All photos credit: HGTV

When rumors started flying that Michael Verdugo was a "stealth member" of Team Gay on the third season of HGTV's DesignStar, AfterElton.com tried to contact him through HGTV for an interview, with no luck. Later, rumors of an adult film past caused Verdugo's suspension from his job with the Hollywood, Florida police force and to be asked to stay away from the DesignStar finale.

AfterElton.com contributing writer Christie Keith contacted Verdugo directly, and he spoke to her this week about the impact the rumors have had on his life, his relationship, his friendships with his fellow contestants, and his future plans.

AfterElton.com : I was curious; did HGTV ever tell you that we’ve been trying to get an interview with you for weeks now?
MV: Never. They didn’t kind of want me doing any press.

AE: Why did they not want you doing any press?
MV: You know what? I have no answer for that, no idea. I didn’t even know that until I even asked her. I said, "Well if I’m doing it. I’m gay, I’m open. Everybody knows about me." But I guess she didn’t want to go that route with me. [Note: HGTV gave AfterElton.com a statement saying, "HGTV highly values its editorial relationship with AfterElton and the network always forwards on every request that is made to the talent. At the time the AfterElton interview request was made, Mikey Verdugo decided to decline the opportunity."]

AE: It seems so strange because they usually bring the gay contestants to us and ask us if we want to talk to them.
MV: Well, I guess since they already had Matt and Michael.

AE: They only wanted two?
MV: I guess. [Laughter]

AE: You were over the quota? [Laughter]
MV: Over their quota. Yeah, it was the weirdest ever. It was just a weird. The whole thing was off.

AE: You had told them you were gay when you became one of the contestants?
MV: Oh yeah, they knew. If you Google my name it’s right there. I had a problem at the police department last year, so everyone knows.

AE: That’s interesting, because I know when we started writing about you, some of our readers linked us to that news article and that’s when I started requesting an interview with you. My other question for you is, as far as you know, that double elimination that you got eliminated on, was that always planned to be a double or was something going on at that point?
MV: No, that was always like that. Every season they have a double elimination. And it’s just because obviously how it falls in play with the episodes, and so –

AE: So that they end up with two at the end?
MV: Exactly. That’s the way they designed it, yeah.

AE: I’m assuming that your problems with your police force job and HGTV are related to this video that people are talking about. Is that basically what’s going on?
MV: Yeah, that’s, umm, the overall summary.

AE: When did you do that?
MV: I – see, I can’t talk about that, because there’s a whole thing with my department. I wish I could.

AE: When you can, maybe you can let me know?
MV: Absolutely.

AE: Is it correct that you’re on leave from your police officer job at the moment?
MV: Yes, I’m on paid leave. And so, I kind of work from home right now. I'm really just trying to build the companies even more. And I have my employees in the field, and my assistant in the field, and I pretty much have a lot of trust in them to carry out everything.

AE: HGTV has not given us any response to our request for an explanation about why you were not at the finale. Did they give you one?
MV: I was going to tell you, I wish I had one too, but I wasn’t given an explanation.

AE: They just told you not to come, or asked you not to come or?
MV: Yeah, they just said, "You will not be showing up for the finale." Okay.

AE: Wow. How did you feel about that?
MV: I felt a little cheated, just for the fact that I built such a good relationship with everyone on the show. I came in fourth place, which I thought was a pretty good accomplishment; after all, over 10,000 people put in for it. And it hurt because I did want to see everyone, especially Trish. Me and her were really, really tight and she was like the sister I never had. So it was an instant bond when I met her and it was just sad not to be able to see her and recap everything with her.