‘The Valley’ Star Jasmine Goode Says Being A Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Was More Competitive Than Being On ‘The Bachelor’: “It Was Mental, It Was Physical, It Was Everything”

Jasmine Goode is no stranger to reality TV fans. After winning over audiences when she was competing for Nick Viall’s heart on The Bachelor Season 21, she brought the heat to the beach on Bachelor in Paradise Season 4. Soon, she settled back in Los Angeles and got a job as a hostess at the West Hollywood hotspot, SUR, which is well known to Bravo fans. Knowing that Goode is good for TV, she was “approached three times” to do Vanderpump Rules, but she declined. “I didn’t know if I wanted to get right back into the world of reality TV,” recalled Goode. “It was just very intense seeing Kristen [Doute] run into the restaurant all the time and James [Kennedy] freaking out.”

Instead, Goode took time to get to know her SUR co-workers and other Vanderpump Rules adjacents like Zack Wickham. After building authentic friendships, Goode was approached again to jump into the Bravo universe, this time with The Valley, spearheaded by pals Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright, and Doute. “It was actually easy for me to decide to do The Valley,” remembered Goode. Her one stipulation? “I wanted to showcase my relationship with Melissa,” said Goode. Audiences got to meet Goode’s girlfriend of three years, Squid Game: The Challenge star Melissa Marie, in Episode 3 at the disastrous Capri dinner. “She was confused as to why they were fighting,” Goode remembered. “She didn’t understand that we had to have these conversations about something so stupid.”

In just a few episodes, Goode has established herself as one of the show’s few voices of reason. “This group is crazier than I thought it was going to be,” said Goode. She believes that Janet Caperna should have invited Doute and Wickham to her baby moon in Big Bear after their unfortunate game of telephone resulted in the fight at the Capri dinner. “I thought that was a great opportunity for her to have a conversation with Kristen and Zack,” said Goode. “They could have stayed somewhere else and just met up the next day [and] had a discussion.” It was a “missed opportunity” for them to mend their friendship.

Goode stopped by the Page Six Studio to speak with DECIDER about some of The Valley‘s juiciest moments, her days with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, and how Cartwright is doing in the midst of her separation from Taylor.

DECIDER: Unlike some of your The Valley co-stars, you are no stranger to the reality TV space. How much convincing—if at all—did you need to join the Vanderpump Rules spinoff?

JASMINE GOODE: It was actually easy for me to decide to do The Valley. I always said that the next show I did, I wanted to make sure my partner was able to be included. She’s a big part of my life. I don’t want to do something that is just about me. I wanted to showcase my relationship. I stepped back and asked myself, “do I want to get back into tv?” I know what’s to come. I know the drama, I know the fans. But I was like: “You know what? I can do this. I’m with my friends. We’re going to have a good summer.” And now I’m like, “oh God, what did I get into?” This group is crazier than I thought it was going to be.

You are a former SURver. Was there any ever talk of you joining the cast of Vanderpump Rules?

I was approached three times to do Vanderpump Rules. I was a host just before the pandemic. They asked me to do it, but I was unsure. I was fresh off of Bachelor In Paradise. I didn’t know if I wanted to get right back into the world of reality TV. I watched the show film at my job all the time. It was just very intense seeing Kristen run in the restaurant all the time and James freaking out. It was a lot [laughs]. I was like, “I don’t know if I want to be involved in that.” I was always there to support my friends, but absolutely it was not for me.

I understand you and Zack were roommates during the height of the pandemic. How did you two get through lockdown together?

Oh my God, me and Zack. Zack is the funniest person in the world. He’s so sweet. He’s such a good friend. Living with him was insane [laughs], but it was so much fun. He’s just this crazy guy who wants to party all the time. That’s what he loves to do. What really got us through the pandemic was definitely TikTok. We would make TikToks nonstop all day.

Getting into the season, you clocked immediately Jax’s messiness when shared Kristen’s telling him about Michelle’s alleged texts. Do you think he wanted you to repeat what he told you to get the gossip mill turning?

Yes, absolutely. Jax wanted me to take this information and run with it. It was funny because when we had that conversation, I believed him. I thought, “Okay, this is some good gossip, maybe I should look into this.” When afterwards, he kept talking about it, I knew he was trying to play me. So, I told myself, “Okay, I’m going to act like I’m going to go with it just so he can think I am.” However, I didn’t say a word to anyone about what he told me. Nope, not doing your dirty work.

In that same conversation with Jax, you give him a heads up that Brittany was unhappy. Do you think if he had really taken what you said to heart, he and Brittany might be in a different place today?

I don’t think anybody can help Jax in this whole Brittany situation. Jax doesn’t listen. I gave him advice as a friend, but I don’t think he heard anything I said. He’s just stuck in his ways. However, he’s a great father. He just needs to work on being a better partner.

Which dinner was more intense and why: the Capri dinner or the dinner after Jax’s balding event party?

The balding event was definitely more intense. The Capri dinner was intense, but I felt like we brought it back at the end of the night. There was no coming back from that fight in the hallway at the balding event. There was too much involved.

What was going through your mind when you heard the fight going on in the hallway?

When the fight happened in hallway, I had no idea at first that they were actually fighting. I thought Kristen had already left. I I thought that it was Jesse in the hallway talking with Michelle. All of a sudden, we heard screaming, and I was like, “Oh my God, they’re actually fighting.” Janet and I were like wondered whether to get up, but we finally said, “No, let’s eat.” This food was amazing. I wanted to get through a meal finally. It was crazy to hear, but I didn’t want to get involved.

You were flying solo at the balding event, but you were able to bring Melissa as your date to the Capri dinner. What did she think of the overall messiness of the group?

