit www.oxygen.com for more information and listings. Follow Jonica on Twitter @Blu1x.