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EXCLUSIVE Interview with the BULLOCH FAMILY RANCH's Rusty, Julie, Brodie & Amanda Bulloch

Mike Vicic - February 25, 2014

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In anticipation of the Season 2 premiere of BULLOCH FAMILY RANCH, TV Tango sat down for an exclusive interview with four Bulloch family members at the Television Critic's Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour: father Rusty, mother Julie, son Brodie, and daughter Amanda. They previewed the new season, discussed their faith, and revealed how the show has affected their lives.

 

 

Tonight, Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at 8pm ET/PT, UP will present a one-hour special that looks back at Season 1. Then, tomorrow at 9pm ET/PT on UP, BULLOCH FAMILY RANCH returns for its second season. During Season 2, the Bullochs help multiple young adults, including: 21-year old single mother Ciara, whose relationship with past Ranch kid Shawdell, currently in prison, is at a turning point, leaving her broke and pregnant again; high-school football player Jordan, 17, who returns to the Ranch to face multiple challenges; 21-year-old Wilson, who continues to work and save up for his wedding by living at the Ranch; and former Ranch kid Claude Davis, 25, who returns to regroup, train and focus on his return to professional football.

 


TV Tango: What can viewers expect to see this season?


Julie Bulloch: A lot of firsts. We [usually] have one, maybe two kids at a time. For the first time we have three, plus a three-year-old toddler. We have a single mom with a child, and that's crazy because normally it's only boys since Amanda moved out of the house. We don't bring in girls. It's a totally new dynamic.

TV Tango: Do all the kids in your home have to participate on the show?


Julie Bulloch: No. Just like the young girl that moved in, I told her "We're going to be filming the show, but if you don't want to be a part of it, that's totally fine." So this is my stipulation. We don't bring kids in, we don't interview kids. It is what it is. And I called the network and I said, "Oh, and by the way we're taking in a girl with a three-year-old and she's pregnant." And they said "What?! This is awesome!"  And I told them, "I don't know if she wants to be a part of the show."

 

 

TV Tango: Is a person's faith a requirement when they come to stay with your family?


Rusty Bulloch: It's not a requirement. We live our faith; we're not going to throw it down your throat. Fortunately, most of them see the way we're living and like the way we're living. Not necessarily everything about it, but they like the fact that our faith in God got us to where we are now. So they tend to be drawn into that. But as far as it being a requirement, no. We've had kids come in that openly said I don't believe in this.

 

 

TV Tango: Isn't leading by example the most powerful way of teaching people?


Rusty Bulloch: I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day. Live that example.  If I have to tell you about, than I'm not doing a very good job of living it.


TV Tango: Has television changed your lives?


Brodie Bulloch: To an extent. All my friends know I'm still the same person I've always been -- and I'll always be that way. All my friends know I'm true to my values and true to who I am. When we go out in public, they love to mess with me. People will be running at me to come talk to me, so they love to pick on me. They're like, "Mr. Hollywood!" It's fun, but it's changed how it is going out in public.


Rusty Bulloch: We had one of our sound guys from the first year on the show, and he just loved it. He said this is a great show. He said, "You all are gonna get famous." I said, "No, we're not. We're just going to be who we are." He said, "Let me tell you something. You all are gonna get famous. I'm telling you it's gonna change your life, but it doesn't have to change you."  
 

Rusty Bulloch (continued): And every single day I remember that quote. Now, when we go to a restaurant, people come up and want to take pictures and want us to sign something. That's never happened to us before, but we keep everybody grounded. It doesn't change who we are.


Julie Bulloch: One incident was at the first football game Brodie went to at his home school from where he graduated and was quarterback. Rusty coaches there now.  We're at the game, and he literally had to leave by half time. All the little girls were just screaming at him. And he's like, "I can't do this."


Brodie Bulloch: That was six months ago, so it was still very fresh. Now I'm pretty used to it, and now it's neat to be known for something positive.

 

 

TV Tango: How do you feel knowing that the show is going so well?


Amanda Bulloch-Maske: I never anticipated it. Honestly -- and this sounds so totally negative -- but I wasn't even hopeful for a second season, because I felt like we wouldn't be what people would want to see on reality TV. We're not trashy, we don't have drunk people, we don't have fights, we don't have half-naked girls, we don't have this person sleeping with this person. And if you watch reality TV primarily that's what it all is. I considered myself a realist about it. It's been different. It's crazy to be recognized in public, "Aren't you that girl from that TV show?" We were just recognized here in Los Angeles, which is crazy!


Brodie Bulloch: I'm still having a little bit of a hard time getting used to it. I'm not really good with a lot of attention. I don't mind if people walk up to me and say "I really like your family's show," but I'm still adjusting to people freaking out. So that's a new thing to me. You know high-school girls and how they act with guys on TV?  It's really neat at times, and then other times I'm like, "Whoa, what's going on?" It's fun and it's great to be known for what we're known for. It's a positive aspect of life being known for having faith.

 

 

TV Tango: You mentioned reality TV. Do you watch any reality shows?


Amanda Bulloch-Maske: No, not really. I catch my husband watching them every once in a while. I did watch early DUCK DYNASTY. I did like it early on a lot, but now that we're in it, I don't really like to watch them. Things are different. I guess I see flaws more; I pick things apart because I'm in that world now.


Rusty Bulloch: Once you make a show, you watch TV with a whole different outlook.


Julie Bulloch: We like to call our show "real life reality." We may have to re-create it because the cameras didn't catch it and so it makes sense on the show. But as far as a having a script and memorizing, no. We're not actors. When you have a young mom who is a pregnant with a three year old, and a 24 year old, and a 18 year old in your house, that's the recipe right there.