I was so embarrassed. That was the first time Melissa met the group. I was excited to introduce her to everybody. The more intense that fight got in front of her, the more embarrassed I felt. She looked at me like, “What is going on?” She was confused about why they were fighting. She stepped away from the table, but eventually came back. She didn’t understand that we had to have these conversations about something so stupid.

One of my favorite moments of yours on the show so far is when you clocked Janet’s “pink-booted” friend Simon eavesdropping on you, Zack and Brittany at Kristen’s event after Zack found out he wasn’t invited on Janet’s baby moon.

Pink-booted! Shout out to Zack because that is the best thing ever. In that situation, you have to understand that Zack was crying. He’s my best friend. He was upset, and Brittany and I were me trying to make him feel better. Then, this random dude who I met the night before at a dinner at Janet’s house is in my space and my conversation! Brittany actually saw him first, and she’s like, “Is he texting?” I’m like, “I don’t know, but he needs to back up.” Zack was obviously hurt and there Pink Boot was trying to eavesdrop and texting Janet. I couldn’t let it slide.

Do you think Janet made the right call to not invite Kristen and Zack to her baby moon in Big Bear?

No. I get that Janet wants to protect her peace and her pregnancy. Instead of icing out two people, I thought that was a great opportunity for her to have a conversation with Kristen and Zack. They could have stayed somewhere else and just met up the next day on the boat and had a discussion. I think that was a missed opportunity. She just decided not to have them involved, which didn’t really make sense to me.

You can’t ice out Kristen Doute. Many have tried…

I love Kristen. It’s so frustrating because everybody used to be friends. So, I know how it is when we’re all good. I understand that Janet was concerned about Kristen, but she invited Danny’s crazy ass and let Nia bring her two kids. Then there’s Jesse [laughs]! The whole place was full crazy people! Kristen and Zack weren’t going to do anything. They would have just been fun. I think they’re more fun than half of that group.

I have to ask: what was the vibe like when the boys were outside having their feelings circle in Big Bear while the women were inside making dinner?

When I think back, it was just a mess. The boys were crying. We’re trying to cook dinner. We ended up making these burgers that were actually horrible because the meat was just not good. We just wanted to have a good dinner together as a group, but we can never do anything right.

What was your initial reaction when Zack posted that IG Story trolling the baby moon?

I laughed my ass off when Zack posted this little Instagram story. I thought it was funny, but I never thought it would make Janet as upset as she got. I felt bad she was upset, but it was just a harmless little trolling on his part. Zack was just being petty, and if you know Zack, he’s petty with a purpose [laughs]. I thought it was hilarious.

Speaking of another dramatic moment in Big Bear, you were able to be by Brittany’s side during her fight with Jax after he accused her of drinking too much when she was just clearly sick with a stomach issue.

Watching back that fight between Jax and Brittany was very intense. I remember wanting to jump up and scream at him at the time, but I didn’t want to add more fuel to the fire. They were already fighting in front of everybody. I was glad I was there for her because I know she was going through it. She was actually really sick. We didn’t drink at all on the boat. By the time we got to the beach with the boys, they had already drunk everything. She was just sick.

Brittany seems to be thriving since separating from Jax. What has it been like as her friend to watch her come into her own?

She has so much confidence now. Before when she was with Jax, she was just in a dark place and wasn’t feeling good about herself. She wasn’t doing anything. Now, she’s evolving into this confident person. It’s wild to see the difference and how happy she is now.

I could talk about The Valley all day, but I have to know, which experience was more competitive: being a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader or being on The Bachelor franchise?

Ooh, wow. They’re two totally different things. Being a Cowboys cheerleader is more physical. You have to be really fit. With The Bachelor, it’s more about emotions. It was really hard mentally. I would probably say being a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. That was just a really hard time. It was difficult to make that team. It required both mental and physical strength.

After being with the Dallas Cowboys, you moved on to the NBA and the Golden State Warriors dance team. What was that transition like?

The transition from the NFL to the NBA is crazy. You go from dancing on a field to dancing on a court super close to the fans. The team is smaller, and the practices are more intense. With the NFL, there’s one game a week and you’re only doing the home games. With the NBA, there are three games a week, so the schedule was grueling and took a toll on my body. Mentally, I had no time for anything else: no family, no relationships. I was dancing 24/7, but it was fun. I got to dance for one of the greatest teams ever.

I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be there during one of Golden State’s landmark seasons.

Oh, it was crazy. I just remember being at finals and watching them play LeBron James. I was right next to him! It’s cool knowing that I performed for the best teams in both the NFL and the NBA. That was my whole goal. If I was going to be a cheerleader, I wanted to cheer for Dallas. If I was going to be a NBA dancer, I wanted to dance for Golden State. I’m really proud of myself because neither was easy.

Your partner Melissa also isn’t afraid to do difficult things as evidenced by her being on Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix! Did she ask you for any advice before trying the reality TV space?

Squid Game was wild. She’s a quiet kind of person, but she’s very athletic—she played D-1 lacrosse—and she loves competition. She’s always wanted to be on Survivor. When she heard about Squid Game, she got very excited. She didn’t ask me for advice because it’s a competition show. I did tell her to do what she had to do to win. If you have to say you’re single, whatever, just don’t disrespect me. Let’s make this $4 million [laughs]! She made it pretty far, but she didn’t win.

Salley Carson, who was on Clayton’s season of The Bachelor, is joining the cast of Southern Charm for Season 10. What do you think about Bachelor Nation alums entering the Bravo Universe?

I think it’s great. I mean, more people should come on over [laughs]. The Bachelor fans are intense, but I think Bravo fans are next level. I would advise her or anyone else from the show to just buckle up. These fans will either have your back and ride for you or they won’t. Period.